Re: [avr-gcc-list] memcpy() : problem when passing destination pointer

[Vincent Trouilliez]

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:30:30 -0500
"Graham Davies" <address@hidden> wrote:
> Unfortunately, yes.  The compiler is allowed to optimize away stuff only if 
> it can be "certain" that the entire program will operate in the same way. 
> The compiler is not allowed to conclude that a variable is not accessed 
> elsewhere in the program just because it can't see that access in one 
> particular translation unit.  The canonical example of where volatile is 
> needed is the busy-wait loop on a variable that is written in a different 
> context, i.e. do {} while ( flag == 0 ); where flag is set to one in an 
> interrupt.  The problem is not that the compiler can't see that flag is 
> accessed in a different translation unit.  The problem is that it can't see 
> that such an access can occur at the same time as the do ... while loop is 
> executing.  The compiler reasons that as there is nothing inside the loop 
> that changes flag, then the value of flag never changes once the loop is 
> entered and so only needs to be tested once.  If it is zero, the loop will 
> run forever.  So, flag must be declared volatile to tell the compiler to 
> produce the repeating test.
> 
> Graham.

Thanks Graham, very clear explanation. That's a nice paragraph
that would at home just as is, in the avr-libc manual somewhere
(FAQ?) ! ;-)

... where I think it used to be one upon a time ?
Wonder why it got removed...

--
Vince