chris@umcp-cs.UUCP (Chris Torek) (11/03/84)
Another good(?) reason for readonly strings is that then the compiler
could use the same address for "equal" strings; that is, if I write
printf("%d\n", x);
.
.
.
printf("%d\n", y);
the compiler might produce
.data
L21: .asciz "%d\n"
.text
pushl x # well not really but...
pushal L21
calls $2,printf
.
.
.
pushl y
pushal L21
calls $2,printf
Many FORTRAN compilers use similar tricks when passing constants to
subroutines or functions... I think I once used the "modify-the-constant"
trick to change the WRITE unit number, just for fun.
--
(This mind accidently left blank.)
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (301) 454-7690
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