| version 1.1.1.2, 2012/02/21 23:50:25 | version 1.1.1.4, 2013/07/22 08:25:57 | 
| Line 1 | Line 1 | 
| .TH PCREJIT 3 | .TH PCREJIT 3 "17 March 2013" "PCRE 8.33" | 
 | .SH NAME | .SH NAME | 
 | PCRE - Perl-compatible regular expressions | PCRE - Perl-compatible regular expressions | 
 | .SH "PCRE JUST-IN-TIME COMPILER SUPPORT" | .SH "PCRE JUST-IN-TIME COMPILER SUPPORT" | 
| Line 18  It does not apply when the DFA matching function is be | Line 18  It does not apply when the DFA matching function is be | 
 | this support was written by Zoltan Herczeg. | this support was written by Zoltan Herczeg. | 
 | . | . | 
 | . | . | 
| .SH "8-BIT and 16-BIT SUPPORT" | .SH "8-BIT, 16-BIT AND 32-BIT SUPPORT" | 
 | .rs | .rs | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
| JIT support is available for both the 8-bit and 16-bit PCRE libraries. To keep | JIT support is available for all of the 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit PCRE | 
| this documentation simple, only the 8-bit interface is described in what | libraries. To keep this documentation simple, only the 8-bit interface is | 
| follows. If you are using the 16-bit library, substitute the 16-bit functions | described in what follows. If you are using the 16-bit library, substitute the | 
| and 16-bit structures (for example, \fIpcre16_jit_stack\fP instead of | 16-bit functions and 16-bit structures (for example, \fIpcre16_jit_stack\fP | 
| \fIpcre_jit_stack\fP). | instead of \fIpcre_jit_stack\fP). If you are using the 32-bit library, | 
|  | substitute the 32-bit functions and 32-bit structures (for example, | 
|  | \fIpcre32_jit_stack\fP instead of \fIpcre_jit_stack\fP). | 
 | . | . | 
 | . | . | 
 | .SH "AVAILABILITY OF JIT SUPPORT" | .SH "AVAILABILITY OF JIT SUPPORT" | 
| Line 39  JIT. The support is limited to the following hardware | Line 41  JIT. The support is limited to the following hardware | 
 | Intel x86 32-bit and 64-bit | Intel x86 32-bit and 64-bit | 
 | MIPS 32-bit | MIPS 32-bit | 
 | Power PC 32-bit and 64-bit | Power PC 32-bit and 64-bit | 
 |  | SPARC 32-bit (experimental) | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
| The Power PC support is designated as experimental because it has not been | If --enable-jit is set on an unsupported platform, compilation fails. | 
| fully tested. If --enable-jit is set on an unsupported platform, compilation |  | 
| fails. |  | 
 | .P | .P | 
 | A program that is linked with PCRE 8.20 or later can tell if JIT support is | A program that is linked with PCRE 8.20 or later can tell if JIT support is | 
 | available by calling \fBpcre_config()\fP with the PCRE_CONFIG_JIT option. The | available by calling \fBpcre_config()\fP with the PCRE_CONFIG_JIT option. The | 
 | result is 1 when JIT is available, and 0 otherwise. However, a simple program | result is 1 when JIT is available, and 0 otherwise. However, a simple program | 
| does not need to check this in order to use JIT. The API is implemented in a | does not need to check this in order to use JIT. The normal API is implemented | 
| way that falls back to the ordinary PCRE code if JIT is not available. | in a way that falls back to the interpretive code if JIT is not available. For | 
|  | programs that need the best possible performance, there is also a "fast path" | 
|  | API that is JIT-specific. | 
 | .P | .P | 
 | If your program may sometimes be linked with versions of PCRE that are older | If your program may sometimes be linked with versions of PCRE that are older | 
 | than 8.20, but you want to use JIT when it is available, you can test | than 8.20, but you want to use JIT when it is available, you can test | 
| Line 66  You have to do two things to make use of the JIT suppo | Line 69  You have to do two things to make use of the JIT suppo | 
 | \fBpcre_exec()\fP. | \fBpcre_exec()\fP. | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | (2) Use \fBpcre_free_study()\fP to free the \fBpcre_extra\fP block when it is | (2) Use \fBpcre_free_study()\fP to free the \fBpcre_extra\fP block when it is | 
| no longer needed instead of just freeing it yourself. This | no longer needed, instead of just freeing it yourself. This ensures that | 
| ensures that any JIT data is also freed. | any JIT data is also freed. | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | For a program that may be linked with pre-8.20 versions of PCRE, you can insert | For a program that may be linked with pre-8.20 versions of PCRE, you can insert | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
| Line 84  this to free the study data: | Line 87  this to free the study data: | 
 | pcre_free(study_ptr); | pcre_free(study_ptr); | 
 | #endif | #endif | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 |  | PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE requests the JIT compiler to generate code for complete | 
 |  | matches. If you want to run partial matches using the PCRE_PARTIAL_HARD or | 
 |  | PCRE_PARTIAL_SOFT options of \fBpcre_exec()\fP, you should set one or both of | 
 |  | the following options in addition to, or instead of, PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE | 
 |  | when you call \fBpcre_study()\fP: | 
 |  | .sp | 
 |  | PCRE_STUDY_JIT_PARTIAL_HARD_COMPILE | 
 |  | PCRE_STUDY_JIT_PARTIAL_SOFT_COMPILE | 
 |  | .sp | 
 |  | The JIT compiler generates different optimized code for each of the three | 
 |  | modes (normal, soft partial, hard partial). When \fBpcre_exec()\fP is called, | 
 |  | the appropriate code is run if it is available. Otherwise, the pattern is | 
 |  | matched using interpretive code. | 
 |  | .P | 
 | In some circumstances you may need to call additional functions. These are | In some circumstances you may need to call additional functions. These are | 
 | described in the section entitled | described in the section entitled | 
 | .\" HTML <a href="#stackcontrol"> | .\" HTML <a href="#stackcontrol"> | 
| Line 92  described in the section entitled | Line 109  described in the section entitled | 
 | .\" | .\" | 
 | below. | below. | 
 | .P | .P | 
| If JIT support is not available, PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE is ignored, and no JIT | If JIT support is not available, PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE etc. are ignored, and | 
| data is set up. Otherwise, the compiled pattern is passed to the JIT compiler, | no JIT data is created. Otherwise, the compiled pattern is passed to the JIT | 
| which turns it into machine code that executes much faster than the normal | compiler, which turns it into machine code that executes much faster than the | 
| interpretive code. When \fBpcre_exec()\fP is passed a \fBpcre_extra\fP block | normal interpretive code. When \fBpcre_exec()\fP is passed a \fBpcre_extra\fP | 
| containing a pointer to JIT code, it obeys that instead of the normal code. The | block containing a pointer to JIT code of the appropriate mode (normal or | 
| result is identical, but the code runs much faster. | hard/soft partial), it obeys that code instead of running the interpreter. The | 
|  | result is identical, but the compiled JIT code runs much faster. | 
 | .P | .P | 
 | There are some \fBpcre_exec()\fP options that are not supported for JIT | There are some \fBpcre_exec()\fP options that are not supported for JIT | 
 | execution. There are also some pattern items that JIT cannot handle. Details | execution. There are also some pattern items that JIT cannot handle. Details | 
 | are given below. In both cases, execution automatically falls back to the | are given below. In both cases, execution automatically falls back to the | 
| interpretive code. | interpretive code. If you want to know whether JIT was actually used for a | 
|  | particular match, you should arrange for a JIT callback function to be set up | 
|  | as described in the section entitled | 
|  | .\" HTML <a href="#stackcontrol"> | 
|  | .\" </a> | 
|  | "Controlling the JIT stack" | 
|  | .\" | 
|  | below, even if you do not need to supply a non-default JIT stack. Such a | 
|  | callback function is called whenever JIT code is about to be obeyed. If the | 
|  | execution options are not right for JIT execution, the callback function is not | 
|  | obeyed. | 
 | .P | .P | 
 | If the JIT compiler finds an unsupported item, no JIT data is generated. You | If the JIT compiler finds an unsupported item, no JIT data is generated. You | 
 | can find out if JIT execution is available after studying a pattern by calling | can find out if JIT execution is available after studying a pattern by calling | 
 | \fBpcre_fullinfo()\fP with the PCRE_INFO_JIT option. A result of 1 means that | \fBpcre_fullinfo()\fP with the PCRE_INFO_JIT option. A result of 1 means that | 
 | JIT compilation was successful. A result of 0 means that JIT support is not | JIT compilation was successful. A result of 0 means that JIT support is not | 
| available, or the pattern was not studied with PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE, or the | available, or the pattern was not studied with PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE etc., or | 
| JIT compiler was not able to handle the pattern. | the JIT compiler was not able to handle the pattern. | 
 | .P | .P | 
 | Once a pattern has been studied, with or without JIT, it can be used as many | Once a pattern has been studied, with or without JIT, it can be used as many | 
 | times as you like for matching different subject strings. | times as you like for matching different subject strings. | 
| Line 119  times as you like for matching different subject strin | Line 147  times as you like for matching different subject strin | 
 | .rs | .rs | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | The only \fBpcre_exec()\fP options that are supported for JIT execution are | The only \fBpcre_exec()\fP options that are supported for JIT execution are | 
| PCRE_NO_UTF8_CHECK, PCRE_NOTBOL, PCRE_NOTEOL, PCRE_NOTEMPTY, and | PCRE_NO_UTF8_CHECK, PCRE_NO_UTF16_CHECK, PCRE_NO_UTF32_CHECK, PCRE_NOTBOL, | 
| PCRE_NOTEMPTY_ATSTART. Note in particular that partial matching is not | PCRE_NOTEOL, PCRE_NOTEMPTY, PCRE_NOTEMPTY_ATSTART, PCRE_PARTIAL_HARD, and | 
| supported. | PCRE_PARTIAL_SOFT. | 
 | .P | .P | 
| The unsupported pattern items are: | The only unsupported pattern items are \eC (match a single data unit) when | 
| .sp | running in a UTF mode, and a callout immediately before an assertion condition | 
| \eC             match a single byte; not supported in UTF-8 mode | in a conditional group. | 
| (?Cn)          callouts |  | 
| (*COMMIT)      ) |  | 
| (*MARK)        ) |  | 
| (*PRUNE)       ) the backtracking control verbs |  | 
| (*SKIP)        ) |  | 
| (*THEN)        ) |  | 
| .sp |  | 
| Support for some of these may be added in future. |  | 
 | . | . | 
 | . | . | 
 | .SH "RETURN VALUES FROM JIT EXECUTION" | .SH "RETURN VALUES FROM JIT EXECUTION" | 
| Line 210  should use. Its arguments are as follows: | Line 230  should use. Its arguments are as follows: | 
 | void               *data | void               *data | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | The \fIextra\fP argument must be the result of studying a pattern with | The \fIextra\fP argument must be the result of studying a pattern with | 
| PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE. There are three cases for the values of the other two | PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE etc. There are three cases for the values of the other | 
| options: | two options: | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | (1) If \fIcallback\fP is NULL and \fIdata\fP is NULL, an internal 32K block | (1) If \fIcallback\fP is NULL and \fIdata\fP is NULL, an internal 32K block | 
 | on the machine stack is used. | on the machine stack is used. | 
| Line 219  options: | Line 239  options: | 
 | (2) If \fIcallback\fP is NULL and \fIdata\fP is not NULL, \fIdata\fP must be | (2) If \fIcallback\fP is NULL and \fIdata\fP is not NULL, \fIdata\fP must be | 
 | a valid JIT stack, the result of calling \fBpcre_jit_stack_alloc()\fP. | a valid JIT stack, the result of calling \fBpcre_jit_stack_alloc()\fP. | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
| (3) If \fIcallback\fP not NULL, it must point to a function that is called | (3) If \fIcallback\fP is not NULL, it must point to a function that is | 
| with \fIdata\fP as an argument at the start of matching, in order to | called with \fIdata\fP as an argument at the start of matching, in | 
| set up a JIT stack. If the result is NULL, the internal 32K stack | order to set up a JIT stack. If the return from the callback | 
| is used; otherwise the return value must be a valid JIT stack, | function is NULL, the internal 32K stack is used; otherwise the | 
| the result of calling \fBpcre_jit_stack_alloc()\fP. | return value must be a valid JIT stack, the result of calling | 
|  | \fBpcre_jit_stack_alloc()\fP. | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
| You may safely assign the same JIT stack to more than one pattern, as long as | A callback function is obeyed whenever JIT code is about to be run; it is not | 
| they are all matched sequentially in the same thread. In a multithread | obeyed when \fBpcre_exec()\fP is called with options that are incompatible for | 
| application, each thread must use its own JIT stack. | JIT execution. A callback function can therefore be used to determine whether a | 
|  | match operation was executed by JIT or by the interpreter. | 
 | .P | .P | 
| Strictly speaking, even more is allowed. You can assign the same stack to any | You may safely use the same JIT stack for more than one pattern (either by | 
| number of patterns as long as they are not used for matching by multiple | assigning directly or by callback), as long as the patterns are all matched | 
|  | sequentially in the same thread. In a multithread application, if you do not | 
|  | specify a JIT stack, or if you assign or pass back NULL from a callback, that | 
|  | is thread-safe, because each thread has its own machine stack. However, if you | 
|  | assign or pass back a non-NULL JIT stack, this must be a different stack for | 
|  | each thread so that the application is thread-safe. | 
|  | .P | 
|  | Strictly speaking, even more is allowed. You can assign the same non-NULL stack | 
|  | to any number of patterns as long as they are not used for matching by multiple | 
 | threads at the same time. For example, you can assign the same stack to all | threads at the same time. For example, you can assign the same stack to all | 
 | compiled patterns, and use a global mutex in the callback to wait until the | compiled patterns, and use a global mutex in the callback to wait until the | 
| stack is available for use. However, this is an inefficient solution, and | stack is available for use. However, this is an inefficient solution, and not | 
| not recommended. | recommended. | 
 | .P | .P | 
| This is a suggestion for how a typical multithreaded program might operate: | This is a suggestion for how a multithreaded program that needs to set up | 
|  | non-default JIT stacks might operate: | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | During thread initalization | During thread initalization | 
 | thread_local_var = pcre_jit_stack_alloc(...) | thread_local_var = pcre_jit_stack_alloc(...) | 
| Line 250  This is a suggestion for how a typical multithreaded p | Line 281  This is a suggestion for how a typical multithreaded p | 
 | All the functions described in this section do nothing if JIT is not available, | All the functions described in this section do nothing if JIT is not available, | 
 | and \fBpcre_assign_jit_stack()\fP does nothing unless the \fBextra\fP argument | and \fBpcre_assign_jit_stack()\fP does nothing unless the \fBextra\fP argument | 
 | is non-NULL and points to a \fBpcre_extra\fP block that is the result of a | is non-NULL and points to a \fBpcre_extra\fP block that is the result of a | 
| successful study with PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE. | successful study with PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE etc. | 
 | . | . | 
 | . | . | 
 | .\" HTML <a name="stackfaq"></a> | .\" HTML <a name="stackfaq"></a> | 
| Line 301  replacement. | Line 332  replacement. | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | No, because this is too costly in terms of resources. However, you could | No, because this is too costly in terms of resources. However, you could | 
 | implement some clever idea which release the stack if it is not used in let's | implement some clever idea which release the stack if it is not used in let's | 
| say two minutes. The JIT callback can help to achive this without keeping a | say two minutes. The JIT callback can help to achieve this without keeping a | 
 | list of the currently JIT studied patterns. | list of the currently JIT studied patterns. | 
 | .P | .P | 
 | (6) OK, the stack is for long term memory allocation. But what happens if a | (6) OK, the stack is for long term memory allocation. But what happens if a | 
 | pattern causes stack overflow with a stack of 1M? Is that 1M kept until the | pattern causes stack overflow with a stack of 1M? Is that 1M kept until the | 
 | stack is freed? | stack is freed? | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
| Especially on embedded sytems, it might be a good idea to release | Especially on embedded sytems, it might be a good idea to release memory | 
| memory sometimes without freeing the stack. There is no API for this at the | sometimes without freeing the stack. There is no API for this at the moment. | 
| moment. Probably a function call which returns with the currently allocated | Probably a function call which returns with the currently allocated memory for | 
| memory for any stack and another which allows releasing memory (shrinking the | any stack and another which allows releasing memory (shrinking the stack) would | 
| stack) would be a good idea if someone needs this. | be a good idea if someone needs this. | 
 | .P | .P | 
 | (7) This is too much of a headache. Isn't there any better solution for JIT | (7) This is too much of a headache. Isn't there any better solution for JIT | 
 | stack handling? | stack handling? | 
| Line 347  callback. | Line 378  callback. | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | . | . | 
 | . | . | 
 |  | .SH "JIT FAST PATH API" | 
 |  | .rs | 
 |  | .sp | 
 |  | Because the API described above falls back to interpreted execution when JIT is | 
 |  | not available, it is convenient for programs that are written for general use | 
 |  | in many environments. However, calling JIT via \fBpcre_exec()\fP does have a | 
 |  | performance impact. Programs that are written for use where JIT is known to be | 
 |  | available, and which need the best possible performance, can instead use a | 
 |  | "fast path" API to call JIT execution directly instead of calling | 
 |  | \fBpcre_exec()\fP (obviously only for patterns that have been successfully | 
 |  | studied by JIT). | 
 |  | .P | 
 |  | The fast path function is called \fBpcre_jit_exec()\fP, and it takes exactly | 
 |  | the same arguments as \fBpcre_exec()\fP, plus one additional argument that | 
 |  | must point to a JIT stack. The JIT stack arrangements described above do not | 
 |  | apply. The return values are the same as for \fBpcre_exec()\fP. | 
 |  | .P | 
 |  | When you call \fBpcre_exec()\fP, as well as testing for invalid options, a | 
 |  | number of other sanity checks are performed on the arguments. For example, if | 
 |  | the subject pointer is NULL, or its length is negative, an immediate error is | 
 |  | given. Also, unless PCRE_NO_UTF[8|16|32] is set, a UTF subject string is tested | 
 |  | for validity. In the interests of speed, these checks do not happen on the JIT | 
 |  | fast path, and if invalid data is passed, the result is undefined. | 
 |  | .P | 
 |  | Bypassing the sanity checks and the \fBpcre_exec()\fP wrapping can give | 
 |  | speedups of more than 10%. | 
 |  | . | 
 |  | . | 
 | .SH "SEE ALSO" | .SH "SEE ALSO" | 
 | .rs | .rs | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
| Line 367  Cambridge CB2 3QH, England. | Line 426  Cambridge CB2 3QH, England. | 
 | .rs | .rs | 
 | .sp | .sp | 
 | .nf | .nf | 
| Last updated: 08 January 2012 | Last updated: 17 March 2013 | 
| Copyright (c) 1997-2012 University of Cambridge. | Copyright (c) 1997-2013 University of Cambridge. | 
 | .fi | .fi |