Explain machine dependent features of loader

Machine-Dependent Loader Features

Absolute loader is simple and efficient, but the scheme has potential disadvantages One of the most disadvantage is the programmer has to specify the actual starting address, from where the program to be loaded. This does not create difficulty, if one program to run, but not for several programs. Further it is difficult to use subroutine libraries efficiently.

This needs the design and implementation of a more complex loader. The loader must provide program relocation and linking, as well as simple loading functions.

 

Relocation

The concept of program relocation is, the execution of the object program using any part of the available and sufficient memory. The object program is loaded into memory wherever there is room for it. The actual starting address of the object program is not known until load time. Relocation provides the efficient sharing of the machine with larger memory and when several independent programs are to be run together. It also supports the use of subroutine libraries efficiently. Loaders that allow for program relocation are called relocating loaders or relative loaders.

Methods for specifying relocation

Use of modification record and, use of relocation bit, are the methods available for specifying relocation. In the case of modification record, a modification record M is used in the object program to specify any relocation. In the case of use of relocation bit, each instruction is associated with one relocation bit and, these relocation bits in a Text record is gathered into bit masks.

Modification records are used in complex machines and is also called Relocation and Linkage Directory (RLD) specification. The format of the modification record (M) is as follows. The object program with relocation by Modification records is also shown here.

Modification record

col 1:	M
col 2-7:	relocation address
col 8-9:	length (halfbyte)
col 10:	flag (+/-)
col 11-17:	segment name

 

HΛCOPY Λ000000 001077

TΛ000000 Λ1DΛ17202DΛ69202DΛ48101036Λ…Λ4B105DΛ3F2FECΛ032010

TΛ00001DΛ13Λ0F2016Λ010003Λ0F200DΛ4B10105DΛ3E2003Λ454F46

TΛ001035 Λ1DΛB410ΛB400ΛB440Λ75101000Λ…Λ332008Λ57C003ΛB850

TΛ001053Λ1DΛ3B2FEAΛ134000Λ4F0000ΛF1Λ..Λ53C003ΛDF2008ΛB850

TΛ00070Λ07Λ3B2FEFΛ4F0000Λ05

MΛ000007Λ05+COPY

MΛ000014Λ05+COPY

MΛ000027Λ05+COPY

EΛ000000

The relocation bit method is used for simple machines. Relocation bit is 0: no modification is necessary, and is 1: modification is needed. This is specified in the columns 10-12 of text record (T), the format of text record, along with relocation bits is as follows.

Text record

col 1: T

col 2-7: starting address

col 8-9: length (byte)

col 10-12: relocation bits

col 13-72: object code

Twelve-bit mask is used in each Text record (col:10-12 – relocation bits), since each text record contains less than 12 words, unused words are set to 0, and, any value that is to be

modified during relocation must coincide with one of these 3-byte segments. For absolute loader, there are no relocation bits column 10-69 contains object code. The object program with relocation by bit mask is as shown below. Observe FFC - means all ten words are to be modified and, E00 - means first three records are to be modified.

H_ΛCOPY _Λ000000 00107A

T_Λ000000_Λ1E_ΛFFC_Λ140033_Λ481039_Λ000036_Λ280030_Λ300015_Λ…_Λ3C0003 _Λ …

T_Λ00001E_Λ15_ΛE00_Λ0C0036_Λ481061_Λ080033_Λ4C0000_Λ…_Λ000003_Λ000000

T_Λ001039_Λ1E_ΛFFC_Λ040030_Λ000030_Λ…_Λ30103F_ΛD8105D_Λ280030_Λ...

T_Λ001057_Λ0A_Λ800_Λ100036_Λ4C0000_ΛF1_Λ001000

T_Λ001061_Λ19_ΛFE0_Λ040030_ΛE01079_Λ…_Λ508039_ΛDC1079_Λ2C0036_Λ...

E_Λ000000

 Program Linking

The Goal of program linking is to resolve the problems with external references (EXTREF) and external definitions (EXTDEF) from different control sections.

EXTDEF (external definition) - The EXTDEF statement in a control section names symbols, called external symbols, that are defined in this (present) control section and may be used by other sections.

ex: EXTDEF BUFFER, BUFFEND, LENGTH

EXTDEF LISTA, ENDA

EXTREF (external reference) - The EXTREF statement names symbols used in this (present) control section and are defined elsewhere.

ex: EXTREF RDREC, WRREC EXTREF LISTB, ENDB, LISTC, ENDC