Andy Ayers: Understanding the Phoenix Compiler Framework | Going Deep

GamlerHart

This "show-me-the-path-of-the-variable-setting" is REALLY cool. How many time you've debuged the same small function, because you got another value than expected. With this feature, you can quickly see it, without re-running the function. You've an overview how you landed at the state you're now in.

Sadly, I'm not really in the C++/native word, but in the Java / Managed World.

staceyw
Before C# there was darkness...

GamlerHart wrote:
This "show-me-the-path-of-the-variable-setting" is REALLY cool. How many time you've debuged the same small function, because you got another value than expected. With this feature, you can quickly see it, without re-running the function. You've an overview how you landed at the state you're now in.

Sadly, I'm not really in the C++/native word, but in the Java / Managed World.

I like that too. And ability to Step backwards and reverse the state would be so cool.

Look forward to new compiler in the product. Thanks much folks.

BTW - small correction. The managed class is "StringBuilder" (not stringbuffer).

silverfrost

Charles: Thank you for the continued low res versions of your videos, much appreciated Big Smile

AndyC

The raising an executable to IR sounds very interesting. Presumably this could allow you to migrate executables to another CPU architecture (much like Rosetta in MacOS) if that ever became an issue for Windows.

AndyA

One of the cool things about Phoenix is that it blurs the line between managed and native code in a number of interesting ways.

So, if you're into managed code, you'll be happy to hear that the dynamic slice tool works on managed code too.

AndyA

staceyw wrote:

GamlerHart wrote: This "show-me-the-path-of-the-variable-setting" is REALLY cool. How many time you've debuged the same small function, because you got another value than expected. With this feature, you can quickly see it, without re-running the function. You've an overview how you landed at the state you're now in.

Sadly, I'm not really in the C++/native word, but in the Java / Managed World.

I like that too. And ability to Step backwards and reverse the state would be so cool.

Look forward to new compiler in the product. Thanks much folks.

BTW - small correction. The managed class is "StringBuilder" (not stringbuffer).

Reverse debugging is indeed really cool, but there's a sizeable gap between what we can do with slicing and actually being able to run the program backwards. Still, the idea is compelling...

We should be dislosing release plans sometime in the not-too-distant future. But you don't have to wait until then to have fun with Phoenix -- download the SDK and you'll get a version of Phoenix that plugs right into the VS2008 C++ toolchain.

Thanks for the correction.

AndyA

AndyC wrote:
The raising an executable to IR sounds very interesting. Presumably this could allow you to migrate executables to another CPU architecture (much like Rosetta in MacOS) if that ever became an issue for Windows.

Binary translation is certainly doable, and the machine-specific part of Phoenix is extensible (though this is not yet as easy to do as we would like it to be). Sounds like a fun project for somebody to try...

esoteric
λ

Having processor makers produce plugins for Phoenix sounds quite compelling, for Phoenix itself, Microsoft, the processor makers and the users.

And it would be great with more static IL optimizations. On the other hand, in the parallel world of the future, there should be enough cores to continuously GC, profile and analyze code, so one wonders how much Phoenix can adapt to dynamic compilation and analysis demands.

Anyway, cool stuff.

dumian

super cool, i already have the previous build, is quite an step forward
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