The GDAT(S + A) relocation operation requires a static linker to create a GOT entry for (S + A). Requiring at least one GOT entry for each unique tuple (S, A). Unfortunately no known static linker has implemented this correctly, with one of two forms being implemented instead:
GDAT(S) with the addend ignored.
GDAT(S) + A with a single GOT entry per S, and A added to the value of GDAT(S). These implementations are correct and consistent only for an addend (A) of zero.
No known compiler uses non-zero addends in relocations that use the GDAT(S+A) operation, although it is possible to generate them using assembly language.
This change synchronizes the ABI with the behavior of existing static linker implementations. The benefit of permitting code generators [*] to use a non zero addend in GDAT(S + A) is judged to be lower than implementing GDAT(S + A) correctly in existing static linkers, many of which assume that there is a single GOT entry per unique symbol S.
It is QoI whether a static linker gives an error if a non zero addend is used for a relocation that uses the GDAT(S) operation.
[*] The most common use case for a non-zero addend is in constructing a C++ object with a vtable. The first two entries in the vtable are the offset to top and a pointer to RTTI, the vtable pointer in the object starts at offset 0x10. This offset can be encoded in the relocation addend. We would save an add instruction for each construction of a C++ object with a vtable if addends were permitted.
The GDAT(S + A) relocation operation requires a static linker to create a GOT entry for (S + A). Requiring at least one GOT entry for each unique tuple (S, A). Unfortunately no known static linker has implemented this correctly, with one of two forms being implemented instead:
No known compiler uses non-zero addends in relocations that use the GDAT(S+A) operation, although it is possible to generate them using assembly language.
This change synchronizes the ABI with the behavior of existing static linker implementations. The benefit of permitting code generators [*] to use a non zero addend in GDAT(S + A) is judged to be lower than implementing GDAT(S + A) correctly in existing static linkers, many of which assume that there is a single GOT entry per unique symbol S.
It is QoI whether a static linker gives an error if a non zero addend is used for a relocation that uses the GDAT(S) operation.
Fixes https://github.com/ARM-software/abi-aa/issues/217 Also resolves https://github.com/ARM-software/abi-aa/pull/247
[*] The most common use case for a non-zero addend is in constructing a C++ object with a vtable. The first two entries in the vtable are the offset to top and a pointer to RTTI, the vtable pointer in the object starts at offset 0x10. This offset can be encoded in the relocation addend. We would save an add instruction for each construction of a C++ object with a vtable if addends were permitted.