This document describes support for the C64+, C6740, and C6600 variants of the TMS320C6000™ processor series. The C6200, C6400, C6700, and C6700+ variants are not supported in v8.0 and later versions of the TI Code Generation Tools. If you are using one of these legacy devices, please use v7.4 of the Code Generation Tools and refer to SPRU186 and SPRU187 for documentation.

The TMS320C6000 Assembly Language Tools User's Guide explains how to use the following Texas Instruments Code Generation object file tools:

• Assembler
• Archiver
• Linker
• Library information archiver
• Disassembler
• Object file display utility
• Name utility
• Strip utility
• Hex conversion utility

This book helps you learn how to use the Texas Instruments object file and assembly language tools designed specifically for the TMS320C6000™ 32-bit devices. This book consists of four parts:

• Introductory information, consisting of Chapter 2 through Chapter 4, gives you an overview of the object file and assembly language development tools. Chapter 3, in particular, explains object modules and how they can be managed to help your TMS320C6000 application load and run. It is highly recommended that developers become familiar with what object modules are and how they are used before using the assembler and linker.
• Assembler description, consisting of Chapter 5 through Chapter 7, contains detailed information about using the assembler. Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 explain how to invoke the assembler and discuss source statement format, valid constants and expressions, assembler output, and assembler directives. Chapter 7 focuses on the macro language.
• Linker and other object file tools description, consisting of Chapter 8 through Chapter 11, describes in detail each of the tools provided with the assembler to help you create executable object files. Chapter 8 provides details about using the archiver to create object libraries. Chapter 9 explains how to invoke the linker, how the linker operates, and how to use linker directives. Chapter 10 provides a brief overview of some of the object file utilities that can be useful in examining the content of object files as well as removing symbol and debug information to reduce the size of a given object file. Chapter 11 explains how to use the hex conversion utility.
• Additional Reference material, consisting of Appendix A through Appendix C, provides supplementary information including symbolic debugging directives used by the TMS320C6000 C/C++ compiler. A description of the XML link information file and a glossary are also provided.

This document uses the following conventions:

• Program listings, program examples, and interactive displays are shown in a special typeface . Interactive displays use a bold version of the special typeface to distinguish commands that you enter from items that the system displays (such as prompts, command output, error messages, etc.).

  Here is a sample of C code:

       #include <stdio.h>
       main()
       {    printf("hello world\n");
       }

• In syntax descriptions, the instruction, command, or directive is in a bold typeface and parameters are in an italic typeface. Portions of a syntax that are in bold should be entered as shown; portions of a syntax that are in italics describe the type of information that should be entered.
• Square brackets ( [ and ] ) identify an optional parameter. If you use an optional parameter, you specify the information within the brackets. Unless the square brackets are in the bold typeface, do not enter the brackets themselves. The following is an example of a command that has an optional parameter:

  cl6x [options] [filenames] [--run_linker [link_options] [object files]]

• Braces ( { and } ) indicate that you must choose one of the parameters within the braces; you do not enter the braces themselves. This is an example of a command with braces that are not included in the actual syntax but indicate that you must specify either the --rom_model or --ram_model option:

  cl6x --run_linker  {--rom_model | --ram_model} filenames [--output_file=name.out]
  	--library= libraryname

• In assembler syntax statements, The leftmost character position, column 1, is reserved for the first character of a label or symbol. If the label or symbol is optional, it is usually not shown. If it is a required parameter, it is shown starting against the left margin of the box, as in the example below. No instruction, command, directive, or parameter, other than a symbol or label, can begin in column 1.

  symbol .usect "section name", size in bytes[, alignment]

• Some directives can have a varying number of parameters. For example, the .byte directive can have multiple parameters. This syntax is shown as [, ..., parameter].

  .byteparameter1[, ... , parametern]

• The TMS320C64x+ devices are referred to as C64x+. The TMS320C6600 devices are referred to as C6600. The TMS320C6740 devices are referred to as C6740.

• Other symbols and abbreviations used throughout this document include the following: