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<title>Creating an LLVM Project</title> | |
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<h1>Creating an LLVM Project</h1> | |
<ol> | |
<li><a href="#overview">Overview</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#create">Create a project from the Sample Project</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#source">Source tree layout</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#makefiles">Writing LLVM-style Makefiles</a> | |
<ol> | |
<li><a href="#reqVars">Required Variables</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#varsBuildDir">Variables for Building Subdirectories</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#varsBuildLib">Variables for Building Libraries</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#varsBuildProg">Variables for Building Programs</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#miscVars">Miscellaneous Variables</a></li> | |
</ol></li> | |
<li><a href="#objcode">Placement of object code</a></li> | |
<li><a href="#help">Further help</a></li> | |
</ol> | |
<div class="doc_author"> | |
<p>Written by John Criswell</p> | |
</div> | |
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<h2><a name="overview">Overview</a></h2> | |
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<div> | |
<p>The LLVM build system is designed to facilitate the building of third party | |
projects that use LLVM header files, libraries, and tools. In order to use | |
these facilities, a Makefile from a project must do the following things:</p> | |
<ol> | |
<li>Set <tt>make</tt> variables. There are several variables that a Makefile | |
needs to set to use the LLVM build system: | |
<ul> | |
<li><tt>PROJECT_NAME</tt> - The name by which your project is known.</li> | |
<li><tt>LLVM_SRC_ROOT</tt> - The root of the LLVM source tree.</li> | |
<li><tt>LLVM_OBJ_ROOT</tt> - The root of the LLVM object tree.</li> | |
<li><tt>PROJ_SRC_ROOT</tt> - The root of the project's source tree.</li> | |
<li><tt>PROJ_OBJ_ROOT</tt> - The root of the project's object tree.</li> | |
<li><tt>PROJ_INSTALL_ROOT</tt> - The root installation directory.</li> | |
<li><tt>LEVEL</tt> - The relative path from the current directory to the | |
project's root ($PROJ_OBJ_ROOT).</li> | |
</ul></li> | |
<li>Include <tt>Makefile.config</tt> from <tt>$(LLVM_OBJ_ROOT)</tt>.</li> | |
<li>Include <tt>Makefile.rules</tt> from <tt>$(LLVM_SRC_ROOT)</tt>.</li> | |
</ol> | |
<p>There are two ways that you can set all of these variables:</p> | |
<ol> | |
<li>You can write your own Makefiles which hard-code these values.</li> | |
<li>You can use the pre-made LLVM sample project. This sample project | |
includes Makefiles, a configure script that can be used to configure the | |
location of LLVM, and the ability to support multiple object directories | |
from a single source directory.</li> | |
</ol> | |
<p>This document assumes that you will base your project on the LLVM sample | |
project found in <tt>llvm/projects/sample</tt>. If you want to devise your own | |
build system, studying the sample project and LLVM Makefiles will probably | |
provide enough information on how to write your own Makefiles.</p> | |
</div> | |
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<h2> | |
<a name="create">Create a Project from the Sample Project</a> | |
</h2> | |
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<div> | |
<p>Follow these simple steps to start your project:</p> | |
<ol> | |
<li>Copy the <tt>llvm/projects/sample</tt> directory to any place of your | |
choosing. You can place it anywhere you like. Rename the directory to match | |
the name of your project.</li> | |
<li> | |
If you downloaded LLVM using Subversion, remove all the directories named .svn | |
(and all the files therein) from your project's new source tree. This will | |
keep Subversion from thinking that your project is inside | |
<tt>llvm/trunk/projects/sample</tt>.</li> | |
<li>Add your source code and Makefiles to your source tree.</li> | |
<li>If you want your project to be configured with the <tt>configure</tt> script | |
then you need to edit <tt>autoconf/configure.ac</tt> as follows: | |
<ul> | |
<li><b>AC_INIT</b>. Place the name of your project, its version number and | |
a contact email address for your project as the arguments to this macro</li> | |
<li><b>AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR</b>. If your project isn't in the | |
<tt>llvm/projects</tt> directory then you might need to adjust this so that | |
it specifies a relative path to the <tt>llvm/autoconf</tt> directory.</li> | |
<li><b>LLVM_CONFIG_PROJECT</b>. Just leave this alone.</li> | |
<li><b>AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR</b>. Specify a path to a file name that identifies | |
your project; or just leave it at <tt>Makefile.common.in</tt></li> | |
<li><b>AC_CONFIG_FILES</b>. Do not change.</li> | |
<li><b>AC_CONFIG_MAKEFILE</b>. Use one of these macros for each Makefile | |
that your project uses. This macro arranges for your makefiles to be copied | |
from the source directory, unmodified, to the build directory.</li> | |
</ul> | |
</li> | |
<li>After updating <tt>autoconf/configure.ac</tt>, regenerate the | |
configure script with these commands: | |
<div class="doc_code"> | |
<p><tt>% cd autoconf<br> | |
% ./AutoRegen.sh</tt></p> | |
</div> | |
<p>You must be using Autoconf version 2.59 or later and your aclocal version | |
should be 1.9 or later.</p></li> | |
<li>Run <tt>configure</tt> in the directory in which you want to place | |
object code. Use the following options to tell your project where it | |
can find LLVM: | |
<dl> | |
<dt><tt>--with-llvmsrc=<directory></tt></dt> | |
<dd>Tell your project where the LLVM source tree is located.</dd> | |
<dt><br><tt>--with-llvmobj=<directory></tt></dt> | |
<dd>Tell your project where the LLVM object tree is located.</dd> | |
<dt><br><tt>--prefix=<directory></tt></dt> | |
<dd>Tell your project where it should get installed.</dd> | |
</dl> | |
</ol> | |
<p>That's it! Now all you have to do is type <tt>gmake</tt> (or <tt>make</tt> | |
if your on a GNU/Linux system) in the root of your object directory, and your | |
project should build.</p> | |
</div> | |
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<h2> | |
<a name="source">Source Tree Layout</a> | |
</h2> | |
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<div> | |
<p>In order to use the LLVM build system, you will want to organize your | |
source code so that it can benefit from the build system's features. | |
Mainly, you want your source tree layout to look similar to the LLVM | |
source tree layout. The best way to do this is to just copy the | |
project tree from <tt>llvm/projects/sample</tt> and modify it to meet | |
your needs, but you can certainly add to it if you want.</p> | |
<p>Underneath your top level directory, you should have the following | |
directories:</p> | |
<dl> | |
<dt><b>lib</b> | |
<dd> | |
This subdirectory should contain all of your library source | |
code. For each library that you build, you will have one | |
directory in <b>lib</b> that will contain that library's source | |
code. | |
<p> | |
Libraries can be object files, archives, or dynamic libraries. | |
The <b>lib</b> directory is just a convenient place for libraries | |
as it places them all in a directory from which they can be linked | |
later. | |
<dt><b>include</b> | |
<dd> | |
This subdirectory should contain any header files that are | |
global to your project. By global, we mean that they are used | |
by more than one library or executable of your project. | |
<p> | |
By placing your header files in <b>include</b>, they will be | |
found automatically by the LLVM build system. For example, if | |
you have a file <b>include/jazz/note.h</b>, then your source | |
files can include it simply with <b>#include "jazz/note.h"</b>. | |
<dt><b>tools</b> | |
<dd> | |
This subdirectory should contain all of your source | |
code for executables. For each program that you build, you | |
will have one directory in <b>tools</b> that will contain that | |
program's source code. | |
<p> | |
<dt><b>test</b> | |
<dd> | |
This subdirectory should contain tests that verify that your code | |
works correctly. Automated tests are especially useful. | |
<p> | |
Currently, the LLVM build system provides basic support for tests. | |
The LLVM system provides the following: | |
<ul> | |
<li> | |
LLVM provides a tcl procedure that is used by Dejagnu to run | |
tests. It can be found in <tt>llvm/lib/llvm-dg.exp</tt>. This | |
test procedure uses RUN lines in the actual test case to determine | |
how to run the test. See the <a | |
href="TestingGuide.html">TestingGuide</a> for more details. You | |
can easily write Makefile support similar to the Makefiles in | |
<tt>llvm/test</tt> to use Dejagnu to run your project's tests.<br></li> | |
<li> | |
LLVM contains an optional package called <tt>llvm-test</tt> | |
which provides benchmarks and programs that are known to compile with the | |
LLVM GCC front ends. You can use these | |
programs to test your code, gather statistics information, and | |
compare it to the current LLVM performance statistics. | |
<br>Currently, there is no way to hook your tests directly into the | |
<tt>llvm/test</tt> testing harness. You will simply | |
need to find a way to use the source provided within that directory | |
on your own. | |
</ul> | |
</dl> | |
<p>Typically, you will want to build your <b>lib</b> directory first followed by | |
your <b>tools</b> directory.</p> | |
</div> | |
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<h2> | |
<a name="makefiles">Writing LLVM Style Makefiles</a> | |
</h2> | |
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<div> | |
<p>The LLVM build system provides a convenient way to build libraries and | |
executables. Most of your project Makefiles will only need to define a few | |
variables. Below is a list of the variables one can set and what they can | |
do:</p> | |
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<h3> | |
<a name="reqVars">Required Variables</a> | |
</h3> | |
<div> | |
<dl> | |
<dt>LEVEL | |
<dd> | |
This variable is the relative path from this Makefile to the | |
top directory of your project's source code. For example, if | |
your source code is in <tt>/tmp/src</tt>, then the Makefile in | |
<tt>/tmp/src/jump/high</tt> would set <tt>LEVEL</tt> to <tt>"../.."</tt>. | |
</dl> | |
</div> | |
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<h3> | |
<a name="varsBuildDir">Variables for Building Subdirectories</a> | |
</h3> | |
<div> | |
<dl> | |
<dt>DIRS | |
<dd> | |
This is a space separated list of subdirectories that should be | |
built. They will be built, one at a time, in the order | |
specified. | |
<p> | |
<dt>PARALLEL_DIRS | |
<dd> | |
This is a list of directories that can be built in parallel. | |
These will be built after the directories in DIRS have been | |
built. | |
<p> | |
<dt>OPTIONAL_DIRS | |
<dd> | |
This is a list of directories that can be built if they exist, | |
but will not cause an error if they do not exist. They are | |
built serially in the order in which they are listed. | |
</dl> | |
</div> | |
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<h3> | |
<a name="varsBuildLib">Variables for Building Libraries</a> | |
</h3> | |
<div> | |
<dl> | |
<dt>LIBRARYNAME | |
<dd> | |
This variable contains the base name of the library that will | |
be built. For example, to build a library named | |
<tt>libsample.a</tt>, LIBRARYNAME should be set to | |
<tt>sample</tt>. | |
<p> | |
<dt>BUILD_ARCHIVE | |
<dd> | |
By default, a library is a <tt>.o</tt> file that is linked | |
directly into a program. To build an archive (also known as | |
a static library), set the BUILD_ARCHIVE variable. | |
<p> | |
<dt>SHARED_LIBRARY | |
<dd> | |
If SHARED_LIBRARY is defined in your Makefile, a shared | |
(or dynamic) library will be built. | |
</dl> | |
</div> | |
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<h3> | |
<a name="varsBuildProg">Variables for Building Programs</a> | |
</h3> | |
<div> | |
<dl> | |
<dt>TOOLNAME | |
<dd> | |
This variable contains the name of the program that will | |
be built. For example, to build an executable named | |
<tt>sample</tt>, TOOLNAME should be set to <tt>sample</tt>. | |
<p> | |
<dt>USEDLIBS | |
<dd> | |
This variable holds a space separated list of libraries that should | |
be linked into the program. These libraries must be libraries that | |
come from your <b>lib</b> directory. The libraries must be | |
specified without their "lib" prefix. For example, to link | |
libsample.a, you would set USEDLIBS to | |
<tt>sample.a</tt>. | |
<p> | |
Note that this works only for statically linked libraries. | |
<p> | |
<dt>LLVMLIBS | |
<dd> | |
This variable holds a space separated list of libraries that should | |
be linked into the program. These libraries must be LLVM libraries. | |
The libraries must be specified without their "lib" prefix. For | |
example, to link with a driver that performs an IR transformation | |
you might set LLVMLIBS to this minimal set of libraries | |
<tt>LLVMSupport.a LLVMCore.a LLVMBitReader.a LLVMAsmParser.a LLVMAnalysis.a LLVMTransformUtils.a LLVMScalarOpts.a LLVMTarget.a</tt>. | |
<p> | |
Note that this works only for statically linked libraries. LLVM is | |
split into a large number of static libraries, and the list of libraries you | |
require may be much longer than the list above. To see a full list | |
of libraries use: | |
<tt>llvm-config --libs all</tt>. | |
Using LINK_COMPONENTS as described below, obviates the need to set LLVMLIBS. | |
<p> | |
<dt>LINK_COMPONENTS | |
<dd>This variable holds a space separated list of components that | |
the LLVM Makefiles pass to the <tt>llvm-config</tt> tool to generate | |
a link line for the program. For example, to link with all LLVM | |
libraries use | |
<tt>LINK_COMPONENTS = all</tt>. | |
<p> | |
<dt>LIBS | |
<dd> | |
To link dynamic libraries, add <tt>-l<library base name></tt> to | |
the LIBS variable. The LLVM build system will look in the same places | |
for dynamic libraries as it does for static libraries. | |
<p> | |
For example, to link <tt>libsample.so</tt>, you would have the | |
following line in your <tt>Makefile</tt>: | |
<p> | |
<tt> | |
LIBS += -lsample | |
</tt> | |
<p> | |
Note that LIBS must occur in the Makefile after the inclusion of Makefile.common. | |
<p> | |
</dl> | |
</div> | |
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<h3> | |
<a name="miscVars">Miscellaneous Variables</a> | |
</h3> | |
<div> | |
<dl> | |
<dt>ExtraSource | |
<dd> | |
This variable contains a space separated list of extra source | |
files that need to be built. It is useful for including the | |
output of Lex and Yacc programs. | |
<p> | |
<dt>CFLAGS | |
<dt>CPPFLAGS | |
<dd> | |
This variable can be used to add options to the C and C++ | |
compiler, respectively. It is typically used to add options | |
that tell the compiler the location of additional directories | |
to search for header files. | |
<p> | |
It is highly suggested that you append to CFLAGS and CPPFLAGS as | |
opposed to overwriting them. The master Makefiles may already | |
have useful options in them that you may not want to overwrite. | |
<p> | |
</dl> | |
</div> | |
</div> | |
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<h2> | |
<a name="objcode">Placement of Object Code</a> | |
</h2> | |
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<div> | |
<p>The final location of built libraries and executables will depend upon | |
whether you do a Debug, Release, or Profile build.</p> | |
<dl> | |
<dt>Libraries | |
<dd> | |
All libraries (static and dynamic) will be stored in | |
<tt>PROJ_OBJ_ROOT/<type>/lib</tt>, where type is <tt>Debug</tt>, | |
<tt>Release</tt>, or <tt>Profile</tt> for a debug, optimized, or | |
profiled build, respectively.<p> | |
<dt>Executables | |
<dd>All executables will be stored in | |
<tt>PROJ_OBJ_ROOT/<type>/bin</tt>, where type is <tt>Debug</tt>, | |
<tt>Release</tt>, or <tt>Profile</tt> for a debug, optimized, or profiled | |
build, respectively. | |
</dl> | |
</div> | |
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<h2> | |
<a name="help">Further Help</a> | |
</h2> | |
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<div> | |
<p>If you have any questions or need any help creating an LLVM project, | |
the LLVM team would be more than happy to help. You can always post your | |
questions to the <a | |
href="http://mail.cs.uiuc.edu/mailman/listinfo/llvmdev">LLVM Developers | |
Mailing List</a>.</p> | |
</div> | |
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<a href="mailto:criswell@uiuc.edu">John Criswell</a><br> | |
<a href="http://llvm.org/">The LLVM Compiler Infrastructure</a> | |
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Last modified: $Date: 2011-06-02 22:20:48 -0400 (Thu, 02 Jun 2011) $ | |
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