Texas Instruments Titanium TI-89 Quick start guide

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www.ti.com/calc© 1997 Texas Instruments
TI-89 / TI-92 Plus
Sierra C™Assembler Reference Manual, Beta Version .02
Back Front
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Important information
Texas Instruments makes no warranty, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to
any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, regarding any
programs or book materials and makes such materials available solely on an “as-is” basis.
In no event shall Texas Instruments be liable to anyone for special, collateral, incidental, or
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action, shall not exceed the purchase price of this product. Moreover, Texas Instruments shall
not be liable for any claim of any kind whatsoever against the use of these materials by any
other party.
The latest version of this Guide, along with all other up-to-date information for developers, is
available at www.ti.com/calc/developers/.
© 2000, 2001 Texas Instruments
, TI-GRAPH LINK, and TI FLASH Studio are trademarks of Texas Instruments Incorporated.
Sierra C is a trademark of Sierra Systems.

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Table of Contents
1. General Information..................................................................................5
1.1. Introduction ..........................................................................................................5
1.2. Command Line Wildcard Expansion....................................................................6
1.3. Environment Variables.........................................................................................7
1.4. Object File Format................................................................................................8
1.4.1. Definitions and Conventions.................................................................................10
1.4.1.1. Sections...................................................................................................10
1.4.1.2. Physical and Virtual Addresses...............................................................10
1.4.1.3. C Language COFF File Structures..........................................................10
1.4.2. File Header...........................................................................................................11
1.4.2.1. Magic Number.........................................................................................11
1.4.2.2. Optional Header Size ..............................................................................11
1.4.2.3. Flags........................................................................................................12
1.4.3. Optional Header ...................................................................................................12
1.4.4. Section Headers...................................................................................................13
1.4.5. Relocation Information..........................................................................................14
1.4.5.1. Relocation................................................................................................15
1.4.5.2. Complex Relocation ................................................................................16
1.4.6. Line Number Information......................................................................................17
1.4.7. Symbol Table........................................................................................................18
1.4.7.1. Special Symbols......................................................................................19
1.4.7.2. Inner Blocks.............................................................................................20
1.4.7.3. Symbols and Functions...........................................................................21
1.4.8. Symbol Table Entries ...........................................................................................21
1.4.8.1. Symbol Names........................................................................................22
1.4.8.2. Storage Class..........................................................................................22
1.4.8.3. Storage Classes for Special Symbols......................................................24
1.4.8.4. Symbol Value Field..................................................................................25
1.4.8.5. Section Number Field..............................................................................26
1.4.8.6. Section Numbers and Storage Classes...................................................27
1.4.8.7. Type Entry...............................................................................................28

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1.4.8.8. Type Entries and Storage Classes..........................................................30
1.4.9. Auxiliary Table Entries..........................................................................................31
1.4.9.1. Filenames................................................................................................32
1.4.9.2. Sections...................................................................................................32
1.4.9.3. Functions.................................................................................................32
1.4.9.4. Beginning of Blocks and Functions .........................................................33
1.4.9.5. End of Blocks and Functions...................................................................33
1.4.9.6. Arrays......................................................................................................34
1.4.9.7. Tag Names..............................................................................................34
1.4.9.8. End of Structures.....................................................................................35
1.4.9.9. Names Related to Structures, Unions, and Enumerations......................35
1.4.10. String Table........................................................................................................36
2. Compiler.................................................................................................41
2.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................41
2.2. Invoking the Compiler ........................................................................................41
2.3. Command Line Flags.........................................................................................41
2.3.1. Usage...................................................................................................................42
2.3.2. Default Behavior...................................................................................................42
2.3.3. Description of Flags..............................................................................................43
2.4. Pragma Directives..............................................................................................51
2.5. Translation Limits...............................................................................................52
2.6. Reserved Keywords...........................................................................................53
2.6.1. ASM Keyword.......................................................................................................53
2.6.2. ANSI C Keywords.................................................................................................53
2.7. Constants...........................................................................................................54
2.7.1. Floating-Point Constants......................................................................................54
2.7.2. Integer Constants.................................................................................................54
2.7.3. Enumeration Constants........................................................................................55
2.7.4. Character Constants.............................................................................................56
2.8. Character Strings...............................................................................................57
2.9. Types and Representations...............................................................................58
2.9.1. Integer Types........................................................................................................59
2.9.2. Integer Representations.......................................................................................59

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2.9.3. Floating-Point Types................................................................................60
2.9.4. Floating-Point Representations................................................................61
2.9.5. Enumeration Types..................................................................................63
2.9.6. Bit Field Description.................................................................................65
2.9.7. Bit Field Internal Representation..............................................................66
2.9.8. Const Type Specifier................................................................................67
2.9.9. Volatile Type Specifier .............................................................................68
2.9.10. Touch Operator......................................................................................69
2.9.11. Void Type Specifier................................................................................69
2.9.12. Void Pointer (void *)...............................................................................70
2.10. Conversions.....................................................................................................70
2.10.1. General Considerations .........................................................................70
2.10.2. Integer Types.........................................................................................71
2.10.3. Floating-Point and Integer Types...........................................................71
2.10.4. Floating-Point Types..............................................................................72
2.10.5. Usual Arithmetic Conversions................................................................72
2.10.6. Restrictions ............................................................................................73
2.11. Function Calling Conventions ..........................................................................73
2.11.1. Declarations and Definitions ..................................................................74
2.11.1.1. Function Prototypes.........................................................................................74
2.11.1.2. Old-Style Declarations.....................................................................................75
2.11.1.3. Mixing Prototype and Old-Style Declarations ..................................................76
2.11.2. Passing Argument Values......................................................................77
2.11.3. Accessing Parameters...........................................................................78
2.11.4. Returning Values....................................................................................79
2.11.5. Register Usage ......................................................................................81
2.12. Compiler-Generated Function Calls.................................................................81
2.12.1. Internal Integer Arithmetic Functions .....................................................82
2.12.2. Internal Floating-Point Functions ...........................................................83
2.12.3. Debugging Functions.............................................................................86
2.13. Sections ...........................................................................................................87
2.14. Static Storage Initialization...............................................................................87

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2.15. Compiler Algorithms.........................................................................................90
2.15.1. Register Allocation.................................................................................90
2.15.2. Switch Statements .................................................................................92
2.16. The C Preprocessor.........................................................................................93
2.16.1. Source File Inclusion..............................................................................94
2.16.2. Conditional Compilation.........................................................................94
2.16.3. Macro Replacement...............................................................................96
2.16.3.1. Argument Substitution .....................................................................................96
2.16.3.2. The # Operator (stringizing).............................................................................97
2.16.3.3. The ## Operator (concatenation).....................................................................97
2.16.3.4. Rescanning and Further Replacement............................................................97
2.16.4. Macro Redefinition.................................................................................97
2.16.5. Macro Examples ....................................................................................98
2.16.6. Line and Name Control..........................................................................99
2.16.7. Error Directive......................................................................................100
2.16.8. Pragma Directive..................................................................................100
2.16.9. Trigraph Sequences.............................................................................100
2.16.10. Comment Delimiters...........................................................................101
2.16.11. Predefined Macro Names ..................................................................101
2.17. Compiler Error Messages ..............................................................................102
3. Assembler............................................................................................129
3.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................129
3.1.1. Overview................................................................................................129
3.1.2. Prerequisite Reading..............................................................................130
3.1.3. Notational Conventions..........................................................................131
3.2. Invocation.........................................................................................................131
3.2.1. Command Line Syntax...........................................................................132
3.2.2. Command Line Flags.............................................................................132
3.2.3. File Name Conventions..........................................................................136
3.2.4. Environment Variables...........................................................................136
3.2.5. Invocation Examples..............................................................................137
3.3. Assembly Language.........................................................................................137

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3.3.1. Overview................................................................................................138
3.3.2. Assembler Statements...........................................................................138
3.3.2.1. Statement Syntax (asm68) ..............................................................................138
3.3.2.2. Statement Syntax (asm68k) ............................................................................139
3.3.3. Character Set.........................................................................................140
3.3.4. Sections .................................................................................................140
3.3.4.1. Section Types..................................................................................................140
3.3.4.2. Creating Sections ............................................................................................141
3.3.4.3. Location Counter .............................................................................................141
3.3.4.4. Structure Templates ........................................................................................141
3.3.5. Symbols .................................................................................................141
3.3.5.1. Symbol Syntax.................................................................................................142
3.3.5.2. Labels..............................................................................................................143
3.3.5.3. Symbol Assignment.........................................................................................143
3.3.5.4. Comm and Lcomm Symbols............................................................................144
3.3.5.5. Undefined Symbols..........................................................................................144
3.3.5.6. Compiler Locals...............................................................................................145
3.3.5.7. Floating-Point Symbols....................................................................................145
3.3.6. Constants...............................................................................................145
3.3.6.1. Integer Constants ............................................................................................145
3.3.6.2. Character Constants........................................................................................146
3.3.6.3. Floating-Point Constants .................................................................................148
3.3.7. Expressions............................................................................................148
3.3.7.1. Operands.........................................................................................................148
3.3.7.2. Operators.........................................................................................................149
3.3.7.3. Expression Evaluation .....................................................................................150
3.4. Instruction Set..................................................................................................152
3.4.1. Syntax....................................................................................................152
3.4.2. Instruction Sizing....................................................................................152
3.4.3. Instruction Optimization..........................................................................153
3.5. Effective Addressing Modes.............................................................................155
3.5.1. Overview................................................................................................155
3.5.2. Terminology ...........................................................................................157
3.5.3. Effective Address Syntax.......................................................................158

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3.5.4. Addressing Mode Selection ...................................................................160
3.5.4.1. PC-relative Coercion........................................................................................160
3.5.4.2. Displacement Sizing ........................................................................................161
3.5.4.3. Mode selection.................................................................................................162
3.6. Asm68 Assembler Directives ...........................................................................163
3.6.1. Asm68 Section Directives......................................................................164
3.6.2. Asm68 Symbol Directives......................................................................165
3.6.3. Asm68 Data/Fill Directives.....................................................................166
3.6.4. Asm68 Control Directives.......................................................................167
3.6.5. Asm68 Output Directives .......................................................................167
3.6.6. Asm68 Debugging Directives.................................................................168
3.6.7. Asm68 Directive Reference ...................................................................168
3.7. Asm68k Assembler Directives .........................................................................209
3.7.1. Asm68k Section Directives ....................................................................210
3.7.2. Asm68k Symbol Directives ....................................................................211
3.7.3. Asm68k Data/Fill Directives...................................................................212
3.7.4. Asm68k Control Directives.....................................................................213
3.7.5. Asm68k Output Directives......................................................................214
3.7.6. Asm68k Debugging Directives...............................................................214
3.7.7. Asm68k Directive Reference..................................................................215
3.8. Asm68k Macros ...............................................................................................271
3.8.1. User-Defined Macros.............................................................................271
3.8.1.1. Macro Definition...............................................................................................271
3.8.1.2. Macro Invocation .............................................................................................272
3.8.1.3. Parameters......................................................................................................273
3.8.1.4. Local Labels.....................................................................................................274
3.8.1.5. NARG Symbol..................................................................................................274
3.8.1.6. MEXIT Directive...............................................................................................274
3.8.1.7. Macro Examples..............................................................................................275
3.8.2. Structured Control Macros.....................................................................278
3.8.2.1. Structured Control Expressions.......................................................................278
3.8.2.2. Macro Invocation .............................................................................................280
3.8.2.3. Structured Control Reference..........................................................................280

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3.9. Instruction Set Summary..................................................................................289
4. Linker ...................................................................................................299
4.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................299
4.2. Link68 Inputs and Outputs...............................................................................299
4.3. Options.............................................................................................................300
4.3.1. Library Search Options ..........................................................................300
4.3.2. Option Flags...........................................................................................300
4.4. Object Files......................................................................................................302
4.4.1. Sections .................................................................................................302
4.5. Symbols ...........................................................................................................302
4.6. Relocation Entries............................................................................................303
4.7. Relocation Hole Compression..........................................................................303
4.8. Reserved Symbols...........................................................................................305
5. Utilities..................................................................................................309
5.1. Symbol Table Name Utility...............................................................................309
5.2. Object File Size Utility ......................................................................................313

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Figures
Figure 1.1: Partial Sierra C Directory Structure ............................................................................7
Figure 2.1: Internal Integer Representations ..............................................................................60
Figure 2.2: Internal TI BCD Floating-Point Representation ........................................................61
Figure 2.3: Special Internal Floating-Point Representations.......................................................63
Figure 2.4: Floating-Point Emulation Code Word .......................................................................84
Figure 3.1: Expression Evaluation............................................................................................150
Figure 3.2: Instruction Sizing (asm68)......................................................................................152
Tables
Table 1.1: Environment Variables.................................................................................................7
Table 1.2: Object File Layout........................................................................................................9
Table 1.3: File Header Contents.................................................................................................11
Table 1.4: File Header Flags.......................................................................................................12
Table 1.5: Sierra Systems Optional Header Contents................................................................12
Table 1.6: Section Header Contents...........................................................................................13
Table 1.7: Section Header Flags ................................................................................................14
Table 1.8: Relocation Section Contents......................................................................................15
Table 1.9: Relocation Types.......................................................................................................15
Table 1.10: Complex Relocation Entries.....................................................................................16
Table 1.11: Line Number Grouping.............................................................................................17
Table 1.12: Line Number Section Contents................................................................................17
Table 1.13: COFF Symbol Table................................................................................................18
Table 1.14: Special Symbols in the Symbol Table......................................................................19
Table 1.15: Example Symbol Table for Functions and Nested Blocks .......................................20
Table 1.16: Symbol Table Entry..................................................................................................21
Table 1.17: Storage Classes.......................................................................................................23
Table 1.18: Storage Class of Special Symbols...........................................................................24

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Table 1.19: Storage Class and Value.........................................................................................25
Table 1.20: Section Number.......................................................................................................26
Table 1.21: Section Number and Storage Class.........................................................................27
Table 1.22: Fundamental Types.................................................................................................28
Table 1.23: Derived Types..........................................................................................................29
Table 1.24: Type Entries by Storage Class ................................................................................30
Table 1.25: Auxiliary Symbol Table Entries................................................................................31
Table 1.26: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Filenames......................................................................32
Table 1.27: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Sections.........................................................................32
Table 1.28: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Functions.......................................................................33
Table 1.29: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Beginning of Blocks and Functions................................33
Table 1.30: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for End of Blocks and Functions .........................................33
Table 1.31: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Arrays ............................................................................34
Table 1.32: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Tag Names....................................................................34
Table 1.33: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for End of Structures...........................................................35
Table 1.34: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Structures, Unions, Enumerations.................................35
Table 1.35: Example String Table...............................................................................................36
Table 2.1: Escape Characters ....................................................................................................56
Table 2.2: Character Constants..................................................................................................57
Table 2.3: Integer Types.............................................................................................................59
Table 2.4: Determination of Argument Size................................................................................78
Table 2.5: Integer Arithmetic Functions......................................................................................82

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1
TI-89 / TI-92 Plus Sierra C Assembler Reference Manual Not for Distribution Beta Version February 2, 2001
Section 1: General Information
1. General Information..................................................................................5
1.1. Introduction ..........................................................................................................5
1.2. Command Line Wildcard Expansion....................................................................6
1.3. Environment Variables.........................................................................................7
1.4. Object File Format................................................................................................8
1.4.1. Definitions and Conventions ................................................................................10
1.4.1.1. Sections..................................................................................................10
1.4.1.2. Physical and Virtual Addresses..............................................................10
1.4.1.3. C Language COFF File Structures.........................................................10
1.4.2. File Header...........................................................................................................11
1.4.2.1. Magic Number.........................................................................................11
1.4.2.2. Optional Header Size ..............................................................................11
1.4.2.3. Flags........................................................................................................12
1.4.3. Optional Header ...................................................................................................12
1.4.4. Section Headers...................................................................................................13
1.4.5. Relocation Information..........................................................................................14
1.4.5.1. Relocation................................................................................................15
1.4.5.2. Complex Relocation ................................................................................16
1.4.6. Line Number Information......................................................................................17
1.4.7. Symbol Table........................................................................................................18
1.4.7.1. Special Symbols......................................................................................19
1.4.7.2. Inner Blocks.............................................................................................20
1.4.7.3. Symbols and Functions...........................................................................21
1.4.8. Symbol Table Entries ...........................................................................................21
1.4.8.1. Symbol Names........................................................................................22
1.4.8.2. Storage Class..........................................................................................22
1.4.8.3. Storage Classes for Special Symbols......................................................24
1.4.8.4. Symbol Value Field..................................................................................25
1.4.8.5. Section Number Field..............................................................................26
1.4.8.6. Section Numbers and Storage Classes...................................................27

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TI-89 / TI-92 Plus Sierra C Assembler Reference Manual Not for Distribution Beta Version February 2, 2001
1.4.8.7. Type Entry...............................................................................................28
1.4.8.8. Type Entries and Storage Classes..........................................................30
1.4.9. Auxiliary Table Entries..........................................................................................31
1.4.9.1. Filenames................................................................................................32
1.4.9.2. Sections...................................................................................................32
1.4.9.3. Functions.................................................................................................32
1.4.9.4. Beginning of Blocks and Functions .........................................................33
1.4.9.5. End of Blocks and Functions...................................................................33
1.4.9.6. Arrays......................................................................................................34
1.4.9.7. Tag Names..............................................................................................34
1.4.9.8. End of Structures.....................................................................................35
1.4.9.9. Names Related to Structures, Unions, and Enumerations......................35
1.4.10. String Table........................................................................................................36
Figures
Figure 1.1: Partial Sierra C Directory Structure ............................................................................7
Tables
Table 1.1: Environment Variables.................................................................................................7
Table 1.2: Object File Layout........................................................................................................9
Table 1.3: File Header Contents.................................................................................................11
Table 1.4: File Header Flags.......................................................................................................12
Table 1.5: Sierra Systems Optional Header Contents................................................................12
Table 1.6: Section Header Contents...........................................................................................13
Table 1.7: Section Header Flags ................................................................................................14
Table 1.8: Relocation Section Contents......................................................................................15
Table 1.9: Relocation Types.......................................................................................................15
Table 1.10: Complex Relocation Entries.....................................................................................16
Table 1.11: Line Number Grouping.............................................................................................17

Section 1: General Information 3
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Table 1.12: Line Number Section Contents................................................................................17
Table 1.13: COFF Symbol Table................................................................................................18
Table 1.14: Special Symbols in the Symbol Table......................................................................19
Table 1.15: Example Symbol Table for Functions and Nested Blocks .......................................20
Table 1.16: Symbol Table Entry..................................................................................................21
Table 1.17: Storage Classes.......................................................................................................23
Table 1.18: Storage Class of Special Symbols...........................................................................24
Table 1.19: Storage Class and Value.........................................................................................25
Table 1.20: Section Number.......................................................................................................26
Table 1.21: Section Number and Storage Class.........................................................................27
Table 1.22: Fundamental Types.................................................................................................28
Table 1.23: Derived Types..........................................................................................................29
Table 1.24: Type Entries by Storage Class ................................................................................30
Table 1.25: Auxiliary Symbol Table Entries................................................................................31
Table 1.26: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Filenames......................................................................32
Table 1.27: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Sections.........................................................................32
Table 1.28: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Functions.......................................................................33
Table 1.29: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Beginning of Blocks and Functions................................33
Table 1.30: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for End of Blocks and Functions .........................................33
Table 1.31: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Arrays ............................................................................34
Table 1.32: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Tag Names....................................................................34
Table 1.33: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for End of Structures...........................................................35
Table 1.34: Auxiliary Symbol Entry for Structures, Unions, Enumerations.................................35
Table 1.35: Example String Table...............................................................................................36

4 Section 1: General Information
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5
TI-89 / TI-92 Plus Sierra C Assembler Reference Manual Not for Distribution Beta Version February 2, 2001
1. General Information
1.1. Introduction
This manual describes the Sierra tools, including the compiler, assembler, and
linker invoked by the TI FLASH Studio™ for development of Flash applications
(apps) and Assembly Language Programs (ASMs) for the TI-89 / TI-92 Plus
calculators, and other Plusutilities that are available to the developer. They were
developed by Sierra Systems to support certain Motorola processors and
coprocessors and IEEE format floating-point numbers. Under license from Sierra
Systems, Texas Instruments has modified this software to support TI BCD
floating-point numbers, and support for coprocessors has been removed.
Although the software has not been modified to exclude support for processors
other than the 68000, the 68000 is the only processor supported by Texas
Instruments. The license from Texas Instruments to use these products is
restricted to development of software that is targeted to execute only on TI
calculators.
Typically, the TI FLASH Studio will handle all invocations of the compiler,
assembler, and linker but information is included in the various sections to enable
developers to use them directly from the command line or create their own
makefile if they wish, although this is not encouraged.
Section 1 contains information that applies to all the tools and describes the
format of the object file generated.
Section 2 discusses features of the Sierra Systems C compiler, com68. These
include number formats, function calls, integer and floating-point arithmetic,
sections, register allocation, macros, possible error messages, and many others.
Section 3 describes both Sierra Systems assemblers: asm68 which is invoked by
the TI FLASH Studio, and asm68k which is included for developers who may
wish to take advantage of the macro support it provides. Explanations of
assembler syntax, symbols, constants, expression evaluation, addressing
modes, and complete descriptions of assembler directives for both assemblers
and the asm68k macros are in this section.
Section 4 is a brief discussion of the Sierra Systems linker, link68, and some of
its features including relocation hole compression.
Section 5 describes the Sierra Systems utilities nm68 and size68, provided as
part of the TI-89 / TI-92 Plus SDK for use by developers.

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TI-89 / TI-92 Plus Sierra C Assembler Reference Manual Not for Distribution Beta Version February 2, 2001
Conventions used throughout this manual include:
• Bold text is used for names of functions, routines, files, keywords, directives,
macros, flags, and registers. It is also used occasionally for emphasis.
• The Courier font is used to distinguish assembly or C program text.
•
Italicized
text indicates an input parameter that should be replaced by actual
data when used in code or entered on the command line.
• Brackets ( [ ] ) enclose optional items.
• The vertical bar ( | ) indicates that the separated items are alternatives.
1.2. Command Line Wildcard Expansion
A number of Sierra C™ utilities expand wildcards in command line filenames.
Wildcard characters are defined as follows:
*Match zero or more characters, where characters matched may be any
character except the period (.). Dot-star (.*) at the end of a wildcard
string matches files with and without extensions.
?Match any character except the period (.).
[
char_set
]Match any character in the character set
char_set
. Characters can be
listed individually or as members of a range. A range is denoted by a
hyphen (-) separated pair of characters; it includes the two characters
and all characters lexically between them.
The following are examples of wildcard expansions:
*.* Match all filenames in the current directory.
*Match all filenames without extensions in the current directory.
*.?* Match all filenames with extensions in the current directory.
*.c *.s Match all filenames with extensions of .c or .s in the current directory.
*.[cs] Same as *.c *.s
c:\doc\version[0-9a-f].doc
Match all filenames in the subdirectory c:\doc with a base name of
version followed by a hexadecimal digit and a .doc extension.

Section 1: General Information 7
TI-89 / TI-92 Plus Sierra C Assembler Reference Manual Not for Distribution Beta Version February 2, 2001
The following Sierra C utilities support command line wildcard expansion:
nm68 Symbol Table Name Utility
size68 Object File Size Utility
1.3. Environment Variables
Some Sierra C utilities need to know the location of certain standard directories
to locate various files. For example, the compiler must know where to search for
files specified by the #include
filename
preprocessor directive. Since this
information varies depending on the installation, the utilities examine
environment variables to obtain information on the locations of these standard
directories.
Figure 1.1 shows the default standard include (include), standard library (lib),
executable (bin), and temporary (tmp) directories that are created by appending
subdirectory names to the directory specified by the SIERRA environment
variable. The SIERRA environment variable will be set when the setup program
for the TI FLASH Studio is executed. The SIERRA environment variable must be
set before using any of the Sierra utilities.
include lib bin tmp
sierra
Figure 1.1: Partial Sierra C Directory Structure
Table 1.1 lists the environment variables referenced by Sierra C utilities together
with the utilities that reference the variables and the files that are referenced.
Variable Utility Files referenced
INCLUDE68 com68 standard include files
LIB68 link68 standard libraries
link68 default configuration file
Table 1.1: Environment Variables
Depending on which environment variables are set, the utilities that generate
temporary files will put their files in one of four places. The three environment
variables TMP68, TMP, and SIERRA are searched for in the order listed with the
search terminating after the first defined variable is located. If either TMP68 or
TMP is defined, the directory specified by that environment variable is used to
hold temporary files. If the SIERRA environment variable is the only variable

8Section 1: General Information
TI-89 / TI-92 Plus Sierra C Assembler Reference Manual Not for Distribution Beta Version February 2, 2001
defined, the tmp subdirectory located under the directory specified by SIERRA is
used to hold temporary files. If none of the three environment variables is
specified, the current directory is used to hold temporary files.
The C preprocessor searches for the two environment variables INCLUDE68 and
SIERRA in the order listed to determine the locations of the standard include
directories. If INCLUDE68 is defined, the semicolon-separated list of one or more
directory paths defines the standard include directories. If the SIERRA
environment variable is the only variable defined, the include subdirectory
located under the directory specified by SIERRA is used as the standard include
directory.
Utilities that search for files in standard include directories search for the two
environment variables LIB68 and SIERRA in the order listed to determine the
locations of the standard include directories. If LIB68 is defined, the
semicolon-separated list of one or more directory paths defines the standard
library directories. If the SIERRA environment variable is the only variable
defined, the lib subdirectory located under the directory specified by SIERRA is
used as the standard library directory.
1.4. Object File Format
This section describes the Common Object File Format (COFF) used by
TI FLASH Studio. COFF is the format of the object files created by the
assemblers and linker, and recognized by TI FLASH Studio and various object
file examination utilities. COFF is a standard file format and the Sierra Systems
implementation (with extensions disabled, -c assembler command line flag)
completely conforms to the format recognized by the AT&T UNIX System V
operating system.
COFF is ideally suited for developing embedded applications. Space is provided
for symbol and line number information used by debuggers and other
applications. Executable files can be divided into numerous independent sections
to allow support for systems with highly fragmented address spaces.
An object file contains the following:
• A file header ¦Relocation information
• Optional header information ¦Line numbers
• A table of section headers ¦A symbol table
• Data corresponding to the section header ¦A string table