[PATCH 2/3] MIPS/GAS: Clarify the R5900 short loop hardware bug conditions

[Fredrik Noring <noring at nocrew dot org>]

This note was originally stated in gcc-2.95.2/gcc/config/mips/mips.c
in the Sony Linux kit for the PlayStation 2.  It collects, clarifies
and details the bug conditions that are tested for in the code below.
---
 gas/config/tc-mips.c | 18 +++++++++++++++---
 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/gas/config/tc-mips.c b/gas/config/tc-mips.c
index c9fc6c6ec1..cab1c4c6c8 100644
--- a/gas/config/tc-mips.c
+++ b/gas/config/tc-mips.c
@@ -6982,9 +6982,21 @@ can_swap_branch_p (struct mips_cl_insn *ip, expressionS *address_expr,
       && insn_length (history) != 4)
     return FALSE;
 
-  /* On R5900 short loops need to be fixed by inserting a nop in
-     the branch delay slots.
-     A short loop can be terminated too early.  */
+  /* On the R5900 short loops need to be fixed by inserting a NOP in the
+     branch delay slot.
+
+     The short loop bug under certain conditions causes loops to execute
+     only once or twice.  We must ensure that the assembler never
+     generates loops that satisfy all of the following conditions:
+
+     - a loop consists of less than or equal to six instructions
+       (including the branch delay slot);
+     - a loop contains only one conditional branch instruction at the end
+       of the loop;
+     - a loop does not contain any other branch or jump instructions;
+     - a branch delay slot of the loop is not NOP (EE 2.9 or later).
+
+     We need to do this because of a hardware bug in the R5900 chip.  */
   if (mips_opts.arch == CPU_R5900
       /* Check if instruction has a parameter, ignore "j $31". */
       && (address_expr != NULL)
-- 
2.16.4