From 4e0c998689598edc29d5af86f98b9544391173a0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: lkcl Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2021 14:53:17 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] --- openpower/sv/branches.mdwn | 9 +++++++-- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/openpower/sv/branches.mdwn b/openpower/sv/branches.mdwn index 00fb4d26f..e8f9c6730 100644 --- a/openpower/sv/branches.mdwn +++ b/openpower/sv/branches.mdwn @@ -306,6 +306,11 @@ entirely skip an element when sz=0 and a predicate mask bit is zero. # VLSET Mode +VLSET Mode truncates the Vector Length so that subsequent instructions +operate on a reduced Vector Length. This is similar to +Data-dependent Fail-First and LD/ST Fail-First, where for VLSET the +truncation occurs at the Branch decision-point. + Interestingly, due to the side-effects of `VLSET` mode it is actually useful to use Branch Conditional even to perform no actual branch operation, i.e to point to the instruction @@ -330,12 +335,12 @@ a branch-back (loop) *or* as part of a conditional exit or function call from *inside* a loop, and for VLSET to be integrated into both types of decision-making. -In the case of a branch-back (loop), with VSb=0 the branch takes +In the case of a Vertical-First branch-back (loop), with `VSb=0` the branch takes place if success conditions are met, but on exit from that loop (branch condition fails), VL will be truncated. This is extremely useful. -`VLSET` mode with Horizontal-First when `VSb` is clear is still +`VLSET` mode with Horizontal-First when `VSb=0` is still useful, because it can be used to truncate VL to the first predicated (non-masked-out) element. -- 2.30.2