pgm_read_byte() does not work well without delay()

[milkpirate]

I have the following code:

PROGMEM const uint8_t table[2][3] = {
  {0x7B,0x60,0x5D},
  {0x7D,0x48,0x3E}
};

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&table[1][1]);
  Serial.println(data, HEX);
  delay(250);
}

which results in:

Exception (3):
epc1=0x40201c0e epc2=0x00000000 epc3=0x00000000 excvaddr=0x4022e71c depc=0x00000000

ctx: cont
sp: 3ffef200 end: 3ffef3c0 offset: 01a0

>>>stack>>>
3ffef3a0:  feefeffe feefeffe feefeffe 40202098
3ffef3b0:  feefeffe feefeffe 3ffee3a0 40100114
<<<stack<<<

 ets Jan  8 2013,rst cause:2, boot mode:(3,6)

load 0x4010f000, len 1384, room 16
tail 8
chksum 0x2d
csum 0x2d
v09f0c112

But swapping Serial.println(data, HEX); and delay(250); then works. Why?

EDIT:
Shorter delays make it work as well even a "not existing" one:

PROGMEM const uint8_t table[2][3] = {
  {0x7B,0x60,0x5D},
  {0x7D,0x48,0x3E}
};

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&table[1][1]);
  delayMicroseconds(0);
  Serial.println(data, HEX);
  delay(250);
}

[igrr]

Could you please upload the elf file for the code which demonstrates the crash? That would really help.

[milkpirate]

Elf file (1.8.0): http://www21.zippyshare.com/v/Vhm4iyHc/file.html (sorry could not find the option to attach files).

[igrr]

OK, thanks. The compiler sees that offset in the array is constant; so it can calculate everything that happens in the pgm_read_byte macro at compile time. It sees that in this particular case, shifting and masking is not needed (because the byte you are loading happens to be 4-byte aligned) and it optimizes away all the code inside pgm_read_byte, replacing it with a single l8ui instruction. Which obviously doesn't work because the cache port supports only 32-bit access.

I guess we can hard-code the load/shift/mask part inside an __volatile__ assembly block so that this optimization doesn't happen.

/cc @Makuna

[milkpirate]

Ahhh, OK perfect! Could you also explain why the delayMicroseconds(0); helps? Would attributing the pgm_read_byte function itself as __volatile__ suffice? As far as I know, writing correct inline assembly is pretty hard (NOT meaning you're not able to).

[Makuna]

Would also decorating the code with a #pragma that stops optimizations work?
Could you modify this line in your sketch and try it?

// uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&table[1][1]); // old 
uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&(table[1][1])); // new, take the address of the specific table entry 

[milkpirate]

Ok also tried pgm_read_byte(&(table[1][1])); (is C++ that picky?) no change. Even tried pgm_read_byte(&(1[table][1])); still no luck :P

[Makuna]

replace pgm_read_byte with...

#define pgm_read_byte(addr) 		                                           \
(__extension__({                                                               \
    PGM_P __local = (PGM_P)(addr);  /* isolate varible for macro expansion */         \
    ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    uint32_t __data32 = *__addr32; /* cache data locally as 32bits */ \
    uint8_t __result = (__data32 >> (__offset * 8));                        \
    __result;                                                                  \
}))

I will do some testing tomorrow

[igrr]

@Makuna, I think what you are trying to do is to trick the compiler while speaking C. I think this won't work for the following reason. What the compiler is doing is fully valid given the architectural model it has. The backend is not aware that there are memory regions from which byte loads are not allowed. The only way to express this (i think) is to write this part in assembly. Every C expression you write which can be evaluated at compile time can be simplified by the compiler to a byte load.
The only other way is to not let the compiler do optimization based on known arguments, that is, turn pgm_read_byte into a (non-inline) function.

[Makuna]

@igrr Actually it would be a bug if the compiler disregards sizes if defined; the original was written that the size is ambiguous giving the compiler the option to do the wrong thing. I want to try one other option, which is to just insert a cast. These aren't tricks, they are considered hints. Most developers I know would consider reverting to assembler to get the compiler to do the right thing as the last option to try.

[Makuna]

It seems that GCC requires the volatile keyword to force the hints and data size is not enough. There are many references to this when you search online about GCC over optimizing in similar cases across other domains.

[devyte]

Hi, I have two questions: 1. Why are these pgm_* implemented as #defines instead of inline functions? 2. Why can't the volatile keyword be used in declaring the intermediate variables? Apologies if the questions are noobid, I'm currently on the road, otherwise I'd take a closer look :p

…

On Apr 22, 2017 3:21 PM, "Michael Miller" ***@***.***> wrote: It seems that GCC requires the volatile keyword to force the hints and data size is not enough. There are many references to this when you search online about GCC over optimizing in similar cases across other domains. — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3140 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQC6Bsu7UNhO-R4tgcYhIxfHwfmCws67ks5rykUagaJpZM4M-cum> .

[Makuna]

@devyte I don't understand the second question, as the change is to define one as volatile. could you be more specific?

I don't remember the reason other than following the Arduino originals as close as possible (they were also macros). It was almost two years ago when I wrote those ;-)

Do note, the inline prefix does not guarantee to make it inline, its just a hint to the compiler that they can be.

[devyte]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the intent of what is being discussed. Here's my understanding of your discussion: you intend to change the macro content to an assembler block, involving __asm__ __volatile__ or along those lines. My question is: why can't we declare some intermediate variable using the C/C++ volatile keyword? Something like: volatile uint8_t mytemp = blah...; I'm no expert on compilers, but I understand that this is a standard keyword that directs the compiler to not assume anything, which translates to "don't optimize here", and it should be portable across architectures. On Apr 22, 2017 6:58 PM, "Michael Miller" <[email protected]> wrote: @devyte <https://github.com/devyte> I don't understand the second question, as the change is to define one as volatile. could you be more specific? I don't remember the reason other than following the Arduino originals as close as possible (they were also macros). It was almost two years ago when I wrote those ;-) Do note, the inline prefix does not guarantee to make it inline, its just a hint to the compiler that they can be. — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3140 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQC6BszeZgQ08THEKD0L6fLlJVS6m6XSks5ryngTgaJpZM4M-cum> .

[igrr]

Using an intermediate volatile variable would indeed work; performance hit would probably be comparable to the use of an inline assembly block. I don't mind either solution.

Regarding "should be portable across architectures"... we are dealing with a very architecture specific thing (reading from flash as it was RAM). Even for an xtensa-based ESP32 we do a different thing. So I would place portability as the last item on the list of possible requirements.

[Makuna]

Did either of you note the reference to the pull request?
I did not implement it as assembly, I just use the volatile variable; my confusion to your question was due to assuming you looked at the changes and were referencing them.

[igrr]

I did :)

Just for comparison, can you check what code is generated for two cases:

• load from a location known at compile time
• load from a location determined at run time

[milkpirate]

I guess using volatile would be best. That tells the compiler what to consider and still leave all the optimization up to it. Inline assembly would force you to to what the compiler might do better anyway and as i said writing good online assembly is hard.

EDIT: I tried the following:

 PROGMEM const uint8_t table[2][3] = {
  {0x7B,0x60,0x5D},
  {0x7D,0x48,0x3E}
};

#undef pgm_read_byte                       // not sure how to correctly undefine this macro
#undef pgm_read_byte(addr)
#define pgm_read_byte(addr)                                                \
(__extension__({                                                               \
    PGM_P __local = (PGM_P)(addr);  /* isolate varible for macro expansion */         \
    ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    uint32_t __data32 = *__addr32; /* cache data locally as 32bits */ \
    uint8_t __result = (__data32 >> (__offset * 8));                        \
    __result;                                                                  \
}))

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&table[1][1]);
  Serial.println(data, HEX);
  delay(250);
}

Same behavior as described above.

[milkpirate]

Ok

PROGMEM const uint8_t table[] = {
  0x7B, 0x60, 0x5D, 0x7D, 0x48, 0x3E, 0x66, 0xC8, 0x3F
};

#undef pgm_read_byte(addr)
#define pgm_read_byte(addr)                                                \
(__extension__({                                                               \
    PGM_P __local = (PGM_P)(addr);  /* isolate varible for macro expansion */         \
    ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    volatile uint8_t __result = ((*__addr32) >> (__offset * 8));                        \
    __result;                                                                  \
}))

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  for(uint8_t i=0; i<sizeof(table); i++)
  {
    uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&table[i]);
    Serial.println(data, HEX);
  }
  delay(250);
}

Works as desired!

[Makuna]

Glad to see you confirmed it. I ran it through a series of sketch's that test it.
I had some sketches that I tested the initial work with (they passed back then) that I ran with the current release and they broke in the same way your sketch did. I guess the compiler or an option got changed that made this optimization happen sometime after the initial work. They passed with the pull I put out.

I suspect we should leave this open until the pull request gets merged in.

[igrr]

@Makuna poke regarding #3140 (comment) (i.e. it would be great if you attach the generated assembly code to the PR; so that we can compare with the hand-coded assembly approach).

[milkpirate]

So the latest code I posted works but I guess it is not because of the volatile at that place. Since the following does not:

PROGMEM const uint8_t table[2][3] = {
  {0x7B,0x60,0x5D},
  {0x7D,0x48,0x3E}
};

#undef pgm_read_byte(addr)
#define pgm_read_byte(addr)                                                \
(__extension__({                                                               \
    PGM_P __local = (PGM_P)(addr);  /* isolate varible for macro expansion */         \
    ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    volatile uint8_t __result = ((*__addr32) >> (__offset * 8));                        \
    __result;                                                                  \
}))

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&table[1][1]);
  Serial.println(data, HEX);
  delay(250);
}

But turning

    ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    volatile uint8_t __result = ((*__addr32) >> (__offset * 8));                        \

into

    volatile ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    uint8_t __result = ((*__addr32) >> (__offset * 8));                        \

makes it work. Puhh I hope I am not annoying someone with my noobish posts...

[Makuna]

@igrr If you wish to give me instructions on how to get that, I can run it and provide it. I always forget the details and have only used it once almost two years ago.

[Makuna]

@milkpirate You are placing the volatile in the wrong location. The issue is that the compiler is optimization the statement ((*__addr32) >> (__offset * 8)), so the *_addr32 must be pulled out and made volatile local variable to force it to not optimize the fetch to just an 8 bit read as flash will only allow a 32bit read.

[milkpirate]

@Makuna yeah I know. It dosent make sense to me either but thats how it works...
@igrr Here are some elfs for you:

PROGMEM const uint8_t table[2][3] = {
  {0x7B,0x60,0x5D},
  {0x7D,0x48,0x3E}
};

X

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  uint8_t data = pgm_read_byte(&table[1][1]);
  Serial.println(data, HEX);
  delay(250);
}

X = nothing: http://www109.zippyshare.com/v/RE2Wp929/file.html (not working)
X = http://www109.zippyshare.com/v/MaNDLU5E/file.html (not working)

#undef pgm_read_byte(addr)
#define pgm_read_byte(addr)                                                \
(__extension__({                                                               \
    PGM_P __local = (PGM_P)(addr);  /* isolate varible for macro expansion */         \
    ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    volatile uint8_t __result = ((*__addr32) >> (__offset * 8));                        \
    __result;                                                                  \
}))

X = http://www109.zippyshare.com/v/IvfOo3cB/file.html (working)

#undef pgm_read_byte(addr)
#define pgm_read_byte(addr)                                                \
(__extension__({                                                               \
    PGM_P __local = (PGM_P)(addr);  /* isolate varible for macro expansion */         \
    volatile ptrdiff_t __offset = ((uint32_t)__local & 0x00000003); /* byte aligned mask */            \
    const uint32_t* __addr32 = (const uint32_t*)((const uint8_t*)(__local)-__offset); \
    uint8_t __result = ((*__addr32) >> (__offset * 8));                        \
    __result;                                                                  \
}))

[milkpirate]

Similar behavior with pgm_read_word(). Following crashs as well. Adding volatile in front of ptrdiff_t ... seems to fix this as well. Still dont know why.

 PROGMEM const uint16_t table[2][3] = {
  {0x7B,0x60,0x5D},
  {0x7D,0xF548,0x3E}
};

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  uint16_t data = pgm_read_word(&table[1][1]);
  Serial.println(data, HEX);
  delay(250);
}

[milkpirate]

Hey. Just had a look at the release note of the espressif ESP8266_NONOS_SDK v2.1.0. It states:

12. Fix NMI handle crash on unaligned memory access, BBP309;

Could that relate to the problems above?

[igrr]

No, the problems above were fully addressed in this issue. They stem from the fact that our previous code for reading PROGMEM would in some cases compile to an 8- or 16-bit load instruction, which caused bus fault when reading from cache (which only supports 32-bit loads). Note that this is not an alignment issue — reads were aligned, just the read size was wrong.

The issue in SDK release notes is about a bug in the NMI interrupt vector, which was related to unaligned memory access.

[igrr]

Will keep this open for reference, until the release.

[wkraft-fablabka]

It looks like, that with the current GITHUB-Version of ESP8266 core for Arduino
pgm_read_byte
ist now broken.

I have an application based on https://github.com/markruys/arduino-Max72xxPanel, which itself makes use of Adafruits GFX-library (https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-GFX-Library).

You can see the problems by compiling the Ticker-Example from the max72xx-library, after changing pinCS to 12.

The sketch crashes inside the GFX-library, where letters from a font are send to the panel.

The font itself is defined:

static const unsigned char font[] PROGMEM = {
        0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
	0x3E, 0x5B, 0x4F, 0x5B, 0x3E,
        //... 

The crash occurs in Adafruit_GFX::drawChar:

uint8_t line = pgm_read_byte(&font[c * 5 + i]);
// c is unsigned char, i is int8_t

I tried to cast the result of c*5+i to uint16_t or uint32_t, without success.

The library worked with the previous implementation of pgm_read_byte() like a charm.

[wkraft-fablabka]

This is a reduced example, which shows the crash:

#include <SPI.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Max72xxPanel.h>  // https://github.com/markruys/arduino-Max72xxPanel.git

Max72xxPanel matrix = Max72xxPanel(12, 1, 1);

void setup() {
  matrix.setIntensity(7); // Use a value between 0 and 15 for brightness
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
    Serial.println("Before drawChar CRASH!");
    matrix.drawChar(0, 1, 65, HIGH, LOW, 1); // <<< === Crash
    Serial.println("After drawChar, Hooray!");
    delay(10000);  // for test
 
}


/*  Those are the parts of the library, where pgm_read_byte is crashing!
 *   The old variant without assembly works fine!
  void Adafruit_GFX::drawChar(int16_t x, int16_t y, unsigned char c,  uint16_t color, uint16_t bg, uint8_t size) {
        ...
        for(int8_t i=0; i<5; i++ ) { // Char bitmap = 5 columns
            uint8_t line = pgm_read_byte(&font[c * 5 + i]);
        }
        ...        
  }

  static const unsigned char font[] PROGMEM = {
    0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
    0x3E, 0x5B, 0x4F, 0x5B, 0x3E,
    0x3E, 0x6B, 0x4F, 0x6B, 0x3E,
    ...
    0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00  // #255 NBSP
  };
 */

[wkraft-fablabka]

Identified the problem:
After that change:
0b67266
pgm_read_byte and pgm_read_word are no longer a #define but a function!

That kills different libraries, which are assuming, that those two items are #defines, like in the original AVR-Arduino world. Here those libraries make shure, that after including a pgmspace.h-file, those items are really defined. If not, they redefine it.

// Many (but maybe not all) non-AVR board installs define macros
// for compatibility with existing PROGMEM-reading AVR code.
// Do our own checks and defines here for good measure...

#ifndef pgm_read_byte
 #define pgm_read_byte(addr) (*(const unsigned char *)(addr))
#endif
#ifndef pgm_read_word
 #define pgm_read_word(addr) (*(const unsigned short *)(addr))
#endif

Its now possible, to change those third party libraries with some elif statements, but as those are more and several people will struggle after updating the ESP8266-runtime, it should be changed here to be compatible to the previous world.

[wkraft-fablabka]

Created a pull request, fixing this issue

[devyte]

Inline functions is better style over #define macros for several reasons. There has to be a better way to maintain compatibility than to convert back to macros.

…

On Jun 1, 2017 6:02 AM, "wkraft-fablabka" ***@***.***> wrote: Created a pull request, fixing this issue — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3140 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQC6BuySlIDP0505HTSMRB3rUU3SYtv0ks5r_oxNgaJpZM4M-cum> .

[wkraft-fablabka]

The problem is, that those are macros in the original case. And this library is a compatibility thing, to make many scripts written for the AVR Arduinos compatible. So you have to live with some of the odd standards.

There are several libraries, which use this technique, I found with a short search some, which seem to have that problem.

I see not a single reason, why the inline functions should be better.

https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-GFX-Library/blob/master/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
https://github.com/scanlime/facewhisperer/blob/master/firmware/hal/usbhost/version_helper.h
https://github.com/felis/UHS30/blob/master/libraries/UHS_host/UHS_macros.h
https://github.com/PaulStoffregen/OneWire/blob/master/OneWire.h
https://github.com/MarkusLange/OneWireSlave/blob/master/OneWireSlave.h
https://github.com/squix78/minigrafx/blob/master/src/DisplayDriver.cpp
https://github.com/Spark-Innovations/sc4-hsm/blob/master/src/lib/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
https://github.com/PaulStoffregen/SerialFlash/blob/master/util/SerialFlash_directwrite.h
https://github.com/CytronTechnologies/Lightweight-I2C-SSD1306/blob/master/src/Cytron_SSD1306.h

[d-a-v]

what about a

#define pgm_read_byte(addr) pgm_read_byte_inlined(addr)

with

static inline __uint8_t pgm_read_byte_inlined(const void* addr)  __attribute__((always_inline));

That way the define would exist and would end up in an inlined function (if the inline function is considered better).

[igrr]

Agree with @d-a-v suggestion except the 'always inline' part. That's a considerable chunk of code, I think we should let the compiler decide whether to inline it or not in each particular case.

The other thing is that the variant proposed in the PR would fail to do truncation to target type if one writes int x = pgm_read_byte(address).

[devyte]

I agree with @igrr.

[wkraft-fablabka]

agree with those arguments!
No problem at all with inlined functions, as long, as they are "hidden" behind a #define.

One more question to raise:
Comparing my code to the original, I have a "leftover" in the assembler code from my searches for the problem.
My first idea was, that a addressing related issue occurs in assembler code, as in my situation the variables leading to the crash were distributed over different libraries. So I digged into the Xtensa Instruction Set and changed L32I.n to _L32I.
This because I found for L32I.n:

L32I.N is similar to L32I, but has a 16-bit encoding and supports a smaller range of
offset values encoded in the instruction word.

and for L32I I found:

The assembler may convert L32I instructions to L32I.N when the Code Density
Option is enabled and the immediate operand falls within the available range. Prefixing
the L32I instruction with an underscore (_L32I) disables this optimization and forces
the assembler to generate the wide form of the instruction.

I don't know, if that is important.

[igrr]

Since the immediate is equal to zero, l32i.n can be used. It could have been written as l32i as well. Not much difference here.

[wkraft-fablabka]

Thanks, good to know. That was just one idea, when I searched for the reasons, why my application is now suddenly crashing.