Evaluation of extended dictionary-based static code compression schemes

This paper evaluates how much extended dictionary-based code compression techniques can reduce the static code size. In their simplest form, such methods statically identify identical instruction sequences in the code and replace them by a codeword if they yield a smaller code size based on a heuristic. At run-time, the codeword is replaced by a dictionary entry storing the corresponding instruction sequence. Two previously proposed schemes are evaluated. The first scheme, as used in DISE, provides operand parameters to catch a larger number of identical instruction sequences. The second scheme replaces different instruction sequences with the same dictionary entry if they can be derived from it using a bit mask that can cancel out individual instructions. Additionally, this paper offers a third scheme, namely, to combine the two previously proposed schemes along with an off-line algorithm to compress the program. Our data shows that all schemes in isolation improve the compressib...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: CF
• Authors: Martin Thuresson, Per Stenström
• Keywords: Applied Computing, CF 2005, Code Size, Dictionary-based Code Compression, Instruction Sequences