llvm dev - Jul 2009 - [LLVMdev] LLVM pre-built libraries download? (OBJ_ROOT structure)

I am just beginning to use LLVM, and find that 'getting started' is the 
steep part of the learning curve. I am using MingW and msys, which I have 
not fully grokked yet.

Anyway, actually building the libraries from source is turning out to be 
difficult. I want to work with LLVM as described in the except from the LLVM 
FAQ below. I am using C++, so the FFI is a non-issue.

Can someone supply me with a download link for a fully built LLVM OBJ_ROOT 
directory structure/libraries/object files, for MinGW?

And can I suggest that such a thing be made available on the LLVM downloads 
page? It would avoid a pretty steep learning curve, to get 
mingw/msys/gnuwin32 packages cooperating enough to get LLVM built.

I have looked at the MinGW binaries package (llvm-2.5-x86-mingw32.tar.bz2) 
and this doesn't seem to be what I need.

=================================================================================>From
LLVM FAQs : http://llvm.org/docs/FAQ.html#langirgen
I'd like to write a self-hosting LLVM compiler. How should I interface with 
the LLVM middle-end optimizers and back-end code generators?

Your compiler front-end will communicate with LLVM by creating a module in 
the LLVM intermediate representation (IR) format. Assuming you want to write 
your language's compiler in the language itself (rather than C++), there are
3 major ways to tackle generating LLVM IR from a front-end:

  a.. Call into the LLVM libraries code using your language's FFI (foreign 
function interface).
    a.. for: best tracks changes to the LLVM IR, .ll syntax, and .bc format
    b.. for: enables running LLVM optimization passes without a emit/parse 
overhead
    c.. for: adapts well to a JIT context
    d.. against: lots of ugly glue code to write
   ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------
"Boredom is the art of finding something else to do" -- Groucho Marx
           Phone # ++66 821 898 573 (Thailand from 08/09/03)

Hi Lance,

I know getting started in LLVM is daunting but hang in there. Have you 
tried using CMake to build LLVM? If not I suggest you try there. If you 
don't need mingw but just work under Windows I can provide binaries for 
that.

Javier

On 7/10/2009 10:31 PM, Lance de La Haye wrote:
> I am just beginning to use LLVM, and find that 'getting started' is
the
> steep part of the learning curve. I am using MingW and msys, which I have
> not fully grokked yet.
>
> Anyway, actually building the libraries from source is turning out to be
> difficult. I want to work with LLVM as described in the except from the
LLVM
> FAQ below. I am using C++, so the FFI is a non-issue.
>
> Can someone supply me with a download link for a fully built LLVM OBJ_ROOT
> directory structure/libraries/object files, for MinGW?
>
> And can I suggest that such a thing be made available on the LLVM downloads
> page? It would avoid a pretty steep learning curve, to get
> mingw/msys/gnuwin32 packages cooperating enough to get LLVM built.
>
> I have looked at the MinGW binaries package (llvm-2.5-x86-mingw32.tar.bz2)
> and this doesn't seem to be what I need.
>
>
=================================================================================>
> From LLVM FAQs : http://llvm.org/docs/FAQ.html#langirgen
> I'd like to write a self-hosting LLVM compiler. How should I interface
with
> the LLVM middle-end optimizers and back-end code generators?
>
> Your compiler front-end will communicate with LLVM by creating a module in
> the LLVM intermediate representation (IR) format. Assuming you want to
write
> your language's compiler in the language itself (rather than C++),
there are
> 3 major ways to tackle generating LLVM IR from a front-end:
>
>    a.. Call into the LLVM libraries code using your language's FFI
(foreign
> function interface).
>      a.. for: best tracks changes to the LLVM IR, .ll syntax, and .bc
format
>      b.. for: enables running LLVM optimization passes without a emit/parse
> overhead
>      c.. for: adapts well to a JIT context
>      d.. against: lots of ugly glue code to write
>     ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------
> "Boredom is the art of finding something else to do" -- Groucho
Marx
>             Phone # ++66 821 898 573 (Thailand from 08/09/03)
>
> _______________________________________________
> LLVM Developers mailing list
> LLVMdev at cs.uiuc.edu         http://llvm.cs.uiuc.edu
> http://lists.cs.uiuc.edu/mailman/listinfo/llvmdev
>

Hello, Lance
> And can I suggest that such a thing be made available on the LLVM downloads
> page? It would avoid a pretty steep learning curve, to get
> mingw/msys/gnuwin32 packages cooperating enough to get LLVM built.
I don't see the point. You still need to have mingw/msys fully set up
to work with these libraries/headers. gnuwin stuff is not needed
anymore - LLVM does not use flex / bison

Also, I'm not aware about any problems of building LLVM on mingw
except some gtest weirdness which can be easily switched off.

-- 
With best regards, Anton Korobeynikov
Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics, Saint Petersburg State University