Inside Macintosh: Mac OS Runtime Architectures /

Preface - About This Book

This book describes the Mac OS runtime architecture based upon the Code Fragment Manager (CFM) as well as the original classic 68K runtime architecture.

• The CFM-based runtime architecture was originally conceived and designed to run on PowerPC-based computers running the Mac OS. A 68K implementation, called CFM-68K, was later created to allow 68K-based machines to run CFM-based code.
• The classic 68K runtime architecture is the architecture created for the original 68K-based Macintosh computer.

A runtime architecture is a fundamental set of rules that defines how software operates. These rules define

• how to address code and data
• how to handle and keep track of programs in memory (multiple applications and so on)
• how compilers should generate code (for example, does it allow self-modifying code?)
• how to invoke certain system services

Architectures are platform-independent, although the implementation of an architecture may vary from machine to machine depending on the features (or constraints) available.

In addition to describing the runtime architectures, this book also covers information such as calling conventions for each architecture implementation, data and register types and sizes, and details of structures encountered when building Macintosh programs (segments, fragments, and so on).

This book assumes that you are familiar with Macintosh computers and writing programs (using compilers, linkers, and so on).

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Preface Contents

What's in This Book

How to Use This Book

Related Documentation

Conventions Used in This Book

Special Fonts

Command Syntax

Types of Notes

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