[llvm-dev] Most efficient way for a function to return two types?

[Levo DeLellis via llvm-dev]

I apologize if this is the wrong list. I'm writing a language and
outputting llvm-ir instead of using the c api. I looked at clang's output a
few times but I'm a little unsure what to do in this case

As an example I have a function called itoa which takes an int and returns
a string. Strings in my language has 2 fields, the pointer and byte length.
On a 64bit machine it'd be returning a 64bit pointer and 64bit int value.
My question is HOW should I do this if I want to generate fast code? And a
follow up is should I do it that way if I want to support most
architectures?

Currently my function signature is `define {i8*, i64} @itoa(i64) {`. Should
I return an i8* instead and have an int pointer? (i64*). I don't see an
'out' parameter attributes or anything to hint to the optimizer the value
at the address can be uninitialized.
https://llvm.org/docs/LangRef.html#parameter-attributes. If I pass in a
string should I do it the same way as returning? Currently I do. I pass in
{i8*, i64} as a parameter and been thinking I can pass in i8* and i64
instead (note that i64 is not a pointer this time. It may be if the
variable is mutable).
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.llvm.org/pipermail/llvm-dev/attachments/20191016/8072f079/attachment.html>