changes.txt

acpi tools for linux include acpiexec and acpixtract

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent 
acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The 
debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has 
a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.5K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.6K Total
    Debug Version:     156.7K Code, 63.2K Data, 219.9K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.8K Code, 17.2K Data,  96.0K Total
    Debug Version:     157.2K Code, 63.4K Data, 220.6K Total


2) iASL Compiler/Disassembler:

Fixed a problem where if a single file was specified and the file did not 
exist, no error message was emitted. (Introduced with wildcard support in 
version 20070917.)

----------------------------------------
19 September 2007. Summary of changes for version 20070919:

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Designed and implemented new external interfaces to install and remove 
handlers for ACPI table-related events. Current events that are defined are 
LOAD and UNLOAD. These interfaces allow the host to track ACPI tables as 
they are dynamically loaded and unloaded. See AcpiInstallTableHandler and 
AcpiRemoveTableHandler. (Lin Ming and Bob Moore)

Fixed a problem where the use of the AcpiGbl_AllMethodsSerialized flag 
(acpi_serialized option on Linux) could cause some systems to hang during 
initialization. (Bob Moore) BZ 8171

Fixed a problem where objects of certain types (Device, ThermalZone, 
Processor, PowerResource) can be not found if they are declared and 
referenced from within the same control method (Lin Ming) BZ 341

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent 
acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The 
debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has 
a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.3K Code, 17.0K Data,  95.3K Total
    Debug Version:     156.3K Code, 63.1K Data, 219.4K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.5K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.6K Total
    Debug Version:     156.7K Code, 63.2K Data, 219.9K Total


2) iASL Compiler/Disassembler:

Implemented support to allow multiple files to be compiled/disassembled in a 
single invocation. This includes command line wildcard support for both the 
Windows and Unix versions of the compiler. This feature simplifies the 
disassembly and compilation of multiple ACPI tables in a single directory.

----------------------------------------
08 May 2007. Summary of changes for version 20070508:

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Implemented a Microsoft compatibility design change for the handling of the 
Notify AML operator. Previously, notify handlers were dispatched and 
executed completely asynchronously in a deferred thread. The new design 
still executes the notify handlers in a different thread, but the original 
thread that executed the Notify() now waits at a synchronization point for 
the notify handler to complete. Some machines depend on a synchronous Notify 
operator in order to operate correctly.

Implemented support to allow Package objects to be passed as method 
arguments to the external AcpiEvaluateObject interface. Previously, this 
would return the AE_NOT_IMPLEMENTED exception. This feature had not been 
implemented since there were no reserved control methods that required it 
until recently.

Fixed a problem with the internal FADT conversion where ACPI 1.0 FADTs that 
contained invalid non-zero values in reserved fields could cause later 
failures because these fields have meaning in later revisions of the FADT. 
For incoming ACPI 1.0 FADTs, these fields are now always zeroed. (The fields 
are: Preferred_PM_Profile, PSTATE_CNT, CST_CNT, and IAPC_BOOT_FLAGS.)

Fixed a problem where the Global Lock handle was not properly updated if a 
thread that acquired the Global Lock via executing AML code then attempted 
to acquire the lock via the AcpiAcquireGlobalLock interface. Reported by Joe 
Liu.

Fixed a problem in AcpiEvDeleteGpeXrupt where the global interrupt list 
could be corrupted if the interrupt being removed was at the head of the 
list. Reported by Linn Crosetto.

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent 
acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The 
debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has 
a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.0K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.1K Total
    Debug Version:     155.9K Code, 63.1K Data, 219.0K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.3K Code, 17.0K Data,  95.3K Total
    Debug Version:     156.3K Code, 63.1K Data, 219.4K Total

----------------------------------------
20 March 2007. Summary of changes for version 20070320:

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Implemented a change to the order of interpretation and evaluation of AML 
operand objects within the AML interpreter. The interpreter now evaluates 
operands in the order that they appear in the AML stream (and the 
corresponding ASL code), instead of in the reverse order (after the entire 
operand list has been parsed). The previous behavior caused several subtle 
incompatibilities with the Microsoft AML interpreter as well as being 
somewhat non-intuitive. BZ 7871, local BZ 263. Valery Podrezov.

Implemented a change to the ACPI Global Lock support. All interfaces to the 
global lock now allow the same thread to acquire the lock multiple times. 
This affects the AcpiAcquireGlobalLock external interface to the global lock 
as well as the internal use of the global lock to support AML fields -- a 
control method that is holding the global lock can now simultaneously access 
AML fields that require global lock protection. Previously, in both cases, 
this would have resulted in an AE_ALREADY_ACQUIRED exception. The change to 
AcpiAcquireGlobalLock is of special interest to drivers for the Embedded 
Controller. There is no change to the behavior of the AML Acquire operator, 
as this can already be used to acquire a mutex multiple times by the same 
thread. BZ 8066. With assistance from Alexey Starikovskiy.

Fixed a problem where invalid objects could be referenced in the AML 
Interpreter after error conditions. During operand evaluation, ensure that 
the internal "Return Object" field is cleared on error and only valid 
pointers are stored there. Caused occasional access to deleted objects that 
resulted in "large reference count" warning messages. Valery Podrezov.

Fixed a problem where an AE_STACK_OVERFLOW internal exception could occur on 
deeply nested control method invocations. BZ 7873, local BZ 487. Valery 
Podrezov.

Fixed an internal problem with the handling of result objects on the 
interpreter result stack. BZ 7872. Valery Podrezov.

Removed obsolete code that handled the case where AML_NAME_OP is the target 
of a reference (Reference.Opcode). This code was no longer necessary. BZ 
7874. Valery Podrezov.

Removed obsolete ACPI_NO_INTEGER64_SUPPORT from two header files. This was a 
remnant from the previously discontinued 16-bit support.

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent 
acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The 
debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has 
a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.0K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.1K Total
    Debug Version:     155.8K Code, 63.3K Data, 219.1K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.0K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.1K Total
    Debug Version:     155.9K Code, 63.1K Data, 219.0K Total

----------------------------------------
26 January 2007. Summary of changes for version 20070126:

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Added the 2007 copyright to all module headers and signons. This affects 
virtually every file in the ACPICA core subsystem, the iASL compiler, and 
the utilities.

Implemented a fix for an incorrect parameter passed to AcpiTbDeleteTable 
during a table load. A bad pointer was passed in the case where the DSDT is 
overridden, causing a fault in this case.

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent 
acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The 
debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has 
a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.0K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.1K Total
    Debug Version:     155.8K Code, 63.3K Data, 219.1K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.0K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.1K Total
    Debug Version:     155.8K Code, 63.3K Data, 219.1K Total

----------------------------------------
15 December 2006. Summary of changes for version 20061215:

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Support for 16-bit ACPICA has been completely removed since it is no longer 
necessary and it clutters the code. All 16-bit macros, types, and 
conditional compiles have been removed, cleaning up and simplifying the code 
across the entire subsystem. DOS support is no longer needed since the 
bootable Linux firmware kit is now available.

The handler for the Global Lock is now removed during AcpiTerminate to 
enable a clean subsystem restart, via the implementation of the 
AcpiEvRemoveGlobalLockHandler function. (With assistance from Joel Bretz, 
HP)

Implemented enhancements to the multithreading support within the debugger 
to enable improved multithreading debugging and evaluation of the subsystem. 
(Valery Podrezov)

Debugger: Enhanced the Statistics/Memory command to emit the total (maximum) 
memory used during the execution, as well as the maximum memory consumed by 
each of the various object types. (Valery Podrezov)

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent 
acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The 
debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has 
a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  77.9K Code, 17.0K Data,  94.9K Total
    Debug Version:     155.2K Code, 63.1K Data, 218.3K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.0K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.1K Total
    Debug Version:     155.8K Code, 63.3K Data, 219.1K Total


2) iASL Compiler/Disassembler and Tools:

AcpiExec: Implemented a new option (-m) to display full memory use 
statistics upon subsystem/program termination. (Valery Podrezov)

----------------------------------------
09 November 2006. Summary of changes for version 20061109:

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Optimized the Load ASL operator in the case where the source operand is an 
operation region. Simply map the operation region memory, instead of 
performing a bytewise read. (Region must be of type SystemMemory, see 
below.)

Fixed the Load ASL operator for the case where the source operand is a 
region field. A buffer object is also allowed as the source operand. BZ 480

Fixed a problem where the Load ASL operator allowed the source operand to be 
an operation region of any type. It is now restricted to regions of type 
SystemMemory, as per the ACPI specification. BZ 481

Additional cleanup and optimizations for the new Table Manager code.

AcpiEnable will now fail if all of the required ACPI tables are not loaded 
(FADT, FACS, DSDT). BZ 477

Added #pragma pack(8/4) to acobject.h to ensure that the structures in this 
header are always compiled as aligned. The ACPI_OPERAND_OBJECT has been 
manually optimized to be aligned and will not work if it is byte-packed. 

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent 
acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The 
debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has 
a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  78.1K Code, 17.1K Data,  95.2K Total
    Debug Version:     155.4K Code, 63.1K Data, 218.5K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  77.9K Code, 17.0K Data,  94.9K Total
    Debug Version:     155.2K Code, 63.1K Data, 218.3K Total


2) iASL Compiler/Disassembler and Tools:

Fixed a problem where the presence of the _OSI predefined control method 
within complex expressions could cause an internal compiler error.

AcpiExec: Implemented full region support for multiple address spaces. 
SpaceId is now part of the REGION object. BZ 429

----------------------------------------
11 October 2006. Summary of changes for version 20061011:

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Completed an AML interpreter performance enhancement for control method 
execution. Previously a 2-pass parse/execution, control methods are now 
completely parsed and executed in a single pass. This improves overall 
interpreter performance by ~25%, reduces code size, and reduces CPU stack 
use. (Valery Podrezov + interpreter changes in version 20051202 that