IBM Support

IV37956: INCORRECT LOOP COUNTER WITH -QIPA

Fixes are available

March 2013 PTF for XL C for AIX, V12.1
March 2013 PTF for XL C/C++ for AIX, V12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 4 (June 2013 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 5 (September 2013 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 7 (January 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 8 (March 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 8 (March 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 11 (February 2015 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 12 (May 2015 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 12 (May 2015 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 13 (August 2015 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 14 (December 2015 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 15 (April 2016 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 15 (April 2016 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 16 (July 2016 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 16 (July 2016 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 17 (November 2016 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 17 (November 2016 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 18 (February 2017 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 18 (February 2017 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 19 (August 2017 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 19 (August 2017 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 20 (March 2018 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 20 (March 2018 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 4 (June 2013 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 5 (September 2013 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 6 (December 2013 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 6 (December 2013 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 7 (January 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 9 (July 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 9 (July 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 10 (October 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 10 (October 2014 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 11 (February 2015 PTF) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 13 (August 2015 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 14 (December 2015 Update) for 12.1
XL C/C++ for AIX Fix Pack 21 (January 2019 Update) for 12.1
XL C for AIX Fix Pack 21 (January 2019 Update) for 12.1

Subscribe

You can track all active APARs for this component.

 

APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • The counter in the for loop goes past its boundaries when
    compiling with -qipa and causes an incorrect output at runtime.
    
    The issue goes away if you remove -qipa from the compile line.
    
    
    ===== COMPILE COMMAND:
    xlC_r -o tc test.c -O -q64 -qipa
    
    ===== TESTCASE:
    $ cat test.c
    #include <stdio.h>
    
    int main()
    {
            unsigned int ctr=6;
            unsigned int stop =  (unsigned int)-1;
            unsigned int start =  5;
    
            printf("start=%u  ; stop=%u\n",start,stop);
    
            for(ctr = start ; ctr != stop ; --ctr)
            {
                    printf("ctr=%u\n",ctr);
    
                    if (ctr>start)
                    {
                            printf("Shouldn't get here\n");
                            exit(1);
                    }
            }
    }
    $
    
    ===== ACTUAL OUTPUT:
    $ ./tc
    start=5  ; stop=4294967295
    ctr=5
    ctr=4
    ctr=3
    ctr=2
    ctr=1
    ctr=0
    ctr=4294967295
    Shouldn't get here
    $
    
    ===== EXPECTED OUTPUT:
    $ ./tc
    start=5  ; stop=4294967295
    ctr=5
    ctr=4
    ctr=3
    ctr=2
    ctr=1
    ctr=0
    $
    

Local fix

  • Compile with -qstrict_induction. Although, you may need to
    monitor the runtime performance when using this option.
    

Problem summary

  • USERS AFFECTED:
    Users using -qhot=level=0 or above may be affected by this
    issue.
    
    PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
    When -qhot=level=0 or higher is used, users may encounter
    incorrect output due to an internal induction variable
    overflow.
    

Problem conclusion

  • The fix consists of detecting a loop normalization opportunity
    where the induction variable overflows; so that users do not
    have to face a performance impact of using -qstrict_induction.
    

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    IV37956

  • Reported component name

    XL C FOR AIX

  • Reported component ID

    5725C7100

  • Reported release

    C10

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt

  • Submitted date

    2013-03-12

  • Closed date

    2013-03-12

  • Last modified date

    2013-03-13

  • APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

    IV33243

  • APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

  • Fixed component name

    XL C FOR AIX

  • Fixed component ID

    5725C7100

Applicable component levels

[{"Line of Business":{"code":"LOB57","label":"Power"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSGH2K","label":"XL C for AIX"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"12.1"}]

Document Information

Modified date:
03 October 2021