摘要 |
Disclosed is a apparatus with logic that decodes metadata access instructions, the instructions referencing the data address of a data item, and metadata logic that translates the data address to a distinct metadata address. Metadata logic also accesses the metadata referenced by the distinct metadata address in response to the decoding logic decoding the metadata instruction. Also disclosed is a program that responsive to a data access operation, which references a data address, generates a metadata access operation to reference the data address of the data address operation. The metadata access operation translating the data address to a disjoint metadata address, and accessing the metadata for the data item at the data address based on the metadata address. The metadata access instruction may be a metadata bit test and set instruction, metadata store and set instruction, a metadata store and reset instruction, a compressed metadata test instruction, a compressed metadata store instruction or a compresses metadata clear instruction. |