For basic functions, the function code_for_xxx() does not take any input. However, in order to give a way to choose between different codes, a hash called $options is passed as a first argument. It is up to the field implementer to decide which options are pertinent for the class of fields he considers. A very typical option will be the word size (32 or 64).

In order for the function code_for_xxx() to have access to appropriate names, the special sequence @! is available: it is verbatim translated to the appropriate prefix mpfq_TAG_ during code creation. Hence, for instance, if the code needs an intermediate field element for the computation, it can be declared like that:

        @!elt tmp_elt;
      

The output of code_for_xxx() should be an array of two elements: the first follows the prototype given by the API, and give names to the parameters of the function xxx to be used in the implementation. The second element returned by code_for_xxx() is a string giving the C function implementation. For example, for the field GF(7), the addition will be implemented by the following Perl code:

        sub code_for_add {
            return [ 'inline(K!, z, x, y)', "z = (x+y)%7;" ];
        }
      

If the implementation of code_for_xxx() requires auxiliary functions that are not listed in api.pl (for instance code_for_mul might rely on code_for_karatsuba), then they must be returned as one or several additional members at the end of the returned array. Each such member must be a hash reference of the following form:

        {
          kind => 'inline(K!, z, x, y)',
          code => 'z = x+y',
          name => 'unreduced_add',
          requirements => 'dst_elt src_elt src_elt'
        }
      

where kind and requirements describe the prototype, code is the body of the function, and name is its name as called by code_for_xxx(). Beware that it will be created with a mpfq_TAG prefix, so that inside code_for_xxx() you must add @! in front of the name you give in the name key.

There is a small example in src/gf7/code_for_7.pm, that is a (very partial!) implementation of GF(7).