# `vmaxfp` — Vector Maximum Floating Point > **Category:** [VMX (Altivec)](../categories/vmx.md) · **Form:** [VX](../forms/VX.md) · **Opcode:** `0x1000040a` ## Assembler Mnemonics | Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `vmaxfp` | `vmaxfp` | — | Vector Maximum Floating Point | | `vmaxfp128` | `vmaxfp128` | — | Vector128 Maximum Floating Point | ## Syntax ```asm vmaxfp [VD], [VA], [VB] vmaxfp128 [VD], [VA], [VB] ``` ## Encoding ### `vmaxfp` — form `VX` - **Opcode word:** `0x1000040a` - **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `4` - **Extended opcode:** `1034` - **Synchronising:** no | Bits | Field | Meaning | | --- | --- | --- | | 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode (4) | | 6–10 | `VRT/VD` | destination vector register | | 11–15 | `VRA/VA` | source A vector register | | 16–20 | `VRB/VB` | source B vector register | | 21–31 | `XO` | extended opcode (11 bits) | ### `vmaxfp128` — form `VX128` - **Opcode word:** `0x18000280` - **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `6` - **Extended opcode:** `640` - **Synchronising:** no | Bits | Field | Meaning | | --- | --- | --- | | 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode (4 or 5) | | 6–10 | `VD128l` | destination low 5 bits | | 11–15 | `VA128l` | source A low 5 bits | | 16–20 | `VB128l` | source B low 5 bits | | 21 | `VA128H` | source A high bit | | 22 | `—` | reserved | | 23–25 | `VC` | optional VC / XO sub-field | | 26 | `VA128h` | source A middle bit | | 27 | `—` | reserved | | 28–29 | `VD128h` | destination high 2 bits | | 30–31 | `VB128h` | source B high 2 bits | ## Operands | Field | Role | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `VA` | vmaxfp: read; vmaxfp128: read | Source A vector register. | | `VB` | vmaxfp: read; vmaxfp128: read | Source B vector register. | | `VD` | vmaxfp: write; vmaxfp128: write | Destination vector register. | ## Register Effects ### `vmaxfp` - **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB` - **Reads (conditional):** _none_ - **Writes (always):** `VD` - **Writes (conditional):** _none_ ### `vmaxfp128` - **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB` - **Reads (conditional):** _none_ - **Writes (always):** `VD` - **Writes (conditional):** _none_ ## Status-Register Effects _No condition-register or status-register effects._ ## Operation (pseudocode) ``` ; No hand-written pseudocode for this instruction yet. ; The authoritative semantics are the Canary emitter snapshot under ; Implementation References; about half of Canary's emitters open ; with the PPC-style definition as a comment (`RD <- (RA) + (RB)`). ; Every side effect is also enumerated in the Register Effects and ; Status-Register Effects tables above. ``` ## C Translation Example ```c /* No hand-written C yet. Translate the Canary emitter snapshot */ /* under Implementation References; its HIR maps directly: */ /* f.LoadGPR(n) / f.StoreGPR(n, v) -> r[n] / r[n] = v */ /* f.LoadFPR / StoreFPR, f.LoadVR / StoreVR -> f[n], v[n] */ /* f.Load(ea, T), f.Store(ea, v) -> raw read / write; emitters */ /* wrap them in f.ByteSwap for the big-endian guest value */ /* f.UpdateCR(n, v) -> CR field n from v's LOW 32 BITS vs 0 */ /* f.LoadCA / f.StoreCA -> xer.CA; f.StoreSAT -> vscr.SAT */ /* i.XO.RA, i.D.DS, ... -> the bit-fields listed under Operands */ /* The Register Effects and Status-Register Effects tables above */ /* enumerate every side effect a faithful translation must emit. */ ``` ## Implementation References **`vmaxfp`** - Canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vmaxfp"`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/tools/ppc-instructions.xml) - Canary emitter: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:818`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L818) - Sylpheed opcode: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs:350`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs#L350) - Sylpheed decoder: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs:637`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs#L637)
Canary emitter (frozen snapshot @ f21ebd49e9) ```cpp int InstrEmit_vmaxfp(PPCHIRBuilder& f, const InstrData& i) { return InstrEmit_vmaxfp_(f, i.VX.VD, i.VX.VA, i.VX.VB); } // ── delegates to (src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:812) ── int InstrEmit_vmaxfp_(PPCHIRBuilder& f, uint32_t vd, uint32_t va, uint32_t vb) { // (VD) <- max((VA), (VB)) Value* v = f.Max(f.LoadVR(va), f.LoadVR(vb)); f.StoreVR(vd, v); return 0; } ```
**`vmaxfp128`** - Canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vmaxfp128"`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/tools/ppc-instructions.xml) - Canary emitter: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:821`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L821) - Sylpheed opcode: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs:351`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs#L351) - Sylpheed decoder: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs:811`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs#L811)
Canary emitter (frozen snapshot @ f21ebd49e9) ```cpp int InstrEmit_vmaxfp128(PPCHIRBuilder& f, const InstrData& i) { return InstrEmit_vmaxfp_(f, VX128_VD128, VX128_VA128, VX128_VB128); } // ── delegates to (src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:812) ── int InstrEmit_vmaxfp_(PPCHIRBuilder& f, uint32_t vd, uint32_t va, uint32_t vb) { // (VD) <- max((VA), (VB)) Value* v = f.Max(f.LoadVR(va), f.LoadVR(vb)); f.StoreVR(vd, v); return 0; } ```
## Special Cases & Edge Conditions - **Per-lane IEEE max.** Four word lanes; `VD[i] = (VA[i] > VB[i]) ? VA[i] : VB[i]`. - **NaN propagation.** The IBM manual specifies "the larger of `VA[i]` and `VB[i]`, with NaN handling such that any NaN input yields a NaN result". Canary's x64 `MAX` matches: it blends the NaN back in when either lane is NaN (`VA`'s when both are), and takes `max(+0, −0) = +0` by AND-ing both operand orders of `vmaxps`. - **Sign of zero.** Canary's `vmaxfp(+0, -0)` returns `+0`: it ANDs both operand orders of `vmaxps` (its comment: "if 0 and -0, return 0! opposite of minfp"). What Xenon returns is unverified. - **`VSCR[NJ]` denormals.** With `NJ = 1` (Xenon default), denormal inputs are flushed to `±0` before comparison. - **No `VSCR[SAT]` change, no XER change, no exceptions.** - **Big-endian word lanes.** Lane 0 is the most-significant word. - **Aliasing legal.** `vmaxfp v3, v3, v4` is the standard "clamp from below by `v4`" idiom. - **VMX128 sibling (`vmaxfp128`).** Identical comparator semantics with the extended encoding. ## Related Instructions - [`vminfp`](vminfp.md) — the per-lane minimum. - [`vcmpgtfp`](vcmpgtfp.md), [`vcmpgefp`](vcmpgefp.md) — separate compare-and-mask path. - [`vsel`](vsel.md) — combine masks with arbitrary alternatives. - [`vmaddfp`](vmaddfp.md) — fused multiply-add when the max is part of a polynomial. - [`vmaxsw`](vmaxsw.md) — integer-word max if the lanes are signed integers. ## IBM Reference - [AIX 7.3 — `vmaxfp` (Vector Maximum Floating Point)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-vmaxfp-vector-maximum-floating-point-instruction) - [IBM AltiVec Technology Programmer's Interface Manual, Chapter 5 — Floating-Point Min/Max](https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/reference-manual/ALTIVECPIM.pdf)