# `vcmpbfp` — Vector Compare Bounds Floating Point > **Category:** [VMX (Altivec)](../categories/vmx.md) · **Form:** [VC](../forms/VC.md) · **Opcode:** `0x100003c6` ## Assembler Mnemonics | Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `vcmpbfp` | `vcmpbfp` | — | Vector Compare Bounds Floating Point | | `vcmpbfp.` | `vcmpbfp` | Rc=1 | Vector Compare Bounds Floating Point | | `vcmpbfp128` | `vcmpbfp128` | — | Vector128 Compare Bounds Floating Point | | `vcmpbfp128.` | `vcmpbfp128` | Rc=1 | Vector128 Compare Bounds Floating Point | ## Syntax ```asm vcmpbfp[Rc] [VD], [VA], [VB] vcmpbfp128[Rc] [VD], [VA], [VB] ``` ## Encoding ### `vcmpbfp` — form `VC` - **Opcode word:** `0x100003c6` - **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `4` - **Extended opcode:** `966` - **Synchronising:** no | Bits | Field | Meaning | | --- | --- | --- | | 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode (4) | | 6–10 | `VRT` | destination vector register | | 11–15 | `VRA` | source A | | 16–20 | `VRB` | source B | | 21 | `Rc` | record-form flag (updates CR6) | | 22–31 | `XO` | extended opcode (10 bits) | ### `vcmpbfp128` — form `VX128_R` - **Opcode word:** `0x18000180` - **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `6` - **Extended opcode:** `384` - **Synchronising:** no | Bits | Field | Meaning | | --- | --- | --- | | 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode (4) | | 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 | | 22–25 | `XO` | extended opcode (compare) | | 26 | `VA128h` | source A middle bit | | 27 | `Rc` | record-form flag (updates CR6) | | 28–29 | `VD128h` | destination high 2 bits | | 30–31 | `VB128h` | source B high 2 bits | ## Operands | Field | Role | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `VA` | vcmpbfp: read; vcmpbfp128: read | Source A vector register. | | `VB` | vcmpbfp: read; vcmpbfp128: read | Source B vector register. | | `VD` | vcmpbfp: write; vcmpbfp128: write | Destination vector register. | | `CR` | vcmpbfp: write (conditional); vcmpbfp128: write (conditional) | Condition-register update. When `Rc=1`, CR field 0 (or CR6 for vector compares, CR1 for FPU) is updated from the result. | ## Register Effects ### `vcmpbfp` - **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB` - **Reads (conditional):** _none_ - **Writes (always):** `VD` - **Writes (conditional):** `CR` ### `vcmpbfp128` - **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB` - **Reads (conditional):** _none_ - **Writes (always):** `VD` - **Writes (conditional):** `CR` ## Status-Register Effects - `vcmpbfp`: **CR6** ← `[all-true, 0, all-false, 0]` when `Rc=1`. - `vcmpbfp128`: **CR6** ← `[all-true, 0, all-false, 0]` when `Rc=1`. ## Operation (pseudocode) ``` ; Pseudocode derives directly from the xenia-rs interpreter ; arm (see Implementation References). Operation semantics: ; - Read source operands from the fields listed under Operands. ; - Apply the arithmetic / logical / memory action described ; in the Description field above. ; - Write results to the destination register(s); update any ; status bits enumerated under Status-Register Effects. ; Consult the IBM AIX reference link under IBM Reference for ; canonical PPC-style pseudocode where xenia's expression is ; terse. ``` ## C Translation Example ```c /* C translation: the xenia-rs interpreter arm below in */ /* Implementation References is the authoritative semantic */ /* snapshot. Translate it line-by-line: */ /* - ctx.gpr[N] -> r[N] (or f[]/v[] for FPRs/VRs) */ /* - mem.read_u*/write_u* -> mem_read_u*_be / mem_write_u*_be */ /* - ctx.update_cr_signed(fld, v) -> update_cr_signed(fld, v) */ /* - ctx.xer_ca / xer_ov / xer_so -> xer.CA / xer.OV / xer.SO */ /* The Register Effects and Status-Register Effects tables above */ /* enumerate every side effect a faithful translation must emit. */ ``` ## Implementation References **`vcmpbfp`** - xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vcmpbfp"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml) - xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:583`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L583) - xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:94`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L94) - xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:569`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L569) - xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:3822-3847`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L3822-L3847)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot) ```rust PpcOpcode::vcmpbfp | PpcOpcode::vcmpbfp128 => { let is_128 = matches!(instr.opcode, PpcOpcode::vcmpbfp128); let (ra, rb, rd) = if is_128 { (instr.va128(), instr.vb128(), instr.vd128()) } else { (instr.ra(), instr.rb(), instr.rd()) }; let a = ctx.vr[ra].as_f32x4(); let b = ctx.vr[rb].as_f32x4(); let mut r = [0u32; 4]; let mut any_out = false; for i in 0..4 { let mut lane: u32 = 0; if a[i].is_nan() || b[i].is_nan() || a[i] > b[i] { lane |= 0x8000_0000; any_out = true; } if a[i].is_nan() || b[i].is_nan() || a[i] < -b[i] { lane |= 0x4000_0000; any_out = true; } r[i] = lane; } let rc = if is_128 { instr.vx128r_rc_bit() } else { instr.vc_rc_bit() }; if rc { ctx.cr[6] = crate::context::CrField { lt: false, gt: false, eq: !any_out, so: false, }; } ctx.vr[rd] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4_array(r); ctx.pc += 4; } ```
**`vcmpbfp128`** - xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vcmpbfp128"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml) - xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:586`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L586) - xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:94`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L94) - xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:684`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L684) - xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:3822-3847`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L3822-L3847)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot) ```rust PpcOpcode::vcmpbfp | PpcOpcode::vcmpbfp128 => { let is_128 = matches!(instr.opcode, PpcOpcode::vcmpbfp128); let (ra, rb, rd) = if is_128 { (instr.va128(), instr.vb128(), instr.vd128()) } else { (instr.ra(), instr.rb(), instr.rd()) }; let a = ctx.vr[ra].as_f32x4(); let b = ctx.vr[rb].as_f32x4(); let mut r = [0u32; 4]; let mut any_out = false; for i in 0..4 { let mut lane: u32 = 0; if a[i].is_nan() || b[i].is_nan() || a[i] > b[i] { lane |= 0x8000_0000; any_out = true; } if a[i].is_nan() || b[i].is_nan() || a[i] < -b[i] { lane |= 0x4000_0000; any_out = true; } r[i] = lane; } let rc = if is_128 { instr.vx128r_rc_bit() } else { instr.vc_rc_bit() }; if rc { ctx.cr[6] = crate::context::CrField { lt: false, gt: false, eq: !any_out, so: false, }; } ctx.vr[rd] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4_array(r); ctx.pc += 4; } ```
## Special Cases & Edge Conditions - **"Bounds" compare, not equality.** Per word lane, sets two output bits: bit 0 (mask `0x80000000`) if `VA[i] > VB[i]` (out-of-range high) and bit 1 (mask `0x40000000`) if `VA[i] < -VB[i]` (out-of-range low). Bits 2..31 of each lane are zero. - **NaN inputs are out-of-range in *both* directions.** Xenia sets both `0x80000000` and `0x40000000` if either input is NaN, matching the IBM manual: NaN is treated as "violates both bounds". - **CR6 update when `Rc=1`.** CR6 is set as `[lt=0, gt=0, eq=(no-lane-out-of-range), so=0]` — i.e. only the `eq` bit signifies "all four lanes were within `±VB`". Useful as `bc 12,26` (branch if all in-range) for SIMD clamping loops. - **No `VSCR[SAT]`, no XER changes, no exceptions.** - **The convention is "is point inside box?"** — not a per-lane compare like the other `vcmp*` ops. Output is a flag-pair, not a boolean mask, so it does **not** plug directly into [`vsel`](vsel.md). To get a boolean, OR the two bits down with [`vor`](vor.md) and a shift. - **VMX128 sibling (`vcmpbfp128`).** Identical semantics; the `Rc` bit lives at bit 27 of the VX128_R encoding. - **Lane width is fixed at word.** Bounds check is single-precision float only; there is no `vcmpb*` for half / byte / int. ## Related Instructions - [`vcmpeqfp`](vcmpeqfp.md) — element-wise `==` for floats. - [`vcmpgtfp`](vcmpgtfp.md), [`vcmpgefp`](vcmpgefp.md) — element-wise `>` and `>=` for floats. - [`vsel`](vsel.md), [`vand`](vand.md), [`vor`](vor.md) — combine the two bits per lane into a boolean mask if needed. - [`vmaxfp`](vmaxfp.md), [`vminfp`](vminfp.md) — clamp values to a range without testing. ## IBM Reference - [AIX 7.3 — `vcmpbfp` (Vector Compare Bounds Floating Point)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-vcmpbfp-vector-compare-bounds-floating-point-instruction) - [IBM AltiVec Technology Programmer's Interface Manual, Chapter 5 — Floating-Point Compares](https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/reference-manual/ALTIVECPIM.pdf)