The GMP library (GNU Multiple Precision arithmetic library) is a library for arbitrary precision integer arithmetic. MLton uses the GMP library to implement the Basis Library IntInf module.

Known issues

  • There is a known problem with the GMP library (prior to version 4.2.x), where it requires a lot of stack space for some computations, e.g. IntInf.toString of a million digit number. If you run with stack size limited, you may see a segfault in such programs. This problem is mentioned in the GMP FAQ, where they describe two solutions.

    • Increase (or unlimit) your stack space. From your program, use setrlimit, or from the shell, use ulimit.

    • Configure and rebuild libgmp with --disable-alloca, which will cause it to allocate temporaries using malloc instead of on the stack.

  • On some platforms, the GMP library may be configured to use one of multiple ABIs (Application Binary Interfaces). For example, on some 32-bit architectures, GMP may be configured to represent a limb as either a 32-bit long or as a 64-bit long long. Similarly, GMP may be configured to use specific CPU features.

    In order to efficiently use the GMP library, MLton represents an IntInf.int value in a manner compatible with the GMP library’s representation of a limb. Hence, it is important that MLton and the GMP library agree upon the representation of a limb.

    • When using a source package of MLton, building will detect the GMP library’s representation of a limb.

    • When using a binary package of MLton that is dynamically linked against the GMP library, the build machine and the install machine must have the GMP library configured with the same representation of a limb. (On the other hand, the build machine need not have the GMP library configured with CPU features compatible with the install machine.)

    • When using a binary package of MLton that is statically linked against the GMP library, the build machine and the install machine need not have the GMP library configured with the same representation of a limb. (On the other hand, the build machine must have the GMP library configured with CPU features compatible with the install machine.)

      However, MLton will be configured with the representation of a limb from the GMP library of the build machine. Executables produced by MLton will be incompatible with the GMP library of the install machine. To reconfigure MLton with the representation of a limb from the GMP library of the install machine, one must edit:

      /usr/lib/mlton/self/sizes

      changing the

      mplimb = ??

      entry so that ?? corresponds to the bytes in a limb; and, one must edit:

      /usr/lib/mlton/sml/basis/config/c/arch-os/c-types.sml

      changing the

      (* from "gmp.h" *)
structure C_MPLimb = struct open Word?? type t = word end
functor C_MPLimb_ChooseWordN (A: CHOOSE_WORDN_ARG) = ChooseWordN_Word?? (A)

      entries so that ?? corresponds to the bits in a limb.