Juan Pablo Califano wrote: > I think Kevin is referring to JIT (Just In Time) compilation. While it's > true that actionscript source code is always compiled to > platform-independent bytecode, this bytecode still has to be converted into > native code before being run. That's what JIT (basically a compiler embedded > into the virtual machine) does, at runtime. > > Last I > heard, the AVM JIT compiles and caches all the native code, except for code > in the constructors (I don't know whether this is up to date, or why are > constructors exceptions to what seems to be the general rule).
Thanks, Juan Pablo. I wasn't thinking of the JIT compiler. Maybe I shouldn't be working and answering posts at 2 a.m. The JIT compiler is new with AS3, I believe. Traditionally, the bytecode is never converted to machine language. I think the original tokenized language was UCSD Pascal, back in the '70s, and that model was followed for decades. In those bytecode/token languages, each token was read by the virtual machine (VM), and the appropriate machine-language library code was called. This allowed cross-platform code, and the model is still followed by a lot of languages--Director's Lingo, for example. Cordially, Kerry Thompson _______________________________________________ Flashcoders mailing list [email protected] http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders
