MSP430 C/C++ CODE GENERATION TOOLS
                            4.4.8 Release Notes
                                November 2016   

================================================================================
Contents
================================================================================

1) New defect history files in 4.4.8
2) Features new to version 4.4.0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) New defect history files in 4.4.8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As of the 4.4.8 release, the DefectHistory.txt file has been replaced with the
two files Open_defects.html and Closed_defects.html. These show the open and
closed defects for the 4.4.x compiler branch. For open bugs, a status of Open
or Accepted means that the bug has not been examined yet, whereas a status of
Planned means that an evaluation or fix is in progress.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Features new in version 4.4.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. CRC linker table support added.

   The MSP430 linker supports an extension to the linker command file syntax 
   that enables the verification of code or data by means of a CRC. The linker 
   computes a CRC value for the specified region at link time, and stores that 
   value in target memory such that it is accessible at boot or run time. The 
   application code can then compute the CRC for that region and ensure that 
   the value matches the linker-computed value. The run-time-support library 
   does not supply a routine to calculate CRC values at boot or run time, 
   however a limited reference implementation in C is provided in the 
   MSP430 Assembly Language Tools User guide.

2. --use_hw_mpy changes and new option --disable_interrupts_around_hw_mpy

   Link option, --use_hw_mpy, has been changed to be a compiler option to
   allow for inlining of hardware multiply calls.  Inlining occurs with 
   --opt_level>=0, --opt_for_speed>=4, and if --use_hw_mpy is set.

   A more advanced optimization is available with new option:
     --disable_interrupts_around_hw_mpy=on/off
   This allows inlining hardware multiply calls without disabling
   interrupts around the call.  Inlining is done at all --opt_for_speed
   levels as long as --opt_level>=0 and --use_hw_mpy is set.  

   Hardware multiply capability is not re-entrant.  Therefore, interrupt
   service routines with multiplies will not inline the multiply calls and
   instead will use RTS software mutliply routines.  Also, interrupt
   service routines that make function calls will generate errors during
   parsing (or link for existing object files).  These errors can be 
   suppressed once it is confirmed that the ISR function calls do not 
   include multiplication.

3. Linker predefined macros

   New linker command file macros have been added including:
      __MSP430__            set for all msp 
      __MSP430X__           set only for mspx devices
      __LARGE_CODE_MODEL__  set for --code_model=large
      __LARGE_DATA_MODEL__  set for --data_model=restricted or large

4. RTS header file intrinsics.h

   RTS header file intrinsics.h has been updated to contain function 
   "prototypes" for all MSP430 intrinsics.

5. ULP rule 6.1 has been updated to reduce some cases of generating 
   false advice.  Specifically for cases where source code files did 
   not include "msp430.h" device header if the device actually does
   have hardware multiply capability.