Binaries compiled on Apple Silicon (ARM) are being processed as Power ISA in SE mode about gem5

[andysan]

Loading this binary isn't actually supposed to work since the compiled binary is a MACH-O file and not an ELF file. The error message isn't very helpful though. The problem is most likely that find_compatible doesn't handle the case where object_file.create(path) can't find a valid loader and returns None instead of an a loader instance. We should probably raise a ValueError in this case which would be consistent with init_compatible.

[BobbyRBruce]

Loading this binary isn't actually supposed to work since the compiled binary is a MACH-O file and not an ELF file. The error message isn't very helpful though. The problem is most likely that find_compatible doesn't handle the case where object_file.create(path) can't find a valid loader and returns None instead of an a loader instance. We should probably raise a ValueError in this case which would be consistent with init_compatible.

Ah yes, i was far too caught up in thinking about the ISA without considering other factors.

@ivanaamit has been tasked with looking into making more helpful errors in this code. I'm curious as to if the PowerISA angle is some antiquated code which processes Apple binaries automatically as Power ISA, or if it's just the last condition in an if-else/switch-type statement.

[andysan]

Loading this binary isn't actually supposed to work since the compiled binary is a MACH-O file and not an ELF file. The error message isn't very helpful though. The problem is most likely that find_compatible doesn't handle the case where object_file.create(path) can't find a valid loader and returns None instead of an a loader instance. We should probably raise a ValueError in this case which would be consistent with init_compatible.

Ah yes, i was far too caught up in thinking about the ISA without considering other factors.

@ivanaamit has been tasked with looking into making more helpful errors in this code. I'm curious as to if the PowerISA angle is some antiquated code which processes Apple binaries automatically as Power ISA, or if it's just the last condition in an if-else/switch-type statement.

If memory serves me right, the reason the exception comes from PowerISA is that it is the first ISA in the list. Most implementations of _is_compatible_with wouldn't cope correctly with None.