Re: 5.1 & 5.2 binary compatibility

From: mark taylor (mky_at_talk21.com)
Date: 12/30/03 

Date: 30 Dec 2003 13:30:28 -0800

kosullivan@elandtech.com (Kevin O'Sullivan) wrote in message news:<cb9e8f99.0312300503.596d3e76@posting.google.com>...
> Hi - I've had a look around this news group but I can't find an answer
> to my question, which is:
>
> I have built an app on AIX 5.1, a customer has AIX 5.2 - will my app
> run on his 5.2 box?
>
> Many thanks,
> Kevin.

yes... its in the release notes also... apps complimed on v5 will run
on v5 but not v4. 32 bit apps compiled on v4 will run on v5, but
64bit will not..

All AIX level are backwards binary compatible....but, kernel
extensions and some libraries are not. If you hit problems then you
will need to recompile.. its not so much the level of AIX but the
compiler and the processor (family of processors) the binary was
compiled for....

The release notes for 5L state the following:

"AIX 5L Version 5 Binary Compatibility
32-bit Applications from AIX: Version 4 Releases

AIX Version 4.1, 4.2, or 4.3 applications
written for RS/6000 POWER-, POWER2-, POWER3-, and
PowerPC-based models can be executed on AIX
5L Version 5 without recompilation for same and newer
models in that processor family (POWER, POWER2, POWER3 or PowerPC).
The exceptions to this statement would be applications compiled
using POWER2, POWER3, or PowerPC specific compiler
options but executed on models other than POWER2, POWER3, or PowerPC,
respectively, or applications using:

Non-shared compiles of AIX shared libraries Features explicitly
described
as non-portable by IBM in the AIX Version 4 or 5 reference
manuals Undocumented AIX internal features X11R5 Server
Extensions

Applications compiled on AIX Version 5 will
not operate properly on systems running any level of AIX
Version 4.

Any program that must run in all environments
POWER, POWER2, POWER3, and PowerPC (601 and
newer PowerPC processors) must be compiled
using the common mode option of the compiler.
Programs compiled to exploit POWER2 or POWER3
technology must be run on the same processor type.
Programs compiled to exploit PowerPC-based
technology must be run on PowerPC-based processors.
Existing binaries need not be recompiled to
operate on the target processors. "

Rgds
Mark

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