64 bit DMD binary on the Mac

[Robert Clipsham]

On 28/06/2011 19:43, Walter Bright wrote:
> Although DMD on the Mac can currently only generate 32 bit binaries, the
> Mac as I understand it can run 64 bit code.
>
> Is there any reason that DMD itself should be a 32 bit app? Are there
> any 32 bit only Macs out there we should support?

Standard practice is to use universal binaries, that is, having both the 
64 bit and 32 bit binary in one eg:

$ file `which which`
/usr/bin/which: Mach-O universal binary with 3 architectures
/usr/bin/which (for architecture x86_64):       Mach-O 64-bit executable 
x86_64
/usr/bin/which (for architecture i386): Mach-O executable i386
/usr/bin/which (for architecture ppc7400):      Mach-O executable ppc

Although this will increase binary size, obviously. OS X then chooses 
which version to use itself, with preference being the same order as 
above (64, 32, ppc).

This said, I see no reason why you can't switch to a 64 bit binary, as 
far as I'm aware all the intel hardware apple has shipped supports 
running 64 bit applications. You may want to check this though.

-- 
Robert
http://octarineparrot.com/