| :mod:`dis` --- Disassembler for Python bytecode | |
| =============================================== | |
| .. module:: dis | |
| :synopsis: Disassembler for Python bytecode. | |
| **Source code:** :source:`Lib/dis.py` | |
| -------------- | |
| The :mod:`dis` module supports the analysis of CPython :term:`bytecode` by | |
| disassembling it. The CPython bytecode which this module takes as an input is | |
| defined in the file :file:`Include/opcode.h` and used by the compiler and the | |
| interpreter. | |
| .. impl-detail:: | |
| Bytecode is an implementation detail of the CPython interpreter! No | |
| guarantees are made that bytecode will not be added, removed, or changed | |
| between versions of Python. Use of this module should not be considered to | |
| work across Python VMs or Python releases. | |
| Example: Given the function :func:`myfunc`:: | |
| def myfunc(alist): | |
| return len(alist) | |
| the following command can be used to get the disassembly of :func:`myfunc`:: | |
| >>> dis.dis(myfunc) | |
| 2 0 LOAD_GLOBAL 0 (len) | |
| 3 LOAD_FAST 0 (alist) | |
| 6 CALL_FUNCTION 1 | |
| 9 RETURN_VALUE | |
| (The "2" is a line number). | |
| The :mod:`dis` module defines the following functions and constants: | |
| .. function:: dis([bytesource]) | |
| Disassemble the *bytesource* object. *bytesource* can denote either a module, | |
| a class, a method, a function, or a code object. For a module, it | |
| disassembles all functions. For a class, it disassembles all methods. For a | |
| single code sequence, it prints one line per bytecode instruction. If no | |
| object is provided, it disassembles the last traceback. | |
| .. function:: distb([tb]) | |
| Disassembles the top-of-stack function of a traceback, using the last | |
| traceback if none was passed. The instruction causing the exception is | |
| indicated. | |
| .. function:: disassemble(code[, lasti]) | |
| Disassembles a code object, indicating the last instruction if *lasti* was | |
| provided. The output is divided in the following columns: | |
| #. the line number, for the first instruction of each line | |
| #. the current instruction, indicated as ``-->``, | |
| #. a labelled instruction, indicated with ``>>``, | |
| #. the address of the instruction, | |
| #. the operation code name, | |
| #. operation parameters, and | |
| #. interpretation of the parameters in parentheses. | |
| The parameter interpretation recognizes local and global variable names, | |
| constant values, branch targets, and compare operators. | |
| .. function:: disco(code[, lasti]) | |
| A synonym for :func:`disassemble`. It is more convenient to type, and kept | |
| for compatibility with earlier Python releases. | |
| .. function:: findlinestarts(code) | |
| This generator function uses the ``co_firstlineno`` and ``co_lnotab`` | |
| attributes of the code object *code* to find the offsets which are starts of | |
| lines in the source code. They are generated as ``(offset, lineno)`` pairs. | |
| .. function:: findlabels(code) | |
| Detect all offsets in the code object *code* which are jump targets, and | |
| return a list of these offsets. | |
| .. data:: opname | |
| Sequence of operation names, indexable using the bytecode. | |
| .. data:: opmap | |
| Dictionary mapping operation names to bytecodes. | |
| .. data:: cmp_op | |
| Sequence of all compare operation names. | |
| .. data:: hasconst | |
| Sequence of bytecodes that have a constant parameter. | |
| .. data:: hasfree | |
| Sequence of bytecodes that access a free variable. | |
| .. data:: hasname | |
| Sequence of bytecodes that access an attribute by name. | |
| .. data:: hasjrel | |
| Sequence of bytecodes that have a relative jump target. | |
| .. data:: hasjabs | |
| Sequence of bytecodes that have an absolute jump target. | |
| .. data:: haslocal | |
| Sequence of bytecodes that access a local variable. | |
| .. data:: hascompare | |
| Sequence of bytecodes of Boolean operations. | |
| .. _bytecodes: | |
| Python Bytecode Instructions | |
| ---------------------------- | |
| The Python compiler currently generates the following bytecode instructions. | |
| .. opcode:: STOP_CODE () | |
| Indicates end-of-code to the compiler, not used by the interpreter. | |
| .. opcode:: NOP () | |
| Do nothing code. Used as a placeholder by the bytecode optimizer. | |
| .. opcode:: POP_TOP () | |
| Removes the top-of-stack (TOS) item. | |
| .. opcode:: ROT_TWO () | |
| Swaps the two top-most stack items. | |
| .. opcode:: ROT_THREE () | |
| Lifts second and third stack item one position up, moves top down to position | |
| three. | |
| .. opcode:: ROT_FOUR () | |
| Lifts second, third and forth stack item one position up, moves top down to | |
| position four. | |
| .. opcode:: DUP_TOP () | |
| Duplicates the reference on top of the stack. | |
| Unary Operations take the top of the stack, apply the operation, and push the | |
| result back on the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: UNARY_POSITIVE () | |
| Implements ``TOS = +TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: UNARY_NEGATIVE () | |
| Implements ``TOS = -TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: UNARY_NOT () | |
| Implements ``TOS = not TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: UNARY_CONVERT () | |
| Implements ``TOS = `TOS```. | |
| .. opcode:: UNARY_INVERT () | |
| Implements ``TOS = ~TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: GET_ITER () | |
| Implements ``TOS = iter(TOS)``. | |
| Binary operations remove the top of the stack (TOS) and the second top-most | |
| stack item (TOS1) from the stack. They perform the operation, and put the | |
| result back on the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_POWER () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 ** TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_MULTIPLY () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 * TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_DIVIDE () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 / TOS`` when ``from __future__ import division`` is | |
| not in effect. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_FLOOR_DIVIDE () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 // TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_TRUE_DIVIDE () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 / TOS`` when ``from __future__ import division`` is | |
| in effect. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_MODULO () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 % TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_ADD () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 + TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_SUBTRACT () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 - TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_SUBSCR () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1[TOS]``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_LSHIFT () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 << TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_RSHIFT () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 >> TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_AND () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 & TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_XOR () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 ^ TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: BINARY_OR () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1 | TOS``. | |
| In-place operations are like binary operations, in that they remove TOS and | |
| TOS1, and push the result back on the stack, but the operation is done in-place | |
| when TOS1 supports it, and the resulting TOS may be (but does not have to be) | |
| the original TOS1. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_POWER () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 ** TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_MULTIPLY () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 * TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_DIVIDE () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 / TOS`` when ``from __future__ import | |
| division`` is not in effect. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_FLOOR_DIVIDE () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 // TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_TRUE_DIVIDE () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 / TOS`` when ``from __future__ import | |
| division`` is in effect. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_MODULO () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 % TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_ADD () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 + TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_SUBTRACT () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 - TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_LSHIFT () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 << TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_RSHIFT () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 >> TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_AND () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 & TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_XOR () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 ^ TOS``. | |
| .. opcode:: INPLACE_OR () | |
| Implements in-place ``TOS = TOS1 | TOS``. | |
| The slice opcodes take up to three parameters. | |
| .. opcode:: SLICE+0 () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS[:]``. | |
| .. opcode:: SLICE+1 () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1[TOS:]``. | |
| .. opcode:: SLICE+2 () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS1[:TOS]``. | |
| .. opcode:: SLICE+3 () | |
| Implements ``TOS = TOS2[TOS1:TOS]``. | |
| Slice assignment needs even an additional parameter. As any statement, they put | |
| nothing on the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_SLICE+0 () | |
| Implements ``TOS[:] = TOS1``. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_SLICE+1 () | |
| Implements ``TOS1[TOS:] = TOS2``. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_SLICE+2 () | |
| Implements ``TOS1[:TOS] = TOS2``. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_SLICE+3 () | |
| Implements ``TOS2[TOS1:TOS] = TOS3``. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_SLICE+0 () | |
| Implements ``del TOS[:]``. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_SLICE+1 () | |
| Implements ``del TOS1[TOS:]``. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_SLICE+2 () | |
| Implements ``del TOS1[:TOS]``. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_SLICE+3 () | |
| Implements ``del TOS2[TOS1:TOS]``. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_SUBSCR () | |
| Implements ``TOS1[TOS] = TOS2``. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_SUBSCR () | |
| Implements ``del TOS1[TOS]``. | |
| Miscellaneous opcodes. | |
| .. opcode:: PRINT_EXPR () | |
| Implements the expression statement for the interactive mode. TOS is removed | |
| from the stack and printed. In non-interactive mode, an expression statement | |
| is terminated with :opcode:`POP_TOP`. | |
| .. opcode:: PRINT_ITEM () | |
| Prints TOS to the file-like object bound to ``sys.stdout``. There is one | |
| such instruction for each item in the :keyword:`print` statement. | |
| .. opcode:: PRINT_ITEM_TO () | |
| Like ``PRINT_ITEM``, but prints the item second from TOS to the file-like | |
| object at TOS. This is used by the extended print statement. | |
| .. opcode:: PRINT_NEWLINE () | |
| Prints a new line on ``sys.stdout``. This is generated as the last operation | |
| of a :keyword:`print` statement, unless the statement ends with a comma. | |
| .. opcode:: PRINT_NEWLINE_TO () | |
| Like ``PRINT_NEWLINE``, but prints the new line on the file-like object on | |
| the TOS. This is used by the extended print statement. | |
| .. opcode:: BREAK_LOOP () | |
| Terminates a loop due to a :keyword:`break` statement. | |
| .. opcode:: CONTINUE_LOOP (target) | |
| Continues a loop due to a :keyword:`continue` statement. *target* is the | |
| address to jump to (which should be a :opcode:`FOR_ITER` instruction). | |
| .. opcode:: LIST_APPEND (i) | |
| Calls ``list.append(TOS[-i], TOS)``. Used to implement list comprehensions. | |
| While the appended value is popped off, the list object remains on the stack | |
| so that it is available for further iterations of the loop. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_LOCALS () | |
| Pushes a reference to the locals of the current scope on the stack. This is | |
| used in the code for a class definition: After the class body is evaluated, | |
| the locals are passed to the class definition. | |
| .. opcode:: RETURN_VALUE () | |
| Returns with TOS to the caller of the function. | |
| .. opcode:: YIELD_VALUE () | |
| Pops ``TOS`` and yields it from a :term:`generator`. | |
| .. opcode:: IMPORT_STAR () | |
| Loads all symbols not starting with ``'_'`` directly from the module TOS to | |
| the local namespace. The module is popped after loading all names. This | |
| opcode implements ``from module import *``. | |
| .. opcode:: EXEC_STMT () | |
| Implements ``exec TOS2,TOS1,TOS``. The compiler fills missing optional | |
| parameters with ``None``. | |
| .. opcode:: POP_BLOCK () | |
| Removes one block from the block stack. Per frame, there is a stack of | |
| blocks, denoting nested loops, try statements, and such. | |
| .. opcode:: END_FINALLY () | |
| Terminates a :keyword:`finally` clause. The interpreter recalls whether the | |
| exception has to be re-raised, or whether the function returns, and continues | |
| with the outer-next block. | |
| .. opcode:: BUILD_CLASS () | |
| Creates a new class object. TOS is the methods dictionary, TOS1 the tuple of | |
| the names of the base classes, and TOS2 the class name. | |
| .. opcode:: SETUP_WITH (delta) | |
| This opcode performs several operations before a with block starts. First, | |
| it loads :meth:`~object.__exit__` from the context manager and pushes it onto | |
| the stack for later use by :opcode:`WITH_CLEANUP`. Then, | |
| :meth:`~object.__enter__` is called, and a finally block pointing to *delta* | |
| is pushed. Finally, the result of calling the enter method is pushed onto | |
| the stack. The next opcode will either ignore it (:opcode:`POP_TOP`), or | |
| store it in (a) variable(s) (:opcode:`STORE_FAST`, :opcode:`STORE_NAME`, or | |
| :opcode:`UNPACK_SEQUENCE`). | |
| .. opcode:: WITH_CLEANUP () | |
| Cleans up the stack when a :keyword:`with` statement block exits. On top of | |
| the stack are 1--3 values indicating how/why the finally clause was entered: | |
| * TOP = ``None`` | |
| * (TOP, SECOND) = (``WHY_{RETURN,CONTINUE}``), retval | |
| * TOP = ``WHY_*``; no retval below it | |
| * (TOP, SECOND, THIRD) = exc_info() | |
| Under them is EXIT, the context manager's :meth:`__exit__` bound method. | |
| In the last case, ``EXIT(TOP, SECOND, THIRD)`` is called, otherwise | |
| ``EXIT(None, None, None)``. | |
| EXIT is removed from the stack, leaving the values above it in the same | |
| order. In addition, if the stack represents an exception, *and* the function | |
| call returns a 'true' value, this information is "zapped", to prevent | |
| ``END_FINALLY`` from re-raising the exception. (But non-local gotos should | |
| still be resumed.) | |
| .. XXX explain the WHY stuff! | |
| All of the following opcodes expect arguments. An argument is two bytes, with | |
| the more significant byte last. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_NAME (namei) | |
| Implements ``name = TOS``. *namei* is the index of *name* in the attribute | |
| :attr:`co_names` of the code object. The compiler tries to use ``STORE_FAST`` | |
| or ``STORE_GLOBAL`` if possible. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_NAME (namei) | |
| Implements ``del name``, where *namei* is the index into :attr:`co_names` | |
| attribute of the code object. | |
| .. opcode:: UNPACK_SEQUENCE (count) | |
| Unpacks TOS into *count* individual values, which are put onto the stack | |
| right-to-left. | |
| .. opcode:: DUP_TOPX (count) | |
| Duplicate *count* items, keeping them in the same order. Due to | |
| implementation limits, *count* should be between 1 and 5 inclusive. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_ATTR (namei) | |
| Implements ``TOS.name = TOS1``, where *namei* is the index of name in | |
| :attr:`co_names`. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_ATTR (namei) | |
| Implements ``del TOS.name``, using *namei* as index into :attr:`co_names`. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_GLOBAL (namei) | |
| Works as ``STORE_NAME``, but stores the name as a global. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_GLOBAL (namei) | |
| Works as ``DELETE_NAME``, but deletes a global name. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_CONST (consti) | |
| Pushes ``co_consts[consti]`` onto the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_NAME (namei) | |
| Pushes the value associated with ``co_names[namei]`` onto the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: BUILD_TUPLE (count) | |
| Creates a tuple consuming *count* items from the stack, and pushes the | |
| resulting tuple onto the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: BUILD_LIST (count) | |
| Works as ``BUILD_TUPLE``, but creates a list. | |
| .. opcode:: BUILD_SET (count) | |
| Works as ``BUILD_TUPLE``, but creates a set. | |
| .. versionadded:: 2.7 | |
| .. opcode:: BUILD_MAP (count) | |
| Pushes a new dictionary object onto the stack. The dictionary is pre-sized | |
| to hold *count* entries. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_ATTR (namei) | |
| Replaces TOS with ``getattr(TOS, co_names[namei])``. | |
| .. opcode:: COMPARE_OP (opname) | |
| Performs a Boolean operation. The operation name can be found in | |
| ``cmp_op[opname]``. | |
| .. opcode:: IMPORT_NAME (namei) | |
| Imports the module ``co_names[namei]``. TOS and TOS1 are popped and provide | |
| the *fromlist* and *level* arguments of :func:`__import__`. The module | |
| object is pushed onto the stack. The current namespace is not affected: for | |
| a proper import statement, a subsequent ``STORE_FAST`` instruction modifies | |
| the namespace. | |
| .. opcode:: IMPORT_FROM (namei) | |
| Loads the attribute ``co_names[namei]`` from the module found in TOS. The | |
| resulting object is pushed onto the stack, to be subsequently stored by a | |
| ``STORE_FAST`` instruction. | |
| .. opcode:: JUMP_FORWARD (delta) | |
| Increments bytecode counter by *delta*. | |
| .. opcode:: POP_JUMP_IF_TRUE (target) | |
| If TOS is true, sets the bytecode counter to *target*. TOS is popped. | |
| .. opcode:: POP_JUMP_IF_FALSE (target) | |
| If TOS is false, sets the bytecode counter to *target*. TOS is popped. | |
| .. opcode:: JUMP_IF_TRUE_OR_POP (target) | |
| If TOS is true, sets the bytecode counter to *target* and leaves TOS on the | |
| stack. Otherwise (TOS is false), TOS is popped. | |
| .. opcode:: JUMP_IF_FALSE_OR_POP (target) | |
| If TOS is false, sets the bytecode counter to *target* and leaves TOS on the | |
| stack. Otherwise (TOS is true), TOS is popped. | |
| .. opcode:: JUMP_ABSOLUTE (target) | |
| Set bytecode counter to *target*. | |
| .. opcode:: FOR_ITER (delta) | |
| ``TOS`` is an :term:`iterator`. Call its :meth:`!next` method. If this | |
| yields a new value, push it on the stack (leaving the iterator below it). If | |
| the iterator indicates it is exhausted ``TOS`` is popped, and the bytecode | |
| counter is incremented by *delta*. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_GLOBAL (namei) | |
| Loads the global named ``co_names[namei]`` onto the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: SETUP_LOOP (delta) | |
| Pushes a block for a loop onto the block stack. The block spans from the | |
| current instruction with a size of *delta* bytes. | |
| .. opcode:: SETUP_EXCEPT (delta) | |
| Pushes a try block from a try-except clause onto the block stack. *delta* | |
| points to the first except block. | |
| .. opcode:: SETUP_FINALLY (delta) | |
| Pushes a try block from a try-except clause onto the block stack. *delta* | |
| points to the finally block. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_MAP () | |
| Store a key and value pair in a dictionary. Pops the key and value while | |
| leaving the dictionary on the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_FAST (var_num) | |
| Pushes a reference to the local ``co_varnames[var_num]`` onto the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_FAST (var_num) | |
| Stores TOS into the local ``co_varnames[var_num]``. | |
| .. opcode:: DELETE_FAST (var_num) | |
| Deletes local ``co_varnames[var_num]``. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_CLOSURE (i) | |
| Pushes a reference to the cell contained in slot *i* of the cell and free | |
| variable storage. The name of the variable is ``co_cellvars[i]`` if *i* is | |
| less than the length of *co_cellvars*. Otherwise it is ``co_freevars[i - | |
| len(co_cellvars)]``. | |
| .. opcode:: LOAD_DEREF (i) | |
| Loads the cell contained in slot *i* of the cell and free variable storage. | |
| Pushes a reference to the object the cell contains on the stack. | |
| .. opcode:: STORE_DEREF (i) | |
| Stores TOS into the cell contained in slot *i* of the cell and free variable | |
| storage. | |
| .. opcode:: SET_LINENO (lineno) | |
| This opcode is obsolete. | |
| .. opcode:: RAISE_VARARGS (argc) | |
| Raises an exception. *argc* indicates the number of parameters to the raise | |
| statement, ranging from 0 to 3. The handler will find the traceback as TOS2, | |
| the parameter as TOS1, and the exception as TOS. | |
| .. opcode:: CALL_FUNCTION (argc) | |
| Calls a function. The low byte of *argc* indicates the number of positional | |
| parameters, the high byte the number of keyword parameters. On the stack, the | |
| opcode finds the keyword parameters first. For each keyword argument, the | |
| value is on top of the key. Below the keyword parameters, the positional | |
| parameters are on the stack, with the right-most parameter on top. Below the | |
| parameters, the function object to call is on the stack. Pops all function | |
| arguments, and the function itself off the stack, and pushes the return | |
| value. | |
| .. opcode:: MAKE_FUNCTION (argc) | |
| Pushes a new function object on the stack. TOS is the code associated with | |
| the function. The function object is defined to have *argc* default | |
| parameters, which are found below TOS. | |
| .. opcode:: MAKE_CLOSURE (argc) | |
| Creates a new function object, sets its *func_closure* slot, and pushes it on | |
| the stack. TOS is the code associated with the function, TOS1 the tuple | |
| containing cells for the closure's free variables. The function also has | |
| *argc* default parameters, which are found below the cells. | |
| .. opcode:: BUILD_SLICE (argc) | |
| .. index:: builtin: slice | |
| Pushes a slice object on the stack. *argc* must be 2 or 3. If it is 2, | |
| ``slice(TOS1, TOS)`` is pushed; if it is 3, ``slice(TOS2, TOS1, TOS)`` is | |
| pushed. See the :func:`slice` built-in function for more information. | |
| .. opcode:: EXTENDED_ARG (ext) | |
| Prefixes any opcode which has an argument too big to fit into the default two | |
| bytes. *ext* holds two additional bytes which, taken together with the | |
| subsequent opcode's argument, comprise a four-byte argument, *ext* being the | |
| two most-significant bytes. | |
| .. opcode:: CALL_FUNCTION_VAR (argc) | |
| Calls a function. *argc* is interpreted as in :opcode:`CALL_FUNCTION`. The | |
| top element on the stack contains the variable argument list, followed by | |
| keyword and positional arguments. | |
| .. opcode:: CALL_FUNCTION_KW (argc) | |
| Calls a function. *argc* is interpreted as in :opcode:`CALL_FUNCTION`. The | |
| top element on the stack contains the keyword arguments dictionary, followed | |
| by explicit keyword and positional arguments. | |
| .. opcode:: CALL_FUNCTION_VAR_KW (argc) | |
| Calls a function. *argc* is interpreted as in :opcode:`CALL_FUNCTION`. The | |
| top element on the stack contains the keyword arguments dictionary, followed | |
| by the variable-arguments tuple, followed by explicit keyword and positional | |
| arguments. | |
| .. opcode:: HAVE_ARGUMENT () | |
| This is not really an opcode. It identifies the dividing line between | |
| opcodes which don't take arguments ``< HAVE_ARGUMENT`` and those which do | |
| ``>= HAVE_ARGUMENT``. |