By default, the SDCC calling convention, version 1 is used. Using the option –sdcccall 0, the default can be changed to version 0.
Arguments are passed on the stack right-to-left. Return values are in a (8 bit), x (16 bit), xyl (24 bit), xy (32 bit) or use a hidden extra pointer parameter pointing to the location (anything wider than 32 bit, and all struct / union).
For functions that have variable arguments, all parameters are passed on the stack. For other functions, if the first parameter has 8 or 16 bits, it is passed in a or x. If the first parameter is passed in a, and the second has 16 bits, the second is passed in x. If the first parameter is passed in x, and the second has 8 bits, the second is passed in a. All other parameters are passed on the stack. Independent of their size, struct / union parameters and all following parameters are always passed on the stack. If __z88dk_callee is specified, the stack is always adjusted by the callee. Otherwise, for the large memory model, the stack is always adjusted by the caller. For the medium memory model the stack is adjusted by the caller, with the following exceptions: functions that do not have variable arguments and return void or a type of at most 16 bits, or have both a first parameter of type float and a return value of type float.
This calling convention can be chosen per function via __sdcccall(0) (e.g. for compatibility with functions written in assembler for use with older versions of SDCC). All parameters are passed on the stack. The stack is not adjusted for the parametersby the callee (thus the caller has to do this instead), unless __z88dk_callee is specified.
For compatibility with the britishRaisonance STM8 compiler, the __raisonance calling convention is supported. If the first parameter is 8 or 16 bits, it is passed in a or x. If the first parameter is 8 bits, and the second 16 bits, the second is passed in x. If the first parameter is 16 bits, and the second is 8 bits, the second is passed in a. All other parameters are passed on the stack. If the return value is 8 bits, it is passed in a. If it is 16 bits, it is passed in x. Raisonance passes larger return values in pseudoregisters, which is not supported by SDCC.
For compatibility with the IAR STM8 compiler, the __iar calling convention is supported. The first 8-bit parameter is passed in a, the first 16-bit parameter in x, the second 16-bit parameter in y. Further parameters of up to 32 bits are passed in pseudoregisters, which is not supported by SDCC. All other parameters are passed on the stack. If the return value is 8 bits, it is passed in a. If it is 16 bits, it is passed in x. IAR passes larger return values in pseudoregisters, which is not supported by SDCC.
For compatibility with the Cosmic STM8 compiler, the __cosmic calling convention is supported. If the first parameter is 8 or 16 bits, it is passed in a or x. If the return value is 8 bits, it is passed in a. If it is 16 bits, it is passed in x. Cosmic passes larger return values in pseudoregisters, which is not supported by SDCC. Even for the medium memory model, __cosmic functions use a 24-bit return address in their stack frame, and are called using callf.