Dual architecture function pointers having consistent reference addresses

A method implemented in a computer system that includes a processor implementing a native ISA (instruction set architecture), comprising:

• determining that a callee function corresponds to a foreign ABI (application binary interface) that corresponds to a foreign ISA and that has a first calling convention, based at least on identifying a call that targets a reference memory address for the callee function;
• and
• based on a caller function corresponding to a native ABI that corresponds to the native ISA and that has a second calling convention, initiating execution of the callee function by calling an exit thunk that:
• adapts the second calling convention of the native ABI to the first calling convention of the foreign ABI, and
• invokes an emulator to directly call the callee function using the reference memory address.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor implementing a native ISA (instruction set architecture);
• and
• a hardware storage device that stores computer-executable instructions that are executable by the processor to use a common reference memory address when processing calls within a process that supports execution of both (i) native code targeting a native ABI (application binary interface) that corresponds to the native ISA and that has a first calling convention, and (ii) foreign code targeting a foreign ABI that corresponds to a foreign ISA and that has a second calling convention, including:
• determining whether a callee function corresponds to the native ABI or to the foreign ABI, based at least on identifying a call that targets a reference memory address for the callee function;
• and
• initiating execution of the callee function based on performing one of:
• when a caller function corresponds to the foreign ABI, and when the callee function is determined to correspond to the foreign ABI, directly calling the callee function using the reference memory address within an emulator;
• when the caller function corresponds to the foreign ABI, and when the callee function is determined to correspond to the native ABI, calling an entry thunk that (i) adapts the second calling convention to the first calling convention and then (ii) directly calls the callee function using the reference memory address;
• when the caller function corresponds to the native ABI, and when the callee function is determined to correspond to the foreign ABI, calling an exit thunk that (i) adapts the first calling convention of the native ABI to the second calling convention of the foreign ABI and then (ii) invokes the emulator to directly call the callee function using the reference memory address;
• or
• when the caller function corresponds to the native ABI, and when the callee function is determined to correspond to the native ABI, directly calling the callee function using the reference memory address.