Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!UCDAVIS.EDU!csusac!cvms!ronald
From: csusac!cvms!ronald@UCDAVIS.EDU
Newsgroups: gnu.g++
Subject: Re: COFF support, IMHO
Message-ID: <8909141842.AA10402@csusac.csus.edu>
Date: 14 Sep 89 18:42:34 GMT
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Distribution: gnu
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| I still disagree that this is the way to go --- the entire problem is
| the Makefile isn't automatically configured. Inserting COFF patches that
| make use of ifiles is, IMHO, over complicated and needless. Yes, ifiles
| are nice. But do all coff-like loaders support ifiles? no - for example,
| the DECstation-3100 and other MIPS-derived machines. They use ecoff,
| which is compatible with COFF at the level of ``collect,'' but not at
| the level of ifiles.
|
| Using collect is simple, and easier to maintain. I've been using collect
| on a COFF speaking Encore for over a year. It works just fine.

As you noted, my patches support real AT&T COFF loaders, and not coff-like
imitations like "ecoff".  Real COFF loaders can already do what collect does
anyway.  Besides, I personally distribute and support my patches.  I haven't
seen a supported collect yet that allows me to use my libraries un-encapsulated
(i.e. I am not forced to use the GNU binutils; although that doesn't mean that
one doesn't exist).  My posting was to inform about availability only and not
an invitation to discuss the "right" way to do it.  My patches are available
now and they work.  So, if you'll pardon the colloquialism, put up or shut up.

| Rather than go though installing these coff changes, we we really need to
| do is clean up the Makefile to make configuration automatic.
| 
| This means:
| 
| 	+ Machines needing collect need to define NO_GNU_LD in their
| 	  tm.h files
| 
| 	+ Files using COFF need an explicit symbol in their tm.h files
| 	  (USES_COFF?) NOTE THAT SVID or whatever isn't always correct.
| 	  this should be an explicit symbol.

I believe that SDB_DEBUGGING_INFO and COFF go hand in hand.  I'll be
glad to change my patches should some vendor prove me wrong.

| 	+ The options needed to compile collect (i.e. -DUMAX) and to
| 	  compiler crt0+.c and crt1+.c need to be moved into to tm.h
| 
| 	+ collect.c and ld.c should always be built and installed. ld
| 	  may not do anything if e.g., NO_GNU_LD is defined, but it
| 	  simplifies the installation.
| 
| 	+ whatever changes are needed for e.g., sun3-os4+.h should
| 	  also be in the tm.h files.
| 
| Getting these changes in before 1.36 would be tres useful and would end
| much of the discussion of COFF support for g++.

Because of the current lack of support in C++ for SDB (COFF) symbol
generation, and the current lack of desire to support COFF in FSF
products, I don't see (IMHO) official COFF support in g++ for a while.

Enough said!

--
Ronald Cole               | uucp:     cvms!ronald       voice: +1 916 895 8321
Senior Software Engineer  | internet: csusac!cvms!ronald@ucdavis.edu
CVM Systems               +----------------------------------------------------
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