2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Guys,

  We are approaching the time for the next GNU Binutils release.
  
  The plan is to create the 2.46 branch on Saturday 17th Jan and
  then create the release on Saturday 31st Jan.  So if you have
  any new features or important fixes that you want to get into
  the next release now is the time to submit them and/or press
  for a review.

Cheers
  Nick
  

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Jan Beulich]

On 06.01.2026 10:12, Nick Clifton wrote:
>   We are approaching the time for the next GNU Binutils release.
>   
>   The plan is to create the 2.46 branch on Saturday 17th Jan and
>   then create the release on Saturday 31st Jan.  So if you have
>   any new features or important fixes that you want to get into
>   the next release now is the time to submit them and/or press
>   for a review.

Matthieu's "AArch64 AEABI build attributes (a.k.a. object attributes v2)"
will want to make this release, but given the size of the series I can't
really promise (a) to get it reviewed within the little bit of time that
is left and (b) that it wouldn't possibly need another iteration. Can we
perhaps consider delaying the release for a bit, if need be?

Jan

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Jan,

>>    The plan is to create the 2.46 branch on Saturday 17th Jan and
>>    then create the release on Saturday 31st Jan.
> 
> Matthieu's "AArch64 AEABI build attributes (a.k.a. object attributes v2)"
> will want to make this release, but given the size of the series I can't
> really promise (a) to get it reviewed within the little bit of time that
> is left and (b) that it wouldn't possibly need another iteration. Can we
> perhaps consider delaying the release for a bit, if need be?

Yes.  :-)

I do try to allow for a little wriggle room with the dates, but I also want
to avoid the just-one-more-commit syndrome pushing release dates back forever.
But for an important feature like this I am willing to accept the delay.

Cheers
   Nick

PS.  I have to confess to being a little self-serving with the dates.  I
try to align them with the Fedora release cycle, so for example Fedora 44
is going to branch on Feb 3rd, so I am hoping to get 2.46 out just before
that date.

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Indu Bhagat]

On 2026-01-06 1:12 a.m., Nick Clifton wrote:
> Hi Guys,
> 
>    We are approaching the time for the next GNU Binutils release.
>    
>    The plan is to create the 2.46 branch on Saturday 17th Jan and
>    then create the release on Saturday 31st Jan.  So if you have
>    any new features or important fixes that you want to get into
>    the next release now is the time to submit them and/or press
>    for a review.
> 
> Cheers
>    Nick
>    
> 

I would like SFrame V3 series to land.  We have been testing and 
reviewing the series.

Indu

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[H.J. Lu]

On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 5:13 PM Nick Clifton <nickc@redhat.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Guys,
>
>   We are approaching the time for the next GNU Binutils release.
>
>   The plan is to create the 2.46 branch on Saturday 17th Jan and
>   then create the release on Saturday 31st Jan.  So if you have
>   any new features or important fixes that you want to get into
>   the next release now is the time to submit them and/or press
>   for a review.
>
> Cheers
>   Nick
>
>

I'd like to apply

https://patchwork.sourceware.org/project/binutils/list/?series=56282

for

https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=33780

-- 
H.J.

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[H.J. Lu]

On Sun, Jan 11, 2026 at 9:02 AM H.J. Lu <hjl.tools@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 5:13 PM Nick Clifton <nickc@redhat.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Guys,
> >
> >   We are approaching the time for the next GNU Binutils release.
> >
> >   The plan is to create the 2.46 branch on Saturday 17th Jan and
> >   then create the release on Saturday 31st Jan.  So if you have
> >   any new features or important fixes that you want to get into
> >   the next release now is the time to submit them and/or press
> >   for a review.
> >
> > Cheers
> >   Nick
> >
> >
>
> I'd like to apply
>
> https://patchwork.sourceware.org/project/binutils/list/?series=56282
>
> for
>
> https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=33780
>
> --
> H.J.

Also these 2 patches:

https://patchwork.sourceware.org/project/binutils/list/?series=56285
https://patchwork.sourceware.org/project/binutils/list/?series=56302

-- 
H.J.

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Indu,

> I would like SFrame V3 series to land.  We have been testing and reviewing the series.

Ok, that is fair.  Please let me know if you are going to need more time.  I will try
to remember to ping you at the end of the week, if I do not hear anything in the
meantime.

Cheers
   Nick

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Guys,

   Should I create the branch this weekend, or would a week's delay be in order ?

Cheers
   Nick

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Jan Beulich]

Nick,

On 16.01.2026 11:05, Nick Clifton wrote:
>    Should I create the branch this weekend, or would a week's delay be in order ?

The OAv2 re-submission is still pending, and even if it happened later today
I doubt I would make it fully through before mid next week the earliest. So
from my (or perhaps more Matthieu's) side - yes, please wait for another
week.

Thanks, Jan

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Jan,

> The OAv2 re-submission is still pending, and even if it happened later today
> I doubt I would make it fully through before mid next week the earliest. So
> from my (or perhaps more Matthieu's) side - yes, please wait for another
> week.

OK, I will do so.

Cheers
   Nick

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Indu Bhagat]

On 1/16/26 3:19 AM, Nick Clifton wrote:
> Hi Jan,
> 
>> The OAv2 re-submission is still pending, and even if it happened later 
>> today
>> I doubt I would make it fully through before mid next week the 
>> earliest. So
>> from my (or perhaps more Matthieu's) side - yes, please wait for another
>> week.
> 
> OK, I will do so.
> 

The SFrame V3 patchset was committed earlier this week.  Since now that 
there is some more days before branch creation, I will see if I can get 
a specification/terminology fix (rename "offset" to "Data Word" for 
SFrame in.

Apart from the above, from all the SFrame PRs following should ideally 
be in the release:
   - PR ld/32769
     https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147295.html
   - PR ld/33784
     https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147446.html
   - PR ld/33807
     https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=33807

What is the planned time for the release after the branch creation ?

Thanks
Indu

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Indu,

> Apart from the above, from all the SFrame PRs following should ideally be in the release:
>    - PR ld/32769
>      https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147295.html
>    - PR ld/33784
>      https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147446.html
>    - PR ld/33807
>      https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=33807
> 
> What is the planned time for the release after the branch creation ?

I normally leave two weeks between branch creation and posting the release.

This can be extended of course, if there is a need.

Cheers
   Nick

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Guys,

   So, are we all set for creating the 2.46 branch this weekend ?

Cheers
   Nick

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Jan Beulich]

On 23.01.2026 11:16, Nick Clifton wrote:
>    So, are we all set for creating the 2.46 branch this weekend ?

Well. The bigger series all went in, but as you likely have seen the OAv2 one
has caused quite a bit of fallout, not all of which is under control yet afaict.
Yet of course in principle any of that can be dealt by backporting respective
fixes to the branch.

Jan

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Indu Bhagat]

On 1/16/26 2:05 AM, Nick Clifton wrote:
> Hi Guys,
> 
>    Should I create the branch this weekend, or would a week's delay be 
> in order ?
> 

Hi Nick,

For SFrame, I plan to commit terminology fix patch (use "data word" 
instead of "offset") on Friday after taking one more look.
https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147747.html

Fix for PR/32769 is in pipeline
https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147663.html
If it is not ready before branch creation, I am hoping backporting to 
the branch will be OK.

Thanks
Indu

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Jan, Hi Matthieu,

> Well. The bigger series all went in, but as you likely have seen the OAv2 one
> has caused quite a bit of fallout, not all of which is under control yet afaict.
> Yet of course in principle any of that can be dealt by backporting respective
> fixes to the branch.

True - are you confident that whatever fixes are needed can be developed in the
next two weeks ?

I think that I will go ahead and create the branch this weekend.  But fixing the
OAv2 issue before the 2.46 release is important, so if more time is needed I will
delay the actual release itself.

Cheers
   Nick

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Indu,

> Fix for PR/32769 is in pipeline
> https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147663.html
> If it is not ready before branch creation, I am hoping backporting to the branch will be OK.

Yes it will.

So, I am going to go ahead and make the branch this weekend.  But if
necessary I can delay putting out the release itself until the fix
for 32769 is in.

Cheers
   Nick

Re: 2.46 Branch Creation Approaching

[Indu Bhagat]

On 1/23/26 2:44 AM, Indu Bhagat wrote:
> On 1/16/26 2:05 AM, Nick Clifton wrote:
>> Hi Guys,
>>
>>    Should I create the branch this weekend, or would a week's delay be 
>> in order ?
>>
> 
> Hi Nick,
> 
> For SFrame, I plan to commit terminology fix patch (use "data word" 
> instead of "offset") on Friday after taking one more look.
> https://sourceware.org/pipermail/binutils/2026-January/147747.html

This has been committed as per the plan.

WRT SFrame, ready for branch creation.

Thanks
Indu