Re: objcopy: A potentially new option --ignore-symbol(s)

[Jan Beulich <jbeulich@suse.com>]

On 22.02.2024 18:51, Ilya Kuklin wrote:
> There is an option in the making for llvm-objcopy called --ignore-symbol(s).
> We would like to have some feedback about the name of the option
> and its functionality.
> 
> The functionality of this option is to ignore the specified symbols when 
> executing other options that can change the symbol's name, binding or 
> visibility, so that their parameters remain unchanged.

I think e.g. "skip" would be more appropriate than "ignore".

> For example, when executing an option --localize-hidden, specifying an 
> existing hidden symbol with --ignore-symbol will keep its binding from 
> being changed.

Question is how useful a single negative option is when perhaps you want
to do multiple adjustments at the same time, with different sets needing
exclusion. Imo separate negative options (e.g. --no-localize-hidden)
would be more suitable in the long run.

Jan

> Purpose:
> This option is needed mostly to support cases where there is a need to 
> change parameters of a vast number of symbols with exception of a few 
> specific symbols. Writing a negative pattern is much simpler than many 
> positive patterns that avoid a certain case. Plus, since there is an option 
> --keep-symbol that does exactly this but for removing symbols, there 
> should also be one that keeps symbols' parameters from being changed.
> 
> If an option with the same functionality is going to be introduced at some 
> point to binutils objcopy, please consider naming it the same way or
> suggest an alternative.
> 
> Feel free to join the discussion:
> https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/pull/80873
> 
> --
> Thanks,
> Ilya Kuklin