Re: Trying to install binutils-gdb

[Hans-Peter Nilsson <hp@bitrange.com>]

On Wed, 27 Sep 2023, Nick Clifton via Binutils wrote:

> Hi Jacob,
> 
> > I downloaded the new version of binutils.
> > To my surprise, it doesn?t work any more, failing with a message that I
> > should get the GMP package.
> 
> This is really a documentation issue.  I assume that you
> were following the instructions in the binutils/README file
> on how to unpack and install the binutils ?  I am thinking
> of changing that section of the file to read like this:
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> [...]

>   To build binutils you will need a C99 compliant compiler and library.
>   You can just do:

This text continues a section that describes how to build from a 
source *tarball*; the "Unpacking and installation" and "When you 
unpack the binutils archive file..."

>   If you only want to build the binutils and not GDB as well then
>   you can add a configure option to disable GDB.  This may help
>   reduce the need for extra libraries to be installed.  ie:
> 
> 	./configure --disable-gdb

...so this step would then be confusing.

IMHO it needs to say something like "if you build from a 
checkout of the binutils-gdb git, you may also want to build 
only binutils and exclude gdb, like so:" [...]

brgds, H-P