"cscope" type functionality

"cscope" type functionality

[Perry Smith]

gcc/g++ has the -M options to help in creating Makefiles.  It struck  
me this morning that a similar switch to help in the creation of a  
database to use to create a "cscope" type facility would be very  
nice.  It would be nice if both cpp and gcc/g++ had this ability.

Has/Does anything like this already exist?  -- perhaps hidden in one  
if the debugging files that can be produced?

Thank you,
Perry Smith

Re: "cscope" type functionality

[Tom Tromey]

>>>>> "Perry" == Perry Smith <pedz@easesoftware.net> writes:

Perry> gcc/g++ has the -M options to help in creating Makefiles.  It struck
Perry> me this morning that a similar switch to help in the creation of a
Perry> database to use to create a "cscope" type facility would be very
Perry> nice.  It would be nice if both cpp and gcc/g++ had this ability.

Perry> Has/Does anything like this already exist?  -- perhaps hidden in one
Perry> if the debugging files that can be produced?

Historically this idea has met with some resistance.  However this
seems to have cleared up a bit, so perhaps it is politically possible
now.

The various debugging dump files aren't the most useful -- sometimes
they omit info, I think we don't try to keep the output formats
stable, etc.

I think it would be more advisable to design something with AST
database generation as an explicit goal.

Tom

Re: "cscope" type functionality

[Gabriel Dos Reis]

Tom Tromey <tromey@redhat.com> writes:

[...]

| I think it would be more advisable to design something with AST
| database generation as an explicit goal.

I believe that is a sensible approach, one that I thought a by-product
of the "Link Time Optimization" proposal.  Such a format will be
tremendously useful.

-- Gaby

Re: "cscope" type functionality

[Mark Mitchell]

Gabriel Dos Reis wrote:
> Tom Tromey <tromey@redhat.com> writes:
> 
> [...]
> 
> | I think it would be more advisable to design something with AST
> | database generation as an explicit goal.
> 
> I believe that is a sensible approach, one that I thought a by-product
> of the "Link Time Optimization" proposal.  Such a format will be
> tremendously useful.

Yes, that was part of the motivation for the LTO design that Kenny, I,
and others developed: such a database "falls out" of that design, with
relatively minimal additional effort.  However, whether or not that
proposal will be implemented is still an open question, dependent on
demand, technological evaluation relative to other approaches for
link-time optimization (notably, LLVM), and available resources.

-- 
Mark Mitchell
CodeSourcery
mark@codesourcery.com
(650) 331-3385 x713

Re: "cscope" type functionality

[Perry Smith]

How do I keep track of the "LTO" design process?  I may not be able  
to help 'cause I don't know enough about gcc's internals but I'd like  
to if possible.

On Feb 13, 2006, at 2:47 PM, Mark Mitchell wrote:

> Gabriel Dos Reis wrote:
>> Tom Tromey <tromey@redhat.com> writes:
>>
>> [...]
>>
>> | I think it would be more advisable to design something with AST
>> | database generation as an explicit goal.
>>
>> I believe that is a sensible approach, one that I thought a by- 
>> product
>> of the "Link Time Optimization" proposal.  Such a format will be
>> tremendously useful.
>
> Yes, that was part of the motivation for the LTO design that Kenny, I,
> and others developed: such a database "falls out" of that design, with
> relatively minimal additional effort.  However, whether or not that
> proposal will be implemented is still an open question, dependent on
> demand, technological evaluation relative to other approaches for
> link-time optimization (notably, LLVM), and available resources.
>
> -- 
> Mark Mitchell
> CodeSourcery
> mark@codesourcery.com
> (650) 331-3385 x713
>

Re: "cscope" type functionality

[Ian Lance Taylor]

Perry Smith <pedz@easesoftware.net> writes:

> How do I keep track of the "LTO" design process?  I may not be able
> to help 'cause I don't know enough about gcc's internals but I'd like
> to if possible.

You read the mailing list gcc@gcc.gnu.org.  So you're already doing
the right thing.

Ian

Re: "cscope" type functionality

[Mark Mitchell]

Perry Smith wrote:
> How do I keep track of the "LTO" design process?  I may not be able  to
> help 'cause I don't know enough about gcc's internals but I'd like  to
> if possible.

I think the best approach is to subscribe to gcc@gcc.gnu.org and
gcc-patches@gcc.gnu.org.  That's where discussion and patches will appear.

-- 
Mark Mitchell
CodeSourcery
mark@codesourcery.com
(650) 331-3385 x713