[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Bug#157131: Bug#113525: Bug#157131: [PROPOSAL] Suggest to minimize optimization when DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS contains "debug"



[ Sorry if this comes through twice, my Postfix/TLS certificate expired,
and mail stopped working for a bit ]

Here's an updated patch which should address the concerns raised.

--- debian-policy-3.5.6.1/policy.sgml	2002-03-14 13:17:48.000000000 -0500
+++ debian-policy-3.5.6.1.hacked/policy.sgml	2002-08-21 14:58:41.000000000 -0400
@@ -5332,13 +5332,21 @@
 	</p>
 
 	<p>
-	  Generally the following compilation parameters should be used:
+	  By default, when a package is being built, any binaries
+	  created should include debugging information, as well as
+	  being compiled with optimization.  You should also turn on
+	  as many reasonable compilation warnings as possible; this
+	  makes life easier for porters, who can then look at build
+	  logs for possible problems.  For the C programming language,
+	  this means the following compilation parameters should be
+	  used:
 	  <example compact="compact">
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O2 -Wall # sane warning options vary between programs
+CFLAGS = -O2 -g -Wall # sane warning options vary between programs
 LDFLAGS = # none
 install -s # (or use strip on the files in debian/tmp)
-	  </example></p>
+	  </example>
+	</p>
 
 	<p>
 	  Note that by default all installed binaries should be stripped,
@@ -5346,60 +5354,67 @@
 	  <prgn>install</prgn>, or by calling <prgn>strip</prgn> on
 	  the binaries after they have been copied into
 	  <tt>debian/tmp</tt> but before the tree is made into a
-	  package.</p>
+	  package.
+	</p>
 
 	<p>
-	  The <tt>-N</tt> flag should not be used.  On <tt>a.out</tt>
-	  systems it may have been useful for some very small
-	  binaries, but for ELF it has no good effect.</p>
-
-	<p>
-	  Debugging symbols are useful for error diagnosis,
-	  investigation of core dumps (which may be submitted by users
-	  in bug reports), or testing and developing the software.
-	  Therefore it is recommended to support building the package
-	  with debugging information through the following interface:
-	  If the environment variable <tt>DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS</tt>
-	  contains the string <tt>debug</tt>, compile the software
-	  with debugging information (usually this involves adding the
-	  <tt>-g</tt> flag to <tt>CFLAGS</tt>).  This allows the
-	  generation of a build tree with debugging information.  If
-	  the environment variable <tt>DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS</tt> contains
-	  the string <tt>nostrip</tt>, do not strip the files at
-	  installation time.  This allows one to generate a package
-	  with debugging information included.<footnote>
-	    <p>
-	      Rationale: Using <tt>-g</tt> by default causes wasted
-	      CPU cycles since the information is stripped away
-	      anyway; this can have a significant impact on the
-	      efficiency of the autobuilders.  Having a standard way
-	      to build a debugging variant also makes it easier to
-	      build debugging bins and libraries since it provides a
-	      documented way of getting this type of build; one does
-	      not have to manually edit <tt>debian/rules</tt> or
-	      <tt>Makefile</tt>s.
-	    </p>
-	  </footnote>
+	  Although binaries in the build tree should be compiled with
+	  debugging information by default, it can often be difficult
+	  to debug programs if they are also subjected to compiler
+	  optimization.  For this reason, it is recommended to support
+	  the standardized environment
+	  variable <tt>DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS</tt>.  This variable can
+	  contain several flags to change how a package is compiled
+	  and built.
+	</p>
+	<p>
+	  <taglist>
+	    <tag>noopt</tag>
+	    <item>
+	      <p>
+		The presence of this string means that the package
+		should be complied with a minimum of optimization.
+		For C programs, it is best to add <tt>-O0</tt>
+		to <tt>CFLAGS</tt> (although this is usually the
+		default).  Some programs might fail to build or run at
+		this level of optimization; it may be necessary to
+		use <tt>-O1</tt>, for example.
+	      </p>
+	    </item>
+	    <tag>nostrip</tag>
+	    <item>
+	      <p>
+		This string means that the debugging symbols should
+		not be stripped from the binary during installation,
+		so that debugging information may be included in the
+		package.
+	      </p>
+	    </item>
+	  </taglist>
+	</p>
+	<p>
 	  The following makefile snippet is an example of how one may
-	  test for either condition; you will probably have to massage
-	  this example in order to make it work for your package.
+	  implement the build options; you will probably have to
+	  massage this example in order to make it work for your
+	  package.
 	  <example compact="compact">
-CFLAGS = -O2 -Wall
+CFLAGS = -Wall -g
 INSTALL = install
 INSTALL_FILE    = $(INSTALL) -p    -o root -g root  -m  644
 INSTALL_PROGRAM = $(INSTALL) -p    -o root -g root  -m  755
 INSTALL_SCRIPT  = $(INSTALL) -p    -o root -g root  -m  755
 INSTALL_DIR     = $(INSTALL) -p -d -o root -g root  -m  755
 
-ifneq (,$(findstring debug,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
-CFLAGS += -g
+ifneq (,$(findstring noopt,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+CFLAGS += -O0
+else
+CFLAGS += -O2
 endif
 ifeq (,$(findstring nostrip,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
 INSTALL_PROGRAM += -s
 endif
 	  </example>
 	</p>
-
 	<p>
 	  It is up to the package maintainer to decide what
 	  compilation options are best for the package.  Certain
@@ -5410,7 +5425,9 @@
 	  if there is good reason to do so.  Feel free to override
 	  the upstream author's ideas about which compilation
 	  options are best: they are often inappropriate for our
-	  environment.</p></sect>
+	  environment.
+	</p>
+      </sect>
 
 
       <sect>

Reply to: