Re: [RFA] mdebugread.c (psymtab_to_symtab_1): assert that 'fh' is not null

Jan Kratochvil
2011-03-06T14:23:45Z

On Fri, 04 Mar 2011 23:15:39 +0100, Michael Snyder wrote:
> This occurs along a path where fh *could* be null, and then we
> dereference it.

I agree there is a bug.

> + gdb_assert (fh);
[...]
> parse_external (ext_ptr, fh->fBigendian,
> pst->section_offsets, pst->objfile);

But I find as even a worse bug to introduce such an assertion without any
comment there.

I at least myself perceive any assertions that the programmer thinks such
invariant is valid there. That invariant says that if its negation happens
then the programmer was wrong.

If there is a known bug you have found and you just do not intend to fix it
now I find introducing such an assertion as misleading. The reader then
assumes such invariant and can do additional wrong conclusions from it.

In such case there should be primarily a "FIXME" comment, best even to
reference a filed a Bug. There can be also an assertion there but the "FIXME"
I find essential there.

Thanks,
Jan