Re: GDB 8.1 branching 2017-12-04 update

[Pedro Alves <palves@redhat.com>]

On 12/04/2017 02:56 PM, Joel Brobecker wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> As far as I know, the issues identified the last time we did
> an update on the branch have all been either - defered to the next
> release (ARMv8.3-A Pointer Authentication suppport), or pushed.
> See: https://sourceware.org/gdb/wiki/GDB_8.1_Release
> 
> There are a number of PRs targetting 8.1 however. Should we wait
> for those to be fixed before we branch?
> 
>   * [TomT] PR breakpoint/22511
>     Regression in "commands"
> 
>   * [PedroA] PR gdb/Bug 22499
>     8.0 regression: wrongly read $xmm0
> 
>     Pedro sent a patch for review on Nov 29th, so I think we can wait
>     for that one before branching.
> 
>   * [SergioDJ] PR cli/16224
>     add "pahole" functionality to ptype
> 
>     Work is being done as we speak, with some patches sent.
>     I think we continue the wait.
> 
> In addition, we have the following unassigned PR:
> 
>   * [YaoQ???] PR python/22475
>   Python API: breakpoint subclass: GDB crashes if function called through parse_and_eval() exits
> 
>   Yao - are you working on this PR? I am asking because you marked it
>   as targetting 8.1 with the following message: "Set the target
>   milestone to 8.1, although it is not a regression from last release.".
> 
> I'll continue monitor those PRs closely, and hope that we can branch
> by, say, early next week.
> 
> Am I missing other issues that you think should block the creation
> of the 8.1 branch?

One thing that I was thinking it'd be nice to see about getting
into 8.1 was the DWARF5 index stuff (standard replacement for 
.gdb_index):

 https://sourceware.org/ml/gdb-patches/2017-05/msg00577.html

Not sure about making that the default (seems risky), but it
might be nice to provide the option so that users/distros can
start experimenting (and so that Fedora/RHEL doesn't end up
having to backport yet another large series... :-P) .  I tried
to review that in the past but stumbled  on choices I didn't quite
understand, and there are also some open questions, but I was
planning on taking another look.  I can't really promise I/we can
get it done this week, so not sure about blocking the branching
because of it.

Thanks,
Pedro Alves