Re: [PATCH 1/2] gdb/alpha: Add target description support

[Yodel Eldar <yodel.eldar@gmail.com>]

On 6/4/25 9:49 AM, Maciej W. Rozycki wrote:
> On Wed, 4 Jun 2025, Yodel Eldar wrote:
>
>>> Do we need to call tdesc_numbered_register for the register whose name
>>> is ""?  I suppose that we do, for backwards compatibility, when
>>> debugging against a remote target that doesn't send a target
>>> description?
>> Hi Simon and thanks for your time and question! I think we do, because
>> (IIUC) suppose an older remote target responds to, say, a 'p n' packet,
>> but the anonymous register is unaccounted for by the client, wouldn't
>> that break compatibility? Can't say for certain, so I defer to your and
>> the community's wisdom and err on the side of caution as I investigate
>> it.
>   Are there any remote Alpha targets there in the first place?
>
>   I only have writing Alpha/Linux gdbserver on my todo list once I'm done
> with the more urgent Alpha stuff (Linux kernel EV4 support restoration,
> GCC LRA conversion) and I haven't heard of any other Alpha GDB RSP debug
> stub either.  There *might* be something in QEMU; I guess that'd be the
> only place to check.
>
>    Maciej
>

Maciej, you hit the nail on the head! Indeed, QEMU is the project I
alluded to in the cover letter for the patch, and I have been using it
for testing throughout the development of the patch. It also provided
the impetus to write the target description for Alpha in the first
place as it uses them for its execlog plugin.
Thanks for taking the time to reply despite having more pressing
Alpha tasks. I will keep an eye out for your forthcoming submissions,
and provide my modest feedback if it's helpful.

Yodel