[rfc/testsuite/doco] deprecate.txt

[rfc/testsuite/doco] deprecate.txt

[Michael Chastain]

Here is a new file, gdb/testsuite/deprecate.txt.

I think it's more useful to keep this file inside gdb/testsuite rather
than making it a section of doc/gdbint.texinfo .  Eli, is that okay with
you?

I'm also interested in comments on the four entries that I've written
so far, plus suggestions for new entries.

Michael

===

Deprecated Code in the GDB Test Suite

These coding practices are deprecated.
Avoid them in new code.

bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu

    This address no longer accepts mail.  Just drop the lines in the
    header about "Please email any bugs, comments, and/or additions
    to this file to: bug-gdb@prep.ai.mit.edu".

exp_continue

    You should usually use this form:

	exp_continue -continue_timer

    The default form of "exp_continue" with no arguments resets
    the timeout timer.  This leads to infinite loops if gdb has a bug
    (and if gdb had no bugs then we would not need to test it).
    The "-continue_timer" form does not reset the timeout timer,
    so if gdb gets stuck in a loop, it will bust out soon enough.

    So if you use the default form, you need a loop counter or some
    other explicit way to make sure that the test never goes into
    an infinite loop.

gdb_suppress_entire_file

    gdb_suppress_entire_file sets funny global state.

    For gdb_compile, just do this:

	if { [gdb_compile ...] != "" } {
	    perror "Testcase compile failed" 0
	    continue
	}

send_gdb + gdb_expect

    Use gdb_test_multiple instead.

Re: [rfc/testsuite/doco] deprecate.txt

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 09:50:34 -0400
> From: Michael Chastain <mec.gnu@mindspring.com>
> 
> Here is a new file, gdb/testsuite/deprecate.txt.
> 
> I think it's more useful to keep this file inside gdb/testsuite rather
> than making it a section of doc/gdbint.texinfo .  Eli, is that okay with
> you?

I won't fight you if you feel strongly about that, but let me ask:
why do you think it is better to keep this file separate?  My
experience tells me that having several separate files is worse than
having a single file.

Re: [rfc/testsuite/doco] deprecate.txt

[Michael Chastain]

> I won't fight you if you feel strongly about that, but let me ask:
> why do you think it is better to keep this file separate?  My
> experience tells me that having several separate files is worse than
> having a single file.

It's likely to grow and change rapidly for a couple of weeks,
so I want to keep it separate during that stage at least.

But it is doco, so you get to tell me how to organize it.

Michael

Re: [rfc/testsuite/doco] deprecate.txt

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 12:28:47 -0400
> From: Michael Chastain <mec.gnu@mindspring.com>
> Cc: gdb-patches@sources.redhat.com
> 
> It's likely to grow and change rapidly for a couple of weeks,
> so I want to keep it separate during that stage at least.
> 
> But it is doco, so you get to tell me how to organize it.

I'd prefer it to be a part of gdbint.texinfo.  But if you want to
maintain it as a separate text file for a while and only then add it
to gdbint.texinfo, I don't mind.