Re: [RFA, doc RFA]: New printing module and info/disable/enable commands

[Doug Evans <dje@google.com>]

On Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 7:47 PM, Doug Evans <dje@google.com> wrote:
> Hi.
>
> This patch adds two things: A new python module to assist in writing
> pretty-printers (mostly to formalize some of the administrivia aspects
> to support the new commands), and three new commands:
> info|enable|disable pretty-printer.
>
> This is a revised version of the patch I posted earlier
> (several months ago IIRC).
>
> Ok to check in?
>
> 2010-10-31  Doug Evans  <dje@google.com>
>
>        New python module gdb.printing, and new commands info pretty-printer,
>        enable pretty-printer, disable pretty-printer.
>        * NEWS: Mention them.
>        * data-directory/Makefile.in (PYTHON_FILES): Add gdb/printing.py,
>        gdb/command/__init__.py, gdb/command/pretty_printers.py.
>        * python/lib/gdb/__init__.py: Install pretty-printer commands.
>        * python/lib/gdb/printing.py: New file.
>        * python/lib/gdb/command/__init__.py: New file.
>        * python/lib/gdb/command/pretty_printers.py: New file.
>
>        doc/
>        * gdb.texinfo (Pretty Printing): Expand into three sections,
>        introduction, example, and commands.
>        (Python API): Delete section Disabling Pretty-Printers, merge into
>        Selecting Pretty-Printers.
>        (Writing a Pretty-Printer): New section.  Move the pretty-printer
>        example here, and reformat to match python coding style.  Add a second
>        example using the gdb.printing module.
>        (Python modules): Add gdb.printing.
>
>        testsuite/
>        * gdb.python/py-pp-maint.c: New file.
>        * gdb.python/py-pp-maint.exp: New file.
>        * gdb.python/py-pp-maint.py: New file.

There's one aspect of the coding standards that I violate here, which
I forgot to mention and bring up for discussion.

I added this to the python coding standards in gdbint.texinfo based on
discussions in IRC:

"Use @code{FIXME} instead of @code{TODO}."

There are two issues with this:
- the meaning of the two words can be quite different
- new FIXMEs are prohibited in gdb in the first place

This raises two questions:

1) What's the proper way to document thoughts on future improvements?
This matters to the current patch here:

+    def list_pretty_printers(self, pretty_printers, name_re, subname_re):
+        """Print a list of pretty-printers."""
+        # TODO: Provide option to list printers in "lookup order"
+        # (i.e. unsorted).

The option is not present in the current patch for fear of feechuritis.

2) Should I reword the above text in gdbint.texinfo to say
"TODO is prohibited." ?