Re: [rfa] Add SYMBOL_SET_LINKAGE_NAME

Daniel Jacobowitz
2004-02-18T00:23:30Z

On Tue, Feb 17, 2004 at 09:23:47AM -0800, David Carlton wrote:
> On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 16:24:06 -0500, Daniel Jacobowitz <drow@false.org> said:
>
> > This patch adds a macro, SYMBOL_SET_LINKAGE_NAME, which is used to
> > set a symbol's name when the name should not be demangled. Used for
> > things like typedefs whose name comes from debug info.
>
> The idea is okay, but I don't like the name all that much. I once had
> a goal, which I've admittedly been lax about pursuing recently, that
> we would have a very clear distinction between linkage names (which
> really did mean names used by the linker) and natural names (i.e. the
> names in the source code), to the extent that, if we were to represent
> these by different types, then our code would almost compile.
>
> When we're talking about types, however, linkage names don't make much
> sense, only natural names. So, while it's true that your macro does
> set the field that, in the case of a symbol with both linkage and
> natural names, corresponds to the linkage name, that's really an
> implementation detail that should be shielded behind this macro.
>
> Having said that, I don't have any great suggestions for a better
> name. SYMBOL_SET_NATURAL_NAME? SYMBOL_SET_NATURAL_ONLY_NAME? Hmm.

I don't want to call it SYMBOL_SET_NATURAL_NAME. It's not necessarily
the natural name. Other than that, I don't know.

I'm just going to sit on this. The HP patches need to be revised
anyway, and people want me to draft a complete interface before doing
any cleanups.

--
Daniel Jacobowitz
MontaVista Software Debian GNU/Linux Developer