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List:       linux-arm-kernel
Subject:    Re: iPaq kernel crashes
From:       Russell King - ARM Linux <linux () arm ! linux ! org ! uk>
Date:       2003-09-26 18:12:01
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On Fri, Sep 26, 2003 at 05:32:59PM +0100, Philip Blundell wrote:
> On Fri, 2003-09-26 at 14:04, Russell King - ARM Linux wrote:
> > Maybe its something which has changed in GCC again (which is the problem
> > with continually upgrading your toolchain to the latest.)  It appears
> > that gcc requires more and more options to get it to behave how we want
> > it to as it develops.
> 
> I can't think of anything in particular that has changed recently in
> this area of GCC, though it's certainly true that this is a possibility.
> 
> In the medium term, I think it would be worth exploring methods for
> producing backtraces without the need for frame pointers in the compiled
> code.  There's always going to be a tension between performance and
> debuggability with the current state of affairs.

This would certainly solve the problem of requiring frame pointers for
backtraces.  I feel that it would need someone who is familiar with the
way the toolchain works to work out what needs to be done.

Also, my personal experience with the usability of gdb-based debugging
has not been a particularly productive one, and normally ends fairly
shortly after gdb decides it can't show me the current registers due
to an allegedly bad a stack frame - I'm not sure what the cause of it
is, and it's something that I've always solved far more effectively
by using printk/printf debugging and code reading solutions.

Therefore, you'll excuse me if I'm not enthusiastic about the non-frame
pointer method(s), and let the situation remain until someone with the
appropriate knowledge steps up to do the work.

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