Yeah - agreed with this whole description & I'd feel comfortable with either of the proposed additions.
On Wed, Mar 29, 2023 at 2:15 AM Keith Walker via Dwarf-discuss <dwarf-discuss@lists.dwarfstd.org> wrote: > > # Problem > > > > There is no statement if tables must be contiguous or if > > there can be padding between the tables. > > > > # Background > > > > Some sections have an implicit assumption that the tables in a section > > are contiguous so the section can be processed by serially reading the > > section. Sections in this category are: > > > > .debug_info (Unit Headers, Section 7.5.1) > > .debug_aranges (Address Lookup Tables, Section 6.1.2) > > .debug_names (Name Index Section Header, Section 6.1.1) > > .debug_frame (Section 6.4.1) > > > > All other tables may be accessed indirectly via an offset into a section, > > so in theory there is no need to ensure the tables are contiguous provided > > the tables are only accessed via these offsets. > > > > However there are use cases when this can be a problem > > > > - The file is "stripped" to just contain line information (.debug_line / > > .debug_line_str). The .debug_line_str was added for exactly this use case. > > There is now the assumption that the .debug_line section can be processed > > serially. > > > > - File dump utilities which list the contents of the sections serially. > > > > Sections with tables which have headers with a unit_length field: > > > > .debug_aranges (Section 6.1.2) > > .debug_addr (Section 7.27) > > .debug_info / .debug_info.dwo (Section 7.5.1) > > .debug_line / .debug_line.dwo (Section 6.2.4) > > .debug_loclists / .debug_loclists.dwo (Section 7.29) > > .debug_names (Section 6.1.1) > > .debug_rnglists / .debug_rnglists.dwo (Section 7.28) > > .debug_str_offsets / .debug_str_offsets.dwo (Section 7.26) > > > > Sections with tables/contributions without headers: > > > > .debug_abbrev / .debug_abbrev.dwo (Section 7.5.3) > > .debug_frame (Section 6.4.1) > > .debug_line_str > > .debug_macro / .debug_macro.dwo (Section 6.3.1) > > .debug_str / .debug_str.dwo > > > > It is a point for discussion on whether to only require the tables > > with a unit_length header field be contiguous, or should all tables be > > made contiguous. > > > > # Proposed Addition: > > > > 7.34 Contiguous Tables > > > > Tables which start with a unit_length field must be contiguous with the > > preceding table in the section or start of the section if there is no > > preceding table. > > > > # Alternative Proposed Addition: > > > > 7.34 Contiguous Tables > > > > Tables must be contiguous with the preceding table in the section or > > start of the section if there is no preceding table. > > IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this email and any attachments are > confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the intended > recipient, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the > contents to any other person, use it for any purpose, or store or copy the > information in any medium. Thank you. > -- > Dwarf-discuss mailing list > Dwarf-discuss@lists.dwarfstd.org > https://lists.dwarfstd.org/mailman/listinfo/dwarf-discuss -- Dwarf-discuss mailing list Dwarf-discuss@lists.dwarfstd.org https://lists.dwarfstd.org/mailman/listinfo/dwarf-discuss
