Filing this so that the multiple requests to add DFP docs don't continue to be ignored.
First asked here: http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2007-06/msg00048.html Asked again 9 months later: http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2008-03/msg01025.html Janis indicates that some patch was proposed, but then not applied for lack of examples. I suggest instead a gradual approach, where something is applied immediately to gcc-4.3/changes.html and then refined. See: http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc-patches/2007-09/msg01139.html For a starting point. My preference would be for the examples and more extensive usage docs to go on to the main manual node for DFP, and the announcement to link to that page. The lapse in documenting this feature, after repeated requests to do so, is highly annoying. GCC is a large and fast-moving target: it is hard for users and maintainers to understand the whole picture without the good-faith efforts of developers to do due diligence and document new work. Significant new features or experimental modes should be documented to give all maintainers an equal foothold, and users a fighting chance to keep up with compiler technology. As it stands, DFP is not documented in changes.html, but *changes* to *existing* DFP support *IS* mentioned. This is inconsistent. In addition to the announcement text, the GCC manual is quite light on DFP details: Main DFP doc node: http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Decimal-Float.html#Decimal-Float Does this need to be updated? If DFP support and standard are a moving target, then it may be beneficial to just add a dfp_status.html page, and update that in a similar manner to other experimental support (like C++0x). And the other hit: http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Option-Summary.html#Option-Summary lists: -mno-mfpgpr -mhard-dfp for RS/6000 only. Documentation of this is: The -mhard-dfp option allows GCC to generate the decimal floating point instructions implemented on some POWER processors. This is pretty vague, and I believe incorrect if DFP is now supported on x86, as recent gcc-patches activity implies. Timely action on behalf of DFP maintainers will be appreciated. best,benjamin -- Summary: no DFP announcement, no example text, very vague documentation Product: gcc Version: 4.3.1 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: web AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: bkoz at gcc dot gnu dot org http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=35777
