Re: Emacs 23.0.0.1 fails parsing gdb output

[Nick Roberts]

 > >  > IMO, it's not nice to change the package semantic in such radical ways
 > >  > behind users' backs.  I know a few people who like the current "M-x
 > >  > gdb" and will not be pleased to see the GUI version instead.
 > > 
 > > It's not nice trying to get Emacs to work out which option has been
 > > selected as well as which version of GDB is running.
 > 
 > ??? Emacs is a program; how can one be ``nice'' or ``not nice'' to a
 > program?  Are you saying it is hard to check the value of a single
 > variable and invoke one of two functions depending on that?  What am I
 > missing here?

This is just a misunderstanding in the use of English.  Here, to whom it is not
nice is implicit.  In your sentence it's the users.  In mine, the developer(s).

 > > At it's basic level, the GUI version works just like the old version
 > > except that breakpoints are marked with a bulet in the fringe.
 > 
 > What happens if there's no fringe?  

It creates a display margin and displays the bullet there.

 >                                      What happens in a no-window (-nw)
 > session?  

It creates a display margin and displays a B/b there.

 >           Also, what if in the future we decide that gdb-ui opens its
 > additional windows by default (a reasonable decision for a
 > GUI-oriented debugging interface)?

If users like the old behaviour then we wouldn't change the default.

 > > Johan Walles is the just about the only user to make a bug report on it
 > > since the release.  If users choose not to report problems, then it makes
 > > it hard to accomodate their view.
 > 
 > I didn't say I objected to invoking gdb-ui by default.

Even if you did, I could try to convice you that it would be alright.  Clearly
I can't do that who have not expressed their reasons.

 > >  > How about if we modify "M-x gdb" to invoke gdb-ui if a certain option
 > >  > is set?  Whether this option should be on or off by default, is
 > >  > another matter, but at least users will be able to control what UI
 > >  > they get by flipping a single option.
 > > 
 > > Most users will just use the default until it causes problems, so I don't
 > > see that there's much difference.
 > 
 > It makes difference to those who would like the old interface: they
 > will need to flip a single variable, and still use the same command.

You might, indeed, be right but I don't know who these people are because
they haven't posted to this mailing list.

My ultimate aim is to _replace_ the old mode with one using GDB/MI, which will
also need changes to GDB.  A release from the trunk won't happen for a long
time.  I think this is an opportunity to make that transition.


-- 
Nick                                           http://www.inet.net.nz/~nickrob