Re: libtool --mode=execute gdb

[Bruno Haible]

Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> That let me check in more detail.
> Mode inference was removed here:
> <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/libtool-patches/2003-09/msg00062.html>
> and deprecated here:
> <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/libtool-patches/2002-11/msg00007.html>

The removal did not apply to the 1.5.x branch. The libtool 1.5.26 doc has:
"If not specified, an attempt is made to infer the operation mode from
 the MODE-ARGS.  Not specifying the MODE is currently deprecated, ..."
And libtool-1.5.26 is less than one year old.

> This deprecation has been a long time ago.  I don't see how this
> reasoning has changed now

I'm not asking for complete guessing of the mode. The modes 'compile',
'link', 'install' are only used from within Makefiles. It's not needed
to introduce shorthands for these cases. However, the 'execute' mode,
and especially 'gdb', is different in that it is frequently used in
manually typed commands.

What is unreliable about inferring from 'gdb' that the mode is 'execute'?
'gdb' cannot be used for compiling, linking, or installing programs.

> Maybe that is sufficient for your needs, too.

Typing 'e ' instead of '--mode=execute ' is certainly a time saver, yes.

> This is documented in "info Libtool 'Invoking libtool'", albeit rather
> briefly. 

"or a unique abbreviation of it". That is too brief. Based on this doc I
would not have inferred that 'e' is a valid abbreviation for '--mode=execute'.
An example in that section would be useful.

Bruno