Question about extending specs file

[Ira Ruben <ira at apple dot com>]

The specs files have support for changing the linker name with 
LINKER_NAME macro.  However there is no similar support for changing 
the assembler name.  You can argue that it is not needed since you 
could always set up a symbolic link for 'as'.  But that argument 
holds true for 'ld' also.

In some cross compiler environments (like the one I am working on) 
the assembler and linker are not called 'as' and 'ld'.  I would 
prefer to change the name for the assembler just like I can do for 
the linker instead of requiring links.  This means extending the 
specs notation with some %-code in place of 'as' and of course 
changing gcc.c to look for it.  The default would be 'as' defined by 
a ASM_NAME macro which could be overridden from the appropriate 
headers.

I am new to working on gcc so I don't know what the etiquette is here 
on whether such a change would be acceptable.  I would propose, for 
lack of a better choice, say, %v (all the "good" letters are taken).

Opinions?

Ira Ruben
Apple Computer, Inc.