Designs for better debug info in GCC

[Ian Lance Taylor]

Chris Lattner <clattner@apple.com> writes:

> If debug info size and link time is really such a serious problem for
> so many users, perhaps people developing the gnu toolchain should
> investigate an extension like this.

I'm in favor of implementing this.  As I'm sure you know, the GNU
binutils and gdb already support using a single separate file for
debugging information.

But these approaches do not solve all problems.  The technique works
well during development for a program which is normally run on the
same system on which it is developed.  It doesn't help much when the
program must be run on a different system--it's possible to use
gdbserver, but awkward.  And it doesn't help at all when it is
sometimes necessary to debug executables which have been built and
distributed widely.

Ian