Re: [gentoo-dev] Introduce global dmalloc USE flag?

[Kent Fredric <kentfredric@gmail.com>]

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On 13 June 2013 13:35, Dennis Lan (dlan) <dennis.yxun@gmail.com> wrote:

> HI ALL:
>    Is it ok to introduce USE=dmalloc global flag? description as following
> "dmalloc - Enable debugging with the dmalloc library"
>
> current consumers:
>  1) net-fs/autofs
>  2) net-misc/directvnc
>  3) sci-biology/yass
>
> also
>  4) app-admin/conserver
>  5) net-nds/ypbind
>  6) net-fs/samba
>  7) net-analyzer/scli
>  8) net-analyzer/traceproto
>  6) net-misc/siproxd
>
> use dmalloc but controlled under USE=debug
>
> Dennis Lan
>
>
Questions for clarity:

1. I haven't used dmalloc before, what does this use flag do for me?
2. How does this use flag change the built binaries? does it:
   a) make no user visible changes, but adds code instrumentation paths
which can only be seen/understood with a special visualiser
   b) add output to TTY for the built binary? etc.

I'm not arguing against global USE for it, I'm just asking for a USE
description that is more meaningful.

ie, alternatives might be: "Add runtime debug output via the dmalloc
library" or "Add runtime instrumentation for the dmalloc debugger", or
something like that.

Because if it were case a), then I might be inclined to turn it on
arbitrarily ( depending on how much it impacts performance ), just in case
I happen to need it one day.  But if it were case b), I'd be inclined not
to turn it on arbitrarily, because I can see that would be irritating =)


-- 
Kent

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