[Dwarf-Discuss] .debug_line include_directories semantic worth

[Roland McGrath]

> Although the title and description say sequence, the
> description doesn't require any ordering on the list of
> paths.  It says that each directory entry was searched to
> find include files, but not that one was searched before
> another.

Ok.

> It seems that GCC is following the specification as written.

I don't think so.  It puts directory names in the table that were never
searched in the normal sense of a "search path".  For example, it will
sometimes emit an entry for "/usr/include/sys" when the directory in the
search path was "/usr/include" and the file came via "#include <sys/foo.h>".

> Unless someone feels that this is an unintentional omission,
> I think that for improved clarity that the word "sequence"
> should be replaced with "list" in this section.

If it's really the intent that there is no useful inherent meaning
here at all, then I think the specification needs more rewriting than
just changing a single word to a near-synonym.  It should be made
explicit that it has nothing to do with "paths" that were "searched".
If indeed the only purpose is an abbreviated encoding for common
directory components of the file names in the file table, it should
say just that.


Thanks,
Roland