Re: CLI and GDB/MI documentation patch

[Bob Rossi <bob_rossi at cox dot net>]

On Fri, May 12, 2006 at 05:05:51PM +0300, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> > From: Nick Roberts <nickrob@snap.net.nz>
> > Date: Sun, 14 May 2006 00:43:41 +1200
> > Cc: gdb-patches@sources.redhat.com
> > 
> > > - That typing CLI command has the same effect as -interpreter-exec console
> > 
> > Its not quite the same, the latter goes through mi_cmd_execute but the
> > former doesn't.
> 
> Bob described the minor differences:
> 
>             There may be a small difference in the @sc{gdb/mi} output between 
>   directly typing the CLI command into the @sc{gdb/mi} interpreter or by using 
>   the @code{-interpreter-exec} command, however, both ways should provide 
>   valid @sc{gdb/mi} output.
> 
> (``small differences in output'' is too vague; I'd like a more precise
> and clear description of the differences.)
> 
> And later:
> 
>   One current major difference between entering a CLI command directly into
>   the @sc{gdb/mi} interpreter and entering the corresponding @sc{gdb/mi} 
>   command into the interpreter is that the CLI command will not have the 
>   asynchronous output that the @sc{gdb/mi} command will have. For instance,
>   typing @code{run} as a CLI command, you will not get the @code{*stopped}
>   response that @sc{gdb/mi} will provide if you enter the @code{-exec-run}
>   command.
> 
> Are there any other differences?  If so, let's describe them.
> 
> > > Those points are important to have documented, IMO.
> > 
> > Putting these things in the manual just makes it harder to change GDB.
> > I would rather say: "Its there.  Use it at your own risk".  Or at least:
> > 
> > 
> >   For the developers convenience CLI commands can be entered directly.
> >   However this feature may be removed at some stage in the future and
> >   it is recommended that front ends use the @code{-interpreter exec} command.
> >   @xref{GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands}.
> 
> Do we indeed intend to remove this feature any time soon?  If so, I
> agree that we should add a warning about that.  But, other than that,
> why do you say that describing the CLI support in mi in more detail
> will make it harder to change GDB?

IMO, we don't intend to remove it soon. I attempted to remove it with 
this statement:
  I'm thinking it would be a good idea to remove the ability to enter
  CLI commands into the MI interpreter. Does anyone disagree?

and this was the response from Nick:
  No one is forcing you to use it.  Why would you want to force others
  not to use it?
from Daniel
  No way.  The fact is, the MI command set is not complete, and
  -interpreter-exec is still recent.  I would expect most front ends
  to still require this support, for the indefinite future.

So, with that in mind, I'm assuming it won't be dropped for a very long
time.

Bob Rossi