[LLVMdev] Compiler Driver [high-level comments]

[Chris Lattner]

On Tue, 3 Aug 2004, Reid Spencer wrote:
> > also be read as "on" (as opposed to "off").   How about -Onone?  As
> > Chris pointed out, this is really meant for compiler developers, not
> > end-users, so let's make it different from the standard user's scheme
> > and clear to boot.
>
> Chris and I were debating what -On, -O0 (oh zero) and -O1 were supposed
> to mean. The defs of -O0 and -O1 got kinda muddles. I think we should
> drop the idea of -On* and just use -O0 to mean "absolutely no
> optimization". The default, -O1, would give the "light/fast
> optimization" described previously. Since -O0 is somewhat strange, it
> reinforces the notion that this option is for front end developers to
> use when checking the output of their front end.

That also works for me, as long as the compiler defaults to -O1.

> While I tend to agree (my first thought was Windows .ini files), some
> good points were raised on IRC. First, other tools (e.g. IDEs like
> Eclipse) will more naturally be able to parse/generate XML and
> integration with those tools is important. Secondly, its not at all

These tools would not want to look at these files.  Eclipse and other
IDE's USE the compiler driver, they should not dive into files that are
used to communicate between the front-ends and the compiler driver.

> clear to me that the configuration can be as simple as you've described
> above. I think we can make the configuration file extremely simple even
> if its XML (i.e. only four element names and one attribute name). By
> choosing XML we don't have to worry about completely changing the format
> should it need to get a little more complicated.

Hrm.

> However, what I'd like to do is defer the decision on this until I've
> gotten through the feature/design document and its been reviewed. The
> details of what goes in a configuration file will be much more clear at
> that point and the correct format will most likely present itself.

Agreed, great idea. :)

-Chris

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