[llvm-dev] [RFC] Adding function attributes to represent codegen optimization level

[via llvm-dev]

All,
A recent commit, D43040/r324557, changed the behavior of the gold plugin 
when compiling with LTO.  The change now causes the codegen optimization 
level to default to CodeGenOpt::Default (i.e., -O2) rather than use the 
LTO optimization level.  The argument was made that the LTO optimization 
level should control the amount of cross-module optimizations done by 
LTO, but it should not control the codegen optimization level; that 
should be based off of the optimization level used during the initial 
compilation phase (i.e., bitcode generation).

Assuming the argument is reasonable (it make sense to me), I was hoping 
to solicit feedback on how to proceed.  The suggestion in D43040/r324557 
was to add function attributes to represent the compile-time 
optimization level (which also seems reasonable to me).

As a first step, I've put together two patches: 1) an llvm patch that 
adds the function attributes to the LLVM IR and 2) a clang patch that 
attaches these attributes to each function based on the codegen 
optimization level.  I then use the function level attributes to 
"reconstruct" to codegen optimization level used with LTO.

Please understand this is very much a WIP and just a very small step 
towards a final solution.

Here are the patches for reference:
Clang: D45226
LLVM: D45225

Regards,
  Chad