[llvm-dev] [Proposal][Debuginfo] dsymutil-like tool for ELF.

David Blaikie via llvm-dev llvm-dev at lists.llvm.org
Wed Sep 2 15:36:31 PDT 2020


On Wed, Sep 2, 2020 at 3:26 PM Alexey <avl.lapshin at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> On 02.09.2020 21:44, David Blaikie wrote:
>
>
>
> On Wed, Sep 2, 2020 at 9:56 AM Alexey <avl.lapshin at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> On 01.09.2020 20:07, David Blaikie wrote:
>>
>> Fair enough - thanks for clarifying the differences! (I'd still lean a
>> bit towards this being dwz-esque, as you say "an extension of classic dwz"
>>
>> I doubt a little about "llvm-dwz" since it might confuse people who would
>> expect exactly the same behavior.
>> But if we think of it as "an extension of classic dwz" and the possible
>> confusion is not a big deal then
>> I would be fine with "llvm-dwz".
>>
>> using a bit more domain knowledge (of terminators and C++ odr - though
>> I'm not sure dsymutil does rely on the ODR, does it? It relies on it to
>> know that two names represent the same type, I suppose, but doesn't assume
>> they're already identical, instead it merges their members))
>>
>> if dsymutil is able to find a full definition then it would remove all
>> other definitions(which matched by name) and set all references to that
>> found definition. If it is not able to find a full definition then it would
>> do nothing. i.e. if there are two incomplete
>> definitions(DW_AT_declaration   (true)) with the same name then they would
>> not be merged. That is a possible improvement - to teach dsymutil to merge
>> incomplete types.
>>
> Huh, what does it do with extra member function definitions found in later
> definitions? (eg: struct x { template<typename T> void f(); }; - in one
> translation unit x::f<int> is instantiated, in another x::f<float> is
> instantiated - how are the two represented with dsymutil?)
>
> They would be considered as two not matched types. dsymutil would not
> merge them somehow and thus would not use single type description. There
> would be two separate types called "x" which would have mostly matched
> members but differ with x::f<int> and x::f<float>. No any de-duplication in
> that case.
>
Oh, that's unfortunate. It'd be nice for C++ at least, to implement a
potentially faster dsymutil mode that could get this right and not have to
actually check for type equivalence, instead relying on the name of the
type to determine that it must be identical.

The first instance of the type that's encountered has its fully qualified
name or mangled name recorded in a map pointing to the DIE. Any future
instance gets downgraded to a declaration, and /certain/ members get
dropped, but other members get stuck on the declaration (same sort of DWARF
you see with "struct foo { virtual void f1(); template<typename T> void
f2() { } }; void test(foo& f) { f.f2<int>(); }"). Recording all the member
functions of the type/static member variable types might be needed in cases
where some member functions are defined in one translation unit and some
defined in another - though I guess that infrastructure is already in
place/that just works today.

- Dave

>
> Alexey.
>>
>>
>> But I don't have super strong feelings about the naming.
>>
>> On Tue, Sep 1, 2020 at 6:36 AM Alexey <avl.lapshin at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> On 01.09.2020 06:27, David Blaikie wrote:
>>>
>>> A quick note: The feature as currently proposed sounds like it's an
>>> exact match for 'dwz'? Is there any benefit to this over the existing dwz
>>> project? Is it different in some ways I'm not aware of? (I haven't actually
>>> used dwz, so I might have some mistaken ideas about how it should work)
>>>
>>> If it's going to solve the same general problem, but be in the llvm
>>> project instead, then maybe it should be called llvm-dwz.
>>>
>>> It looks like dwz and llvm-dwarfutil are not exactly matched in
>>> functionality.
>>>
>>> dwz is a  program that attempts to optimize DWARF debugging information
>>> contained in ELF shared libraries and ELF executables for *size*.
>>>
>>> llvm-dwarfutil is a tool that is used for processing debug
>>> info(DWARF) located in built binary files to improve debug info
>>> *quality*,
>>> reduce debug info *size* and accelerate debug info *processing*.
>>>
>>> Things which are supposed to be done by llvm-dwarfutil and which are not
>>> done by dwz: removing obsolete debug info, building indexes, stripping
>>> unneeded debug sections, compress/decompress debug sections.
>>>
>>> Common thing is that both of these tools do debug info size reduction.
>>> But they do this using different approaches:
>>>
>>> 1. dwz reduces the size of debug info by creating partial compilation
>>> units
>>>     for duplicated parts. So that these partial compilation units could
>>> be imported
>>>     in every duplicated place. AFAIU, That optimization gives the most
>>> size saving effect.
>>>
>>>    another size saving optimization is ODR types deduplication.
>>>
>>> 2. llvm-dwarfutil reduces the size of debug info by ODR types
>>> deduplication
>>>    which gives the most size saving effect in llvm-dwarfutil case.
>>>
>>>    another size saving optimization is removing obsolete debug info.
>>>    (which actually is not only about size but about correctness also)
>>>
>>> So, it looks like these tools are not equal. If we would consider that
>>> llvm-dwz is an extension of classic dwz then we could probably
>>> name it as llvm-dwz.
>>>
>>>
>>> Though I understand the desire for this to grow other functionality,
>>> like DWARF-aware dwp-ing. Might be better for this to busybox and provide
>>> that functionality under llvm-dwp instead, or more likely I Suspect, that
>>> the existing llvm-dwp will be rewritten (probably by me) to use more of
>>> lld's infrastructure to be more efficient (it's current object
>>> reading/writing logic is using LLVM's libObject and MCStreamer, which is a
>>> bit inefficient for a very content-unaware linking process) and then maybe
>>> that could be taught to use DwarfLinker as a library to optionally do
>>> DWARF-aware linking depending on the users time/space tradeoff desires.
>>> Still benefiting from any improvements to the underlying DwarfLinker
>>> library (at which point that would be shared between llvm-dsymutil,
>>> llvm-dwz, and llvm-dwp).
>>>
>>> On Tue, Aug 25, 2020 at 7:29 AM Alexey <avl.lapshin at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>>    We propose llvm-dwarfutil - a dsymutil-like tool for ELF.
>>>>    Any thoughts on this?
>>>>    Thanks in advance, Alexey.
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> llvm-dwarfutil(Apndx A) - is a tool that is used for processing debug
>>>> info(DWARF)
>>>> located in built binary files to improve debug info quality,
>>>> reduce debug info size and accelerate debug info processing.
>>>> Supported object files formats: ELF, MachO(Apndx B), COFF(Apndx C),
>>>> WASM(Apndx C).
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Specifically, the tool would do:
>>>>
>>>>    - Remove obsolete debug info which refers to code deleted by the
>>>> linker
>>>>      doing the garbage collection (gc-sections).
>>>>
>>>>    - Deduplicate debug type definitions for reducing resulting size of
>>>> binary.
>>>>
>>>>    - Build accelerator/index tables.
>>>>      = .debug_aranges, .debug_names, .gdb_index, .debug_pubnames,
>>>> .debug_pubtypes.
>>>>
>>>>    - Strip unneeded tables.
>>>>      = .debug_aranges, .debug_names, .gdb_index, .debug_pubnames,
>>>> .debug_pubtypes.
>>>>
>>>>    - Compress or decompress debug info as requested.
>>>>
>>>> Possible feature:
>>>>
>>>>    - Join split dwarf .dwo files in a single file containing all debug
>>>> info
>>>>      (convert split DWARF into monolithic DWARF).
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> User interface:
>>>>
>>>>    OVERVIEW: A tool for optimizing debug info located in the built
>>>> binary.
>>>>
>>>>    USAGE: llvm-dwarfutil [options] input output
>>>>
>>>>    OPTIONS: (Apndx E)
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Implementation notes:
>>>>
>>>> 1. Removing obsolete debug info would be done using DWARFLinker llvm
>>>> library.
>>>>
>>>> 2. Data types deduplication would be done using DWARFLinker llvm
>>>> library.
>>>>
>>>> 3. Accelerator/index tables would be generated using DWARFLinker llvm
>>>> library.
>>>>
>>>> 4. Interface of DWARFLinker library would be changed in such way that it
>>>>     would be possible to switch on/off various stages:
>>>>
>>>>    class DWARFLinker {
>>>>      setDoRemoveObsoleteInfo ( bool DoRemoveObsoleteInfo = false);
>>>>
>>>>      setDoAppleNames ( bool DoAppleNames = false );
>>>>      setDoAppleNamespaces ( bool DoAppleNamespaces = false );
>>>>      setDoAppleTypes ( bool DoAppleTypes = false );
>>>>      setDoObjC ( bool DoObjC = false );
>>>>      setDoDebugPubNames ( bool DoDebugPubNames = false );
>>>>      setDoDebugPubTypes ( bool DoDebugPubTypes = false );
>>>>
>>>>      setDoDebugNames (bool DoDebugNames = false);
>>>>      setDoGDBIndex (bool DoGDBIndex = false);
>>>>    }
>>>>
>>>> 5. Copying source file contents, stripping tables,
>>>> compressing/decompressing tables
>>>>     would be done by ObjCopy llvm library(extracted from llvm-objcopy):
>>>>
>>>>    Error executeObjcopyOnBinary(const CopyConfig &Config,
>>>>                               object::COFFObjectFile &In, Buffer &Out);
>>>>    Error executeObjcopyOnBinary(const CopyConfig &Config,
>>>>                               object::ELFObjectFileBase &In, Buffer
>>>> &Out);
>>>>    Error executeObjcopyOnBinary(const CopyConfig &Config,
>>>>                               object::MachOObjectFile &In, Buffer &Out);
>>>>    Error executeObjcopyOnBinary(const CopyConfig &Config,
>>>>                               object::WasmObjectFile &In, Buffer &Out);
>>>>
>>>> 6. Address ranges and single addresses pointing to removed code should
>>>> be marked
>>>>     with tombstone value in the input file:
>>>>
>>>>     -2 for .debug_ranges and .debug_loc.
>>>>     -1 for other .debug* tables.
>>>>
>>>> 7. Prototype implementation - https://reviews.llvm.org/D86539.
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Roadmap:
>>>>
>>>> 1. Refactor llvm-objcopy to extract it`s implementation into separate
>>>> library
>>>>     ObjCopy(in LLVM tree).
>>>>
>>>> 2. Create a command line utility using existed DWARFLinker and ObjCopy
>>>>     implementation. First version is supposed to work with only ELF
>>>> input object files.
>>>>     It would take input ELF file with unoptimized debug info and create
>>>> output
>>>>     ELF file with optimized debug info. That version would be done out
>>>> of the llvm tree.
>>>>
>>>> 3. Make a tool to be able to work in multi-thread mode.
>>>>
>>>> 4. Consider it to be included into LLVM tree.
>>>>
>>>> 5. Support DWARF5 tables.
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Appendix A. Should this tool be implemented as a new tool or as an
>>>> extension
>>>>              to dsymutil/llvm-objcopy?
>>>>
>>>>     There already exists a tool which removes obsolete debug info on
>>>> darwin - dsymutil.
>>>>     Why create another tool instead of extending the already existed
>>>> dsymutil/llvm-objcopy?
>>>>
>>>>     The main functionality of dsymutil is located in a separate library
>>>> - DWARFLinker.
>>>>     Thus, dsymutil utility is a command-line interface for DWARFLinker.
>>>> dsymutil has
>>>>     another type of input/output data: it takes several object files
>>>> and
>>>> address map
>>>>     as input and creates a .dSYM bundle with linked debug info as
>>>> output. llvm-dwarfutil
>>>>     would take a built executable as input and create an optimized
>>>> executable as output.
>>>>     Additionally, there would be many command-line options specific for
>>>> only one utility.
>>>>     This means that these utilities(implementing command line
>>>> interface)
>>>> would significantly
>>>>     differ. It makes sense not to put another command-line utility
>>>> inside existing dsymutil,
>>>>     but make it as a separate utility. That is the reason why
>>>> llvm-dwarfutil suggested to be
>>>>     implemented not as sub-part of dsymutil but as a separate tool.
>>>>
>>>>     Please share your preference: whether llvm-dwarfutil should be
>>>>     separate utility, or a variant of dsymutil compiled for ELF?
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Appendix B. The machO object file format is already supported by
>>>> dsymutil.
>>>>     Depending on the decision whether llvm-dwarfutil would be done as a
>>>> subproject
>>>>     of dsymutil or as a separate utility - machO would be supported or
>>>> not.
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Appendix C. Support for the COFF and WASM object file formats presented
>>>> as
>>>>      possible future improvement. It would be quite easy to add them
>>>> assuming
>>>>      that llvm-objcopy already supports these formats. It also would
>>>> require
>>>>      supporting DWARF6-suggested tombstone values(-1/-2).
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Appendix D. Documentation.
>>>>
>>>>    - proposal for DWARF6 which suggested -1/-2 values for marking bad
>>>> addresses
>>>>      http://www.dwarfstd.org/ShowIssue.php?issue=200609.1
>>>>    - dsymutil tool https://llvm.org/docs/CommandGuide/dsymutil.html.
>>>>    - proposal "Remove obsolete debug info in lld."
>>>> http://lists.llvm.org/pipermail/llvm-dev/2020-May/141468.html
>>>>
>>>> ======================================================================
>>>>
>>>> Appendix E. Possible command line options:
>>>>
>>>> DwarfUtil Options:
>>>>
>>>>    --build-aranges           - generate .debug_aranges table.
>>>>    --build-debug-names       - generate .debug_names table.
>>>>    --build-debug-pubnames    - generate .debug_pubnames table.
>>>>    --build-debug-pubtypes    - generate .debug_pubtypes table.
>>>>    --build-gdb-index         - generate .gdb_index table.
>>>>    --compress                - Compress debug tables.
>>>>    --decompress              - Decompress debug tables.
>>>>    --deduplicate-types       - Do ODR deduplication for debug types.
>>>>    --garbage-collect         - Do garbage collecting for debug info.
>>>>    --num-threads=<n>         - Specify the maximum number (n) of
>>>> simultaneous threads
>>>>                                to use when optimizing input file.
>>>>                                Defaults to the number of cores on the
>>>> current machine.
>>>>    --strip-all               - Strip all debug tables.
>>>>    --strip=<name1,name2>     - Strip specified debug info tables.
>>>>    --strip-unoptimized-debug - Strip all unoptimized debug tables.
>>>>    --tombstone=<value>       - Tombstone value used as a marker of
>>>> invalid address.
>>>>      =bfd                    -   BFD default value
>>>>      =dwarf6                 -   Dwarf v6.
>>>>    --verbose                 - Enable verbose logging and encoding
>>>> details.
>>>>
>>>> Generic Options:
>>>>
>>>>    --help                    - Display available options (--help-hidden
>>>> for more)
>>>>    --version                 - Display the version of this program
>>>>
>>>>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.llvm.org/pipermail/llvm-dev/attachments/20200902/e0476735/attachment-0001.html>


More information about the llvm-dev mailing list