Re: New executable format (was mem.h)

[Julian Reschke-FJR010 <Julian_Reschke-FJR010@email.mot.com>]

Julian Reschke-FJR010 wrote:
> 
> gufl0000@stud.uni-sb.de%INTERNET wrote:
> 
> > > > Note that the symbol table included in these files will be in
> > > > the GNU format (because it is typically shorter than the DRI
> > > > format and it is understood by the GNU debugger).  Hopefully
> > >
> > > Please make sure that this symbol table is prefixed by an "empty"
> > > DR type symbol table so that existing tools do not panic.
> >
> > How do I write an `empty' symbol table?  Anyway, I think it is
> > impossible to avoid all possible crashes.  But as far as I can
> > see it only programs that are typically used by an experienced
> > user may crash (in fact I have tested various disassemblers and
> > other binary tools that produce more or less nonsense with the
> > new format but they don't bomb).
> 
> Sorry, I was thinking of the relocation table format.
> 
> Anyway, it probably wouldn't hurt to start the symbol table with a
> symbol name like "".

A better idea would probably be:

1) Leave the DR/MWC typesymbol table empty (or fill it in the old format
for backward compatibility).

2) Add your GNU style symbol table to the very end of the program file,
just like what Pure-C does with it's debugging info.

Regards, jr