RFR: 8271148: static-libs-image target --with-native-debug-symbols=external doesn't produce debug info

[Andrew John Hughes]

On Thu, 22 Jul 2021 16:43:26 GMT, Severin Gehwolf <sgehwolf at openjdk.org> wrote:

> Hi!
> 
> Please review this tiny patch which removes the special casing of `--with-native-debug-symbols=external` for the static libs build. I don't see why this is needed. If no debug symbols are wanted `--with-native-debug-symbols=none` can be used to achieve the same effect. Therefore, I propose to remove this hunk.
> 
> Testing: Inspecting of the log files and seeing that `-g` switch is there. Run the reproducer test on the resulting static libraries.
> 
> Thoughts?

> Yes. Are you suggesting that somebody is relying on these exact semantics? Configure **once** with `--with-native-debug-symbols=external` and expect static libs to have _no_ debuginfo (neither inline nor in an external file) while shared bits should have them in external files? That use case would still be possible by using two configurations. One with `--with-native-debug-symbols=external` and one with `--with-native-debug-symbols=none` and building only the needed targets each.

Whereas, on the other hand, there is currently no option for someone who sets --with-native-debug-symbols=external and, rightly, expects the static libraries to have external debuginfo files.

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PR: https://git.openjdk.java.net/jdk/pull/4876