Re: Problem with linker with binutils-040414

[Nick Clifton <nickc at redhat dot com>]

Hi H. J.

> I don't think it is a good idea. Linker should try to avoid core dump
> on bad input. But linker should abort/core dump when there is an
> internal bug. In this particular case, core dump helped uncover/fix the
> linker bug. Otherwise, we might discover this bug much later. I suggest
> we back out this patch or change it to
>
> 	if (abfd == NULL)
> 	  abort ();
>  
I disagree.  The library should never abort.  I can see the case for 
reporting internal errors with a sensible error message, but an abort 
(even with a message) is not correct.  Possibly the caller of the 
library will be able to cope with the error and try another way to 
perform its function.  Or maybe partial completion of the library's 
functions will allow the user to proceed further with the work that they 
are doing.  Either way the library is providing a service to its 
caller.  It should not dictate that the caller must terminate 
execution.  Instead it should provide a sensible error indication and 
allow the caller to decide what to do.

Cheers
 Nick