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Binutils 2.34

Summary

Rebase the binutils package from version 2.33 to version 2.34.

Owner

  • Name: Nick Clifton [1]
  • Email: nickc@redhat.com

Current status

  • Targeted release: Fedora 33
  • Last updated: 2020-01-20
  • Tracker bug: #1793098
  • Release notes tracker: #439

Detailed Description

Switch the binutils package from being based on the 2.33 release of the GNU binutils to being based on the 2.34 release. This release will bring in numerous bug fixes, as well as coloured ascii art annotation for the disassembler output!

Benefit to Fedora

The main benefit will be the bug fixes and the improvement to the linker and assembler. In addition users who look at disassemblies will find the new ascii art output quite helpful.

Scope

  • Proposal owners:

Change the source parameter in the binutils.spec rpm and adjust the local patches to take account of the bugs that are now already fixed. This is a significant change to the underlying tools used to build Fedora and so there should be a mass rebuild in order for the changes to be noticed across the system.

  • Other developers: N/A (not a System Wide Change)

No other work should be necessary. Once the rebase is in place and the buildroot contains the new binutils its use should be automatic.

  • Release engineering: [2]

A mass rebuild will be required.


  • Policies and guidelines:

No documents need to be updated.

  • Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)

Upgrade/compatibility impact

The binutils are backwards compatible with previous releases, so no changes should be necessary.

How To Test

The binutils package does include its own set of testsuites which check basic functionality. The real test however is by rebuilding other packages which depend upon the binutils, or more likely, upon gcc. If these packages continue to work then the binutils update has not broken anything.


User Experience

The change should not be noticeable to the user.

Dependencies

This update has no hard dependencies on any other package. There are other packages that do depend upon the binutils however. Most notably gcc and redhat-rpm-config.

Contingency Plan

  • Contingency mechanism: (What to do? Who will do it?)

Revert to the 2.33 binutils as currently used in rawhide. This work can be done by me, should it prove necessary.

  • Contingency deadline:

Beta freeze.

  • Blocks release? No
  • Blocks product? None

Documentation

Documentation is not currently available, due to the fact that the 2.34 release has not yet been created. (It is hoped that the release will happen before the Fedora 33 mass rebuild).

Release Notes