Issue 110110.1: Size attributes on DW_TAG_string_type
Section 5.9, pg 98
Overview:
- Adding DW_AT_string_length_byte_size to describe the size of the data to be retrieved
from the location referenced by the DW_AT_string_length attribute.
- New interpretation to DW_AT_byte_size (incompatible change), to always mean the total
size allocated to hold the string data. (added non-normative text to describe both old and new behavior)
Background:
In the current spec, a string type (DW_TAG_string_type) may have a DW_AT_byte_size attribute.
However, this attribute carries a different meaning depending on the presence of
DW_AT_string_length attribute:
- if DW_AT_string_length is present: size of data to be retrieved from DW_AT_string_length
- if DW_AT_string_length is not present: amount of storage needed to hold a value of the string type.
Here is the description in the spec:
"The string type entry may have a DW_AT_string_length attribute whose value is a location
description yielding the location where the length of the string is stored in the program.
The string type entry may also have a DW_AT_byte_size attribute or DW_AT_bit_size attribute,
whose value (see Section 2.21) is the size of the data to be retrieved from the location
referenced by the string length attribute. If no (byte or bit) size attribute is present,
the size of the data to be retrieved is the same as the size of an address on the target machine.
If no string length attribute is present, the string type entry may have a DW_AT_byte_size
attribute or DW_AT_bit_size attribute, whose value (see Section 2.21) is the amount of storage
needed to hold a value of the string type."
Currently, there is no mechanism to have both information present on the same string type.
Proposal:
Introduce a new attribute DW_AT_string_length_byte_size to describe the size of the
data (in bytes) to be retrieved from the location referenced by the DW_AT_string_length
attribute.
Change the existing attribute DW_AT_byte_size to always indicate the total size (in bytes)
allocated to hold the string data. This is an incompatible change.
This would modify the wording to 5.9 "String Type Entries".
The string type entry may have a DW_AT_byte_size attribute, whose value is the amount of
storage allocated (in bytes) to hold the string data. The value of the attribute is
determined as described in section 2.19.
<non-normative-text>
Prior to DWARF 5, DW_AT_byte_size carry different meaning depending on the presence of
DW_AT_string_length attribute:
- if DW_AT_string_length is present: size of data to be retrieved from DW_AT_string_length
- if DW_AT_string_length is not present: amount of storage allocated for the string data.
In DWARF 5, this DW_AT_byte_size will always be used to represent the amount of storage
allocated for the string data.
</non-normative-text>
The string type entry may have a DW_AT_string_length attribute whose value is a location
description yielding the location where the actual byte length of the string is stored in
the program. If DW_AT_string_length attribute is not present, the actual byte length of
the string is assumed to be the same as the amount of storage allocated for the string
data (i.e. the value represented by DW_AT_byte_size).
The string type entry may have a DW_AT_string_length_byte_size attribute, whose value is
the size of the data to be retrieved from the location referenced by the DW_AT_string_length
attribute. If DW_AT_string_length_byte_size attribute is not present, the size of the data
to be retrieved is the same as the size of an address on the target machine.
Use cases:
1) plain string type with 10 bytes allocated for the string
| .......... |
|
start of string content
existing DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_byte_size (10)
proposed DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_byte_size (10)
2) two byte prefix length string, with no pre-defined allocated maximum
| xxxx | ... |
| |
| start of string content
2 byte length prefix
existing DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_string_length (DW_OP_push_object_address)
DW_AT_byte_size (2)
DW_AT_data_location (DW_OP_push_object_address DW_OP_plus_uconst 2)
proposed DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_string_length (DW_OP_push_object_address)
DW_AT_string_length_byte_size (2)
DW_AT_data_location (DW_OP_push_object_address DW_OP_plus_uconst 2)
! no DW_AT_byte_size since no pre-defined maximum allocation
3) two byte prefix length string, with 10 bytes allocated for the string
| xxxx | .......... |
| |
| start of string content (10 bytes max)
2 byte length prefix
existing DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_string_length (DW_OP_push_object_address)
DW_AT_byte_size (2)
DW_AT_data_location (DW_OP_push_object_address DW_OP_plus_uconst 2)
proposed DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_string_length (DW_OP_push_object_address)
DW_AT_string_length_byte_size (2)
DW_AT_data_location (DW_OP_push_object_address DW_OP_plus_uconst 2)
DW_AT_byte_size (10)
4) String via dope vector
| xxxxxxxx | addr of string |
|
-> | .................... |
|
start of string content (allocated 20 bytes)
existing DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_string_length (DW_OP_push_object_address)
DW_AT_byte_size (4)
DW_AT_data_location (DW_OP_push_object_address DW_OP_plus_uconst 4 DW_OP_deref)
proposed DWARF:
DW_TAG_string_type
DW_AT_string_length (DW_OP_push_object_address)
DW_AT_string_length_byte_size (4)
DW_AT_data_location (DW_OP_push_object_address DW_OP_plus_uconst 4 DW_OP_deref)
DW_AT_byte_size (20)
===
Revised 12/04/2012, 12/11/2012.
Accepted 4/23/2013 as modified.
