Re: [PATCH] Extra error message from update_watchpoint

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz at gnu dot org>]

> Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:49:18 +0000
> From: "Andrew Burgess" <aburgess@broadcom.com>
> cc: gdb-patches@sourceware.org
> 
> OK, here are a few alternatives, feel free to pick your favourites:
> 
> (1) The original:
>     error (_("Software read/access watchpoints not supported."));
> 
> (2) Pedro's original replacement:
>     error (_("Hardware watchpoint support disabled.  "
>              "See set/show can-use-hw-watchpoints."));
> 
> (3) The original + why we can't use H/W watchpoints (bit long):
>     error (_("Software read/access watchpoints not supported, "
>              "re-enable hardware watchpoints using "
>              "\"set can-use-hw-watchpoints 1\""));
> 
> (4) Same, but with a newline to keep it under 80 chars, not sure if
> multi-line errors are acceptable though.
>     error (_("Software read/access watchpoints not supported.\n"
>              "Enable hardware watchpoints using "
>              "\"set can-use-hw-watchpoints 1\""));
> 
> (5) Mention that H/W watchpoints are disabled, but not how to re-enable
> them, though given the user has done the disabling this might be enough
> to prompt them.  This is single line, and just under 80 chars.
>     error (_("Software read/access watchpoints not supported, "
>              "hardware watchpoints disabled."));
> 
> 
> My favourite is (5) at the moment, but I'll take whatever makes everyone
> else happy :)

None of the above really explains to the user why GDB is going to
refuse to abide by her command.

A good message should say something like "Cannot do SOMETHING because
SOME-REASON."

But I don't want to be in the position of blocking a commit due to
something that is just MO, so feel free to ignore me.