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Re: binary search debugging of compilers

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On Sun, May 14, 2023 at 22:42 Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:

> Russ Cox <rsc@swtch.com> schrieb:
>
> > As I mentioned at the top, I am interested to hear about earlier uses
> > of approaches like this, or any other ideas for situations where the
> > approach might be applicable. Clearly the general problem has overlaps
> > with group testing [1], and in particular Hwang's binary search-based
> > approach (1972) [2].
>
> For GCC regression-hunting, two techniques are routinely used.
>
> One of them is the use of "gcc bisect", described at
> https://git-scm.com/docs/git-bisect
> .  If there is a failing test
> case, this can (at the cost of some CPU time) usually pinpoint
> offending commit.


Ah, this is close to my heart. The story I heard was that automated
regression bisection originated in the Cray compiler group around the
mid 1990s. I didn't join that team until the aughts, but can attest to
the quality of Cray's system, which is still in use today AFAIK.

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/625082

For the general case of reducing runtime errors, the Wolf Fencing algorithm
would be a good thread to pull for uncovering the history.

https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/358690.358695

Hope that helps,
Cam

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binary search debugging of compilers Russ Cox <rsc@swtch.com> - 2023-05-12 13:59 -0400
  Re: binary search debugging of compilers Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-05-13 03:20 +0000
  Re: binary search debugging of compilers Fernando <pronesto@gmail.com> - 2023-05-13 04:47 -0700
    Re: binary search debugging of compilers Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-05-14 02:49 +0000
      Re: binary search debugging of compilers gah4 <gah4@u.washington.edu> - 2023-05-14 13:38 -0700
        Re: binary search debugging of compilers Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-05-15 21:52 +0000
          Re: binary search debugging of compilers gah4 <gah4@u.washington.edu> - 2023-05-16 23:52 -0700
            Re: binary search debugging of compilers Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-05-17 18:28 +0000
              Re: binary search debugging of compilers gah4 <gah4@u.washington.edu> - 2023-05-17 15:23 -0700
                Re: binary search debugging of compilers Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-05-19 03:21 +0000
                Re: binary search debugging of compilers Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2023-05-19 21:59 +0000
                Re: binary search debugging of compilers gah4 <gah4@u.washington.edu> - 2023-05-20 20:20 -0700
                Re: Old C compilers, binary search debugging of compilers Hans-Peter Diettrich <DrDiettrich1@netscape.net> - 2023-05-22 09:05 +0200
              binary search debugging of compilers Max B <tekk.nolagi@gmail.com> - 2023-05-19 16:31 -0500
  Re: binary search debugging of compilers Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2023-05-14 19:59 +0000
    Re: binary search debugging of compilers Cameron McInally <cameron.mcinally@nyu.edu> - 2023-05-14 23:28 -0400
    Re: binary search debugging of compilers Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-05-15 21:35 +0000

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