Re: RFC: AArch64 Disassembler: Annotate undefined instructions
Project / Subsystem
binutils / rfc
Date
2026-07-31
Proposer
Alice Carlotti <alice.carlotti@arm.com>
Source type
public_inbox
Consensus
Proposed
Sentiment
—/10
Technical tradeoffs
- • Accuracy of disassembler heuristics versus code complexity and maintainability.
- • Balancing the desire to provide helpful annotations with the risk of misinterpretation.
- • Informing users about the limitations and assumptions of automated annotation features.
All attributes
- project
- binutils
- subsystem
- rfc
- patch_id
- —
- discussion_id
- 5de93e0f-46bc-0f2b-f0cd-f4be1c577238@e124511.cambridge.arm.com
- source_type
- public_inbox
- title
- Re: RFC: AArch64 Disassembler: Annotate undefined instructions
- headline
- AArch64 Disassembler: Annotate undefined instructions
- tldr
- Discussion continues on the AArch64 disassembler's heuristic for annotating undefined instructions, with concerns about accuracy and user interpretation.
- proposer
- Alice Carlotti <alice.carlotti@arm.com>
- consensus
- Proposed
- outcome
- proposed
- sentiment_score
- —
- technical_tradeoffs
-
- • Accuracy of disassembler heuristics versus code complexity and maintainability.
- • Balancing the desire to provide helpful annotations with the risk of misinterpretation.
- • Informing users about the limitations and assumptions of automated annotation features.
- series_id
- —
- series_role
- standalone
- series_parts
- []
- tags
-
- • binutils
- • aarch64
- • disassembler
- • objdump
- • arm
- url
- https://inbox.sourceware.org/binutils/5de93e0f-46bc-0f2b-f0cd-f4be1c577238@e124511.cambridge.arm.com
- bugzilla_url
- —
- date
- 2026-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
Re: RFC: AArch64 Disassembler: Annotate undefined instructions
Alice Carlotti clarifies that the AArch64 disassembler’s heuristic for annotating undefined instructions is primarily for the objdump user, not binary creators. She acknowledges issues with conflating 32-bit and 64-bit values and potential misinterpretations when content is treated as data instead of instructions. Nick Clifton suggests improvements but notes the feature is already committed.