Gprof now supports split debuginfo.
gprof now correctly handles binaries stripped with "strip -g" by using debug BFD for symbol and line information.
Gprof now uses debug BFD for symbol and line information when a separated debuginfo file is found. This enables gprof to work correctly with binaries stripped with “strip -g”. This change is a step towards future debuginfod/dwz support.
In Details
gprof is now able to locate and open external debug files via .gnu_debuglink, .gnu_debugaltlink, or build-id. A new static variable core_debug_bfd stores the separated debug BFD. open_separated_debug_file() is called after opening the main binary to locate external debug info. Testsuite updates add a test case using a stripped binary.
For Context
Gprof is a performance analysis tool that profiles the execution of programs to determine where they spend their time. Debuginfo is extra data embedded in or alongside compiled programs that allows debuggers to correlate machine code with source code. Split debuginfo is a method where debug information is stored in separate files, typically used to reduce the size of the main executable. This commit enhances gprof's ability to work with split debuginfo, especially in cases where binaries have been stripped of their debug symbols.