FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2026
gcc
Fix signed char test assumption for PR126136
Compiler test correctly assumes signed char to fix regressions.
A regression in the compiler’s testsuite was traced to an assumption about the signedness of char. This commit explicitly makes characters signed in the test case, resolving the issue and passing tests on ARM platforms. The fix ensures compiler behavior aligns with expected signed character semantics.
In Details
The GCC testsuite had a test (pr126136.c) that did not explicitly define character signedness, leading to platform-specific assumptions and regressions, particularly on ARM. This change explicitly declares characters as signed in the test, aligning it with the assumption made in the optimization pass that handled the pattern. This resolves several CI regressions reported by Linaro.
For Context
- signed char
- An integer type that represents characters. 'Signed' means it can represent both positive and negative values, a common default for 'char' on many systems but not universally guaranteed by the C standard.
- ARM
- A family of reduced instruction set computing (RISC) architectures commonly used in mobile devices, embedded systems, and increasingly in servers and laptops. GCC supports a wide variety of ARM targets.