204146 - Undefined symbols during autoregistration should go to stdout

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Core :: XPCOM, defect)

Description

[Akkana Peck]

If you have an undefined symbol in an xpcom component, or some other error, then
the component just silently fails to load.  To find out why, you have to setenv
NSPR_LOG_MODULES nsComponentManager:5 then wade through all the output.  This
came up on #mozilla and the consensus was that this info should really go to
stderr/stdout.

There wasn't a definite consensus on whether the info should be printed in opt
builds as well as debug, but since I'm the one filing the bug I'll list my
opinion: it should be printed even in opt builds, because someone using such a
component is either (a) a developer working on an xpcom component (component
developers won't necessarily have complete mozilla trees -- it may be necessary
now, but some day it won't be) or (b) someone who just downloaded a new .xpi
from somewhere and will be wondering why their newly installed whizbang feature
isn't showing up.

Simon added that in debug mode, nspr should complain about library loading
errors, which would also probably be a good thing.

Comment 1

[Doug Turner (:dougt)]

patches welcome.

Comment 2

[timeless]

Attachment: Change priorities for NSPR Logging

I can post the output for this if anyone cares.

with these changes NSPR_LOG_MODULES=nsComponentManager:1 is usable

Comment 3

[Christian :Biesinger (don't email me, ping me on IRC)]

that patch doesn't fix the bug as filed, because you still have to set
NSPR_LOG_MODULES...

Comment 4

[Doug Turner (:dougt)]

Comment on attachment 125783 [details] [diff] [review]
Change priorities for NSPR Logging

although, please keep this bug open since this doesn't fix the problem
directly.

Comment 5

[timeless]

sure

Comment 6

[timeless]

Attachment: Always error to standard out

Comment 7

[Doug Turner (:dougt)]

Comment on attachment 125830 [details] [diff] [review]
Always error to standard out

sure.

and I think this will fix the bug.

Comment 8

[timeless]

checked in