[Vm-dev] [Fwd: Image file loading]

[David T. Lewis]

On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 05:34:25PM -0800, Andreas Raab wrote:
> 
> David T. Lewis wrote:
> >
> >A suggestion:
> >
> >  Interpreter>>installImage: address size: imageSize header: header
> 
> I don't like that. It implies that the support code needs to be able to 
> dissect the image file to find out how much is header and how much is 
> data. That implies the support code needs to know about image format, 
> byte reversal, and several other things. The interpreter already does 
> that so why should we have to duplicate that in the support code again?

OK

> >My opinion: Adding the entry point is easy to do and has a clear benefit
> >for at least one platform of interest, so we should do this. Removing
> >the existing entry point is debatable and can be done at a later time.
> 
> Why do you think removing the existing entry point is debatable? I can't 
> see a long-term benefit for using readImageFromFile: given that the new 
> entry point trivially subsumes the old one.

I don't mean to debate it ;) My point is that it can be handled later
when everyone has agreed and the necessary action has been taken to
implement it. This may or may not happen quickly; meanwhile adding the
new entry point is straightforward.

Dave