[webkit-dev] Proposal to enable compile flags only for EWS run

[Adam Barth]

Currently the EWS bots use the same configuration as the bots on
build.webkit.org.  We do that so they give accurate information about
what effect a given patch is going to have on the state of the tree
when the patch lands.  If we build using different flags on the EWS
than on build.webkit.org, they lose that predictive power.

What we've done to address this issue in the past is to set up a new
bot on build.webkit.org that builds and tests with flag turned on.
For example, during the development of flexbox, we had a flexbox bot
that the folks who worked on flexible cared about and everyone else
ignored.  I believe we did the same thing for grid layout.

I'd recommend setting up a separate bot on build.webkit.org.

Adam


On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 6:13 AM, Bruno Abinader <brunoabinader at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi WebKit :)
>
> As previously discussed, we decided that compile flag only was the
> best option for CSS3 Text Decoration feature set (landed in
> http://trac.webkit.org/changeset/125716 ). I believe this was a
> general decision and got promptly implemented as such (however I still
> maintain a runtime flag patch at
> https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=93966 in case it is ever
> needed).
>
> What I want to discuss is an issue that raises with the decision to
> only have compile flag: As it comes disabled by default, further
> development on this feature will not be able to be checked by EWS or
> any other build bot. This affects layout tests regression checking and
> compile-time error checking, so I wonder how can we manage to fix
> this? I have some proposals below:
>
> 1) Propose a special "EWS-only" build variable to contain compile
> flags not enabled by default.
> I might not know how difficult it would be to implement this, but
> sounds like a clean approach to me.
>
> 2) Change compile flag value to become enabled by default.
> I believe this is not possible because, as discussed earlier, it would
> prematurely expose the feature to the web.
>
> 3) Add runtime flag, so compile flag would be enabled by default, but
> runtime flag would be disabled.
> That was I actually proposed in
> http://lists.webkit.org/pipermail/webkit-dev/2012-August/021878.html
> (CSS Regions implements like this, with both compile and runtime
> flags).
>
> Assuming that 2) and 3) are not possible due to previous discussion,
> this makes me wonder if 1) is feasible. I believe other feature flags
> might had the same situation before, so how you guys managed to check
> for errors? I appreciate your input and feedback!
>
> Best regards,
>
> --
> Bruno de Oliveira Abinader
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