Always use SVN_ERR_ASSERT [was: svn commit: r1329234 - in /subversion/trunk: ./ subversion/libsvn_delta/compat.c]

Bert Huijben wrote:

> you could just use
> assert(svn_relpath_is_canonical(base_relpath)); for a debug only check. (or
> SVN_ERR_ASSERT() if you also want to slow down release versions)

The policy is: always use 'SVN_ERR_ASSERT' rather than 'assert' (in functions that return svn_error_t).

Of course he doesn't "want to slow down" Subversion.

The choice between 'assert' and 'SVN_ERR_ASSERT' should be based on whether we want an application program to be able to catch such a failure.  We long ago decided that the answer is YES we do want to write our library functions in such a way that an application can catch an assertion failure if its author chooses to do so.  SVN_ERR_ASSERT was introduces to fulfil that need.

There isn't currently an easy build switch (such as NDEBUG) to disable SVN_ERR_ASSERT completely at compile time.  That's just a side issue.  If you want such a switch, just ask; we can easily create one.  Or if you think we need two levels of assertions -- one for quick tests and another for slow tests -- and want to be able to compile-out the slow ones independently of the quick ones, just ask.  But implying we should use 'assert' for slow tests and 'SVN_ERR_ASSERT' for quick tests is the Wrong Way.

- Julian
Received on 2012-04-23 18:02:10 CEST