RFC: Enabling or disabling tracing shell functions

[Paulo César Pereira de Andrade]

  Hi,

  This is a "RFC" to update documentation to better match behavior,
or, to get some information about shell tracing.

  Bellow I am quoting a request from an user:

---8<---
The bash shell offers the xtrace (set -x), functrace (set -T) and
function trace (typeset -ft) facilities to control script and function
tracing yet it appears that only set -x is effective, tracing the
calling script + any and all called functions.

set -x:
Caller and all functions traced, irrespective of typeset [-+]ft and set [-+]T

set +x:
No trace at all, irrespective of trace -ft and set [-+]T

In contrast, using the POSIX shell (HP-UX), the trace directives "set
[-+]x" and "typeset [-+]ft " interact as follows (regardless of
whether shell functions are defined with the "function name" or
"name()" forms):

set -x:
- typeset -ft name ...
Caller and named function(s) traced

- typeset +ft name ...
Caller but trace from named function(s) suppressed

set +x:
- typeset -ft name ...
Only named function(s) traced

- typeset +ft name ...
No trace at all

So function trace can be governed _independently_ of the calling
script/session trace, which is useful in controlling the amount of
trace generated.  Can bash replicate this behaviour, i.e. trace a
script but NOT its called functions ?
---8<---

  Since access to HP-UX sh, that should be a superset of ksh88 is not easy,
one shell that appears to be very close to the HP-UX sh in this respect is
zsh, that allows either tracing or not tracing only functions.

  Looking at bash source code, it could require a significant change to offer
such feature. First, I believe trace_p() would need to be converted to a three
state, to know all the conditions, or, it could by default trace
functions always
and only not trace if trace_p() is unset. The problem is that trace_p() for
functions is already being used for a different state control.

  Assuming the current trace_p() usage were modified, to implement disable
of traced functions, a pseudo-patch could be:

---8<---
make_cmd.c:make_function_def()
-  temp->flags = 0;
+  temp->flags = att_trace;
---8<---

and
---8<---
execute_cmd.c:execute_function()
       restore_default_signal (ERROR_TRAP);
     }

+  if (echo_command_at_execute && !trace_p (var))
+    {
+      unwind_protect_int (echo_command_at_execute);
+      echo_command_at_execute = 0;
+    }
+
+
   /* Shell functions inherit the RETURN trap if function tracing is on
      globally or on individually for this function. */
---8<---

but to trace only functions under "set +x" a different approach would be
required (the need for a three-state).

  Attached is a test script from the user, that will work with bash and
zsh (to test ksh behavior need to comment the "set +-T").

Thanks,
Paulo

x.sh
Description: Bourne shell script