[v3] gdb, configure: Add disable-formats option for configure

diff --git a/gdb/Makefile.in b/gdb/Makefile.in
index a24c86fcff8..778ed54090f 100644
--- a/gdb/Makefile.in
+++ b/gdb/Makefile.in
@@ -904,13 +904,15 @@  ALL_TARGET_OBS = \
 	vax-tdep.o \
 	windows-tdep.o \
 	x86-tdep.o \
-	xcoffread.o \
 	xstormy16-tdep.o \
 	xtensa-config.o \
 	xtensa-linux-tdep.o \
 	xtensa-tdep.o \
 	z80-tdep.o
 
+# Object files for reading specific types of debug information.
+FORMAT_OBS = @FORMAT_OBS@
+
 # The following native-target dependent variables are defined on
 # configure.nat.
 NAT_FILE = @NAT_FILE@
@@ -1067,8 +1069,6 @@  COMMON_SFILES = \
 	c-varobj.c \
 	charset.c \
 	cli-out.c \
-	coff-pe-read.c \
-	coffread.c \
 	complaints.c \
 	completer.c \
 	copying.c \
@@ -1082,7 +1082,6 @@  COMMON_SFILES = \
 	d-lang.c \
 	d-namespace.c \
 	d-valprint.c \
-	dbxread.c \
 	dcache.c \
 	debug.c \
 	debuginfod-support.c \
@@ -1174,7 +1173,6 @@  COMMON_SFILES = \
 	memtag.c \
 	minidebug.c \
 	minsyms.c \
-	mipsread.c \
 	namespace.c \
 	objc-lang.c \
 	objfiles.c \
@@ -1267,7 +1265,6 @@  SFILES = \
 	d-exp.y \
 	dtrace-probe.c \
 	elf-none-tdep.c \
-	elfread.c \
 	f-exp.y \
 	gcore-elf.c \
 	gdb.c \
@@ -1887,7 +1884,6 @@  ALLDEPFILES = \
 	x86-gnu-nat.c \
 	x86-nat.c \
 	x86-tdep.c \
-	xcoffread.c \
 	xstormy16-tdep.c \
 	xtensa-config.c \
 	xtensa-linux-nat.c \
@@ -1909,7 +1905,8 @@  COMMON_OBS = $(DEPFILES) $(CONFIG_OBS) $(YYOBJ) \
 	$(SUBDIR_CLI_OBS) \
 	$(SUBDIR_MI_OBS) \
 	$(SUBDIR_TARGET_OBS) \
-	$(SUBDIR_GCC_COMPILE_OBS)
+	$(SUBDIR_GCC_COMPILE_OBS) \
+	$(FORMAT_OBS)
 
 SUBDIRS = doc @subdirs@ data-directory
 CLEANDIRS = $(SUBDIRS)
diff --git a/gdb/NEWS b/gdb/NEWS
index f5dbf5c3350..2a916d356ef 100644
--- a/gdb/NEWS
+++ b/gdb/NEWS
@@ -85,6 +85,17 @@  qXfer:threads:read
 * Support for stabs debugging format and the a.out/dbx object format is
   deprecated, and will be removed in GDB 18.
 
+* Configure changes
+
+enable-binary-file-formats=[FORMAT,...]
+enable-binary-file-formats=all
+  A user can now decide to only compile support for certain file formats.
+  The available formats at this point are: dbx, coff, xcoff, elf, mach-o
+  and mips.  Some targets require specific file formats to be available,
+  and in such cases, the configure script will warn the user and add
+  support anyway.  By default, all formats will be compiled in, to
+  continue the behavior from before adding the switch.
+
 *** Changes in GDB 16
 
 * Support for Nios II targets has been removed as this architecture
diff --git a/gdb/README b/gdb/README
index b6eb3f12c56..0168afe7cd1 100644
--- a/gdb/README
+++ b/gdb/README
@@ -417,6 +417,30 @@  more obscure GDB `configure' options are not listed here.
      There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available
      targets.
 
+`--enable-binary-file-formats=FORMAT,FORMAT,...'
+`--enable-binary-file-formats=all'
+    Configure GDB to only be be able to read selected file formats.
+    The special value "all" causes all file formats to be compiled
+    in, and is the the default behavior of the option.  This option
+    is meant for advanced users who are sure of what they expect,
+    if you are unsure which options you will need on your debugging
+    sessions, we recommend that you not use this feature.  The
+    accepted options are:
+      * coff: Main format on windows systems. This is required to
+        compile with windows target support;
+      * dbx (also known as a.out): is a legacy file format, this
+        is recommended if you know you will be dealing with this
+        file format;
+      * elf: Main format of linux systems. This is heavily
+        recommended when compiling with linux support;
+      * macho: Main format on MacOS systems, this is heavily
+        recommended when compiling for those targets;
+      * mips (also known as ecoff): this is the main file format
+        for targets running on MIPS CPUs. It is heavily recommended
+        when supporting those targets.
+      * xcoff: Main format of AIX systems, this is required to
+        compile for AIX targets and rs6000 CPUs.
+
 `--with-gdb-datadir=PATH'
      Set the GDB-specific data directory.  GDB will look here for
      certain supporting files or scripts.  This defaults to the `gdb'
diff --git a/gdb/config.in b/gdb/config.in
index db63aeaec75..248ebaa68af 100644
--- a/gdb/config.in
+++ b/gdb/config.in
@@ -733,6 +733,9 @@ 
 /* Define to 1 if you have the ANSI C header files. */
 #undef STDC_HEADERS
 
+/* Which file formats were requested at configure time. */
+#undef SUPPORTED_FORMATS
+
 /* automatically load a system-wide gdbinit file */
 #undef SYSTEM_GDBINIT
 
diff --git a/gdb/configure b/gdb/configure
index bdc405e01b3..8229ccaa588 100755
--- a/gdb/configure
+++ b/gdb/configure
@@ -706,6 +706,7 @@  LIBGUI
 LTLIBLZMA
 LIBLZMA
 HAVE_LIBLZMA
+FORMAT_OBS
 SER_HARDWIRE
 WERROR_CFLAGS
 WARN_CFLAGS
@@ -934,6 +935,7 @@  with_relocated_sources
 with_auto_load_dir
 with_auto_load_safe_path
 enable_targets
+enable_binary_file_formats
 enable_64_bit_bfd
 with_amd_dbgapi
 enable_tui
@@ -1645,6 +1647,9 @@  Optional Features:
   --disable-nls           do not use Native Language Support
   --enable-targets=TARGETS
                           alternative target configurations
+  --enable-binary-file-formats=FILE_FORMATS
+                          enable support for selected file formats (default
+                          'all')
   --enable-64-bit-bfd     64-bit support (on hosts with narrower word sizes)
   --enable-tui            enable full-screen terminal user interface (TUI)
   --enable-gdbtk          enable gdbtk graphical user interface (GUI)
@@ -11500,7 +11505,7 @@  else
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
-#line 11503 "configure"
+#line 11508 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -11606,7 +11611,7 @@  else
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
-#line 11609 "configure"
+#line 11614 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -24875,6 +24880,18 @@  esac
 fi
 
 
+# Check whether --enable-binary_file_formats was given.
+if test "${enable_binary_file_formats+set}" = set; then :
+  enableval=$enable_binary_file_formats; case "${enableval}" in
+ yes | "") as_fn_error $? "enable-formats option must specify file formats or 'all'" "$LINENO" 5
+            ;;
+  no)       enable_binary_file_formats= ;;
+  *)        enable_binary_file_formats=$enableval ;;
+esac
+else
+  enable_binary_file_formats=all
+fi
+
 
 # Check whether --enable-64-bit-bfd was given.
 if test "${enable_64_bit_bfd+set}" = set; then :
@@ -24958,11 +24975,20 @@  fi
 TARGET_OBS=
 all_targets=
 HAVE_NATIVE_GCORE_TARGET=
+# File formats that will be enabled based on the selected
+# target(s).  These are chosen because they are required to
+# compile one or more of the selected targets.
+target_formats=
+# If all targets were requested, this is all formats that should
+# accompany them.  These are just the ones required for compilation
+# to succeed, not the formats suggested based on targets.
+all_target_formats="coff xcoff"
 
 for targ_alias in `echo $target_alias $enable_targets | sed 's/,/ /g'`
 do
   if test "$targ_alias" = "all"; then
     all_targets=true
+    target_formats=$all_target_formats
   else
     # Canonicalize the secondary target names.
     result=`$ac_config_sub $targ_alias 2>/dev/null`
@@ -31553,6 +31579,10 @@  fi
 # Note that WIN32APILIBS is set by GDB_AC_COMMON.
 WIN32LIBS="$WIN32LIBS $WIN32APILIBS"
 
+# Object files to be used when building with support for all file formats.
+all_binary_format_obs="dbxread.o mipsread.o coffread.o coff-pe-read.o xcoffread.o"
+
+support_elf=no
 # Add ELF support to GDB, but only if BFD includes ELF support.
 
   OLD_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
@@ -31605,7 +31635,7 @@  $as_echo "$gdb_cv_var_elf" >&6; }
   LDFLAGS=$OLD_LDFLAGS
   LIBS=$OLD_LIBS
 if test "$gdb_cv_var_elf" = yes; then
-  CONFIG_OBS="$CONFIG_OBS elfread.o stap-probe.o dtrace-probe.o \
+  CONFIG_OBS="$CONFIG_OBS stap-probe.o dtrace-probe.o \
 		gcore-elf.o elf-none-tdep.o"
 
 $as_echo "#define HAVE_ELF 1" >>confdefs.h
@@ -31669,9 +31699,12 @@  if test "$ac_res" != no; then :
 fi
 
   fi
+  support_elf=yes
+  all_binary_format_obs="$all_binary_format_obs elfread.o"
 fi
 
 # Add macho support to GDB, but only if BFD includes it.
+support_macho=no
 
   OLD_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
   OLD_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
@@ -31723,9 +31756,49 @@  $as_echo "$gdb_cv_var_macho" >&6; }
   LDFLAGS=$OLD_LDFLAGS
   LIBS=$OLD_LIBS
 if test "$gdb_cv_var_macho" = yes; then
-  CONFIG_OBS="$CONFIG_OBS machoread.o"
+  support_macho=yes
+  all_binary_format_obs="$all_binary_format_obs machoread.o"
+fi
+
+FORMAT_OBS=
+
+if test "$enable_binary_file_formats" != "all"; then
+    # Formats that are required by some requested target(s).
+    # Warn users that they are added, so no one is surprised.
+    for req in $target_formats; do
+	if ! echo "$enable_binary_file_formats" | grep -wq "$req"; then
+	    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: \"$req is required to support one or more requested targets.  Adding it\"" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: \"$req is required to support one or more requested targets.  Adding it\"" >&2;}
+	    enable_binary_file_formats="${enable_binary_file_formats},$req"
+	fi
+    done
+
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
+#define SUPPORTED_FORMATS "$enable_binary_file_formats"
+_ACEOF
+
 fi
 
+enable_binary_file_formats=$(echo $enable_binary_file_formats | sed 's/,/ /g')
+
+for format in $enable_binary_file_formats
+do
+    if test "$format" = "elf"; then
+	if test "$support_elf" != "yes"; then
+	    as_fn_error but BFD does not support it." "\"elf support was requested" "$LINENO" 5;
+	fi
+    elif test "$format" = "macho"; then
+	if test "$support_macho" != "yes"; then
+	    as_fn_error but BFD does not support it." "\"Mach-O support was requested" "$LINENO" 5;
+	fi
+    fi
+
+    . ${srcdir}/configure.format
+done
+
+
+
 # Add any host-specific objects to GDB.
 CONFIG_OBS="${CONFIG_OBS} ${gdb_host_obs}"
 
diff --git a/gdb/configure.ac b/gdb/configure.ac
index fb77e79e73b..c5e774962ce 100644
--- a/gdb/configure.ac
+++ b/gdb/configure.ac
@@ -191,6 +191,15 @@  AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-targets=TARGETS], [alternative target configurations]),
 	;;
 esac])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(binary_file_formats,
+	      AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-binary-file-formats=FILE_FORMATS],
+			     [enable support for selected file formats (default 'all')]),
+[case "${enableval}" in
+ yes | "") AC_MSG_ERROR(enable-formats option must specify file formats or 'all')
+            ;;
+  no)       enable_binary_file_formats= ;;
+  *)        enable_binary_file_formats=$enableval ;;
+esac], [enable_binary_file_formats=all])
 
 BFD_64_BIT
 
@@ -211,11 +220,20 @@  fi
 TARGET_OBS=
 all_targets=
 HAVE_NATIVE_GCORE_TARGET=
+# File formats that will be enabled based on the selected
+# target(s).  These are chosen because they are required to
+# compile one or more of the selected targets.
+target_formats=
+# If all targets were requested, this is all formats that should
+# accompany them.  These are just the ones required for compilation
+# to succeed, not the formats suggested based on targets.
+all_target_formats="coff xcoff"
 
 for targ_alias in `echo $target_alias $enable_targets | sed 's/,/ /g'`
 do
   if test "$targ_alias" = "all"; then
     all_targets=true
+    target_formats=$all_target_formats
   else
     # Canonicalize the secondary target names.
     result=`$ac_config_sub $targ_alias 2>/dev/null`
@@ -1903,11 +1921,15 @@  fi
 # Note that WIN32APILIBS is set by GDB_AC_COMMON.
 WIN32LIBS="$WIN32LIBS $WIN32APILIBS"
 
+# Object files to be used when building with support for all file formats.
+all_binary_format_obs="dbxread.o mipsread.o coffread.o coff-pe-read.o xcoffread.o"
+
+support_elf=no
 # Add ELF support to GDB, but only if BFD includes ELF support.
 GDB_AC_CHECK_BFD([for ELF support in BFD], gdb_cv_var_elf,
                  [bfd_get_elf_phdr_upper_bound (NULL)], elf-bfd.h)
 if test "$gdb_cv_var_elf" = yes; then
-  CONFIG_OBS="$CONFIG_OBS elfread.o stap-probe.o dtrace-probe.o \
+  CONFIG_OBS="$CONFIG_OBS stap-probe.o dtrace-probe.o \
 		gcore-elf.o elf-none-tdep.o"
   AC_DEFINE(HAVE_ELF, 1,
 	    [Define if ELF support should be included.])
@@ -1915,15 +1937,54 @@  if test "$gdb_cv_var_elf" = yes; then
   if test "$plugins" = "yes"; then
     AC_SEARCH_LIBS(dlopen, dl)
   fi
+  support_elf=yes
+  all_binary_format_obs="$all_binary_format_obs elfread.o"
 fi
 
 # Add macho support to GDB, but only if BFD includes it.
+support_macho=no
 GDB_AC_CHECK_BFD([for Mach-O support in BFD], gdb_cv_var_macho,
                  [bfd_mach_o_lookup_command (NULL, 0, NULL)], mach-o.h)
 if test "$gdb_cv_var_macho" = yes; then
-  CONFIG_OBS="$CONFIG_OBS machoread.o"
+  support_macho=yes
+  all_binary_format_obs="$all_binary_format_obs machoread.o"
+fi
+
+FORMAT_OBS=
+
+if test "$enable_binary_file_formats" != "all"; then
+    # Formats that are required by some requested target(s).
+    # Warn users that they are added, so no one is surprised.
+    for req in $target_formats; do
+	if ! echo "$enable_binary_file_formats" | grep -wq "$req"; then
+	    AC_MSG_WARN("$req is required to support one or more requested targets.  Adding it")
+	    enable_binary_file_formats="${enable_binary_file_formats},$req"
+	fi
+    done
+
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(SUPPORTED_FORMATS, "$enable_binary_file_formats",
+		       Which file formats were requested at configure time. )
 fi
 
+enable_binary_file_formats=$(echo $enable_binary_file_formats | sed 's/,/ /g')
+
+for format in $enable_binary_file_formats
+do
+    if test "$format" = "elf"; then
+	if test "$support_elf" != "yes"; then
+	    AC_MSG_ERROR("elf support was requested, but BFD does not support it.");
+	fi
+    elif test "$format" = "macho"; then
+	if test "$support_macho" != "yes"; then
+	    AC_MSG_ERROR("Mach-O support was requested, but BFD does not support it.");
+	fi
+    fi
+
+    . ${srcdir}/configure.format
+done
+
+AC_SUBST(FORMAT_OBS)
+
 # Add any host-specific objects to GDB.
 CONFIG_OBS="${CONFIG_OBS} ${gdb_host_obs}"
 
diff --git a/gdb/configure.format b/gdb/configure.format
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5ac86359037
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/configure.format
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ 
+# Copyright (C) 2024-2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+#
+# This file is part of GDB.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+# This file is used to decide which files need to be compiled to support
+# the requested file formats
+
+case $format in
+    xcoff)
+	FORMAT_OBS="$FORMAT_OBS xcoffread.o"
+	;;
+
+    # Despite the naming convention implying coff-pe to be a separate
+    # reader, it is in fact just a helper for coffread;
+    coff)
+	FORMAT_OBS="$FORMAT_OBS coffread.o coff-pe-read.o"
+	;;
+
+    dbx)
+	FORMAT_OBS="$FORMAT_OBS dbxread.o"
+	;;
+
+    elf)
+	FORMAT_OBS="$FORMAT_OBS elfread.o"
+	;;
+
+    macho)
+	FORMAT_OBS="$FORMAT_OBS machoread.o"
+	;;
+
+    mips)
+	FORMAT_OBS="$FORMAT_OBS mipsread.o"
+	;;
+
+    all)
+	FORMAT_OBS="$all_binary_format_obs"
+	;;
+esac
diff --git a/gdb/configure.tgt b/gdb/configure.tgt
index 18a15c032c3..064deddc97b 100644
--- a/gdb/configure.tgt
+++ b/gdb/configure.tgt
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@  powerpc-*-openbsd*)
 	;;
 powerpc-*-aix* | rs6000-*-* | powerpc64-*-aix*)
 	# Target: PowerPC running AIX
-	gdb_target_obs="rs6000-tdep.o rs6000-aix-tdep.o xcoffread.o \
+	gdb_target_obs="rs6000-tdep.o rs6000-aix-tdep.o \
 			ppc-sysv-tdep.o solib-aix.o \
 			ravenscar-thread.o ppc-ravenscar-thread.o"
 	;;
@@ -512,8 +512,8 @@  powerpc*-*-linux*)
 powerpc-*-lynx*178)
 	# Target: PowerPC running Lynx178.
 	gdb_target_obs="rs6000-tdep.o rs6000-lynx178-tdep.o \
-			xcoffread.o ppc-sysv-tdep.o \
-			ravenscar-thread.o ppc-ravenscar-thread.o"
+			ppc-sysv-tdep.o ravenscar-thread.o \
+			ppc-ravenscar-thread.o"
 	;;
 powerpc*-*-*)
 	# Target: PowerPC running eabi
@@ -817,3 +817,17 @@  for t in x ${gdb_target_obs}; do
     gdb_have_gcore=true
   fi
 done
+
+# Decide which file formats are absolutely required based on
+# the requested targets.  Warn later that they are added, in
+# case the user didn't manually request them, or all readers.
+# It's fine to add the same format multiple times since the
+# loop that reads the options to FORMAT_OBS will ensure that
+# they are only added once.
+for i in $gdb_target_obs; do
+    case "${i}" in
+    *"windows-tdep.o" ) target_formats="${target_formats} coff";;
+    "rs6000-aix-tdep.o" ) target_formats="${target_formats} xcoff";;
+    "rs6000-lynx178-tdep.o" ) target_formats="${target_formats} xcoff";;
+    esac
+done
diff --git a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
index 95a881e9dff..26434183769 100644
--- a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
+++ b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
@@ -41258,6 +41258,14 @@  Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the
 specified list of targets.  The special value @samp{all} configures
 @value{GDBN} for debugging programs running on any target it supports.
 
+@item --enable-binary-file-formats=@r{[}@var{format}@r{]}@dots{}
+@itemx --enable-binary-file-formats=all
+Configure @value{GDBN} to support certain binary file formats.  If a
+format is the main (or only) file format for a given target, the
+configure script may add support to it anyway, and warn the user.
+If not given, all file formats that @value{GDBN} supports are compiled
+in.
+
 @item --with-gdb-datadir=@var{path}
 Set the @value{GDBN}-specific data directory.  @value{GDBN} will look
 here for certain supporting files or scripts.  This defaults to the
diff --git a/gdb/top.c b/gdb/top.c
index b2575bc2b58..9342085b3a9 100644
--- a/gdb/top.c
+++ b/gdb/top.c
@@ -1595,6 +1595,11 @@  This GDB was configured as follows:\n\
 	     --with-system-gdbinit-dir=%s%s\n\
 "), SYSTEM_GDBINIT_DIR, SYSTEM_GDBINIT_DIR_RELOCATABLE ? " (relocatable)" : "");
 
+#ifdef SUPPORTED_FORMATS
+  gdb_printf (stream, _("\
+	     --enable-binary-file-formats=%s\n"), SUPPORTED_FORMATS);
+#endif
+
   /* We assume "relocatable" will be printed at least once, thus we always
      print this text.  It's a reasonably safe assumption for now.  */
   gdb_printf (stream, _("\n\