gdb/TODO

   1 If you find inaccuracies in this list, please send mail to
   2 gdb-patches@sourceware.cygnus.com.  If you would like to work on any
   3 of these, you should consider sending mail to the same address, to
   4 find out whether anyone else is working on it.
   5
   6
   7                         GDB 5.1 - Fixes
   8                         ===============
   9
  10 Below is a list of problems identified during the GDB 5.0 release
  11 cycle.  People hope to have these problems fixed in 5.1.
  12
  13 -- 2001-03-08
  14
  15 Update GDB's coding standard documentation.  Known topics:
  16
  17        o     alloca/malloc et.al.
  18
  19        o     typedef and structs
  20
  21        o        ISO-C
  22
  23 and most likely also:
  24
  25        o         include conventions
  26
  27 --
  28
  29 Wow, three bug reports for the same problem in one day!  We should
  30 probably make fixing this a real priority :-).
  31
  32 Anyway, thanks for reporting.
  33
  34 The following patch will fix the problems with setting breakpoints in
  35 dynamically loaded objects:
  36
  37    http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00230.html
  38
  39 This patch isn't checked in yet (ping Michael/JimB), but I hope this
  40 will be in the next GDB release.
  41
  42 There should really be a test in the testsuite for this problem, since
  43 it keeps coming up :-(.  Any volunteers?
  44
  45 Mark
  46
  47 --
  48
  49 x86 linux GDB and SIGALRM (???)
  50 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00803.html
  51
  52 This problem has been fixed, but a regression test still needs to be
  53 added to the testsuite:
  54 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00309.html
  55
  56 Mark
  57
  58 [The test has been submitted for approval - cagney]
  59
  60 --
  61
  62 RFD: infrun.c: No bpstat_stop_status call after proceed over break?
  63 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00665.html
  64
  65 GDB misses watchpoint triggers after proceeding over a breakpoint on
  66 x86 targets.
  67
  68 --
  69
  70 GDB 5.0 doesn't work on Linux/SPARC
  71
  72 There are two parts to this.
  73
  74       o   GDB 5.0 doesn't work on GNU/Linux/SPARC32
  75
  76       o   GDB 5.0 doesn't work on the new target
  77           GNU/Linux/SPARC64
  78
  79 GDB does build on both these targets.
  80
  81 The first problem is the one that should be fixed.
  82
  83 --
  84
  85                 GDB 5.1 - New features
  86                 ======================
  87
  88 The following new features should be included in 5.1.
  89
  90 --
  91
  92 Enable MI by default.  Old code can be deleted after 5.1 is out.
  93
  94 Issues:
  95
  96         o       syntax change where a list would
  97                 look like:
  98                      [ foo=a, foo=b, foo=c ]
  99                 instead of
 100                      { foo=a, foo=b, foo=c }
 101
 102         o       kill off the idea of a reverse
 103                 query.
 104
 105         o       review test cases
 106
 107         o       enable it
 108
 109 --
 110
 111 Pascal (Pierre Muller, David Taylor)
 112
 113 Pierre Muller has contributed patches for adding Pascal Language
 114 support to GDB.
 115
 116 2 pascal language patches inserted in database
 117 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00521.html
 118
 119 Indent -gnu ?
 120 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00496.html
 121
 122 [I think this has been merged, need to confirm - cagney]
 123
 124 --
 125
 126 Java (Anthony Green, David Taylor)
 127
 128 Anthony Green has a number of Java patches that did not make it into
 129 the 5.0 release.  The first two are in cvs now, but the third needs
 130 some fixing up before it can go in.
 131
 132 Patch: java tests
 133 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00512.html
 134
 135 Patch: java booleans
 136 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00515.html
 137
 138 Patch: handle N_MAIN stab
 139 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00527.html
 140
 141 -- 2001-03-08
 142
 143 Add CRIS target.
 144
 145 A predicate to this is the multi-arching of SOFTWARE_SINGLE_STEP().  A
 146 patch has been submitted.
 147
 148 --
 149
 150                 GDB 5.1 - Cleanups
 151                 ==================
 152
 153 The following code cleanups will hopefully be applied to GDB 5.1.
 154
 155 -- 2001-03-26
 156
 157 Resolve the build status of all broken targets as identified by the
 158 MAINTAINERS file.
 159
 160         o       arm-* vs NetBSD's lack of ``unix''
 161         o       arm-* vs IRIX (see below)
 162
 163         o       delete mpw?
 164
 165 -- 2001-03-15
 166
 167                         Obsolete some targets.
 168
 169 Possible selection criteria are:
 170
 171         o       uses a deprecated feature
 172
 173         o       doesn't build
 174
 175         o       doesn't have a maintainer
 176
 177 Steps:
 178
 179         o       post proposals to gdb@ (DONE)
 180
 181         o       post announcement to gdb-announce@
 182                 crossed with gdb@ reply-to to gdb@
 183                 (DONE)
 184
 185                         ns32k-*-mach3*
 186                         ns32k-umax-*
 187                         ns32k-utek-sysv*
 188                         tic80-*
 189                         m68*-isi-*
 190                         m68*-sony-*
 191                         m68*-rom68k-*
 192                         m68*-*bug-*
 193                         m68*-monitor-*
 194                         m68*-est-*
 195                         a29k-ultra3
 196                         powerpcle-*-solaris*
 197                         powerpcle-*-cygwin*
 198                         powerpc-*-netware*
 199                         w65-*-*
 200                         i[3456]86-*-sunos*
 201
 202         o       clobber the files:
 203
 204                         configure.{in,host,tgt}
 205                         Makefile.in
 206                         *-tdep.c *-nat.c *-xdep.c
 207                         configure/*/*
 208
 209         o       update NEWS
 210
 211 --
 212
 213 Change documentation to GFDL license.
 214
 215 ``It is time to make an effort to start using the GFDL more
 216 thoroughly.  Would all GNU maintainers please change the license to
 217 the GFDL, for all manuals and other major documentation files?
 218
 219 The GFDL and some instructions for using it can be found in
 220 http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/''
 221
 222         RMS
 223
 224 --
 225
 226 Fix copyright notices.
 227
 228 Turns out that ``1998-2000'' isn't considered valid :-(
 229
 230 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00467.html
 231
 232 --
 233
 234                 GDB 5.1 - Known Problems
 235                 ========================
 236
 237 --
 238
 239 z8k
 240
 241 The z8k has suffered bit rot and is known to not build.  The problem
 242 was occuring in the opcodes directory.
 243
 244 --
 245
 246 m88k
 247
 248 The m88k has suffered bit rot and is known to not build.
 249
 250 --
 251
 252 Solaris 8 x86 CURSES_H problem
 253 http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb/2000-07/msg00038.html
 254
 255 The original problem was worked around with:
 256
 257     2000-06-06  Michael Snyder  <msnyder@cygnus.com>
 258
 259         * configure.in: Enable autoconf to find curses.h on Solaris 2.8.
 260         * configure: Regenerate.
 261
 262 When building both GDB and SID using the same source tree the problem
 263 will still occure. sid/component/configure.in mis-configures
 264 <curses.h> and leaves wrong information in the config cache.
 265
 266 --
 267
 268                 GDB 5.2 - Fixes
 269                 ===============
 270
 271 --
 272
 273 Thread support.  Right now, as soon as a thread finishes and exits,
 274 you're hosed.  This problem is reported once a week or so.
 275
 276 --
 277
 278                 GDB 5.2 - New features
 279                 ======================
 280
 281 --
 282
 283 GCC 3.0 ABI support (but hopefully sooner...).
 284
 285 --
 286
 287 Objective C/C++ support (but hopefully sooner...).
 288
 289 --
 290
 291                 GDB 5.2 - Cleanups
 292                 ==================
 293
 294 The following cleanups have been identified as part of GDB 5.2.
 295
 296 --
 297
 298 Remove old code that does not use ui_out functions and all the related
 299 "ifdef"s.  This also allows the elimination of -DUI_OUT from
 300 Makefile.in and configure.in.
 301
 302 --
 303
 304 Compiler warnings.
 305
 306 Eliminate all warnings for at least one host/target for the flags:
 307 -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wcomment -Wtrigraphs -Wformat -Wparentheses
 308 -Wpointer-arith -Wuninitialized
 309
 310 --
 311
 312 Deprecate, if not delete, the following:
 313
 314         register[]
 315         register_valid[]
 316         register_buffer()
 317         REGISTER_BYTE()
 318                 Replaced by, on the target side
 319                   supply_register()
 320                 and on core-gdb side:
 321                   {read,write}_register_gen()
 322                 Remote.c will need to use something
 323                 other than REGISTER_BYTE() and
 324                 REGISTER_RAW_SIZE() when unpacking
 325                 [gG] packets.
 326
 327         STORE_PSEUDO_REGISTER
 328         FETCH_PSEUDO_REGISTER
 329                 Now handed by the methods
 330                   gdbarch_{read,write}_register()
 331                 which sits between core GDB and
 332                 the register cache.
 333
 334         REGISTER_CONVERTIBLE
 335         REGISTER_CONVERT_TO_RAW
 336         REGISTER_CONVERT_TO_VIRTUAL
 337                 I think these three are redundant.
 338                 gdbarch_register_{read,write} can
 339                 do any conversion it likes.
 340
 341         REGISTER_VIRTUAL_SIZE
 342         MAX_REGISTER_VIRTUAL_SIZE
 343         REGISTER_VIRTUAL_TYPE
 344                 I think these can be replaced by
 345                 the pair:
 346                   FRAME_REGISTER_TYPE(frame, regnum)
 347                   REGISTER_TYPE(regnum)
 348
 349         DO_REGISTERS_INFO
 350                 Replace with
 351                  FRAME_REGISTER_INFO (frame, ...)
 352
 353         REGISTER_SIM_REGNO()
 354                 If nothing else rename this so that
 355                 how it relates to rawreg and the
 356                 regnum is clear.
 357
 358         REGISTER_BYTES
 359                 The size of the cache can be computed
 360                 on the fly.
 361
 362 --
 363
 364 Restructure gdb directory tree so that it avoids any 8.3 and 14
 365 filename problems.
 366
 367 --
 368
 369 Convert GDB build process to AUTOMAKE.
 370
 371 See also sub-directory configure below.
 372
 373 The current convention is (kind of) to use $(<header>_h) in all
 374 dependency lists.  It isn't done in a consistent way.
 375
 376 --
 377
 378                 GDB 5.2 - Known Problems
 379                 ========================
 380
 381 --
 382
 383                 Code Cleanups: General
 384                 ======================
 385
 386 The following are more general cleanups and fixes.  They are not tied
 387 to any specific release.
 388
 389 --
 390
 391 Rename read_register{,_pid}() to read_unsigned_register{,_pid}().
 392
 393 --
 394
 395 Can't build IRIX -> arm GDB.
 396 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00356.html
 397
 398 David Whedon writes:
 399 > Now I'm building for an embedded arm target.  If there is a way of turning
 400 > remote-rdi off, I couldn't find it. It looks like it gets built by default
 401 > in gdb/configure.tgt(line 58) Anyway, the build dies in
 402 > gdb/rdi-share/unixcomm.c.  SERPORT1 et. al. never get defined because we
 403 > aren't one of the architectures supported.
 404
 405 --
 406
 407 Problem with weak functions
 408 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-05/msg00060.html
 409
 410 Dan Nicolaescu writes:
 411 > It seems that gdb-4.95.1  does not display correctly the function when
 412 > stoping in weak functions.
 413 >
 414 > It stops in a function that is defined as weak, not in the function
 415 > that is actually run...
 416
 417 --
 418
 419 Follow through `make check' with --enable-shared.
 420
 421 When the srcware tree is configured with --enable-shared, the `expect'
 422 program won't run properly.  Jim Wilson found out gdb has a local hack
 423 to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH, but, AFAIK, no other project has been hacked
 424 similarly.
 425
 426 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00845.html
 427
 428 --
 429
 430 Delete macro TARGET_BYTE_ORDER_SELECTABLE.
 431
 432 Patches in the database.
 433
 434 --
 435
 436 printcmd.c (print_address_numeric):
 437
 438 NOTE: This assumes that the significant address information is kept in
 439 the least significant bits of ADDR - the upper bits were either zero
 440 or sign extended.  Should ADDRESS_TO_POINTER() or some
 441 ADDRESS_TO_PRINTABLE() be used to do the conversion?
 442
 443 --
 444
 445 The BFD directory requires bug-fixed AUTOMAKE et.al.
 446
 447 AUTOMAKE 1.4 incorrectly set the TEXINPUTS environment variable.  It
 448 contained the full path to texinfo.tex when it should have only
 449 contained the directory.  The bug has been fixed in the current
 450 AUTOMAKE sources.  Automake snapshots can be found in:
 451         ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/gdb/snapshots
 452 and     ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/binutils
 453
 454 --
 455
 456 Find something better than DEFAULT_BFD_ARCH, DEFAULT_BFD_VEC to
 457 determine the default isa/byte-order.
 458
 459 --
 460
 461 Rely on BFD_BIG_ENDIAN and BFD_LITTLE_ENDIAN instead of host dependent
 462 BIG_ENDIAN and LITTLE_ENDIAN.
 463
 464 --
 465
 466 Eliminate more compiler warnings.
 467
 468 Of course there also needs to be the usual debate over which warnings
 469 are valid and how to best go about this.
 470
 471 One method: choose a single option; get agreement that it is
 472 reasonable; try it out to see if there isn't anything silly about it
 473 (-Wunused-parameters is an example of that) then incrementally hack
 474 away.
 475
 476 The other method is to enable all warnings and eliminate them from one
 477 file at a time.
 478
 479 --
 480
 481 Elimination of ``(catch_errors_ftype *) func''.
 482
 483 Like make_cleanup_func it isn't portable.
 484 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00791.html
 485 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00814.html
 486
 487 --
 488
 489 Nuke #define CONST_PTR.
 490
 491 --
 492
 493 Nuke USG define.
 494
 495 --
 496
 497 [PATCH/5] src/intl/Makefile.in:distclean additions
 498 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00363.html
 499
 500 Do not forget to merge the patch back into the trunk.
 501
 502 --
 503
 504 Rationalize the host-endian code (grep for HOST_BYTE_ORDER).
 505
 506 At present defs.h includes <endian.h> (which is linux specific) yet
 507 almost nothing depends on it.  Suggest "gdb_endian.h" which can also
 508 handle <machine/endian.h> and only include that where it is really
 509 needed.
 510
 511 --
 512
 513 Replace savestring() with something from libiberty.
 514
 515 An xstrldup()? but that would have different semantics.
 516
 517 --
 518
 519 Rationalize use of floatformat_unknown in GDB sources.
 520
 521 Instead of defaulting to floatformat_unknown, should hosts/targets
 522 specify the value explicitly?
 523
 524 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html
 525
 526 --
 527
 528 Add a ``name'' member to include/floatformat.h:struct floatformat.
 529 Print that name in gdbarch.c.
 530
 531 --
 532
 533 Sort out the harris mess in include/floatformat.h (it hardwires two
 534 different floating point formats).
 535
 536 --
 537
 538 See of the GDB local floatformat_do_doublest() and libiberty's
 539 floatformat_to_double (which was once GDB's ...) can be merged some
 540 how.
 541
 542 --
 543
 544 Eliminate mmalloc(), mstrsave() et.al. from GDB.
 545
 546 Also eliminate it from defs.h.
 547
 548 --
 549
 550 Eliminate PTR.  ISO-C allows ``void *''.
 551
 552 --
 553
 554 Eliminate abort ().
 555
 556 GDB should never abort.  GDB should either throw ``error ()'' or
 557 ``internal_error ()''.  Better still GDB should naturally unwind with
 558 an error status.
 559
 560 --
 561
 562 GDB probably doesn't build on FreeBSD pre 2.2.x
 563 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00378.html
 564
 565 Fixes to get FreeBSD working on 2.2.x, 3.x and 4.x caused the code to
 566 suffer bit rot.
 567
 568 --
 569
 570 Deprecate "fg".  Apparently ``fg'' is actually continue.
 571
 572 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00417.html
 573
 574 --
 575
 576 Deprecate current use of ``floatformat_unknown''.
 577
 578 Require all targets to explicitly provide their float format instead
 579 of defaulting to floatformat unknown.  Doing the latter leads to nasty
 580 bugs.
 581
 582 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html
 583
 584 --
 585
 586 Rationalize floatformat_to_double() vs floatformat_to_doublest().
 587
 588 Looks like GDB migrated floatformat_to_double() to libiberty but then
 589 turned around and created a ..._to_doublest() the latter containing
 590 several bug fixes.
 591
 592 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00472.html
 593
 594 --
 595
 596 Move floatformat_ia64_ext to libiberty/include floatformat.[ch].
 597
 598 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00466.html
 599
 600 --
 601
 602 The ``maintenance deprecate set endian big'' command doesn't notice
 603 that it is deprecating ``set endian'' and not ``set endian big'' (big
 604 is implemented using an enum).  Is anyone going to notice this?
 605
 606 --
 607
 608 When tab expanding something like ``set arch<tab>'' ignore the
 609 deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''.
 610
 611 --
 612
 613 Eliminate ``arm_register_names[j] = (char *) regnames[j]'' and the
 614 like from arm-tdep.c.
 615
 616 --
 617
 618 Fix uses of ->function.cfunc = set_function().
 619
 620 The command.c code calls sfunc() when a set command.  Rather than
 621 change it suggest fixing the callback function so that it is more
 622 useful.  See:
 623
 624 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html
 625
 626 See also ``Fix implementation of  ``target xxx''.'' below.
 627
 628 --
 629
 630 IRIX 3.x support is probably broken.
 631
 632 --
 633
 634 Delete sim/SIM_HAVE_BREAKPOINTS and gdb/SIM_HAS_BREAKPOINTS.
 635 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-07/msg00042.html
 636
 637 Apart from the d30v, are there any sim/common simulators that make use
 638 of this?
 639
 640 A brief summary of what happened is that sim/common/sim-break.c was
 641 created as a good idea.  It turned out a better idea was to use
 642 SIM_SIGBREAK and have GDB pass back sim_resume (..., SIGBREAK).
 643
 644 --
 645
 646 Move remote_remove_hw_breakpoint, remote_insert_hw_breakpoint,
 647 remote_remove_watchpoint, remote_insert_watchpoint into target vector.
 648
 649 --
 650
 651 Eliminate ``extern'' from C files.
 652
 653 --
 654
 655 Replace ``STREQ()'' et.al. with ``strcmp() == 0'' et.al.
 656
 657 Extreme care is recommeded - perhaps only modify tests that are
 658 exercised by the testsuite (as determined using some type of code
 659 coverage analysis).
 660
 661 --
 662
 663 Replace the file gdb/CONTRIBUTE with a file that is generated from the
 664 gdb/doc/*.texinfo directory.
 665
 666 --
 667
 668                         New Features and Fixes
 669                         ======================
 670
 671 These are harder than cleanups but easier than work involving
 672 fundamental architectural change.
 673
 674 --
 675
 676 Hardware watchpoint problems on x86 OSes, including Linux:
 677
 678 1. Delete/disable hardware watchpoints should free hardware debug
 679 registers.
 680 2. Watch for different values on a viariable with one hardware debug
 681 register.
 682
 683 According to Eli Zaretskii <eliz@delorie.com>:
 684
 685 These are not GDB/ia32 issues per se: the above features are all
 686 implemented in the DJGPP port of GDB and work in v5.0.  Every
 687 x86-based target should be able to lift the relevant parts of
 688 go32-nat.c and use them almost verbatim.  You get debug register
 689 sharing through reference counts, and the ability to watch large
 690 regions (up to 16 bytes) using multiple registers.  (The required
 691 infrastructure in high-level GDB application code, mostly in
 692 breakpoint.c, is also working since v5.0.)
 693
 694 --
 695
 696 Add built-by, build-date, tm, xm, nm and anything else into gdb binary
 697 so that you can see how the GDB was created.
 698
 699 --
 700
 701 Add an "info bfd" command that displays supported object formats,
 702 similarly to objdump -i.
 703
 704 Is there a command already?
 705
 706 --
 707
 708 Fix ``I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.'' from symfile.c.
 709
 710 This requires internationalization.
 711
 712 --
 713
 714 Add support for:
 715
 716 (gdb) p fwprintf(stdout,L"%S\n", f)
 717 No symbol "L" in current context.
 718
 719 --
 720
 721 Cleanup configury support for optional sub-directories.
 722
 723 Check how GCC handles multiple front ends for an example of how things
 724 could work.  A tentative first step is to rationalize things so that
 725 all sub directories are handled in a fashion similar to gdb/mi.
 726
 727 See also automake above.
 728
 729 --
 730
 731 Add a transcript mechanism to GDB.
 732
 733 Such a mechanism might log all gdb input and output to a file in a
 734 form that would allow it to be replayed.  It could involve ``gdb
 735 --transcript=FILE'' or it could involve ``(gdb) transcript file''.
 736
 737 --
 738
 739 Can the xdep files be replaced by autoconf?
 740
 741 --
 742
 743 Document trace machinery
 744
 745 --
 746
 747 Document ui-out and ui-file.
 748
 749 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00121.html
 750
 751 --
 752
 753 Update texinfo.tex to latest?
 754
 755 --
 756
 757 Incorporate agentexpr.texi into gdb.texinfo
 758
 759 agentexpr.texi mostly describes the details of the byte code used for
 760 tracepoints, not the internals of the support for this in GDB.  So it
 761 looks like gdb.texinfo is a better place for this information.
 762
 763 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00566.html
 764
 765 --
 766
 767 Document overlay machinery.
 768
 769 --
 770
 771 ``(gdb) catch signal SIGNAL''
 772
 773 Overlaps with ``handle SIGNAL'' but the implied behavior is different.
 774 You can attach commands to a catch but not a handle.  A handle has a
 775 limited number of hardwired actions.
 776
 777 --
 778
 779 Fix TUI
 780
 781      o  readline/*.h bitrot
 782
 783         The TUI isn't up-to-date with
 784         respect to the readline currently
 785         bundled with GDB.  Importing a
 786         new readline is on the 5.1 wish
 787         list so this can only get worse.
 788
 789         Grep for things like term_cursor_move.
 790
 791         (To be honest, I don't see anyone
 792         importing a new readline before 5.1 is
 793         out)
 794
 795      o  tui.c:va_catch_errors() bitrot
 796
 797         This nasty piece of work used knowledge
 798         of the internals of GDBs error functions :-(
 799         Ever since those internals were cleaned
 800         up this code has been broken. :-(
 801
 802      o  tuiWin.c:c_makeVisibleWithNewHeight() broken
 803         tuiLayout.c:_extractDisplayStartAddr() broken
 804
 805         Both these function call find_line_pc()
 806         incorrectly (wrong args, wrong return value).
 807
 808         I suspect this bug has always been there!
 809         It had been hidden because those files
 810         didn't include the necessary header files
 811         from gdb proper :-(
 812
 813      o  tuiRegs() host dependant
 814
 815         Not suprisingly, this isn't a very portable
 816         section of code.  However, I'm sure people
 817         could live with no regs in the short to
 818         medium term.
 819
 820      o  defs.h: #include "tui.h" et.al.
 821
 822         I'm not sure where this came from.
 823         It was a really bad idea.
 824
 825         To get things to compile I did a nasty
 826         hack (Just declare what was needed and
 827         replace any expressions like xx->y.z()
 828         in GDB proper with function calls).  I
 829         could commit it slightly cleaned up if
 830         you like.
 831
 832         Medium Term. the #ifdef TUI and TuiDo()
 833         should be changed to hooks (like GDBTK).
 834         The gdb-events.[hc] is there for that
 835         purpose (1)
 836
 837      o  tui.c:_tuiReset() host dependant
 838
 839         tui.c contains a lump of termio[s]
 840         I suspect an equivalent block of
 841         code can be lifted from readline.
 842         An equivalent readline function may
 843         even be available.
 844
 845      o  curses.h vs ncurses.h.
 846
 847         Simple portability problem.
 848
 849      o  subsetCompare()
 850
 851         This function is a mystery - where is it?
 852
 853      o  tui-file.[hc] cleanup
 854
 855         This can be significantly simplified.
 856
 857      o  The code should be pacified. (-Werror -W...)
 858
 859         There are plenty of #includes,
 860         duplicate #includes, missing function decls
 861         and the like.
 862
 863         Some of the problems I found were through
 864         fixing a few of the warnings.
 865
 866      o  The code should be GNUtified.
 867
 868         It would be very nice to have this code
 869         look like the rest of GDB.  That way people
 870         would be more accepting of it as a true
 871         gdb component.
 872
 873         Until it is GNUtified it is going to stick
 874         out like a sore thumb to the programmer.
 875
 876      o  The code should be clearly copyrighted
 877
 878         (FSF, with due credit to HP)
 879
 880 --
 881
 882 Add support for ``gdb --- PROGRAM ARGS ...''.
 883 Add support for ``gdb -cmd=...''
 884
 885 Along with many variations.  Check:
 886
 887 ????? for a full discussion.
 888
 889 for a discussion.
 890
 891 --
 892
 893 Implement ``(gdb) !ls''.
 894
 895 Which is very different from ``(gdb) ! ls''.  Implementing the latter
 896 is trivial.
 897
 898 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00034.html
 899
 900 --
 901
 902 Change the (char *list[]) to (const char (*)[]) so that dynamic lists can
 903 be passed.
 904
 905 --
 906
 907 When tab expanding something like ``set arch<tab>'' ignore the
 908 deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''.
 909
 910 --
 911
 912 Replace the code that uses the host FPU with an emulator of the target
 913 FPU.
 914
 915 --
 916
 917 The "ocd reset" command needs to flush the dcache, which requires breaking
 918 the abstraction layer between the target independent and target code.  One
 919 way to address this is provide a generic "reset" command and target vector.
 920
 921 http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-10/msg00011.html
 922
 923 --
 924
 925                         Thread Support
 926                         ==============
 927
 928 --
 929
 930 Generic: lin-thread cannot handle thread exit (Mark Kettenis, Michael
 931 Snyder) http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00525.html
 932
 933 The thread_db assisted debugging code doesn't handle exiting threads
 934 properly, at least in combination with glibc 2.1.3 (the framework is
 935 there, just not the actual code).  There are at least two problems
 936 that prevent this from working.
 937
 938 As an additional reference point, the pre thread_db code did not work
 939 either.
 940
 941 --
 942
 943 GNU/Linux/x86 and random thread signals (and Solaris/SPARC but not
 944 Solaris/x86).
 945 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00336.html
 946
 947 Christopher Blizzard writes:
 948
 949 So, I've done some more digging into this and it looks like Jim
 950 Kingdon has reported this problem in the past:
 951
 952 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/bug-gdb/1999-10/msg00058.html
 953
 954 I can reproduce this problem both with and without Tom's patch.  Has
 955 anyone seen this before?  Maybe have a solution for it hanging around?
 956 :)
 957
 958 There's a test case for this documented at:
 959
 960 when debugging threaded applications you get extra SIGTRAPs
 961 http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=9565
 962
 963 [There should be a GDB testcase - cagney]
 964
 965 --
 966
 967 GDB5 TOT on unixware 7
 968 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00119.html
 969
 970 Robert Lipe writes:
 971 > I just spun the top of tree of the GDB5 branch on UnixWare 7.  As a
 972 > practical matter, the current thread support is somewhat more annoying
 973 > than when GDB was thread-unaware.
 974
 975 --
 976
 977                         Language Support
 978                         ================
 979
 980 New languages come onto the scene all the time.
 981
 982 --
 983
 984 Re: Various C++ things
 985
 986 value_headof/value_from_vtable_info are worthless, and should be
 987 removed.  The one place in printcmd.c that uses it should use the RTTI
 988 functions.
 989
 990 RTTI for g++ should be using the typeinfo functions rather than the
 991 vtables.  The typeinfo functions are always at offset 4 from the
 992 beginning of the vtable, and are always right. The vtables will have
 993 weird names like E::VB sometimes.  The typeinfo function will always
 994 be "E type_info function", or somesuch.
 995
 996 value_virtual_fn_field needs to be fixed so there are no failures for
 997 virtual functions for C++ using g++.
 998
 999 Testsuite cases are the major priority right now for C++ support,
1000 since i have to make a lot of changes that could potentially break
1001 each other.
1002
1003 --
1004
1005 Add support for Modula3
1006
1007 Get DEC/Compaq to contribute their Modula-3 support.
1008
1009 --
1010
1011                 Remote Protocol Support
1012                 =======================
1013
1014 --
1015
1016 Revised UDP support (was: Re: [Fwd: [patch] UDP transport support])
1017 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00000.html
1018
1019 (Broken) support for GDB's remote protocol across UDP is to be
1020 included in the follow-on release.
1021
1022 It should be noted that UDP can only work when the [Gg] packet fits in
1023 a single UDP packet.
1024
1025 There is also much debate over the merit of this.
1026
1027 --
1028
1029 Migrate qfThreadInfo packet -> qThreadInfo. (Andrew Cagney)
1030
1031 Add support for packet enable/disable commands with these thread
1032 packets.  General cleanup.
1033
1034 [PATCH] Document the ThreadInfo remote protocol queries
1035 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00832.html
1036
1037 [PATCH] "info threads" queries for remote.c
1038 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00831.html
1039
1040 --
1041
1042 Remote protocol doco feedback.
1043
1044 Too much feedback to mention needs to be merged in (901660).  Search
1045 for the word ``remote''.
1046
1047
1048 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00023.html
1049 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00056.html
1050 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00382.html
1051
1052 --
1053
1054 GDB doesn't recover gracefully from remote protocol errors.
1055
1056 GDB wasn't checking for NAKs from the remote target.  Instead a NAK is
1057 ignored and a timeout is required before GDB retries.  A pre-cursor to
1058 fixing this this is making GDB's remote protocol packet more robust.
1059
1060 While downloading to a remote protocol target, gdb ignores packet
1061 errors in so far as it will continue to download with chunk N+1 even
1062 if chunk N was not correctly sent.  This causes gdb.base/remote.exp to
1063 take a painfully long time to run.  As a PS that test needs to be
1064 fixed so that it builds on 16 bit machines.
1065
1066 --
1067
1068 Fix the ``!'' packet.
1069
1070 JT reported that the existing targets do, in fact return ``OK'' so it
1071 is possible to merge remote and extended-remote targets.
1072
1073 --
1074
1075 Drop ``<address>'' from the [SsCc] packets.
1076
1077 I don't think that GDB generates them so having it in the protocol is
1078 silly.
1079
1080 --
1081
1082 Fix doco on the ``q'' packet.
1083
1084 It has evolved into a generic RPC.  The notes should reflect this and,
1085 perhaps, the ``Q'' packet can be deprecated.
1086
1087 The doco should mention that ``OK'' is a valid packet response.
1088
1089 The doco should explain why ``OK'' needs to be a valid packet
1090 response.
1091
1092 --
1093
1094 Add the cycle step command.
1095
1096 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00237.html
1097
1098 --
1099
1100 Resolve how to scale things to support very large packets.
1101
1102 --
1103
1104 Resolve how to handle a target that changes things like its endianess
1105 on the fly - should it be returned in the ``T'' packet?
1106
1107 Underlying problem is that the register file is target endian.  If the
1108 target endianess changes gdb doesn't know.
1109
1110 --
1111
1112                         Symbol Support
1113                         ==============
1114
1115 If / when GDB starts to support the debugging of multi-processor
1116 (rather than multi-thread) applications the symtab code will need to
1117 be updated a little so that several independent symbol tables are
1118 active at a given time.
1119
1120 The other interesting change is a clarification of the exact meaning
1121 of CORE_ADDR and that has had consequences for a few targets (that
1122 were abusing that data type).
1123
1124 --
1125
1126 Investiagate ways of reducing memory.
1127
1128 --
1129
1130 Investigate ways of improving load time.
1131
1132 --
1133
1134 Get the d10v to use POINTER_TO_ADDRESS and ADDRESS_TO_POINTER.
1135
1136 Consequence of recent symtab clarification.  No marks for figuring out
1137 who maintains the d10v.
1138
1139 --
1140
1141 Get the MIPS to correctly sign extend all address <-> pointer
1142 conversions.
1143
1144 Consequence of recent symtab clarification.  No marks for figuring out
1145 who maintains the MIPS.
1146
1147 --
1148
1149 GDB truncates 64 bit enums.
1150
1151 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00290.html
1152
1153 --
1154
1155                         Testsuite Support
1156                         =================
1157
1158 There are never to many testcases.
1159
1160 --
1161
1162 Better thread testsuite.
1163
1164 --
1165
1166 Better C++ testsuite.
1167
1168 --
1169
1170 Look at adding a GDB specific testsuite directory so that white box
1171 tests of key internals can be added (eg ui_file).
1172
1173 --
1174
1175 Separate out tests that involve the floating point (FP).
1176
1177 (Something for people brining up new targets).  FP and non-fp tests
1178 are combined.  I think there should be set of basic tests that
1179 exercise pure integer support and then a more expanded set that
1180 exercise FP and FP/integer interactions.
1181
1182 As an example, the MIPS, for n32 as problems with passing FP's and
1183 structs.  Since most inferior call tests include FP it is difficult to
1184 determine of the integer tests are ok.
1185
1186 --
1187
1188                 Architectural Changes: General
1189                 ==============================
1190
1191 These are harder than simple cleanups / fixes and, consequently
1192 involve more work.  Typically an Architectural Change will be broken
1193 down into a more digestible set of cleanups and fixes.
1194
1195 --
1196
1197 Cleanup software single step.
1198
1199 At present many targets implement software single step by directly
1200 blatting memory (see rs6000-tdep.c).  Those targets should register
1201 the applicable breakpoints using the breakpoint framework.  Perhaphs a
1202 new internal breakpoint class ``step'' is needed.
1203
1204 --
1205
1206 Replace READ_FP() with FRAME_HANDLE().
1207
1208 READ_FP() is a hangover from the days of the vax when the ABI really
1209 did have a frame pointer register.  Modern architectures typically
1210 construct a virtual frame-handle from the stack pointer and various
1211 other bits of string.
1212
1213 Unfortunately GDB still treats this synthetic FP register as though it
1214 is real.  That in turn really confuses users (arm and ``print $fp'' VS
1215 ``info registers fp'').  The synthetic FP should be separated out of
1216 the true register set presented to the user.
1217
1218 --
1219
1220 Register Cache Cleanup (below from Andrew Cagney)
1221
1222 I would depict the current register architecture as something like:
1223
1224         High GDB  -->   Low GDB
1225             |              |
1226            \|/            \|/
1227             --- REG NR -----
1228                    |
1229     register + REGISTER_BYTE(reg_nr)
1230                    |
1231                   \|/
1232         -------------------------
1233         |  extern register[]    |
1234         -------------------------
1235
1236 where neither the high (valops.c et.al.) or low gdb (*-tdep.c) are
1237 really clear on what mechanisms they should be using to manipulate that
1238 buffer.   Further, much code assumes, dangerously, that registers are
1239 contigious.  Having got mips-tdep.c to support multiple ABIs, believe
1240 me, that is a bad assumption.  Finally, that register cache layout is
1241 determined by the current remote/local target and _not_ the less
1242 specific target ISA.  In fact, in many cases it is determined by the
1243 somewhat arbitrary layout of the [gG] packets!
1244
1245
1246 How I would like the register file to work is more like:
1247
1248
1249           High GDB
1250              |
1251             \|/
1252        pseudo reg-nr
1253              |
1254         map pseudo <->
1255         random cache
1256         bytes
1257              |
1258             \|/
1259         ------------
1260         | register |
1261         |  cache   |
1262         ------------
1263             /|\
1264              |
1265         map random cache
1266         bytes to target
1267         dependent i-face
1268             /|\
1269              |
1270        target dependent
1271         such as [gG] packet
1272         or ptrace buffer
1273
1274 The main objectives being:
1275
1276         o       a clear separation between the low
1277                 level target and the high level GDB
1278
1279         o       a mechanism that solves the general
1280                 problem of register aliases, overlaps
1281                 etc instead of treating them as optional
1282                 extras that can be wedged in as an after
1283                 thought (that is a reasonable description
1284                 of the current code).
1285
1286                 Identify then solve the hard case and the
1287                 rest just falls out.  GDB solved the easy
1288                 case and then tried to ignore the real
1289                 world :-)
1290
1291         o       a removal of the assumption that the
1292                 mapping between the register cache
1293                 and virtual registers is largely static.
1294                 If you flip the USR/SSR stack register
1295                 select bit in the status-register then
1296                 the corresponding stack registers should
1297                 reflect the change.
1298
1299         o       a mechanism that clearly separates the
1300                 gdb internal register cache from any
1301                 target (not architecture) dependent
1302                 specifics such as [gG] packets.
1303
1304 Of course, like anything, it sounds good in theory.  In reality, it
1305 would have to contend with many<->many relationships at both the
1306 virt<->cache and cache<->target level.  For instance:
1307
1308         virt<->cache
1309                 Modifying an mmx register may involve
1310                 scattering values across both FP and
1311                 mmpx specific parts of a buffer
1312
1313         cache<->target
1314                 When writing back a SP it may need to
1315                 both be written to both SP and USP.
1316
1317
1318 Hmm,
1319
1320 Rather than let this like the last time it was discussed, just slip, I'm
1321 first going to add this e-mail (+ references) to TODO.  I'd then like to
1322 sketch out a broad strategy I think could get us there.
1323
1324
1325 First thing I'd suggest is separating out the ``extern registers[]''
1326 code so that we can at least identify what is using it.  At present
1327 things are scattered across many files.  That way we can at least
1328 pretend that there is a cache instead of a global array :-)
1329
1330 I'd then suggest someone putting up a proposal for the pseudo-reg /
1331 high-level side interface so that code can be adopted to it.  For old
1332 code, initially a blanket rename of write_register_bytes() to
1333 deprecated_write_register_bytes() would help.
1334
1335 Following that would, finaly be the corresponding changes to the target.
1336
1337 --
1338
1339 Check that GDB can handle all BFD architectures (Andrew Cagney)
1340
1341 There should be a test that checks that BFD/GDB are in sync with
1342 regard to architecture changes.  Something like a test that first
1343 queries GDB for all supported architectures and then feeds each back
1344 to GDB..  Anyone interested in learning how to write tests?  :-)
1345
1346 --
1347
1348                 Architectural Change: Multi-arch et al.
1349                 =======================================
1350
1351 The long term objective is to remove all assumptions that there is a
1352 single target with a single address space with a single instruction
1353 set architecture and single application binary interface.
1354
1355 This is an ongoing effort.  The first milestone is to enable
1356 ``multi-arch'' where by all architectural decisions are made at
1357 runtime.
1358
1359 It should be noted that ``gdbarch'' is really ``gdbabi'' and
1360 ``gdbisa''.  Once things are multi-arched breaking that down correctly
1361 will become much easier.
1362
1363 --
1364
1365 GDBARCH cleanup (Andrew Cagney)
1366
1367 The non-generated parts of gdbarch.{sh,h,c} should be separated out
1368 into arch-utils.[hc].
1369
1370 Document that gdbarch_init_ftype could easily fail because it didn't
1371 identify an architecture.
1372
1373 --
1374
1375 Fix BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION.  Change it to BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION_P?
1376
1377 At present there is still #ifdef BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION code in the
1378 symtab file.
1379
1380 --
1381
1382 Fix target_signal_from_host() etc.
1383
1384 The name is wrong for starters.  ``target_signal'' should probably be
1385 ``gdb_signal''.  ``from_host'' should be ``from_target_signal''.
1386 After that it needs to be multi-arched and made independent of any
1387 host signal numbering.
1388
1389 --
1390
1391 Update ALPHA so that it uses ``struct frame_extra_info'' instead of
1392 EXTRA_FRAME_INFO.
1393
1394 This is a barrier to replacing mips_extra_func_info with something
1395 that works with multi-arch.
1396
1397 --
1398
1399 Multi-arch  mips_extra_func_info.
1400
1401 This first needs the alpha to be updated so that it uses ``struct
1402 frame_extra_info''.
1403
1404 --
1405
1406 Rationalize TARGET_SINGLE_FORMAT and TARGET_SINGLE_BIT et al.
1407
1408 Surely one of them is redundant.
1409
1410 --
1411
1412 Convert ALL architectures to MULTI-ARCH.
1413
1414 --
1415
1416 Select the initial multi-arch ISA / ABI based on --target or similar.
1417
1418 At present the default is based on what ever is first in the BFD
1419 archures table.  It should be determined based on the ``--target=...''
1420 name.
1421
1422 --
1423
1424 Make MIPS pure multi-arch.
1425
1426 It is only at the multi-arch enabled stage.
1427
1428 --
1429
1430 Truly multi-arch.
1431
1432 Enable the code to recognize --enable-targets=.... like BINUTILS does.
1433
1434 Can the tm.h and nm.h files be eliminated by multi-arch.
1435
1436 --
1437
1438         Architectural Change: MI, LIBGDB and scripting languages
1439         ========================================================
1440
1441 See also architectural changes related to the event loop.  LIBGDB
1442 can't be finished until there is a generic event loop being used by
1443 all targets.
1444
1445 The long term objective is it to be possible to integrate GDB into
1446 scripting languages.
1447
1448 --
1449
1450 Implement generic ``(gdb) commmand > file''
1451
1452 Once everything is going through ui_file it should be come fairly
1453 easy.
1454
1455 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00104.html
1456
1457 --
1458
1459 Replace gdb_stdtarg with gdb_targout (and possibly gdb_targerr).
1460
1461 gdb_stdtarg is easily confused with gdb_stdarg.
1462
1463 --
1464
1465 Extra ui_file methods - dump.
1466
1467 Very useful for whitebox testing.
1468
1469 --
1470
1471 Eliminate error_begin().
1472
1473 With ui_file, there is no need for the statefull error_begin ()
1474 function.
1475
1476 --
1477
1478 Send normal output to gdb_stdout.
1479 Send error messages to gdb_stderror.
1480 Send debug and log output log gdb_stdlog.
1481
1482 GDB still contains many cases where (f)printf or printf_filtered () is
1483 used when it should be sending the messages to gdb_stderror or
1484 gdb_stdlog.  The thought of #defining printf to something has crossed
1485 peoples minds ;-)
1486
1487 --
1488
1489 Re-do GDB's output pager.
1490
1491 GDB's output pager still relies on people correctly using *_filtered
1492 for gdb_stdout and *_unfiltered for gdb_stdlog / gdb_stderr.
1493 Hopefully, with all normal output going to gdb_stdout, the pager can
1494 just look at the ui_file that the output is on and then use that to
1495 decide what to do about paging.  Sounds good in theory.
1496
1497 --
1498
1499 Check/cleanup MI documentation.
1500
1501 The list of commands specified in the documentation needs to be
1502 checked against the mi-cmds.c table in a mechanical way (so that they
1503 two can be kept up-to-date).
1504
1505 --
1506
1507 Convert MI into libgdb
1508
1509 MI provides a text interface into what should be many of the libgdb
1510 functions.  The implementation of those functions should be separated
1511 into the MI interface and the functions proper.  Those functions being
1512 moved to gdb/lib say.
1513
1514 --
1515
1516 Create libgdb.h
1517
1518 The first part can already be found in defs.h.
1519
1520 --
1521
1522 MI's input does not use buffering.
1523
1524 At present the MI interface reads raw characters of from an unbuffered
1525 FD.  This is to avoid several nasty buffer/race conditions.  That code
1526 should be changed so that it registers its self with the event loop
1527 (on the input FD) and then push commands up to MI as they arrive.
1528
1529 The serial code already does this.
1530
1531 --
1532
1533 Make MI interface accessible from existing CLI.
1534
1535 --
1536
1537 Add a breakpoint-edit command to MI.
1538
1539 It would be similar to MI's breakpoint create but would apply to an
1540 existing breakpoint.  It saves the need to delete/create breakpoints
1541 when ever they are changed.
1542
1543 --
1544
1545 Add directory path to MI breakpoint.
1546
1547 That way the GUI's task of finding the file within which the
1548 breakpoint was set is simplified.
1549
1550 --
1551
1552 Add a mechanism to reject certain expression classes to MI
1553
1554 There are situtations where you don't want GDB's expression
1555 parser/evaluator to perform inferior function calls or variable
1556 assignments.  A way of restricting the expression parser so that such
1557 operations are not accepted would be very helpful.
1558
1559 --
1560
1561 Remove sideffects from libgdb breakpoint create function.
1562
1563 The user can use the CLI to create a breakpoint with partial
1564 information - no file (gdb would use the file from the last
1565 breakpoint).
1566
1567 The libgdb interface currently affects that environment which can lead
1568 to confusion when a user is setting breakpoints via both the MI and
1569 the CLI.
1570
1571 This is also a good example of how getting the CLI ``right'' will be
1572 hard.
1573
1574 --
1575
1576 Move gdb_lasterr to ui_out?
1577
1578 The way GDB throws errors and records them needs a re-think.  ui_out
1579 handles the correct output well.  It doesn't resolve what to do with
1580 output / error-messages when things go wrong.
1581
1582 --
1583
1584 do_setshow_command contains a 1024 byte buffer.
1585
1586 The function assumes that there will never be any more than 1024 bytes
1587 of enum.  It should use mem_file.
1588
1589 --
1590
1591 Should struct cmd_list_element . completer take the command as an
1592 argument?
1593
1594 --
1595
1596 Should the bulk of top.c:line_completion_function() be moved to
1597 command.[hc]?  complete_on_cmdlist() and complete_on_enums() could
1598 then be made private.
1599
1600 --
1601
1602 top.c (execute_command): Should a command being valid when the target
1603 is running be made an attribute (predicate) to the command rather than
1604 an explicit set of tests.
1605
1606 --
1607
1608 top.c (execute_command): Should the bulk of this function be moved
1609 into command.[hc] so that top.c doesn't grub around in the command
1610 internals?
1611
1612 --
1613
1614                 Architectural Change: Async
1615                 ===========================
1616
1617 While GDB uses an event loop when prompting the user for input.  That
1618 event loop is not exploited by targets when they allow the target
1619 program to continue.  Typically targets still block in (target_wait())
1620 until the program again halts.
1621
1622 The closest a target comes to supporting full asynchronous mode are
1623 the remote targets ``async'' and ``extended-async''.
1624
1625 --
1626
1627 Asynchronous expression evaluator
1628
1629 Inferior function calls hang GDB.
1630
1631 --
1632
1633 Fix implementation of  ``target xxx''.
1634
1635 At present when the user specifies ``target xxxx'', the CLI maps that
1636 directly onto a target open method.  It is then assumed that the
1637 target open method should do all sorts of complicated things as this
1638 is the only chance it has.  Check how the various remote targets
1639 duplicate the target operations.  Check also how the various targets
1640 behave differently for purely arbitrary reasons.
1641
1642 What should happen is that ``target xxxx'' should call a generic
1643 ``target'' function and that should then co-ordinate the opening of
1644 ``xxxx''.  This becomes especially important when you're trying to
1645 open an asynchronous target that may need to perform background tasks
1646 as part of the ``attach'' phase.
1647
1648 Unfortunately, due to limitations in the old/creaking command.h
1649 interface, that isn't possible.  The function being called isn't told
1650 of the ``xxx'' or any other context information.
1651
1652 Consequently a precursor to fixing ``target xxxx'' is to clean up the
1653 CLI code so that it passes to the callback function (attatched to a
1654 command) useful information such as the actual command and a context
1655 for that command.  Other changes such as making ``struct command''
1656 opaque may also help.
1657
1658 See also:
1659 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html
1660
1661 --
1662
1663 Make "target xxx" command interruptible.
1664
1665 As things become async this becomes possible.  A target would start
1666 the connect and then return control to the event loop.  A cntrl-c
1667 would notify the target that the operation is to be abandoned and the
1668 target code could respond.
1669
1670 --
1671
1672 Add a "suspend" subcommand of the "continue" command to suspend gdb
1673 while continuing  execution of the subprocess.  Useful when you are
1674 debugging servers and you want to dodge out and initiate a connection
1675 to a server running under gdb.
1676
1677 [hey async!!]
1678
1679 --
1680
1681                         TODO FAQ
1682                         ========
1683
1684 Frequently requested but not approved requests.
1685
1686 --
1687
1688 Eliminate unused argument warnings using ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED.
1689
1690 The benefits on this one are thought to be marginal - GDBs design
1691 means that unused parameters are very common.  GCC 3.0 will also
1692 include the option -Wno-unused-parameter which means that ``-Wall
1693 -Wno-unused-parameters -Werror'' can be specified.
1694
1695 --
1696
1697
1698
1699                         Legacy Wish List
1700                         ================
1701
1702 This list is not up to date, and opinions vary about the importance or
1703 even desirability of some of the items.  If you do fix something, it
1704 always pays to check the below.
1705
1706 --
1707
1708 @c This does not work (yet if ever).  FIXME.
1709 @c @item --parse=@var{lang} @dots{}
1710 @c Configure the @value{GDBN} expression parser to parse the listed languages.
1711 @c @samp{all} configures @value{GDBN} for all supported languages.  To get a
1712 @c list of all supported languages, omit the argument.  Without this
1713 @c option, @value{GDBN} is configured to parse all supported languages.
1714
1715 --
1716
1717 START_INFERIOR_TRAPS_EXPECTED need never be defined to 2, since that
1718 is its default value.  Clean this up.
1719
1720 --
1721
1722 It should be possible to use symbols from shared libraries before we know
1723 exactly where the libraries will be loaded.  E.g. "b perror" before running
1724 the program.  This could maybe be done as an extension of the "breakpoint
1725 re-evaluation" after new symbols are loaded.
1726
1727 --
1728
1729 Make single_step() insert and remove breakpoints in one operation.
1730
1731 [If this is talking about having single_step() insert the breakpoints,
1732 run the target then pull the breakpoints then it is wrong.  The
1733 function has to return as control has to eventually be passed back to
1734 the main event loop.]
1735
1736 --
1737
1738 Speed up single stepping by avoiding extraneous ptrace calls.
1739
1740 --
1741
1742 Speed up single stepping by not inserting and removing breakpoints
1743 each time the inferior starts and stops.
1744
1745 Breakpoints should not be inserted and deleted all the time.  Only the
1746 one(s) there should be removed when we have to step over one.  Support
1747 breakpoints that don't have to be removed to step over them.
1748
1749 [this has resulted in numerous debates.  The issue isn't clear cut]
1750
1751 --
1752
1753 Provide "voodoo" debugging of core files.  This creates a zombie
1754 process as a child of the debugger, and loads it up with the data,
1755 stack, and regs of the core file.  This allows you to call functions
1756 in the executable, to manipulate the data in the core file.
1757
1758 [you wish]
1759
1760 --
1761
1762 GDB reopens the source file on every line, as you "next" through it.
1763
1764 [still true? I've a memory of this being fixed]
1765
1766 --
1767
1768 Perhaps "i source" should take an argument like that of "list".
1769
1770 --
1771
1772 Remove "at 0xnnnn" from the "b foo" response, if `print address off' and if
1773 it matches the source line indicated.
1774
1775 --
1776
1777 The prompt at end of screen should accept space as well as CR.
1778
1779 --
1780
1781 Backtrace should point out what the currently selected frame is, in
1782 its display, perhaps showing "@3 foo (bar, ...)" or ">3 foo (bar,
1783 ...)" rather than "#3 foo (bar, ...)".
1784
1785 --
1786
1787 "i program" should work for core files, and display more info, like what
1788 actually caused it to die.
1789
1790 --
1791
1792 "x/10i" should shorten the long name, if any, on subsequent lines.
1793
1794 --
1795
1796 "next" over a function that longjumps, never stops until next time you happen
1797 to get to that spot by accident.  E.g. "n" over execute_command which has
1798 an error.
1799
1800 --
1801
1802 "set zeroprint off", don't bother printing members of structs which
1803 are entirely zero.  Useful for those big structs with few useful
1804 members.
1805
1806 --
1807
1808 GDB does four ioctl's for every command, probably switching terminal modes
1809 to/from inferior or for readline or something.
1810
1811 --
1812
1813 terminal_ours versus terminal_inferior: cache state.  Switch should be a noop
1814 if the state is the same, too.
1815
1816 --
1817
1818 "i frame" shows wrong "arglist at" location, doesn't show where the args
1819 should be found, only their actual values.
1820
1821 --
1822
1823 There should be a way for "set" commands to validate the new setting
1824 before it takes effect.
1825
1826 --
1827
1828 "ena d" is ambiguous, why?  "ena delete" seems to think it is a command!
1829
1830 --
1831
1832 i line VAR produces "Line number not known for symbol ``var''.".  I
1833 thought we were stashing that info now!
1834
1835 --
1836
1837 We should be able to write to random files at hex offsets like adb.
1838
1839 --
1840
1841 [elena - delete this]
1842
1843 Handle add_file with separate text, data, and bss addresses.  Maybe
1844 handle separate addresses for each segment in the object file?
1845
1846 --
1847
1848 [Jimb/Elena delete this one]
1849
1850 Handle free_named_symtab to cope with multiply-loaded object files
1851 in a dynamic linking environment.  Should remember the last copy loaded,
1852 but not get too snowed if it finds references to the older copy.
1853
1854 --
1855
1856 [elena delete this also]
1857
1858 Remove all references to:
1859         text_offset
1860         data_offset
1861         text_data_start
1862         text_end
1863         exec_data_offset
1864         ...
1865 now that we have BFD.  All remaining are in machine dependent files.
1866
1867 --
1868
1869 Re-organize help categories into things that tend to fit on a screen
1870 and hang together.
1871
1872 --
1873
1874 Add in commands like ADB's for searching for patterns, etc.  We should
1875 be able to examine and patch raw unsymboled binaries as well in gdb as
1876 we can in adb.  (E.g. increase the timeout in /bin/login without source).
1877
1878 [actually, add ADB interface :-]
1879
1880 --
1881
1882 When doing "step" or "next", if a few lines of source are skipped between
1883 the previous line and the current one, print those lines, not just the
1884 last line of a multiline statement.
1885
1886 --
1887
1888 Handling of "&" address-of operator needs some serious overhaul
1889 for ANSI C and consistency on arrays and functions.
1890   For "float point[15];":
1891 ptype &point[4]   ==> Attempt to take address of non-lvalue.
1892   For "char *malloc();":
1893 ptype malloc      ==> "char *()";  should be same as
1894 ptype &malloc     ==> "char *(*)()"
1895 call printf ("%x\n", malloc)   ==> weird value, should be same as
1896 call printf ("%x\n", &malloc)  ==> correct value
1897
1898 --
1899
1900 Fix dbxread.c symbol reading in the presence of interrupts.  It
1901 currently leaves a cleanup to blow away the entire symbol table when a
1902 QUIT occurs.  (What's wrong with that? -kingdon, 28 Oct 1993).
1903
1904 [I suspect that the grype was that, on a slow system, you might want
1905 to cntrl-c and get just half the symbols and then load the rest later
1906 - scary to be honest]
1907
1908 --
1909
1910 Mipsread.c reads include files depth-first, because the dependencies
1911 in the psymtabs are way too inclusive (it seems to me).  Figure out what
1912 really depends on what, to avoid recursing 20 or 30 times while reading
1913 real symtabs.
1914
1915 --
1916
1917 value_add() should be subtracting the lower bound of arrays, if known,
1918 and possibly checking against the upper bound for error reporting.
1919
1920 --
1921
1922 When listing source lines, check for a preceding \n, to verify that
1923 the file hasn't changed out from under us.
1924
1925 [fixed by some other means I think.  That hack wouldn't actually work
1926 reliably - the file might move such that another \n appears. ]
1927
1928 --
1929
1930 Get all the remote systems (where the protocol allows it) to be able to
1931 stop the remote system when the GDB user types ^C (like remote.c
1932 does).  For ebmon, use ^Ak.
1933
1934 --
1935
1936 Possible feature: A version of the "disassemble" command which shows
1937 both source and assembly code ("set symbol-filename on" is a partial
1938 solution).
1939
1940 [has this been done?  It was certainly done for MI and GDBtk]
1941
1942 --
1943
1944 investigate "x/s 0" (right now stops early) (I think maybe GDB is
1945 using a 0 address for bad purposes internally).
1946
1947 --
1948
1949 Make "info path" and path_command work again (but independent of the
1950 environment either of gdb or that we'll pass to the inferior).
1951
1952 --
1953
1954 Make GDB understand the GCC feature for putting octal constants in
1955 enums.  Make it so overflow on an enum constant does not error_type
1956 the whole type.  Allow arbitrarily large enums with type attributes.
1957 Put all this stuff in the testsuite.
1958
1959 --
1960
1961 Make TYPE_CODE_ERROR with a non-zero TYPE_LENGTH more useful (print
1962 the value in hex; process type attributes).  Add this to the
1963 testsuite.  This way future compilers can add new types and old
1964 versions of GDB can do something halfway reasonable.
1965
1966 --
1967
1968 Fix mdebugread.c:parse_type to do fundamental types right (see
1969 rs6000_builtin_type in stabsread.c for what "right" is--the point is
1970 that the debug format fixes the sizes of these things and it shouldn't
1971 depend on stuff like TARGET_PTR_BIT and so on.  For mdebug, there seem
1972 to be separate bt* codes for 64 bit and 32 bit things, and GDB should
1973 be aware of that).  Also use a switch statement for clarity and speed.
1974
1975 --
1976
1977 Investigate adding symbols in target_load--some targets do, some
1978 don't.
1979
1980 --
1981
1982 Put dirname in psymtabs and change lookup*symtab to use dirname (so
1983 /foo/bar.c works whether compiled by cc /foo/bar.c, or cd /foo; cc
1984 bar.c).
1985
1986 --
1987
1988 Merge xcoffread.c and coffread.c.  Use breakpoint_re_set instead of
1989 fixup_breakpoints.
1990
1991 --
1992
1993 Make a watchpoint which contains a function call an error (it is
1994 broken now, making it work is probably not worth the effort).
1995
1996 --
1997
1998 New test case based on weird.exp but in which type numbers are not
1999 renumbered (thus multiply defining a type).  This currently causes an
2000 infinite loop on "p v_comb".
2001
2002 --
2003
2004 [Hey! Hint Hint Delete Delete!!!]
2005
2006 Fix 386 floating point so that floating point registers are real
2007 registers (but code can deal at run-time if they are missing, like
2008 mips and 68k).  This would clean up "info float" and related stuff.
2009
2010 --
2011
2012 gcc -g -c enummask.c then gdb enummask.o, then "p v".  GDB complains
2013 about not being able to access memory location 0.
2014
2015 -------------------- enummask.c
2016 enum mask
2017 {
2018   ANIMAL = 0,
2019   VEGETABLE = 1,
2020   MINERAL = 2,
2021   BASIC_CATEGORY = 3,
2022
2023   WHITE = 0,
2024   BLUE = 4,
2025   GREEN = 8,
2026   BLACK = 0xc,
2027   COLOR = 0xc,
2028
2029   ALIVE = 0x10,
2030
2031   LARGE = 0x20
2032 } v;
2033
2034 --
2035
2036 If try to modify value in file with "set write off" should give
2037 appropriate error not "cannot access memory at address 0x65e0".
2038
2039 --
2040
2041 Allow core file without exec file on RS/6000.
2042
2043 --
2044
2045 Make sure "shell" with no arguments works right on DOS.
2046
2047 --
2048
2049 Make gdb.ini (as well as .gdbinit) be checked on all platforms, so
2050 the same directory can be NFS-mounted on unix or DOS, and work the
2051 same way.
2052
2053 --
2054
2055 [Is this another delete???]
2056
2057 Get SECT_OFF_TEXT stuff out of objfile_relocate (might be needed to
2058 get RS/6000 to work right, might not be immediately relevant).
2059
2060 --
2061
2062 Work out some kind of way to allow running the inferior to be done as
2063 a sub-execution of, eg. breakpoint command lists.  Currently running
2064 the inferior interupts any command list execution.  This would require
2065 some rewriting of wait_for_inferior & friends, and hence should
2066 probably be done in concert with the above.
2067
2068 --
2069
2070 Add function arguments to gdb user defined functions.
2071
2072 --
2073
2074 Add convenience variables that refer to exec file, symbol file,
2075 selected frame source file, selected frame function, selected frame
2076 line number, etc.
2077
2078 --
2079
2080 Modify the handling of symbols grouped through BINCL/EINCL stabs to
2081 allocate a partial symtab for each BINCL/EINCL grouping.  This will
2082 seriously decrease the size of inter-psymtab dependencies and hence
2083 lessen the amount that needs to be read in when a new source file is
2084 accessed.
2085
2086 --
2087
2088 Add a command for searching memory, a la adb.  It specifies size,
2089 mask, value, start address.  ADB searches until it finds it or hits
2090 an error (or is interrupted).
2091
2092 --
2093
2094 Remove the range and type checking code and documentation, if not
2095 going to implement.
2096
2097 # Local Variables:
2098 # mode: text
2099 # End: