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 Pascal (Pierre Muller, David Taylor)
  93
  94 Pierre Muller has contributed patches for adding Pascal Language
  95 support to GDB.
  96
  97 2 pascal language patches inserted in database
  98 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00521.html
  99
 100 Indent -gnu ?
 101 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00496.html
 102
 103 [I think this has been merged, need to confirm - cagney]
 104
 105 --
 106
 107 Java (Anthony Green, David Taylor)
 108
 109 Anthony Green has a number of Java patches that did not make it into
 110 the 5.0 release.  The first two are in cvs now, but the third needs
 111 some fixing up before it can go in.
 112
 113 Patch: java tests
 114 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00512.html
 115
 116 Patch: java booleans
 117 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00515.html
 118
 119 Patch: handle N_MAIN stab
 120 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00527.html
 121
 122 -- 2001-03-08
 123
 124 Add CRIS target.
 125
 126 A predicate to this is the multi-arching of SOFTWARE_SINGLE_STEP().  A
 127 patch has been submitted.
 128
 129 --
 130
 131                 GDB 5.1 - Cleanups
 132                 ==================
 133
 134 The following code cleanups will hopefully be applied to GDB 5.1.
 135
 136 --
 137
 138 Fix copyright notices.
 139
 140 Turns out that ``1998-2000'' isn't considered valid :-(
 141
 142 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00467.html
 143
 144 --
 145
 146                 GDB 5.1 - Known Problems
 147                 ========================
 148
 149 --
 150
 151 z8k
 152
 153 The z8k has suffered bit rot and is known to not build.  The problem
 154 was occuring in the opcodes directory.
 155
 156 --
 157
 158 m88k
 159
 160 The m88k has suffered bit rot and is known to not build.
 161
 162 --
 163
 164 Solaris 8 x86 CURSES_H problem
 165 http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb/2000-07/msg00038.html
 166
 167 The original problem was worked around with:
 168
 169     2000-06-06  Michael Snyder  <msnyder@cygnus.com>
 170
 171         * configure.in: Enable autoconf to find curses.h on Solaris 2.8.
 172         * configure: Regenerate.
 173
 174 When building both GDB and SID using the same source tree the problem
 175 will still occure. sid/component/configure.in mis-configures
 176 <curses.h> and leaves wrong information in the config cache.
 177
 178 --
 179
 180                 GDB 5.2 - Fixes
 181                 ===============
 182
 183 --
 184
 185 Thread support.  Right now, as soon as a thread finishes and exits,
 186 you're hosed.  This problem is reported once a week or so.
 187
 188 --
 189
 190                 GDB 5.2 - New features
 191                 ======================
 192
 193 --
 194
 195 GCC 3.0 ABI support (but hopefully sooner...).
 196
 197 --
 198
 199 Objective C/C++ support (but hopefully sooner...).
 200
 201 --
 202
 203                 GDB 5.2 - Cleanups
 204                 ==================
 205
 206 The following cleanups have been identified as part of GDB 5.2.
 207
 208 --
 209
 210 Remove old code that does not use ui_out functions and all the related
 211 "ifdef"s.  This also allows the elimination of -DUI_OUT from
 212 Makefile.in and configure.in.
 213
 214 --
 215
 216 Compiler warnings.
 217
 218 Eliminate warnings for all targets on at least one host for one of the
 219 -W flags.  Flags up for debate include: -Wswitch -Wcomment -trigraphs
 220 -Wtrigraphs -Wunused-function -Wunused-label -Wunused-variable
 221 -Wunused-value -Wchar-subscripts -Wtraditional -Wshadow -Wcast-qual
 222 -Wcast-align -Wwrite-strings -Wconversion -Wstrict-prototypes
 223 -Wmissing-prototypes -Wmissing-declarations -Wredundant-decls
 224 -Woverloaded-virtual -Winline
 225
 226 --
 227
 228 Deprecate, if not delete, the following:
 229
 230         register[]
 231         register_valid[]
 232         register_buffer()
 233         REGISTER_BYTE()
 234                 Replaced by, on the target side
 235                   supply_register()
 236                 and on core-gdb side:
 237                   {read,write}_register_gen()
 238                 Remote.c will need to use something
 239                 other than REGISTER_BYTE() and
 240                 REGISTER_RAW_SIZE() when unpacking
 241                 [gG] packets.
 242
 243         STORE_PSEUDO_REGISTER
 244         FETCH_PSEUDO_REGISTER
 245                 Now handed by the methods
 246                   gdbarch_{read,write}_register()
 247                 which sits between core GDB and
 248                 the register cache.
 249
 250         REGISTER_CONVERTIBLE
 251         REGISTER_CONVERT_TO_RAW
 252         REGISTER_CONVERT_TO_VIRTUAL
 253                 I think these three are redundant.
 254                 gdbarch_register_{read,write} can
 255                 do any conversion it likes.
 256
 257         REGISTER_VIRTUAL_SIZE
 258         MAX_REGISTER_VIRTUAL_SIZE
 259         REGISTER_VIRTUAL_TYPE
 260                 I think these can be replaced by
 261                 the pair:
 262                   FRAME_REGISTER_TYPE(frame, regnum)
 263                   REGISTER_TYPE(regnum)
 264
 265         DO_REGISTERS_INFO
 266                 Replace with
 267                  FRAME_REGISTER_INFO (frame, ...)
 268
 269         REGISTER_SIM_REGNO()
 270                 If nothing else rename this so that
 271                 how it relates to rawreg and the
 272                 regnum is clear.
 273
 274         REGISTER_BYTES
 275                 The size of the cache can be computed
 276                 on the fly.
 277
 278         IS_TRAPPED_INTERNALVAR
 279                 The pseudo registers should eventually make
 280                 this redundant.
 281
 282 --
 283
 284 Obsolete the targets.
 285
 286 arm*-wince-pe
 287 mips*-*-pe
 288 sh*-*-pe
 289
 290 Obsolete the protocols:
 291
 292 RDB
 293
 294 ``As of version 5.3, WindRiver has removed the RDB server (RDB
 295 protocol support is built into gdb).''  -- Till.
 296
 297 --
 298
 299 Restructure gdb directory tree so that it avoids any 8.3 and 14
 300 filename problems.
 301
 302 --
 303
 304 Convert GDB build process to AUTOMAKE.
 305
 306 See also sub-directory configure below.
 307
 308 The current convention is (kind of) to use $(<header>_h) in all
 309 dependency lists.  It isn't done in a consistent way.
 310
 311 --
 312
 313                 GDB 5.2 - Known Problems
 314                 ========================
 315
 316 --
 317
 318                 Code Cleanups: General
 319                 ======================
 320
 321 The following are more general cleanups and fixes.  They are not tied
 322 to any specific release.
 323
 324 --
 325
 326 Investigate changing --target=a29k-amd-udi to a29k-*-coff* and
 327 rationalize *.mt files.  The got-ya is in remote-eb.c - it has its own
 328 custom tty manipulation - it should be using the serial object.
 329
 330 --
 331
 332 Rename read_register{,_pid}() to read_unsigned_register{,_pid}().
 333
 334 --
 335
 336 Problem with weak functions
 337 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-05/msg00060.html
 338
 339 Dan Nicolaescu writes:
 340 > It seems that gdb-4.95.1  does not display correctly the function when
 341 > stoping in weak functions.
 342 >
 343 > It stops in a function that is defined as weak, not in the function
 344 > that is actually run...
 345
 346 --
 347
 348 Follow through `make check' with --enable-shared.
 349
 350 When the srcware tree is configured with --enable-shared, the `expect'
 351 program won't run properly.  Jim Wilson found out gdb has a local hack
 352 to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH, but, AFAIK, no other project has been hacked
 353 similarly.
 354
 355 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00845.html
 356
 357 --
 358
 359 Delete macro TARGET_BYTE_ORDER_SELECTABLE.
 360
 361 Patches in the database.
 362
 363 --
 364
 365 printcmd.c (print_address_numeric):
 366
 367 NOTE: This assumes that the significant address information is kept in
 368 the least significant bits of ADDR - the upper bits were either zero
 369 or sign extended.  Should ADDRESS_TO_POINTER() or some
 370 ADDRESS_TO_PRINTABLE() be used to do the conversion?
 371
 372 --
 373
 374 The BFD directory requires bug-fixed AUTOMAKE et.al.
 375
 376 AUTOMAKE 1.4 incorrectly set the TEXINPUTS environment variable.  It
 377 contained the full path to texinfo.tex when it should have only
 378 contained the directory.  The bug has been fixed in the current
 379 AUTOMAKE sources.  Automake snapshots can be found in:
 380         ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/gdb/snapshots
 381 and     ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/binutils
 382
 383 --
 384
 385 Find something better than DEFAULT_BFD_ARCH, DEFAULT_BFD_VEC to
 386 determine the default isa/byte-order.
 387
 388 --
 389
 390 Rely on BFD_BIG_ENDIAN and BFD_LITTLE_ENDIAN instead of host dependent
 391 BIG_ENDIAN and LITTLE_ENDIAN.
 392
 393 --
 394
 395 Eliminate more compiler warnings.
 396
 397 Of course there also needs to be the usual debate over which warnings
 398 are valid and how to best go about this.
 399
 400 One method: choose a single option; get agreement that it is
 401 reasonable; try it out to see if there isn't anything silly about it
 402 (-Wunused-parameters is an example of that) then incrementally hack
 403 away.
 404
 405 The other method is to enable all warnings and eliminate them from one
 406 file at a time.
 407
 408 --
 409
 410 Elimination of ``(catch_errors_ftype *) func''.
 411
 412 Like make_cleanup_func it isn't portable.
 413 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00791.html
 414 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00814.html
 415
 416 --
 417
 418 Nuke #define CONST_PTR.
 419
 420 --
 421
 422 Nuke USG define.
 423
 424 --
 425
 426 [PATCH/5] src/intl/Makefile.in:distclean additions
 427 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00363.html
 428
 429 Do not forget to merge the patch back into the trunk.
 430
 431 --
 432
 433 Rationalize the host-endian code (grep for HOST_BYTE_ORDER).
 434
 435 At present defs.h includes <endian.h> (which is linux specific) yet
 436 almost nothing depends on it.  Suggest "gdb_endian.h" which can also
 437 handle <machine/endian.h> and only include that where it is really
 438 needed.
 439
 440 --
 441
 442 Replace savestring() with something from libiberty.
 443
 444 An xstrldup()? but that would have different semantics.
 445
 446 --
 447
 448 Rationalize use of floatformat_unknown in GDB sources.
 449
 450 Instead of defaulting to floatformat_unknown, should hosts/targets
 451 specify the value explicitly?
 452
 453 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html
 454
 455 --
 456
 457 Add a ``name'' member to include/floatformat.h:struct floatformat.
 458 Print that name in gdbarch.c.
 459
 460 --
 461
 462 Sort out the harris mess in include/floatformat.h (it hardwires two
 463 different floating point formats).
 464
 465 --
 466
 467 See of the GDB local floatformat_do_doublest() and libiberty's
 468 floatformat_to_double (which was once GDB's ...) can be merged some
 469 how.
 470
 471 --
 472
 473 Eliminate mmalloc(), mstrsave() et.al. from GDB.
 474
 475 Also eliminate it from defs.h.
 476
 477 --
 478
 479 Eliminate PTR.  ISO-C allows ``void *''.
 480
 481 --
 482
 483 Eliminate abort ().
 484
 485 GDB should never abort.  GDB should either throw ``error ()'' or
 486 ``internal_error ()''.  Better still GDB should naturally unwind with
 487 an error status.
 488
 489 --
 490
 491 GDB probably doesn't build on FreeBSD pre 2.2.x
 492 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00378.html
 493
 494 Fixes to get FreeBSD working on 2.2.x, 3.x and 4.x caused the code to
 495 suffer bit rot.
 496
 497 --
 498
 499 Deprecate "fg".  Apparently ``fg'' is actually continue.
 500
 501 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00417.html
 502
 503 --
 504
 505 Deprecate current use of ``floatformat_unknown''.
 506
 507 Require all targets to explicitly provide their float format instead
 508 of defaulting to floatformat unknown.  Doing the latter leads to nasty
 509 bugs.
 510
 511 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html
 512
 513 --
 514
 515 Rationalize floatformat_to_double() vs floatformat_to_doublest().
 516
 517 Looks like GDB migrated floatformat_to_double() to libiberty but then
 518 turned around and created a ..._to_doublest() the latter containing
 519 several bug fixes.
 520
 521 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00472.html
 522
 523 --
 524
 525 Move floatformat_ia64_ext to libiberty/include floatformat.[ch].
 526
 527 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00466.html
 528
 529 --
 530
 531 The ``maintenance deprecate set endian big'' command doesn't notice
 532 that it is deprecating ``set endian'' and not ``set endian big'' (big
 533 is implemented using an enum).  Is anyone going to notice this?
 534
 535 --
 536
 537 When tab expanding something like ``set arch<tab>'' ignore the
 538 deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''.
 539
 540 --
 541
 542 Eliminate ``arm_register_names[j] = (char *) regnames[j]'' and the
 543 like from arm-tdep.c.
 544
 545 --
 546
 547 Fix uses of ->function.cfunc = set_function().
 548
 549 The command.c code calls sfunc() when a set command.  Rather than
 550 change it suggest fixing the callback function so that it is more
 551 useful.  See:
 552
 553 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html
 554
 555 See also ``Fix implementation of  ``target xxx''.'' below.
 556
 557 --
 558
 559 IRIX 3.x support is probably broken.
 560
 561 --
 562
 563 Delete sim/SIM_HAVE_BREAKPOINTS and gdb/SIM_HAS_BREAKPOINTS.
 564 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-07/msg00042.html
 565
 566 Apart from the d30v, are there any sim/common simulators that make use
 567 of this?
 568
 569 A brief summary of what happened is that sim/common/sim-break.c was
 570 created as a good idea.  It turned out a better idea was to use
 571 SIM_SIGBREAK and have GDB pass back sim_resume (..., SIGBREAK).
 572
 573 --
 574
 575 Move remote_remove_hw_breakpoint, remote_insert_hw_breakpoint,
 576 remote_remove_watchpoint, remote_insert_watchpoint into target vector.
 577
 578 --
 579
 580 Eliminate ``extern'' from C files.
 581
 582 --
 583
 584 Replace ``STREQ()'' et.al. with ``strcmp() == 0'' et.al.
 585
 586 Extreme care is recommeded - perhaps only modify tests that are
 587 exercised by the testsuite (as determined using some type of code
 588 coverage analysis).
 589
 590 --
 591
 592 Replace the file gdb/CONTRIBUTE with a file that is generated from the
 593 gdb/doc/*.texinfo directory.
 594
 595 --
 596
 597 Rewrite/break up sparcl-tdep.c so that it uses ser*.c as the mechanism
 598 for accessing either the serial or UDP port.
 599
 600 --
 601
 602                         New Features and Fixes
 603                         ======================
 604
 605 These are harder than cleanups but easier than work involving
 606 fundamental architectural change.
 607
 608 --
 609
 610 Hardware watchpoint problems on x86 OSes, including Linux:
 611
 612 1. Delete/disable hardware watchpoints should free hardware debug
 613 registers.
 614 2. Watch for different values on a viariable with one hardware debug
 615 register.
 616
 617 According to Eli Zaretskii <eliz@delorie.com>:
 618
 619 These are not GDB/ia32 issues per se: the above features are all
 620 implemented in the DJGPP port of GDB and work in v5.0.  Every
 621 x86-based target should be able to lift the relevant parts of
 622 go32-nat.c and use them almost verbatim.  You get debug register
 623 sharing through reference counts, and the ability to watch large
 624 regions (up to 16 bytes) using multiple registers.  (The required
 625 infrastructure in high-level GDB application code, mostly in
 626 breakpoint.c, is also working since v5.0.)
 627
 628 --
 629
 630 Add built-by, build-date, tm, xm, nm and anything else into gdb binary
 631 so that you can see how the GDB was created.
 632
 633 --
 634
 635 Add an "info bfd" command that displays supported object formats,
 636 similarly to objdump -i.
 637
 638 Is there a command already?
 639
 640 --
 641
 642 Fix ``I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.'' from symfile.c.
 643
 644 This requires internationalization.
 645
 646 --
 647
 648 Add support for:
 649
 650 (gdb) p fwprintf(stdout,L"%S\n", f)
 651 No symbol "L" in current context.
 652
 653 --
 654
 655 Cleanup configury support for optional sub-directories.
 656
 657 Check how GCC handles multiple front ends for an example of how things
 658 could work.  A tentative first step is to rationalize things so that
 659 all sub directories are handled in a fashion similar to gdb/mi.
 660
 661 See also automake above.
 662
 663 --
 664
 665 Add a transcript mechanism to GDB.
 666
 667 Such a mechanism might log all gdb input and output to a file in a
 668 form that would allow it to be replayed.  It could involve ``gdb
 669 --transcript=FILE'' or it could involve ``(gdb) transcript file''.
 670
 671 --
 672
 673 Can the xdep files be replaced by autoconf?
 674
 675 --
 676
 677 Document trace machinery
 678
 679 --
 680
 681 Document ui-out and ui-file.
 682
 683 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00121.html
 684
 685 --
 686
 687 Update texinfo.tex to latest?
 688
 689 --
 690
 691 Incorporate agentexpr.texi into gdb.texinfo
 692
 693 agentexpr.texi mostly describes the details of the byte code used for
 694 tracepoints, not the internals of the support for this in GDB.  So it
 695 looks like gdb.texinfo is a better place for this information.
 696
 697 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00566.html
 698
 699 --
 700
 701 Document overlay machinery.
 702
 703 --
 704
 705 ``(gdb) catch signal SIGNAL''
 706
 707 Overlaps with ``handle SIGNAL'' but the implied behavior is different.
 708 You can attach commands to a catch but not a handle.  A handle has a
 709 limited number of hardwired actions.
 710
 711 --
 712
 713 Fix TUI
 714
 715      o  readline/*.h bitrot
 716
 717         The TUI isn't up-to-date with
 718         respect to the readline currently
 719         bundled with GDB.  Importing a
 720         new readline is on the 5.1 wish
 721         list so this can only get worse.
 722
 723         Grep for things like term_cursor_move.
 724
 725         (To be honest, I don't see anyone
 726         importing a new readline before 5.1 is
 727         out)
 728
 729      o  tui.c:va_catch_errors() bitrot
 730
 731         This nasty piece of work used knowledge
 732         of the internals of GDBs error functions :-(
 733         Ever since those internals were cleaned
 734         up this code has been broken. :-(
 735
 736      o  tuiWin.c:c_makeVisibleWithNewHeight() broken
 737         tuiLayout.c:_extractDisplayStartAddr() broken
 738
 739         Both these function call find_line_pc()
 740         incorrectly (wrong args, wrong return value).
 741
 742         I suspect this bug has always been there!
 743         It had been hidden because those files
 744         didn't include the necessary header files
 745         from gdb proper :-(
 746
 747      o  tuiRegs() host dependant
 748
 749         Not suprisingly, this isn't a very portable
 750         section of code.  However, I'm sure people
 751         could live with no regs in the short to
 752         medium term.
 753
 754      o  defs.h: #include "tui.h" et.al.
 755
 756         I'm not sure where this came from.
 757         It was a really bad idea.
 758
 759         To get things to compile I did a nasty
 760         hack (Just declare what was needed and
 761         replace any expressions like xx->y.z()
 762         in GDB proper with function calls).  I
 763         could commit it slightly cleaned up if
 764         you like.
 765
 766         Medium Term. the #ifdef TUI and TuiDo()
 767         should be changed to hooks (like GDBTK).
 768         The gdb-events.[hc] is there for that
 769         purpose (1)
 770
 771      o  tui.c:_tuiReset() host dependant
 772
 773         tui.c contains a lump of termio[s]
 774         I suspect an equivalent block of
 775         code can be lifted from readline.
 776         An equivalent readline function may
 777         even be available.
 778
 779      o  curses.h vs ncurses.h.
 780
 781         Simple portability problem.
 782
 783      o  subsetCompare()
 784
 785         This function is a mystery - where is it?
 786
 787      o  tui-file.[hc] cleanup
 788
 789         This can be significantly simplified.
 790
 791      o  The code should be pacified. (-Werror -W...)
 792
 793         There are plenty of #includes,
 794         duplicate #includes, missing function decls
 795         and the like.
 796
 797         Some of the problems I found were through
 798         fixing a few of the warnings.
 799
 800      o  The code should be GNUtified.
 801
 802         It would be very nice to have this code
 803         look like the rest of GDB.  That way people
 804         would be more accepting of it as a true
 805         gdb component.
 806
 807         Until it is GNUtified it is going to stick
 808         out like a sore thumb to the programmer.
 809
 810      o  The code should be clearly copyrighted
 811
 812         (FSF, with due credit to HP)
 813
 814 --
 815
 816 Add support for ``gdb --- PROGRAM ARGS ...''.
 817 Add support for ``gdb -cmd=...''
 818
 819 Along with many variations.  Check:
 820
 821 ????? for a full discussion.
 822
 823 for a discussion.
 824
 825 --
 826
 827 Implement ``(gdb) !ls''.
 828
 829 Which is very different from ``(gdb) ! ls''.  Implementing the latter
 830 is trivial.
 831
 832 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00034.html
 833
 834 --
 835
 836 Change the (char *list[]) to (const char (*)[]) so that dynamic lists can
 837 be passed.
 838
 839 --
 840
 841 When tab expanding something like ``set arch<tab>'' ignore the
 842 deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''.
 843
 844 --
 845
 846 Replace the code that uses the host FPU with an emulator of the target
 847 FPU.
 848
 849 --
 850
 851 The "ocd reset" command needs to flush the dcache, which requires breaking
 852 the abstraction layer between the target independent and target code.  One
 853 way to address this is provide a generic "reset" command and target vector.
 854
 855 http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-10/msg00011.html
 856
 857 --
 858
 859                         Thread Support
 860                         ==============
 861
 862 --
 863
 864 Generic: lin-thread cannot handle thread exit (Mark Kettenis, Michael
 865 Snyder) http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00525.html
 866
 867 The thread_db assisted debugging code doesn't handle exiting threads
 868 properly, at least in combination with glibc 2.1.3 (the framework is
 869 there, just not the actual code).  There are at least two problems
 870 that prevent this from working.
 871
 872 As an additional reference point, the pre thread_db code did not work
 873 either.
 874
 875 --
 876
 877 GNU/Linux/x86 and random thread signals (and Solaris/SPARC but not
 878 Solaris/x86).
 879 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00336.html
 880
 881 Christopher Blizzard writes:
 882
 883 So, I've done some more digging into this and it looks like Jim
 884 Kingdon has reported this problem in the past:
 885
 886 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/bug-gdb/1999-10/msg00058.html
 887
 888 I can reproduce this problem both with and without Tom's patch.  Has
 889 anyone seen this before?  Maybe have a solution for it hanging around?
 890 :)
 891
 892 There's a test case for this documented at:
 893
 894 when debugging threaded applications you get extra SIGTRAPs
 895 http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=9565
 896
 897 [There should be a GDB testcase - cagney]
 898
 899 --
 900
 901 GDB5 TOT on unixware 7
 902 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00119.html
 903
 904 Robert Lipe writes:
 905 > I just spun the top of tree of the GDB5 branch on UnixWare 7.  As a
 906 > practical matter, the current thread support is somewhat more annoying
 907 > than when GDB was thread-unaware.
 908
 909 --
 910
 911                         Language Support
 912                         ================
 913
 914 New languages come onto the scene all the time.
 915
 916 --
 917
 918 Re: Various C++ things
 919
 920 value_headof/value_from_vtable_info are worthless, and should be
 921 removed.  The one place in printcmd.c that uses it should use the RTTI
 922 functions.
 923
 924 RTTI for g++ should be using the typeinfo functions rather than the
 925 vtables.  The typeinfo functions are always at offset 4 from the
 926 beginning of the vtable, and are always right. The vtables will have
 927 weird names like E::VB sometimes.  The typeinfo function will always
 928 be "E type_info function", or somesuch.
 929
 930 value_virtual_fn_field needs to be fixed so there are no failures for
 931 virtual functions for C++ using g++.
 932
 933 Testsuite cases are the major priority right now for C++ support,
 934 since i have to make a lot of changes that could potentially break
 935 each other.
 936
 937 --
 938
 939 Add support for Modula3
 940
 941 Get DEC/Compaq to contribute their Modula-3 support.
 942
 943 --
 944
 945                 Remote Protocol Support
 946                 =======================
 947
 948 --
 949
 950 Revised UDP support (was: Re: [Fwd: [patch] UDP transport support])
 951 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00000.html
 952
 953 (Broken) support for GDB's remote protocol across UDP is to be
 954 included in the follow-on release.
 955
 956 It should be noted that UDP can only work when the [Gg] packet fits in
 957 a single UDP packet.
 958
 959 There is also much debate over the merit of this.
 960
 961 --
 962
 963 Migrate qfThreadInfo packet -> qThreadInfo. (Andrew Cagney)
 964
 965 Add support for packet enable/disable commands with these thread
 966 packets.  General cleanup.
 967
 968 [PATCH] Document the ThreadInfo remote protocol queries
 969 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00832.html
 970
 971 [PATCH] "info threads" queries for remote.c
 972 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00831.html
 973
 974 --
 975
 976 Remote protocol doco feedback.
 977
 978 Too much feedback to mention needs to be merged in (901660).  Search
 979 for the word ``remote''.
 980
 981
 982 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00023.html
 983 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00056.html
 984 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00382.html
 985
 986 --
 987
 988 GDB doesn't recover gracefully from remote protocol errors.
 989
 990 GDB wasn't checking for NAKs from the remote target.  Instead a NAK is
 991 ignored and a timeout is required before GDB retries.  A pre-cursor to
 992 fixing this this is making GDB's remote protocol packet more robust.
 993
 994 While downloading to a remote protocol target, gdb ignores packet
 995 errors in so far as it will continue to download with chunk N+1 even
 996 if chunk N was not correctly sent.  This causes gdb.base/remote.exp to
 997 take a painfully long time to run.  As a PS that test needs to be
 998 fixed so that it builds on 16 bit machines.
 999
1000 --
1001
1002 Fix the ``!'' packet.
1003
1004 JT reported that the existing targets do, in fact return ``OK'' so it
1005 is possible to merge remote and extended-remote targets.
1006
1007 --
1008
1009 Drop ``<address>'' from the [SsCc] packets.
1010
1011 I don't think that GDB generates them so having it in the protocol is
1012 silly.
1013
1014 --
1015
1016 Fix doco on the ``q'' packet.
1017
1018 It has evolved into a generic RPC.  The notes should reflect this and,
1019 perhaps, the ``Q'' packet can be deprecated.
1020
1021 The doco should mention that ``OK'' is a valid packet response.
1022
1023 The doco should explain why ``OK'' needs to be a valid packet
1024 response.
1025
1026 --
1027
1028 Add the cycle step command.
1029
1030 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00237.html
1031
1032 --
1033
1034 Resolve how to scale things to support very large packets.
1035
1036 --
1037
1038 Resolve how to handle a target that changes things like its endianess
1039 on the fly - should it be returned in the ``T'' packet?
1040
1041 Underlying problem is that the register file is target endian.  If the
1042 target endianess changes gdb doesn't know.
1043
1044 Suggest encoding registers as NN!VALUE.
1045
1046 --
1047
1048 GDB should allow incomming packets to be larger than outgoing ones.  A
1049 fully loaded T packet (containing all registers) can be very large -
1050 definitly larger than a corresponding Gg packet.
1051
1052 --
1053
1054                         Symbol Support
1055                         ==============
1056
1057 If / when GDB starts to support the debugging of multi-processor
1058 (rather than multi-thread) applications the symtab code will need to
1059 be updated a little so that several independent symbol tables are
1060 active at a given time.
1061
1062 The other interesting change is a clarification of the exact meaning
1063 of CORE_ADDR and that has had consequences for a few targets (that
1064 were abusing that data type).
1065
1066 --
1067
1068 Investiagate ways of reducing memory.
1069
1070 --
1071
1072 Investigate ways of improving load time.
1073
1074 --
1075
1076 Get the d10v to use POINTER_TO_ADDRESS and ADDRESS_TO_POINTER.
1077
1078 Consequence of recent symtab clarification.  No marks for figuring out
1079 who maintains the d10v.
1080
1081 --
1082
1083 Get the MIPS to correctly sign extend all address <-> pointer
1084 conversions.
1085
1086 Consequence of recent symtab clarification.  No marks for figuring out
1087 who maintains the MIPS.
1088
1089 --
1090
1091 GDB truncates 64 bit enums.
1092
1093 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00290.html
1094
1095 --
1096
1097                         Testsuite Support
1098                         =================
1099
1100 There are never to many testcases.
1101
1102 --
1103
1104 Better thread testsuite.
1105
1106 --
1107
1108 Better C++ testsuite.
1109
1110 --
1111
1112 Look at adding a GDB specific testsuite directory so that white box
1113 tests of key internals can be added (eg ui_file).
1114
1115 --
1116
1117 Separate out tests that involve the floating point (FP).
1118
1119 (Something for people brining up new targets).  FP and non-fp tests
1120 are combined.  I think there should be set of basic tests that
1121 exercise pure integer support and then a more expanded set that
1122 exercise FP and FP/integer interactions.
1123
1124 As an example, the MIPS, for n32 as problems with passing FP's and
1125 structs.  Since most inferior call tests include FP it is difficult to
1126 determine of the integer tests are ok.
1127
1128 --
1129
1130                 Architectural Changes: General
1131                 ==============================
1132
1133 These are harder than simple cleanups / fixes and, consequently
1134 involve more work.  Typically an Architectural Change will be broken
1135 down into a more digestible set of cleanups and fixes.
1136
1137 --
1138
1139 Cleanup software single step.
1140
1141 At present many targets implement software single step by directly
1142 blatting memory (see rs6000-tdep.c).  Those targets should register
1143 the applicable breakpoints using the breakpoint framework.  Perhaphs a
1144 new internal breakpoint class ``step'' is needed.
1145
1146 --
1147
1148 Replace READ_FP() with FRAME_HANDLE().
1149
1150 READ_FP() is a hangover from the days of the vax when the ABI really
1151 did have a frame pointer register.  Modern architectures typically
1152 construct a virtual frame-handle from the stack pointer and various
1153 other bits of string.
1154
1155 Unfortunately GDB still treats this synthetic FP register as though it
1156 is real.  That in turn really confuses users (arm and ``print $fp'' VS
1157 ``info registers fp'').  The synthetic FP should be separated out of
1158 the true register set presented to the user.
1159
1160 --
1161
1162 Register Cache Cleanup (below from Andrew Cagney)
1163
1164 I would depict the current register architecture as something like:
1165
1166         High GDB  -->   Low GDB
1167             |              |
1168            \|/            \|/
1169             --- REG NR -----
1170                    |
1171     register + REGISTER_BYTE(reg_nr)
1172                    |
1173                   \|/
1174         -------------------------
1175         |  extern register[]    |
1176         -------------------------
1177
1178 where neither the high (valops.c et.al.) or low gdb (*-tdep.c) are
1179 really clear on what mechanisms they should be using to manipulate that
1180 buffer.   Further, much code assumes, dangerously, that registers are
1181 contigious.  Having got mips-tdep.c to support multiple ABIs, believe
1182 me, that is a bad assumption.  Finally, that register cache layout is
1183 determined by the current remote/local target and _not_ the less
1184 specific target ISA.  In fact, in many cases it is determined by the
1185 somewhat arbitrary layout of the [gG] packets!
1186
1187
1188 How I would like the register file to work is more like:
1189
1190
1191           High GDB
1192              |
1193             \|/
1194        pseudo reg-nr
1195              |
1196         map pseudo <->
1197         random cache
1198         bytes
1199              |
1200             \|/
1201         ------------
1202         | register |
1203         |  cache   |
1204         ------------
1205             /|\
1206              |
1207         map random cache
1208         bytes to target
1209         dependent i-face
1210             /|\
1211              |
1212        target dependent
1213         such as [gG] packet
1214         or ptrace buffer
1215
1216 The main objectives being:
1217
1218         o       a clear separation between the low
1219                 level target and the high level GDB
1220
1221         o       a mechanism that solves the general
1222                 problem of register aliases, overlaps
1223                 etc instead of treating them as optional
1224                 extras that can be wedged in as an after
1225                 thought (that is a reasonable description
1226                 of the current code).
1227
1228                 Identify then solve the hard case and the
1229                 rest just falls out.  GDB solved the easy
1230                 case and then tried to ignore the real
1231                 world :-)
1232
1233         o       a removal of the assumption that the
1234                 mapping between the register cache
1235                 and virtual registers is largely static.
1236                 If you flip the USR/SSR stack register
1237                 select bit in the status-register then
1238                 the corresponding stack registers should
1239                 reflect the change.
1240
1241         o       a mechanism that clearly separates the
1242                 gdb internal register cache from any
1243                 target (not architecture) dependent
1244                 specifics such as [gG] packets.
1245
1246 Of course, like anything, it sounds good in theory.  In reality, it
1247 would have to contend with many<->many relationships at both the
1248 virt<->cache and cache<->target level.  For instance:
1249
1250         virt<->cache
1251                 Modifying an mmx register may involve
1252                 scattering values across both FP and
1253                 mmpx specific parts of a buffer
1254
1255         cache<->target
1256                 When writing back a SP it may need to
1257                 both be written to both SP and USP.
1258
1259
1260 Hmm,
1261
1262 Rather than let this like the last time it was discussed, just slip, I'm
1263 first going to add this e-mail (+ references) to TODO.  I'd then like to
1264 sketch out a broad strategy I think could get us there.
1265
1266
1267 First thing I'd suggest is separating out the ``extern registers[]''
1268 code so that we can at least identify what is using it.  At present
1269 things are scattered across many files.  That way we can at least
1270 pretend that there is a cache instead of a global array :-)
1271
1272 I'd then suggest someone putting up a proposal for the pseudo-reg /
1273 high-level side interface so that code can be adopted to it.  For old
1274 code, initially a blanket rename of write_register_bytes() to
1275 deprecated_write_register_bytes() would help.
1276
1277 Following that would, finaly be the corresponding changes to the target.
1278
1279 --
1280
1281 Check that GDB can handle all BFD architectures (Andrew Cagney)
1282
1283 There should be a test that checks that BFD/GDB are in sync with
1284 regard to architecture changes.  Something like a test that first
1285 queries GDB for all supported architectures and then feeds each back
1286 to GDB..  Anyone interested in learning how to write tests?  :-)
1287
1288 --
1289
1290                 Architectural Change: Multi-arch et al.
1291                 =======================================
1292
1293 The long term objective is to remove all assumptions that there is a
1294 single target with a single address space with a single instruction
1295 set architecture and single application binary interface.
1296
1297 This is an ongoing effort.  The first milestone is to enable
1298 ``multi-arch'' where by all architectural decisions are made at
1299 runtime.
1300
1301 It should be noted that ``gdbarch'' is really ``gdbabi'' and
1302 ``gdbisa''.  Once things are multi-arched breaking that down correctly
1303 will become much easier.
1304
1305 --
1306
1307 GDBARCH cleanup (Andrew Cagney)
1308
1309 The non-generated parts of gdbarch.{sh,h,c} should be separated out
1310 into arch-utils.[hc].
1311
1312 Document that gdbarch_init_ftype could easily fail because it didn't
1313 identify an architecture.
1314
1315 --
1316
1317 Fix BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION.  Change it to BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION_P?
1318
1319 At present there is still #ifdef BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION code in the
1320 symtab file.
1321
1322 --
1323
1324 Fix target_signal_from_host() etc.
1325
1326 The name is wrong for starters.  ``target_signal'' should probably be
1327 ``gdb_signal''.  ``from_host'' should be ``from_target_signal''.
1328 After that it needs to be multi-arched and made independent of any
1329 host signal numbering.
1330
1331 Once this is done, the signal enum can probably be moved to
1332 include/gdb so that it is available to embedded stubs.
1333
1334 --
1335
1336 Update ALPHA so that it uses ``struct frame_extra_info'' instead of
1337 EXTRA_FRAME_INFO.
1338
1339 This is a barrier to replacing mips_extra_func_info with something
1340 that works with multi-arch.
1341
1342 --
1343
1344 Multi-arch  mips_extra_func_info.
1345
1346 This first needs the alpha to be updated so that it uses ``struct
1347 frame_extra_info''.
1348
1349 --
1350
1351 Rationalize TARGET_SINGLE_FORMAT and TARGET_SINGLE_BIT et al.
1352
1353 Surely one of them is redundant.
1354
1355 --
1356
1357 Convert ALL architectures to MULTI-ARCH.
1358
1359 --
1360
1361 Select the initial multi-arch ISA / ABI based on --target or similar.
1362
1363 At present the default is based on what ever is first in the BFD
1364 archures table.  It should be determined based on the ``--target=...''
1365 name.
1366
1367 --
1368
1369 Make MIPS pure multi-arch.
1370
1371 It is only at the multi-arch enabled stage.
1372
1373 --
1374
1375 Truly multi-arch.
1376
1377 Enable the code to recognize --enable-targets=.... like BINUTILS does.
1378
1379 Can the tm.h and nm.h files be eliminated by multi-arch.
1380
1381 --
1382
1383         Architectural Change: MI, LIBGDB and scripting languages
1384         ========================================================
1385
1386 See also architectural changes related to the event loop.  LIBGDB
1387 can't be finished until there is a generic event loop being used by
1388 all targets.
1389
1390 The long term objective is it to be possible to integrate GDB into
1391 scripting languages.
1392
1393 --
1394
1395 Implement generic ``(gdb) commmand > file''
1396
1397 Once everything is going through ui_file it should be come fairly
1398 easy.
1399
1400 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00104.html
1401
1402 --
1403
1404 Replace gdb_stdtarg with gdb_targout (and possibly gdb_targerr).
1405
1406 gdb_stdtarg is easily confused with gdb_stdarg.
1407
1408 --
1409
1410 Extra ui_file methods - dump.
1411
1412 Very useful for whitebox testing.
1413
1414 --
1415
1416 Eliminate error_begin().
1417
1418 With ui_file, there is no need for the statefull error_begin ()
1419 function.
1420
1421 --
1422
1423 Send normal output to gdb_stdout.
1424 Send error messages to gdb_stderror.
1425 Send debug and log output log gdb_stdlog.
1426
1427 GDB still contains many cases where (f)printf or printf_filtered () is
1428 used when it should be sending the messages to gdb_stderror or
1429 gdb_stdlog.  The thought of #defining printf to something has crossed
1430 peoples minds ;-)
1431
1432 --
1433
1434 Re-do GDB's output pager.
1435
1436 GDB's output pager still relies on people correctly using *_filtered
1437 for gdb_stdout and *_unfiltered for gdb_stdlog / gdb_stderr.
1438 Hopefully, with all normal output going to gdb_stdout, the pager can
1439 just look at the ui_file that the output is on and then use that to
1440 decide what to do about paging.  Sounds good in theory.
1441
1442 --
1443
1444 Check/cleanup MI documentation.
1445
1446 The list of commands specified in the documentation needs to be
1447 checked against the mi-cmds.c table in a mechanical way (so that they
1448 two can be kept up-to-date).
1449
1450 --
1451
1452 Convert MI into libgdb
1453
1454 MI provides a text interface into what should be many of the libgdb
1455 functions.  The implementation of those functions should be separated
1456 into the MI interface and the functions proper.  Those functions being
1457 moved to gdb/lib say.
1458
1459 --
1460
1461 Create libgdb.h
1462
1463 The first part can already be found in defs.h.
1464
1465 --
1466
1467 MI's input does not use buffering.
1468
1469 At present the MI interface reads raw characters of from an unbuffered
1470 FD.  This is to avoid several nasty buffer/race conditions.  That code
1471 should be changed so that it registers its self with the event loop
1472 (on the input FD) and then push commands up to MI as they arrive.
1473
1474 The serial code already does this.
1475
1476 --
1477
1478 Make MI interface accessible from existing CLI.
1479
1480 --
1481
1482 Add a breakpoint-edit command to MI.
1483
1484 It would be similar to MI's breakpoint create but would apply to an
1485 existing breakpoint.  It saves the need to delete/create breakpoints
1486 when ever they are changed.
1487
1488 --
1489
1490 Add directory path to MI breakpoint.
1491
1492 That way the GUI's task of finding the file within which the
1493 breakpoint was set is simplified.
1494
1495 --
1496
1497 Add a mechanism to reject certain expression classes to MI
1498
1499 There are situtations where you don't want GDB's expression
1500 parser/evaluator to perform inferior function calls or variable
1501 assignments.  A way of restricting the expression parser so that such
1502 operations are not accepted would be very helpful.
1503
1504 --
1505
1506 Remove sideffects from libgdb breakpoint create function.
1507
1508 The user can use the CLI to create a breakpoint with partial
1509 information - no file (gdb would use the file from the last
1510 breakpoint).
1511
1512 The libgdb interface currently affects that environment which can lead
1513 to confusion when a user is setting breakpoints via both the MI and
1514 the CLI.
1515
1516 This is also a good example of how getting the CLI ``right'' will be
1517 hard.
1518
1519 --
1520
1521 Move gdb_lasterr to ui_out?
1522
1523 The way GDB throws errors and records them needs a re-think.  ui_out
1524 handles the correct output well.  It doesn't resolve what to do with
1525 output / error-messages when things go wrong.
1526
1527 --
1528
1529 do_setshow_command contains a 1024 byte buffer.
1530
1531 The function assumes that there will never be any more than 1024 bytes
1532 of enum.  It should use mem_file.
1533
1534 --
1535
1536 Should struct cmd_list_element . completer take the command as an
1537 argument?
1538
1539 --
1540
1541 Should the bulk of top.c:line_completion_function() be moved to
1542 command.[hc]?  complete_on_cmdlist() and complete_on_enums() could
1543 then be made private.
1544
1545 --
1546
1547 top.c (execute_command): Should a command being valid when the target
1548 is running be made an attribute (predicate) to the command rather than
1549 an explicit set of tests.
1550
1551 --
1552
1553 top.c (execute_command): Should the bulk of this function be moved
1554 into command.[hc] so that top.c doesn't grub around in the command
1555 internals?
1556
1557 --
1558
1559                 Architectural Change: Async
1560                 ===========================
1561
1562 While GDB uses an event loop when prompting the user for input.  That
1563 event loop is not exploited by targets when they allow the target
1564 program to continue.  Typically targets still block in (target_wait())
1565 until the program again halts.
1566
1567 The closest a target comes to supporting full asynchronous mode are
1568 the remote targets ``async'' and ``extended-async''.
1569
1570 --
1571
1572 Asynchronous expression evaluator
1573
1574 Inferior function calls hang GDB.
1575
1576 --
1577
1578 Fix implementation of  ``target xxx''.
1579
1580 At present when the user specifies ``target xxxx'', the CLI maps that
1581 directly onto a target open method.  It is then assumed that the
1582 target open method should do all sorts of complicated things as this
1583 is the only chance it has.  Check how the various remote targets
1584 duplicate the target operations.  Check also how the various targets
1585 behave differently for purely arbitrary reasons.
1586
1587 What should happen is that ``target xxxx'' should call a generic
1588 ``target'' function and that should then co-ordinate the opening of
1589 ``xxxx''.  This becomes especially important when you're trying to
1590 open an asynchronous target that may need to perform background tasks
1591 as part of the ``attach'' phase.
1592
1593 Unfortunately, due to limitations in the old/creaking command.h
1594 interface, that isn't possible.  The function being called isn't told
1595 of the ``xxx'' or any other context information.
1596
1597 Consequently a precursor to fixing ``target xxxx'' is to clean up the
1598 CLI code so that it passes to the callback function (attatched to a
1599 command) useful information such as the actual command and a context
1600 for that command.  Other changes such as making ``struct command''
1601 opaque may also help.
1602
1603 See also:
1604 http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html
1605
1606 --
1607
1608 Make "target xxx" command interruptible.
1609
1610 As things become async this becomes possible.  A target would start
1611 the connect and then return control to the event loop.  A cntrl-c
1612 would notify the target that the operation is to be abandoned and the
1613 target code could respond.
1614
1615 --
1616
1617 Add a "suspend" subcommand of the "continue" command to suspend gdb
1618 while continuing  execution of the subprocess.  Useful when you are
1619 debugging servers and you want to dodge out and initiate a connection
1620 to a server running under gdb.
1621
1622 [hey async!!]
1623
1624 --
1625
1626                         TODO FAQ
1627                         ========
1628
1629 Frequently requested but not approved requests.
1630
1631 --
1632
1633 Eliminate unused argument warnings using ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED.
1634
1635 The benefits on this one are thought to be marginal - GDBs design
1636 means that unused parameters are very common.  GCC 3.0 will also
1637 include the option -Wno-unused-parameter which means that ``-Wall
1638 -Wno-unused-parameters -Werror'' can be specified.
1639
1640 --
1641
1642
1643
1644                         Legacy Wish List
1645                         ================
1646
1647 This list is not up to date, and opinions vary about the importance or
1648 even desirability of some of the items.  If you do fix something, it
1649 always pays to check the below.
1650
1651 --
1652
1653 @c This does not work (yet if ever).  FIXME.
1654 @c @item --parse=@var{lang} @dots{}
1655 @c Configure the @value{GDBN} expression parser to parse the listed languages.
1656 @c @samp{all} configures @value{GDBN} for all supported languages.  To get a
1657 @c list of all supported languages, omit the argument.  Without this
1658 @c option, @value{GDBN} is configured to parse all supported languages.
1659
1660 --
1661
1662 START_INFERIOR_TRAPS_EXPECTED need never be defined to 2, since that
1663 is its default value.  Clean this up.
1664
1665 --
1666
1667 It should be possible to use symbols from shared libraries before we know
1668 exactly where the libraries will be loaded.  E.g. "b perror" before running
1669 the program.  This could maybe be done as an extension of the "breakpoint
1670 re-evaluation" after new symbols are loaded.
1671
1672 --
1673
1674 Make single_step() insert and remove breakpoints in one operation.
1675
1676 [If this is talking about having single_step() insert the breakpoints,
1677 run the target then pull the breakpoints then it is wrong.  The
1678 function has to return as control has to eventually be passed back to
1679 the main event loop.]
1680
1681 --
1682
1683 Speed up single stepping by avoiding extraneous ptrace calls.
1684
1685 --
1686
1687 Speed up single stepping by not inserting and removing breakpoints
1688 each time the inferior starts and stops.
1689
1690 Breakpoints should not be inserted and deleted all the time.  Only the
1691 one(s) there should be removed when we have to step over one.  Support
1692 breakpoints that don't have to be removed to step over them.
1693
1694 [this has resulted in numerous debates.  The issue isn't clear cut]
1695
1696 --
1697
1698 Provide "voodoo" debugging of core files.  This creates a zombie
1699 process as a child of the debugger, and loads it up with the data,
1700 stack, and regs of the core file.  This allows you to call functions
1701 in the executable, to manipulate the data in the core file.
1702
1703 [you wish]
1704
1705 --
1706
1707 GDB reopens the source file on every line, as you "next" through it.
1708
1709 [still true? I've a memory of this being fixed]
1710
1711 --
1712
1713 Perhaps "i source" should take an argument like that of "list".
1714
1715 --
1716
1717 Remove "at 0xnnnn" from the "b foo" response, if `print address off' and if
1718 it matches the source line indicated.
1719
1720 --
1721
1722 The prompt at end of screen should accept space as well as CR.
1723
1724 --
1725
1726 Backtrace should point out what the currently selected frame is, in
1727 its display, perhaps showing "@3 foo (bar, ...)" or ">3 foo (bar,
1728 ...)" rather than "#3 foo (bar, ...)".
1729
1730 --
1731
1732 "i program" should work for core files, and display more info, like what
1733 actually caused it to die.
1734
1735 --
1736
1737 "x/10i" should shorten the long name, if any, on subsequent lines.
1738
1739 --
1740
1741 "next" over a function that longjumps, never stops until next time you happen
1742 to get to that spot by accident.  E.g. "n" over execute_command which has
1743 an error.
1744
1745 --
1746
1747 "set zeroprint off", don't bother printing members of structs which
1748 are entirely zero.  Useful for those big structs with few useful
1749 members.
1750
1751 --
1752
1753 GDB does four ioctl's for every command, probably switching terminal modes
1754 to/from inferior or for readline or something.
1755
1756 --
1757
1758 terminal_ours versus terminal_inferior: cache state.  Switch should be a noop
1759 if the state is the same, too.
1760
1761 --
1762
1763 "i frame" shows wrong "arglist at" location, doesn't show where the args
1764 should be found, only their actual values.
1765
1766 --
1767
1768 There should be a way for "set" commands to validate the new setting
1769 before it takes effect.
1770
1771 --
1772
1773 "ena d" is ambiguous, why?  "ena delete" seems to think it is a command!
1774
1775 --
1776
1777 i line VAR produces "Line number not known for symbol ``var''.".  I
1778 thought we were stashing that info now!
1779
1780 --
1781
1782 We should be able to write to random files at hex offsets like adb.
1783
1784 --
1785
1786 [elena - delete this]
1787
1788 Handle add_file with separate text, data, and bss addresses.  Maybe
1789 handle separate addresses for each segment in the object file?
1790
1791 --
1792
1793 [Jimb/Elena delete this one]
1794
1795 Handle free_named_symtab to cope with multiply-loaded object files
1796 in a dynamic linking environment.  Should remember the last copy loaded,
1797 but not get too snowed if it finds references to the older copy.
1798
1799 --
1800
1801 [elena delete this also]
1802
1803 Remove all references to:
1804         text_offset
1805         data_offset
1806         text_data_start
1807         text_end
1808         exec_data_offset
1809         ...
1810 now that we have BFD.  All remaining are in machine dependent files.
1811
1812 --
1813
1814 Re-organize help categories into things that tend to fit on a screen
1815 and hang together.
1816
1817 --
1818
1819 Add in commands like ADB's for searching for patterns, etc.  We should
1820 be able to examine and patch raw unsymboled binaries as well in gdb as
1821 we can in adb.  (E.g. increase the timeout in /bin/login without source).
1822
1823 [actually, add ADB interface :-]
1824
1825 --
1826
1827 When doing "step" or "next", if a few lines of source are skipped between
1828 the previous line and the current one, print those lines, not just the
1829 last line of a multiline statement.
1830
1831 --
1832
1833 Handling of "&" address-of operator needs some serious overhaul
1834 for ANSI C and consistency on arrays and functions.
1835   For "float point[15];":
1836 ptype &point[4]   ==> Attempt to take address of non-lvalue.
1837   For "char *malloc();":
1838 ptype malloc      ==> "char *()";  should be same as
1839 ptype &malloc     ==> "char *(*)()"
1840 call printf ("%x\n", malloc)   ==> weird value, should be same as
1841 call printf ("%x\n", &malloc)  ==> correct value
1842
1843 --
1844
1845 Fix dbxread.c symbol reading in the presence of interrupts.  It
1846 currently leaves a cleanup to blow away the entire symbol table when a
1847 QUIT occurs.  (What's wrong with that? -kingdon, 28 Oct 1993).
1848
1849 [I suspect that the grype was that, on a slow system, you might want
1850 to cntrl-c and get just half the symbols and then load the rest later
1851 - scary to be honest]
1852
1853 --
1854
1855 Mipsread.c reads include files depth-first, because the dependencies
1856 in the psymtabs are way too inclusive (it seems to me).  Figure out what
1857 really depends on what, to avoid recursing 20 or 30 times while reading
1858 real symtabs.
1859
1860 --
1861
1862 value_add() should be subtracting the lower bound of arrays, if known,
1863 and possibly checking against the upper bound for error reporting.
1864
1865 --
1866
1867 When listing source lines, check for a preceding \n, to verify that
1868 the file hasn't changed out from under us.
1869
1870 [fixed by some other means I think.  That hack wouldn't actually work
1871 reliably - the file might move such that another \n appears. ]
1872
1873 --
1874
1875 Get all the remote systems (where the protocol allows it) to be able to
1876 stop the remote system when the GDB user types ^C (like remote.c
1877 does).  For ebmon, use ^Ak.
1878
1879 --
1880
1881 Possible feature: A version of the "disassemble" command which shows
1882 both source and assembly code ("set symbol-filename on" is a partial
1883 solution).
1884
1885 [has this been done?  It was certainly done for MI and GDBtk]
1886
1887 --
1888
1889 investigate "x/s 0" (right now stops early) (I think maybe GDB is
1890 using a 0 address for bad purposes internally).
1891
1892 --
1893
1894 Make "info path" and path_command work again (but independent of the
1895 environment either of gdb or that we'll pass to the inferior).
1896
1897 --
1898
1899 Make GDB understand the GCC feature for putting octal constants in
1900 enums.  Make it so overflow on an enum constant does not error_type
1901 the whole type.  Allow arbitrarily large enums with type attributes.
1902 Put all this stuff in the testsuite.
1903
1904 --
1905
1906 Make TYPE_CODE_ERROR with a non-zero TYPE_LENGTH more useful (print
1907 the value in hex; process type attributes).  Add this to the
1908 testsuite.  This way future compilers can add new types and old
1909 versions of GDB can do something halfway reasonable.
1910
1911 --
1912
1913 Fix mdebugread.c:parse_type to do fundamental types right (see
1914 rs6000_builtin_type in stabsread.c for what "right" is--the point is
1915 that the debug format fixes the sizes of these things and it shouldn't
1916 depend on stuff like TARGET_PTR_BIT and so on.  For mdebug, there seem
1917 to be separate bt* codes for 64 bit and 32 bit things, and GDB should
1918 be aware of that).  Also use a switch statement for clarity and speed.
1919
1920 --
1921
1922 Investigate adding symbols in target_load--some targets do, some
1923 don't.
1924
1925 --
1926
1927 Put dirname in psymtabs and change lookup*symtab to use dirname (so
1928 /foo/bar.c works whether compiled by cc /foo/bar.c, or cd /foo; cc
1929 bar.c).
1930
1931 --
1932
1933 Merge xcoffread.c and coffread.c.  Use breakpoint_re_set instead of
1934 fixup_breakpoints.
1935
1936 --
1937
1938 Make a watchpoint which contains a function call an error (it is
1939 broken now, making it work is probably not worth the effort).
1940
1941 --
1942
1943 New test case based on weird.exp but in which type numbers are not
1944 renumbered (thus multiply defining a type).  This currently causes an
1945 infinite loop on "p v_comb".
1946
1947 --
1948
1949 [Hey! Hint Hint Delete Delete!!!]
1950
1951 Fix 386 floating point so that floating point registers are real
1952 registers (but code can deal at run-time if they are missing, like
1953 mips and 68k).  This would clean up "info float" and related stuff.
1954
1955 --
1956
1957 gcc -g -c enummask.c then gdb enummask.o, then "p v".  GDB complains
1958 about not being able to access memory location 0.
1959
1960 -------------------- enummask.c
1961 enum mask
1962 {
1963   ANIMAL = 0,
1964   VEGETABLE = 1,
1965   MINERAL = 2,
1966   BASIC_CATEGORY = 3,
1967
1968   WHITE = 0,
1969   BLUE = 4,
1970   GREEN = 8,
1971   BLACK = 0xc,
1972   COLOR = 0xc,
1973
1974   ALIVE = 0x10,
1975
1976   LARGE = 0x20
1977 } v;
1978
1979 --
1980
1981 If try to modify value in file with "set write off" should give
1982 appropriate error not "cannot access memory at address 0x65e0".
1983
1984 --
1985
1986 Allow core file without exec file on RS/6000.
1987
1988 --
1989
1990 Make sure "shell" with no arguments works right on DOS.
1991
1992 --
1993
1994 Make gdb.ini (as well as .gdbinit) be checked on all platforms, so
1995 the same directory can be NFS-mounted on unix or DOS, and work the
1996 same way.
1997
1998 --
1999
2000 [Is this another delete???]
2001
2002 Get SECT_OFF_TEXT stuff out of objfile_relocate (might be needed to
2003 get RS/6000 to work right, might not be immediately relevant).
2004
2005 --
2006
2007 Work out some kind of way to allow running the inferior to be done as
2008 a sub-execution of, eg. breakpoint command lists.  Currently running
2009 the inferior interupts any command list execution.  This would require
2010 some rewriting of wait_for_inferior & friends, and hence should
2011 probably be done in concert with the above.
2012
2013 --
2014
2015 Add function arguments to gdb user defined functions.
2016
2017 --
2018
2019 Add convenience variables that refer to exec file, symbol file,
2020 selected frame source file, selected frame function, selected frame
2021 line number, etc.
2022
2023 --
2024
2025 Modify the handling of symbols grouped through BINCL/EINCL stabs to
2026 allocate a partial symtab for each BINCL/EINCL grouping.  This will
2027 seriously decrease the size of inter-psymtab dependencies and hence
2028 lessen the amount that needs to be read in when a new source file is
2029 accessed.
2030
2031 --
2032
2033 Add a command for searching memory, a la adb.  It specifies size,
2034 mask, value, start address.  ADB searches until it finds it or hits
2035 an error (or is interrupted).
2036
2037 --
2038
2039 Remove the range and type checking code and documentation, if not
2040 going to implement.
2041
2042 # Local Variables:
2043 # mode: text
2044 # End: