* gdb.texinfo (Pretty Printing API): Document
[binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998,
3 @c 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c
6 @c %**start of header
7 @c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
8 @c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
9 @setfilename gdb.info
10 @c
11 @include gdb-cfg.texi
12 @c
13 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
14 @setchapternewpage odd
15 @c %**end of header
16
17 @iftex
18 @c @smallbook
19 @c @cropmarks
20 @end iftex
21
22 @finalout
23 @syncodeindex ky cp
24 @syncodeindex tp cp
25
26 @c readline appendices use @vindex, @findex and @ftable,
27 @c annotate.texi and gdbmi use @findex.
28 @syncodeindex vr cp
29 @syncodeindex fn cp
30
31 @c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
32 @c This is updated by GNU Press.
33 @set EDITION Ninth
34
35 @c !!set GDB edit command default editor
36 @set EDITOR /bin/ex
37
38 @c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO 4.0 OR LATER.
39
40 @c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
41 @c manuals to an info tree.
42 @dircategory Software development
43 @direntry
44 * Gdb: (gdb). The GNU debugger.
45 @end direntry
46
47 @copying
48 Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,
49 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
50 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
51
52 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
53 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
54 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
55 Invariant Sections being ``Free Software'' and ``Free Software Needs
56 Free Documentation'', with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
57 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.
58
59 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You are free to copy and modify
60 this GNU Manual. Buying copies from GNU Press supports the FSF in
61 developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
62 @end copying
63
64 @ifnottex
65 This file documents the @sc{gnu} debugger @value{GDBN}.
66
67 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, of @cite{Debugging with
68 @value{GDBN}: the @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger} for @value{GDBN}
69 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
70 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
71 @end ifset
72 Version @value{GDBVN}.
73
74 @insertcopying
75 @end ifnottex
76
77 @titlepage
78 @title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
79 @subtitle The @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger
80 @sp 1
81 @subtitle @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
82 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
83 @sp 1
84 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
85 @end ifset
86 @author Richard Stallman, Roland Pesch, Stan Shebs, et al.
87 @page
88 @tex
89 {\parskip=0pt
90 \hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.)\par
91 \hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
92 \hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
93 }
94 @end tex
95
96 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
97 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
98 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
99 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA@*
100 ISBN 1-882114-77-9 @*
101
102 @insertcopying
103 @page
104 This edition of the GDB manual is dedicated to the memory of Fred
105 Fish. Fred was a long-standing contributor to GDB and to Free
106 software in general. We will miss him.
107 @end titlepage
108 @page
109
110 @ifnottex
111 @node Top, Summary, (dir), (dir)
112
113 @top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
114
115 This file describes @value{GDBN}, the @sc{gnu} symbolic debugger.
116
117 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN}
118 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
119 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
120 @end ifset
121 Version @value{GDBVN}.
122
123 Copyright (C) 1988-2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
124
125 This edition of the GDB manual is dedicated to the memory of Fred
126 Fish. Fred was a long-standing contributor to GDB and to Free
127 software in general. We will miss him.
128
129 @menu
130 * Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
131 * Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
132
133 * Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
134 * Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
135 * Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
136 * Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
137 * Reverse Execution:: Running programs backward
138 * Process Record and Replay:: Recording inferior's execution and replaying it
139 * Stack:: Examining the stack
140 * Source:: Examining source files
141 * Data:: Examining data
142 * Optimized Code:: Debugging optimized code
143 * Macros:: Preprocessor Macros
144 * Tracepoints:: Debugging remote targets non-intrusively
145 * Overlays:: Debugging programs that use overlays
146
147 * Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
148
149 * Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
150 * Altering:: Altering execution
151 * GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
152 * Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
153 * Remote Debugging:: Debugging remote programs
154 * Configurations:: Configuration-specific information
155 * Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
156 * Extending GDB:: Extending @value{GDBN}
157 * Interpreters:: Command Interpreters
158 * TUI:: @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
159 * Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
160 * GDB/MI:: @value{GDBN}'s Machine Interface.
161 * Annotations:: @value{GDBN}'s annotation interface.
162 * JIT Interface:: Using the JIT debugging interface.
163
164 * GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
165
166 * Command Line Editing:: Command Line Editing
167 * Using History Interactively:: Using History Interactively
168 * Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print @value{GDBN} documentation
169 * Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
170 * Maintenance Commands:: Maintenance Commands
171 * Remote Protocol:: GDB Remote Serial Protocol
172 * Agent Expressions:: The GDB Agent Expression Mechanism
173 * Target Descriptions:: How targets can describe themselves to
174 @value{GDBN}
175 * Operating System Information:: Getting additional information from
176 the operating system
177 * Trace File Format:: GDB trace file format
178 * Copying:: GNU General Public License says
179 how you can copy and share GDB
180 * GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation
181 * Index:: Index
182 @end menu
183
184 @end ifnottex
185
186 @contents
187
188 @node Summary
189 @unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
190
191 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
192 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
193 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
194
195 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
196 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
197
198 @itemize @bullet
199 @item
200 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
201
202 @item
203 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
204
205 @item
206 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
207
208 @item
209 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
210 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
211 @end itemize
212
213 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C and C@t{++}.
214 For more information, see @ref{Supported Languages,,Supported Languages}.
215 For more information, see @ref{C,,C and C++}.
216
217 Support for D is partial. For information on D, see
218 @ref{D,,D}.
219
220 @cindex Modula-2
221 Support for Modula-2 is partial. For information on Modula-2, see
222 @ref{Modula-2,,Modula-2}.
223
224 @cindex Pascal
225 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
226 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
227 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
228 syntax.
229
230 @cindex Fortran
231 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, although
232 it may be necessary to refer to some variables with a trailing
233 underscore.
234
235 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Objective-C,
236 using either the Apple/NeXT or the GNU Objective-C runtime.
237
238 @menu
239 * Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
240 * Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
241 @end menu
242
243 @node Free Software
244 @unnumberedsec Free Software
245
246 @value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the @sc{gnu}
247 General Public License
248 (GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
249 program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
250 freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
251 the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
252 Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
253 Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
254
255 Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
256 you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
257 from anyone else.
258
259 @unnumberedsec Free Software Needs Free Documentation
260
261 The biggest deficiency in the free software community today is not in
262 the software---it is the lack of good free documentation that we can
263 include with the free software. Many of our most important
264 programs do not come with free reference manuals and free introductory
265 texts. Documentation is an essential part of any software package;
266 when an important free software package does not come with a free
267 manual and a free tutorial, that is a major gap. We have many such
268 gaps today.
269
270 Consider Perl, for instance. The tutorial manuals that people
271 normally use are non-free. How did this come about? Because the
272 authors of those manuals published them with restrictive terms---no
273 copying, no modification, source files not available---which exclude
274 them from the free software world.
275
276 That wasn't the first time this sort of thing happened, and it was far
277 from the last. Many times we have heard a GNU user eagerly describe a
278 manual that he is writing, his intended contribution to the community,
279 only to learn that he had ruined everything by signing a publication
280 contract to make it non-free.
281
282 Free documentation, like free software, is a matter of freedom, not
283 price. The problem with the non-free manual is not that publishers
284 charge a price for printed copies---that in itself is fine. (The Free
285 Software Foundation sells printed copies of manuals, too.) The
286 problem is the restrictions on the use of the manual. Free manuals
287 are available in source code form, and give you permission to copy and
288 modify. Non-free manuals do not allow this.
289
290 The criteria of freedom for a free manual are roughly the same as for
291 free software. Redistribution (including the normal kinds of
292 commercial redistribution) must be permitted, so that the manual can
293 accompany every copy of the program, both on-line and on paper.
294
295 Permission for modification of the technical content is crucial too.
296 When people modify the software, adding or changing features, if they
297 are conscientious they will change the manual too---so they can
298 provide accurate and clear documentation for the modified program. A
299 manual that leaves you no choice but to write a new manual to document
300 a changed version of the program is not really available to our
301 community.
302
303 Some kinds of limits on the way modification is handled are
304 acceptable. For example, requirements to preserve the original
305 author's copyright notice, the distribution terms, or the list of
306 authors, are ok. It is also no problem to require modified versions
307 to include notice that they were modified. Even entire sections that
308 may not be deleted or changed are acceptable, as long as they deal
309 with nontechnical topics (like this one). These kinds of restrictions
310 are acceptable because they don't obstruct the community's normal use
311 of the manual.
312
313 However, it must be possible to modify all the @emph{technical}
314 content of the manual, and then distribute the result in all the usual
315 media, through all the usual channels. Otherwise, the restrictions
316 obstruct the use of the manual, it is not free, and we need another
317 manual to replace it.
318
319 Please spread the word about this issue. Our community continues to
320 lose manuals to proprietary publishing. If we spread the word that
321 free software needs free reference manuals and free tutorials, perhaps
322 the next person who wants to contribute by writing documentation will
323 realize, before it is too late, that only free manuals contribute to
324 the free software community.
325
326 If you are writing documentation, please insist on publishing it under
327 the GNU Free Documentation License or another free documentation
328 license. Remember that this decision requires your approval---you
329 don't have to let the publisher decide. Some commercial publishers
330 will use a free license if you insist, but they will not propose the
331 option; it is up to you to raise the issue and say firmly that this is
332 what you want. If the publisher you are dealing with refuses, please
333 try other publishers. If you're not sure whether a proposed license
334 is free, write to @email{licensing@@gnu.org}.
335
336 You can encourage commercial publishers to sell more free, copylefted
337 manuals and tutorials by buying them, and particularly by buying
338 copies from the publishers that paid for their writing or for major
339 improvements. Meanwhile, try to avoid buying non-free documentation
340 at all. Check the distribution terms of a manual before you buy it,
341 and insist that whoever seeks your business must respect your freedom.
342 Check the history of the book, and try to reward the publishers that
343 have paid or pay the authors to work on it.
344
345 The Free Software Foundation maintains a list of free documentation
346 published by other publishers, at
347 @url{http://www.fsf.org/doc/other-free-books.html}.
348
349 @node Contributors
350 @unnumberedsec Contributors to @value{GDBN}
351
352 Richard Stallman was the original author of @value{GDBN}, and of many
353 other @sc{gnu} programs. Many others have contributed to its
354 development. This section attempts to credit major contributors. One
355 of the virtues of free software is that everyone is free to contribute
356 to it; with regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The
357 file @file{ChangeLog} in the @value{GDBN} distribution approximates a
358 blow-by-blow account.
359
360 Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
361
362 @quotation
363 @emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
364 or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
365 omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
366 @end quotation
367
368 So that they may not regard their many labors as thankless, we
369 particularly thank those who shepherded @value{GDBN} through major
370 releases:
371 Andrew Cagney (releases 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, 6.0, 5.3, 5.2, 5.1 and 5.0);
372 Jim Blandy (release 4.18);
373 Jason Molenda (release 4.17);
374 Stan Shebs (release 4.14);
375 Fred Fish (releases 4.16, 4.15, 4.13, 4.12, 4.11, 4.10, and 4.9);
376 Stu Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, and 4.4);
377 John Gilmore (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9);
378 Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4, and 3.3);
379 and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0).
380
381 Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Peter TerMaat, Chris
382 Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
383
384 Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} support
385 in @value{GDBN}, with significant additional contributions from Per
386 Bothner and Daniel Berlin. James Clark wrote the @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
387 demangler. Early work on C@t{++} was by Peter TerMaat (who also did
388 much general update work leading to release 3.0).
389
390 @value{GDBN} uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
391 object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
392 Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
393
394 David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
395 the original support for encapsulated COFF.
396
397 Brent Benson of Harris Computer Systems contributed DWARF 2 support.
398
399 Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
400 Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
401 support.
402 Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support.
403 Chris Hanson improved the HP9000 support.
404 Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support.
405 David Johnson contributed Encore Umax support.
406 Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
407 Jeff Law contributed HP PA and SOM support.
408 Keith Packard contributed NS32K support.
409 Doug Rabson contributed Acorn Risc Machine support.
410 Bob Rusk contributed Harris Nighthawk CX-UX support.
411 Chris Smith contributed Convex support (and Fortran debugging).
412 Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
413 Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support.
414 Tim Tucker contributed support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode.
415 Pace Willison contributed Intel 386 support.
416 Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry support.
417 Marko Mlinar contributed OpenRISC 1000 support.
418
419 Andreas Schwab contributed M68K @sc{gnu}/Linux support.
420
421 Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
422 libraries.
423
424 Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that @value{GDBN} and GAS agree
425 about several machine instruction sets.
426
427 Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped develop
428 remote debugging. Intel Corporation, Wind River Systems, AMD, and ARM
429 contributed remote debugging modules for the i960, VxWorks, A29K UDI,
430 and RDI targets, respectively.
431
432 Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
433 command-line editing and command history.
434
435 Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code, the
436 Modula-2 support, and contributed the Languages chapter of this manual.
437
438 Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
439 He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C@t{++} overloaded
440 symbols.
441
442 Hitachi America (now Renesas America), Ltd. sponsored the support for
443 H8/300, H8/500, and Super-H processors.
444
445 NEC sponsored the support for the v850, Vr4xxx, and Vr5xxx processors.
446
447 Mitsubishi (now Renesas) sponsored the support for D10V, D30V, and M32R/D
448 processors.
449
450 Toshiba sponsored the support for the TX39 Mips processor.
451
452 Matsushita sponsored the support for the MN10200 and MN10300 processors.
453
454 Fujitsu sponsored the support for SPARClite and FR30 processors.
455
456 Kung Hsu, Jeff Law, and Rick Sladkey added support for hardware
457 watchpoints.
458
459 Michael Snyder added support for tracepoints.
460
461 Stu Grossman wrote gdbserver.
462
463 Jim Kingdon, Peter Schauer, Ian Taylor, and Stu Grossman made
464 nearly innumerable bug fixes and cleanups throughout @value{GDBN}.
465
466 The following people at the Hewlett-Packard Company contributed
467 support for the PA-RISC 2.0 architecture, HP-UX 10.20, 10.30, and 11.0
468 (narrow mode), HP's implementation of kernel threads, HP's aC@t{++}
469 compiler, and the Text User Interface (nee Terminal User Interface):
470 Ben Krepp, Richard Title, John Bishop, Susan Macchia, Kathy Mann,
471 Satish Pai, India Paul, Steve Rehrauer, and Elena Zannoni. Kim Haase
472 provided HP-specific information in this manual.
473
474 DJ Delorie ported @value{GDBN} to MS-DOS, for the DJGPP project.
475 Robert Hoehne made significant contributions to the DJGPP port.
476
477 Cygnus Solutions has sponsored @value{GDBN} maintenance and much of its
478 development since 1991. Cygnus engineers who have worked on @value{GDBN}
479 fulltime include Mark Alexander, Jim Blandy, Per Bothner, Kevin
480 Buettner, Edith Epstein, Chris Faylor, Fred Fish, Martin Hunt, Jim
481 Ingham, John Gilmore, Stu Grossman, Kung Hsu, Jim Kingdon, John Metzler,
482 Fernando Nasser, Geoffrey Noer, Dawn Perchik, Rich Pixley, Zdenek
483 Radouch, Keith Seitz, Stan Shebs, David Taylor, and Elena Zannoni. In
484 addition, Dave Brolley, Ian Carmichael, Steve Chamberlain, Nick Clifton,
485 JT Conklin, Stan Cox, DJ Delorie, Ulrich Drepper, Frank Eigler, Doug
486 Evans, Sean Fagan, David Henkel-Wallace, Richard Henderson, Jeff
487 Holcomb, Jeff Law, Jim Lemke, Tom Lord, Bob Manson, Michael Meissner,
488 Jason Merrill, Catherine Moore, Drew Moseley, Ken Raeburn, Gavin
489 Romig-Koch, Rob Savoye, Jamie Smith, Mike Stump, Ian Taylor, Angela
490 Thomas, Michael Tiemann, Tom Tromey, Ron Unrau, Jim Wilson, and David
491 Zuhn have made contributions both large and small.
492
493 Andrew Cagney, Fernando Nasser, and Elena Zannoni, while working for
494 Cygnus Solutions, implemented the original @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
495
496 Jim Blandy added support for preprocessor macros, while working for Red
497 Hat.
498
499 Andrew Cagney designed @value{GDBN}'s architecture vector. Many
500 people including Andrew Cagney, Stephane Carrez, Randolph Chung, Nick
501 Duffek, Richard Henderson, Mark Kettenis, Grace Sainsbury, Kei
502 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Andreas Schwab, Jason
503 Thorpe, Corinna Vinschen, Ulrich Weigand, and Elena Zannoni, helped
504 with the migration of old architectures to this new framework.
505
506 Andrew Cagney completely re-designed and re-implemented @value{GDBN}'s
507 unwinder framework, this consisting of a fresh new design featuring
508 frame IDs, independent frame sniffers, and the sentinel frame. Mark
509 Kettenis implemented the @sc{dwarf 2} unwinder, Jeff Johnston the
510 libunwind unwinder, and Andrew Cagney the dummy, sentinel, tramp, and
511 trad unwinders. The architecture-specific changes, each involving a
512 complete rewrite of the architecture's frame code, were carried out by
513 Jim Blandy, Joel Brobecker, Kevin Buettner, Andrew Cagney, Stephane
514 Carrez, Randolph Chung, Orjan Friberg, Richard Henderson, Daniel
515 Jacobowitz, Jeff Johnston, Mark Kettenis, Theodore A. Roth, Kei
516 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Corinna Vinschen, and Ulrich
517 Weigand.
518
519 Christian Zankel, Ross Morley, Bob Wilson, and Maxim Grigoriev from
520 Tensilica, Inc.@: contributed support for Xtensa processors. Others
521 who have worked on the Xtensa port of @value{GDBN} in the past include
522 Steve Tjiang, John Newlin, and Scott Foehner.
523
524 Michael Eager and staff of Xilinx, Inc., contributed support for the
525 Xilinx MicroBlaze architecture.
526
527 @node Sample Session
528 @chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
529
530 You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
531 However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
532 debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
533
534 @iftex
535 In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
536 to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
537 @end iftex
538
539 @c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
540 @c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
541
542 One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
543 processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
544 quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
545 definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
546 session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
547 then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
548 same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
549 @code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
550 procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
551
552 @smallexample
553 $ @b{cd gnu/m4}
554 $ @b{./m4}
555 @b{define(foo,0000)}
556
557 @b{foo}
558 0000
559 @b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
560
561 @b{bar}
562 0000
563 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
564
565 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
566 @b{baz}
567 @b{Ctrl-d}
568 m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
569 @end smallexample
570
571 @noindent
572 Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
573
574 @smallexample
575 $ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
576 @c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
577 @c FIXME... format to come out better.
578 @value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
579 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
580 the conditions.
581 There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
582 for details.
583
584 @value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
585 (@value{GDBP})
586 @end smallexample
587
588 @noindent
589 @value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
590 rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
591 We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
592 that examples fit in this manual.
593
594 @smallexample
595 (@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
596 @end smallexample
597
598 @noindent
599 We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
600 Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
601 @code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
602 @code{break} command.
603
604 @smallexample
605 (@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
606 Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
607 @end smallexample
608
609 @noindent
610 Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
611 control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
612 subroutine, the program runs as usual:
613
614 @smallexample
615 (@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
616 Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
617 @b{define(foo,0000)}
618
619 @b{foo}
620 0000
621 @end smallexample
622
623 @noindent
624 To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
625 suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
626 context where it stops.
627
628 @smallexample
629 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
630
631 Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
632 at builtin.c:879
633 879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
634 @end smallexample
635
636 @noindent
637 Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
638 the next line of the current function.
639
640 @smallexample
641 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
642 882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
643 : nil,
644 @end smallexample
645
646 @noindent
647 @code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
648 by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
649 @code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
650 subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
651
652 @smallexample
653 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
654 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
655 at input.c:530
656 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
657 @end smallexample
658
659 @noindent
660 The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
661 suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
662 shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
663 command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
664 in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
665 stack frame for each active subroutine.
666
667 @smallexample
668 (@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
669 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
670 at input.c:530
671 #1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
672 at builtin.c:882
673 #2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
674 #3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
675 at macro.c:71
676 #4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
677 #5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
678 @end smallexample
679
680 @noindent
681 We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
682 times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
683 falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
684
685 @smallexample
686 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
687 0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
688 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
689 0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
690 def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
691 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
692 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
693 : xstrdup(rq);
694 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
695 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
696 @end smallexample
697
698 @noindent
699 The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
700 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
701 and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
702 (@code{print}) to see their values.
703
704 @smallexample
705 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
706 $1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
707 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
708 $2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
709 @end smallexample
710
711 @noindent
712 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
713 To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
714 surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
715
716 @smallexample
717 (@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
718 533 xfree(rquote);
719 534
720 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
721 : xstrdup (lq);
722 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
723 : xstrdup (rq);
724 537
725 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
726 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
727 540 @}
728 541
729 542 void
730 @end smallexample
731
732 @noindent
733 Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
734 @code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
735
736 @smallexample
737 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
738 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
739 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
740 540 @}
741 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
742 $3 = 9
743 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
744 $4 = 7
745 @end smallexample
746
747 @noindent
748 That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
749 @code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
750 @code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
751 the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
752 any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
753 assignments.
754
755 @smallexample
756 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
757 $5 = 7
758 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
759 $6 = 9
760 @end smallexample
761
762 @noindent
763 Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
764 @code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
765 executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
766 example that caused trouble initially:
767
768 @smallexample
769 (@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
770 Continuing.
771
772 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
773
774 baz
775 0000
776 @end smallexample
777
778 @noindent
779 Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
780 problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
781 lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
782
783 @smallexample
784 @b{Ctrl-d}
785 Program exited normally.
786 @end smallexample
787
788 @noindent
789 The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
790 indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
791 session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
792
793 @smallexample
794 (@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
795 @end smallexample
796
797 @node Invocation
798 @chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
799
800 This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
801 The essentials are:
802 @itemize @bullet
803 @item
804 type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start @value{GDBN}.
805 @item
806 type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{Ctrl-d} to exit.
807 @end itemize
808
809 @menu
810 * Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
811 * Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
812 * Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
813 * Logging Output:: How to log @value{GDBN}'s output to a file
814 @end menu
815
816 @node Invoking GDB
817 @section Invoking @value{GDBN}
818
819 Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
820 @value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
821
822 You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
823 to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
824
825 The command-line options described here are designed
826 to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
827 options may effectively be unavailable.
828
829 The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
830 specifying an executable program:
831
832 @smallexample
833 @value{GDBP} @var{program}
834 @end smallexample
835
836 @noindent
837 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
838 specified:
839
840 @smallexample
841 @value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
842 @end smallexample
843
844 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
845 to debug a running process:
846
847 @smallexample
848 @value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
849 @end smallexample
850
851 @noindent
852 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
853 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
854
855 Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
856 complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote
857 debugger attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of
858 ``process'', and there is often no way to get a core dump. @value{GDBN}
859 will warn you if it is unable to attach or to read core dumps.
860
861 You can optionally have @code{@value{GDBP}} pass any arguments after the
862 executable file to the inferior using @code{--args}. This option stops
863 option processing.
864 @smallexample
865 @value{GDBP} --args gcc -O2 -c foo.c
866 @end smallexample
867 This will cause @code{@value{GDBP}} to debug @code{gcc}, and to set
868 @code{gcc}'s command-line arguments (@pxref{Arguments}) to @samp{-O2 -c foo.c}.
869
870 You can run @code{@value{GDBP}} without printing the front material, which describes
871 @value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{-silent}:
872
873 @smallexample
874 @value{GDBP} -silent
875 @end smallexample
876
877 @noindent
878 You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
879 options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
880
881 @noindent
882 Type
883
884 @smallexample
885 @value{GDBP} -help
886 @end smallexample
887
888 @noindent
889 to display all available options and briefly describe their use
890 (@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
891
892 All options and command line arguments you give are processed
893 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
894 @samp{-x} option is used.
895
896
897 @menu
898 * File Options:: Choosing files
899 * Mode Options:: Choosing modes
900 * Startup:: What @value{GDBN} does during startup
901 @end menu
902
903 @node File Options
904 @subsection Choosing Files
905
906 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
907 specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
908 the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
909 @samp{-c} (or @samp{-p}) options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the
910 first argument that does not have an associated option flag as
911 equivalent to the @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the
912 second argument that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as
913 equivalent to the @samp{-c}/@samp{-p} option followed by that argument.)
914 If the second argument begins with a decimal digit, @value{GDBN} will
915 first attempt to attach to it as a process, and if that fails, attempt
916 to open it as a corefile. If you have a corefile whose name begins with
917 a digit, you can prevent @value{GDBN} from treating it as a pid by
918 prefixing it with @file{./}, e.g.@: @file{./12345}.
919
920 If @value{GDBN} has not been configured to included core file support,
921 such as for most embedded targets, then it will complain about a second
922 argument and ignore it.
923
924 Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
925 following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
926 them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
927 (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
928 than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
929
930 @c NOTE: the @cindex entries here use double dashes ON PURPOSE. This
931 @c way, both those who look for -foo and --foo in the index, will find
932 @c it.
933
934 @table @code
935 @item -symbols @var{file}
936 @itemx -s @var{file}
937 @cindex @code{--symbols}
938 @cindex @code{-s}
939 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
940
941 @item -exec @var{file}
942 @itemx -e @var{file}
943 @cindex @code{--exec}
944 @cindex @code{-e}
945 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when appropriate,
946 and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core dump.
947
948 @item -se @var{file}
949 @cindex @code{--se}
950 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
951 file.
952
953 @item -core @var{file}
954 @itemx -c @var{file}
955 @cindex @code{--core}
956 @cindex @code{-c}
957 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
958
959 @item -pid @var{number}
960 @itemx -p @var{number}
961 @cindex @code{--pid}
962 @cindex @code{-p}
963 Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command.
964
965 @item -command @var{file}
966 @itemx -x @var{file}
967 @cindex @code{--command}
968 @cindex @code{-x}
969 Execute commands from file @var{file}. The contents of this file is
970 evaluated exactly as the @code{source} command would.
971 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
972
973 @item -eval-command @var{command}
974 @itemx -ex @var{command}
975 @cindex @code{--eval-command}
976 @cindex @code{-ex}
977 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command.
978
979 This option may be used multiple times to call multiple commands. It may
980 also be interleaved with @samp{-command} as required.
981
982 @smallexample
983 @value{GDBP} -ex 'target sim' -ex 'load' \
984 -x setbreakpoints -ex 'run' a.out
985 @end smallexample
986
987 @item -directory @var{directory}
988 @itemx -d @var{directory}
989 @cindex @code{--directory}
990 @cindex @code{-d}
991 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source and script files.
992
993 @item -r
994 @itemx -readnow
995 @cindex @code{--readnow}
996 @cindex @code{-r}
997 Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
998 the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
999 This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
1000
1001 @end table
1002
1003 @node Mode Options
1004 @subsection Choosing Modes
1005
1006 You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
1007 batch mode or quiet mode.
1008
1009 @table @code
1010 @item -nx
1011 @itemx -n
1012 @cindex @code{--nx}
1013 @cindex @code{-n}
1014 Do not execute commands found in any initialization files. Normally,
1015 @value{GDBN} executes the commands in these files after all the command
1016 options and arguments have been processed. @xref{Command Files,,Command
1017 Files}.
1018
1019 @item -quiet
1020 @itemx -silent
1021 @itemx -q
1022 @cindex @code{--quiet}
1023 @cindex @code{--silent}
1024 @cindex @code{-q}
1025 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
1026 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
1027
1028 @item -batch
1029 @cindex @code{--batch}
1030 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
1031 command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
1032 initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
1033 nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
1034 in the command files. Batch mode also disables pagination, sets unlimited
1035 terminal width and height @pxref{Screen Size}, and acts as if @kbd{set confirm
1036 off} were in effect (@pxref{Messages/Warnings}).
1037
1038 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for
1039 example to download and run a program on another computer; in order to
1040 make this more useful, the message
1041
1042 @smallexample
1043 Program exited normally.
1044 @end smallexample
1045
1046 @noindent
1047 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under
1048 @value{GDBN} control terminates) is not issued when running in batch
1049 mode.
1050
1051 @item -batch-silent
1052 @cindex @code{--batch-silent}
1053 Run in batch mode exactly like @samp{-batch}, but totally silently. All
1054 @value{GDBN} output to @code{stdout} is prevented (@code{stderr} is
1055 unaffected). This is much quieter than @samp{-silent} and would be useless
1056 for an interactive session.
1057
1058 This is particularly useful when using targets that give @samp{Loading section}
1059 messages, for example.
1060
1061 Note that targets that give their output via @value{GDBN}, as opposed to
1062 writing directly to @code{stdout}, will also be made silent.
1063
1064 @item -return-child-result
1065 @cindex @code{--return-child-result}
1066 The return code from @value{GDBN} will be the return code from the child
1067 process (the process being debugged), with the following exceptions:
1068
1069 @itemize @bullet
1070 @item
1071 @value{GDBN} exits abnormally. E.g., due to an incorrect argument or an
1072 internal error. In this case the exit code is the same as it would have been
1073 without @samp{-return-child-result}.
1074 @item
1075 The user quits with an explicit value. E.g., @samp{quit 1}.
1076 @item
1077 The child process never runs, or is not allowed to terminate, in which case
1078 the exit code will be -1.
1079 @end itemize
1080
1081 This option is useful in conjunction with @samp{-batch} or @samp{-batch-silent},
1082 when @value{GDBN} is being used as a remote program loader or simulator
1083 interface.
1084
1085 @item -nowindows
1086 @itemx -nw
1087 @cindex @code{--nowindows}
1088 @cindex @code{-nw}
1089 ``No windows''. If @value{GDBN} comes with a graphical user interface
1090 (GUI) built in, then this option tells @value{GDBN} to only use the command-line
1091 interface. If no GUI is available, this option has no effect.
1092
1093 @item -windows
1094 @itemx -w
1095 @cindex @code{--windows}
1096 @cindex @code{-w}
1097 If @value{GDBN} includes a GUI, then this option requires it to be
1098 used if possible.
1099
1100 @item -cd @var{directory}
1101 @cindex @code{--cd}
1102 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
1103 instead of the current directory.
1104
1105 @item -fullname
1106 @itemx -f
1107 @cindex @code{--fullname}
1108 @cindex @code{-f}
1109 @sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a
1110 subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line
1111 number in a standard, recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is
1112 displayed (which includes each time your program stops). This
1113 recognizable format looks like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by
1114 the file name, line number and character position separated by colons,
1115 and a newline. The Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two
1116 @samp{\032} characters as a signal to display the source code for the
1117 frame.
1118
1119 @item -epoch
1120 @cindex @code{--epoch}
1121 The Epoch Emacs-@value{GDBN} interface sets this option when it runs
1122 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to modify its print
1123 routines so as to allow Epoch to display values of expressions in a
1124 separate window.
1125
1126 @item -annotate @var{level}
1127 @cindex @code{--annotate}
1128 This option sets the @dfn{annotation level} inside @value{GDBN}. Its
1129 effect is identical to using @samp{set annotate @var{level}}
1130 (@pxref{Annotations}). The annotation @var{level} controls how much
1131 information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt, values of
1132 expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0 is the
1133 normal, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of
1134 @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable for programs
1135 that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 has been deprecated.
1136
1137 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
1138 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
1139
1140 @item --args
1141 @cindex @code{--args}
1142 Change interpretation of command line so that arguments following the
1143 executable file are passed as command line arguments to the inferior.
1144 This option stops option processing.
1145
1146 @item -baud @var{bps}
1147 @itemx -b @var{bps}
1148 @cindex @code{--baud}
1149 @cindex @code{-b}
1150 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
1151 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
1152
1153 @item -l @var{timeout}
1154 @cindex @code{-l}
1155 Set the timeout (in seconds) of any communication used by @value{GDBN}
1156 for remote debugging.
1157
1158 @item -tty @var{device}
1159 @itemx -t @var{device}
1160 @cindex @code{--tty}
1161 @cindex @code{-t}
1162 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
1163 @c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
1164
1165 @c resolve the situation of these eventually
1166 @item -tui
1167 @cindex @code{--tui}
1168 Activate the @dfn{Text User Interface} when starting. The Text User
1169 Interface manages several text windows on the terminal, showing
1170 source, assembly, registers and @value{GDBN} command outputs
1171 (@pxref{TUI, ,@value{GDBN} Text User Interface}). Alternatively, the
1172 Text User Interface can be enabled by invoking the program
1173 @samp{@value{GDBTUI}}. Do not use this option if you run @value{GDBN} from
1174 Emacs (@pxref{Emacs, ,Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}).
1175
1176 @c @item -xdb
1177 @c @cindex @code{--xdb}
1178 @c Run in XDB compatibility mode, allowing the use of certain XDB commands.
1179 @c For information, see the file @file{xdb_trans.html}, which is usually
1180 @c installed in the directory @code{/opt/langtools/wdb/doc} on HP-UX
1181 @c systems.
1182
1183 @item -interpreter @var{interp}
1184 @cindex @code{--interpreter}
1185 Use the interpreter @var{interp} for interface with the controlling
1186 program or device. This option is meant to be set by programs which
1187 communicate with @value{GDBN} using it as a back end.
1188 @xref{Interpreters, , Command Interpreters}.
1189
1190 @samp{--interpreter=mi} (or @samp{--interpreter=mi2}) causes
1191 @value{GDBN} to use the @dfn{@sc{gdb/mi} interface} (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,
1192 The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}) included since @value{GDBN} version 6.0. The
1193 previous @sc{gdb/mi} interface, included in @value{GDBN} version 5.3 and
1194 selected with @samp{--interpreter=mi1}, is deprecated. Earlier
1195 @sc{gdb/mi} interfaces are no longer supported.
1196
1197 @item -write
1198 @cindex @code{--write}
1199 Open the executable and core files for both reading and writing. This
1200 is equivalent to the @samp{set write on} command inside @value{GDBN}
1201 (@pxref{Patching}).
1202
1203 @item -statistics
1204 @cindex @code{--statistics}
1205 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print statistics about time and
1206 memory usage after it completes each command and returns to the prompt.
1207
1208 @item -version
1209 @cindex @code{--version}
1210 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print its version number and
1211 no-warranty blurb, and exit.
1212
1213 @end table
1214
1215 @node Startup
1216 @subsection What @value{GDBN} Does During Startup
1217 @cindex @value{GDBN} startup
1218
1219 Here's the description of what @value{GDBN} does during session startup:
1220
1221 @enumerate
1222 @item
1223 Sets up the command interpreter as specified by the command line
1224 (@pxref{Mode Options, interpreter}).
1225
1226 @item
1227 @cindex init file
1228 Reads the system-wide @dfn{init file} (if @option{--with-system-gdbinit} was
1229 used when building @value{GDBN}; @pxref{System-wide configuration,
1230 ,System-wide configuration and settings}) and executes all the commands in
1231 that file.
1232
1233 @item
1234 Reads the init file (if any) in your home directory@footnote{On
1235 DOS/Windows systems, the home directory is the one pointed to by the
1236 @code{HOME} environment variable.} and executes all the commands in
1237 that file.
1238
1239 @item
1240 Processes command line options and operands.
1241
1242 @item
1243 Reads and executes the commands from init file (if any) in the current
1244 working directory. This is only done if the current directory is
1245 different from your home directory. Thus, you can have more than one
1246 init file, one generic in your home directory, and another, specific
1247 to the program you are debugging, in the directory where you invoke
1248 @value{GDBN}.
1249
1250 @item
1251 Reads command files specified by the @samp{-x} option. @xref{Command
1252 Files}, for more details about @value{GDBN} command files.
1253
1254 @item
1255 Reads the command history recorded in the @dfn{history file}.
1256 @xref{Command History}, for more details about the command history and the
1257 files where @value{GDBN} records it.
1258 @end enumerate
1259
1260 Init files use the same syntax as @dfn{command files} (@pxref{Command
1261 Files}) and are processed by @value{GDBN} in the same way. The init
1262 file in your home directory can set options (such as @samp{set
1263 complaints}) that affect subsequent processing of command line options
1264 and operands. Init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
1265 option (@pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing Modes}).
1266
1267 To display the list of init files loaded by gdb at startup, you
1268 can use @kbd{gdb --help}.
1269
1270 @cindex init file name
1271 @cindex @file{.gdbinit}
1272 @cindex @file{gdb.ini}
1273 The @value{GDBN} init files are normally called @file{.gdbinit}.
1274 The DJGPP port of @value{GDBN} uses the name @file{gdb.ini}, due to
1275 the limitations of file names imposed by DOS filesystems. The Windows
1276 ports of @value{GDBN} use the standard name, but if they find a
1277 @file{gdb.ini} file, they warn you about that and suggest to rename
1278 the file to the standard name.
1279
1280
1281 @node Quitting GDB
1282 @section Quitting @value{GDBN}
1283 @cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
1284 @cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1285
1286 @table @code
1287 @kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1288 @kindex q @r{(@code{quit})}
1289 @item quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1290 @itemx q
1291 To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated
1292 @code{q}), or type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{Ctrl-d}). If you
1293 do not supply @var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally;
1294 otherwise it will terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the
1295 error code.
1296 @end table
1297
1298 @cindex interrupt
1299 An interrupt (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1300 terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1301 returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
1302 character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
1303 until a time when it is safe.
1304
1305 If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1306 device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
1307 (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
1308
1309 @node Shell Commands
1310 @section Shell Commands
1311
1312 If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
1313 debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
1314 just use the @code{shell} command.
1315
1316 @table @code
1317 @kindex shell
1318 @cindex shell escape
1319 @item shell @var{command string}
1320 Invoke a standard shell to execute @var{command string}.
1321 If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
1322 shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses the default shell
1323 (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix systems, @file{COMMAND.COM} on MS-DOS, etc.).
1324 @end table
1325
1326 The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
1327 You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
1328 @value{GDBN}:
1329
1330 @table @code
1331 @kindex make
1332 @cindex calling make
1333 @item make @var{make-args}
1334 Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
1335 arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1336 @end table
1337
1338 @node Logging Output
1339 @section Logging Output
1340 @cindex logging @value{GDBN} output
1341 @cindex save @value{GDBN} output to a file
1342
1343 You may want to save the output of @value{GDBN} commands to a file.
1344 There are several commands to control @value{GDBN}'s logging.
1345
1346 @table @code
1347 @kindex set logging
1348 @item set logging on
1349 Enable logging.
1350 @item set logging off
1351 Disable logging.
1352 @cindex logging file name
1353 @item set logging file @var{file}
1354 Change the name of the current logfile. The default logfile is @file{gdb.txt}.
1355 @item set logging overwrite [on|off]
1356 By default, @value{GDBN} will append to the logfile. Set @code{overwrite} if
1357 you want @code{set logging on} to overwrite the logfile instead.
1358 @item set logging redirect [on|off]
1359 By default, @value{GDBN} output will go to both the terminal and the logfile.
1360 Set @code{redirect} if you want output to go only to the log file.
1361 @kindex show logging
1362 @item show logging
1363 Show the current values of the logging settings.
1364 @end table
1365
1366 @node Commands
1367 @chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1368
1369 You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1370 name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1371 @value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1372 key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1373 show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1374
1375 @menu
1376 * Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1377 * Completion:: Command completion
1378 * Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1379 @end menu
1380
1381 @node Command Syntax
1382 @section Command Syntax
1383
1384 A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1385 how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1386 arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1387 command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1388 step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1389 with no arguments. Some commands do not allow any arguments.
1390
1391 @cindex abbreviation
1392 @value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1393 unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1394 documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1395 abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1396 equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1397 names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1398 arguments to the @code{help} command.
1399
1400 @cindex repeating commands
1401 @kindex RET @r{(repeat last command)}
1402 A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1403 repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1404 will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
1405 repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1406 repeat. User-defined commands can disable this feature; see
1407 @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
1408
1409 The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1410 @key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1411 exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1412
1413 @value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1414 output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1415 (@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen Size}). Since it is easy to press one
1416 @key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1417 repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1418
1419 @kindex # @r{(a comment)}
1420 @cindex comment
1421 Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1422 nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1423 Files,,Command Files}).
1424
1425 @cindex repeating command sequences
1426 @kindex Ctrl-o @r{(operate-and-get-next)}
1427 The @kbd{Ctrl-o} binding is useful for repeating a complex sequence of
1428 commands. This command accepts the current line, like @key{RET}, and
1429 then fetches the next line relative to the current line from the history
1430 for editing.
1431
1432 @node Completion
1433 @section Command Completion
1434
1435 @cindex completion
1436 @cindex word completion
1437 @value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1438 only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1439 are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1440 commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1441
1442 Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1443 of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1444 word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1445 enter it). For example, if you type
1446
1447 @c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1448 @c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1449 @c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1450 @c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1451 @smallexample
1452 (@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1453 @end smallexample
1454
1455 @noindent
1456 @value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1457 the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1458
1459 @smallexample
1460 (@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1461 @end smallexample
1462
1463 @noindent
1464 You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1465 breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1466 @samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1467 were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1468 might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1469 to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1470
1471 If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1472 @key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1473 characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1474 @value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
1475 example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1476 begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1477 just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
1478 function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1479 example:
1480
1481 @smallexample
1482 (@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1483 @exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1484 make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1485 make_abs_section make_function_type
1486 make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1487 make_cleanup make_reference_type
1488 make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1489 (@value{GDBP}) b make_
1490 @end smallexample
1491
1492 @noindent
1493 After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1494 partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1495 command.
1496
1497 If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1498 can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1499 means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this either by holding down a
1500 key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1501 one) while typing @kbd{?}, or as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1502
1503 @cindex quotes in commands
1504 @cindex completion of quoted strings
1505 Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1506 parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from
1507 its notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this
1508 situation, you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in
1509 @value{GDBN} commands.
1510
1511 The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1512 name of a C@t{++} function. This is because C@t{++} allows function
1513 overloading (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished
1514 by argument type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you
1515 may need to distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name}
1516 that takes an @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version
1517 that takes a @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the
1518 word-completion facilities in this situation, type a single quote
1519 @code{'} at the beginning of the function name. This alerts
1520 @value{GDBN} that it may need to consider more information than usual
1521 when you press @key{TAB} or @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1522
1523 @smallexample
1524 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @kbd{M-?}
1525 bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
1526 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1527 @end smallexample
1528
1529 In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name requires using
1530 quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} inserts the quote for you (while
1531 completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1532 place:
1533
1534 @smallexample
1535 (@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1536 @exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1537 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1538 @end smallexample
1539
1540 @noindent
1541 In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
1542 you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1543 completion on an overloaded symbol.
1544
1545 For more information about overloaded functions, see @ref{C Plus Plus
1546 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}. You can use the command @code{set
1547 overload-resolution off} to disable overload resolution;
1548 see @ref{Debugging C Plus Plus, ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
1549
1550 @cindex completion of structure field names
1551 @cindex structure field name completion
1552 @cindex completion of union field names
1553 @cindex union field name completion
1554 When completing in an expression which looks up a field in a
1555 structure, @value{GDBN} also tries@footnote{The completer can be
1556 confused by certain kinds of invalid expressions. Also, it only
1557 examines the static type of the expression, not the dynamic type.} to
1558 limit completions to the field names available in the type of the
1559 left-hand-side:
1560
1561 @smallexample
1562 (@value{GDBP}) p gdb_stdout.@kbd{M-?}
1563 magic to_delete to_fputs to_put to_rewind
1564 to_data to_flush to_isatty to_read to_write
1565 @end smallexample
1566
1567 @noindent
1568 This is because the @code{gdb_stdout} is a variable of the type
1569 @code{struct ui_file} that is defined in @value{GDBN} sources as
1570 follows:
1571
1572 @smallexample
1573 struct ui_file
1574 @{
1575 int *magic;
1576 ui_file_flush_ftype *to_flush;
1577 ui_file_write_ftype *to_write;
1578 ui_file_fputs_ftype *to_fputs;
1579 ui_file_read_ftype *to_read;
1580 ui_file_delete_ftype *to_delete;
1581 ui_file_isatty_ftype *to_isatty;
1582 ui_file_rewind_ftype *to_rewind;
1583 ui_file_put_ftype *to_put;
1584 void *to_data;
1585 @}
1586 @end smallexample
1587
1588
1589 @node Help
1590 @section Getting Help
1591 @cindex online documentation
1592 @kindex help
1593
1594 You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1595 using the command @code{help}.
1596
1597 @table @code
1598 @kindex h @r{(@code{help})}
1599 @item help
1600 @itemx h
1601 You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1602 display a short list of named classes of commands:
1603
1604 @smallexample
1605 (@value{GDBP}) help
1606 List of classes of commands:
1607
1608 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1609 breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1610 data -- Examining data
1611 files -- Specifying and examining files
1612 internals -- Maintenance commands
1613 obscure -- Obscure features
1614 running -- Running the program
1615 stack -- Examining the stack
1616 status -- Status inquiries
1617 support -- Support facilities
1618 tracepoints -- Tracing of program execution without
1619 stopping the program
1620 user-defined -- User-defined commands
1621
1622 Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1623 commands in that class.
1624 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1625 documentation.
1626 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1627 (@value{GDBP})
1628 @end smallexample
1629 @c the above line break eliminates huge line overfull...
1630
1631 @item help @var{class}
1632 Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1633 list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1634 help display for the class @code{status}:
1635
1636 @smallexample
1637 (@value{GDBP}) help status
1638 Status inquiries.
1639
1640 List of commands:
1641
1642 @c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1643 @c to fit in smallbook page size.
1644 info -- Generic command for showing things
1645 about the program being debugged
1646 show -- Generic command for showing things
1647 about the debugger
1648
1649 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1650 documentation.
1651 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1652 (@value{GDBP})
1653 @end smallexample
1654
1655 @item help @var{command}
1656 With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
1657 short paragraph on how to use that command.
1658
1659 @kindex apropos
1660 @item apropos @var{args}
1661 The @code{apropos} command searches through all of the @value{GDBN}
1662 commands, and their documentation, for the regular expression specified in
1663 @var{args}. It prints out all matches found. For example:
1664
1665 @smallexample
1666 apropos reload
1667 @end smallexample
1668
1669 @noindent
1670 results in:
1671
1672 @smallexample
1673 @c @group
1674 set symbol-reloading -- Set dynamic symbol table reloading
1675 multiple times in one run
1676 show symbol-reloading -- Show dynamic symbol table reloading
1677 multiple times in one run
1678 @c @end group
1679 @end smallexample
1680
1681 @kindex complete
1682 @item complete @var{args}
1683 The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1684 for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1685 command you want completed. For example:
1686
1687 @smallexample
1688 complete i
1689 @end smallexample
1690
1691 @noindent results in:
1692
1693 @smallexample
1694 @group
1695 if
1696 ignore
1697 info
1698 inspect
1699 @end group
1700 @end smallexample
1701
1702 @noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
1703 @end table
1704
1705 In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1706 and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1707 of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1708 manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1709 under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Index point to
1710 all the sub-commands. @xref{Index}.
1711
1712 @c @group
1713 @table @code
1714 @kindex info
1715 @kindex i @r{(@code{info})}
1716 @item info
1717 This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1718 program. For example, you can show the arguments passed to a function
1719 with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1720 registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1721 You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1722 @w{@code{help info}}.
1723
1724 @kindex set
1725 @item set
1726 You can assign the result of an expression to an environment variable with
1727 @code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1728 @code{set prompt $}.
1729
1730 @kindex show
1731 @item show
1732 In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1733 @value{GDBN} itself.
1734 You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1735 related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1736 system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1737 which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1738
1739 @kindex info set
1740 To display all the settable parameters and their current
1741 values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1742 @code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1743 @c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1744 @c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1745 @c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1746 @end table
1747 @c @end group
1748
1749 Here are three miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1750 exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1751
1752 @table @code
1753 @kindex show version
1754 @cindex @value{GDBN} version number
1755 @item show version
1756 Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1757 information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of
1758 @value{GDBN} are in use at your site, you may need to determine which
1759 version of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new
1760 commands are introduced, and old ones may wither away. Also, many
1761 system vendors ship variant versions of @value{GDBN}, and there are
1762 variant versions of @value{GDBN} in @sc{gnu}/Linux distributions as well.
1763 The version number is the same as the one announced when you start
1764 @value{GDBN}.
1765
1766 @kindex show copying
1767 @kindex info copying
1768 @cindex display @value{GDBN} copyright
1769 @item show copying
1770 @itemx info copying
1771 Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1772
1773 @kindex show warranty
1774 @kindex info warranty
1775 @item show warranty
1776 @itemx info warranty
1777 Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement, or a warranty,
1778 if your version of @value{GDBN} comes with one.
1779
1780 @end table
1781
1782 @node Running
1783 @chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1784
1785 When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1786 debugging information when you compile it.
1787
1788 You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1789 of your choice. If you are doing native debugging, you may redirect
1790 your program's input and output, debug an already running process, or
1791 kill a child process.
1792
1793 @menu
1794 * Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1795 * Starting:: Starting your program
1796 * Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1797 * Environment:: Your program's environment
1798
1799 * Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1800 * Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1801 * Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1802 * Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1803
1804 * Inferiors and Programs:: Debugging multiple inferiors and programs
1805 * Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1806 * Forks:: Debugging forks
1807 * Checkpoint/Restart:: Setting a @emph{bookmark} to return to later
1808 @end menu
1809
1810 @node Compilation
1811 @section Compiling for Debugging
1812
1813 In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1814 debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1815 is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1816 variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1817 and addresses in the executable code.
1818
1819 To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1820 the compiler.
1821
1822 Programs that are to be shipped to your customers are compiled with
1823 optimizations, using the @samp{-O} compiler option. However, some
1824 compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O} options
1825 together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1826 executables containing debugging information.
1827
1828 @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or
1829 without @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We
1830 recommend that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a
1831 program. You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense
1832 in pushing your luck. For more information, see @ref{Optimized Code}.
1833
1834 Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
1835 @w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
1836 format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
1837
1838 @value{GDBN} knows about preprocessor macros and can show you their
1839 expansion (@pxref{Macros}). Most compilers do not include information
1840 about preprocessor macros in the debugging information if you specify
1841 the @option{-g} flag alone, because this information is rather large.
1842 Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
1843 provides macro information if you specify the options
1844 @option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-g3}; the former option requests
1845 debugging information in the Dwarf 2 format, and the latter requests
1846 ``extra information''. In the future, we hope to find more compact
1847 ways to represent macro information, so that it can be included with
1848 @option{-g} alone.
1849
1850 @need 2000
1851 @node Starting
1852 @section Starting your Program
1853 @cindex starting
1854 @cindex running
1855
1856 @table @code
1857 @kindex run
1858 @kindex r @r{(@code{run})}
1859 @item run
1860 @itemx r
1861 Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}.
1862 You must first specify the program name (except on VxWorks) with an
1863 argument to @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and Out of
1864 @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file} command
1865 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
1866
1867 @end table
1868
1869 If you are running your program in an execution environment that
1870 supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
1871 that process run your program. In some environments without processes,
1872 @code{run} jumps to the start of your program. Other targets,
1873 like @samp{remote}, are always running. If you get an error
1874 message like this one:
1875
1876 @smallexample
1877 The "remote" target does not support "run".
1878 Try "help target" or "continue".
1879 @end smallexample
1880
1881 @noindent
1882 then use @code{continue} to run your program. You may need @code{load}
1883 first (@pxref{load}).
1884
1885 The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
1886 receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
1887 information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
1888 can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
1889 your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
1890 divided into four categories:
1891
1892 @table @asis
1893 @item The @emph{arguments.}
1894 Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
1895 @code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
1896 is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
1897 (such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
1898 the arguments.
1899 In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used with the
1900 @code{SHELL} environment variable.
1901 @xref{Arguments, ,Your Program's Arguments}.
1902
1903 @item The @emph{environment.}
1904 Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
1905 use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
1906 environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
1907 your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}.
1908
1909 @item The @emph{working directory.}
1910 Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
1911 the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
1912 @xref{Working Directory, ,Your Program's Working Directory}.
1913
1914 @item The @emph{standard input and output.}
1915 Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
1916 standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
1917 in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
1918 set a different device for your program.
1919 @xref{Input/Output, ,Your Program's Input and Output}.
1920
1921 @cindex pipes
1922 @emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
1923 pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
1924 program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
1925 wrong program.
1926 @end table
1927
1928 When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
1929 immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and Continuing}, for discussion
1930 of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
1931 stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
1932 or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
1933
1934 If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
1935 time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
1936 table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
1937 your current breakpoints.
1938
1939 @table @code
1940 @kindex start
1941 @item start
1942 @cindex run to main procedure
1943 The name of the main procedure can vary from language to language.
1944 With C or C@t{++}, the main procedure name is always @code{main}, but
1945 other languages such as Ada do not require a specific name for their
1946 main procedure. The debugger provides a convenient way to start the
1947 execution of the program and to stop at the beginning of the main
1948 procedure, depending on the language used.
1949
1950 The @samp{start} command does the equivalent of setting a temporary
1951 breakpoint at the beginning of the main procedure and then invoking
1952 the @samp{run} command.
1953
1954 @cindex elaboration phase
1955 Some programs contain an @dfn{elaboration} phase where some startup code is
1956 executed before the main procedure is called. This depends on the
1957 languages used to write your program. In C@t{++}, for instance,
1958 constructors for static and global objects are executed before
1959 @code{main} is called. It is therefore possible that the debugger stops
1960 before reaching the main procedure. However, the temporary breakpoint
1961 will remain to halt execution.
1962
1963 Specify the arguments to give to your program as arguments to the
1964 @samp{start} command. These arguments will be given verbatim to the
1965 underlying @samp{run} command. Note that the same arguments will be
1966 reused if no argument is provided during subsequent calls to
1967 @samp{start} or @samp{run}.
1968
1969 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration. In
1970 these cases, using the @code{start} command would stop the execution of
1971 your program too late, as the program would have already completed the
1972 elaboration phase. Under these circumstances, insert breakpoints in your
1973 elaboration code before running your program.
1974
1975 @kindex set exec-wrapper
1976 @item set exec-wrapper @var{wrapper}
1977 @itemx show exec-wrapper
1978 @itemx unset exec-wrapper
1979 When @samp{exec-wrapper} is set, the specified wrapper is used to
1980 launch programs for debugging. @value{GDBN} starts your program
1981 with a shell command of the form @kbd{exec @var{wrapper}
1982 @var{program}}. Quoting is added to @var{program} and its
1983 arguments, but not to @var{wrapper}, so you should add quotes if
1984 appropriate for your shell. The wrapper runs until it executes
1985 your program, and then @value{GDBN} takes control.
1986
1987 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
1988 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
1989 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
1990 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
1991
1992 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
1993 the debugged program, without setting the variable in your shell's
1994 environment:
1995
1996 @smallexample
1997 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper env 'LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so'
1998 (@value{GDBP}) run
1999 @end smallexample
2000
2001 This command is available when debugging locally on most targets, excluding
2002 @sc{djgpp}, Cygwin, MS Windows, and QNX Neutrino.
2003
2004 @kindex set disable-randomization
2005 @item set disable-randomization
2006 @itemx set disable-randomization on
2007 This option (enabled by default in @value{GDBN}) will turn off the native
2008 randomization of the virtual address space of the started program. This option
2009 is useful for multiple debugging sessions to make the execution better
2010 reproducible and memory addresses reusable across debugging sessions.
2011
2012 This feature is implemented only on @sc{gnu}/Linux. You can get the same
2013 behavior using
2014
2015 @smallexample
2016 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper setarch `uname -m` -R
2017 @end smallexample
2018
2019 @item set disable-randomization off
2020 Leave the behavior of the started executable unchanged. Some bugs rear their
2021 ugly heads only when the program is loaded at certain addresses. If your bug
2022 disappears when you run the program under @value{GDBN}, that might be because
2023 @value{GDBN} by default disables the address randomization on platforms, such
2024 as @sc{gnu}/Linux, which do that for stand-alone programs. Use @kbd{set
2025 disable-randomization off} to try to reproduce such elusive bugs.
2026
2027 The virtual address space randomization is implemented only on @sc{gnu}/Linux.
2028 It protects the programs against some kinds of security attacks. In these
2029 cases the attacker needs to know the exact location of a concrete executable
2030 code. Randomizing its location makes it impossible to inject jumps misusing
2031 a code at its expected addresses.
2032
2033 Prelinking shared libraries provides a startup performance advantage but it
2034 makes addresses in these libraries predictable for privileged processes by
2035 having just unprivileged access at the target system. Reading the shared
2036 library binary gives enough information for assembling the malicious code
2037 misusing it. Still even a prelinked shared library can get loaded at a new
2038 random address just requiring the regular relocation process during the
2039 startup. Shared libraries not already prelinked are always loaded at
2040 a randomly chosen address.
2041
2042 Position independent executables (PIE) contain position independent code
2043 similar to the shared libraries and therefore such executables get loaded at
2044 a randomly chosen address upon startup. PIE executables always load even
2045 already prelinked shared libraries at a random address. You can build such
2046 executable using @command{gcc -fPIE -pie}.
2047
2048 Heap (malloc storage), stack and custom mmap areas are always placed randomly
2049 (as long as the randomization is enabled).
2050
2051 @item show disable-randomization
2052 Show the current setting of the explicit disable of the native randomization of
2053 the virtual address space of the started program.
2054
2055 @end table
2056
2057 @node Arguments
2058 @section Your Program's Arguments
2059
2060 @cindex arguments (to your program)
2061 The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
2062 @code{run} command.
2063 They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard characters and
2064 performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program. Your
2065 @code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what shell
2066 @value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL}, @value{GDBN} uses
2067 the default shell (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix).
2068
2069 On non-Unix systems, the program is usually invoked directly by
2070 @value{GDBN}, which emulates I/O redirection via the appropriate system
2071 calls, and the wildcard characters are expanded by the startup code of
2072 the program, not by the shell.
2073
2074 @code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
2075 @code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
2076
2077 @table @code
2078 @kindex set args
2079 @item set args
2080 Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
2081 @code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
2082 with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
2083 using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
2084 it again without arguments.
2085
2086 @kindex show args
2087 @item show args
2088 Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
2089 @end table
2090
2091 @node Environment
2092 @section Your Program's Environment
2093
2094 @cindex environment (of your program)
2095 The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
2096 their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
2097 your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
2098 path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
2099 the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
2100 debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
2101 environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
2102
2103 @table @code
2104 @kindex path
2105 @item path @var{directory}
2106 Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
2107 (the search path for executables) that will be passed to your program.
2108 The value of @code{PATH} used by @value{GDBN} does not change.
2109 You may specify several directory names, separated by whitespace or by a
2110 system-dependent separator character (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on
2111 MS-DOS and MS-Windows). If @var{directory} is already in the path, it
2112 is moved to the front, so it is searched sooner.
2113
2114 You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
2115 working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
2116 use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
2117 @code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
2118 @var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
2119 @var{directory} to the search path.
2120 @c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
2121 @c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
2122
2123 @kindex show paths
2124 @item show paths
2125 Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
2126 environment variable).
2127
2128 @kindex show environment
2129 @item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
2130 Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
2131 your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
2132 print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
2133 your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
2134
2135 @kindex set environment
2136 @item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@var{value}@r{]}
2137 Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
2138 changes for your program only, not for @value{GDBN} itself. @var{value} may
2139 be any string; the values of environment variables are just strings, and
2140 any interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
2141 parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
2142 null value.
2143 @c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
2144 @c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
2145
2146 For example, this command:
2147
2148 @smallexample
2149 set env USER = foo
2150 @end smallexample
2151
2152 @noindent
2153 tells the debugged program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
2154 @samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
2155 are not actually required.)
2156
2157 @kindex unset environment
2158 @item unset environment @var{varname}
2159 Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
2160 program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
2161 @code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
2162 rather than assigning it an empty value.
2163 @end table
2164
2165 @emph{Warning:} On Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program using
2166 the shell indicated
2167 by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it exists (or
2168 @code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable names a shell
2169 that runs an initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, or
2170 @file{.bashrc} for BASH---any variables you set in that file affect
2171 your program. You may wish to move setting of environment variables to
2172 files that are only run when you sign on, such as @file{.login} or
2173 @file{.profile}.
2174
2175 @node Working Directory
2176 @section Your Program's Working Directory
2177
2178 @cindex working directory (of your program)
2179 Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
2180 working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
2181 The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
2182 from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
2183 working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
2184
2185 The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
2186 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2187 Specify Files}.
2188
2189 @table @code
2190 @kindex cd
2191 @cindex change working directory
2192 @item cd @var{directory}
2193 Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}.
2194
2195 @kindex pwd
2196 @item pwd
2197 Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
2198 @end table
2199
2200 It is generally impossible to find the current working directory of
2201 the process being debugged (since a program can change its directory
2202 during its run). If you work on a system where @value{GDBN} is
2203 configured with the @file{/proc} support, you can use the @code{info
2204 proc} command (@pxref{SVR4 Process Information}) to find out the
2205 current working directory of the debuggee.
2206
2207 @node Input/Output
2208 @section Your Program's Input and Output
2209
2210 @cindex redirection
2211 @cindex i/o
2212 @cindex terminal
2213 By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
2214 the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
2215 to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
2216 modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
2217 running your program.
2218
2219 @table @code
2220 @kindex info terminal
2221 @item info terminal
2222 Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
2223 program is using.
2224 @end table
2225
2226 You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
2227 redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
2228
2229 @smallexample
2230 run > outfile
2231 @end smallexample
2232
2233 @noindent
2234 starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
2235
2236 @kindex tty
2237 @cindex controlling terminal
2238 Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
2239 with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
2240 argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
2241 commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
2242 process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
2243
2244 @smallexample
2245 tty /dev/ttyb
2246 @end smallexample
2247
2248 @noindent
2249 directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
2250 default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
2251 that as their controlling terminal.
2252
2253 An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
2254 effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
2255 terminal.
2256
2257 When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
2258 command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
2259 for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal. @code{tty} is an alias
2260 for @code{set inferior-tty}.
2261
2262 @cindex inferior tty
2263 @cindex set inferior controlling terminal
2264 You can use the @code{show inferior-tty} command to tell @value{GDBN} to
2265 display the name of the terminal that will be used for future runs of your
2266 program.
2267
2268 @table @code
2269 @item set inferior-tty /dev/ttyb
2270 @kindex set inferior-tty
2271 Set the tty for the program being debugged to /dev/ttyb.
2272
2273 @item show inferior-tty
2274 @kindex show inferior-tty
2275 Show the current tty for the program being debugged.
2276 @end table
2277
2278 @node Attach
2279 @section Debugging an Already-running Process
2280 @kindex attach
2281 @cindex attach
2282
2283 @table @code
2284 @item attach @var{process-id}
2285 This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
2286 outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
2287 targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
2288 find out the @var{process-id} of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
2289 or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
2290
2291 @code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
2292 executing the command.
2293 @end table
2294
2295 To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
2296 which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
2297 programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
2298 also have permission to send the process a signal.
2299
2300 When you use @code{attach}, the debugger finds the program running in
2301 the process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if
2302 the program is not found) by using the source file search path
2303 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}). You can also use
2304 the @code{file} command to load the program. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2305 Specify Files}.
2306
2307 The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
2308 process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
2309 with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when
2310 you start processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you
2311 can step and continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the
2312 process continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
2313 attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
2314
2315 @table @code
2316 @kindex detach
2317 @item detach
2318 When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
2319 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
2320 the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
2321 that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
2322 are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
2323 @code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
2324 executing the command.
2325 @end table
2326
2327 If you exit @value{GDBN} while you have an attached process, you detach
2328 that process. If you use the @code{run} command, you kill that process.
2329 By default, @value{GDBN} asks for confirmation if you try to do either of these
2330 things; you can control whether or not you need to confirm by using the
2331 @code{set confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
2332 Messages}).
2333
2334 @node Kill Process
2335 @section Killing the Child Process
2336
2337 @table @code
2338 @kindex kill
2339 @item kill
2340 Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
2341 @end table
2342
2343 This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
2344 running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
2345 is running.
2346
2347 On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
2348 while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
2349 @code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
2350 outside the debugger.
2351
2352 The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
2353 relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
2354 executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
2355 next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
2356 reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
2357 breakpoint settings).
2358
2359 @node Inferiors and Programs
2360 @section Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs
2361
2362 @value{GDBN} lets you run and debug multiple programs in a single
2363 session. In addition, @value{GDBN} on some systems may let you run
2364 several programs simultaneously (otherwise you have to exit from one
2365 before starting another). In the most general case, you can have
2366 multiple threads of execution in each of multiple processes, launched
2367 from multiple executables.
2368
2369 @cindex inferior
2370 @value{GDBN} represents the state of each program execution with an
2371 object called an @dfn{inferior}. An inferior typically corresponds to
2372 a process, but is more general and applies also to targets that do not
2373 have processes. Inferiors may be created before a process runs, and
2374 may be retained after a process exits. Inferiors have unique
2375 identifiers that are different from process ids. Usually each
2376 inferior will also have its own distinct address space, although some
2377 embedded targets may have several inferiors running in different parts
2378 of a single address space. Each inferior may in turn have multiple
2379 threads running in it.
2380
2381 To find out what inferiors exist at any moment, use @w{@code{info
2382 inferiors}}:
2383
2384 @table @code
2385 @kindex info inferiors
2386 @item info inferiors
2387 Print a list of all inferiors currently being managed by @value{GDBN}.
2388
2389 @value{GDBN} displays for each inferior (in this order):
2390
2391 @enumerate
2392 @item
2393 the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2394
2395 @item
2396 the target system's inferior identifier
2397
2398 @item
2399 the name of the executable the inferior is running.
2400
2401 @end enumerate
2402
2403 @noindent
2404 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} inferior number
2405 indicates the current inferior.
2406
2407 For example,
2408 @end table
2409 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2410
2411 @smallexample
2412 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2413 Num Description Executable
2414 2 process 2307 hello
2415 * 1 process 3401 goodbye
2416 @end smallexample
2417
2418 To switch focus between inferiors, use the @code{inferior} command:
2419
2420 @table @code
2421 @kindex inferior @var{infno}
2422 @item inferior @var{infno}
2423 Make inferior number @var{infno} the current inferior. The argument
2424 @var{infno} is the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}, as shown
2425 in the first field of the @samp{info inferiors} display.
2426 @end table
2427
2428
2429 You can get multiple executables into a debugging session via the
2430 @code{add-inferior} and @w{@code{clone-inferior}} commands. On some
2431 systems @value{GDBN} can add inferiors to the debug session
2432 automatically by following calls to @code{fork} and @code{exec}. To
2433 remove inferiors from the debugging session use the
2434 @w{@code{remove-inferior}} command.
2435
2436 @table @code
2437 @kindex add-inferior
2438 @item add-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ -exec @var{executable} ]
2439 Adds @var{n} inferiors to be run using @var{executable} as the
2440 executable. @var{n} defaults to 1. If no executable is specified,
2441 the inferiors begins empty, with no program. You can still assign or
2442 change the program assigned to the inferior at any time by using the
2443 @code{file} command with the executable name as its argument.
2444
2445 @kindex clone-inferior
2446 @item clone-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ @var{infno} ]
2447 Adds @var{n} inferiors ready to execute the same program as inferior
2448 @var{infno}. @var{n} defaults to 1. @var{infno} defaults to the
2449 number of the current inferior. This is a convenient command when you
2450 want to run another instance of the inferior you are debugging.
2451
2452 @smallexample
2453 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2454 Num Description Executable
2455 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2456 (@value{GDBP}) clone-inferior
2457 Added inferior 2.
2458 1 inferiors added.
2459 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2460 Num Description Executable
2461 2 <null> helloworld
2462 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2463 @end smallexample
2464
2465 You can now simply switch focus to inferior 2 and run it.
2466
2467 @kindex remove-inferior
2468 @item remove-inferior @var{infno}
2469 Removes the inferior @var{infno}. It is not possible to remove an
2470 inferior that is running with this command. For those, use the
2471 @code{kill} or @code{detach} command first.
2472
2473 @end table
2474
2475 To quit debugging one of the running inferiors that is not the current
2476 inferior, you can either detach from it by using the @w{@code{detach
2477 inferior}} command (allowing it to run independently), or kill it
2478 using the @w{@code{kill inferior}} command:
2479
2480 @table @code
2481 @kindex detach inferior @var{infno}
2482 @item detach inferior @var{infno}
2483 Detach from the inferior identified by @value{GDBN} inferior number
2484 @var{infno}. Note that the inferior's entry still stays on the list
2485 of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors}, but its Description will
2486 show @samp{<null>}.
2487
2488 @kindex kill inferior @var{infno}
2489 @item kill inferior @var{infno}
2490 Kill the inferior identified by @value{GDBN} inferior number
2491 @var{infno}. Note that the inferior's entry still stays on the list
2492 of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors}, but its Description will
2493 show @samp{<null>}.
2494 @end table
2495
2496 After the successful completion of a command such as @code{detach},
2497 @code{detach inferior}, @code{kill} or @code{kill inferior}, or after
2498 a normal process exit, the inferior is still valid and listed with
2499 @code{info inferiors}, ready to be restarted.
2500
2501
2502 To be notified when inferiors are started or exit under @value{GDBN}'s
2503 control use @w{@code{set print inferior-events}}:
2504
2505 @table @code
2506 @kindex set print inferior-events
2507 @cindex print messages on inferior start and exit
2508 @item set print inferior-events
2509 @itemx set print inferior-events on
2510 @itemx set print inferior-events off
2511 The @code{set print inferior-events} command allows you to enable or
2512 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new
2513 inferiors have started or that inferiors have exited or have been
2514 detached. By default, these messages will not be printed.
2515
2516 @kindex show print inferior-events
2517 @item show print inferior-events
2518 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that
2519 inferiors have started, exited or have been detached.
2520 @end table
2521
2522 Many commands will work the same with multiple programs as with a
2523 single program: e.g., @code{print myglobal} will simply display the
2524 value of @code{myglobal} in the current inferior.
2525
2526
2527 Occasionaly, when debugging @value{GDBN} itself, it may be useful to
2528 get more info about the relationship of inferiors, programs, address
2529 spaces in a debug session. You can do that with the @w{@code{maint
2530 info program-spaces}} command.
2531
2532 @table @code
2533 @kindex maint info program-spaces
2534 @item maint info program-spaces
2535 Print a list of all program spaces currently being managed by
2536 @value{GDBN}.
2537
2538 @value{GDBN} displays for each program space (in this order):
2539
2540 @enumerate
2541 @item
2542 the program space number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2543
2544 @item
2545 the name of the executable loaded into the program space, with e.g.,
2546 the @code{file} command.
2547
2548 @end enumerate
2549
2550 @noindent
2551 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} program space number
2552 indicates the current program space.
2553
2554 In addition, below each program space line, @value{GDBN} prints extra
2555 information that isn't suitable to display in tabular form. For
2556 example, the list of inferiors bound to the program space.
2557
2558 @smallexample
2559 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2560 Id Executable
2561 2 goodbye
2562 Bound inferiors: ID 1 (process 21561)
2563 * 1 hello
2564 @end smallexample
2565
2566 Here we can see that no inferior is running the program @code{hello},
2567 while @code{process 21561} is running the program @code{goodbye}. On
2568 some targets, it is possible that multiple inferiors are bound to the
2569 same program space. The most common example is that of debugging both
2570 the parent and child processes of a @code{vfork} call. For example,
2571
2572 @smallexample
2573 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2574 Id Executable
2575 * 1 vfork-test
2576 Bound inferiors: ID 2 (process 18050), ID 1 (process 18045)
2577 @end smallexample
2578
2579 Here, both inferior 2 and inferior 1 are running in the same program
2580 space as a result of inferior 1 having executed a @code{vfork} call.
2581 @end table
2582
2583 @node Threads
2584 @section Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads
2585
2586 @cindex threads of execution
2587 @cindex multiple threads
2588 @cindex switching threads
2589 In some operating systems, such as HP-UX and Solaris, a single program
2590 may have more than one @dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics
2591 of threads differ from one operating system to another, but in general
2592 the threads of a single program are akin to multiple processes---except
2593 that they share one address space (that is, they can all examine and
2594 modify the same variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own
2595 registers and execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
2596
2597 @value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
2598 programs:
2599
2600 @itemize @bullet
2601 @item automatic notification of new threads
2602 @item @samp{thread @var{threadno}}, a command to switch among threads
2603 @item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
2604 @item @samp{thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
2605 a command to apply a command to a list of threads
2606 @item thread-specific breakpoints
2607 @item @samp{set print thread-events}, which controls printing of
2608 messages on thread start and exit.
2609 @item @samp{set libthread-db-search-path @var{path}}, which lets
2610 the user specify which @code{libthread_db} to use if the default choice
2611 isn't compatible with the program.
2612 @end itemize
2613
2614 @quotation
2615 @emph{Warning:} These facilities are not yet available on every
2616 @value{GDBN} configuration where the operating system supports threads.
2617 If your @value{GDBN} does not support threads, these commands have no
2618 effect. For example, a system without thread support shows no output
2619 from @samp{info threads}, and always rejects the @code{thread} command,
2620 like this:
2621
2622 @smallexample
2623 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2624 (@value{GDBP}) thread 1
2625 Thread ID 1 not known. Use the "info threads" command to
2626 see the IDs of currently known threads.
2627 @end smallexample
2628 @c FIXME to implementors: how hard would it be to say "sorry, this GDB
2629 @c doesn't support threads"?
2630 @end quotation
2631
2632 @cindex focus of debugging
2633 @cindex current thread
2634 The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
2635 threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
2636 control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
2637 This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
2638 program information from the perspective of the current thread.
2639
2640 @cindex @code{New} @var{systag} message
2641 @cindex thread identifier (system)
2642 @c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2643 @c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2644 @c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2645 Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2646 the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2647 form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2648 whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2649 @sc{gnu}/Linux, you might see
2650
2651 @smallexample
2652 [New Thread 46912507313328 (LWP 25582)]
2653 @end smallexample
2654
2655 @noindent
2656 when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on an SGI system,
2657 the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
2658 further qualifier.
2659
2660 @c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
2661 @c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
2662 @c second---i.e.@: when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
2663 @c program?
2664 @c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
2665 @c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
2666 @c threads ab initio?
2667
2668 @cindex thread number
2669 @cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2670 For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2671 number---always a single integer---with each thread in your program.
2672
2673 @table @code
2674 @kindex info threads
2675 @item info threads
2676 Display a summary of all threads currently in your
2677 program. @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2678
2679 @enumerate
2680 @item
2681 the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2682
2683 @item
2684 the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
2685
2686 @item
2687 the current stack frame summary for that thread
2688 @end enumerate
2689
2690 @noindent
2691 An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2692 indicates the current thread.
2693
2694 For example,
2695 @end table
2696 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2697
2698 @smallexample
2699 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2700 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2701 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2702 * 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
2703 at threadtest.c:68
2704 @end smallexample
2705
2706 On HP-UX systems:
2707
2708 @cindex debugging multithreaded programs (on HP-UX)
2709 @cindex thread identifier (GDB), on HP-UX
2710 For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2711 number---a small integer assigned in thread-creation order---with each
2712 thread in your program.
2713
2714 @cindex @code{New} @var{systag} message, on HP-UX
2715 @cindex thread identifier (system), on HP-UX
2716 @c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2717 @c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2718 @c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2719 Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2720 both @value{GDBN}'s thread number and the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2721 form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2722 whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2723 HP-UX, you see
2724
2725 @smallexample
2726 [New thread 2 (system thread 26594)]
2727 @end smallexample
2728
2729 @noindent
2730 when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread.
2731
2732 @table @code
2733 @kindex info threads (HP-UX)
2734 @item info threads
2735 Display a summary of all threads currently in your
2736 program. @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2737
2738 @enumerate
2739 @item the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2740
2741 @item the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
2742
2743 @item the current stack frame summary for that thread
2744 @end enumerate
2745
2746 @noindent
2747 An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2748 indicates the current thread.
2749
2750 For example,
2751 @end table
2752 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2753
2754 @smallexample
2755 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2756 * 3 system thread 26607 worker (wptr=0x7b09c318 "@@") \@*
2757 at quicksort.c:137
2758 2 system thread 26606 0x7b0030d8 in __ksleep () \@*
2759 from /usr/lib/libc.2
2760 1 system thread 27905 0x7b003498 in _brk () \@*
2761 from /usr/lib/libc.2
2762 @end smallexample
2763
2764 On Solaris, you can display more information about user threads with a
2765 Solaris-specific command:
2766
2767 @table @code
2768 @item maint info sol-threads
2769 @kindex maint info sol-threads
2770 @cindex thread info (Solaris)
2771 Display info on Solaris user threads.
2772 @end table
2773
2774 @table @code
2775 @kindex thread @var{threadno}
2776 @item thread @var{threadno}
2777 Make thread number @var{threadno} the current thread. The command
2778 argument @var{threadno} is the internal @value{GDBN} thread number, as
2779 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display.
2780 @value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the thread
2781 you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
2782
2783 @smallexample
2784 @c FIXME!! This example made up; find a @value{GDBN} w/threads and get real one
2785 (@value{GDBP}) thread 2
2786 [Switching to process 35 thread 23]
2787 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2788 @end smallexample
2789
2790 @noindent
2791 As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
2792 @samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
2793 threads.
2794
2795 @vindex $_thread@r{, convenience variable}
2796 The debugger convenience variable @samp{$_thread} contains the number
2797 of the current thread. You may find this useful in writing breakpoint
2798 conditional expressions, command scripts, and so forth. See
2799 @xref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for general
2800 information on convenience variables.
2801
2802 @kindex thread apply
2803 @cindex apply command to several threads
2804 @item thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{command}
2805 The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply the named
2806 @var{command} to one or more threads. Specify the numbers of the
2807 threads that you want affected with the command argument
2808 @var{threadno}. It can be a single thread number, one of the numbers
2809 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display; or it
2810 could be a range of thread numbers, as in @code{2-4}. To apply a
2811 command to all threads, type @kbd{thread apply all @var{command}}.
2812
2813 @kindex set print thread-events
2814 @cindex print messages on thread start and exit
2815 @item set print thread-events
2816 @itemx set print thread-events on
2817 @itemx set print thread-events off
2818 The @code{set print thread-events} command allows you to enable or
2819 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new threads have
2820 started or that threads have exited. By default, these messages will
2821 be printed if detection of these events is supported by the target.
2822 Note that these messages cannot be disabled on all targets.
2823
2824 @kindex show print thread-events
2825 @item show print thread-events
2826 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that threads
2827 have started and exited.
2828 @end table
2829
2830 @xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs}, for
2831 more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
2832 programs with multiple threads.
2833
2834 @xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting Watchpoints}, for information about
2835 watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
2836
2837 @table @code
2838 @kindex set libthread-db-search-path
2839 @cindex search path for @code{libthread_db}
2840 @item set libthread-db-search-path @r{[}@var{path}@r{]}
2841 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
2842 directories @value{GDBN} will use to search for @code{libthread_db}.
2843 If you omit @var{path}, @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to
2844 an empty list.
2845
2846 On @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems, @value{GDBN} uses a ``helper''
2847 @code{libthread_db} library to obtain information about threads in the
2848 inferior process. @value{GDBN} will use @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2849 to find @code{libthread_db}. If that fails, @value{GDBN} will continue
2850 with default system shared library directories, and finally the directory
2851 from which @code{libpthread} was loaded in the inferior process.
2852
2853 For any @code{libthread_db} library @value{GDBN} finds in above directories,
2854 @value{GDBN} attempts to initialize it with the current inferior process.
2855 If this initialization fails (which could happen because of a version
2856 mismatch between @code{libthread_db} and @code{libpthread}), @value{GDBN}
2857 will unload @code{libthread_db}, and continue with the next directory.
2858 If none of @code{libthread_db} libraries initialize successfully,
2859 @value{GDBN} will issue a warning and thread debugging will be disabled.
2860
2861 Setting @code{libthread-db-search-path} is currently implemented
2862 only on some platforms.
2863
2864 @kindex show libthread-db-search-path
2865 @item show libthread-db-search-path
2866 Display current libthread_db search path.
2867
2868 @kindex set debug libthread-db
2869 @kindex show debug libthread-db
2870 @cindex debugging @code{libthread_db}
2871 @item set debug libthread-db
2872 @itemx show debug libthread-db
2873 Turns on or off display of @code{libthread_db}-related events.
2874 Use @code{1} to enable, @code{0} to disable.
2875 @end table
2876
2877 @node Forks
2878 @section Debugging Forks
2879
2880 @cindex fork, debugging programs which call
2881 @cindex multiple processes
2882 @cindex processes, multiple
2883 On most systems, @value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging
2884 programs which create additional processes using the @code{fork}
2885 function. When a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the
2886 parent process and the child process will run unimpeded. If you have
2887 set a breakpoint in any code which the child then executes, the child
2888 will get a @code{SIGTRAP} signal which (unless it catches the signal)
2889 will cause it to terminate.
2890
2891 However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
2892 which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
2893 the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
2894 only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
2895 so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
2896 on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
2897 get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
2898 @value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
2899 the child process (@pxref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
2900 the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
2901
2902 On some systems, @value{GDBN} provides support for debugging programs that
2903 create additional processes using the @code{fork} or @code{vfork} functions.
2904 Currently, the only platforms with this feature are HP-UX (11.x and later
2905 only?) and @sc{gnu}/Linux (kernel version 2.5.60 and later).
2906
2907 By default, when a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug
2908 the parent process and the child process will run unimpeded.
2909
2910 If you want to follow the child process instead of the parent process,
2911 use the command @w{@code{set follow-fork-mode}}.
2912
2913 @table @code
2914 @kindex set follow-fork-mode
2915 @item set follow-fork-mode @var{mode}
2916 Set the debugger response to a program call of @code{fork} or
2917 @code{vfork}. A call to @code{fork} or @code{vfork} creates a new
2918 process. The @var{mode} argument can be:
2919
2920 @table @code
2921 @item parent
2922 The original process is debugged after a fork. The child process runs
2923 unimpeded. This is the default.
2924
2925 @item child
2926 The new process is debugged after a fork. The parent process runs
2927 unimpeded.
2928
2929 @end table
2930
2931 @kindex show follow-fork-mode
2932 @item show follow-fork-mode
2933 Display the current debugger response to a @code{fork} or @code{vfork} call.
2934 @end table
2935
2936 @cindex debugging multiple processes
2937 On Linux, if you want to debug both the parent and child processes, use the
2938 command @w{@code{set detach-on-fork}}.
2939
2940 @table @code
2941 @kindex set detach-on-fork
2942 @item set detach-on-fork @var{mode}
2943 Tells gdb whether to detach one of the processes after a fork, or
2944 retain debugger control over them both.
2945
2946 @table @code
2947 @item on
2948 The child process (or parent process, depending on the value of
2949 @code{follow-fork-mode}) will be detached and allowed to run
2950 independently. This is the default.
2951
2952 @item off
2953 Both processes will be held under the control of @value{GDBN}.
2954 One process (child or parent, depending on the value of
2955 @code{follow-fork-mode}) is debugged as usual, while the other
2956 is held suspended.
2957
2958 @end table
2959
2960 @kindex show detach-on-fork
2961 @item show detach-on-fork
2962 Show whether detach-on-fork mode is on/off.
2963 @end table
2964
2965 If you choose to set @samp{detach-on-fork} mode off, then @value{GDBN}
2966 will retain control of all forked processes (including nested forks).
2967 You can list the forked processes under the control of @value{GDBN} by
2968 using the @w{@code{info inferiors}} command, and switch from one fork
2969 to another by using the @code{inferior} command (@pxref{Inferiors and
2970 Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs}).
2971
2972 To quit debugging one of the forked processes, you can either detach
2973 from it by using the @w{@code{detach inferior}} command (allowing it
2974 to run independently), or kill it using the @w{@code{kill inferior}}
2975 command. @xref{Inferiors and Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors
2976 and Programs}.
2977
2978 If you ask to debug a child process and a @code{vfork} is followed by an
2979 @code{exec}, @value{GDBN} executes the new target up to the first
2980 breakpoint in the new target. If you have a breakpoint set on
2981 @code{main} in your original program, the breakpoint will also be set on
2982 the child process's @code{main}.
2983
2984 On some systems, when a child process is spawned by @code{vfork}, you
2985 cannot debug the child or parent until an @code{exec} call completes.
2986
2987 If you issue a @code{run} command to @value{GDBN} after an @code{exec}
2988 call executes, the new target restarts. To restart the parent
2989 process, use the @code{file} command with the parent executable name
2990 as its argument. By default, after an @code{exec} call executes,
2991 @value{GDBN} discards the symbols of the previous executable image.
2992 You can change this behaviour with the @w{@code{set follow-exec-mode}}
2993 command.
2994
2995 @table @code
2996 @kindex set follow-exec-mode
2997 @item set follow-exec-mode @var{mode}
2998
2999 Set debugger response to a program call of @code{exec}. An
3000 @code{exec} call replaces the program image of a process.
3001
3002 @code{follow-exec-mode} can be:
3003
3004 @table @code
3005 @item new
3006 @value{GDBN} creates a new inferior and rebinds the process to this
3007 new inferior. The program the process was running before the
3008 @code{exec} call can be restarted afterwards by restarting the
3009 original inferior.
3010
3011 For example:
3012
3013 @smallexample
3014 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3015 (gdb) info inferior
3016 Id Description Executable
3017 * 1 <null> prog1
3018 (@value{GDBP}) run
3019 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3020 Program exited normally.
3021 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3022 Id Description Executable
3023 * 2 <null> prog2
3024 1 <null> prog1
3025 @end smallexample
3026
3027 @item same
3028 @value{GDBN} keeps the process bound to the same inferior. The new
3029 executable image replaces the previous executable loaded in the
3030 inferior. Restarting the inferior after the @code{exec} call, with
3031 e.g., the @code{run} command, restarts the executable the process was
3032 running after the @code{exec} call. This is the default mode.
3033
3034 For example:
3035
3036 @smallexample
3037 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3038 Id Description Executable
3039 * 1 <null> prog1
3040 (@value{GDBP}) run
3041 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3042 Program exited normally.
3043 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3044 Id Description Executable
3045 * 1 <null> prog2
3046 @end smallexample
3047
3048 @end table
3049 @end table
3050
3051 You can use the @code{catch} command to make @value{GDBN} stop whenever
3052 a @code{fork}, @code{vfork}, or @code{exec} call is made. @xref{Set
3053 Catchpoints, ,Setting Catchpoints}.
3054
3055 @node Checkpoint/Restart
3056 @section Setting a @emph{Bookmark} to Return to Later
3057
3058 @cindex checkpoint
3059 @cindex restart
3060 @cindex bookmark
3061 @cindex snapshot of a process
3062 @cindex rewind program state
3063
3064 On certain operating systems@footnote{Currently, only
3065 @sc{gnu}/Linux.}, @value{GDBN} is able to save a @dfn{snapshot} of a
3066 program's state, called a @dfn{checkpoint}, and come back to it
3067 later.
3068
3069 Returning to a checkpoint effectively undoes everything that has
3070 happened in the program since the @code{checkpoint} was saved. This
3071 includes changes in memory, registers, and even (within some limits)
3072 system state. Effectively, it is like going back in time to the
3073 moment when the checkpoint was saved.
3074
3075 Thus, if you're stepping thru a program and you think you're
3076 getting close to the point where things go wrong, you can save
3077 a checkpoint. Then, if you accidentally go too far and miss
3078 the critical statement, instead of having to restart your program
3079 from the beginning, you can just go back to the checkpoint and
3080 start again from there.
3081
3082 This can be especially useful if it takes a lot of time or
3083 steps to reach the point where you think the bug occurs.
3084
3085 To use the @code{checkpoint}/@code{restart} method of debugging:
3086
3087 @table @code
3088 @kindex checkpoint
3089 @item checkpoint
3090 Save a snapshot of the debugged program's current execution state.
3091 The @code{checkpoint} command takes no arguments, but each checkpoint
3092 is assigned a small integer id, similar to a breakpoint id.
3093
3094 @kindex info checkpoints
3095 @item info checkpoints
3096 List the checkpoints that have been saved in the current debugging
3097 session. For each checkpoint, the following information will be
3098 listed:
3099
3100 @table @code
3101 @item Checkpoint ID
3102 @item Process ID
3103 @item Code Address
3104 @item Source line, or label
3105 @end table
3106
3107 @kindex restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3108 @item restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3109 Restore the program state that was saved as checkpoint number
3110 @var{checkpoint-id}. All program variables, registers, stack frames
3111 etc.@: will be returned to the values that they had when the checkpoint
3112 was saved. In essence, gdb will ``wind back the clock'' to the point
3113 in time when the checkpoint was saved.
3114
3115 Note that breakpoints, @value{GDBN} variables, command history etc.
3116 are not affected by restoring a checkpoint. In general, a checkpoint
3117 only restores things that reside in the program being debugged, not in
3118 the debugger.
3119
3120 @kindex delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3121 @item delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3122 Delete the previously-saved checkpoint identified by @var{checkpoint-id}.
3123
3124 @end table
3125
3126 Returning to a previously saved checkpoint will restore the user state
3127 of the program being debugged, plus a significant subset of the system
3128 (OS) state, including file pointers. It won't ``un-write'' data from
3129 a file, but it will rewind the file pointer to the previous location,
3130 so that the previously written data can be overwritten. For files
3131 opened in read mode, the pointer will also be restored so that the
3132 previously read data can be read again.
3133
3134 Of course, characters that have been sent to a printer (or other
3135 external device) cannot be ``snatched back'', and characters received
3136 from eg.@: a serial device can be removed from internal program buffers,
3137 but they cannot be ``pushed back'' into the serial pipeline, ready to
3138 be received again. Similarly, the actual contents of files that have
3139 been changed cannot be restored (at this time).
3140
3141 However, within those constraints, you actually can ``rewind'' your
3142 program to a previously saved point in time, and begin debugging it
3143 again --- and you can change the course of events so as to debug a
3144 different execution path this time.
3145
3146 @cindex checkpoints and process id
3147 Finally, there is one bit of internal program state that will be
3148 different when you return to a checkpoint --- the program's process
3149 id. Each checkpoint will have a unique process id (or @var{pid}),
3150 and each will be different from the program's original @var{pid}.
3151 If your program has saved a local copy of its process id, this could
3152 potentially pose a problem.
3153
3154 @subsection A Non-obvious Benefit of Using Checkpoints
3155
3156 On some systems such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, address space randomization
3157 is performed on new processes for security reasons. This makes it
3158 difficult or impossible to set a breakpoint, or watchpoint, on an
3159 absolute address if you have to restart the program, since the
3160 absolute location of a symbol will change from one execution to the
3161 next.
3162
3163 A checkpoint, however, is an @emph{identical} copy of a process.
3164 Therefore if you create a checkpoint at (eg.@:) the start of main,
3165 and simply return to that checkpoint instead of restarting the
3166 process, you can avoid the effects of address randomization and
3167 your symbols will all stay in the same place.
3168
3169 @node Stopping
3170 @chapter Stopping and Continuing
3171
3172 The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
3173 program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
3174 trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
3175
3176 Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons,
3177 such as a signal, a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a
3178 @value{GDBN} command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and
3179 change variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then
3180 continue execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide
3181 ample explanation of the status of your program---but you can also
3182 explicitly request this information at any time.
3183
3184 @table @code
3185 @kindex info program
3186 @item info program
3187 Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
3188 running or not, what process it is, and why it stopped.
3189 @end table
3190
3191 @menu
3192 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
3193 * Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
3194 * Signals:: Signals
3195 * Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3196 @end menu
3197
3198 @node Breakpoints
3199 @section Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Catchpoints
3200
3201 @cindex breakpoints
3202 A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
3203 the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add conditions to
3204 control in finer detail whether your program stops. You can set
3205 breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants (@pxref{Set
3206 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}), to specify the place where your program
3207 should stop by line number, function name or exact address in the
3208 program.
3209
3210 On some systems, you can set breakpoints in shared libraries before
3211 the executable is run. There is a minor limitation on HP-UX systems:
3212 you must wait until the executable is run in order to set breakpoints
3213 in shared library routines that are not called directly by the program
3214 (for example, routines that are arguments in a @code{pthread_create}
3215 call).
3216
3217 @cindex watchpoints
3218 @cindex data breakpoints
3219 @cindex memory tracing
3220 @cindex breakpoint on memory address
3221 @cindex breakpoint on variable modification
3222 A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
3223 when the value of an expression changes. The expression may be a value
3224 of a variable, or it could involve values of one or more variables
3225 combined by operators, such as @samp{a + b}. This is sometimes called
3226 @dfn{data breakpoints}. You must use a different command to set
3227 watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting Watchpoints}), but aside
3228 from that, you can manage a watchpoint like any other breakpoint: you
3229 enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints and watchpoints using the
3230 same commands.
3231
3232 You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
3233 whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
3234 Automatic Display}.
3235
3236 @cindex catchpoints
3237 @cindex breakpoint on events
3238 A @dfn{catchpoint} is another special breakpoint that stops your program
3239 when a certain kind of event occurs, such as the throwing of a C@t{++}
3240 exception or the loading of a library. As with watchpoints, you use a
3241 different command to set a catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints, ,Setting
3242 Catchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a catchpoint like any
3243 other breakpoint. (To stop when your program receives a signal, use the
3244 @code{handle} command; see @ref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
3245
3246 @cindex breakpoint numbers
3247 @cindex numbers for breakpoints
3248 @value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint, watchpoint, or
3249 catchpoint when you create it; these numbers are successive integers
3250 starting with one. In many of the commands for controlling various
3251 features of breakpoints you use the breakpoint number to say which
3252 breakpoint you want to change. Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or
3253 @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has no effect on your program until you
3254 enable it again.
3255
3256 @cindex breakpoint ranges
3257 @cindex ranges of breakpoints
3258 Some @value{GDBN} commands accept a range of breakpoints on which to
3259 operate. A breakpoint range is either a single breakpoint number, like
3260 @samp{5}, or two such numbers, in increasing order, separated by a
3261 hyphen, like @samp{5-7}. When a breakpoint range is given to a command,
3262 all breakpoints in that range are operated on.
3263
3264 @menu
3265 * Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
3266 * Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
3267 * Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
3268 * Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
3269 * Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
3270 * Conditions:: Break conditions
3271 * Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
3272 * Save Breakpoints:: How to save breakpoints in a file
3273 * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
3274 * Breakpoint-related Warnings:: ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
3275 @end menu
3276
3277 @node Set Breaks
3278 @subsection Setting Breakpoints
3279
3280 @c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
3281 @c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
3282 @c
3283 @c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
3284
3285 @kindex break
3286 @kindex b @r{(@code{break})}
3287 @vindex $bpnum@r{, convenience variable}
3288 @cindex latest breakpoint
3289 Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
3290 @code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
3291 number of the breakpoint you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
3292 Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
3293 convenience variables.
3294
3295 @table @code
3296 @item break @var{location}
3297 Set a breakpoint at the given @var{location}, which can specify a
3298 function name, a line number, or an address of an instruction.
3299 (@xref{Specify Location}, for a list of all the possible ways to
3300 specify a @var{location}.) The breakpoint will stop your program just
3301 before it executes any of the code in the specified @var{location}.
3302
3303 When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
3304 C@t{++}, a function name may refer to more than one possible place to break.
3305 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}, for a discussion of
3306 that situation.
3307
3308 It is also possible to insert a breakpoint that will stop the program
3309 only if a specific thread (@pxref{Thread-Specific Breakpoints})
3310 or a specific task (@pxref{Ada Tasks}) hits that breakpoint.
3311
3312 @item break
3313 When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
3314 the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
3315 (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
3316 innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
3317 returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
3318 @code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
3319 that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
3320 @code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
3321 the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
3322 inside loops.
3323
3324 @value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
3325 least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
3326 would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
3327 breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
3328 existed when your program stopped.
3329
3330 @item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
3331 Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
3332 @var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
3333 value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
3334 @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
3335 above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
3336 ,Break Conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
3337
3338 @kindex tbreak
3339 @item tbreak @var{args}
3340 Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the
3341 same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
3342 way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
3343 program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3344
3345 @kindex hbreak
3346 @cindex hardware breakpoints
3347 @item hbreak @var{args}
3348 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. @var{args} are the same as for the
3349 @code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
3350 breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
3351 have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
3352 debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
3353 changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
3354 provided by SPARClite DSU and most x86-based targets. These targets
3355 will generate traps when a program accesses some data or instruction
3356 address that is assigned to the debug registers. However the hardware
3357 breakpoint registers can take a limited number of breakpoints. For
3358 example, on the DSU, only two data breakpoints can be set at a time, and
3359 @value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used. Delete
3360 or disable unused hardware breakpoints before setting new ones
3361 (@pxref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}).
3362 @xref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3363 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3364 breakpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3365 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3366
3367 @kindex thbreak
3368 @item thbreak @var{args}
3369 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args}
3370 are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
3371 the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
3372 the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
3373 first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
3374 command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
3375 may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3376 See also @ref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3377
3378 @kindex rbreak
3379 @cindex regular expression
3380 @cindex breakpoints at functions matching a regexp
3381 @cindex set breakpoints in many functions
3382 @item rbreak @var{regex}
3383 Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
3384 @var{regex}. This command sets an unconditional breakpoint on all
3385 matches, printing a list of all breakpoints it set. Once these
3386 breakpoints are set, they are treated just like the breakpoints set with
3387 the @code{break} command. You can delete them, disable them, or make
3388 them conditional the same way as any other breakpoint.
3389
3390 The syntax of the regular expression is the standard one used with tools
3391 like @file{grep}. Note that this is different from the syntax used by
3392 shells, so for instance @code{foo*} matches all functions that include
3393 an @code{fo} followed by zero or more @code{o}s. There is an implicit
3394 @code{.*} leading and trailing the regular expression you supply, so to
3395 match only functions that begin with @code{foo}, use @code{^foo}.
3396
3397 @cindex non-member C@t{++} functions, set breakpoint in
3398 When debugging C@t{++} programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
3399 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
3400 classes.
3401
3402 @cindex set breakpoints on all functions
3403 The @code{rbreak} command can be used to set breakpoints in
3404 @strong{all} the functions in a program, like this:
3405
3406 @smallexample
3407 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak .
3408 @end smallexample
3409
3410 @item rbreak @var{file}:@var{regex}
3411 If @code{rbreak} is called with a filename qualification, it limits
3412 the search for functions matching the given regular expression to the
3413 specified @var{file}. This can be used, for example, to set breakpoints on
3414 every function in a given file:
3415
3416 @smallexample
3417 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak file.c:.
3418 @end smallexample
3419
3420 The colon separating the filename qualifier from the regex may
3421 optionally be surrounded by spaces.
3422
3423 @kindex info breakpoints
3424 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
3425 @item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
3426 @itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
3427 Print a table of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints set and
3428 not deleted. Optional argument @var{n} means print information only
3429 about the specified breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint). For
3430 each breakpoint, following columns are printed:
3431
3432 @table @emph
3433 @item Breakpoint Numbers
3434 @item Type
3435 Breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint.
3436 @item Disposition
3437 Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
3438 @item Enabled or Disabled
3439 Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
3440 that are not enabled.
3441 @item Address
3442 Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address. For a
3443 pending breakpoint whose address is not yet known, this field will
3444 contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Such breakpoint won't fire until a shared
3445 library that has the symbol or line referred by breakpoint is loaded.
3446 See below for details. A breakpoint with several locations will
3447 have @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in this field---see below for details.
3448 @item What
3449 Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
3450 line number. For a pending breakpoint, the original string passed to
3451 the breakpoint command will be listed as it cannot be resolved until
3452 the appropriate shared library is loaded in the future.
3453 @end table
3454
3455 @noindent
3456 If a breakpoint is conditional, @code{info break} shows the condition on
3457 the line following the affected breakpoint; breakpoint commands, if any,
3458 are listed after that. A pending breakpoint is allowed to have a condition
3459 specified for it. The condition is not parsed for validity until a shared
3460 library is loaded that allows the pending breakpoint to resolve to a
3461 valid location.
3462
3463 @noindent
3464 @code{info break} with a breakpoint
3465 number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
3466 convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
3467 the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
3468 listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}).
3469
3470 @noindent
3471 @code{info break} displays a count of the number of times the breakpoint
3472 has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with the
3473 @code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
3474 hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the breakpoint
3475 was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that number. This
3476 will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
3477 @end table
3478
3479 @value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
3480 your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
3481 the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
3482 (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
3483
3484 @cindex multiple locations, breakpoints
3485 @cindex breakpoints, multiple locations
3486 It is possible that a breakpoint corresponds to several locations
3487 in your program. Examples of this situation are:
3488
3489 @itemize @bullet
3490 @item
3491 For a C@t{++} constructor, the @value{NGCC} compiler generates several
3492 instances of the function body, used in different cases.
3493
3494 @item
3495 For a C@t{++} template function, a given line in the function can
3496 correspond to any number of instantiations.
3497
3498 @item
3499 For an inlined function, a given source line can correspond to
3500 several places where that function is inlined.
3501 @end itemize
3502
3503 In all those cases, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at all
3504 the relevant locations@footnote{
3505 As of this writing, multiple-location breakpoints work only if there's
3506 line number information for all the locations. This means that they
3507 will generally not work in system libraries, unless you have debug
3508 info with line numbers for them.}.
3509
3510 A breakpoint with multiple locations is displayed in the breakpoint
3511 table using several rows---one header row, followed by one row for
3512 each breakpoint location. The header row has @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in the
3513 address column. The rows for individual locations contain the actual
3514 addresses for locations, and show the functions to which those
3515 locations belong. The number column for a location is of the form
3516 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number}.
3517
3518 For example:
3519
3520 @smallexample
3521 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
3522 1 breakpoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
3523 stop only if i==1
3524 breakpoint already hit 1 time
3525 1.1 y 0x080486a2 in void foo<int>() at t.cc:8
3526 1.2 y 0x080486ca in void foo<double>() at t.cc:8
3527 @end smallexample
3528
3529 Each location can be individually enabled or disabled by passing
3530 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number} as argument to the
3531 @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands. Note that you cannot
3532 delete the individual locations from the list, you can only delete the
3533 entire list of locations that belong to their parent breakpoint (with
3534 the @kbd{delete @var{num}} command, where @var{num} is the number of
3535 the parent breakpoint, 1 in the above example). Disabling or enabling
3536 the parent breakpoint (@pxref{Disabling}) affects all of the locations
3537 that belong to that breakpoint.
3538
3539 @cindex pending breakpoints
3540 It's quite common to have a breakpoint inside a shared library.
3541 Shared libraries can be loaded and unloaded explicitly,
3542 and possibly repeatedly, as the program is executed. To support
3543 this use case, @value{GDBN} updates breakpoint locations whenever
3544 any shared library is loaded or unloaded. Typically, you would
3545 set a breakpoint in a shared library at the beginning of your
3546 debugging session, when the library is not loaded, and when the
3547 symbols from the library are not available. When you try to set
3548 breakpoint, @value{GDBN} will ask you if you want to set
3549 a so called @dfn{pending breakpoint}---breakpoint whose address
3550 is not yet resolved.
3551
3552 After the program is run, whenever a new shared library is loaded,
3553 @value{GDBN} reevaluates all the breakpoints. When a newly loaded
3554 shared library contains the symbol or line referred to by some
3555 pending breakpoint, that breakpoint is resolved and becomes an
3556 ordinary breakpoint. When a library is unloaded, all breakpoints
3557 that refer to its symbols or source lines become pending again.
3558
3559 This logic works for breakpoints with multiple locations, too. For
3560 example, if you have a breakpoint in a C@t{++} template function, and
3561 a newly loaded shared library has an instantiation of that template,
3562 a new location is added to the list of locations for the breakpoint.
3563
3564 Except for having unresolved address, pending breakpoints do not
3565 differ from regular breakpoints. You can set conditions or commands,
3566 enable and disable them and perform other breakpoint operations.
3567
3568 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling what
3569 happens when the @samp{break} command cannot resolve breakpoint
3570 address specification to an address:
3571
3572 @kindex set breakpoint pending
3573 @kindex show breakpoint pending
3574 @table @code
3575 @item set breakpoint pending auto
3576 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} cannot find the breakpoint
3577 location, it queries you whether a pending breakpoint should be created.
3578
3579 @item set breakpoint pending on
3580 This indicates that an unrecognized breakpoint location should automatically
3581 result in a pending breakpoint being created.
3582
3583 @item set breakpoint pending off
3584 This indicates that pending breakpoints are not to be created. Any
3585 unrecognized breakpoint location results in an error. This setting does
3586 not affect any pending breakpoints previously created.
3587
3588 @item show breakpoint pending
3589 Show the current behavior setting for creating pending breakpoints.
3590 @end table
3591
3592 The settings above only affect the @code{break} command and its
3593 variants. Once breakpoint is set, it will be automatically updated
3594 as shared libraries are loaded and unloaded.
3595
3596 @cindex automatic hardware breakpoints
3597 For some targets, @value{GDBN} can automatically decide if hardware or
3598 software breakpoints should be used, depending on whether the
3599 breakpoint address is read-only or read-write. This applies to
3600 breakpoints set with the @code{break} command as well as to internal
3601 breakpoints set by commands like @code{next} and @code{finish}. For
3602 breakpoints set with @code{hbreak}, @value{GDBN} will always use hardware
3603 breakpoints.
3604
3605 You can control this automatic behaviour with the following commands::
3606
3607 @kindex set breakpoint auto-hw
3608 @kindex show breakpoint auto-hw
3609 @table @code
3610 @item set breakpoint auto-hw on
3611 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} sets a breakpoint, it
3612 will try to use the target memory map to decide if software or hardware
3613 breakpoint must be used.
3614
3615 @item set breakpoint auto-hw off
3616 This indicates @value{GDBN} should not automatically select breakpoint
3617 type. If the target provides a memory map, @value{GDBN} will warn when
3618 trying to set software breakpoint at a read-only address.
3619 @end table
3620
3621 @value{GDBN} normally implements breakpoints by replacing the program code
3622 at the breakpoint address with a special instruction, which, when
3623 executed, given control to the debugger. By default, the program
3624 code is so modified only when the program is resumed. As soon as
3625 the program stops, @value{GDBN} restores the original instructions. This
3626 behaviour guards against leaving breakpoints inserted in the
3627 target should gdb abrubptly disconnect. However, with slow remote
3628 targets, inserting and removing breakpoint can reduce the performance.
3629 This behavior can be controlled with the following commands::
3630
3631 @kindex set breakpoint always-inserted
3632 @kindex show breakpoint always-inserted
3633 @table @code
3634 @item set breakpoint always-inserted off
3635 All breakpoints, including newly added by the user, are inserted in
3636 the target only when the target is resumed. All breakpoints are
3637 removed from the target when it stops.
3638
3639 @item set breakpoint always-inserted on
3640 Causes all breakpoints to be inserted in the target at all times. If
3641 the user adds a new breakpoint, or changes an existing breakpoint, the
3642 breakpoints in the target are updated immediately. A breakpoint is
3643 removed from the target only when breakpoint itself is removed.
3644
3645 @cindex non-stop mode, and @code{breakpoint always-inserted}
3646 @item set breakpoint always-inserted auto
3647 This is the default mode. If @value{GDBN} is controlling the inferior
3648 in non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}), gdb behaves as if
3649 @code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is on. If @value{GDBN} is
3650 controlling the inferior in all-stop mode, @value{GDBN} behaves as if
3651 @code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is off.
3652 @end table
3653
3654 @cindex negative breakpoint numbers
3655 @cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
3656 @value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for
3657 special purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C
3658 programs). These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers,
3659 starting with @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
3660 You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
3661 @samp{maint info breakpoints} (@pxref{maint info breakpoints}).
3662
3663
3664 @node Set Watchpoints
3665 @subsection Setting Watchpoints
3666
3667 @cindex setting watchpoints
3668 You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
3669 expression changes, without having to predict a particular place where
3670 this may happen. (This is sometimes called a @dfn{data breakpoint}.)
3671 The expression may be as simple as the value of a single variable, or
3672 as complex as many variables combined by operators. Examples include:
3673
3674 @itemize @bullet
3675 @item
3676 A reference to the value of a single variable.
3677
3678 @item
3679 An address cast to an appropriate data type. For example,
3680 @samp{*(int *)0x12345678} will watch a 4-byte region at the specified
3681 address (assuming an @code{int} occupies 4 bytes).
3682
3683 @item
3684 An arbitrarily complex expression, such as @samp{a*b + c/d}. The
3685 expression can use any operators valid in the program's native
3686 language (@pxref{Languages}).
3687 @end itemize
3688
3689 You can set a watchpoint on an expression even if the expression can
3690 not be evaluated yet. For instance, you can set a watchpoint on
3691 @samp{*global_ptr} before @samp{global_ptr} is initialized.
3692 @value{GDBN} will stop when your program sets @samp{global_ptr} and
3693 the expression produces a valid value. If the expression becomes
3694 valid in some other way than changing a variable (e.g.@: if the memory
3695 pointed to by @samp{*global_ptr} becomes readable as the result of a
3696 @code{malloc} call), @value{GDBN} may not stop until the next time
3697 the expression changes.
3698
3699 @cindex software watchpoints
3700 @cindex hardware watchpoints
3701 Depending on your system, watchpoints may be implemented in software or
3702 hardware. @value{GDBN} does software watchpointing by single-stepping your
3703 program and testing the variable's value each time, which is hundreds of
3704 times slower than normal execution. (But this may still be worth it, to
3705 catch errors where you have no clue what part of your program is the
3706 culprit.)
3707
3708 On some systems, such as HP-UX, PowerPC, @sc{gnu}/Linux and most other
3709 x86-based targets, @value{GDBN} includes support for hardware
3710 watchpoints, which do not slow down the running of your program.
3711
3712 @table @code
3713 @kindex watch
3714 @item watch @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}
3715 Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when the
3716 expression @var{expr} is written into by the program and its value
3717 changes. The simplest (and the most popular) use of this command is
3718 to watch the value of a single variable:
3719
3720 @smallexample
3721 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo
3722 @end smallexample
3723
3724 If the command includes a @code{@r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}}
3725 clause, @value{GDBN} breaks only when the thread identified by
3726 @var{threadnum} changes the value of @var{expr}. If any other threads
3727 change the value of @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} will not break. Note
3728 that watchpoints restricted to a single thread in this way only work
3729 with Hardware Watchpoints.
3730
3731 @kindex rwatch
3732 @item rwatch @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}
3733 Set a watchpoint that will break when the value of @var{expr} is read
3734 by the program.
3735
3736 @kindex awatch
3737 @item awatch @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}
3738 Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{expr} is either read from
3739 or written into by the program.
3740
3741 @kindex info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
3742 @item info watchpoints
3743 This command prints a list of watchpoints, using the same format as
3744 @code{info break} (@pxref{Set Breaks}).
3745 @end table
3746
3747 If you watch for a change in a numerically entered address you need to
3748 dereference it, as the address itself is just a constant number which will
3749 never change. @value{GDBN} refuses to create a watchpoint that watches
3750 a never-changing value:
3751
3752 @smallexample
3753 (@value{GDBP}) watch 0x600850
3754 Cannot watch constant value 0x600850.
3755 (@value{GDBP}) watch *(int *) 0x600850
3756 Watchpoint 1: *(int *) 6293584
3757 @end smallexample
3758
3759 @value{GDBN} sets a @dfn{hardware watchpoint} if possible. Hardware
3760 watchpoints execute very quickly, and the debugger reports a change in
3761 value at the exact instruction where the change occurs. If @value{GDBN}
3762 cannot set a hardware watchpoint, it sets a software watchpoint, which
3763 executes more slowly and reports the change in value at the next
3764 @emph{statement}, not the instruction, after the change occurs.
3765
3766 @cindex use only software watchpoints
3767 You can force @value{GDBN} to use only software watchpoints with the
3768 @kbd{set can-use-hw-watchpoints 0} command. With this variable set to
3769 zero, @value{GDBN} will never try to use hardware watchpoints, even if
3770 the underlying system supports them. (Note that hardware-assisted
3771 watchpoints that were set @emph{before} setting
3772 @code{can-use-hw-watchpoints} to zero will still use the hardware
3773 mechanism of watching expression values.)
3774
3775 @table @code
3776 @item set can-use-hw-watchpoints
3777 @kindex set can-use-hw-watchpoints
3778 Set whether or not to use hardware watchpoints.
3779
3780 @item show can-use-hw-watchpoints
3781 @kindex show can-use-hw-watchpoints
3782 Show the current mode of using hardware watchpoints.
3783 @end table
3784
3785 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3786 watchpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3787 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3788
3789 When you issue the @code{watch} command, @value{GDBN} reports
3790
3791 @smallexample
3792 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: @var{expr}
3793 @end smallexample
3794
3795 @noindent
3796 if it was able to set a hardware watchpoint.
3797
3798 Currently, the @code{awatch} and @code{rwatch} commands can only set
3799 hardware watchpoints, because accesses to data that don't change the
3800 value of the watched expression cannot be detected without examining
3801 every instruction as it is being executed, and @value{GDBN} does not do
3802 that currently. If @value{GDBN} finds that it is unable to set a
3803 hardware breakpoint with the @code{awatch} or @code{rwatch} command, it
3804 will print a message like this:
3805
3806 @smallexample
3807 Expression cannot be implemented with read/access watchpoint.
3808 @end smallexample
3809
3810 Sometimes, @value{GDBN} cannot set a hardware watchpoint because the
3811 data type of the watched expression is wider than what a hardware
3812 watchpoint on the target machine can handle. For example, some systems
3813 can only watch regions that are up to 4 bytes wide; on such systems you
3814 cannot set hardware watchpoints for an expression that yields a
3815 double-precision floating-point number (which is typically 8 bytes
3816 wide). As a work-around, it might be possible to break the large region
3817 into a series of smaller ones and watch them with separate watchpoints.
3818
3819 If you set too many hardware watchpoints, @value{GDBN} might be unable
3820 to insert all of them when you resume the execution of your program.
3821 Since the precise number of active watchpoints is unknown until such
3822 time as the program is about to be resumed, @value{GDBN} might not be
3823 able to warn you about this when you set the watchpoints, and the
3824 warning will be printed only when the program is resumed:
3825
3826 @smallexample
3827 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: Could not insert watchpoint
3828 @end smallexample
3829
3830 @noindent
3831 If this happens, delete or disable some of the watchpoints.
3832
3833 Watching complex expressions that reference many variables can also
3834 exhaust the resources available for hardware-assisted watchpoints.
3835 That's because @value{GDBN} needs to watch every variable in the
3836 expression with separately allocated resources.
3837
3838 If you call a function interactively using @code{print} or @code{call},
3839 any watchpoints you have set will be inactive until @value{GDBN} reaches another
3840 kind of breakpoint or the call completes.
3841
3842 @value{GDBN} automatically deletes watchpoints that watch local
3843 (automatic) variables, or expressions that involve such variables, when
3844 they go out of scope, that is, when the execution leaves the block in
3845 which these variables were defined. In particular, when the program
3846 being debugged terminates, @emph{all} local variables go out of scope,
3847 and so only watchpoints that watch global variables remain set. If you
3848 rerun the program, you will need to set all such watchpoints again. One
3849 way of doing that would be to set a code breakpoint at the entry to the
3850 @code{main} function and when it breaks, set all the watchpoints.
3851
3852 @cindex watchpoints and threads
3853 @cindex threads and watchpoints
3854 In multi-threaded programs, watchpoints will detect changes to the
3855 watched expression from every thread.
3856
3857 @quotation
3858 @emph{Warning:} In multi-threaded programs, software watchpoints
3859 have only limited usefulness. If @value{GDBN} creates a software
3860 watchpoint, it can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a
3861 single thread}. If you are confident that the expression can only
3862 change due to the current thread's activity (and if you are also
3863 confident that no other thread can become current), then you can use
3864 software watchpoints as usual. However, @value{GDBN} may not notice
3865 when a non-current thread's activity changes the expression. (Hardware
3866 watchpoints, in contrast, watch an expression in all threads.)
3867 @end quotation
3868
3869 @xref{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}.
3870
3871 @node Set Catchpoints
3872 @subsection Setting Catchpoints
3873 @cindex catchpoints, setting
3874 @cindex exception handlers
3875 @cindex event handling
3876
3877 You can use @dfn{catchpoints} to cause the debugger to stop for certain
3878 kinds of program events, such as C@t{++} exceptions or the loading of a
3879 shared library. Use the @code{catch} command to set a catchpoint.
3880
3881 @table @code
3882 @kindex catch
3883 @item catch @var{event}
3884 Stop when @var{event} occurs. @var{event} can be any of the following:
3885 @table @code
3886 @item throw
3887 @cindex stop on C@t{++} exceptions
3888 The throwing of a C@t{++} exception.
3889
3890 @item catch
3891 The catching of a C@t{++} exception.
3892
3893 @item exception
3894 @cindex Ada exception catching
3895 @cindex catch Ada exceptions
3896 An Ada exception being raised. If an exception name is specified
3897 at the end of the command (eg @code{catch exception Program_Error}),
3898 the debugger will stop only when this specific exception is raised.
3899 Otherwise, the debugger stops execution when any Ada exception is raised.
3900
3901 When inserting an exception catchpoint on a user-defined exception whose
3902 name is identical to one of the exceptions defined by the language, the
3903 fully qualified name must be used as the exception name. Otherwise,
3904 @value{GDBN} will assume that it should stop on the pre-defined exception
3905 rather than the user-defined one. For instance, assuming an exception
3906 called @code{Constraint_Error} is defined in package @code{Pck}, then
3907 the command to use to catch such exceptions is @kbd{catch exception
3908 Pck.Constraint_Error}.
3909
3910 @item exception unhandled
3911 An exception that was raised but is not handled by the program.
3912
3913 @item assert
3914 A failed Ada assertion.
3915
3916 @item exec
3917 @cindex break on fork/exec
3918 A call to @code{exec}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
3919 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
3920
3921 @item syscall
3922 @itemx syscall @r{[}@var{name} @r{|} @var{number}@r{]} @dots{}
3923 @cindex break on a system call.
3924 A call to or return from a system call, a.k.a.@: @dfn{syscall}. A
3925 syscall is a mechanism for application programs to request a service
3926 from the operating system (OS) or one of the OS system services.
3927 @value{GDBN} can catch some or all of the syscalls issued by the
3928 debuggee, and show the related information for each syscall. If no
3929 argument is specified, calls to and returns from all system calls
3930 will be caught.
3931
3932 @var{name} can be any system call name that is valid for the
3933 underlying OS. Just what syscalls are valid depends on the OS. On
3934 GNU and Unix systems, you can find the full list of valid syscall
3935 names on @file{/usr/include/asm/unistd.h}.
3936
3937 @c For MS-Windows, the syscall names and the corresponding numbers
3938 @c can be found, e.g., on this URL:
3939 @c http://www.metasploit.com/users/opcode/syscalls.html
3940 @c but we don't support Windows syscalls yet.
3941
3942 Normally, @value{GDBN} knows in advance which syscalls are valid for
3943 each OS, so you can use the @value{GDBN} command-line completion
3944 facilities (@pxref{Completion,, command completion}) to list the
3945 available choices.
3946
3947 You may also specify the system call numerically. A syscall's
3948 number is the value passed to the OS's syscall dispatcher to
3949 identify the requested service. When you specify the syscall by its
3950 name, @value{GDBN} uses its database of syscalls to convert the name
3951 into the corresponding numeric code, but using the number directly
3952 may be useful if @value{GDBN}'s database does not have the complete
3953 list of syscalls on your system (e.g., because @value{GDBN} lags
3954 behind the OS upgrades).
3955
3956 The example below illustrates how this command works if you don't provide
3957 arguments to it:
3958
3959 @smallexample
3960 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
3961 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
3962 (@value{GDBP}) r
3963 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
3964
3965 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'close'), \
3966 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
3967 (@value{GDBP}) c
3968 Continuing.
3969
3970 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'close'), \
3971 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
3972 (@value{GDBP})
3973 @end smallexample
3974
3975 Here is an example of catching a system call by name:
3976
3977 @smallexample
3978 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall chroot
3979 Catchpoint 1 (syscall 'chroot' [61])
3980 (@value{GDBP}) r
3981 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
3982
3983 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'chroot'), \
3984 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
3985 (@value{GDBP}) c
3986 Continuing.
3987
3988 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'chroot'), \
3989 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
3990 (@value{GDBP})
3991 @end smallexample
3992
3993 An example of specifying a system call numerically. In the case
3994 below, the syscall number has a corresponding entry in the XML
3995 file, so @value{GDBN} finds its name and prints it:
3996
3997 @smallexample
3998 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
3999 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 'exit_group')
4000 (@value{GDBP}) r
4001 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4002
4003 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'exit_group'), \
4004 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4005 (@value{GDBP}) c
4006 Continuing.
4007
4008 Program exited normally.
4009 (@value{GDBP})
4010 @end smallexample
4011
4012 However, there can be situations when there is no corresponding name
4013 in XML file for that syscall number. In this case, @value{GDBN} prints
4014 a warning message saying that it was not able to find the syscall name,
4015 but the catchpoint will be set anyway. See the example below:
4016
4017 @smallexample
4018 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 764
4019 warning: The number '764' does not represent a known syscall.
4020 Catchpoint 2 (syscall 764)
4021 (@value{GDBP})
4022 @end smallexample
4023
4024 If you configure @value{GDBN} using the @samp{--without-expat} option,
4025 it will not be able to display syscall names. Also, if your
4026 architecture does not have an XML file describing its system calls,
4027 you will not be able to see the syscall names. It is important to
4028 notice that these two features are used for accessing the syscall
4029 name database. In either case, you will see a warning like this:
4030
4031 @smallexample
4032 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4033 warning: Could not open "syscalls/i386-linux.xml"
4034 warning: Could not load the syscall XML file 'syscalls/i386-linux.xml'.
4035 GDB will not be able to display syscall names.
4036 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4037 (@value{GDBP})
4038 @end smallexample
4039
4040 Of course, the file name will change depending on your architecture and system.
4041
4042 Still using the example above, you can also try to catch a syscall by its
4043 number. In this case, you would see something like:
4044
4045 @smallexample
4046 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4047 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 252)
4048 @end smallexample
4049
4050 Again, in this case @value{GDBN} would not be able to display syscall's names.
4051
4052 @item fork
4053 A call to @code{fork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4054 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4055
4056 @item vfork
4057 A call to @code{vfork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4058 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4059
4060 @end table
4061
4062 @item tcatch @var{event}
4063 Set a catchpoint that is enabled only for one stop. The catchpoint is
4064 automatically deleted after the first time the event is caught.
4065
4066 @end table
4067
4068 Use the @code{info break} command to list the current catchpoints.
4069
4070 There are currently some limitations to C@t{++} exception handling
4071 (@code{catch throw} and @code{catch catch}) in @value{GDBN}:
4072
4073 @itemize @bullet
4074 @item
4075 If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
4076 control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
4077 raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
4078 returns control to you and cause your program either to abort or to
4079 simply continue running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal
4080 that @value{GDBN} is listening for, or exits. This is the case even if
4081 you set a catchpoint for the exception; catchpoints on exceptions are
4082 disabled within interactive calls.
4083
4084 @item
4085 You cannot raise an exception interactively.
4086
4087 @item
4088 You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
4089 @end itemize
4090
4091 @cindex raise exceptions
4092 Sometimes @code{catch} is not the best way to debug exception handling:
4093 if you need to know exactly where an exception is raised, it is better to
4094 stop @emph{before} the exception handler is called, since that way you
4095 can see the stack before any unwinding takes place. If you set a
4096 breakpoint in an exception handler instead, it may not be easy to find
4097 out where the exception was raised.
4098
4099 To stop just before an exception handler is called, you need some
4100 knowledge of the implementation. In the case of @sc{gnu} C@t{++}, exceptions are
4101 raised by calling a library function named @code{__raise_exception}
4102 which has the following ANSI C interface:
4103
4104 @smallexample
4105 /* @var{addr} is where the exception identifier is stored.
4106 @var{id} is the exception identifier. */
4107 void __raise_exception (void **addr, void *id);
4108 @end smallexample
4109
4110 @noindent
4111 To make the debugger catch all exceptions before any stack
4112 unwinding takes place, set a breakpoint on @code{__raise_exception}
4113 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Exceptions}).
4114
4115 With a conditional breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions})
4116 that depends on the value of @var{id}, you can stop your program when
4117 a specific exception is raised. You can use multiple conditional
4118 breakpoints to stop your program when any of a number of exceptions are
4119 raised.
4120
4121
4122 @node Delete Breaks
4123 @subsection Deleting Breakpoints
4124
4125 @cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4126 @cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4127 It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint, watchpoint, or
4128 catchpoint once it has done its job and you no longer want your program
4129 to stop there. This is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A
4130 breakpoint that has been deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
4131
4132 With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
4133 where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
4134 delete individual breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints by specifying
4135 their breakpoint numbers.
4136
4137 It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
4138 automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
4139 when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
4140
4141 @table @code
4142 @kindex clear
4143 @item clear
4144 Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
4145 selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). When
4146 the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
4147 breakpoint where your program just stopped.
4148
4149 @item clear @var{location}
4150 Delete any breakpoints set at the specified @var{location}.
4151 @xref{Specify Location}, for the various forms of @var{location}; the
4152 most useful ones are listed below:
4153
4154 @table @code
4155 @item clear @var{function}
4156 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
4157 Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the named @var{function}.
4158
4159 @item clear @var{linenum}
4160 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
4161 Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified
4162 @var{linenum} of the specified @var{filename}.
4163 @end table
4164
4165 @cindex delete breakpoints
4166 @kindex delete
4167 @kindex d @r{(@code{delete})}
4168 @item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4169 Delete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the breakpoint
4170 ranges specified as arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all
4171 breakpoints (@value{GDBN} asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set
4172 confirm off}). You can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
4173 @end table
4174
4175 @node Disabling
4176 @subsection Disabling Breakpoints
4177
4178 @cindex enable/disable a breakpoint
4179 Rather than deleting a breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint, you might
4180 prefer to @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if
4181 it had been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so
4182 that you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
4183
4184 You disable and enable breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints with
4185 the @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying
4186 one or more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} to
4187 print a list of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints if you
4188 do not know which numbers to use.
4189
4190 Disabling and enabling a breakpoint that has multiple locations
4191 affects all of its locations.
4192
4193 A breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint can have any of four different
4194 states of enablement:
4195
4196 @itemize @bullet
4197 @item
4198 Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
4199 with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
4200 @item
4201 Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
4202 @item
4203 Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
4204 disabled.
4205 @item
4206 Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
4207 immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently. A breakpoint
4208 set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state.
4209 @end itemize
4210
4211 You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints,
4212 watchpoints, and catchpoints:
4213
4214 @table @code
4215 @kindex disable
4216 @kindex dis @r{(@code{disable})}
4217 @item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4218 Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
4219 listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
4220 options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
4221 case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
4222 @code{disable} as @code{dis}.
4223
4224 @kindex enable
4225 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4226 Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
4227 become effective once again in stopping your program.
4228
4229 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{range}@dots{}
4230 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
4231 of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
4232
4233 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{range}@dots{}
4234 Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
4235 deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
4236 Breakpoints set by the @code{tbreak} command start out in this state.
4237 @end table
4238
4239 @c FIXME: I think the following ``Except for [...] @code{tbreak}'' is
4240 @c confusing: tbreak is also initially enabled.
4241 Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
4242 ,Setting Breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
4243 subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
4244 the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
4245 breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
4246 breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
4247 Stepping}.)
4248
4249 @node Conditions
4250 @subsection Break Conditions
4251 @cindex conditional breakpoints
4252 @cindex breakpoint conditions
4253
4254 @c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
4255 @c in particular for a watchpoint?
4256 The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
4257 specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
4258 breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
4259 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
4260 a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
4261 and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
4262
4263 This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
4264 situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
4265 when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
4266 by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
4267 @samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
4268
4269 Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
4270 since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
4271 it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
4272 and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
4273 one.
4274
4275 Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
4276 your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
4277 that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
4278 format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
4279 unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
4280 that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
4281 program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
4282 breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible than break
4283 conditions for the
4284 purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
4285 (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}).
4286
4287 Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
4288 @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
4289 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
4290 with the @code{condition} command.
4291
4292 You can also use the @code{if} keyword with the @code{watch} command.
4293 The @code{catch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
4294 @code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
4295 catchpoint.
4296
4297 @table @code
4298 @kindex condition
4299 @item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
4300 Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint,
4301 watchpoint, or catchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition,
4302 breakpoint @var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of
4303 @var{expression} is true (nonzero, in C). When you use
4304 @code{condition}, @value{GDBN} checks @var{expression} immediately for
4305 syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols in it have
4306 referents in the context of your breakpoint. If @var{expression} uses
4307 symbols not referenced in the context of the breakpoint, @value{GDBN}
4308 prints an error message:
4309
4310 @smallexample
4311 No symbol "foo" in current context.
4312 @end smallexample
4313
4314 @noindent
4315 @value{GDBN} does
4316 not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
4317 command (or a command that sets a breakpoint with a condition, like
4318 @code{break if @dots{}}) is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
4319
4320 @item condition @var{bnum}
4321 Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
4322 an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
4323 @end table
4324
4325 @cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
4326 A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
4327 breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
4328 useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
4329 count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
4330 is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
4331 therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
4332 ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
4333 the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
4334 value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
4335 your program reaches it.
4336
4337 @table @code
4338 @kindex ignore
4339 @item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
4340 Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
4341 The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
4342 execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
4343 takes no action.
4344
4345 To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
4346 a count of zero.
4347
4348 When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
4349 breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
4350 @code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
4351 Stepping,,Continuing and Stepping}.
4352
4353 If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
4354 condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
4355 @value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
4356
4357 You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
4358 as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
4359 is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
4360 Variables}.
4361 @end table
4362
4363 Ignore counts apply to breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints.
4364
4365
4366 @node Break Commands
4367 @subsection Breakpoint Command Lists
4368
4369 @cindex breakpoint commands
4370 You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint) a series of
4371 commands to execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For
4372 example, you might want to print the values of certain expressions, or
4373 enable other breakpoints.
4374
4375 @table @code
4376 @kindex commands
4377 @kindex end@r{ (breakpoint commands)}
4378 @item commands @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4379 @itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
4380 @itemx end
4381 Specify a list of commands for the given breakpoints. The commands
4382 themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
4383 @code{end} to terminate the commands.
4384
4385 To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
4386 follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
4387
4388 With no argument, @code{commands} refers to the last breakpoint,
4389 watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
4390 encountered). If the most recent breakpoints were set with a single
4391 command, then the @code{commands} will apply to all the breakpoints
4392 set by that command. This applies to breakpoints set by
4393 @code{rbreak}, and also applies when a single @code{break} command
4394 creates multiple breakpoints (@pxref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous
4395 Expressions}).
4396 @end table
4397
4398 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
4399 disabled within a @var{command-list}.
4400
4401 You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
4402 use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
4403 that resumes execution.
4404
4405 Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
4406 execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
4407 (even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
4408 another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
4409 ambiguities about which list to execute.
4410
4411 @kindex silent
4412 If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
4413 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
4414 be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
4415 then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
4416 see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
4417 meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
4418
4419 The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
4420 print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
4421 breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for Controlled Output}.
4422
4423 For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
4424 value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
4425
4426 @smallexample
4427 break foo if x>0
4428 commands
4429 silent
4430 printf "x is %d\n",x
4431 cont
4432 end
4433 @end smallexample
4434
4435 One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
4436 you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
4437 of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
4438 erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
4439 to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
4440 so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
4441 command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
4442
4443 @smallexample
4444 break 403
4445 commands
4446 silent
4447 set x = y + 4
4448 cont
4449 end
4450 @end smallexample
4451
4452 @node Save Breakpoints
4453 @subsection How to save breakpoints to a file
4454
4455 To save breakpoint definitions to a file use the @w{@code{save
4456 breakpoints}} command.
4457
4458 @table @code
4459 @kindex save breakpoints
4460 @cindex save breakpoints to a file for future sessions
4461 @item save breakpoints [@var{filename}]
4462 This command saves all current breakpoint definitions together with
4463 their commands and ignore counts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
4464 suitable for use in a later debugging session. This includes all
4465 types of breakpoints (breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints,
4466 tracepoints). To read the saved breakpoint definitions, use the
4467 @code{source} command (@pxref{Command Files}). Note that watchpoints
4468 with expressions involving local variables may fail to be recreated
4469 because it may not be possible to access the context where the
4470 watchpoint is valid anymore. Because the saved breakpoint definitions
4471 are simply a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands that recreate the
4472 breakpoints, you can edit the file in your favorite editing program,
4473 and remove the breakpoint definitions you're not interested in, or
4474 that can no longer be recreated.
4475 @end table
4476
4477 @c @ifclear BARETARGET
4478 @node Error in Breakpoints
4479 @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
4480
4481 If you request too many active hardware-assisted breakpoints and
4482 watchpoints, you will see this error message:
4483
4484 @c FIXME: the precise wording of this message may change; the relevant
4485 @c source change is not committed yet (Sep 3, 1999).
4486 @smallexample
4487 Stopped; cannot insert breakpoints.
4488 You may have requested too many hardware breakpoints and watchpoints.
4489 @end smallexample
4490
4491 @noindent
4492 This message is printed when you attempt to resume the program, since
4493 only then @value{GDBN} knows exactly how many hardware breakpoints and
4494 watchpoints it needs to insert.
4495
4496 When this message is printed, you need to disable or remove some of the
4497 hardware-assisted breakpoints and watchpoints, and then continue.
4498
4499 @node Breakpoint-related Warnings
4500 @subsection ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
4501 @cindex breakpoint address adjusted
4502
4503 Some processor architectures place constraints on the addresses at
4504 which breakpoints may be placed. For architectures thus constrained,
4505 @value{GDBN} will attempt to adjust the breakpoint's address to comply
4506 with the constraints dictated by the architecture.
4507
4508 One example of such an architecture is the Fujitsu FR-V. The FR-V is
4509 a VLIW architecture in which a number of RISC-like instructions may be
4510 bundled together for parallel execution. The FR-V architecture
4511 constrains the location of a breakpoint instruction within such a
4512 bundle to the instruction with the lowest address. @value{GDBN}
4513 honors this constraint by adjusting a breakpoint's address to the
4514 first in the bundle.
4515
4516 It is not uncommon for optimized code to have bundles which contain
4517 instructions from different source statements, thus it may happen that
4518 a breakpoint's address will be adjusted from one source statement to
4519 another. Since this adjustment may significantly alter @value{GDBN}'s
4520 breakpoint related behavior from what the user expects, a warning is
4521 printed when the breakpoint is first set and also when the breakpoint
4522 is hit.
4523
4524 A warning like the one below is printed when setting a breakpoint
4525 that's been subject to address adjustment:
4526
4527 @smallexample
4528 warning: Breakpoint address adjusted from 0x00010414 to 0x00010410.
4529 @end smallexample
4530
4531 Such warnings are printed both for user settable and @value{GDBN}'s
4532 internal breakpoints. If you see one of these warnings, you should
4533 verify that a breakpoint set at the adjusted address will have the
4534 desired affect. If not, the breakpoint in question may be removed and
4535 other breakpoints may be set which will have the desired behavior.
4536 E.g., it may be sufficient to place the breakpoint at a later
4537 instruction. A conditional breakpoint may also be useful in some
4538 cases to prevent the breakpoint from triggering too often.
4539
4540 @value{GDBN} will also issue a warning when stopping at one of these
4541 adjusted breakpoints:
4542
4543 @smallexample
4544 warning: Breakpoint 1 address previously adjusted from 0x00010414
4545 to 0x00010410.
4546 @end smallexample
4547
4548 When this warning is encountered, it may be too late to take remedial
4549 action except in cases where the breakpoint is hit earlier or more
4550 frequently than expected.
4551
4552 @node Continuing and Stepping
4553 @section Continuing and Stepping
4554
4555 @cindex stepping
4556 @cindex continuing
4557 @cindex resuming execution
4558 @dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
4559 completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
4560 one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
4561 line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
4562 particular command you use). Either when continuing or when stepping,
4563 your program may stop even sooner, due to a breakpoint or a signal. (If
4564 it stops due to a signal, you may want to use @code{handle}, or use
4565 @samp{signal 0} to resume execution. @xref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
4566
4567 @table @code
4568 @kindex continue
4569 @kindex c @r{(@code{continue})}
4570 @kindex fg @r{(resume foreground execution)}
4571 @item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4572 @itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4573 @itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4574 Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
4575 any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
4576 @var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
4577 ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
4578 @code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
4579
4580 The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
4581 stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
4582 @code{continue} is ignored.
4583
4584 The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} (for @dfn{foreground}, as the
4585 debugged program is deemed to be the foreground program) are provided
4586 purely for convenience, and have exactly the same behavior as
4587 @code{continue}.
4588 @end table
4589
4590 To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
4591 (@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}) to go back to the
4592 calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
4593 Different Address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
4594
4595 A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
4596 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Catchpoints}) at the
4597 beginning of the function or the section of your program where a problem
4598 is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that breakpoint,
4599 and then step through the suspect area, examining the variables that are
4600 interesting, until you see the problem happen.
4601
4602 @table @code
4603 @kindex step
4604 @kindex s @r{(@code{step})}
4605 @item step
4606 Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
4607 line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
4608 abbreviated @code{s}.
4609
4610 @quotation
4611 @c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
4612 @c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
4613 @c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
4614 @c distinction here.
4615 @emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
4616 within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
4617 execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
4618 debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
4619 is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
4620 without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
4621 below.
4622 @end quotation
4623
4624 The @code{step} command only stops at the first instruction of a source
4625 line. This prevents the multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
4626 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc. @code{step} continues
4627 to stop if a function that has debugging information is called within
4628 the line. In other words, @code{step} @emph{steps inside} any functions
4629 called within the line.
4630
4631 Also, the @code{step} command only enters a function if there is line
4632 number information for the function. Otherwise it acts like the
4633 @code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
4634 on MIPS machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
4635 was any debugging information about the routine.
4636
4637 @item step @var{count}
4638 Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
4639 breakpoint is reached, or a signal not related to stepping occurs before
4640 @var{count} steps, stepping stops right away.
4641
4642 @kindex next
4643 @kindex n @r{(@code{next})}
4644 @item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
4645 Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
4646 This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within
4647 the line of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when
4648 control reaches a different line of code at the original stack level
4649 that was executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command
4650 is abbreviated @code{n}.
4651
4652 An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
4653
4654
4655 @c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
4656 @c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
4657 @c
4658 @c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
4659 @c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
4660 @c function are executed without stopping.
4661
4662 The @code{next} command only stops at the first instruction of a
4663 source line. This prevents multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
4664 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc.
4665
4666 @kindex set step-mode
4667 @item set step-mode
4668 @cindex functions without line info, and stepping
4669 @cindex stepping into functions with no line info
4670 @itemx set step-mode on
4671 The @code{set step-mode on} command causes the @code{step} command to
4672 stop at the first instruction of a function which contains no debug line
4673 information rather than stepping over it.
4674
4675 This is useful in cases where you may be interested in inspecting the
4676 machine instructions of a function which has no symbolic info and do not
4677 want @value{GDBN} to automatically skip over this function.
4678
4679 @item set step-mode off
4680 Causes the @code{step} command to step over any functions which contains no
4681 debug information. This is the default.
4682
4683 @item show step-mode
4684 Show whether @value{GDBN} will stop in or step over functions without
4685 source line debug information.
4686
4687 @kindex finish
4688 @kindex fin @r{(@code{finish})}
4689 @item finish
4690 Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
4691 returns. Print the returned value (if any). This command can be
4692 abbreviated as @code{fin}.
4693
4694 Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
4695 ,Returning from a Function}).
4696
4697 @kindex until
4698 @kindex u @r{(@code{until})}
4699 @cindex run until specified location
4700 @item until
4701 @itemx u
4702 Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
4703 current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
4704 stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
4705 command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
4706 automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
4707 than the address of the jump.
4708
4709 This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
4710 though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
4711 exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
4712 simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
4713 through the next iteration.
4714
4715 @code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
4716 stack frame.
4717
4718 @code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
4719 of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
4720 example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
4721 (@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
4722 @code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
4723
4724 @smallexample
4725 (@value{GDBP}) f
4726 #0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
4727 206 expand_input();
4728 (@value{GDBP}) until
4729 195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
4730 @end smallexample
4731
4732 This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
4733 generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
4734 start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
4735 written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
4736 to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
4737 expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
4738 statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
4739
4740 @code{until} with no argument works by means of single
4741 instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
4742 argument.
4743
4744 @item until @var{location}
4745 @itemx u @var{location}
4746 Continue running your program until either the specified location is
4747 reached, or the current stack frame returns. @var{location} is any of
4748 the forms described in @ref{Specify Location}.
4749 This form of the command uses temporary breakpoints, and
4750 hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument. The specified
4751 location is actually reached only if it is in the current frame. This
4752 implies that @code{until} can be used to skip over recursive function
4753 invocations. For instance in the code below, if the current location is
4754 line @code{96}, issuing @code{until 99} will execute the program up to
4755 line @code{99} in the same invocation of factorial, i.e., after the inner
4756 invocations have returned.
4757
4758 @smallexample
4759 94 int factorial (int value)
4760 95 @{
4761 96 if (value > 1) @{
4762 97 value *= factorial (value - 1);
4763 98 @}
4764 99 return (value);
4765 100 @}
4766 @end smallexample
4767
4768
4769 @kindex advance @var{location}
4770 @itemx advance @var{location}
4771 Continue running the program up to the given @var{location}. An argument is
4772 required, which should be of one of the forms described in
4773 @ref{Specify Location}.
4774 Execution will also stop upon exit from the current stack
4775 frame. This command is similar to @code{until}, but @code{advance} will
4776 not skip over recursive function calls, and the target location doesn't
4777 have to be in the same frame as the current one.
4778
4779
4780 @kindex stepi
4781 @kindex si @r{(@code{stepi})}
4782 @item stepi
4783 @itemx stepi @var{arg}
4784 @itemx si
4785 Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
4786
4787 It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
4788 instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
4789 instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
4790 Display,, Automatic Display}.
4791
4792 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
4793
4794 @need 750
4795 @kindex nexti
4796 @kindex ni @r{(@code{nexti})}
4797 @item nexti
4798 @itemx nexti @var{arg}
4799 @itemx ni
4800 Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
4801 proceed until the function returns.
4802
4803 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
4804 @end table
4805
4806 @node Signals
4807 @section Signals
4808 @cindex signals
4809
4810 A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
4811 operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
4812 kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
4813 signal a program gets when you type an interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c});
4814 @code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
4815 memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
4816 the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
4817 requested an alarm).
4818
4819 @cindex fatal signals
4820 Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
4821 functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
4822 errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (they kill your program immediately) if the
4823 program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
4824 @code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
4825 fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
4826
4827 @value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
4828 program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
4829 signal.
4830
4831 @cindex handling signals
4832 Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to let the non-erroneous signals like
4833 @code{SIGALRM} be silently passed to your program
4834 (so as not to interfere with their role in the program's functioning)
4835 but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
4836 You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
4837
4838 @table @code
4839 @kindex info signals
4840 @kindex info handle
4841 @item info signals
4842 @itemx info handle
4843 Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
4844 handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
4845 the defined types of signals.
4846
4847 @item info signals @var{sig}
4848 Similar, but print information only about the specified signal number.
4849
4850 @code{info handle} is an alias for @code{info signals}.
4851
4852 @kindex handle
4853 @item handle @var{signal} @r{[}@var{keywords}@dots{}@r{]}
4854 Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal}
4855 can be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the
4856 @samp{SIG} at the beginning); a list of signal numbers of the form
4857 @samp{@var{low}-@var{high}}; or the word @samp{all}, meaning all the
4858 known signals. Optional arguments @var{keywords}, described below,
4859 say what change to make.
4860 @end table
4861
4862 @c @group
4863 The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
4864 Their full names are:
4865
4866 @table @code
4867 @item nostop
4868 @value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
4869 still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
4870
4871 @item stop
4872 @value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
4873 the @code{print} keyword as well.
4874
4875 @item print
4876 @value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
4877
4878 @item noprint
4879 @value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
4880 implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
4881
4882 @item pass
4883 @itemx noignore
4884 @value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
4885 can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
4886 and not handled. @code{pass} and @code{noignore} are synonyms.
4887
4888 @item nopass
4889 @itemx ignore
4890 @value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
4891 @code{nopass} and @code{ignore} are synonyms.
4892 @end table
4893 @c @end group
4894
4895 When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible to the
4896 program until you
4897 continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
4898 effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
4899 after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
4900 command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
4901 program sees that signal when you continue.
4902
4903 The default is set to @code{nostop}, @code{noprint}, @code{pass} for
4904 non-erroneous signals such as @code{SIGALRM}, @code{SIGWINCH} and
4905 @code{SIGCHLD}, and to @code{stop}, @code{print}, @code{pass} for the
4906 erroneous signals.
4907
4908 You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
4909 seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
4910 or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
4911 due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
4912 values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
4913 execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
4914 a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
4915 you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
4916 Program a Signal}.
4917
4918 @cindex extra signal information
4919 @anchor{extra signal information}
4920
4921 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can inspect extra signal information
4922 associated with the intercepted signal, before it is actually
4923 delivered to the program being debugged. This information is exported
4924 by the convenience variable @code{$_siginfo}, and consists of data
4925 that is passed by the kernel to the signal handler at the time of the
4926 receipt of a signal. The data type of the information itself is
4927 target dependent. You can see the data type using the @code{ptype
4928 $_siginfo} command. On Unix systems, it typically corresponds to the
4929 standard @code{siginfo_t} type, as defined in the @file{signal.h}
4930 system header.
4931
4932 Here's an example, on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, printing the stray
4933 referenced address that raised a segmentation fault.
4934
4935 @smallexample
4936 @group
4937 (@value{GDBP}) continue
4938 Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
4939 0x0000000000400766 in main ()
4940 69 *(int *)p = 0;
4941 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo
4942 type = struct @{
4943 int si_signo;
4944 int si_errno;
4945 int si_code;
4946 union @{
4947 int _pad[28];
4948 struct @{...@} _kill;
4949 struct @{...@} _timer;
4950 struct @{...@} _rt;
4951 struct @{...@} _sigchld;
4952 struct @{...@} _sigfault;
4953 struct @{...@} _sigpoll;
4954 @} _sifields;
4955 @}
4956 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault
4957 type = struct @{
4958 void *si_addr;
4959 @}
4960 (@value{GDBP}) p $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault.si_addr
4961 $1 = (void *) 0x7ffff7ff7000
4962 @end group
4963 @end smallexample
4964
4965 Depending on target support, @code{$_siginfo} may also be writable.
4966
4967 @node Thread Stops
4968 @section Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs
4969
4970 @cindex stopped threads
4971 @cindex threads, stopped
4972
4973 @cindex continuing threads
4974 @cindex threads, continuing
4975
4976 @value{GDBN} supports debugging programs with multiple threads
4977 (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads}). There
4978 are two modes of controlling execution of your program within the
4979 debugger. In the default mode, referred to as @dfn{all-stop mode},
4980 when any thread in your program stops (for example, at a breakpoint
4981 or while being stepped), all other threads in the program are also stopped by
4982 @value{GDBN}. On some targets, @value{GDBN} also supports
4983 @dfn{non-stop mode}, in which other threads can continue to run freely while
4984 you examine the stopped thread in the debugger.
4985
4986 @menu
4987 * All-Stop Mode:: All threads stop when GDB takes control
4988 * Non-Stop Mode:: Other threads continue to execute
4989 * Background Execution:: Running your program asynchronously
4990 * Thread-Specific Breakpoints:: Controlling breakpoints
4991 * Interrupted System Calls:: GDB may interfere with system calls
4992 * Observer Mode:: GDB does not alter program behavior
4993 @end menu
4994
4995 @node All-Stop Mode
4996 @subsection All-Stop Mode
4997
4998 @cindex all-stop mode
4999
5000 In all-stop mode, whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
5001 @emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
5002 allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
5003 switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
5004 underfoot.
5005
5006 Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
5007 executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
5008 like @code{step} or @code{next}.
5009
5010 In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
5011 Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
5012 system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
5013 execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
5014 single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
5015 statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
5016 stops.
5017
5018 You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
5019 continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
5020 thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
5021 first thread completes whatever you requested.
5022
5023 @cindex automatic thread selection
5024 @cindex switching threads automatically
5025 @cindex threads, automatic switching
5026 Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
5027 signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
5028 signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
5029 message such as @samp{[Switching to Thread @var{n}]} to identify the
5030 thread.
5031
5032 On some OSes, you can modify @value{GDBN}'s default behavior by
5033 locking the OS scheduler to allow only a single thread to run.
5034
5035 @table @code
5036 @item set scheduler-locking @var{mode}
5037 @cindex scheduler locking mode
5038 @cindex lock scheduler
5039 Set the scheduler locking mode. If it is @code{off}, then there is no
5040 locking and any thread may run at any time. If @code{on}, then only the
5041 current thread may run when the inferior is resumed. The @code{step}
5042 mode optimizes for single-stepping; it prevents other threads
5043 from preempting the current thread while you are stepping, so that
5044 the focus of debugging does not change unexpectedly.
5045 Other threads only rarely (or never) get a chance to run
5046 when you step. They are more likely to run when you @samp{next} over a
5047 function call, and they are completely free to run when you use commands
5048 like @samp{continue}, @samp{until}, or @samp{finish}. However, unless another
5049 thread hits a breakpoint during its timeslice, @value{GDBN} does not change
5050 the current thread away from the thread that you are debugging.
5051
5052 @item show scheduler-locking
5053 Display the current scheduler locking mode.
5054 @end table
5055
5056 @cindex resume threads of multiple processes simultaneously
5057 By default, when you issue one of the execution commands such as
5058 @code{continue}, @code{next} or @code{step}, @value{GDBN} allows only
5059 threads of the current inferior to run. For example, if @value{GDBN}
5060 is attached to two inferiors, each with two threads, the
5061 @code{continue} command resumes only the two threads of the current
5062 inferior. This is useful, for example, when you debug a program that
5063 forks and you want to hold the parent stopped (so that, for instance,
5064 it doesn't run to exit), while you debug the child. In other
5065 situations, you may not be interested in inspecting the current state
5066 of any of the processes @value{GDBN} is attached to, and you may want
5067 to resume them all until some breakpoint is hit. In the latter case,
5068 you can instruct @value{GDBN} to allow all threads of all the
5069 inferiors to run with the @w{@code{set schedule-multiple}} command.
5070
5071 @table @code
5072 @kindex set schedule-multiple
5073 @item set schedule-multiple
5074 Set the mode for allowing threads of multiple processes to be resumed
5075 when an execution command is issued. When @code{on}, all threads of
5076 all processes are allowed to run. When @code{off}, only the threads
5077 of the current process are resumed. The default is @code{off}. The
5078 @code{scheduler-locking} mode takes precedence when set to @code{on},
5079 or while you are stepping and set to @code{step}.
5080
5081 @item show schedule-multiple
5082 Display the current mode for resuming the execution of threads of
5083 multiple processes.
5084 @end table
5085
5086 @node Non-Stop Mode
5087 @subsection Non-Stop Mode
5088
5089 @cindex non-stop mode
5090
5091 @c This section is really only a place-holder, and needs to be expanded
5092 @c with more details.
5093
5094 For some multi-threaded targets, @value{GDBN} supports an optional
5095 mode of operation in which you can examine stopped program threads in
5096 the debugger while other threads continue to execute freely. This
5097 minimizes intrusion when debugging live systems, such as programs
5098 where some threads have real-time constraints or must continue to
5099 respond to external events. This is referred to as @dfn{non-stop} mode.
5100
5101 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops to report a debugging event,
5102 @emph{only} that thread is stopped; @value{GDBN} does not stop other
5103 threads as well, in contrast to the all-stop mode behavior. Additionally,
5104 execution commands such as @code{continue} and @code{step} apply by default
5105 only to the current thread in non-stop mode, rather than all threads as
5106 in all-stop mode. This allows you to control threads explicitly in
5107 ways that are not possible in all-stop mode --- for example, stepping
5108 one thread while allowing others to run freely, stepping
5109 one thread while holding all others stopped, or stepping several threads
5110 independently and simultaneously.
5111
5112 To enter non-stop mode, use this sequence of commands before you run
5113 or attach to your program:
5114
5115 @smallexample
5116 # Enable the async interface.
5117 set target-async 1
5118
5119 # If using the CLI, pagination breaks non-stop.
5120 set pagination off
5121
5122 # Finally, turn it on!
5123 set non-stop on
5124 @end smallexample
5125
5126 You can use these commands to manipulate the non-stop mode setting:
5127
5128 @table @code
5129 @kindex set non-stop
5130 @item set non-stop on
5131 Enable selection of non-stop mode.
5132 @item set non-stop off
5133 Disable selection of non-stop mode.
5134 @kindex show non-stop
5135 @item show non-stop
5136 Show the current non-stop enablement setting.
5137 @end table
5138
5139 Note these commands only reflect whether non-stop mode is enabled,
5140 not whether the currently-executing program is being run in non-stop mode.
5141 In particular, the @code{set non-stop} preference is only consulted when
5142 @value{GDBN} starts or connects to the target program, and it is generally
5143 not possible to switch modes once debugging has started. Furthermore,
5144 since not all targets support non-stop mode, even when you have enabled
5145 non-stop mode, @value{GDBN} may still fall back to all-stop operation by
5146 default.
5147
5148 In non-stop mode, all execution commands apply only to the current thread
5149 by default. That is, @code{continue} only continues one thread.
5150 To continue all threads, issue @code{continue -a} or @code{c -a}.
5151
5152 You can use @value{GDBN}'s background execution commands
5153 (@pxref{Background Execution}) to run some threads in the background
5154 while you continue to examine or step others from @value{GDBN}.
5155 The MI execution commands (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}) are
5156 always executed asynchronously in non-stop mode.
5157
5158 Suspending execution is done with the @code{interrupt} command when
5159 running in the background, or @kbd{Ctrl-c} during foreground execution.
5160 In all-stop mode, this stops the whole process;
5161 but in non-stop mode the interrupt applies only to the current thread.
5162 To stop the whole program, use @code{interrupt -a}.
5163
5164 Other execution commands do not currently support the @code{-a} option.
5165
5166 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops, @value{GDBN} doesn't automatically make
5167 that thread current, as it does in all-stop mode. This is because the
5168 thread stop notifications are asynchronous with respect to @value{GDBN}'s
5169 command interpreter, and it would be confusing if @value{GDBN} unexpectedly
5170 changed to a different thread just as you entered a command to operate on the
5171 previously current thread.
5172
5173 @node Background Execution
5174 @subsection Background Execution
5175
5176 @cindex foreground execution
5177 @cindex background execution
5178 @cindex asynchronous execution
5179 @cindex execution, foreground, background and asynchronous
5180
5181 @value{GDBN}'s execution commands have two variants: the normal
5182 foreground (synchronous) behavior, and a background
5183 (asynchronous) behavior. In foreground execution, @value{GDBN} waits for
5184 the program to report that some thread has stopped before prompting for
5185 another command. In background execution, @value{GDBN} immediately gives
5186 a command prompt so that you can issue other commands while your program runs.
5187
5188 You need to explicitly enable asynchronous mode before you can use
5189 background execution commands. You can use these commands to
5190 manipulate the asynchronous mode setting:
5191
5192 @table @code
5193 @kindex set target-async
5194 @item set target-async on
5195 Enable asynchronous mode.
5196 @item set target-async off
5197 Disable asynchronous mode.
5198 @kindex show target-async
5199 @item show target-async
5200 Show the current target-async setting.
5201 @end table
5202
5203 If the target doesn't support async mode, @value{GDBN} issues an error
5204 message if you attempt to use the background execution commands.
5205
5206 To specify background execution, add a @code{&} to the command. For example,
5207 the background form of the @code{continue} command is @code{continue&}, or
5208 just @code{c&}. The execution commands that accept background execution
5209 are:
5210
5211 @table @code
5212 @kindex run&
5213 @item run
5214 @xref{Starting, , Starting your Program}.
5215
5216 @item attach
5217 @kindex attach&
5218 @xref{Attach, , Debugging an Already-running Process}.
5219
5220 @item step
5221 @kindex step&
5222 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, step}.
5223
5224 @item stepi
5225 @kindex stepi&
5226 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, stepi}.
5227
5228 @item next
5229 @kindex next&
5230 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, next}.
5231
5232 @item nexti
5233 @kindex nexti&
5234 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, nexti}.
5235
5236 @item continue
5237 @kindex continue&
5238 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, continue}.
5239
5240 @item finish
5241 @kindex finish&
5242 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, finish}.
5243
5244 @item until
5245 @kindex until&
5246 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, until}.
5247
5248 @end table
5249
5250 Background execution is especially useful in conjunction with non-stop
5251 mode for debugging programs with multiple threads; see @ref{Non-Stop Mode}.
5252 However, you can also use these commands in the normal all-stop mode with
5253 the restriction that you cannot issue another execution command until the
5254 previous one finishes. Examples of commands that are valid in all-stop
5255 mode while the program is running include @code{help} and @code{info break}.
5256
5257 You can interrupt your program while it is running in the background by
5258 using the @code{interrupt} command.
5259
5260 @table @code
5261 @kindex interrupt
5262 @item interrupt
5263 @itemx interrupt -a
5264
5265 Suspend execution of the running program. In all-stop mode,
5266 @code{interrupt} stops the whole process, but in non-stop mode, it stops
5267 only the current thread. To stop the whole program in non-stop mode,
5268 use @code{interrupt -a}.
5269 @end table
5270
5271 @node Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5272 @subsection Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5273
5274 When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
5275 Programs with Multiple Threads}), you can choose whether to set
5276 breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
5277
5278 @table @code
5279 @cindex breakpoints and threads
5280 @cindex thread breakpoints
5281 @kindex break @dots{} thread @var{threadno}
5282 @item break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno}
5283 @itemx break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno} if @dots{}
5284 @var{linespec} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
5285 writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always to
5286 specify some source line.
5287
5288 Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{threadno}} with a breakpoint command
5289 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
5290 particular thread reaches this breakpoint. @var{threadno} is one of the
5291 numeric thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
5292 column of the @samp{info threads} display.
5293
5294 If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{threadno}} when you set a
5295 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
5296 program.
5297
5298 You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
5299 well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{threadno}} before or
5300 after the breakpoint condition, like this:
5301
5302 @smallexample
5303 (@value{GDBP}) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
5304 @end smallexample
5305
5306 @end table
5307
5308 @node Interrupted System Calls
5309 @subsection Interrupted System Calls
5310
5311 @cindex thread breakpoints and system calls
5312 @cindex system calls and thread breakpoints
5313 @cindex premature return from system calls
5314 There is an unfortunate side effect when using @value{GDBN} to debug
5315 multi-threaded programs. If one thread stops for a
5316 breakpoint, or for some other reason, and another thread is blocked in a
5317 system call, then the system call may return prematurely. This is a
5318 consequence of the interaction between multiple threads and the signals
5319 that @value{GDBN} uses to implement breakpoints and other events that
5320 stop execution.
5321
5322 To handle this problem, your program should check the return value of
5323 each system call and react appropriately. This is good programming
5324 style anyways.
5325
5326 For example, do not write code like this:
5327
5328 @smallexample
5329 sleep (10);
5330 @end smallexample
5331
5332 The call to @code{sleep} will return early if a different thread stops
5333 at a breakpoint or for some other reason.
5334
5335 Instead, write this:
5336
5337 @smallexample
5338 int unslept = 10;
5339 while (unslept > 0)
5340 unslept = sleep (unslept);
5341 @end smallexample
5342
5343 A system call is allowed to return early, so the system is still
5344 conforming to its specification. But @value{GDBN} does cause your
5345 multi-threaded program to behave differently than it would without
5346 @value{GDBN}.
5347
5348 Also, @value{GDBN} uses internal breakpoints in the thread library to
5349 monitor certain events such as thread creation and thread destruction.
5350 When such an event happens, a system call in another thread may return
5351 prematurely, even though your program does not appear to stop.
5352
5353 @node Observer Mode
5354 @subsection Observer Mode
5355
5356 If you want to build on non-stop mode and observe program behavior
5357 without any chance of disruption by @value{GDBN}, you can set
5358 variables to disable all of the debugger's attempts to modify state,
5359 whether by writing memory, inserting breakpoints, etc. These operate
5360 at a low level, intercepting operations from all commands.
5361
5362 When all of these are set to @code{off}, then @value{GDBN} is said to
5363 be @dfn{observer mode}. As a convenience, the variable
5364 @code{observer} can be set to disable these, plus enable non-stop
5365 mode.
5366
5367 Note that @value{GDBN} will not prevent you from making nonsensical
5368 combinations of these settings. For instance, if you have enabled
5369 @code{may-insert-breakpoints} but disabled @code{may-write-memory},
5370 then breakpoints that work by writing trap instructions into the code
5371 stream will still not be able to be placed.
5372
5373 @table @code
5374
5375 @kindex observer
5376 @item set observer on
5377 @itemx set observer off
5378 When set to @code{on}, this disables all the permission variables
5379 below (except for @code{insert-fast-tracepoints}), plus enables
5380 non-stop debugging. Setting this to @code{off} switches back to
5381 normal debugging, though remaining in non-stop mode.
5382
5383 @item show observer
5384 Show whether observer mode is on or off.
5385
5386 @kindex may-write-registers
5387 @item set may-write-registers on
5388 @itemx set may-write-registers off
5389 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the values of
5390 registers, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}, or the
5391 @code{jump} command. It defaults to @code{on}.
5392
5393 @item show may-write-registers
5394 Show the current permission to write registers.
5395
5396 @kindex may-write-memory
5397 @item set may-write-memory on
5398 @itemx set may-write-memory off
5399 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the contents
5400 of memory, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}. It
5401 defaults to @code{on}.
5402
5403 @item show may-write-memory
5404 Show the current permission to write memory.
5405
5406 @kindex may-insert-breakpoints
5407 @item set may-insert-breakpoints on
5408 @itemx set may-insert-breakpoints off
5409 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert breakpoints.
5410 This affects all breakpoints, including internal breakpoints defined
5411 by @value{GDBN}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5412
5413 @item show may-insert-breakpoints
5414 Show the current permission to insert breakpoints.
5415
5416 @kindex may-insert-tracepoints
5417 @item set may-insert-tracepoints on
5418 @itemx set may-insert-tracepoints off
5419 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert (regular)
5420 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
5421 non-fast tracepoints, fast tracepoints being under the control of
5422 @code{may-insert-fast-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5423
5424 @item show may-insert-tracepoints
5425 Show the current permission to insert tracepoints.
5426
5427 @kindex may-insert-fast-tracepoints
5428 @item set may-insert-fast-tracepoints on
5429 @itemx set may-insert-fast-tracepoints off
5430 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert fast
5431 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
5432 fast tracepoints, regular (non-fast) tracepoints being under the
5433 control of @code{may-insert-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5434
5435 @item show may-insert-fast-tracepoints
5436 Show the current permission to insert fast tracepoints.
5437
5438 @kindex may-interrupt
5439 @item set may-interrupt on
5440 @itemx set may-interrupt off
5441 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to interrupt or stop
5442 program execution. When this variable is @code{off}, the
5443 @code{interrupt} command will have no effect, nor will
5444 @kbd{Ctrl-c}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5445
5446 @item show may-interrupt
5447 Show the current permission to interrupt or stop the program.
5448
5449 @end table
5450
5451 @node Reverse Execution
5452 @chapter Running programs backward
5453 @cindex reverse execution
5454 @cindex running programs backward
5455
5456 When you are debugging a program, it is not unusual to realize that
5457 you have gone too far, and some event of interest has already happened.
5458 If the target environment supports it, @value{GDBN} can allow you to
5459 ``rewind'' the program by running it backward.
5460
5461 A target environment that supports reverse execution should be able
5462 to ``undo'' the changes in machine state that have taken place as the
5463 program was executing normally. Variables, registers etc.@: should
5464 revert to their previous values. Obviously this requires a great
5465 deal of sophistication on the part of the target environment; not
5466 all target environments can support reverse execution.
5467
5468 When a program is executed in reverse, the instructions that
5469 have most recently been executed are ``un-executed'', in reverse
5470 order. The program counter runs backward, following the previous
5471 thread of execution in reverse. As each instruction is ``un-executed'',
5472 the values of memory and/or registers that were changed by that
5473 instruction are reverted to their previous states. After executing
5474 a piece of source code in reverse, all side effects of that code
5475 should be ``undone'', and all variables should be returned to their
5476 prior values@footnote{
5477 Note that some side effects are easier to undo than others. For instance,
5478 memory and registers are relatively easy, but device I/O is hard. Some
5479 targets may be able undo things like device I/O, and some may not.
5480
5481 The contract between @value{GDBN} and the reverse executing target
5482 requires only that the target do something reasonable when
5483 @value{GDBN} tells it to execute backwards, and then report the
5484 results back to @value{GDBN}. Whatever the target reports back to
5485 @value{GDBN}, @value{GDBN} will report back to the user. @value{GDBN}
5486 assumes that the memory and registers that the target reports are in a
5487 consistant state, but @value{GDBN} accepts whatever it is given.
5488 }.
5489
5490 If you are debugging in a target environment that supports
5491 reverse execution, @value{GDBN} provides the following commands.
5492
5493 @table @code
5494 @kindex reverse-continue
5495 @kindex rc @r{(@code{reverse-continue})}
5496 @item reverse-continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5497 @itemx rc @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5498 Beginning at the point where your program last stopped, start executing
5499 in reverse. Reverse execution will stop for breakpoints and synchronous
5500 exceptions (signals), just like normal execution. Behavior of
5501 asynchronous signals depends on the target environment.
5502
5503 @kindex reverse-step
5504 @kindex rs @r{(@code{step})}
5505 @item reverse-step @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5506 Run the program backward until control reaches the start of a
5507 different source line; then stop it, and return control to @value{GDBN}.
5508
5509 Like the @code{step} command, @code{reverse-step} will only stop
5510 at the beginning of a source line. It ``un-executes'' the previously
5511 executed source line. If the previous source line included calls to
5512 debuggable functions, @code{reverse-step} will step (backward) into
5513 the called function, stopping at the beginning of the @emph{last}
5514 statement in the called function (typically a return statement).
5515
5516 Also, as with the @code{step} command, if non-debuggable functions are
5517 called, @code{reverse-step} will run thru them backward without stopping.
5518
5519 @kindex reverse-stepi
5520 @kindex rsi @r{(@code{reverse-stepi})}
5521 @item reverse-stepi @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5522 Reverse-execute one machine instruction. Note that the instruction
5523 to be reverse-executed is @emph{not} the one pointed to by the program
5524 counter, but the instruction executed prior to that one. For instance,
5525 if the last instruction was a jump, @code{reverse-stepi} will take you
5526 back from the destination of the jump to the jump instruction itself.
5527
5528 @kindex reverse-next
5529 @kindex rn @r{(@code{reverse-next})}
5530 @item reverse-next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5531 Run backward to the beginning of the previous line executed in
5532 the current (innermost) stack frame. If the line contains function
5533 calls, they will be ``un-executed'' without stopping. Starting from
5534 the first line of a function, @code{reverse-next} will take you back
5535 to the caller of that function, @emph{before} the function was called,
5536 just as the normal @code{next} command would take you from the last
5537 line of a function back to its return to its caller
5538 @footnote{Unless the code is too heavily optimized.}.
5539
5540 @kindex reverse-nexti
5541 @kindex rni @r{(@code{reverse-nexti})}
5542 @item reverse-nexti @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5543 Like @code{nexti}, @code{reverse-nexti} executes a single instruction
5544 in reverse, except that called functions are ``un-executed'' atomically.
5545 That is, if the previously executed instruction was a return from
5546 another function, @code{reverse-nexti} will continue to execute
5547 in reverse until the call to that function (from the current stack
5548 frame) is reached.
5549
5550 @kindex reverse-finish
5551 @item reverse-finish
5552 Just as the @code{finish} command takes you to the point where the
5553 current function returns, @code{reverse-finish} takes you to the point
5554 where it was called. Instead of ending up at the end of the current
5555 function invocation, you end up at the beginning.
5556
5557 @kindex set exec-direction
5558 @item set exec-direction
5559 Set the direction of target execution.
5560 @itemx set exec-direction reverse
5561 @cindex execute forward or backward in time
5562 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in reverse, until the
5563 exec-direction mode is changed to ``forward''. Affected commands include
5564 @code{step, stepi, next, nexti, continue, and finish}. The @code{return}
5565 command cannot be used in reverse mode.
5566 @item set exec-direction forward
5567 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in the normal fashion.
5568 This is the default.
5569 @end table
5570
5571
5572 @node Process Record and Replay
5573 @chapter Recording Inferior's Execution and Replaying It
5574 @cindex process record and replay
5575 @cindex recording inferior's execution and replaying it
5576
5577 On some platforms, @value{GDBN} provides a special @dfn{process record
5578 and replay} target that can record a log of the process execution, and
5579 replay it later with both forward and reverse execution commands.
5580
5581 @cindex replay mode
5582 When this target is in use, if the execution log includes the record
5583 for the next instruction, @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{replay
5584 mode}. In the replay mode, the inferior does not really execute code
5585 instructions. Instead, all the events that normally happen during
5586 code execution are taken from the execution log. While code is not
5587 really executed in replay mode, the values of registers (including the
5588 program counter register) and the memory of the inferior are still
5589 changed as they normally would. Their contents are taken from the
5590 execution log.
5591
5592 @cindex record mode
5593 If the record for the next instruction is not in the execution log,
5594 @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{record mode}. In this mode, the
5595 inferior executes normally, and @value{GDBN} records the execution log
5596 for future replay.
5597
5598 The process record and replay target supports reverse execution
5599 (@pxref{Reverse Execution}), even if the platform on which the
5600 inferior runs does not. However, the reverse execution is limited in
5601 this case by the range of the instructions recorded in the execution
5602 log. In other words, reverse execution on platforms that don't
5603 support it directly can only be done in the replay mode.
5604
5605 When debugging in the reverse direction, @value{GDBN} will work in
5606 replay mode as long as the execution log includes the record for the
5607 previous instruction; otherwise, it will work in record mode, if the
5608 platform supports reverse execution, or stop if not.
5609
5610 For architecture environments that support process record and replay,
5611 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands:
5612
5613 @table @code
5614 @kindex target record
5615 @kindex record
5616 @kindex rec
5617 @item target record
5618 This command starts the process record and replay target. The process
5619 record and replay target can only debug a process that is already
5620 running. Therefore, you need first to start the process with the
5621 @kbd{run} or @kbd{start} commands, and then start the recording with
5622 the @kbd{target record} command.
5623
5624 Both @code{record} and @code{rec} are aliases of @code{target record}.
5625
5626 @cindex displaced stepping, and process record and replay
5627 Displaced stepping (@pxref{Maintenance Commands,, displaced stepping})
5628 will be automatically disabled when process record and replay target
5629 is started. That's because the process record and replay target
5630 doesn't support displaced stepping.
5631
5632 @cindex non-stop mode, and process record and replay
5633 @cindex asynchronous execution, and process record and replay
5634 If the inferior is in the non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) or in
5635 the asynchronous execution mode (@pxref{Background Execution}), the
5636 process record and replay target cannot be started because it doesn't
5637 support these two modes.
5638
5639 @kindex record stop
5640 @kindex rec s
5641 @item record stop
5642 Stop the process record and replay target. When process record and
5643 replay target stops, the entire execution log will be deleted and the
5644 inferior will either be terminated, or will remain in its final state.
5645
5646 When you stop the process record and replay target in record mode (at
5647 the end of the execution log), the inferior will be stopped at the
5648 next instruction that would have been recorded. In other words, if
5649 you record for a while and then stop recording, the inferior process
5650 will be left in the same state as if the recording never happened.
5651
5652 On the other hand, if the process record and replay target is stopped
5653 while in replay mode (that is, not at the end of the execution log,
5654 but at some earlier point), the inferior process will become ``live''
5655 at that earlier state, and it will then be possible to continue the
5656 usual ``live'' debugging of the process from that state.
5657
5658 When the inferior process exits, or @value{GDBN} detaches from it,
5659 process record and replay target will automatically stop itself.
5660
5661 @kindex record save
5662 @item record save @var{filename}
5663 Save the execution log to a file @file{@var{filename}}.
5664 Default filename is @file{gdb_record.@var{process_id}}, where
5665 @var{process_id} is the process ID of the inferior.
5666
5667 @kindex record restore
5668 @item record restore @var{filename}
5669 Restore the execution log from a file @file{@var{filename}}.
5670 File must have been created with @code{record save}.
5671
5672 @kindex set record insn-number-max
5673 @item set record insn-number-max @var{limit}
5674 Set the limit of instructions to be recorded. Default value is 200000.
5675
5676 If @var{limit} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will start
5677 deleting instructions from the log once the number of the record
5678 instructions becomes greater than @var{limit}. For every new recorded
5679 instruction, @value{GDBN} will delete the earliest recorded
5680 instruction to keep the number of recorded instructions at the limit.
5681 (Since deleting recorded instructions loses information, @value{GDBN}
5682 lets you control what happens when the limit is reached, by means of
5683 the @code{stop-at-limit} option, described below.)
5684
5685 If @var{limit} is zero, @value{GDBN} will never delete recorded
5686 instructions from the execution log. The number of recorded
5687 instructions is unlimited in this case.
5688
5689 @kindex show record insn-number-max
5690 @item show record insn-number-max
5691 Show the limit of instructions to be recorded.
5692
5693 @kindex set record stop-at-limit
5694 @item set record stop-at-limit
5695 Control the behavior when the number of recorded instructions reaches
5696 the limit. If ON (the default), @value{GDBN} will stop when the limit
5697 is reached for the first time and ask you whether you want to stop the
5698 inferior or continue running it and recording the execution log. If
5699 you decide to continue recording, each new recorded instruction will
5700 cause the oldest one to be deleted.
5701
5702 If this option is OFF, @value{GDBN} will automatically delete the
5703 oldest record to make room for each new one, without asking.
5704
5705 @kindex show record stop-at-limit
5706 @item show record stop-at-limit
5707 Show the current setting of @code{stop-at-limit}.
5708
5709 @kindex set record memory-query
5710 @item set record memory-query
5711 Control the behavior when @value{GDBN} is unable to record memory
5712 changes caused by an instruction. If ON, @value{GDBN} will query
5713 whether to stop the inferior in that case.
5714
5715 If this option is OFF (the default), @value{GDBN} will automatically
5716 ignore the effect of such instructions on memory. Later, when
5717 @value{GDBN} replays this execution log, it will mark the log of this
5718 instruction as not accessible, and it will not affect the replay
5719 results.
5720
5721 @kindex show record memory-query
5722 @item show record memory-query
5723 Show the current setting of @code{memory-query}.
5724
5725 @kindex info record
5726 @item info record
5727 Show various statistics about the state of process record and its
5728 in-memory execution log buffer, including:
5729
5730 @itemize @bullet
5731 @item
5732 Whether in record mode or replay mode.
5733 @item
5734 Lowest recorded instruction number (counting from when the current execution log started recording instructions).
5735 @item
5736 Highest recorded instruction number.
5737 @item
5738 Current instruction about to be replayed (if in replay mode).
5739 @item
5740 Number of instructions contained in the execution log.
5741 @item
5742 Maximum number of instructions that may be contained in the execution log.
5743 @end itemize
5744
5745 @kindex record delete
5746 @kindex rec del
5747 @item record delete
5748 When record target runs in replay mode (``in the past''), delete the
5749 subsequent execution log and begin to record a new execution log starting
5750 from the current address. This means you will abandon the previously
5751 recorded ``future'' and begin recording a new ``future''.
5752 @end table
5753
5754
5755 @node Stack
5756 @chapter Examining the Stack
5757
5758 When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
5759 stopped and how it got there.
5760
5761 @cindex call stack
5762 Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
5763 is generated.
5764 That information includes the location of the call in your program,
5765 the arguments of the call,
5766 and the local variables of the function being called.
5767 The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
5768 The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
5769 stack}.
5770
5771 When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
5772 stack allow you to see all of this information.
5773
5774 @cindex selected frame
5775 One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
5776 @value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
5777 particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
5778 your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
5779 special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
5780 interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
5781
5782 When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
5783 currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
5784 @code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}).
5785
5786 @menu
5787 * Frames:: Stack frames
5788 * Backtrace:: Backtraces
5789 * Selection:: Selecting a frame
5790 * Frame Info:: Information on a frame
5791
5792 @end menu
5793
5794 @node Frames
5795 @section Stack Frames
5796
5797 @cindex frame, definition
5798 @cindex stack frame
5799 The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
5800 frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
5801 with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
5802 to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
5803 which the function is executing.
5804
5805 @cindex initial frame
5806 @cindex outermost frame
5807 @cindex innermost frame
5808 When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
5809 function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
5810 @dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
5811 made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
5812 is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
5813 the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
5814 actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
5815 recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
5816
5817 @cindex frame pointer
5818 Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
5819 stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
5820 kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
5821 address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
5822 in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register}
5823 (@pxref{Registers, $fp}) while execution is going on in that frame.
5824
5825 @cindex frame number
5826 @value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
5827 zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
5828 and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
5829 they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
5830 frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
5831
5832 @c The -fomit-frame-pointer below perennially causes hbox overflow
5833 @c underflow problems.
5834 @cindex frameless execution
5835 Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
5836 without stack frames. (For example, the @value{NGCC} option
5837 @smallexample
5838 @samp{-fomit-frame-pointer}
5839 @end smallexample
5840 generates functions without a frame.)
5841 This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
5842 the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
5843 with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
5844 has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
5845 it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
5846 correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
5847 no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
5848
5849 @table @code
5850 @kindex frame@r{, command}
5851 @cindex current stack frame
5852 @item frame @var{args}
5853 The @code{frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame to another,
5854 and to print the stack frame you select. @var{args} may be either the
5855 address of the frame or the stack frame number. Without an argument,
5856 @code{frame} prints the current stack frame.
5857
5858 @kindex select-frame
5859 @cindex selecting frame silently
5860 @item select-frame
5861 The @code{select-frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame
5862 to another without printing the frame. This is the silent version of
5863 @code{frame}.
5864 @end table
5865
5866 @node Backtrace
5867 @section Backtraces
5868
5869 @cindex traceback
5870 @cindex call stack traces
5871 A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
5872 line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
5873 frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
5874 stack.
5875
5876 @table @code
5877 @kindex backtrace
5878 @kindex bt @r{(@code{backtrace})}
5879 @item backtrace
5880 @itemx bt
5881 Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
5882 frames in the stack.
5883
5884 You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
5885 character, normally @kbd{Ctrl-c}.
5886
5887 @item backtrace @var{n}
5888 @itemx bt @var{n}
5889 Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
5890
5891 @item backtrace -@var{n}
5892 @itemx bt -@var{n}
5893 Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
5894
5895 @item backtrace full
5896 @itemx bt full
5897 @itemx bt full @var{n}
5898 @itemx bt full -@var{n}
5899 Print the values of the local variables also. @var{n} specifies the
5900 number of frames to print, as described above.
5901 @end table
5902
5903 @kindex where
5904 @kindex info stack
5905 The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
5906 are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
5907
5908 @cindex multiple threads, backtrace
5909 In a multi-threaded program, @value{GDBN} by default shows the
5910 backtrace only for the current thread. To display the backtrace for
5911 several or all of the threads, use the command @code{thread apply}
5912 (@pxref{Threads, thread apply}). For example, if you type @kbd{thread
5913 apply all backtrace}, @value{GDBN} will display the backtrace for all
5914 the threads; this is handy when you debug a core dump of a
5915 multi-threaded program.
5916
5917 Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
5918 The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
5919 print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
5920 line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
5921 counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
5922 line number.
5923
5924 Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
5925 @samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
5926
5927 @smallexample
5928 @group
5929 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
5930 at builtin.c:993
5931 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600, data=...) at macro.c:242
5932 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
5933 at macro.c:71
5934 (More stack frames follow...)
5935 @end group
5936 @end smallexample
5937
5938 @noindent
5939 The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
5940 value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
5941 code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
5942
5943 @noindent
5944 The value of parameter @code{data} in frame 1 has been replaced by
5945 @code{@dots{}}. By default, @value{GDBN} prints the value of a parameter
5946 only if it is a scalar (integer, pointer, enumeration, etc). See command
5947 @kbd{set print frame-arguments} in @ref{Print Settings} for more details
5948 on how to configure the way function parameter values are printed.
5949
5950 @cindex value optimized out, in backtrace
5951 @cindex function call arguments, optimized out
5952 If your program was compiled with optimizations, some compilers will
5953 optimize away arguments passed to functions if those arguments are
5954 never used after the call. Such optimizations generate code that
5955 passes arguments through registers, but doesn't store those arguments
5956 in the stack frame. @value{GDBN} has no way of displaying such
5957 arguments in stack frames other than the innermost one. Here's what
5958 such a backtrace might look like:
5959
5960 @smallexample
5961 @group
5962 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
5963 at builtin.c:993
5964 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=<value optimized out>) at macro.c:242
5965 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=<value optimized out>, td=0xf7fffb08)
5966 at macro.c:71
5967 (More stack frames follow...)
5968 @end group
5969 @end smallexample
5970
5971 @noindent
5972 The values of arguments that were not saved in their stack frames are
5973 shown as @samp{<value optimized out>}.
5974
5975 If you need to display the values of such optimized-out arguments,
5976 either deduce that from other variables whose values depend on the one
5977 you are interested in, or recompile without optimizations.
5978
5979 @cindex backtrace beyond @code{main} function
5980 @cindex program entry point
5981 @cindex startup code, and backtrace
5982 Most programs have a standard user entry point---a place where system
5983 libraries and startup code transition into user code. For C this is
5984 @code{main}@footnote{
5985 Note that embedded programs (the so-called ``free-standing''
5986 environment) are not required to have a @code{main} function as the
5987 entry point. They could even have multiple entry points.}.
5988 When @value{GDBN} finds the entry function in a backtrace
5989 it will terminate the backtrace, to avoid tracing into highly
5990 system-specific (and generally uninteresting) code.
5991
5992 If you need to examine the startup code, or limit the number of levels
5993 in a backtrace, you can change this behavior:
5994
5995 @table @code
5996 @item set backtrace past-main
5997 @itemx set backtrace past-main on
5998 @kindex set backtrace
5999 Backtraces will continue past the user entry point.
6000
6001 @item set backtrace past-main off
6002 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the user entry point. This is the
6003 default.
6004
6005 @item show backtrace past-main
6006 @kindex show backtrace
6007 Display the current user entry point backtrace policy.
6008
6009 @item set backtrace past-entry
6010 @itemx set backtrace past-entry on
6011 Backtraces will continue past the internal entry point of an application.
6012 This entry point is encoded by the linker when the application is built,
6013 and is likely before the user entry point @code{main} (or equivalent) is called.
6014
6015 @item set backtrace past-entry off
6016 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the internal entry point of an
6017 application. This is the default.
6018
6019 @item show backtrace past-entry
6020 Display the current internal entry point backtrace policy.
6021
6022 @item set backtrace limit @var{n}
6023 @itemx set backtrace limit 0
6024 @cindex backtrace limit
6025 Limit the backtrace to @var{n} levels. A value of zero means
6026 unlimited.
6027
6028 @item show backtrace limit
6029 Display the current limit on backtrace levels.
6030 @end table
6031
6032 @node Selection
6033 @section Selecting a Frame
6034
6035 Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
6036 whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
6037 selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
6038 of the stack frame just selected.
6039
6040 @table @code
6041 @kindex frame@r{, selecting}
6042 @kindex f @r{(@code{frame})}
6043 @item frame @var{n}
6044 @itemx f @var{n}
6045 Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
6046 (currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
6047 innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
6048 @code{main}.
6049
6050 @item frame @var{addr}
6051 @itemx f @var{addr}
6052 Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
6053 chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
6054 impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
6055 addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
6056 switches between them.
6057
6058 On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
6059 select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
6060
6061 On the MIPS and Alpha architecture, it needs two addresses: a stack
6062 pointer and a program counter.
6063
6064 On the 29k architecture, it needs three addresses: a register stack
6065 pointer, a program counter, and a memory stack pointer.
6066
6067 @kindex up
6068 @item up @var{n}
6069 Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
6070 advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames
6071 that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one.
6072
6073 @kindex down
6074 @kindex do @r{(@code{down})}
6075 @item down @var{n}
6076 Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
6077 advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames
6078 that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may
6079 abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
6080 @end table
6081
6082 All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
6083 frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
6084 arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
6085 frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
6086
6087 @need 1000
6088 For example:
6089
6090 @smallexample
6091 @group
6092 (@value{GDBP}) up
6093 #1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
6094 at env.c:10
6095 10 read_input_file (argv[i]);
6096 @end group
6097 @end smallexample
6098
6099 After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
6100 prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
6101 You can also edit the program at the point of execution with your favorite
6102 editing program by typing @code{edit}.
6103 @xref{List, ,Printing Source Lines},
6104 for details.
6105
6106 @table @code
6107 @kindex down-silently
6108 @kindex up-silently
6109 @item up-silently @var{n}
6110 @itemx down-silently @var{n}
6111 These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
6112 respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
6113 causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
6114 in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
6115 distracting.
6116 @end table
6117
6118 @node Frame Info
6119 @section Information About a Frame
6120
6121 There are several other commands to print information about the selected
6122 stack frame.
6123
6124 @table @code
6125 @item frame
6126 @itemx f
6127 When used without any argument, this command does not change which
6128 frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
6129 selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
6130 argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
6131 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6132
6133 @kindex info frame
6134 @kindex info f @r{(@code{info frame})}
6135 @item info frame
6136 @itemx info f
6137 This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
6138 including:
6139
6140 @itemize @bullet
6141 @item
6142 the address of the frame
6143 @item
6144 the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
6145 @item
6146 the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
6147 @item
6148 the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
6149 @item
6150 the address of the frame's arguments
6151 @item
6152 the address of the frame's local variables
6153 @item
6154 the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
6155 @item
6156 which registers were saved in the frame
6157 @end itemize
6158
6159 @noindent The verbose description is useful when
6160 something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
6161 the usual conventions.
6162
6163 @item info frame @var{addr}
6164 @itemx info f @var{addr}
6165 Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
6166 selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
6167 command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
6168 architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
6169 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6170
6171 @kindex info args
6172 @item info args
6173 Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
6174
6175 @item info locals
6176 @kindex info locals
6177 Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
6178 line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
6179 accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
6180
6181 @kindex info catch
6182 @cindex catch exceptions, list active handlers
6183 @cindex exception handlers, how to list
6184 @item info catch
6185 Print a list of all the exception handlers that are active in the
6186 current stack frame at the current point of execution. To see other
6187 exception handlers, visit the associated frame (using the @code{up},
6188 @code{down}, or @code{frame} commands); then type @code{info catch}.
6189 @xref{Set Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
6190
6191 @end table
6192
6193
6194 @node Source
6195 @chapter Examining Source Files
6196
6197 @value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
6198 information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
6199 used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
6200 the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
6201 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
6202 execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
6203 source files by explicit command.
6204
6205 If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may
6206 prefer to use Emacs facilities to view source; see @ref{Emacs, ,Using
6207 @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
6208
6209 @menu
6210 * List:: Printing source lines
6211 * Specify Location:: How to specify code locations
6212 * Edit:: Editing source files
6213 * Search:: Searching source files
6214 * Source Path:: Specifying source directories
6215 * Machine Code:: Source and machine code
6216 @end menu
6217
6218 @node List
6219 @section Printing Source Lines
6220
6221 @kindex list
6222 @kindex l @r{(@code{list})}
6223 To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
6224 (abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
6225 There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to
6226 print; see @ref{Specify Location}, for the full list.
6227
6228 Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
6229
6230 @table @code
6231 @item list @var{linenum}
6232 Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
6233 current source file.
6234
6235 @item list @var{function}
6236 Print lines centered around the beginning of function
6237 @var{function}.
6238
6239 @item list
6240 Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
6241 @code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
6242 printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
6243 as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
6244 Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
6245
6246 @item list -
6247 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
6248 @end table
6249
6250 @cindex @code{list}, how many lines to display
6251 By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
6252 the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
6253
6254 @table @code
6255 @kindex set listsize
6256 @item set listsize @var{count}
6257 Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
6258 the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
6259
6260 @kindex show listsize
6261 @item show listsize
6262 Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
6263 @end table
6264
6265 Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
6266 so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
6267 than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
6268 argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
6269 each repetition moves up in the source file.
6270
6271 In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
6272 @dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
6273 of writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always
6274 to specify some source line.
6275
6276 Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
6277
6278 @table @code
6279 @item list @var{linespec}
6280 Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
6281
6282 @item list @var{first},@var{last}
6283 Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
6284 linespecs. When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, and the
6285 source file of the second linespec is omitted, this refers to
6286 the same source file as the first linespec.
6287
6288 @item list ,@var{last}
6289 Print lines ending with @var{last}.
6290
6291 @item list @var{first},
6292 Print lines starting with @var{first}.
6293
6294 @item list +
6295 Print lines just after the lines last printed.
6296
6297 @item list -
6298 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
6299
6300 @item list
6301 As described in the preceding table.
6302 @end table
6303
6304 @node Specify Location
6305 @section Specifying a Location
6306 @cindex specifying location
6307 @cindex linespec
6308
6309 Several @value{GDBN} commands accept arguments that specify a location
6310 of your program's code. Since @value{GDBN} is a source-level
6311 debugger, a location usually specifies some line in the source code;
6312 for that reason, locations are also known as @dfn{linespecs}.
6313
6314 Here are all the different ways of specifying a code location that
6315 @value{GDBN} understands:
6316
6317 @table @code
6318 @item @var{linenum}
6319 Specifies the line number @var{linenum} of the current source file.
6320
6321 @item -@var{offset}
6322 @itemx +@var{offset}
6323 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before or after the @dfn{current
6324 line}. For the @code{list} command, the current line is the last one
6325 printed; for the breakpoint commands, this is the line at which
6326 execution stopped in the currently selected @dfn{stack frame}
6327 (@pxref{Frames, ,Frames}, for a description of stack frames.) When
6328 used as the second of the two linespecs in a @code{list} command,
6329 this specifies the line @var{offset} lines up or down from the first
6330 linespec.
6331
6332 @item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
6333 Specifies the line @var{linenum} in the source file @var{filename}.
6334
6335 @item @var{function}
6336 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
6337 For example, in C, this is the line with the open brace.
6338
6339 @item @var{filename}:@var{function}
6340 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}
6341 in the file @var{filename}. You only need the file name with a
6342 function name to avoid ambiguity when there are identically named
6343 functions in different source files.
6344
6345 @item @var{label}
6346 Specifies the line at which the label named @var{label} appears.
6347 @value{GDBN} searches for the label in the function corresponding to
6348 the currently selected stack frame. If there is no current selected
6349 stack frame (for instance, if the inferior is not running), then
6350 @value{GDBN} will not search for a label.
6351
6352 @item *@var{address}
6353 Specifies the program address @var{address}. For line-oriented
6354 commands, such as @code{list} and @code{edit}, this specifies a source
6355 line that contains @var{address}. For @code{break} and other
6356 breakpoint oriented commands, this can be used to set breakpoints in
6357 parts of your program which do not have debugging information or
6358 source files.
6359
6360 Here @var{address} may be any expression valid in the current working
6361 language (@pxref{Languages, working language}) that specifies a code
6362 address. In addition, as a convenience, @value{GDBN} extends the
6363 semantics of expressions used in locations to cover the situations
6364 that frequently happen during debugging. Here are the various forms
6365 of @var{address}:
6366
6367 @table @code
6368 @item @var{expression}
6369 Any expression valid in the current working language.
6370
6371 @item @var{funcaddr}
6372 An address of a function or procedure derived from its name. In C,
6373 C@t{++}, Java, Objective-C, Fortran, minimal, and assembly, this is
6374 simply the function's name @var{function} (and actually a special case
6375 of a valid expression). In Pascal and Modula-2, this is
6376 @code{&@var{function}}. In Ada, this is @code{@var{function}'Address}
6377 (although the Pascal form also works).
6378
6379 This form specifies the address of the function's first instruction,
6380 before the stack frame and arguments have been set up.
6381
6382 @item '@var{filename}'::@var{funcaddr}
6383 Like @var{funcaddr} above, but also specifies the name of the source
6384 file explicitly. This is useful if the name of the function does not
6385 specify the function unambiguously, e.g., if there are several
6386 functions with identical names in different source files.
6387 @end table
6388
6389 @end table
6390
6391
6392 @node Edit
6393 @section Editing Source Files
6394 @cindex editing source files
6395
6396 @kindex edit
6397 @kindex e @r{(@code{edit})}
6398 To edit the lines in a source file, use the @code{edit} command.
6399 The editing program of your choice
6400 is invoked with the current line set to
6401 the active line in the program.
6402 Alternatively, there are several ways to specify what part of the file you
6403 want to print if you want to see other parts of the program:
6404
6405 @table @code
6406 @item edit @var{location}
6407 Edit the source file specified by @code{location}. Editing starts at
6408 that @var{location}, e.g., at the specified source line of the
6409 specified file. @xref{Specify Location}, for all the possible forms
6410 of the @var{location} argument; here are the forms of the @code{edit}
6411 command most commonly used:
6412
6413 @table @code
6414 @item edit @var{number}
6415 Edit the current source file with @var{number} as the active line number.
6416
6417 @item edit @var{function}
6418 Edit the file containing @var{function} at the beginning of its definition.
6419 @end table
6420
6421 @end table
6422
6423 @subsection Choosing your Editor
6424 You can customize @value{GDBN} to use any editor you want
6425 @footnote{
6426 The only restriction is that your editor (say @code{ex}), recognizes the
6427 following command-line syntax:
6428 @smallexample
6429 ex +@var{number} file
6430 @end smallexample
6431 The optional numeric value +@var{number} specifies the number of the line in
6432 the file where to start editing.}.
6433 By default, it is @file{@value{EDITOR}}, but you can change this
6434 by setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} before using
6435 @value{GDBN}. For example, to configure @value{GDBN} to use the
6436 @code{vi} editor, you could use these commands with the @code{sh} shell:
6437 @smallexample
6438 EDITOR=/usr/bin/vi
6439 export EDITOR
6440 gdb @dots{}
6441 @end smallexample
6442 or in the @code{csh} shell,
6443 @smallexample
6444 setenv EDITOR /usr/bin/vi
6445 gdb @dots{}
6446 @end smallexample
6447
6448 @node Search
6449 @section Searching Source Files
6450 @cindex searching source files
6451
6452 There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
6453 regular expression.
6454
6455 @table @code
6456 @kindex search
6457 @kindex forward-search
6458 @item forward-search @var{regexp}
6459 @itemx search @var{regexp}
6460 The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
6461 starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
6462 @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
6463 synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
6464 @code{fo}.
6465
6466 @kindex reverse-search
6467 @item reverse-search @var{regexp}
6468 The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
6469 with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
6470 for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
6471 this command as @code{rev}.
6472 @end table
6473
6474 @node Source Path
6475 @section Specifying Source Directories
6476
6477 @cindex source path
6478 @cindex directories for source files
6479 Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
6480 files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
6481 the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
6482 session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
6483 this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
6484 it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
6485 in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name.
6486
6487 For example, suppose an executable references the file
6488 @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}, and our source path is
6489 @file{/mnt/cross}. The file is first looked up literally; if this
6490 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} is tried; if this
6491 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/foo.c} is opened; if this fails, an error
6492 message is printed. @value{GDBN} does not look up the parts of the
6493 source file name, such as @file{/mnt/cross/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}.
6494 Likewise, the subdirectories of the source path are not searched: if
6495 the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the binary refers to
6496 @file{foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would not find it under
6497 @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib}.
6498
6499 Plain file names, relative file names with leading directories, file
6500 names containing dots, etc.@: are all treated as described above; for
6501 instance, if the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the source file
6502 is recorded as @file{../lib/foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would first try
6503 @file{../lib/foo.c}, then @file{/mnt/cross/../lib/foo.c}, and after
6504 that---@file{/mnt/cross/foo.c}.
6505
6506 Note that the executable search path is @emph{not} used to locate the
6507 source files.
6508
6509 Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
6510 any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
6511 each line is in the file.
6512
6513 @kindex directory
6514 @kindex dir
6515 When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path includes only @samp{cdir}
6516 and @samp{cwd}, in that order.
6517 To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
6518
6519 The search path is used to find both program source files and @value{GDBN}
6520 script files (read using the @samp{-command} option and @samp{source} command).
6521
6522 In addition to the source path, @value{GDBN} provides a set of commands
6523 that manage a list of source path substitution rules. A @dfn{substitution
6524 rule} specifies how to rewrite source directories stored in the program's
6525 debug information in case the sources were moved to a different
6526 directory between compilation and debugging. A rule is made of
6527 two strings, the first specifying what needs to be rewritten in
6528 the path, and the second specifying how it should be rewritten.
6529 In @ref{set substitute-path}, we name these two parts @var{from} and
6530 @var{to} respectively. @value{GDBN} does a simple string replacement
6531 of @var{from} with @var{to} at the start of the directory part of the
6532 source file name, and uses that result instead of the original file
6533 name to look up the sources.
6534
6535 Using the previous example, suppose the @file{foo-1.0} tree has been
6536 moved from @file{/usr/src} to @file{/mnt/cross}, then you can tell
6537 @value{GDBN} to replace @file{/usr/src} in all source path names with
6538 @file{/mnt/cross}. The first lookup will then be
6539 @file{/mnt/cross/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} in place of the original location
6540 of @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}. To define a source path
6541 substitution rule, use the @code{set substitute-path} command
6542 (@pxref{set substitute-path}).
6543
6544 To avoid unexpected substitution results, a rule is applied only if the
6545 @var{from} part of the directory name ends at a directory separator.
6546 For instance, a rule substituting @file{/usr/source} into
6547 @file{/mnt/cross} will be applied to @file{/usr/source/foo-1.0} but
6548 not to @file{/usr/sourceware/foo-2.0}. And because the substitution
6549 is applied only at the beginning of the directory name, this rule will
6550 not be applied to @file{/root/usr/source/baz.c} either.
6551
6552 In many cases, you can achieve the same result using the @code{directory}
6553 command. However, @code{set substitute-path} can be more efficient in
6554 the case where the sources are organized in a complex tree with multiple
6555 subdirectories. With the @code{directory} command, you need to add each
6556 subdirectory of your project. If you moved the entire tree while
6557 preserving its internal organization, then @code{set substitute-path}
6558 allows you to direct the debugger to all the sources with one single
6559 command.
6560
6561 @code{set substitute-path} is also more than just a shortcut command.
6562 The source path is only used if the file at the original location no
6563 longer exists. On the other hand, @code{set substitute-path} modifies
6564 the debugger behavior to look at the rewritten location instead. So, if
6565 for any reason a source file that is not relevant to your executable is
6566 located at the original location, a substitution rule is the only
6567 method available to point @value{GDBN} at the new location.
6568
6569 @cindex @samp{--with-relocated-sources}
6570 @cindex default source path substitution
6571 You can configure a default source path substitution rule by
6572 configuring @value{GDBN} with the
6573 @samp{--with-relocated-sources=@var{dir}} option. The @var{dir}
6574 should be the name of a directory under @value{GDBN}'s configured
6575 prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or @samp{--exec-prefix}), and
6576 directory names in debug information under @var{dir} will be adjusted
6577 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
6578 location. This is useful if @value{GDBN}, libraries or executables
6579 with debug information and corresponding source code are being moved
6580 together.
6581
6582 @table @code
6583 @item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
6584 @item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
6585 Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
6586 directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:}
6587 (@samp{;} on MS-DOS and MS-Windows, where @samp{:} usually appears as
6588 part of absolute file names) or
6589 whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
6590 path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
6591
6592 @kindex cdir
6593 @kindex cwd
6594 @vindex $cdir@r{, convenience variable}
6595 @vindex $cwd@r{, convenience variable}
6596 @cindex compilation directory
6597 @cindex current directory
6598 @cindex working directory
6599 @cindex directory, current
6600 @cindex directory, compilation
6601 You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
6602 directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
6603 working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
6604 tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
6605 session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
6606 directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
6607
6608 @item directory
6609 Reset the source path to its default value (@samp{$cdir:$cwd} on Unix systems). This requires confirmation.
6610
6611 @c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
6612 @c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
6613
6614 @item show directories
6615 @kindex show directories
6616 Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
6617
6618 @anchor{set substitute-path}
6619 @item set substitute-path @var{from} @var{to}
6620 @kindex set substitute-path
6621 Define a source path substitution rule, and add it at the end of the
6622 current list of existing substitution rules. If a rule with the same
6623 @var{from} was already defined, then the old rule is also deleted.
6624
6625 For example, if the file @file{/foo/bar/baz.c} was moved to
6626 @file{/mnt/cross/baz.c}, then the command
6627
6628 @smallexample
6629 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/cross
6630 @end smallexample
6631
6632 @noindent
6633 will tell @value{GDBN} to replace @samp{/usr/src} with
6634 @samp{/mnt/cross}, which will allow @value{GDBN} to find the file
6635 @file{baz.c} even though it was moved.
6636
6637 In the case when more than one substitution rule have been defined,
6638 the rules are evaluated one by one in the order where they have been
6639 defined. The first one matching, if any, is selected to perform
6640 the substitution.
6641
6642 For instance, if we had entered the following commands:
6643
6644 @smallexample
6645 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src/include /mnt/include
6646 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/src
6647 @end smallexample
6648
6649 @noindent
6650 @value{GDBN} would then rewrite @file{/usr/src/include/defs.h} into
6651 @file{/mnt/include/defs.h} by using the first rule. However, it would
6652 use the second rule to rewrite @file{/usr/src/lib/foo.c} into
6653 @file{/mnt/src/lib/foo.c}.
6654
6655
6656 @item unset substitute-path [path]
6657 @kindex unset substitute-path
6658 If a path is specified, search the current list of substitution rules
6659 for a rule that would rewrite that path. Delete that rule if found.
6660 A warning is emitted by the debugger if no rule could be found.
6661
6662 If no path is specified, then all substitution rules are deleted.
6663
6664 @item show substitute-path [path]
6665 @kindex show substitute-path
6666 If a path is specified, then print the source path substitution rule
6667 which would rewrite that path, if any.
6668
6669 If no path is specified, then print all existing source path substitution
6670 rules.
6671
6672 @end table
6673
6674 If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
6675 interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
6676 versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
6677
6678 @enumerate
6679 @item
6680 Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to its default value.
6681
6682 @item
6683 Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
6684 directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
6685 directories in one command.
6686 @end enumerate
6687
6688 @node Machine Code
6689 @section Source and Machine Code
6690 @cindex source line and its code address
6691
6692 You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
6693 addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
6694 a range of addresses as machine instructions. You can use the command
6695 @code{set disassemble-next-line} to set whether to disassemble next
6696 source line when execution stops. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
6697 mode, the @code{info line} command causes the arrow to point to the
6698 line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
6699 well as hex.
6700
6701 @table @code
6702 @kindex info line
6703 @item info line @var{linespec}
6704 Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
6705 source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
6706 the ways documented in @ref{Specify Location}.
6707 @end table
6708
6709 For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
6710 the object code for the first line of function
6711 @code{m4_changequote}:
6712
6713 @c FIXME: I think this example should also show the addresses in
6714 @c symbolic form, as they usually would be displayed.
6715 @smallexample
6716 (@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changequote
6717 Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
6718 @end smallexample
6719
6720 @noindent
6721 @cindex code address and its source line
6722 We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
6723 @var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
6724 @smallexample
6725 (@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
6726 Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
6727 @end smallexample
6728
6729 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
6730 @cindex @code{x} command, default address
6731 @kindex x@r{(examine), and} info line
6732 After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
6733 is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
6734 sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
6735 ,Examining Memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
6736 convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
6737 Variables}).
6738
6739 @table @code
6740 @kindex disassemble
6741 @cindex assembly instructions
6742 @cindex instructions, assembly
6743 @cindex machine instructions
6744 @cindex listing machine instructions
6745 @item disassemble
6746 @itemx disassemble /m
6747 @itemx disassemble /r
6748 This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
6749 instructions. It can also print mixed source+disassembly by specifying
6750 the @code{/m} modifier and print the raw instructions in hex as well as
6751 in symbolic form by specifying the @code{/r}.
6752 The default memory range is the function surrounding the
6753 program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
6754 command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
6755 surrounding this value. When two arguments are given, they should
6756 be separated by a comma, possibly surrounded by whitespace. The
6757 arguments specify a range of addresses to dump, in one of two forms:
6758
6759 @table @code
6760 @item @var{start},@var{end}
6761 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to @var{end} (exclusive)
6762 @item @var{start},+@var{length}
6763 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to
6764 @code{@var{start}+@var{length}} (exclusive).
6765 @end table
6766
6767 @noindent
6768 When 2 arguments are specified, the name of the function is also
6769 printed (since there could be several functions in the given range).
6770
6771 The argument(s) can be any expression yielding a numeric value, such as
6772 @samp{0x32c4}, @samp{&main+10} or @samp{$pc - 8}.
6773
6774 If the range of memory being disassembled contains current program counter,
6775 the instruction at that location is shown with a @code{=>} marker.
6776 @end table
6777
6778 The following example shows the disassembly of a range of addresses of
6779 HP PA-RISC 2.0 code:
6780
6781 @smallexample
6782 (@value{GDBP}) disas 0x32c4, 0x32e4
6783 Dump of assembler code from 0x32c4 to 0x32e4:
6784 0x32c4 <main+204>: addil 0,dp
6785 0x32c8 <main+208>: ldw 0x22c(sr0,r1),r26
6786 0x32cc <main+212>: ldil 0x3000,r31
6787 0x32d0 <main+216>: ble 0x3f8(sr4,r31)
6788 0x32d4 <main+220>: ldo 0(r31),rp
6789 0x32d8 <main+224>: addil -0x800,dp
6790 0x32dc <main+228>: ldo 0x588(r1),r26
6791 0x32e0 <main+232>: ldil 0x3000,r31
6792 End of assembler dump.
6793 @end smallexample
6794
6795 Here is an example showing mixed source+assembly for Intel x86, when the
6796 program is stopped just after function prologue:
6797
6798 @smallexample
6799 (@value{GDBP}) disas /m main
6800 Dump of assembler code for function main:
6801 5 @{
6802 0x08048330 <+0>: push %ebp
6803 0x08048331 <+1>: mov %esp,%ebp
6804 0x08048333 <+3>: sub $0x8,%esp
6805 0x08048336 <+6>: and $0xfffffff0,%esp
6806 0x08048339 <+9>: sub $0x10,%esp
6807
6808 6 printf ("Hello.\n");
6809 => 0x0804833c <+12>: movl $0x8048440,(%esp)
6810 0x08048343 <+19>: call 0x8048284 <puts@@plt>
6811
6812 7 return 0;
6813 8 @}
6814 0x08048348 <+24>: mov $0x0,%eax
6815 0x0804834d <+29>: leave
6816 0x0804834e <+30>: ret
6817
6818 End of assembler dump.
6819 @end smallexample
6820
6821 Here is another example showing raw instructions in hex for AMD x86-64,
6822
6823 @smallexample
6824 (gdb) disas /r 0x400281,+10
6825 Dump of assembler code from 0x400281 to 0x40028b:
6826 0x0000000000400281: 38 36 cmp %dh,(%rsi)
6827 0x0000000000400283: 2d 36 34 2e 73 sub $0x732e3436,%eax
6828 0x0000000000400288: 6f outsl %ds:(%rsi),(%dx)
6829 0x0000000000400289: 2e 32 00 xor %cs:(%rax),%al
6830 End of assembler dump.
6831 @end smallexample
6832
6833 Some architectures have more than one commonly-used set of instruction
6834 mnemonics or other syntax.
6835
6836 For programs that were dynamically linked and use shared libraries,
6837 instructions that call functions or branch to locations in the shared
6838 libraries might show a seemingly bogus location---it's actually a
6839 location of the relocation table. On some architectures, @value{GDBN}
6840 might be able to resolve these to actual function names.
6841
6842 @table @code
6843 @kindex set disassembly-flavor
6844 @cindex Intel disassembly flavor
6845 @cindex AT&T disassembly flavor
6846 @item set disassembly-flavor @var{instruction-set}
6847 Select the instruction set to use when disassembling the
6848 program via the @code{disassemble} or @code{x/i} commands.
6849
6850 Currently this command is only defined for the Intel x86 family. You
6851 can set @var{instruction-set} to either @code{intel} or @code{att}.
6852 The default is @code{att}, the AT&T flavor used by default by Unix
6853 assemblers for x86-based targets.
6854
6855 @kindex show disassembly-flavor
6856 @item show disassembly-flavor
6857 Show the current setting of the disassembly flavor.
6858 @end table
6859
6860 @table @code
6861 @kindex set disassemble-next-line
6862 @kindex show disassemble-next-line
6863 @item set disassemble-next-line
6864 @itemx show disassemble-next-line
6865 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will disassemble the next source
6866 line or instruction when execution stops. If ON, @value{GDBN} will
6867 display disassembly of the next source line when execution of the
6868 program being debugged stops. This is @emph{in addition} to
6869 displaying the source line itself, which @value{GDBN} always does if
6870 possible. If the next source line cannot be displayed for some reason
6871 (e.g., if @value{GDBN} cannot find the source file, or there's no line
6872 info in the debug info), @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of the
6873 next @emph{instruction} instead of showing the next source line. If
6874 AUTO, @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of next instruction only
6875 if the source line cannot be displayed. This setting causes
6876 @value{GDBN} to display some feedback when you step through a function
6877 with no line info or whose source file is unavailable. The default is
6878 OFF, which means never display the disassembly of the next line or
6879 instruction.
6880 @end table
6881
6882
6883 @node Data
6884 @chapter Examining Data
6885
6886 @cindex printing data
6887 @cindex examining data
6888 @kindex print
6889 @kindex inspect
6890 @c "inspect" is not quite a synonym if you are using Epoch, which we do not
6891 @c document because it is nonstandard... Under Epoch it displays in a
6892 @c different window or something like that.
6893 The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
6894 command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}. It
6895 evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
6896 program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with
6897 Different Languages}). It may also print the expression using a
6898 Python-based pretty-printer (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
6899
6900 @table @code
6901 @item print @var{expr}
6902 @itemx print /@var{f} @var{expr}
6903 @var{expr} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
6904 value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
6905 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
6906 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
6907 Formats}.
6908
6909 @item print
6910 @itemx print /@var{f}
6911 @cindex reprint the last value
6912 If you omit @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
6913 @dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value History}). This allows you to
6914 conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
6915 @end table
6916
6917 A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
6918 It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
6919 specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
6920
6921 If you are interested in information about types, or about how the
6922 fields of a struct or a class are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
6923 command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol
6924 Table}.
6925
6926 @menu
6927 * Expressions:: Expressions
6928 * Ambiguous Expressions:: Ambiguous Expressions
6929 * Variables:: Program variables
6930 * Arrays:: Artificial arrays
6931 * Output Formats:: Output formats
6932 * Memory:: Examining memory
6933 * Auto Display:: Automatic display
6934 * Print Settings:: Print settings
6935 * Pretty Printing:: Python pretty printing
6936 * Value History:: Value history
6937 * Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
6938 * Registers:: Registers
6939 * Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
6940 * Vector Unit:: Vector Unit
6941 * OS Information:: Auxiliary data provided by operating system
6942 * Memory Region Attributes:: Memory region attributes
6943 * Dump/Restore Files:: Copy between memory and a file
6944 * Core File Generation:: Cause a program dump its core
6945 * Character Sets:: Debugging programs that use a different
6946 character set than GDB does
6947 * Caching Remote Data:: Data caching for remote targets
6948 * Searching Memory:: Searching memory for a sequence of bytes
6949 @end menu
6950
6951 @node Expressions
6952 @section Expressions
6953
6954 @cindex expressions
6955 @code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
6956 compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
6957 by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
6958 @value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls,
6959 casts, and string constants. It also includes preprocessor macros, if
6960 you compiled your program to include this information; see
6961 @ref{Compilation}.
6962
6963 @cindex arrays in expressions
6964 @value{GDBN} supports array constants in expressions input by
6965 the user. The syntax is @{@var{element}, @var{element}@dots{}@}. For example,
6966 you can use the command @code{print @{1, 2, 3@}} to create an array
6967 of three integers. If you pass an array to a function or assign it
6968 to a program variable, @value{GDBN} copies the array to memory that
6969 is @code{malloc}ed in the target program.
6970
6971 Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
6972 this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
6973 Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
6974 languages.
6975
6976 In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
6977 expressions regardless of your programming language.
6978
6979 @cindex casts, in expressions
6980 Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
6981 useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
6982 at that address in memory.
6983 @c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
6984
6985 @value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
6986 to programming languages:
6987
6988 @table @code
6989 @item @@
6990 @samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
6991 @xref{Arrays, ,Artificial Arrays}, for more information.
6992
6993 @item ::
6994 @samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
6995 function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program Variables}.
6996
6997 @cindex @{@var{type}@}
6998 @cindex type casting memory
6999 @cindex memory, viewing as typed object
7000 @cindex casts, to view memory
7001 @item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
7002 Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
7003 memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or
7004 pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in
7005 a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is
7006 normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
7007 @end table
7008
7009 @node Ambiguous Expressions
7010 @section Ambiguous Expressions
7011 @cindex ambiguous expressions
7012
7013 Expressions can sometimes contain some ambiguous elements. For instance,
7014 some programming languages (notably Ada, C@t{++} and Objective-C) permit
7015 a single function name to be defined several times, for application in
7016 different contexts. This is called @dfn{overloading}. Another example
7017 involving Ada is generics. A @dfn{generic package} is similar to C@t{++}
7018 templates and is typically instantiated several times, resulting in
7019 the same function name being defined in different contexts.
7020
7021 In some cases and depending on the language, it is possible to adjust
7022 the expression to remove the ambiguity. For instance in C@t{++}, you
7023 can specify the signature of the function you want to break on, as in
7024 @kbd{break @var{function}(@var{types})}. In Ada, using the fully
7025 qualified name of your function often makes the expression unambiguous
7026 as well.
7027
7028 When an ambiguity that needs to be resolved is detected, the debugger
7029 has the capability to display a menu of numbered choices for each
7030 possibility, and then waits for the selection with the prompt @samp{>}.
7031 The first option is always @samp{[0] cancel}, and typing @kbd{0 @key{RET}}
7032 aborts the current command. If the command in which the expression was
7033 used allows more than one choice to be selected, the next option in the
7034 menu is @samp{[1] all}, and typing @kbd{1 @key{RET}} selects all possible
7035 choices.
7036
7037 For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
7038 breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
7039 We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
7040
7041 @c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
7042 @smallexample
7043 @group
7044 (@value{GDBP}) b String::after
7045 [0] cancel
7046 [1] all
7047 [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
7048 [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
7049 [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
7050 [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
7051 [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
7052 [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
7053 > 2 4 6
7054 Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
7055 Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
7056 Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
7057 Multiple breakpoints were set.
7058 Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
7059 breakpoints.
7060 (@value{GDBP})
7061 @end group
7062 @end smallexample
7063
7064 @table @code
7065 @kindex set multiple-symbols
7066 @item set multiple-symbols @var{mode}
7067 @cindex multiple-symbols menu
7068
7069 This option allows you to adjust the debugger behavior when an expression
7070 is ambiguous.
7071
7072 By default, @var{mode} is set to @code{all}. If the command with which
7073 the expression is used allows more than one choice, then @value{GDBN}
7074 automatically selects all possible choices. For instance, inserting
7075 a breakpoint on a function using an ambiguous name results in a breakpoint
7076 inserted on each possible match. However, if a unique choice must be made,
7077 then @value{GDBN} uses the menu to help you disambiguate the expression.
7078 For instance, printing the address of an overloaded function will result
7079 in the use of the menu.
7080
7081 When @var{mode} is set to @code{ask}, the debugger always uses the menu
7082 when an ambiguity is detected.
7083
7084 Finally, when @var{mode} is set to @code{cancel}, the debugger reports
7085 an error due to the ambiguity and the command is aborted.
7086
7087 @kindex show multiple-symbols
7088 @item show multiple-symbols
7089 Show the current value of the @code{multiple-symbols} setting.
7090 @end table
7091
7092 @node Variables
7093 @section Program Variables
7094
7095 The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
7096 in your program.
7097
7098 Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
7099 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}); they must be either:
7100
7101 @itemize @bullet
7102 @item
7103 global (or file-static)
7104 @end itemize
7105
7106 @noindent or
7107
7108 @itemize @bullet
7109 @item
7110 visible according to the scope rules of the
7111 programming language from the point of execution in that frame
7112 @end itemize
7113
7114 @noindent This means that in the function
7115
7116 @smallexample
7117 foo (a)
7118 int a;
7119 @{
7120 bar (a);
7121 @{
7122 int b = test ();
7123 bar (b);
7124 @}
7125 @}
7126 @end smallexample
7127
7128 @noindent
7129 you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
7130 executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
7131 examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
7132 the block where @code{b} is declared.
7133
7134 @cindex variable name conflict
7135 There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
7136 scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
7137 in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
7138 function with the same name (in different source files). If that
7139 happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
7140 you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file,
7141 using the colon-colon (@code{::}) notation:
7142
7143 @cindex colon-colon, context for variables/functions
7144 @ifnotinfo
7145 @c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
7146 @cindex @code{::}, context for variables/functions
7147 @end ifnotinfo
7148 @smallexample
7149 @var{file}::@var{variable}
7150 @var{function}::@var{variable}
7151 @end smallexample
7152
7153 @noindent
7154 Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
7155 static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
7156 make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
7157 to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
7158
7159 @smallexample
7160 (@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
7161 @end smallexample
7162
7163 @cindex C@t{++} scope resolution
7164 This use of @samp{::} is very rarely in conflict with the very similar
7165 use of the same notation in C@t{++}. @value{GDBN} also supports use of the C@t{++}
7166 scope resolution operator in @value{GDBN} expressions.
7167 @c FIXME: Um, so what happens in one of those rare cases where it's in
7168 @c conflict?? --mew
7169
7170 @cindex wrong values
7171 @cindex variable values, wrong
7172 @cindex function entry/exit, wrong values of variables
7173 @cindex optimized code, wrong values of variables
7174 @quotation
7175 @emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
7176 wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
7177 scope, and just before exit.
7178 @end quotation
7179 You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
7180 This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
7181 set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
7182 stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
7183 values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
7184 also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
7185 after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
7186 variable definitions may be gone.
7187
7188 This may also happen when the compiler does significant optimizations.
7189 To be sure of always seeing accurate values, turn off all optimization
7190 when compiling.
7191
7192 @cindex ``No symbol "foo" in current context''
7193 Another possible effect of compiler optimizations is to optimize
7194 unused variables out of existence, or assign variables to registers (as
7195 opposed to memory addresses). Depending on the support for such cases
7196 offered by the debug info format used by the compiler, @value{GDBN}
7197 might not be able to display values for such local variables. If that
7198 happens, @value{GDBN} will print a message like this:
7199
7200 @smallexample
7201 No symbol "foo" in current context.
7202 @end smallexample
7203
7204 To solve such problems, either recompile without optimizations, or use a
7205 different debug info format, if the compiler supports several such
7206 formats. For example, @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler,
7207 usually supports the @option{-gstabs+} option. @option{-gstabs+}
7208 produces debug info in a format that is superior to formats such as
7209 COFF. You may be able to use DWARF 2 (@option{-gdwarf-2}), which is also
7210 an effective form for debug info. @xref{Debugging Options,,Options
7211 for Debugging Your Program or GCC, gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu}
7212 Compiler Collection (GCC)}.
7213 @xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug info formats
7214 that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
7215
7216 If you ask to print an object whose contents are unknown to
7217 @value{GDBN}, e.g., because its data type is not completely specified
7218 by the debug information, @value{GDBN} will say @samp{<incomplete
7219 type>}. @xref{Symbols, incomplete type}, for more about this.
7220
7221 Strings are identified as arrays of @code{char} values without specified
7222 signedness. Arrays of either @code{signed char} or @code{unsigned char} get
7223 printed as arrays of 1 byte sized integers. @code{-fsigned-char} or
7224 @code{-funsigned-char} @value{NGCC} options have no effect as @value{GDBN}
7225 defines literal string type @code{"char"} as @code{char} without a sign.
7226 For program code
7227
7228 @smallexample
7229 char var0[] = "A";
7230 signed char var1[] = "A";
7231 @end smallexample
7232
7233 You get during debugging
7234 @smallexample
7235 (gdb) print var0
7236 $1 = "A"
7237 (gdb) print var1
7238 $2 = @{65 'A', 0 '\0'@}
7239 @end smallexample
7240
7241 @node Arrays
7242 @section Artificial Arrays
7243
7244 @cindex artificial array
7245 @cindex arrays
7246 @kindex @@@r{, referencing memory as an array}
7247 It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
7248 same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
7249 dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
7250 program.
7251
7252 You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
7253 @dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
7254 operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
7255 and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
7256 of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
7257 the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
7258 argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
7259 following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
7260 example. If a program says
7261
7262 @smallexample
7263 int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
7264 @end smallexample
7265
7266 @noindent
7267 you can print the contents of @code{array} with
7268
7269 @smallexample
7270 p *array@@len
7271 @end smallexample
7272
7273 The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
7274 with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
7275 subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
7276 Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
7277 (@pxref{Value History, ,Value History}), after printing one out.
7278
7279 Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
7280 This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
7281 The value need not be in memory:
7282 @smallexample
7283 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
7284 $1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
7285 @end smallexample
7286
7287 As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
7288 @samp{(@var{type}[])@var{value}}) @value{GDBN} calculates the size to fill
7289 the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
7290 @smallexample
7291 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
7292 $2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
7293 @end smallexample
7294
7295 Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
7296 moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
7297 actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
7298 of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
7299 to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
7300 Variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
7301 interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
7302 instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
7303 structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
7304 in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
7305
7306 @smallexample
7307 set $i = 0
7308 p dtab[$i++]->fv
7309 @key{RET}
7310 @key{RET}
7311 @dots{}
7312 @end smallexample
7313
7314 @node Output Formats
7315 @section Output Formats
7316
7317 @cindex formatted output
7318 @cindex output formats
7319 By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
7320 this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
7321 in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
7322 at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
7323 these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
7324
7325 The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
7326 already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
7327 @code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
7328 letters supported are:
7329
7330 @table @code
7331 @item x
7332 Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
7333 hexadecimal.
7334
7335 @item d
7336 Print as integer in signed decimal.
7337
7338 @item u
7339 Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
7340
7341 @item o
7342 Print as integer in octal.
7343
7344 @item t
7345 Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
7346 @footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
7347 used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
7348 see @ref{Memory,,Examining Memory}.}
7349
7350 @item a
7351 @cindex unknown address, locating
7352 @cindex locate address
7353 Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
7354 the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
7355 where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
7356
7357 @smallexample
7358 (@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
7359 $3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
7360 @end smallexample
7361
7362 @noindent
7363 The command @code{info symbol 0x54320} yields similar results.
7364 @xref{Symbols, info symbol}.
7365
7366 @item c
7367 Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant. This
7368 prints both the numerical value and its character representation. The
7369 character representation is replaced with the octal escape @samp{\nnn}
7370 for characters outside the 7-bit @sc{ascii} range.
7371
7372 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays @code{char},
7373 @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} data as character
7374 constants. Single-byte members of vectors are displayed as integer
7375 data.
7376
7377 @item f
7378 Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
7379 using typical floating point syntax.
7380
7381 @item s
7382 @cindex printing strings
7383 @cindex printing byte arrays
7384 Regard as a string, if possible. With this format, pointers to single-byte
7385 data are displayed as null-terminated strings and arrays of single-byte data
7386 are displayed as fixed-length strings. Other values are displayed in their
7387 natural types.
7388
7389 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays pointers to and arrays of
7390 @code{char}, @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} as
7391 strings. Single-byte members of a vector are displayed as an integer
7392 array.
7393
7394 @item r
7395 @cindex raw printing
7396 Print using the @samp{raw} formatting. By default, @value{GDBN} will
7397 use a Python-based pretty-printer, if one is available (@pxref{Pretty
7398 Printing}). This typically results in a higher-level display of the
7399 value's contents. The @samp{r} format bypasses any Python
7400 pretty-printer which might exist.
7401 @end table
7402
7403 For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
7404
7405 @smallexample
7406 p/x $pc
7407 @end smallexample
7408
7409 @noindent
7410 Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
7411 names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
7412
7413 To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
7414 you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
7415 expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
7416
7417 @node Memory
7418 @section Examining Memory
7419
7420 You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
7421 any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
7422
7423 @cindex examining memory
7424 @table @code
7425 @kindex x @r{(examine memory)}
7426 @item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
7427 @itemx x @var{addr}
7428 @itemx x
7429 Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
7430 @end table
7431
7432 @var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
7433 much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
7434 expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
7435 If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
7436 Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
7437
7438 @table @r
7439 @item @var{n}, the repeat count
7440 The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
7441 how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
7442 @c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
7443 @c 4.1.2.
7444
7445 @item @var{f}, the display format
7446 The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print}
7447 (@samp{x}, @samp{d}, @samp{u}, @samp{o}, @samp{t}, @samp{a}, @samp{c},
7448 @samp{f}, @samp{s}), and in addition @samp{i} (for machine instructions).
7449 The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially. The default changes
7450 each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
7451
7452 @item @var{u}, the unit size
7453 The unit size is any of
7454
7455 @table @code
7456 @item b
7457 Bytes.
7458 @item h
7459 Halfwords (two bytes).
7460 @item w
7461 Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
7462 @item g
7463 Giant words (eight bytes).
7464 @end table
7465
7466 Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
7467 default unit the next time you use @code{x}. For the @samp{i} format,
7468 the unit size is ignored and is normally not written. For the @samp{s} format,
7469 the unit size defaults to @samp{b}, unless it is explicitly given.
7470 Use @kbd{x /hs} to display 16-bit char strings and @kbd{x /ws} to display
7471 32-bit strings. The next use of @kbd{x /s} will again display 8-bit strings.
7472 Note that the results depend on the programming language of the
7473 current compilation unit. If the language is C, the @samp{s}
7474 modifier will use the UTF-16 encoding while @samp{w} will use
7475 UTF-32. The encoding is set by the programming language and cannot
7476 be altered.
7477
7478 @item @var{addr}, starting display address
7479 @var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
7480 memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
7481 it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
7482 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
7483 @var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
7484 other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
7485 the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
7486 starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
7487 a value from memory).
7488 @end table
7489
7490 For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
7491 (@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
7492 starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
7493 words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
7494 @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
7495
7496 Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
7497 letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
7498 unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
7499 specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
7500 (However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
7501
7502 Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
7503 and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
7504 @samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
7505 including any operands. For convenience, especially when used with
7506 the @code{display} command, the @samp{i} format also prints branch delay
7507 slot instructions, if any, beyond the count specified, which immediately
7508 follow the last instruction that is within the count. The command
7509 @code{disassemble} gives an alternative way of inspecting machine
7510 instructions; see @ref{Machine Code,,Source and Machine Code}.
7511
7512 All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
7513 easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
7514 you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
7515 instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
7516 with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
7517 the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
7518 for successive uses of @code{x}.
7519
7520 When examining machine instructions, the instruction at current program
7521 counter is shown with a @code{=>} marker. For example:
7522
7523 @smallexample
7524 (@value{GDBP}) x/5i $pc-6
7525 0x804837f <main+11>: mov %esp,%ebp
7526 0x8048381 <main+13>: push %ecx
7527 0x8048382 <main+14>: sub $0x4,%esp
7528 => 0x8048385 <main+17>: movl $0x8048460,(%esp)
7529 0x804838c <main+24>: call 0x80482d4 <puts@@plt>
7530 @end smallexample
7531
7532 @cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
7533 The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
7534 in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
7535 would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
7536 subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
7537 @code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
7538 examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
7539 @code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
7540 the convenience variable @code{$__}.
7541
7542 If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
7543 are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
7544 address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
7545
7546 @cindex remote memory comparison
7547 @cindex verify remote memory image
7548 When you are debugging a program running on a remote target machine
7549 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), you may wish to verify the program's image in the
7550 remote machine's memory against the executable file you downloaded to
7551 the target. The @code{compare-sections} command is provided for such
7552 situations.
7553
7554 @table @code
7555 @kindex compare-sections
7556 @item compare-sections @r{[}@var{section-name}@r{]}
7557 Compare the data of a loadable section @var{section-name} in the
7558 executable file of the program being debugged with the same section in
7559 the remote machine's memory, and report any mismatches. With no
7560 arguments, compares all loadable sections. This command's
7561 availability depends on the target's support for the @code{"qCRC"}
7562 remote request.
7563 @end table
7564
7565 @node Auto Display
7566 @section Automatic Display
7567 @cindex automatic display
7568 @cindex display of expressions
7569
7570 If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
7571 (to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
7572 display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
7573 Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
7574 to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
7575 The automatic display looks like this:
7576
7577 @smallexample
7578 2: foo = 38
7579 3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
7580 @end smallexample
7581
7582 @noindent
7583 This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
7584 displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
7585 specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
7586 whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending your format
7587 specification---it uses @code{x} if you specify either the @samp{i}
7588 or @samp{s} format, or a unit size; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
7589
7590 @table @code
7591 @kindex display
7592 @item display @var{expr}
7593 Add the expression @var{expr} to the list of expressions to display
7594 each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
7595
7596 @code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
7597
7598 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{expr}
7599 For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
7600 count, add the expression @var{expr} to the auto-display list but
7601 arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
7602 @xref{Output Formats,,Output Formats}.
7603
7604 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
7605 For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
7606 number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
7607 be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
7608 doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
7609 @end table
7610
7611 For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
7612 instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
7613 is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
7614
7615 @table @code
7616 @kindex delete display
7617 @kindex undisplay
7618 @item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
7619 @itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7620 Remove item numbers @var{dnums} from the list of expressions to display.
7621
7622 @code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
7623 (Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
7624
7625 @kindex disable display
7626 @item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7627 Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
7628 item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
7629 enabled again later.
7630
7631 @kindex enable display
7632 @item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7633 Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
7634 again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
7635
7636 @item display
7637 Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
7638 done when your program stops.
7639
7640 @kindex info display
7641 @item info display
7642 Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
7643 automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
7644 values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
7645 It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
7646 because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
7647 @end table
7648
7649 @cindex display disabled out of scope
7650 If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
7651 sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
7652 expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
7653 variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
7654 @code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
7655 @code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
7656 continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
7657 there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
7658 automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
7659 is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
7660
7661 @node Print Settings
7662 @section Print Settings
7663
7664 @cindex format options
7665 @cindex print settings
7666 @value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
7667 and symbols are printed.
7668
7669 @noindent
7670 These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
7671
7672 @table @code
7673 @kindex set print
7674 @item set print address
7675 @itemx set print address on
7676 @cindex print/don't print memory addresses
7677 @value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
7678 traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
7679 even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
7680 is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
7681 @code{set print address on}:
7682
7683 @smallexample
7684 @group
7685 (@value{GDBP}) f
7686 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
7687 at input.c:530
7688 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
7689 @end group
7690 @end smallexample
7691
7692 @item set print address off
7693 Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
7694 this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
7695
7696 @smallexample
7697 @group
7698 (@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
7699 (@value{GDBP}) f
7700 #0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
7701 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
7702 @end group
7703 @end smallexample
7704
7705 You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
7706 dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
7707 @code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
7708 all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
7709
7710 @kindex show print
7711 @item show print address
7712 Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
7713 @end table
7714
7715 When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
7716 closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
7717 identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
7718 source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
7719 @code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
7720 you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
7721 it prints a symbolic address:
7722
7723 @table @code
7724 @item set print symbol-filename on
7725 @cindex source file and line of a symbol
7726 @cindex symbol, source file and line
7727 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
7728 symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
7729
7730 @item set print symbol-filename off
7731 Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
7732 default.
7733
7734 @item show print symbol-filename
7735 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
7736 line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
7737 @end table
7738
7739 Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
7740 numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
7741 number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
7742
7743 Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
7744 printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
7745
7746 @table @code
7747 @item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
7748 @cindex maximum value for offset of closest symbol
7749 Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
7750 offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
7751 @var{max-offset}. The default is 0, which tells @value{GDBN}
7752 to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes it.
7753
7754 @item show print max-symbolic-offset
7755 Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
7756 symbolic address.
7757 @end table
7758
7759 @cindex wild pointer, interpreting
7760 @cindex pointer, finding referent
7761 If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
7762 @samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
7763 and source file location of the variable where it points, using
7764 @samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
7765 For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
7766 at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
7767
7768 @smallexample
7769 (@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
7770 (@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
7771 $4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
7772 @end smallexample
7773
7774 @quotation
7775 @emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
7776 does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
7777 the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
7778 @end quotation
7779
7780 Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
7781
7782 @table @code
7783 @item set print array
7784 @itemx set print array on
7785 @cindex pretty print arrays
7786 Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
7787 but uses more space. The default is off.
7788
7789 @item set print array off
7790 Return to compressed format for arrays.
7791
7792 @item show print array
7793 Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
7794 arrays.
7795
7796 @cindex print array indexes
7797 @item set print array-indexes
7798 @itemx set print array-indexes on
7799 Print the index of each element when displaying arrays. May be more
7800 convenient to locate a given element in the array or quickly find the
7801 index of a given element in that printed array. The default is off.
7802
7803 @item set print array-indexes off
7804 Stop printing element indexes when displaying arrays.
7805
7806 @item show print array-indexes
7807 Show whether the index of each element is printed when displaying
7808 arrays.
7809
7810 @item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
7811 @cindex number of array elements to print
7812 @cindex limit on number of printed array elements
7813 Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
7814 If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
7815 printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
7816 This limit also applies to the display of strings.
7817 When @value{GDBN} starts, this limit is set to 200.
7818 Setting @var{number-of-elements} to zero means that the printing is unlimited.
7819
7820 @item show print elements
7821 Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
7822 If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
7823
7824 @item set print frame-arguments @var{value}
7825 @kindex set print frame-arguments
7826 @cindex printing frame argument values
7827 @cindex print all frame argument values
7828 @cindex print frame argument values for scalars only
7829 @cindex do not print frame argument values
7830 This command allows to control how the values of arguments are printed
7831 when the debugger prints a frame (@pxref{Frames}). The possible
7832 values are:
7833
7834 @table @code
7835 @item all
7836 The values of all arguments are printed.
7837
7838 @item scalars
7839 Print the value of an argument only if it is a scalar. The value of more
7840 complex arguments such as arrays, structures, unions, etc, is replaced
7841 by @code{@dots{}}. This is the default. Here is an example where
7842 only scalar arguments are shown:
7843
7844 @smallexample
7845 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=3, s=@dots{}, ss=0xbf8d508c, u=@dots{}, e=green)
7846 at frame-args.c:23
7847 @end smallexample
7848
7849 @item none
7850 None of the argument values are printed. Instead, the value of each argument
7851 is replaced by @code{@dots{}}. In this case, the example above now becomes:
7852
7853 @smallexample
7854 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=@dots{}, s=@dots{}, ss=@dots{}, u=@dots{}, e=@dots{})
7855 at frame-args.c:23
7856 @end smallexample
7857 @end table
7858
7859 By default, only scalar arguments are printed. This command can be used
7860 to configure the debugger to print the value of all arguments, regardless
7861 of their type. However, it is often advantageous to not print the value
7862 of more complex parameters. For instance, it reduces the amount of
7863 information printed in each frame, making the backtrace more readable.
7864 Also, it improves performance when displaying Ada frames, because
7865 the computation of large arguments can sometimes be CPU-intensive,
7866 especially in large applications. Setting @code{print frame-arguments}
7867 to @code{scalars} (the default) or @code{none} avoids this computation,
7868 thus speeding up the display of each Ada frame.
7869
7870 @item show print frame-arguments
7871 Show how the value of arguments should be displayed when printing a frame.
7872
7873 @item set print repeats
7874 @cindex repeated array elements
7875 Set the threshold for suppressing display of repeated array
7876 elements. When the number of consecutive identical elements of an
7877 array exceeds the threshold, @value{GDBN} prints the string
7878 @code{"<repeats @var{n} times>"}, where @var{n} is the number of
7879 identical repetitions, instead of displaying the identical elements
7880 themselves. Setting the threshold to zero will cause all elements to
7881 be individually printed. The default threshold is 10.
7882
7883 @item show print repeats
7884 Display the current threshold for printing repeated identical
7885 elements.
7886
7887 @item set print null-stop
7888 @cindex @sc{null} elements in arrays
7889 Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
7890 @sc{null} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
7891 contain only short strings.
7892 The default is off.
7893
7894 @item show print null-stop
7895 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops printing an array on the first
7896 @sc{null} character.
7897
7898 @item set print pretty on
7899 @cindex print structures in indented form
7900 @cindex indentation in structure display
7901 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
7902 per line, like this:
7903
7904 @smallexample
7905 @group
7906 $1 = @{
7907 next = 0x0,
7908 flags = @{
7909 sweet = 1,
7910 sour = 1
7911 @},
7912 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
7913 @}
7914 @end group
7915 @end smallexample
7916
7917 @item set print pretty off
7918 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
7919
7920 @smallexample
7921 @group
7922 $1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
7923 meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
7924 @end group
7925 @end smallexample
7926
7927 @noindent
7928 This is the default format.
7929
7930 @item show print pretty
7931 Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
7932
7933 @item set print sevenbit-strings on
7934 @cindex eight-bit characters in strings
7935 @cindex octal escapes in strings
7936 Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
7937 @value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
7938 character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
7939 best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
7940 high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
7941
7942 @item set print sevenbit-strings off
7943 Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
7944 international character sets, and is the default.
7945
7946 @item show print sevenbit-strings
7947 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
7948
7949 @item set print union on
7950 @cindex unions in structures, printing
7951 Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures
7952 and other unions. This is the default setting.
7953
7954 @item set print union off
7955 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in
7956 structures and other unions. @value{GDBN} will print @code{"@{...@}"}
7957 instead.
7958
7959 @item show print union
7960 Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
7961 structures and other unions.
7962
7963 For example, given the declarations
7964
7965 @smallexample
7966 typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
7967 typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
7968 typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
7969 Bug_forms;
7970
7971 struct thing @{
7972 Species it;
7973 union @{
7974 Tree_forms tree;
7975 Bug_forms bug;
7976 @} form;
7977 @};
7978
7979 struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
7980 @end smallexample
7981
7982 @noindent
7983 with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
7984
7985 @smallexample
7986 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
7987 @end smallexample
7988
7989 @noindent
7990 and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
7991
7992 @smallexample
7993 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
7994 @end smallexample
7995
7996 @noindent
7997 @code{set print union} affects programs written in C-like languages
7998 and in Pascal.
7999 @end table
8000
8001 @need 1000
8002 @noindent
8003 These settings are of interest when debugging C@t{++} programs:
8004
8005 @table @code
8006 @cindex demangling C@t{++} names
8007 @item set print demangle
8008 @itemx set print demangle on
8009 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than in the encoded
8010 (``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
8011 linkage. The default is on.
8012
8013 @item show print demangle
8014 Show whether C@t{++} names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
8015
8016 @item set print asm-demangle
8017 @itemx set print asm-demangle on
8018 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
8019 in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
8020 The default is off.
8021
8022 @item show print asm-demangle
8023 Show whether C@t{++} names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
8024 or demangled form.
8025
8026 @cindex C@t{++} symbol decoding style
8027 @cindex symbol decoding style, C@t{++}
8028 @kindex set demangle-style
8029 @item set demangle-style @var{style}
8030 Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
8031 represent C@t{++} names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
8032
8033 @table @code
8034 @item auto
8035 Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
8036
8037 @item gnu
8038 Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
8039 This is the default.
8040
8041 @item hp
8042 Decode based on the HP ANSI C@t{++} (@code{aCC}) encoding algorithm.
8043
8044 @item lucid
8045 Decode based on the Lucid C@t{++} compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
8046
8047 @item arm
8048 Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C@t{++} Annotated Reference Manual}.
8049 @strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
8050 debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
8051 require further enhancement to permit that.
8052
8053 @end table
8054 If you omit @var{style}, you will see a list of possible formats.
8055
8056 @item show demangle-style
8057 Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C@t{++} symbols.
8058
8059 @item set print object
8060 @itemx set print object on
8061 @cindex derived type of an object, printing
8062 @cindex display derived types
8063 When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
8064 (derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
8065 the virtual function table.
8066
8067 @item set print object off
8068 Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
8069 virtual function table. This is the default setting.
8070
8071 @item show print object
8072 Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
8073
8074 @item set print static-members
8075 @itemx set print static-members on
8076 @cindex static members of C@t{++} objects
8077 Print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object. The default is on.
8078
8079 @item set print static-members off
8080 Do not print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object.
8081
8082 @item show print static-members
8083 Show whether C@t{++} static members are printed or not.
8084
8085 @item set print pascal_static-members
8086 @itemx set print pascal_static-members on
8087 @cindex static members of Pascal objects
8088 @cindex Pascal objects, static members display
8089 Print static members when displaying a Pascal object. The default is on.
8090
8091 @item set print pascal_static-members off
8092 Do not print static members when displaying a Pascal object.
8093
8094 @item show print pascal_static-members
8095 Show whether Pascal static members are printed or not.
8096
8097 @c These don't work with HP ANSI C++ yet.
8098 @item set print vtbl
8099 @itemx set print vtbl on
8100 @cindex pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables
8101 @cindex virtual functions (C@t{++}) display
8102 @cindex VTBL display
8103 Pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables. The default is off.
8104 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
8105 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
8106
8107 @item set print vtbl off
8108 Do not pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables.
8109
8110 @item show print vtbl
8111 Show whether C@t{++} virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
8112 @end table
8113
8114 @node Pretty Printing
8115 @section Pretty Printing
8116
8117 @value{GDBN} provides a mechanism to allow pretty-printing of values using
8118 Python code. It greatly simplifies the display of complex objects. This
8119 mechanism works for both MI and the CLI.
8120
8121 For example, here is how a C@t{++} @code{std::string} looks without a
8122 pretty-printer:
8123
8124 @smallexample
8125 (@value{GDBP}) print s
8126 $1 = @{
8127 static npos = 4294967295,
8128 _M_dataplus = @{
8129 <std::allocator<char>> = @{
8130 <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<char>> = @{
8131 <No data fields>@}, <No data fields>
8132 @},
8133 members of std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>,
8134 std::allocator<char> >::_Alloc_hider:
8135 _M_p = 0x804a014 "abcd"
8136 @}
8137 @}
8138 @end smallexample
8139
8140 With a pretty-printer for @code{std::string} only the contents are printed:
8141
8142 @smallexample
8143 (@value{GDBP}) print s
8144 $2 = "abcd"
8145 @end smallexample
8146
8147 For implementing pretty printers for new types you should read the Python API
8148 details (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}).
8149
8150 @node Value History
8151 @section Value History
8152
8153 @cindex value history
8154 @cindex history of values printed by @value{GDBN}
8155 Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
8156 @dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
8157 Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
8158 (for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
8159 When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
8160 since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
8161 symbol table.
8162
8163 @cindex @code{$}
8164 @cindex @code{$$}
8165 @cindex history number
8166 The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
8167 refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
8168 @code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
8169 printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
8170 history number.
8171
8172 To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
8173 history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
8174 remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
8175 the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
8176 @code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
8177 is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
8178 @code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
8179
8180 For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
8181 want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
8182
8183 @smallexample
8184 p *$
8185 @end smallexample
8186
8187 If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
8188 to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
8189
8190 @smallexample
8191 p *$.next
8192 @end smallexample
8193
8194 @noindent
8195 You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
8196 command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
8197
8198 Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
8199 @code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
8200
8201 @smallexample
8202 print x
8203 set x=5
8204 @end smallexample
8205
8206 @noindent
8207 then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
8208 remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
8209
8210 @table @code
8211 @kindex show values
8212 @item show values
8213 Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
8214 This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
8215 values} does not change the history.
8216
8217 @item show values @var{n}
8218 Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
8219
8220 @item show values +
8221 Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
8222 values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
8223 @end table
8224
8225 Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
8226 same effect as @samp{show values +}.
8227
8228 @node Convenience Vars
8229 @section Convenience Variables
8230
8231 @cindex convenience variables
8232 @cindex user-defined variables
8233 @value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
8234 @value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
8235 exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
8236 setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
8237 of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
8238
8239 Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
8240 @samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
8241 the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
8242 (Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
8243 by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value History}.)
8244
8245 You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
8246 expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
8247 For example:
8248
8249 @smallexample
8250 set $foo = *object_ptr
8251 @end smallexample
8252
8253 @noindent
8254 would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
8255 @code{object_ptr}.
8256
8257 Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
8258 value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
8259 value with another assignment at any time.
8260
8261 Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
8262 variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
8263 that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
8264 variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
8265
8266 @table @code
8267 @kindex show convenience
8268 @cindex show all user variables
8269 @item show convenience
8270 Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values.
8271 Abbreviated @code{show conv}.
8272
8273 @kindex init-if-undefined
8274 @cindex convenience variables, initializing
8275 @item init-if-undefined $@var{variable} = @var{expression}
8276 Set a convenience variable if it has not already been set. This is useful
8277 for user-defined commands that keep some state. It is similar, in concept,
8278 to using local static variables with initializers in C (except that
8279 convenience variables are global). It can also be used to allow users to
8280 override default values used in a command script.
8281
8282 If the variable is already defined then the expression is not evaluated so
8283 any side-effects do not occur.
8284 @end table
8285
8286 One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
8287 incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
8288 a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
8289
8290 @smallexample
8291 set $i = 0
8292 print bar[$i++]->contents
8293 @end smallexample
8294
8295 @noindent
8296 Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
8297
8298 Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
8299 values likely to be useful.
8300
8301 @table @code
8302 @vindex $_@r{, convenience variable}
8303 @item $_
8304 The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
8305 the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}). Other
8306 commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
8307 set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
8308 and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
8309 except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
8310 to the type of @code{$__}.
8311
8312 @vindex $__@r{, convenience variable}
8313 @item $__
8314 The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
8315 to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
8316 to match the format in which the data was printed.
8317
8318 @item $_exitcode
8319 @vindex $_exitcode@r{, convenience variable}
8320 The variable @code{$_exitcode} is automatically set to the exit code when
8321 the program being debugged terminates.
8322
8323 @item $_sdata
8324 @vindex $_sdata@r{, inspect, convenience variable}
8325 The variable @code{$_sdata} contains extra collected static tracepoint
8326 data. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}. Note that
8327 @code{$_sdata} could be empty, if not inspecting a trace buffer, or
8328 if extra static tracepoint data has not been collected.
8329
8330 @item $_siginfo
8331 @vindex $_siginfo@r{, convenience variable}
8332 The variable @code{$_siginfo} contains extra signal information
8333 (@pxref{extra signal information}). Note that @code{$_siginfo}
8334 could be empty, if the application has not yet received any signals.
8335 For example, it will be empty before you execute the @code{run} command.
8336
8337 @item $_tlb
8338 @vindex $_tlb@r{, convenience variable}
8339 The variable @code{$_tlb} is automatically set when debugging
8340 applications running on MS-Windows in native mode or connected to
8341 gdbserver that supports the @code{qGetTIBAddr} request.
8342 @xref{General Query Packets}.
8343 This variable contains the address of the thread information block.
8344
8345 @end table
8346
8347 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
8348 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
8349 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
8350
8351 @cindex convenience functions
8352 @value{GDBN} also supplies some @dfn{convenience functions}. These
8353 have a syntax similar to convenience variables. A convenience
8354 function can be used in an expression just like an ordinary function;
8355 however, a convenience function is implemented internally to
8356 @value{GDBN}.
8357
8358 @table @code
8359 @item help function
8360 @kindex help function
8361 @cindex show all convenience functions
8362 Print a list of all convenience functions.
8363 @end table
8364
8365 @node Registers
8366 @section Registers
8367
8368 @cindex registers
8369 You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
8370 with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
8371 for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
8372 your machine.
8373
8374 @table @code
8375 @kindex info registers
8376 @item info registers
8377 Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
8378 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
8379
8380 @kindex info all-registers
8381 @cindex floating point registers
8382 @item info all-registers
8383 Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
8384 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
8385
8386 @item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
8387 Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
8388 As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
8389 the selected stack frame. @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
8390 the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
8391 @end table
8392
8393 @cindex stack pointer register
8394 @cindex program counter register
8395 @cindex process status register
8396 @cindex frame pointer register
8397 @cindex standard registers
8398 @value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
8399 expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
8400 architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
8401 @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
8402 the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
8403 pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
8404 register that contains the processor status. For example,
8405 you could print the program counter in hex with
8406
8407 @smallexample
8408 p/x $pc
8409 @end smallexample
8410
8411 @noindent
8412 or print the instruction to be executed next with
8413
8414 @smallexample
8415 x/i $pc
8416 @end smallexample
8417
8418 @noindent
8419 or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
8420 one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
8421 memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
8422 stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
8423 stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
8424 regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
8425 see @ref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}.} with
8426
8427 @smallexample
8428 set $sp += 4
8429 @end smallexample
8430
8431 Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
8432 your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
8433 so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
8434 shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
8435 registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
8436 can also refer to it as @code{$ps}; and on x86-based machines @code{$ps}
8437 is an alias for the @sc{eflags} register.
8438
8439 @value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
8440 integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
8441 special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
8442 registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
8443 to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
8444 (although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
8445 @samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
8446
8447 Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
8448 means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
8449 the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
8450 sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
8451 coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
8452 programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
8453 cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
8454 that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
8455 prints the data in both formats.
8456
8457 @cindex SSE registers (x86)
8458 @cindex MMX registers (x86)
8459 Some machines have special registers whose contents can be interpreted
8460 in several different ways. For example, modern x86-based machines
8461 have SSE and MMX registers that can hold several values packed
8462 together in several different formats. @value{GDBN} refers to such
8463 registers in @code{struct} notation:
8464
8465 @smallexample
8466 (@value{GDBP}) print $xmm1
8467 $1 = @{
8468 v4_float = @{0, 3.43859137e-038, 1.54142831e-044, 1.821688e-044@},
8469 v2_double = @{9.92129282474342e-303, 2.7585945287983262e-313@},
8470 v16_int8 = "\000\000\000\000\3706;\001\v\000\000\000\r\000\000",
8471 v8_int16 = @{0, 0, 14072, 315, 11, 0, 13, 0@},
8472 v4_int32 = @{0, 20657912, 11, 13@},
8473 v2_int64 = @{88725056443645952, 55834574859@},
8474 uint128 = 0x0000000d0000000b013b36f800000000
8475 @}
8476 @end smallexample
8477
8478 @noindent
8479 To set values of such registers, you need to tell @value{GDBN} which
8480 view of the register you wish to change, as if you were assigning
8481 value to a @code{struct} member:
8482
8483 @smallexample
8484 (@value{GDBP}) set $xmm1.uint128 = 0x000000000000000000000000FFFFFFFF
8485 @end smallexample
8486
8487 Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
8488 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). This means that you get the
8489 value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
8490 were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
8491 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
8492 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
8493
8494 However, @value{GDBN} must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
8495 code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if
8496 @value{GDBN} is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack
8497 frame makes no difference.
8498
8499 @node Floating Point Hardware
8500 @section Floating Point Hardware
8501 @cindex floating point
8502
8503 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
8504 you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
8505
8506 @table @code
8507 @kindex info float
8508 @item info float
8509 Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
8510 point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
8511 floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
8512 the ARM and x86 machines.
8513 @end table
8514
8515 @node Vector Unit
8516 @section Vector Unit
8517 @cindex vector unit
8518
8519 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give you
8520 more information about the status of the vector unit.
8521
8522 @table @code
8523 @kindex info vector
8524 @item info vector
8525 Display information about the vector unit. The exact contents and
8526 layout vary depending on the hardware.
8527 @end table
8528
8529 @node OS Information
8530 @section Operating System Auxiliary Information
8531 @cindex OS information
8532
8533 @value{GDBN} provides interfaces to useful OS facilities that can help
8534 you debug your program.
8535
8536 @cindex @code{ptrace} system call
8537 @cindex @code{struct user} contents
8538 When @value{GDBN} runs on a @dfn{Posix system} (such as GNU or Unix
8539 machines), it interfaces with the inferior via the @code{ptrace}
8540 system call. The operating system creates a special sata structure,
8541 called @code{struct user}, for this interface. You can use the
8542 command @code{info udot} to display the contents of this data
8543 structure.
8544
8545 @table @code
8546 @item info udot
8547 @kindex info udot
8548 Display the contents of the @code{struct user} maintained by the OS
8549 kernel for the program being debugged. @value{GDBN} displays the
8550 contents of @code{struct user} as a list of hex numbers, similar to
8551 the @code{examine} command.
8552 @end table
8553
8554 @cindex auxiliary vector
8555 @cindex vector, auxiliary
8556 Some operating systems supply an @dfn{auxiliary vector} to programs at
8557 startup. This is akin to the arguments and environment that you
8558 specify for a program, but contains a system-dependent variety of
8559 binary values that tell system libraries important details about the
8560 hardware, operating system, and process. Each value's purpose is
8561 identified by an integer tag; the meanings are well-known but system-specific.
8562 Depending on the configuration and operating system facilities,
8563 @value{GDBN} may be able to show you this information. For remote
8564 targets, this functionality may further depend on the remote stub's
8565 support of the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet, see
8566 @ref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}.
8567
8568 @table @code
8569 @kindex info auxv
8570 @item info auxv
8571 Display the auxiliary vector of the inferior, which can be either a
8572 live process or a core dump file. @value{GDBN} prints each tag value
8573 numerically, and also shows names and text descriptions for recognized
8574 tags. Some values in the vector are numbers, some bit masks, and some
8575 pointers to strings or other data. @value{GDBN} displays each value in the
8576 most appropriate form for a recognized tag, and in hexadecimal for
8577 an unrecognized tag.
8578 @end table
8579
8580 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can access operating-system-specific information
8581 and display it to user, without interpretation. For remote targets,
8582 this functionality depends on the remote stub's support of the
8583 @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet, see @ref{qXfer osdata read}.
8584
8585 @table @code
8586 @kindex info os
8587 @item info os
8588 List the types of OS information available for the target. If the
8589 target does not return a list of possible types, this command will
8590 report an error.
8591
8592 @kindex info os processes
8593 @item info os processes
8594 Display the list of processes on the target. For each process,
8595 @value{GDBN} prints the process identifier, the name of the user, and
8596 the command corresponding to the process.
8597 @end table
8598
8599 @node Memory Region Attributes
8600 @section Memory Region Attributes
8601 @cindex memory region attributes
8602
8603 @dfn{Memory region attributes} allow you to describe special handling
8604 required by regions of your target's memory. @value{GDBN} uses
8605 attributes to determine whether to allow certain types of memory
8606 accesses; whether to use specific width accesses; and whether to cache
8607 target memory. By default the description of memory regions is
8608 fetched from the target (if the current target supports this), but the
8609 user can override the fetched regions.
8610
8611 Defined memory regions can be individually enabled and disabled. When a
8612 memory region is disabled, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when
8613 accessing memory in that region. Similarly, if no memory regions have
8614 been defined, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when accessing
8615 all memory.
8616
8617 When a memory region is defined, it is given a number to identify it;
8618 to enable, disable, or remove a memory region, you specify that number.
8619
8620 @table @code
8621 @kindex mem
8622 @item mem @var{lower} @var{upper} @var{attributes}@dots{}
8623 Define a memory region bounded by @var{lower} and @var{upper} with
8624 attributes @var{attributes}@dots{}, and add it to the list of regions
8625 monitored by @value{GDBN}. Note that @var{upper} == 0 is a special
8626 case: it is treated as the target's maximum memory address.
8627 (0xffff on 16 bit targets, 0xffffffff on 32 bit targets, etc.)
8628
8629 @item mem auto
8630 Discard any user changes to the memory regions and use target-supplied
8631 regions, if available, or no regions if the target does not support.
8632
8633 @kindex delete mem
8634 @item delete mem @var{nums}@dots{}
8635 Remove memory regions @var{nums}@dots{} from the list of regions
8636 monitored by @value{GDBN}.
8637
8638 @kindex disable mem
8639 @item disable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
8640 Disable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
8641 A disabled memory region is not forgotten.
8642 It may be enabled again later.
8643
8644 @kindex enable mem
8645 @item enable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
8646 Enable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
8647
8648 @kindex info mem
8649 @item info mem
8650 Print a table of all defined memory regions, with the following columns
8651 for each region:
8652
8653 @table @emph
8654 @item Memory Region Number
8655 @item Enabled or Disabled.
8656 Enabled memory regions are marked with @samp{y}.
8657 Disabled memory regions are marked with @samp{n}.
8658
8659 @item Lo Address
8660 The address defining the inclusive lower bound of the memory region.
8661
8662 @item Hi Address
8663 The address defining the exclusive upper bound of the memory region.
8664
8665 @item Attributes
8666 The list of attributes set for this memory region.
8667 @end table
8668 @end table
8669
8670
8671 @subsection Attributes
8672
8673 @subsubsection Memory Access Mode
8674 The access mode attributes set whether @value{GDBN} may make read or
8675 write accesses to a memory region.
8676
8677 While these attributes prevent @value{GDBN} from performing invalid
8678 memory accesses, they do nothing to prevent the target system, I/O DMA,
8679 etc.@: from accessing memory.
8680
8681 @table @code
8682 @item ro
8683 Memory is read only.
8684 @item wo
8685 Memory is write only.
8686 @item rw
8687 Memory is read/write. This is the default.
8688 @end table
8689
8690 @subsubsection Memory Access Size
8691 The access size attribute tells @value{GDBN} to use specific sized
8692 accesses in the memory region. Often memory mapped device registers
8693 require specific sized accesses. If no access size attribute is
8694 specified, @value{GDBN} may use accesses of any size.
8695
8696 @table @code
8697 @item 8
8698 Use 8 bit memory accesses.
8699 @item 16
8700 Use 16 bit memory accesses.
8701 @item 32
8702 Use 32 bit memory accesses.
8703 @item 64
8704 Use 64 bit memory accesses.
8705 @end table
8706
8707 @c @subsubsection Hardware/Software Breakpoints
8708 @c The hardware/software breakpoint attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
8709 @c will use hardware or software breakpoints for the internal breakpoints
8710 @c used by the step, next, finish, until, etc. commands.
8711 @c
8712 @c @table @code
8713 @c @item hwbreak
8714 @c Always use hardware breakpoints
8715 @c @item swbreak (default)
8716 @c @end table
8717
8718 @subsubsection Data Cache
8719 The data cache attributes set whether @value{GDBN} will cache target
8720 memory. While this generally improves performance by reducing debug
8721 protocol overhead, it can lead to incorrect results because @value{GDBN}
8722 does not know about volatile variables or memory mapped device
8723 registers.
8724
8725 @table @code
8726 @item cache
8727 Enable @value{GDBN} to cache target memory.
8728 @item nocache
8729 Disable @value{GDBN} from caching target memory. This is the default.
8730 @end table
8731
8732 @subsection Memory Access Checking
8733 @value{GDBN} can be instructed to refuse accesses to memory that is
8734 not explicitly described. This can be useful if accessing such
8735 regions has undesired effects for a specific target, or to provide
8736 better error checking. The following commands control this behaviour.
8737
8738 @table @code
8739 @kindex set mem inaccessible-by-default
8740 @item set mem inaccessible-by-default [on|off]
8741 If @code{on} is specified, make @value{GDBN} treat memory not
8742 explicitly described by the memory ranges as non-existent and refuse accesses
8743 to such memory. The checks are only performed if there's at least one
8744 memory range defined. If @code{off} is specified, make @value{GDBN}
8745 treat the memory not explicitly described by the memory ranges as RAM.
8746 The default value is @code{on}.
8747 @kindex show mem inaccessible-by-default
8748 @item show mem inaccessible-by-default
8749 Show the current handling of accesses to unknown memory.
8750 @end table
8751
8752
8753 @c @subsubsection Memory Write Verification
8754 @c The memory write verification attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
8755 @c will re-reads data after each write to verify the write was successful.
8756 @c
8757 @c @table @code
8758 @c @item verify
8759 @c @item noverify (default)
8760 @c @end table
8761
8762 @node Dump/Restore Files
8763 @section Copy Between Memory and a File
8764 @cindex dump/restore files
8765 @cindex append data to a file
8766 @cindex dump data to a file
8767 @cindex restore data from a file
8768
8769 You can use the commands @code{dump}, @code{append}, and
8770 @code{restore} to copy data between target memory and a file. The
8771 @code{dump} and @code{append} commands write data to a file, and the
8772 @code{restore} command reads data from a file back into the inferior's
8773 memory. Files may be in binary, Motorola S-record, Intel hex, or
8774 Tektronix Hex format; however, @value{GDBN} can only append to binary
8775 files.
8776
8777 @table @code
8778
8779 @kindex dump
8780 @item dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
8781 @itemx dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
8782 Dump the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
8783 or the value of @var{expr}, to @var{filename} in the given format.
8784
8785 The @var{format} parameter may be any one of:
8786 @table @code
8787 @item binary
8788 Raw binary form.
8789 @item ihex
8790 Intel hex format.
8791 @item srec
8792 Motorola S-record format.
8793 @item tekhex
8794 Tektronix Hex format.
8795 @end table
8796
8797 @value{GDBN} uses the same definitions of these formats as the
8798 @sc{gnu} binary utilities, like @samp{objdump} and @samp{objcopy}. If
8799 @var{format} is omitted, @value{GDBN} dumps the data in raw binary
8800 form.
8801
8802 @kindex append
8803 @item append @r{[}binary@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
8804 @itemx append @r{[}binary@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
8805 Append the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
8806 or the value of @var{expr}, to the file @var{filename}, in raw binary form.
8807 (@value{GDBN} can only append data to files in raw binary form.)
8808
8809 @kindex restore
8810 @item restore @var{filename} @r{[}binary@r{]} @var{bias} @var{start} @var{end}
8811 Restore the contents of file @var{filename} into memory. The
8812 @code{restore} command can automatically recognize any known @sc{bfd}
8813 file format, except for raw binary. To restore a raw binary file you
8814 must specify the optional keyword @code{binary} after the filename.
8815
8816 If @var{bias} is non-zero, its value will be added to the addresses
8817 contained in the file. Binary files always start at address zero, so
8818 they will be restored at address @var{bias}. Other bfd files have
8819 a built-in location; they will be restored at offset @var{bias}
8820 from that location.
8821
8822 If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are non-zero, then only data between
8823 file offset @var{start} and file offset @var{end} will be restored.
8824 These offsets are relative to the addresses in the file, before
8825 the @var{bias} argument is applied.
8826
8827 @end table
8828
8829 @node Core File Generation
8830 @section How to Produce a Core File from Your Program
8831 @cindex dump core from inferior
8832
8833 A @dfn{core file} or @dfn{core dump} is a file that records the memory
8834 image of a running process and its process status (register values
8835 etc.). Its primary use is post-mortem debugging of a program that
8836 crashed while it ran outside a debugger. A program that crashes
8837 automatically produces a core file, unless this feature is disabled by
8838 the user. @xref{Files}, for information on invoking @value{GDBN} in
8839 the post-mortem debugging mode.
8840
8841 Occasionally, you may wish to produce a core file of the program you
8842 are debugging in order to preserve a snapshot of its state.
8843 @value{GDBN} has a special command for that.
8844
8845 @table @code
8846 @kindex gcore
8847 @kindex generate-core-file
8848 @item generate-core-file [@var{file}]
8849 @itemx gcore [@var{file}]
8850 Produce a core dump of the inferior process. The optional argument
8851 @var{file} specifies the file name where to put the core dump. If not
8852 specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}}, where
8853 @var{pid} is the inferior process ID.
8854
8855 Note that this command is implemented only for some systems (as of
8856 this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, Unixware, and S390).
8857 @end table
8858
8859 @node Character Sets
8860 @section Character Sets
8861 @cindex character sets
8862 @cindex charset
8863 @cindex translating between character sets
8864 @cindex host character set
8865 @cindex target character set
8866
8867 If the program you are debugging uses a different character set to
8868 represent characters and strings than the one @value{GDBN} uses itself,
8869 @value{GDBN} can automatically translate between the character sets for
8870 you. The character set @value{GDBN} uses we call the @dfn{host
8871 character set}; the one the inferior program uses we call the
8872 @dfn{target character set}.
8873
8874 For example, if you are running @value{GDBN} on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, which
8875 uses the ISO Latin 1 character set, but you are using @value{GDBN}'s
8876 remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Debugging}) to debug a program
8877 running on an IBM mainframe, which uses the @sc{ebcdic} character set,
8878 then the host character set is Latin-1, and the target character set is
8879 @sc{ebcdic}. If you give @value{GDBN} the command @code{set
8880 target-charset EBCDIC-US}, then @value{GDBN} translates between
8881 @sc{ebcdic} and Latin 1 as you print character or string values, or use
8882 character and string literals in expressions.
8883
8884 @value{GDBN} has no way to automatically recognize which character set
8885 the inferior program uses; you must tell it, using the @code{set
8886 target-charset} command, described below.
8887
8888 Here are the commands for controlling @value{GDBN}'s character set
8889 support:
8890
8891 @table @code
8892 @item set target-charset @var{charset}
8893 @kindex set target-charset
8894 Set the current target character set to @var{charset}. To display the
8895 list of supported target character sets, type
8896 @kbd{@w{set target-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
8897
8898 @item set host-charset @var{charset}
8899 @kindex set host-charset
8900 Set the current host character set to @var{charset}.
8901
8902 By default, @value{GDBN} uses a host character set appropriate to the
8903 system it is running on; you can override that default using the
8904 @code{set host-charset} command. On some systems, @value{GDBN} cannot
8905 automatically determine the appropriate host character set. In this
8906 case, @value{GDBN} uses @samp{UTF-8}.
8907
8908 @value{GDBN} can only use certain character sets as its host character
8909 set. If you type @kbd{@w{set target-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
8910 @value{GDBN} will list the host character sets it supports.
8911
8912 @item set charset @var{charset}
8913 @kindex set charset
8914 Set the current host and target character sets to @var{charset}. As
8915 above, if you type @kbd{@w{set charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
8916 @value{GDBN} will list the names of the character sets that can be used
8917 for both host and target.
8918
8919 @item show charset
8920 @kindex show charset
8921 Show the names of the current host and target character sets.
8922
8923 @item show host-charset
8924 @kindex show host-charset
8925 Show the name of the current host character set.
8926
8927 @item show target-charset
8928 @kindex show target-charset
8929 Show the name of the current target character set.
8930
8931 @item set target-wide-charset @var{charset}
8932 @kindex set target-wide-charset
8933 Set the current target's wide character set to @var{charset}. This is
8934 the character set used by the target's @code{wchar_t} type. To
8935 display the list of supported wide character sets, type
8936 @kbd{@w{set target-wide-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
8937
8938 @item show target-wide-charset
8939 @kindex show target-wide-charset
8940 Show the name of the current target's wide character set.
8941 @end table
8942
8943 Here is an example of @value{GDBN}'s character set support in action.
8944 Assume that the following source code has been placed in the file
8945 @file{charset-test.c}:
8946
8947 @smallexample
8948 #include <stdio.h>
8949
8950 char ascii_hello[]
8951 = @{72, 101, 108, 108, 111, 44, 32, 119,
8952 111, 114, 108, 100, 33, 10, 0@};
8953 char ibm1047_hello[]
8954 = @{200, 133, 147, 147, 150, 107, 64, 166,
8955 150, 153, 147, 132, 90, 37, 0@};
8956
8957 main ()
8958 @{
8959 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
8960 @}
8961 @end smallexample
8962
8963 In this program, @code{ascii_hello} and @code{ibm1047_hello} are arrays
8964 containing the string @samp{Hello, world!} followed by a newline,
8965 encoded in the @sc{ascii} and @sc{ibm1047} character sets.
8966
8967 We compile the program, and invoke the debugger on it:
8968
8969 @smallexample
8970 $ gcc -g charset-test.c -o charset-test
8971 $ gdb -nw charset-test
8972 GNU gdb 2001-12-19-cvs
8973 Copyright 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
8974 @dots{}
8975 (@value{GDBP})
8976 @end smallexample
8977
8978 We can use the @code{show charset} command to see what character sets
8979 @value{GDBN} is currently using to interpret and display characters and
8980 strings:
8981
8982 @smallexample
8983 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
8984 The current host and target character set is `ISO-8859-1'.
8985 (@value{GDBP})
8986 @end smallexample
8987
8988 For the sake of printing this manual, let's use @sc{ascii} as our
8989 initial character set:
8990 @smallexample
8991 (@value{GDBP}) set charset ASCII
8992 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
8993 The current host and target character set is `ASCII'.
8994 (@value{GDBP})
8995 @end smallexample
8996
8997 Let's assume that @sc{ascii} is indeed the correct character set for our
8998 host system --- in other words, let's assume that if @value{GDBN} prints
8999 characters using the @sc{ascii} character set, our terminal will display
9000 them properly. Since our current target character set is also
9001 @sc{ascii}, the contents of @code{ascii_hello} print legibly:
9002
9003 @smallexample
9004 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
9005 $1 = 0x401698 "Hello, world!\n"
9006 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
9007 $2 = 72 'H'
9008 (@value{GDBP})
9009 @end smallexample
9010
9011 @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and string
9012 literals you use in expressions:
9013
9014 @smallexample
9015 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
9016 $3 = 43 '+'
9017 (@value{GDBP})
9018 @end smallexample
9019
9020 The @sc{ascii} character set uses the number 43 to encode the @samp{+}
9021 character.
9022
9023 @value{GDBN} relies on the user to tell it which character set the
9024 target program uses. If we print @code{ibm1047_hello} while our target
9025 character set is still @sc{ascii}, we get jibberish:
9026
9027 @smallexample
9028 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
9029 $4 = 0x4016a8 "\310\205\223\223\226k@@\246\226\231\223\204Z%"
9030 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
9031 $5 = 200 '\310'
9032 (@value{GDBP})
9033 @end smallexample
9034
9035 If we invoke the @code{set target-charset} followed by @key{TAB}@key{TAB},
9036 @value{GDBN} tells us the character sets it supports:
9037
9038 @smallexample
9039 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
9040 ASCII EBCDIC-US IBM1047 ISO-8859-1
9041 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
9042 @end smallexample
9043
9044 We can select @sc{ibm1047} as our target character set, and examine the
9045 program's strings again. Now the @sc{ascii} string is wrong, but
9046 @value{GDBN} translates the contents of @code{ibm1047_hello} from the
9047 target character set, @sc{ibm1047}, to the host character set,
9048 @sc{ascii}, and they display correctly:
9049
9050 @smallexample
9051 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset IBM1047
9052 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
9053 The current host character set is `ASCII'.
9054 The current target character set is `IBM1047'.
9055 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
9056 $6 = 0x401698 "\110\145%%?\054\040\167?\162%\144\041\012"
9057 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
9058 $7 = 72 '\110'
9059 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
9060 $8 = 0x4016a8 "Hello, world!\n"
9061 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
9062 $9 = 200 'H'
9063 (@value{GDBP})
9064 @end smallexample
9065
9066 As above, @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and
9067 string literals you use in expressions:
9068
9069 @smallexample
9070 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
9071 $10 = 78 '+'
9072 (@value{GDBP})
9073 @end smallexample
9074
9075 The @sc{ibm1047} character set uses the number 78 to encode the @samp{+}
9076 character.
9077
9078 @node Caching Remote Data
9079 @section Caching Data of Remote Targets
9080 @cindex caching data of remote targets
9081
9082 @value{GDBN} caches data exchanged between the debugger and a
9083 remote target (@pxref{Remote Debugging}). Such caching generally improves
9084 performance, because it reduces the overhead of the remote protocol by
9085 bundling memory reads and writes into large chunks. Unfortunately, simply
9086 caching everything would lead to incorrect results, since @value{GDBN}
9087 does not necessarily know anything about volatile values, memory-mapped I/O
9088 addresses, etc. Furthermore, in non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode})
9089 memory can be changed @emph{while} a gdb command is executing.
9090 Therefore, by default, @value{GDBN} only caches data
9091 known to be on the stack@footnote{In non-stop mode, it is moderately
9092 rare for a running thread to modify the stack of a stopped thread
9093 in a way that would interfere with a backtrace, and caching of
9094 stack reads provides a significant speed up of remote backtraces.}.
9095 Other regions of memory can be explicitly marked as
9096 cacheable; see @pxref{Memory Region Attributes}.
9097
9098 @table @code
9099 @kindex set remotecache
9100 @item set remotecache on
9101 @itemx set remotecache off
9102 This option no longer does anything; it exists for compatibility
9103 with old scripts.
9104
9105 @kindex show remotecache
9106 @item show remotecache
9107 Show the current state of the obsolete remotecache flag.
9108
9109 @kindex set stack-cache
9110 @item set stack-cache on
9111 @itemx set stack-cache off
9112 Enable or disable caching of stack accesses. When @code{ON}, use
9113 caching. By default, this option is @code{ON}.
9114
9115 @kindex show stack-cache
9116 @item show stack-cache
9117 Show the current state of data caching for memory accesses.
9118
9119 @kindex info dcache
9120 @item info dcache @r{[}line@r{]}
9121 Print the information about the data cache performance. The
9122 information displayed includes the dcache width and depth, and for
9123 each cache line, its number, address, and how many times it was
9124 referenced. This command is useful for debugging the data cache
9125 operation.
9126
9127 If a line number is specified, the contents of that line will be
9128 printed in hex.
9129 @end table
9130
9131 @node Searching Memory
9132 @section Search Memory
9133 @cindex searching memory
9134
9135 Memory can be searched for a particular sequence of bytes with the
9136 @code{find} command.
9137
9138 @table @code
9139 @kindex find
9140 @item find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, +@var{len}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
9141 @itemx find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, @var{end_addr}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
9142 Search memory for the sequence of bytes specified by @var{val1}, @var{val2},
9143 etc. The search begins at address @var{start_addr} and continues for either
9144 @var{len} bytes or through to @var{end_addr} inclusive.
9145 @end table
9146
9147 @var{s} and @var{n} are optional parameters.
9148 They may be specified in either order, apart or together.
9149
9150 @table @r
9151 @item @var{s}, search query size
9152 The size of each search query value.
9153
9154 @table @code
9155 @item b
9156 bytes
9157 @item h
9158 halfwords (two bytes)
9159 @item w
9160 words (four bytes)
9161 @item g
9162 giant words (eight bytes)
9163 @end table
9164
9165 All values are interpreted in the current language.
9166 This means, for example, that if the current source language is C/C@t{++}
9167 then searching for the string ``hello'' includes the trailing '\0'.
9168
9169 If the value size is not specified, it is taken from the
9170 value's type in the current language.
9171 This is useful when one wants to specify the search
9172 pattern as a mixture of types.
9173 Note that this means, for example, that in the case of C-like languages
9174 a search for an untyped 0x42 will search for @samp{(int) 0x42}
9175 which is typically four bytes.
9176
9177 @item @var{n}, maximum number of finds
9178 The maximum number of matches to print. The default is to print all finds.
9179 @end table
9180
9181 You can use strings as search values. Quote them with double-quotes
9182 (@code{"}).
9183 The string value is copied into the search pattern byte by byte,
9184 regardless of the endianness of the target and the size specification.
9185
9186 The address of each match found is printed as well as a count of the
9187 number of matches found.
9188
9189 The address of the last value found is stored in convenience variable
9190 @samp{$_}.
9191 A count of the number of matches is stored in @samp{$numfound}.
9192
9193 For example, if stopped at the @code{printf} in this function:
9194
9195 @smallexample
9196 void
9197 hello ()
9198 @{
9199 static char hello[] = "hello-hello";
9200 static struct @{ char c; short s; int i; @}
9201 __attribute__ ((packed)) mixed
9202 = @{ 'c', 0x1234, 0x87654321 @};
9203 printf ("%s\n", hello);
9204 @}
9205 @end smallexample
9206
9207 @noindent
9208 you get during debugging:
9209
9210 @smallexample
9211 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), "hello"
9212 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
9213 1 pattern found
9214 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o'
9215 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
9216 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
9217 2 patterns found
9218 (gdb) find /b1 &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 0x65, 'l'
9219 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
9220 1 pattern found
9221 (gdb) find &mixed, +sizeof(mixed), (char) 'c', (short) 0x1234, (int) 0x87654321
9222 0x8049560 <mixed.1625>
9223 1 pattern found
9224 (gdb) print $numfound
9225 $1 = 1
9226 (gdb) print $_
9227 $2 = (void *) 0x8049560
9228 @end smallexample
9229
9230 @node Optimized Code
9231 @chapter Debugging Optimized Code
9232 @cindex optimized code, debugging
9233 @cindex debugging optimized code
9234
9235 Almost all compilers support optimization. With optimization
9236 disabled, the compiler generates assembly code that corresponds
9237 directly to your source code, in a simplistic way. As the compiler
9238 applies more powerful optimizations, the generated assembly code
9239 diverges from your original source code. With help from debugging
9240 information generated by the compiler, @value{GDBN} can map from
9241 the running program back to constructs from your original source.
9242
9243 @value{GDBN} is more accurate with optimization disabled. If you
9244 can recompile without optimization, it is easier to follow the
9245 progress of your program during debugging. But, there are many cases
9246 where you may need to debug an optimized version.
9247
9248 When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
9249 optimizer has rearranged your code; the debugger shows you what is
9250 really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
9251 exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
9252 variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
9253 variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
9254
9255 Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
9256 @samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
9257 doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
9258 please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
9259 @xref{Variables}, for more information about debugging optimized code.
9260
9261 @menu
9262 * Inline Functions:: How @value{GDBN} presents inlining
9263 @end menu
9264
9265 @node Inline Functions
9266 @section Inline Functions
9267 @cindex inline functions, debugging
9268
9269 @dfn{Inlining} is an optimization that inserts a copy of the function
9270 body directly at each call site, instead of jumping to a shared
9271 routine. @value{GDBN} displays inlined functions just like
9272 non-inlined functions. They appear in backtraces. You can view their
9273 arguments and local variables, step into them with @code{step}, skip
9274 them with @code{next}, and escape from them with @code{finish}.
9275 You can check whether a function was inlined by using the
9276 @code{info frame} command.
9277
9278 For @value{GDBN} to support inlined functions, the compiler must
9279 record information about inlining in the debug information ---
9280 @value{NGCC} using the @sc{dwarf 2} format does this, and several
9281 other compilers do also. @value{GDBN} only supports inlined functions
9282 when using @sc{dwarf 2}. Versions of @value{NGCC} before 4.1
9283 do not emit two required attributes (@samp{DW_AT_call_file} and
9284 @samp{DW_AT_call_line}); @value{GDBN} does not display inlined
9285 function calls with earlier versions of @value{NGCC}. It instead
9286 displays the arguments and local variables of inlined functions as
9287 local variables in the caller.
9288
9289 The body of an inlined function is directly included at its call site;
9290 unlike a non-inlined function, there are no instructions devoted to
9291 the call. @value{GDBN} still pretends that the call site and the
9292 start of the inlined function are different instructions. Stepping to
9293 the call site shows the call site, and then stepping again shows
9294 the first line of the inlined function, even though no additional
9295 instructions are executed.
9296
9297 This makes source-level debugging much clearer; you can see both the
9298 context of the call and then the effect of the call. Only stepping by
9299 a single instruction using @code{stepi} or @code{nexti} does not do
9300 this; single instruction steps always show the inlined body.
9301
9302 There are some ways that @value{GDBN} does not pretend that inlined
9303 function calls are the same as normal calls:
9304
9305 @itemize @bullet
9306 @item
9307 You cannot set breakpoints on inlined functions. @value{GDBN}
9308 either reports that there is no symbol with that name, or else sets the
9309 breakpoint only on non-inlined copies of the function. This limitation
9310 will be removed in a future version of @value{GDBN}; until then,
9311 set a breakpoint by line number on the first line of the inlined
9312 function instead.
9313
9314 @item
9315 Setting breakpoints at the call site of an inlined function may not
9316 work, because the call site does not contain any code. @value{GDBN}
9317 may incorrectly move the breakpoint to the next line of the enclosing
9318 function, after the call. This limitation will be removed in a future
9319 version of @value{GDBN}; until then, set a breakpoint on an earlier line
9320 or inside the inlined function instead.
9321
9322 @item
9323 @value{GDBN} cannot locate the return value of inlined calls after
9324 using the @code{finish} command. This is a limitation of compiler-generated
9325 debugging information; after @code{finish}, you can step to the next line
9326 and print a variable where your program stored the return value.
9327
9328 @end itemize
9329
9330
9331 @node Macros
9332 @chapter C Preprocessor Macros
9333
9334 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, provide a way to define and invoke
9335 ``preprocessor macros'' which expand into strings of tokens.
9336 @value{GDBN} can evaluate expressions containing macro invocations, show
9337 the result of macro expansion, and show a macro's definition, including
9338 where it was defined.
9339
9340 You may need to compile your program specially to provide @value{GDBN}
9341 with information about preprocessor macros. Most compilers do not
9342 include macros in their debugging information, even when you compile
9343 with the @option{-g} flag. @xref{Compilation}.
9344
9345 A program may define a macro at one point, remove that definition later,
9346 and then provide a different definition after that. Thus, at different
9347 points in the program, a macro may have different definitions, or have
9348 no definition at all. If there is a current stack frame, @value{GDBN}
9349 uses the macros in scope at that frame's source code line. Otherwise,
9350 @value{GDBN} uses the macros in scope at the current listing location;
9351 see @ref{List}.
9352
9353 Whenever @value{GDBN} evaluates an expression, it always expands any
9354 macro invocations present in the expression. @value{GDBN} also provides
9355 the following commands for working with macros explicitly.
9356
9357 @table @code
9358
9359 @kindex macro expand
9360 @cindex macro expansion, showing the results of preprocessor
9361 @cindex preprocessor macro expansion, showing the results of
9362 @cindex expanding preprocessor macros
9363 @item macro expand @var{expression}
9364 @itemx macro exp @var{expression}
9365 Show the results of expanding all preprocessor macro invocations in
9366 @var{expression}. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does
9367 not parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression;
9368 it can be any string of tokens.
9369
9370 @kindex macro exp1
9371 @item macro expand-once @var{expression}
9372 @itemx macro exp1 @var{expression}
9373 @cindex expand macro once
9374 @i{(This command is not yet implemented.)} Show the results of
9375 expanding those preprocessor macro invocations that appear explicitly in
9376 @var{expression}. Macro invocations appearing in that expansion are
9377 left unchanged. This command allows you to see the effect of a
9378 particular macro more clearly, without being confused by further
9379 expansions. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does not
9380 parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression; it
9381 can be any string of tokens.
9382
9383 @kindex info macro
9384 @cindex macro definition, showing
9385 @cindex definition, showing a macro's
9386 @item info macro @var{macro}
9387 Show the definition of the macro named @var{macro}, and describe the
9388 source location or compiler command-line where that definition was established.
9389
9390 @kindex macro define
9391 @cindex user-defined macros
9392 @cindex defining macros interactively
9393 @cindex macros, user-defined
9394 @item macro define @var{macro} @var{replacement-list}
9395 @itemx macro define @var{macro}(@var{arglist}) @var{replacement-list}
9396 Introduce a definition for a preprocessor macro named @var{macro},
9397 invocations of which are replaced by the tokens given in
9398 @var{replacement-list}. The first form of this command defines an
9399 ``object-like'' macro, which takes no arguments; the second form
9400 defines a ``function-like'' macro, which takes the arguments given in
9401 @var{arglist}.
9402
9403 A definition introduced by this command is in scope in every
9404 expression evaluated in @value{GDBN}, until it is removed with the
9405 @code{macro undef} command, described below. The definition overrides
9406 all definitions for @var{macro} present in the program being debugged,
9407 as well as any previous user-supplied definition.
9408
9409 @kindex macro undef
9410 @item macro undef @var{macro}
9411 Remove any user-supplied definition for the macro named @var{macro}.
9412 This command only affects definitions provided with the @code{macro
9413 define} command, described above; it cannot remove definitions present
9414 in the program being debugged.
9415
9416 @kindex macro list
9417 @item macro list
9418 List all the macros defined using the @code{macro define} command.
9419 @end table
9420
9421 @cindex macros, example of debugging with
9422 Here is a transcript showing the above commands in action. First, we
9423 show our source files:
9424
9425 @smallexample
9426 $ cat sample.c
9427 #include <stdio.h>
9428 #include "sample.h"
9429
9430 #define M 42
9431 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
9432
9433 main ()
9434 @{
9435 #define N 28
9436 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
9437 #undef N
9438 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
9439 #define N 1729
9440 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
9441 @}
9442 $ cat sample.h
9443 #define Q <
9444 $
9445 @end smallexample
9446
9447 Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler, @value{NGCC}.
9448 We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-g3} flags to ensure the
9449 compiler includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
9450 information.
9451
9452 @smallexample
9453 $ gcc -gdwarf-2 -g3 sample.c -o sample
9454 $
9455 @end smallexample
9456
9457 Now, we start @value{GDBN} on our sample program:
9458
9459 @smallexample
9460 $ gdb -nw sample
9461 GNU gdb 2002-05-06-cvs
9462 Copyright 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
9463 GDB is free software, @dots{}
9464 (@value{GDBP})
9465 @end smallexample
9466
9467 We can expand macros and examine their definitions, even when the
9468 program is not running. @value{GDBN} uses the current listing position
9469 to decide which macro definitions are in scope:
9470
9471 @smallexample
9472 (@value{GDBP}) list main
9473 3
9474 4 #define M 42
9475 5 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
9476 6
9477 7 main ()
9478 8 @{
9479 9 #define N 28
9480 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
9481 11 #undef N
9482 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
9483 (@value{GDBP}) info macro ADD
9484 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:5
9485 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
9486 (@value{GDBP}) info macro Q
9487 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.h:1
9488 included at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:2
9489 #define Q <
9490 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand ADD(1)
9491 expands to: (42 + 1)
9492 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand-once ADD(1)
9493 expands to: once (M + 1)
9494 (@value{GDBP})
9495 @end smallexample
9496
9497 In the example above, note that @code{macro expand-once} expands only
9498 the macro invocation explicit in the original text --- the invocation of
9499 @code{ADD} --- but does not expand the invocation of the macro @code{M},
9500 which was introduced by @code{ADD}.
9501
9502 Once the program is running, @value{GDBN} uses the macro definitions in
9503 force at the source line of the current stack frame:
9504
9505 @smallexample
9506 (@value{GDBP}) break main
9507 Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048370: file sample.c, line 10.
9508 (@value{GDBP}) run
9509 Starting program: /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample
9510
9511 Breakpoint 1, main () at sample.c:10
9512 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
9513 (@value{GDBP})
9514 @end smallexample
9515
9516 At line 10, the definition of the macro @code{N} at line 9 is in force:
9517
9518 @smallexample
9519 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
9520 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:9
9521 #define N 28
9522 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
9523 expands to: 28 < 42
9524 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
9525 $1 = 1
9526 (@value{GDBP})
9527 @end smallexample
9528
9529 As we step over directives that remove @code{N}'s definition, and then
9530 give it a new definition, @value{GDBN} finds the definition (or lack
9531 thereof) in force at each point:
9532
9533 @smallexample
9534 (@value{GDBP}) next
9535 Hello, world!
9536 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
9537 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
9538 The symbol `N' has no definition as a C/C++ preprocessor macro
9539 at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:12
9540 (@value{GDBP}) next
9541 We're so creative.
9542 14 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
9543 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
9544 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:13
9545 #define N 1729
9546 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
9547 expands to: 1729 < 42
9548 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
9549 $2 = 0
9550 (@value{GDBP})
9551 @end smallexample
9552
9553 In addition to source files, macros can be defined on the compilation command
9554 line using the @option{-D@var{name}=@var{value}} syntax. For macros defined in
9555 such a way, @value{GDBN} displays the location of their definition as line zero
9556 of the source file submitted to the compiler.
9557
9558 @smallexample
9559 (@value{GDBP}) info macro __STDC__
9560 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:0
9561 -D__STDC__=1
9562 (@value{GDBP})
9563 @end smallexample
9564
9565
9566 @node Tracepoints
9567 @chapter Tracepoints
9568 @c This chapter is based on the documentation written by Michael
9569 @c Snyder, David Taylor, Jim Blandy, and Elena Zannoni.
9570
9571 @cindex tracepoints
9572 In some applications, it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt
9573 the program's execution long enough for the developer to learn
9574 anything helpful about its behavior. If the program's correctness
9575 depends on its real-time behavior, delays introduced by a debugger
9576 might cause the program to change its behavior drastically, or perhaps
9577 fail, even when the code itself is correct. It is useful to be able
9578 to observe the program's behavior without interrupting it.
9579
9580 Using @value{GDBN}'s @code{trace} and @code{collect} commands, you can
9581 specify locations in the program, called @dfn{tracepoints}, and
9582 arbitrary expressions to evaluate when those tracepoints are reached.
9583 Later, using the @code{tfind} command, you can examine the values
9584 those expressions had when the program hit the tracepoints. The
9585 expressions may also denote objects in memory---structures or arrays,
9586 for example---whose values @value{GDBN} should record; while visiting
9587 a particular tracepoint, you may inspect those objects as if they were
9588 in memory at that moment. However, because @value{GDBN} records these
9589 values without interacting with you, it can do so quickly and
9590 unobtrusively, hopefully not disturbing the program's behavior.
9591
9592 The tracepoint facility is currently available only for remote
9593 targets. @xref{Targets}. In addition, your remote target must know
9594 how to collect trace data. This functionality is implemented in the
9595 remote stub; however, none of the stubs distributed with @value{GDBN}
9596 support tracepoints as of this writing. The format of the remote
9597 packets used to implement tracepoints are described in @ref{Tracepoint
9598 Packets}.
9599
9600 It is also possible to get trace data from a file, in a manner reminiscent
9601 of corefiles; you specify the filename, and use @code{tfind} to search
9602 through the file. @xref{Trace Files}, for more details.
9603
9604 This chapter describes the tracepoint commands and features.
9605
9606 @menu
9607 * Set Tracepoints::
9608 * Analyze Collected Data::
9609 * Tracepoint Variables::
9610 * Trace Files::
9611 @end menu
9612
9613 @node Set Tracepoints
9614 @section Commands to Set Tracepoints
9615
9616 Before running such a @dfn{trace experiment}, an arbitrary number of
9617 tracepoints can be set. A tracepoint is actually a special type of
9618 breakpoint (@pxref{Set Breaks}), so you can manipulate it using
9619 standard breakpoint commands. For instance, as with breakpoints,
9620 tracepoint numbers are successive integers starting from one, and many
9621 of the commands associated with tracepoints take the tracepoint number
9622 as their argument, to identify which tracepoint to work on.
9623
9624 For each tracepoint, you can specify, in advance, some arbitrary set
9625 of data that you want the target to collect in the trace buffer when
9626 it hits that tracepoint. The collected data can include registers,
9627 local variables, or global data. Later, you can use @value{GDBN}
9628 commands to examine the values these data had at the time the
9629 tracepoint was hit.
9630
9631 Tracepoints do not support every breakpoint feature. Ignore counts on
9632 tracepoints have no effect, and tracepoints cannot run @value{GDBN}
9633 commands when they are hit. Tracepoints may not be thread-specific
9634 either.
9635
9636 @cindex fast tracepoints
9637 Some targets may support @dfn{fast tracepoints}, which are inserted in
9638 a different way (such as with a jump instead of a trap), that is
9639 faster but possibly restricted in where they may be installed.
9640
9641 @cindex static tracepoints
9642 @cindex markers, static tracepoints
9643 @cindex probing markers, static tracepoints
9644 Regular and fast tracepoints are dynamic tracing facilities, meaning
9645 that they can be used to insert tracepoints at (almost) any location
9646 in the target. Some targets may also support controlling @dfn{static
9647 tracepoints} from @value{GDBN}. With static tracing, a set of
9648 instrumentation points, also known as @dfn{markers}, are embedded in
9649 the target program, and can be activated or deactivated by name or
9650 address. These are usually placed at locations which facilitate
9651 investigating what the target is actually doing. @value{GDBN}'s
9652 support for static tracing includes being able to list instrumentation
9653 points, and attach them with @value{GDBN} defined high level
9654 tracepoints that expose the whole range of convenience of
9655 @value{GDBN}'s tracepoints support. Namelly, support for collecting
9656 registers values and values of global or local (to the instrumentation
9657 point) variables; tracepoint conditions and trace state variables.
9658 The act of installing a @value{GDBN} static tracepoint on an
9659 instrumentation point, or marker, is referred to as @dfn{probing} a
9660 static tracepoint marker.
9661
9662 @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints on some target systems.
9663 @xref{Server,,Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}}.
9664
9665 This section describes commands to set tracepoints and associated
9666 conditions and actions.
9667
9668 @menu
9669 * Create and Delete Tracepoints::
9670 * Enable and Disable Tracepoints::
9671 * Tracepoint Passcounts::
9672 * Tracepoint Conditions::
9673 * Trace State Variables::
9674 * Tracepoint Actions::
9675 * Listing Tracepoints::
9676 * Listing Static Tracepoint Markers::
9677 * Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments::
9678 * Tracepoint Restrictions::
9679 @end menu
9680
9681 @node Create and Delete Tracepoints
9682 @subsection Create and Delete Tracepoints
9683
9684 @table @code
9685 @cindex set tracepoint
9686 @kindex trace
9687 @item trace @var{location}
9688 The @code{trace} command is very similar to the @code{break} command.
9689 Its argument @var{location} can be a source line, a function name, or
9690 an address in the target program. @xref{Specify Location}. The
9691 @code{trace} command defines a tracepoint, which is a point in the
9692 target program where the debugger will briefly stop, collect some
9693 data, and then allow the program to continue. Setting a tracepoint or
9694 changing its actions doesn't take effect until the next @code{tstart}
9695 command, and once a trace experiment is running, further changes will
9696 not have any effect until the next trace experiment starts.
9697
9698 Here are some examples of using the @code{trace} command:
9699
9700 @smallexample
9701 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo.c:121} // a source file and line number
9702
9703 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace +2} // 2 lines forward
9704
9705 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace my_function} // first source line of function
9706
9707 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *my_function} // EXACT start address of function
9708
9709 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *0x2117c4} // an address
9710 @end smallexample
9711
9712 @noindent
9713 You can abbreviate @code{trace} as @code{tr}.
9714
9715 @item trace @var{location} if @var{cond}
9716 Set a tracepoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
9717 @var{cond} each time the tracepoint is reached, and collect data only
9718 if the value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
9719 @xref{Tracepoint Conditions, ,Tracepoint Conditions}, for more
9720 information on tracepoint conditions.
9721
9722 @item ftrace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
9723 @cindex set fast tracepoint
9724 @cindex fast tracepoints, setting
9725 @kindex ftrace
9726 The @code{ftrace} command sets a fast tracepoint. For targets that
9727 support them, fast tracepoints will use a more efficient but possibly
9728 less general technique to trigger data collection, such as a jump
9729 instruction instead of a trap, or some sort of hardware support. It
9730 may not be possible to create a fast tracepoint at the desired
9731 location, in which case the command will exit with an explanatory
9732 message.
9733
9734 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{ftrace} exactly as for
9735 @code{trace}.
9736
9737 @item strace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
9738 @cindex set static tracepoint
9739 @cindex static tracepoints, setting
9740 @cindex probe static tracepoint marker
9741 @kindex strace
9742 The @code{strace} command sets a static tracepoint. For targets that
9743 support it, setting a static tracepoint probes a static
9744 instrumentation point, or marker, found at @var{location}. It may not
9745 be possible to set a static tracepoint at the desired location, in
9746 which case the command will exit with an explanatory message.
9747
9748 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{strace} exactly as for
9749 @code{trace}, with the addition that the user can also specify
9750 @code{-m @var{marker}} as @var{location}. This probes the marker
9751 identified by the @var{marker} string identifier. This identifier
9752 depends on the static tracepoint backend library your program is
9753 using. You can find all the marker identifiers in the @samp{ID} field
9754 of the @code{info static-tracepoint-markers} command output.
9755 @xref{Listing Static Tracepoint Markers,,Listing Static Tracepoint
9756 Markers}. For example, in the following small program using the UST
9757 tracing engine:
9758
9759 @smallexample
9760 main ()
9761 @{
9762 trace_mark(ust, bar33, "str %s", "FOOBAZ");
9763 @}
9764 @end smallexample
9765
9766 @noindent
9767 the marker id is composed of joining the first two arguments to the
9768 @code{trace_mark} call with a slash, which translates to:
9769
9770 @smallexample
9771 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
9772 Cnt Enb ID Address What
9773 1 n ust/bar33 0x0000000000400ddc in main at stexample.c:22
9774 Data: "str %s"
9775 [etc...]
9776 @end smallexample
9777
9778 @noindent
9779 so you may probe the marker above with:
9780
9781 @smallexample
9782 (@value{GDBP}) strace -m ust/bar33
9783 @end smallexample
9784
9785 Static tracepoints accept an extra collect action --- @code{collect
9786 $_sdata}. This collects arbitrary user data passed in the probe point
9787 call to the tracing library. In the UST example above, you'll see
9788 that the third argument to @code{trace_mark} is a printf-like format
9789 string. The user data is then the result of running that formating
9790 string against the following arguments. Note that @code{info
9791 static-tracepoint-markers} command output lists that format string in
9792 the @samp{Data:} field.
9793
9794 You can inspect this data when analyzing the trace buffer, by printing
9795 the $_sdata variable like any other variable available to
9796 @value{GDBN}. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}.
9797
9798 @vindex $tpnum
9799 @cindex last tracepoint number
9800 @cindex recent tracepoint number
9801 @cindex tracepoint number
9802 The convenience variable @code{$tpnum} records the tracepoint number
9803 of the most recently set tracepoint.
9804
9805 @kindex delete tracepoint
9806 @cindex tracepoint deletion
9807 @item delete tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
9808 Permanently delete one or more tracepoints. With no argument, the
9809 default is to delete all tracepoints. Note that the regular
9810 @code{delete} command can remove tracepoints also.
9811
9812 Examples:
9813
9814 @smallexample
9815 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace 1 2 3} // remove three tracepoints
9816
9817 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace} // remove all tracepoints
9818 @end smallexample
9819
9820 @noindent
9821 You can abbreviate this command as @code{del tr}.
9822 @end table
9823
9824 @node Enable and Disable Tracepoints
9825 @subsection Enable and Disable Tracepoints
9826
9827 These commands are deprecated; they are equivalent to plain @code{disable} and @code{enable}.
9828
9829 @table @code
9830 @kindex disable tracepoint
9831 @item disable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
9832 Disable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints if no argument
9833 @var{num} is given. A disabled tracepoint will have no effect during
9834 the next trace experiment, but it is not forgotten. You can re-enable
9835 a disabled tracepoint using the @code{enable tracepoint} command.
9836
9837 @kindex enable tracepoint
9838 @item enable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
9839 Enable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints. The enabled
9840 tracepoints will become effective the next time a trace experiment is
9841 run.
9842 @end table
9843
9844 @node Tracepoint Passcounts
9845 @subsection Tracepoint Passcounts
9846
9847 @table @code
9848 @kindex passcount
9849 @cindex tracepoint pass count
9850 @item passcount @r{[}@var{n} @r{[}@var{num}@r{]]}
9851 Set the @dfn{passcount} of a tracepoint. The passcount is a way to
9852 automatically stop a trace experiment. If a tracepoint's passcount is
9853 @var{n}, then the trace experiment will be automatically stopped on
9854 the @var{n}'th time that tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number
9855 @var{num} is not specified, the @code{passcount} command sets the
9856 passcount of the most recently defined tracepoint. If no passcount is
9857 given, the trace experiment will run until stopped explicitly by the
9858 user.
9859
9860 Examples:
9861
9862 @smallexample
9863 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 5 2} // Stop on the 5th execution of
9864 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// tracepoint 2}
9865
9866 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 12} // Stop on the 12th execution of the
9867 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// most recently defined tracepoint.}
9868 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
9869 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 3}
9870 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace bar}
9871 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 2}
9872 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace baz}
9873 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 1} // Stop tracing when foo has been
9874 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// executed 3 times OR when bar has}
9875 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// been executed 2 times}
9876 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// OR when baz has been executed 1 time.}
9877 @end smallexample
9878 @end table
9879
9880 @node Tracepoint Conditions
9881 @subsection Tracepoint Conditions
9882 @cindex conditional tracepoints
9883 @cindex tracepoint conditions
9884
9885 The simplest sort of tracepoint collects data every time your program
9886 reaches a specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for
9887 a tracepoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
9888 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A
9889 tracepoint with a condition evaluates the expression each time your
9890 program reaches it, and data collection happens only if the condition
9891 is true.
9892
9893 Tracepoint conditions can be specified when a tracepoint is set, by
9894 using @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{trace} command.
9895 @xref{Create and Delete Tracepoints, ,Setting Tracepoints}. They can
9896 also be set or changed at any time with the @code{condition} command,
9897 just as with breakpoints.
9898
9899 Unlike breakpoint conditions, @value{GDBN} does not actually evaluate
9900 the conditional expression itself. Instead, @value{GDBN} encodes the
9901 expression into an agent expression (@pxref{Agent Expressions}
9902 suitable for execution on the target, independently of @value{GDBN}.
9903 Global variables become raw memory locations, locals become stack
9904 accesses, and so forth.
9905
9906 For instance, suppose you have a function that is usually called
9907 frequently, but should not be called after an error has occurred. You
9908 could use the following tracepoint command to collect data about calls
9909 of that function that happen while the error code is propagating
9910 through the program; an unconditional tracepoint could end up
9911 collecting thousands of useless trace frames that you would have to
9912 search through.
9913
9914 @smallexample
9915 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{trace normal_operation if errcode > 0}
9916 @end smallexample
9917
9918 @node Trace State Variables
9919 @subsection Trace State Variables
9920 @cindex trace state variables
9921
9922 A @dfn{trace state variable} is a special type of variable that is
9923 created and managed by target-side code. The syntax is the same as
9924 that for GDB's convenience variables (a string prefixed with ``$''),
9925 but they are stored on the target. They must be created explicitly,
9926 using a @code{tvariable} command. They are always 64-bit signed
9927 integers.
9928
9929 Trace state variables are remembered by @value{GDBN}, and downloaded
9930 to the target along with tracepoint information when the trace
9931 experiment starts. There are no intrinsic limits on the number of
9932 trace state variables, beyond memory limitations of the target.
9933
9934 @cindex convenience variables, and trace state variables
9935 Although trace state variables are managed by the target, you can use
9936 them in print commands and expressions as if they were convenience
9937 variables; @value{GDBN} will get the current value from the target
9938 while the trace experiment is running. Trace state variables share
9939 the same namespace as other ``$'' variables, which means that you
9940 cannot have trace state variables with names like @code{$23} or
9941 @code{$pc}, nor can you have a trace state variable and a convenience
9942 variable with the same name.
9943
9944 @table @code
9945
9946 @item tvariable $@var{name} [ = @var{expression} ]
9947 @kindex tvariable
9948 The @code{tvariable} command creates a new trace state variable named
9949 @code{$@var{name}}, and optionally gives it an initial value of
9950 @var{expression}. @var{expression} is evaluated when this command is
9951 entered; the result will be converted to an integer if possible,
9952 otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error. A subsequent
9953 @code{tvariable} command specifying the same name does not create a
9954 variable, but instead assigns the supplied initial value to the
9955 existing variable of that name, overwriting any previous initial
9956 value. The default initial value is 0.
9957
9958 @item info tvariables
9959 @kindex info tvariables
9960 List all the trace state variables along with their initial values.
9961 Their current values may also be displayed, if the trace experiment is
9962 currently running.
9963
9964 @item delete tvariable @r{[} $@var{name} @dots{} @r{]}
9965 @kindex delete tvariable
9966 Delete the given trace state variables, or all of them if no arguments
9967 are specified.
9968
9969 @end table
9970
9971 @node Tracepoint Actions
9972 @subsection Tracepoint Action Lists
9973
9974 @table @code
9975 @kindex actions
9976 @cindex tracepoint actions
9977 @item actions @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
9978 This command will prompt for a list of actions to be taken when the
9979 tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number @var{num} is not
9980 specified, this command sets the actions for the one that was most
9981 recently defined (so that you can define a tracepoint and then say
9982 @code{actions} without bothering about its number). You specify the
9983 actions themselves on the following lines, one action at a time, and
9984 terminate the actions list with a line containing just @code{end}. So
9985 far, the only defined actions are @code{collect}, @code{teval}, and
9986 @code{while-stepping}.
9987
9988 @code{actions} is actually equivalent to @code{commands} (@pxref{Break
9989 Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}), except that only the defined
9990 actions are allowed; any other @value{GDBN} command is rejected.
9991
9992 @cindex remove actions from a tracepoint
9993 To remove all actions from a tracepoint, type @samp{actions @var{num}}
9994 and follow it immediately with @samp{end}.
9995
9996 @smallexample
9997 (@value{GDBP}) @b{collect @var{data}} // collect some data
9998
9999 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while-stepping 5} // single-step 5 times, collect data
10000
10001 (@value{GDBP}) @b{end} // signals the end of actions.
10002 @end smallexample
10003
10004 In the following example, the action list begins with @code{collect}
10005 commands indicating the things to be collected when the tracepoint is
10006 hit. Then, in order to single-step and collect additional data
10007 following the tracepoint, a @code{while-stepping} command is used,
10008 followed by the list of things to be collected after each step in a
10009 sequence of single steps. The @code{while-stepping} command is
10010 terminated by its own separate @code{end} command. Lastly, the action
10011 list is terminated by an @code{end} command.
10012
10013 @smallexample
10014 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
10015 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
10016 Enter actions for tracepoint 1, one per line:
10017 > collect bar,baz
10018 > collect $regs
10019 > while-stepping 12
10020 > collect $pc, arr[i]
10021 > end
10022 end
10023 @end smallexample
10024
10025 @kindex collect @r{(tracepoints)}
10026 @item collect @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10027 Collect values of the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit.
10028 This command accepts a comma-separated list of any valid expressions.
10029 In addition to global, static, or local variables, the following
10030 special arguments are supported:
10031
10032 @table @code
10033 @item $regs
10034 Collect all registers.
10035
10036 @item $args
10037 Collect all function arguments.
10038
10039 @item $locals
10040 Collect all local variables.
10041
10042 @item $_sdata
10043 @vindex $_sdata@r{, collect}
10044 Collect static tracepoint marker specific data. Only available for
10045 static tracepoints. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action
10046 Lists}. On the UST static tracepoints library backend, an
10047 instrumentation point resembles a @code{printf} function call. The
10048 tracing library is able to collect user specified data formatted to a
10049 character string using the format provided by the programmer that
10050 instrumented the program. Other backends have similar mechanisms.
10051 Here's an example of a UST marker call:
10052
10053 @smallexample
10054 const char master_name[] = "$your_name";
10055 trace_mark(channel1, marker1, "hello %s", master_name)
10056 @end smallexample
10057
10058 In this case, collecting @code{$_sdata} collects the string
10059 @samp{hello $yourname}. When analyzing the trace buffer, you can
10060 inspect @samp{$_sdata} like any other variable available to
10061 @value{GDBN}.
10062 @end table
10063
10064 You can give several consecutive @code{collect} commands, each one
10065 with a single argument, or one @code{collect} command with several
10066 arguments separated by commas; the effect is the same.
10067
10068 The command @code{info scope} (@pxref{Symbols, info scope}) is
10069 particularly useful for figuring out what data to collect.
10070
10071 @kindex teval @r{(tracepoints)}
10072 @item teval @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10073 Evaluate the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit. This
10074 command accepts a comma-separated list of expressions. The results
10075 are discarded, so this is mainly useful for assigning values to trace
10076 state variables (@pxref{Trace State Variables}) without adding those
10077 values to the trace buffer, as would be the case if the @code{collect}
10078 action were used.
10079
10080 @kindex while-stepping @r{(tracepoints)}
10081 @item while-stepping @var{n}
10082 Perform @var{n} single-step instruction traces after the tracepoint,
10083 collecting new data after each step. The @code{while-stepping}
10084 command is followed by the list of what to collect while stepping
10085 (followed by its own @code{end} command):
10086
10087 @smallexample
10088 > while-stepping 12
10089 > collect $regs, myglobal
10090 > end
10091 >
10092 @end smallexample
10093
10094 @noindent
10095 Note that @code{$pc} is not automatically collected by
10096 @code{while-stepping}; you need to explicitly collect that register if
10097 you need it. You may abbreviate @code{while-stepping} as @code{ws} or
10098 @code{stepping}.
10099
10100 @item set default-collect @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10101 @kindex set default-collect
10102 @cindex default collection action
10103 This variable is a list of expressions to collect at each tracepoint
10104 hit. It is effectively an additional @code{collect} action prepended
10105 to every tracepoint action list. The expressions are parsed
10106 individually for each tracepoint, so for instance a variable named
10107 @code{xyz} may be interpreted as a global for one tracepoint, and a
10108 local for another, as appropriate to the tracepoint's location.
10109
10110 @item show default-collect
10111 @kindex show default-collect
10112 Show the list of expressions that are collected by default at each
10113 tracepoint hit.
10114
10115 @end table
10116
10117 @node Listing Tracepoints
10118 @subsection Listing Tracepoints
10119
10120 @table @code
10121 @kindex info tracepoints
10122 @kindex info tp
10123 @cindex information about tracepoints
10124 @item info tracepoints @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10125 Display information about the tracepoint @var{num}. If you don't
10126 specify a tracepoint number, displays information about all the
10127 tracepoints defined so far. The format is similar to that used for
10128 @code{info breakpoints}; in fact, @code{info tracepoints} is the same
10129 command, simply restricting itself to tracepoints.
10130
10131 A tracepoint's listing may include additional information specific to
10132 tracing:
10133
10134 @itemize @bullet
10135 @item
10136 its passcount as given by the @code{passcount @var{n}} command
10137 @end itemize
10138
10139 @smallexample
10140 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info trace}
10141 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
10142 1 tracepoint keep y 0x0804ab57 in foo() at main.cxx:7
10143 while-stepping 20
10144 collect globfoo, $regs
10145 end
10146 collect globfoo2
10147 end
10148 pass count 1200
10149 (@value{GDBP})
10150 @end smallexample
10151
10152 @noindent
10153 This command can be abbreviated @code{info tp}.
10154 @end table
10155
10156 @node Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
10157 @subsection Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
10158
10159 @table @code
10160 @kindex info static-tracepoint-markers
10161 @cindex information about static tracepoint markers
10162 @item info static-tracepoint-markers
10163 Display information about all static tracepoint markers defined in the
10164 program.
10165
10166 For each marker, the following columns are printed:
10167
10168 @table @emph
10169 @item Count
10170 An incrementing counter, output to help readability. This is not a
10171 stable identifier.
10172 @item ID
10173 The marker ID, as reported by the target.
10174 @item Enabled or Disabled
10175 Probed markers are tagged with @samp{y}. @samp{n} identifies marks
10176 that are not enabled.
10177 @item Address
10178 Where the marker is in your program, as a memory address.
10179 @item What
10180 Where the marker is in the source for your program, as a file and line
10181 number. If the debug information included in the program does not
10182 allow @value{GDBN} to locate the source of the marker, this column
10183 will be left blank.
10184 @end table
10185
10186 @noindent
10187 In addition, the following information may be printed for each marker:
10188
10189 @table @emph
10190 @item Data
10191 User data passed to the tracing library by the marker call. In the
10192 UST backend, this is the format string passed as argument to the
10193 marker call.
10194 @item Static tracepoints probing the marker
10195 The list of static tracepoints attached to the marker.
10196 @end table
10197
10198 @smallexample
10199 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
10200 Cnt ID Enb Address What
10201 1 ust/bar2 y 0x0000000000400e1a in main at stexample.c:25
10202 Data: number1 %d number2 %d
10203 Probed by static tracepoints: #2
10204 2 ust/bar33 n 0x0000000000400c87 in main at stexample.c:24
10205 Data: str %s
10206 (@value{GDBP})
10207 @end smallexample
10208 @end table
10209
10210 @node Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
10211 @subsection Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
10212
10213 @table @code
10214 @kindex tstart
10215 @cindex start a new trace experiment
10216 @cindex collected data discarded
10217 @item tstart
10218 This command takes no arguments. It starts the trace experiment, and
10219 begins collecting data. This has the side effect of discarding all
10220 the data collected in the trace buffer during the previous trace
10221 experiment.
10222
10223 @kindex tstop
10224 @cindex stop a running trace experiment
10225 @item tstop
10226 This command takes no arguments. It ends the trace experiment, and
10227 stops collecting data.
10228
10229 @strong{Note}: a trace experiment and data collection may stop
10230 automatically if any tracepoint's passcount is reached
10231 (@pxref{Tracepoint Passcounts}), or if the trace buffer becomes full.
10232
10233 @kindex tstatus
10234 @cindex status of trace data collection
10235 @cindex trace experiment, status of
10236 @item tstatus
10237 This command displays the status of the current trace data
10238 collection.
10239 @end table
10240
10241 Here is an example of the commands we described so far:
10242
10243 @smallexample
10244 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace gdb_c_test}
10245 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
10246 Enter actions for tracepoint #1, one per line.
10247 > collect $regs,$locals,$args
10248 > while-stepping 11
10249 > collect $regs
10250 > end
10251 > end
10252 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
10253 [time passes @dots{}]
10254 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstop}
10255 @end smallexample
10256
10257 @cindex disconnected tracing
10258 You can choose to continue running the trace experiment even if
10259 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target, voluntarily or
10260 involuntarily. For commands such as @code{detach}, the debugger will
10261 ask what you want to do with the trace. But for unexpected
10262 terminations (@value{GDBN} crash, network outage), it would be
10263 unfortunate to lose hard-won trace data, so the variable
10264 @code{disconnected-tracing} lets you decide whether the trace should
10265 continue running without @value{GDBN}.
10266
10267 @table @code
10268 @item set disconnected-tracing on
10269 @itemx set disconnected-tracing off
10270 @kindex set disconnected-tracing
10271 Choose whether a tracing run should continue to run if @value{GDBN}
10272 has disconnected from the target. Note that @code{detach} or
10273 @code{quit} will ask you directly what to do about a running trace no
10274 matter what this variable's setting, so the variable is mainly useful
10275 for handling unexpected situations, such as loss of the network.
10276
10277 @item show disconnected-tracing
10278 @kindex show disconnected-tracing
10279 Show the current choice for disconnected tracing.
10280
10281 @end table
10282
10283 When you reconnect to the target, the trace experiment may or may not
10284 still be running; it might have filled the trace buffer in the
10285 meantime, or stopped for one of the other reasons. If it is running,
10286 it will continue after reconnection.
10287
10288 Upon reconnection, the target will upload information about the
10289 tracepoints in effect. @value{GDBN} will then compare that
10290 information to the set of tracepoints currently defined, and attempt
10291 to match them up, allowing for the possibility that the numbers may
10292 have changed due to creation and deletion in the meantime. If one of
10293 the target's tracepoints does not match any in @value{GDBN}, the
10294 debugger will create a new tracepoint, so that you have a number with
10295 which to specify that tracepoint. This matching-up process is
10296 necessarily heuristic, and it may result in useless tracepoints being
10297 created; you may simply delete them if they are of no use.
10298
10299 @cindex circular trace buffer
10300 If your target agent supports a @dfn{circular trace buffer}, then you
10301 can run a trace experiment indefinitely without filling the trace
10302 buffer; when space runs out, the agent deletes already-collected trace
10303 frames, oldest first, until there is enough room to continue
10304 collecting. This is especially useful if your tracepoints are being
10305 hit too often, and your trace gets terminated prematurely because the
10306 buffer is full. To ask for a circular trace buffer, simply set
10307 @samp{circular_trace_buffer} to on. You can set this at any time,
10308 including during tracing; if the agent can do it, it will change
10309 buffer handling on the fly, otherwise it will not take effect until
10310 the next run.
10311
10312 @table @code
10313 @item set circular-trace-buffer on
10314 @itemx set circular-trace-buffer off
10315 @kindex set circular-trace-buffer
10316 Choose whether a tracing run should use a linear or circular buffer
10317 for trace data. A linear buffer will not lose any trace data, but may
10318 fill up prematurely, while a circular buffer will discard old trace
10319 data, but it will have always room for the latest tracepoint hits.
10320
10321 @item show circular-trace-buffer
10322 @kindex show circular-trace-buffer
10323 Show the current choice for the trace buffer. Note that this may not
10324 match the agent's current buffer handling, nor is it guaranteed to
10325 match the setting that might have been in effect during a past run,
10326 for instance if you are looking at frames from a trace file.
10327
10328 @end table
10329
10330 @node Tracepoint Restrictions
10331 @subsection Tracepoint Restrictions
10332
10333 @cindex tracepoint restrictions
10334 There are a number of restrictions on the use of tracepoints. As
10335 described above, tracepoint data gathering occurs on the target
10336 without interaction from @value{GDBN}. Thus the full capabilities of
10337 the debugger are not available during data gathering, and then at data
10338 examination time, you will be limited by only having what was
10339 collected. The following items describe some common problems, but it
10340 is not exhaustive, and you may run into additional difficulties not
10341 mentioned here.
10342
10343 @itemize @bullet
10344
10345 @item
10346 Tracepoint expressions are intended to gather objects (lvalues). Thus
10347 the full flexibility of GDB's expression evaluator is not available.
10348 You cannot call functions, cast objects to aggregate types, access
10349 convenience variables or modify values (except by assignment to trace
10350 state variables). Some language features may implicitly call
10351 functions (for instance Objective-C fields with accessors), and therefore
10352 cannot be collected either.
10353
10354 @item
10355 Collection of local variables, either individually or in bulk with
10356 @code{$locals} or @code{$args}, during @code{while-stepping} may
10357 behave erratically. The stepping action may enter a new scope (for
10358 instance by stepping into a function), or the location of the variable
10359 may change (for instance it is loaded into a register). The
10360 tracepoint data recorded uses the location information for the
10361 variables that is correct for the tracepoint location. When the
10362 tracepoint is created, it is not possible, in general, to determine
10363 where the steps of a @code{while-stepping} sequence will advance the
10364 program---particularly if a conditional branch is stepped.
10365
10366 @item
10367 Collection of an incompletely-initialized or partially-destroyed object
10368 may result in something that @value{GDBN} cannot display, or displays
10369 in a misleading way.
10370
10371 @item
10372 When @value{GDBN} displays a pointer to character it automatically
10373 dereferences the pointer to also display characters of the string
10374 being pointed to. However, collecting the pointer during tracing does
10375 not automatically collect the string. You need to explicitly
10376 dereference the pointer and provide size information if you want to
10377 collect not only the pointer, but the memory pointed to. For example,
10378 @code{*ptr@@50} can be used to collect the 50 element array pointed to
10379 by @code{ptr}.
10380
10381 @item
10382 It is not possible to collect a complete stack backtrace at a
10383 tracepoint. Instead, you may collect the registers and a few hundred
10384 bytes from the stack pointer with something like @code{*$esp@@300}
10385 (adjust to use the name of the actual stack pointer register on your
10386 target architecture, and the amount of stack you wish to capture).
10387 Then the @code{backtrace} command will show a partial backtrace when
10388 using a trace frame. The number of stack frames that can be examined
10389 depends on the sizes of the frames in the collected stack. Note that
10390 if you ask for a block so large that it goes past the bottom of the
10391 stack, the target agent may report an error trying to read from an
10392 invalid address.
10393
10394 @item
10395 If you do not collect registers at a tracepoint, @value{GDBN} can
10396 infer that the value of @code{$pc} must be the same as the address of
10397 the tracepoint and use that when you are looking at a trace frame
10398 for that tracepoint. However, this cannot work if the tracepoint has
10399 multiple locations (for instance if it was set in a function that was
10400 inlined), or if it has a @code{while-stepping} loop. In those cases
10401 @value{GDBN} will warn you that it can't infer @code{$pc}, and default
10402 it to zero.
10403
10404 @end itemize
10405
10406 @node Analyze Collected Data
10407 @section Using the Collected Data
10408
10409 After the tracepoint experiment ends, you use @value{GDBN} commands
10410 for examining the trace data. The basic idea is that each tracepoint
10411 collects a trace @dfn{snapshot} every time it is hit and another
10412 snapshot every time it single-steps. All these snapshots are
10413 consecutively numbered from zero and go into a buffer, and you can
10414 examine them later. The way you examine them is to @dfn{focus} on a
10415 specific trace snapshot. When the remote stub is focused on a trace
10416 snapshot, it will respond to all @value{GDBN} requests for memory and
10417 registers by reading from the buffer which belongs to that snapshot,
10418 rather than from @emph{real} memory or registers of the program being
10419 debugged. This means that @strong{all} @value{GDBN} commands
10420 (@code{print}, @code{info registers}, @code{backtrace}, etc.) will
10421 behave as if we were currently debugging the program state as it was
10422 when the tracepoint occurred. Any requests for data that are not in
10423 the buffer will fail.
10424
10425 @menu
10426 * tfind:: How to select a trace snapshot
10427 * tdump:: How to display all data for a snapshot
10428 * save tracepoints:: How to save tracepoints for a future run
10429 @end menu
10430
10431 @node tfind
10432 @subsection @code{tfind @var{n}}
10433
10434 @kindex tfind
10435 @cindex select trace snapshot
10436 @cindex find trace snapshot
10437 The basic command for selecting a trace snapshot from the buffer is
10438 @code{tfind @var{n}}, which finds trace snapshot number @var{n},
10439 counting from zero. If no argument @var{n} is given, the next
10440 snapshot is selected.
10441
10442 Here are the various forms of using the @code{tfind} command.
10443
10444 @table @code
10445 @item tfind start
10446 Find the first snapshot in the buffer. This is a synonym for
10447 @code{tfind 0} (since 0 is the number of the first snapshot).
10448
10449 @item tfind none
10450 Stop debugging trace snapshots, resume @emph{live} debugging.
10451
10452 @item tfind end
10453 Same as @samp{tfind none}.
10454
10455 @item tfind
10456 No argument means find the next trace snapshot.
10457
10458 @item tfind -
10459 Find the previous trace snapshot before the current one. This permits
10460 retracing earlier steps.
10461
10462 @item tfind tracepoint @var{num}
10463 Find the next snapshot associated with tracepoint @var{num}. Search
10464 proceeds forward from the last examined trace snapshot. If no
10465 argument @var{num} is given, it means find the next snapshot collected
10466 for the same tracepoint as the current snapshot.
10467
10468 @item tfind pc @var{addr}
10469 Find the next snapshot associated with the value @var{addr} of the
10470 program counter. Search proceeds forward from the last examined trace
10471 snapshot. If no argument @var{addr} is given, it means find the next
10472 snapshot with the same value of PC as the current snapshot.
10473
10474 @item tfind outside @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
10475 Find the next snapshot whose PC is outside the given range of
10476 addresses (exclusive).
10477
10478 @item tfind range @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
10479 Find the next snapshot whose PC is between @var{addr1} and
10480 @var{addr2} (inclusive).
10481
10482 @item tfind line @r{[}@var{file}:@r{]}@var{n}
10483 Find the next snapshot associated with the source line @var{n}. If
10484 the optional argument @var{file} is given, refer to line @var{n} in
10485 that source file. Search proceeds forward from the last examined
10486 trace snapshot. If no argument @var{n} is given, it means find the
10487 next line other than the one currently being examined; thus saying
10488 @code{tfind line} repeatedly can appear to have the same effect as
10489 stepping from line to line in a @emph{live} debugging session.
10490 @end table
10491
10492 The default arguments for the @code{tfind} commands are specifically
10493 designed to make it easy to scan through the trace buffer. For
10494 instance, @code{tfind} with no argument selects the next trace
10495 snapshot, and @code{tfind -} with no argument selects the previous
10496 trace snapshot. So, by giving one @code{tfind} command, and then
10497 simply hitting @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine all the trace
10498 snapshots in order. Or, by saying @code{tfind -} and then hitting
10499 @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine the snapshots in reverse order.
10500 The @code{tfind line} command with no argument selects the snapshot
10501 for the next source line executed. The @code{tfind pc} command with
10502 no argument selects the next snapshot with the same program counter
10503 (PC) as the current frame. The @code{tfind tracepoint} command with
10504 no argument selects the next trace snapshot collected by the same
10505 tracepoint as the current one.
10506
10507 In addition to letting you scan through the trace buffer manually,
10508 these commands make it easy to construct @value{GDBN} scripts that
10509 scan through the trace buffer and print out whatever collected data
10510 you are interested in. Thus, if we want to examine the PC, FP, and SP
10511 registers from each trace frame in the buffer, we can say this:
10512
10513 @smallexample
10514 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
10515 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
10516 > printf "Frame %d, PC = %08X, SP = %08X, FP = %08X\n", \
10517 $trace_frame, $pc, $sp, $fp
10518 > tfind
10519 > end
10520
10521 Frame 0, PC = 0020DC64, SP = 0030BF3C, FP = 0030BF44
10522 Frame 1, PC = 0020DC6C, SP = 0030BF38, FP = 0030BF44
10523 Frame 2, PC = 0020DC70, SP = 0030BF34, FP = 0030BF44
10524 Frame 3, PC = 0020DC74, SP = 0030BF30, FP = 0030BF44
10525 Frame 4, PC = 0020DC78, SP = 0030BF2C, FP = 0030BF44
10526 Frame 5, PC = 0020DC7C, SP = 0030BF28, FP = 0030BF44
10527 Frame 6, PC = 0020DC80, SP = 0030BF24, FP = 0030BF44
10528 Frame 7, PC = 0020DC84, SP = 0030BF20, FP = 0030BF44
10529 Frame 8, PC = 0020DC88, SP = 0030BF1C, FP = 0030BF44
10530 Frame 9, PC = 0020DC8E, SP = 0030BF18, FP = 0030BF44
10531 Frame 10, PC = 00203F6C, SP = 0030BE3C, FP = 0030BF14
10532 @end smallexample
10533
10534 Or, if we want to examine the variable @code{X} at each source line in
10535 the buffer:
10536
10537 @smallexample
10538 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
10539 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
10540 > printf "Frame %d, X == %d\n", $trace_frame, X
10541 > tfind line
10542 > end
10543
10544 Frame 0, X = 1
10545 Frame 7, X = 2
10546 Frame 13, X = 255
10547 @end smallexample
10548
10549 @node tdump
10550 @subsection @code{tdump}
10551 @kindex tdump
10552 @cindex dump all data collected at tracepoint
10553 @cindex tracepoint data, display
10554
10555 This command takes no arguments. It prints all the data collected at
10556 the current trace snapshot.
10557
10558 @smallexample
10559 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace 444}
10560 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
10561 Enter actions for tracepoint #2, one per line:
10562 > collect $regs, $locals, $args, gdb_long_test
10563 > end
10564
10565 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
10566
10567 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind line 444}
10568 #0 gdb_test (p1=0x11, p2=0x22, p3=0x33, p4=0x44, p5=0x55, p6=0x66)
10569 at gdb_test.c:444
10570 444 printp( "%s: arguments = 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X\n", )
10571
10572 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tdump}
10573 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 1:
10574 d0 0xc4aa0085 -995491707
10575 d1 0x18 24
10576 d2 0x80 128
10577 d3 0x33 51
10578 d4 0x71aea3d 119204413
10579 d5 0x22 34
10580 d6 0xe0 224
10581 d7 0x380035 3670069
10582 a0 0x19e24a 1696330
10583 a1 0x3000668 50333288
10584 a2 0x100 256
10585 a3 0x322000 3284992
10586 a4 0x3000698 50333336
10587 a5 0x1ad3cc 1758156
10588 fp 0x30bf3c 0x30bf3c
10589 sp 0x30bf34 0x30bf34
10590 ps 0x0 0
10591 pc 0x20b2c8 0x20b2c8
10592 fpcontrol 0x0 0
10593 fpstatus 0x0 0
10594 fpiaddr 0x0 0
10595 p = 0x20e5b4 "gdb-test"
10596 p1 = (void *) 0x11
10597 p2 = (void *) 0x22
10598 p3 = (void *) 0x33
10599 p4 = (void *) 0x44
10600 p5 = (void *) 0x55
10601 p6 = (void *) 0x66
10602 gdb_long_test = 17 '\021'
10603
10604 (@value{GDBP})
10605 @end smallexample
10606
10607 @code{tdump} works by scanning the tracepoint's current collection
10608 actions and printing the value of each expression listed. So
10609 @code{tdump} can fail, if after a run, you change the tracepoint's
10610 actions to mention variables that were not collected during the run.
10611
10612 Also, for tracepoints with @code{while-stepping} loops, @code{tdump}
10613 uses the collected value of @code{$pc} to distinguish between trace
10614 frames that were collected at the tracepoint hit, and frames that were
10615 collected while stepping. This allows it to correctly choose whether
10616 to display the basic list of collections, or the collections from the
10617 body of the while-stepping loop. However, if @code{$pc} was not collected,
10618 then @code{tdump} will always attempt to dump using the basic collection
10619 list, and may fail if a while-stepping frame does not include all the
10620 same data that is collected at the tracepoint hit.
10621 @c This is getting pretty arcane, example would be good.
10622
10623 @node save tracepoints
10624 @subsection @code{save tracepoints @var{filename}}
10625 @kindex save tracepoints
10626 @kindex save-tracepoints
10627 @cindex save tracepoints for future sessions
10628
10629 This command saves all current tracepoint definitions together with
10630 their actions and passcounts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
10631 suitable for use in a later debugging session. To read the saved
10632 tracepoint definitions, use the @code{source} command (@pxref{Command
10633 Files}). The @w{@code{save-tracepoints}} command is a deprecated
10634 alias for @w{@code{save tracepoints}}
10635
10636 @node Tracepoint Variables
10637 @section Convenience Variables for Tracepoints
10638 @cindex tracepoint variables
10639 @cindex convenience variables for tracepoints
10640
10641 @table @code
10642 @vindex $trace_frame
10643 @item (int) $trace_frame
10644 The current trace snapshot (a.k.a.@: @dfn{frame}) number, or -1 if no
10645 snapshot is selected.
10646
10647 @vindex $tracepoint
10648 @item (int) $tracepoint
10649 The tracepoint for the current trace snapshot.
10650
10651 @vindex $trace_line
10652 @item (int) $trace_line
10653 The line number for the current trace snapshot.
10654
10655 @vindex $trace_file
10656 @item (char []) $trace_file
10657 The source file for the current trace snapshot.
10658
10659 @vindex $trace_func
10660 @item (char []) $trace_func
10661 The name of the function containing @code{$tracepoint}.
10662 @end table
10663
10664 Note: @code{$trace_file} is not suitable for use in @code{printf},
10665 use @code{output} instead.
10666
10667 Here's a simple example of using these convenience variables for
10668 stepping through all the trace snapshots and printing some of their
10669 data. Note that these are not the same as trace state variables,
10670 which are managed by the target.
10671
10672 @smallexample
10673 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
10674
10675 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while $trace_frame != -1}
10676 > output $trace_file
10677 > printf ", line %d (tracepoint #%d)\n", $trace_line, $tracepoint
10678 > tfind
10679 > end
10680 @end smallexample
10681
10682 @node Trace Files
10683 @section Using Trace Files
10684 @cindex trace files
10685
10686 In some situations, the target running a trace experiment may no
10687 longer be available; perhaps it crashed, or the hardware was needed
10688 for a different activity. To handle these cases, you can arrange to
10689 dump the trace data into a file, and later use that file as a source
10690 of trace data, via the @code{target tfile} command.
10691
10692 @table @code
10693
10694 @kindex tsave
10695 @item tsave [ -r ] @var{filename}
10696 Save the trace data to @var{filename}. By default, this command
10697 assumes that @var{filename} refers to the host filesystem, so if
10698 necessary @value{GDBN} will copy raw trace data up from the target and
10699 then save it. If the target supports it, you can also supply the
10700 optional argument @code{-r} (``remote'') to direct the target to save
10701 the data directly into @var{filename} in its own filesystem, which may be
10702 more efficient if the trace buffer is very large. (Note, however, that
10703 @code{target tfile} can only read from files accessible to the host.)
10704
10705 @kindex target tfile
10706 @kindex tfile
10707 @item target tfile @var{filename}
10708 Use the file named @var{filename} as a source of trace data. Commands
10709 that examine data work as they do with a live target, but it is not
10710 possible to run any new trace experiments. @code{tstatus} will report
10711 the state of the trace run at the moment the data was saved, as well
10712 as the current trace frame you are examining. @var{filename} must be
10713 on a filesystem accessible to the host.
10714
10715 @end table
10716
10717 @node Overlays
10718 @chapter Debugging Programs That Use Overlays
10719 @cindex overlays
10720
10721 If your program is too large to fit completely in your target system's
10722 memory, you can sometimes use @dfn{overlays} to work around this
10723 problem. @value{GDBN} provides some support for debugging programs that
10724 use overlays.
10725
10726 @menu
10727 * How Overlays Work:: A general explanation of overlays.
10728 * Overlay Commands:: Managing overlays in @value{GDBN}.
10729 * Automatic Overlay Debugging:: @value{GDBN} can find out which overlays are
10730 mapped by asking the inferior.
10731 * Overlay Sample Program:: A sample program using overlays.
10732 @end menu
10733
10734 @node How Overlays Work
10735 @section How Overlays Work
10736 @cindex mapped overlays
10737 @cindex unmapped overlays
10738 @cindex load address, overlay's
10739 @cindex mapped address
10740 @cindex overlay area
10741
10742 Suppose you have a computer whose instruction address space is only 64
10743 kilobytes long, but which has much more memory which can be accessed by
10744 other means: special instructions, segment registers, or memory
10745 management hardware, for example. Suppose further that you want to
10746 adapt a program which is larger than 64 kilobytes to run on this system.
10747
10748 One solution is to identify modules of your program which are relatively
10749 independent, and need not call each other directly; call these modules
10750 @dfn{overlays}. Separate the overlays from the main program, and place
10751 their machine code in the larger memory. Place your main program in
10752 instruction memory, but leave at least enough space there to hold the
10753 largest overlay as well.
10754
10755 Now, to call a function located in an overlay, you must first copy that
10756 overlay's machine code from the large memory into the space set aside
10757 for it in the instruction memory, and then jump to its entry point
10758 there.
10759
10760 @c NB: In the below the mapped area's size is greater or equal to the
10761 @c size of all overlays. This is intentional to remind the developer
10762 @c that overlays don't necessarily need to be the same size.
10763
10764 @smallexample
10765 @group
10766 Data Instruction Larger
10767 Address Space Address Space Address Space
10768 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
10769 | | | | | |
10770 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+<-- overlay 1
10771 | program | | main | .----| overlay 1 | load address
10772 | variables | | program | | +-----------+
10773 | and heap | | | | | |
10774 +-----------+ | | | +-----------+<-- overlay 2
10775 | | +-----------+ | | | load address
10776 +-----------+ | | | .-| overlay 2 |
10777 | | | | | |
10778 mapped --->+-----------+ | | +-----------+
10779 address | | | | | |
10780 | overlay | <-' | | |
10781 | area | <---' +-----------+<-- overlay 3
10782 | | <---. | | load address
10783 +-----------+ `--| overlay 3 |
10784 | | | |
10785 +-----------+ | |
10786 +-----------+
10787 | |
10788 +-----------+
10789
10790 @anchor{A code overlay}A code overlay
10791 @end group
10792 @end smallexample
10793
10794 The diagram (@pxref{A code overlay}) shows a system with separate data
10795 and instruction address spaces. To map an overlay, the program copies
10796 its code from the larger address space to the instruction address space.
10797 Since the overlays shown here all use the same mapped address, only one
10798 may be mapped at a time. For a system with a single address space for
10799 data and instructions, the diagram would be similar, except that the
10800 program variables and heap would share an address space with the main
10801 program and the overlay area.
10802
10803 An overlay loaded into instruction memory and ready for use is called a
10804 @dfn{mapped} overlay; its @dfn{mapped address} is its address in the
10805 instruction memory. An overlay not present (or only partially present)
10806 in instruction memory is called @dfn{unmapped}; its @dfn{load address}
10807 is its address in the larger memory. The mapped address is also called
10808 the @dfn{virtual memory address}, or @dfn{VMA}; the load address is also
10809 called the @dfn{load memory address}, or @dfn{LMA}.
10810
10811 Unfortunately, overlays are not a completely transparent way to adapt a
10812 program to limited instruction memory. They introduce a new set of
10813 global constraints you must keep in mind as you design your program:
10814
10815 @itemize @bullet
10816
10817 @item
10818 Before calling or returning to a function in an overlay, your program
10819 must make sure that overlay is actually mapped. Otherwise, the call or
10820 return will transfer control to the right address, but in the wrong
10821 overlay, and your program will probably crash.
10822
10823 @item
10824 If the process of mapping an overlay is expensive on your system, you
10825 will need to choose your overlays carefully to minimize their effect on
10826 your program's performance.
10827
10828 @item
10829 The executable file you load onto your system must contain each
10830 overlay's instructions, appearing at the overlay's load address, not its
10831 mapped address. However, each overlay's instructions must be relocated
10832 and its symbols defined as if the overlay were at its mapped address.
10833 You can use GNU linker scripts to specify different load and relocation
10834 addresses for pieces of your program; see @ref{Overlay Description,,,
10835 ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}.
10836
10837 @item
10838 The procedure for loading executable files onto your system must be able
10839 to load their contents into the larger address space as well as the
10840 instruction and data spaces.
10841
10842 @end itemize
10843
10844 The overlay system described above is rather simple, and could be
10845 improved in many ways:
10846
10847 @itemize @bullet
10848
10849 @item
10850 If your system has suitable bank switch registers or memory management
10851 hardware, you could use those facilities to make an overlay's load area
10852 contents simply appear at their mapped address in instruction space.
10853 This would probably be faster than copying the overlay to its mapped
10854 area in the usual way.
10855
10856 @item
10857 If your overlays are small enough, you could set aside more than one
10858 overlay area, and have more than one overlay mapped at a time.
10859
10860 @item
10861 You can use overlays to manage data, as well as instructions. In
10862 general, data overlays are even less transparent to your design than
10863 code overlays: whereas code overlays only require care when you call or
10864 return to functions, data overlays require care every time you access
10865 the data. Also, if you change the contents of a data overlay, you
10866 must copy its contents back out to its load address before you can copy a
10867 different data overlay into the same mapped area.
10868
10869 @end itemize
10870
10871
10872 @node Overlay Commands
10873 @section Overlay Commands
10874
10875 To use @value{GDBN}'s overlay support, each overlay in your program must
10876 correspond to a separate section of the executable file. The section's
10877 virtual memory address and load memory address must be the overlay's
10878 mapped and load addresses. Identifying overlays with sections allows
10879 @value{GDBN} to determine the appropriate address of a function or
10880 variable, depending on whether the overlay is mapped or not.
10881
10882 @value{GDBN}'s overlay commands all start with the word @code{overlay};
10883 you can abbreviate this as @code{ov} or @code{ovly}. The commands are:
10884
10885 @table @code
10886 @item overlay off
10887 @kindex overlay
10888 Disable @value{GDBN}'s overlay support. When overlay support is
10889 disabled, @value{GDBN} assumes that all functions and variables are
10890 always present at their mapped addresses. By default, @value{GDBN}'s
10891 overlay support is disabled.
10892
10893 @item overlay manual
10894 @cindex manual overlay debugging
10895 Enable @dfn{manual} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
10896 relies on you to tell it which overlays are mapped, and which are not,
10897 using the @code{overlay map-overlay} and @code{overlay unmap-overlay}
10898 commands described below.
10899
10900 @item overlay map-overlay @var{overlay}
10901 @itemx overlay map @var{overlay}
10902 @cindex map an overlay
10903 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is now mapped; @var{overlay} must
10904 be the name of the object file section containing the overlay. When an
10905 overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the overlay's
10906 functions and variables at their mapped addresses. @value{GDBN} assumes
10907 that any other overlays whose mapped ranges overlap that of
10908 @var{overlay} are now unmapped.
10909
10910 @item overlay unmap-overlay @var{overlay}
10911 @itemx overlay unmap @var{overlay}
10912 @cindex unmap an overlay
10913 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is no longer mapped; @var{overlay}
10914 must be the name of the object file section containing the overlay.
10915 When an overlay is unmapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the
10916 overlay's functions and variables at their load addresses.
10917
10918 @item overlay auto
10919 Enable @dfn{automatic} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
10920 consults a data structure the overlay manager maintains in the inferior
10921 to see which overlays are mapped. For details, see @ref{Automatic
10922 Overlay Debugging}.
10923
10924 @item overlay load-target
10925 @itemx overlay load
10926 @cindex reloading the overlay table
10927 Re-read the overlay table from the inferior. Normally, @value{GDBN}
10928 re-reads the table @value{GDBN} automatically each time the inferior
10929 stops, so this command should only be necessary if you have changed the
10930 overlay mapping yourself using @value{GDBN}. This command is only
10931 useful when using automatic overlay debugging.
10932
10933 @item overlay list-overlays
10934 @itemx overlay list
10935 @cindex listing mapped overlays
10936 Display a list of the overlays currently mapped, along with their mapped
10937 addresses, load addresses, and sizes.
10938
10939 @end table
10940
10941 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a code address, it includes the name
10942 of the function the address falls in:
10943
10944 @smallexample
10945 (@value{GDBP}) print main
10946 $3 = @{int ()@} 0x11a0 <main>
10947 @end smallexample
10948 @noindent
10949 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} recognizes code in
10950 unmapped overlays, and prints the names of unmapped functions with
10951 asterisks around them. For example, if @code{foo} is a function in an
10952 unmapped overlay, @value{GDBN} prints it this way:
10953
10954 @smallexample
10955 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
10956 No sections are mapped.
10957 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
10958 $5 = @{int (int)@} 0x100000 <*foo*>
10959 @end smallexample
10960 @noindent
10961 When @code{foo}'s overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} prints the function's
10962 name normally:
10963
10964 @smallexample
10965 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
10966 Section .ov.foo.text, loaded at 0x100000 - 0x100034,
10967 mapped at 0x1016 - 0x104a
10968 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
10969 $6 = @{int (int)@} 0x1016 <foo>
10970 @end smallexample
10971
10972 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} can find the correct
10973 address for functions and variables in an overlay, whether or not the
10974 overlay is mapped. This allows most @value{GDBN} commands, like
10975 @code{break} and @code{disassemble}, to work normally, even on unmapped
10976 code. However, @value{GDBN}'s breakpoint support has some limitations:
10977
10978 @itemize @bullet
10979 @item
10980 @cindex breakpoints in overlays
10981 @cindex overlays, setting breakpoints in
10982 You can set breakpoints in functions in unmapped overlays, as long as
10983 @value{GDBN} can write to the overlay at its load address.
10984 @item
10985 @value{GDBN} can not set hardware or simulator-based breakpoints in
10986 unmapped overlays. However, if you set a breakpoint at the end of your
10987 overlay manager (and tell @value{GDBN} which overlays are now mapped, if
10988 you are using manual overlay management), @value{GDBN} will re-set its
10989 breakpoints properly.
10990 @end itemize
10991
10992
10993 @node Automatic Overlay Debugging
10994 @section Automatic Overlay Debugging
10995 @cindex automatic overlay debugging
10996
10997 @value{GDBN} can automatically track which overlays are mapped and which
10998 are not, given some simple co-operation from the overlay manager in the
10999 inferior. If you enable automatic overlay debugging with the
11000 @code{overlay auto} command (@pxref{Overlay Commands}), @value{GDBN}
11001 looks in the inferior's memory for certain variables describing the
11002 current state of the overlays.
11003
11004 Here are the variables your overlay manager must define to support
11005 @value{GDBN}'s automatic overlay debugging:
11006
11007 @table @asis
11008
11009 @item @code{_ovly_table}:
11010 This variable must be an array of the following structures:
11011
11012 @smallexample
11013 struct
11014 @{
11015 /* The overlay's mapped address. */
11016 unsigned long vma;
11017
11018 /* The size of the overlay, in bytes. */
11019 unsigned long size;
11020
11021 /* The overlay's load address. */
11022 unsigned long lma;
11023
11024 /* Non-zero if the overlay is currently mapped;
11025 zero otherwise. */
11026 unsigned long mapped;
11027 @}
11028 @end smallexample
11029
11030 @item @code{_novlys}:
11031 This variable must be a four-byte signed integer, holding the total
11032 number of elements in @code{_ovly_table}.
11033
11034 @end table
11035
11036 To decide whether a particular overlay is mapped or not, @value{GDBN}
11037 looks for an entry in @w{@code{_ovly_table}} whose @code{vma} and
11038 @code{lma} members equal the VMA and LMA of the overlay's section in the
11039 executable file. When @value{GDBN} finds a matching entry, it consults
11040 the entry's @code{mapped} member to determine whether the overlay is
11041 currently mapped.
11042
11043 In addition, your overlay manager may define a function called
11044 @code{_ovly_debug_event}. If this function is defined, @value{GDBN}
11045 will silently set a breakpoint there. If the overlay manager then
11046 calls this function whenever it has changed the overlay table, this
11047 will enable @value{GDBN} to accurately keep track of which overlays
11048 are in program memory, and update any breakpoints that may be set
11049 in overlays. This will allow breakpoints to work even if the
11050 overlays are kept in ROM or other non-writable memory while they
11051 are not being executed.
11052
11053 @node Overlay Sample Program
11054 @section Overlay Sample Program
11055 @cindex overlay example program
11056
11057 When linking a program which uses overlays, you must place the overlays
11058 at their load addresses, while relocating them to run at their mapped
11059 addresses. To do this, you must write a linker script (@pxref{Overlay
11060 Description,,, ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}). Unfortunately,
11061 since linker scripts are specific to a particular host system, target
11062 architecture, and target memory layout, this manual cannot provide
11063 portable sample code demonstrating @value{GDBN}'s overlay support.
11064
11065 However, the @value{GDBN} source distribution does contain an overlaid
11066 program, with linker scripts for a few systems, as part of its test
11067 suite. The program consists of the following files from
11068 @file{gdb/testsuite/gdb.base}:
11069
11070 @table @file
11071 @item overlays.c
11072 The main program file.
11073 @item ovlymgr.c
11074 A simple overlay manager, used by @file{overlays.c}.
11075 @item foo.c
11076 @itemx bar.c
11077 @itemx baz.c
11078 @itemx grbx.c
11079 Overlay modules, loaded and used by @file{overlays.c}.
11080 @item d10v.ld
11081 @itemx m32r.ld
11082 Linker scripts for linking the test program on the @code{d10v-elf}
11083 and @code{m32r-elf} targets.
11084 @end table
11085
11086 You can build the test program using the @code{d10v-elf} GCC
11087 cross-compiler like this:
11088
11089 @smallexample
11090 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c overlays.c
11091 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c ovlymgr.c
11092 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c foo.c
11093 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c bar.c
11094 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c baz.c
11095 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c grbx.c
11096 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g overlays.o ovlymgr.o foo.o bar.o \
11097 baz.o grbx.o -Wl,-Td10v.ld -o overlays
11098 @end smallexample
11099
11100 The build process is identical for any other architecture, except that
11101 you must substitute the appropriate compiler and linker script for the
11102 target system for @code{d10v-elf-gcc} and @code{d10v.ld}.
11103
11104
11105 @node Languages
11106 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
11107 @cindex languages
11108
11109 Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
11110 rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
11111 dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
11112 Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
11113 represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
11114 @samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
11115
11116 @cindex working language
11117 Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
11118 allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
11119 native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
11120 consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
11121 language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
11122 language}.
11123
11124 @menu
11125 * Setting:: Switching between source languages
11126 * Show:: Displaying the language
11127 * Checks:: Type and range checks
11128 * Supported Languages:: Supported languages
11129 * Unsupported Languages:: Unsupported languages
11130 @end menu
11131
11132 @node Setting
11133 @section Switching Between Source Languages
11134
11135 There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
11136 set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
11137 @code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
11138 defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
11139 used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
11140 are printed, etc.
11141
11142 In addition to the working language, every source file that
11143 @value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
11144 file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
11145 source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
11146 language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
11147 controls whether C@t{++} names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
11148 show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
11149 set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}, but you can
11150 set the language associated with a filename extension. @xref{Show, ,
11151 Displaying the Language}.
11152
11153 This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
11154 as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
11155 another language. In that case, make the
11156 program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
11157 @value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
11158 program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
11159
11160 @menu
11161 * Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
11162 * Manually:: Setting the working language manually
11163 * Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
11164 @end menu
11165
11166 @node Filenames
11167 @subsection List of Filename Extensions and Languages
11168
11169 If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
11170 @value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
11171
11172 @table @file
11173 @item .ada
11174 @itemx .ads
11175 @itemx .adb
11176 @itemx .a
11177 Ada source file.
11178
11179 @item .c
11180 C source file
11181
11182 @item .C
11183 @itemx .cc
11184 @itemx .cp
11185 @itemx .cpp
11186 @itemx .cxx
11187 @itemx .c++
11188 C@t{++} source file
11189
11190 @item .d
11191 D source file
11192
11193 @item .m
11194 Objective-C source file
11195
11196 @item .f
11197 @itemx .F
11198 Fortran source file
11199
11200 @item .mod
11201 Modula-2 source file
11202
11203 @item .s
11204 @itemx .S
11205 Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
11206 @value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
11207 @end table
11208
11209 In addition, you may set the language associated with a filename
11210 extension. @xref{Show, , Displaying the Language}.
11211
11212 @node Manually
11213 @subsection Setting the Working Language
11214
11215 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
11216 expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
11217 your program.
11218
11219 @kindex set language
11220 If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
11221 command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
11222 a language, such as
11223 @code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
11224 For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
11225
11226 Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
11227 language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
11228 to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
11229 source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
11230 languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
11231 source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
11232 command such as:
11233
11234 @smallexample
11235 print a = b + c
11236 @end smallexample
11237
11238 @noindent
11239 might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
11240 @code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
11241 printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
11242 @code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
11243
11244 @node Automatically
11245 @subsection Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language
11246
11247 To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
11248 @samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
11249 then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
11250 frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
11251 working language to the language recorded for the function in that
11252 frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
11253 or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
11254 does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
11255 not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
11256
11257 This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
11258 entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
11259 written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
11260 a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
11261 case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
11262
11263 @node Show
11264 @section Displaying the Language
11265
11266 The following commands help you find out which language is the
11267 working language, and also what language source files were written in.
11268
11269 @table @code
11270 @item show language
11271 @kindex show language
11272 Display the current working language. This is the
11273 language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
11274 build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
11275
11276 @item info frame
11277 @kindex info frame@r{, show the source language}
11278 Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
11279 working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
11280 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}, to identify the other
11281 information listed here.
11282
11283 @item info source
11284 @kindex info source@r{, show the source language}
11285 Display the source language of this source file.
11286 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
11287 information listed here.
11288 @end table
11289
11290 In unusual circumstances, you may have source files with extensions
11291 not in the standard list. You can then set the extension associated
11292 with a language explicitly:
11293
11294 @table @code
11295 @item set extension-language @var{ext} @var{language}
11296 @kindex set extension-language
11297 Tell @value{GDBN} that source files with extension @var{ext} are to be
11298 assumed as written in the source language @var{language}.
11299
11300 @item info extensions
11301 @kindex info extensions
11302 List all the filename extensions and the associated languages.
11303 @end table
11304
11305 @node Checks
11306 @section Type and Range Checking
11307
11308 @quotation
11309 @emph{Warning:} In this release, the @value{GDBN} commands for type and range
11310 checking are included, but they do not yet have any effect. This
11311 section documents the intended facilities.
11312 @end quotation
11313 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range code added
11314
11315 Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
11316 errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
11317 checking the type of arguments to functions and operators, and making
11318 sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
11319 these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
11320 by eliminating type mismatches, and providing active checks for range
11321 errors when your program is running.
11322
11323 @value{GDBN} can check for conditions like the above if you wish.
11324 Although @value{GDBN} does not check the statements in your program,
11325 it can check expressions entered directly into @value{GDBN} for
11326 evaluation via the @code{print} command, for example. As with the
11327 working language, @value{GDBN} can also decide whether or not to check
11328 automatically based on your program's source language.
11329 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default
11330 settings of supported languages.
11331
11332 @menu
11333 * Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
11334 * Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
11335 @end menu
11336
11337 @cindex type checking
11338 @cindex checks, type
11339 @node Type Checking
11340 @subsection An Overview of Type Checking
11341
11342 Some languages, such as Modula-2, are strongly typed, meaning that the
11343 arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
11344 otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
11345 errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
11346
11347 @smallexample
11348 1 + 2 @result{} 3
11349 @exdent but
11350 @error{} 1 + 2.3
11351 @end smallexample
11352
11353 The second example fails because the @code{CARDINAL} 1 is not
11354 type-compatible with the @code{REAL} 2.3.
11355
11356 For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell the
11357 @value{GDBN} type checker to skip checking;
11358 to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
11359 or to only issue warnings when type mismatches occur,
11360 but evaluate the expression anyway. When you choose the last of
11361 these, @value{GDBN} evaluates expressions like the second example above, but
11362 also issues a warning.
11363
11364 Even if you turn type checking off, there may be other reasons
11365 related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
11366 For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
11367 a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
11368 with the language in use, and usually arise from expressions, such as
11369 the one described above, which make little sense to evaluate anyway.
11370
11371 Each language defines to what degree it is strict about type. For
11372 instance, both Modula-2 and C require the arguments to arithmetical
11373 operators to be numbers. In C, enumerated types and pointers can be
11374 represented as numbers, so that they are valid arguments to mathematical
11375 operators. @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for further
11376 details on specific languages.
11377
11378 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the type checker:
11379
11380 @kindex set check type
11381 @kindex show check type
11382 @table @code
11383 @item set check type auto
11384 Set type checking on or off based on the current working language.
11385 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
11386 each language.
11387
11388 @item set check type on
11389 @itemx set check type off
11390 Set type checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
11391 current working language. Issue a warning if the setting does not
11392 match the language default. If any type mismatches occur in
11393 evaluating an expression while type checking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
11394 message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
11395
11396 @item set check type warn
11397 Cause the type checker to issue warnings, but to always attempt to
11398 evaluate the expression. Evaluating the expression may still
11399 be impossible for other reasons. For example, @value{GDBN} cannot add
11400 numbers and structures.
11401
11402 @item show type
11403 Show the current setting of the type checker, and whether or not @value{GDBN}
11404 is setting it automatically.
11405 @end table
11406
11407 @cindex range checking
11408 @cindex checks, range
11409 @node Range Checking
11410 @subsection An Overview of Range Checking
11411
11412 In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
11413 bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
11414 checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
11415 computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
11416 not exceed the bounds of the array.
11417
11418 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
11419 @value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
11420 always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
11421 warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
11422
11423 A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
11424 array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
11425 of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
11426 error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
11427 result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
11428 the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
11429
11430 @smallexample
11431 @var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
11432 @end smallexample
11433
11434 This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
11435 specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Supported Languages, ,
11436 Supported Languages}, for further details on specific languages.
11437
11438 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
11439
11440 @kindex set check range
11441 @kindex show check range
11442 @table @code
11443 @item set check range auto
11444 Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
11445 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
11446 each language.
11447
11448 @item set check range on
11449 @itemx set check range off
11450 Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
11451 current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
11452 match the language default. If a range error occurs and range checking is on,
11453 then a message is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
11454
11455 @item set check range warn
11456 Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
11457 but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
11458 expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
11459 memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
11460 systems).
11461
11462 @item show range
11463 Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
11464 being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
11465 @end table
11466
11467 @node Supported Languages
11468 @section Supported Languages
11469
11470 @value{GDBN} supports C, C@t{++}, D, Objective-C, Fortran, Java, Pascal,
11471 assembly, Modula-2, and Ada.
11472 @c This is false ...
11473 Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
11474 language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
11475 and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
11476 ,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
11477 language.
11478
11479 The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
11480 supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
11481 tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
11482 @value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
11483 formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
11484 books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
11485 language reference or tutorial.
11486
11487 @menu
11488 * C:: C and C@t{++}
11489 * D:: D
11490 * Objective-C:: Objective-C
11491 * Fortran:: Fortran
11492 * Pascal:: Pascal
11493 * Modula-2:: Modula-2
11494 * Ada:: Ada
11495 @end menu
11496
11497 @node C
11498 @subsection C and C@t{++}
11499
11500 @cindex C and C@t{++}
11501 @cindex expressions in C or C@t{++}
11502
11503 Since C and C@t{++} are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
11504 to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
11505 together.
11506
11507 @cindex C@t{++}
11508 @cindex @code{g++}, @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler
11509 @cindex @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
11510 The C@t{++} debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the C@t{++}
11511 compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C@t{++} code
11512 effectively, you must compile your C@t{++} programs with a supported
11513 C@t{++} compiler, such as @sc{gnu} @code{g++}, or the HP ANSI C@t{++}
11514 compiler (@code{aCC}).
11515
11516 For best results when using @sc{gnu} C@t{++}, use the DWARF 2 debugging
11517 format; if it doesn't work on your system, try the stabs+ debugging
11518 format. You can select those formats explicitly with the @code{g++}
11519 command-line options @option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-gstabs+}.
11520 @xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
11521 gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}.
11522
11523 @menu
11524 * C Operators:: C and C@t{++} operators
11525 * C Constants:: C and C@t{++} constants
11526 * C Plus Plus Expressions:: C@t{++} expressions
11527 * C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C@t{++}
11528 * C Checks:: C and C@t{++} type and range checks
11529 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
11530 * Debugging C Plus Plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C@t{++}
11531 * Decimal Floating Point:: Numbers in Decimal Floating Point format
11532 @end menu
11533
11534 @node C Operators
11535 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Operators
11536
11537 @cindex C and C@t{++} operators
11538
11539 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
11540 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
11541 often defined on groups of types.
11542
11543 For the purposes of C and C@t{++}, the following definitions hold:
11544
11545 @itemize @bullet
11546
11547 @item
11548 @emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
11549 specifiers; @code{char}; @code{enum}; and, for C@t{++}, @code{bool}.
11550
11551 @item
11552 @emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float}, @code{double}, and
11553 @code{long double} (if supported by the target platform).
11554
11555 @item
11556 @emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type} *)}.
11557
11558 @item
11559 @emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
11560
11561 @end itemize
11562
11563 @noindent
11564 The following operators are supported. They are listed here
11565 in order of increasing precedence:
11566
11567 @table @code
11568 @item ,
11569 The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
11570 are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
11571 expression being the last expression evaluated.
11572
11573 @item =
11574 Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
11575 assigned. Defined on scalar types.
11576
11577 @item @var{op}=
11578 Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
11579 and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
11580 @w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precedence.
11581 @var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
11582 @code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
11583
11584 @item ?:
11585 The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
11586 of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. @var{a} should be of an
11587 integral type.
11588
11589 @item ||
11590 Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
11591
11592 @item &&
11593 Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
11594
11595 @item |
11596 Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
11597
11598 @item ^
11599 Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
11600
11601 @item &
11602 Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
11603
11604 @item ==@r{, }!=
11605 Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
11606 expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
11607
11608 @item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
11609 Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
11610 Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
11611 and non-zero for true.
11612
11613 @item <<@r{, }>>
11614 left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
11615
11616 @item @@
11617 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
11618
11619 @item +@r{, }-
11620 Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
11621 pointer types.
11622
11623 @item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
11624 Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
11625 defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
11626 integral types.
11627
11628 @item ++@r{, }--
11629 Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
11630 operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
11631 when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
11632 operation takes place.
11633
11634 @item *
11635 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
11636 @code{++}.
11637
11638 @item &
11639 Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
11640
11641 For debugging C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
11642 allowed in the C@t{++} language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
11643 to examine the address
11644 where a C@t{++} reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
11645 stored.
11646
11647 @item -
11648 Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
11649 precedence as @code{++}.
11650
11651 @item !
11652 Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
11653 @code{++}.
11654
11655 @item ~
11656 Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
11657 @code{++}.
11658
11659
11660 @item .@r{, }->
11661 Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
11662 @value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
11663 pointer based on the stored type information.
11664 Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
11665
11666 @item .*@r{, }->*
11667 Dereferences of pointers to members.
11668
11669 @item []
11670 Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
11671 @code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
11672
11673 @item ()
11674 Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
11675
11676 @item ::
11677 C@t{++} scope resolution operator. Defined on @code{struct}, @code{union},
11678 and @code{class} types.
11679
11680 @item ::
11681 Doubled colons also represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator
11682 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). Same precedence as @code{::},
11683 above.
11684 @end table
11685
11686 If an operator is redefined in the user code, @value{GDBN} usually
11687 attempts to invoke the redefined version instead of using the operator's
11688 predefined meaning.
11689
11690 @node C Constants
11691 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Constants
11692
11693 @cindex C and C@t{++} constants
11694
11695 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C@t{++} in the
11696 following ways:
11697
11698 @itemize @bullet
11699 @item
11700 Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
11701 specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e.@: zero), and hexadecimal constants
11702 by a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
11703 @samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
11704 @code{long} value.
11705
11706 @item
11707 Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
11708 point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
11709 exponent. An exponent is of the form:
11710 @samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
11711 sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
11712 A floating-point constant may also end with a letter @samp{f} or
11713 @samp{F}, specifying that the constant should be treated as being of
11714 the @code{float} (as opposed to the default @code{double}) type; or with
11715 a letter @samp{l} or @samp{L}, which specifies a @code{long double}
11716 constant.
11717
11718 @item
11719 Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
11720 integral equivalents.
11721
11722 @item
11723 Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
11724 (@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
11725 (usually its @sc{ascii} value). Within quotes, the single character may
11726 be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
11727 the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
11728 of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
11729 @samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
11730 @samp{\n} for newline.
11731
11732 @item
11733 String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded by
11734 double quotes (@code{"}). Any valid character constant (as described
11735 above) may appear. Double quotes within the string must be preceded by
11736 a backslash, so for instance @samp{"a\"b'c"} is a string of five
11737 characters.
11738
11739 @item
11740 Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
11741 to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
11742
11743 @item
11744 Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
11745 and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
11746 integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
11747 and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
11748 @end itemize
11749
11750 @node C Plus Plus Expressions
11751 @subsubsection C@t{++} Expressions
11752
11753 @cindex expressions in C@t{++}
11754 @value{GDBN} expression handling can interpret most C@t{++} expressions.
11755
11756 @cindex debugging C@t{++} programs
11757 @cindex C@t{++} compilers
11758 @cindex debug formats and C@t{++}
11759 @cindex @value{NGCC} and C@t{++}
11760 @quotation
11761 @emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use the
11762 proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently, @value{GDBN}
11763 works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled with
11764 @value{NGCC} 2.95.3 or with @value{NGCC} 3.1 or newer, using the options
11765 @option{-gdwarf-2} or @option{-gstabs+}. DWARF 2 is preferred over
11766 stabs+. Most configurations of @value{NGCC} emit either DWARF 2 or
11767 stabs+ as their default debug format, so you usually don't need to
11768 specify a debug format explicitly. Other compilers and/or debug formats
11769 are likely to work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug
11770 C@t{++} code.
11771 @end quotation
11772
11773 @enumerate
11774
11775 @cindex member functions
11776 @item
11777 Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
11778
11779 @smallexample
11780 count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
11781 @end smallexample
11782
11783 @vindex this@r{, inside C@t{++} member functions}
11784 @cindex namespace in C@t{++}
11785 @item
11786 While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
11787 expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
11788 that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
11789 pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}.
11790
11791 @cindex call overloaded functions
11792 @cindex overloaded functions, calling
11793 @cindex type conversions in C@t{++}
11794 @item
11795 You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
11796 call to the right definition, with some restrictions. @value{GDBN} does not
11797 perform overload resolution involving user-defined type conversions,
11798 calls to constructors, or instantiations of templates that do not exist
11799 in the program. It also cannot handle ellipsis argument lists or
11800 default arguments.
11801
11802 It does perform integral conversions and promotions, floating-point
11803 promotions, arithmetic conversions, pointer conversions, conversions of
11804 class objects to base classes, and standard conversions such as those of
11805 functions or arrays to pointers; it requires an exact match on the
11806 number of function arguments.
11807
11808 Overload resolution is always performed, unless you have specified
11809 @code{set overload-resolution off}. @xref{Debugging C Plus Plus,
11810 ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
11811
11812 You must specify @code{set overload-resolution off} in order to use an
11813 explicit function signature to call an overloaded function, as in
11814 @smallexample
11815 p 'foo(char,int)'('x', 13)
11816 @end smallexample
11817
11818 The @value{GDBN} command-completion facility can simplify this;
11819 see @ref{Completion, ,Command Completion}.
11820
11821 @cindex reference declarations
11822 @item
11823 @value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C@t{++} references; you can use
11824 them in expressions just as you do in C@t{++} source---they are automatically
11825 dereferenced.
11826
11827 In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
11828 reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
11829 avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
11830 The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
11831 you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
11832
11833 @item
11834 @value{GDBN} supports the C@t{++} name resolution operator @code{::}---your
11835 expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
11836 one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
11837 necessary, for example in an expression like
11838 @samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
11839 resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C@t{++}
11840 debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program Variables}).
11841 @end enumerate
11842
11843 In addition, when used with HP's C@t{++} compiler, @value{GDBN} supports
11844 calling virtual functions correctly, printing out virtual bases of
11845 objects, calling functions in a base subobject, casting objects, and
11846 invoking user-defined operators.
11847
11848 @node C Defaults
11849 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Defaults
11850
11851 @cindex C and C@t{++} defaults
11852
11853 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set type and range checking automatically, they
11854 both default to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
11855 C or C@t{++}. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
11856 selects the working language.
11857
11858 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it
11859 recognizes source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or
11860 @file{.cc}, etc, and when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of
11861 these files, it sets the working language to C or C@t{++}.
11862 @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language},
11863 for further details.
11864
11865 @c Type checking is (a) primarily motivated by Modula-2, and (b)
11866 @c unimplemented. If (b) changes, it might make sense to let this node
11867 @c appear even if Mod-2 does not, but meanwhile ignore it. roland 16jul93.
11868
11869 @node C Checks
11870 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Type and Range Checks
11871
11872 @cindex C and C@t{++} checks
11873
11874 By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C@t{++} expressions, type checking
11875 is not used. However, if you turn type checking on, @value{GDBN}
11876 considers two variables type equivalent if:
11877
11878 @itemize @bullet
11879 @item
11880 The two variables are structured and have the same structure, union, or
11881 enumerated tag.
11882
11883 @item
11884 The two variables have the same type name, or types that have been
11885 declared equivalent through @code{typedef}.
11886
11887 @ignore
11888 @c leaving this out because neither J Gilmore nor R Pesch understand it.
11889 @c FIXME--beers?
11890 @item
11891 The two @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} variables are
11892 declared in the same declaration. (Note: this may not be true for all C
11893 compilers.)
11894 @end ignore
11895 @end itemize
11896
11897 Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
11898 indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
11899 that is not itself an array.
11900
11901 @node Debugging C
11902 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
11903
11904 The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
11905 the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
11906 inside a @code{struct} or @code{class} is also printed. Otherwise, it
11907 appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
11908
11909 The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
11910 with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
11911 ,Expressions}.
11912
11913 @node Debugging C Plus Plus
11914 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}
11915
11916 @cindex commands for C@t{++}
11917
11918 Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C@t{++}, and some are
11919 designed specifically for use with C@t{++}. Here is a summary:
11920
11921 @table @code
11922 @cindex break in overloaded functions
11923 @item @r{breakpoint menus}
11924 When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
11925 @value{GDBN} has the capability to display a menu of possible breakpoint
11926 locations to help you specify which function definition you want.
11927 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}.
11928
11929 @cindex overloading in C@t{++}
11930 @item rbreak @var{regex}
11931 Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
11932 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
11933 classes.
11934 @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
11935
11936 @cindex C@t{++} exception handling
11937 @item catch throw
11938 @itemx catch catch
11939 Debug C@t{++} exception handling using these commands. @xref{Set
11940 Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
11941
11942 @cindex inheritance
11943 @item ptype @var{typename}
11944 Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
11945 @var{typename}.
11946 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
11947
11948 @cindex C@t{++} symbol display
11949 @item set print demangle
11950 @itemx show print demangle
11951 @itemx set print asm-demangle
11952 @itemx show print asm-demangle
11953 Control whether C@t{++} symbols display in their source form, both when
11954 displaying code as C@t{++} source and when displaying disassemblies.
11955 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
11956
11957 @item set print object
11958 @itemx show print object
11959 Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
11960 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
11961
11962 @item set print vtbl
11963 @itemx show print vtbl
11964 Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
11965 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
11966 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
11967 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
11968
11969 @kindex set overload-resolution
11970 @cindex overloaded functions, overload resolution
11971 @item set overload-resolution on
11972 Enable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. The default
11973 is on. For overloaded functions, @value{GDBN} evaluates the arguments
11974 and searches for a function whose signature matches the argument types,
11975 using the standard C@t{++} conversion rules (see @ref{C Plus Plus
11976 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}, for details).
11977 If it cannot find a match, it emits a message.
11978
11979 @item set overload-resolution off
11980 Disable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. For
11981 overloaded functions that are not class member functions, @value{GDBN}
11982 chooses the first function of the specified name that it finds in the
11983 symbol table, whether or not its arguments are of the correct type. For
11984 overloaded functions that are class member functions, @value{GDBN}
11985 searches for a function whose signature @emph{exactly} matches the
11986 argument types.
11987
11988 @kindex show overload-resolution
11989 @item show overload-resolution
11990 Show the current setting of overload resolution.
11991
11992 @item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
11993 You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
11994 the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C@t{++}: type
11995 @code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
11996 also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
11997 available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
11998 @xref{Completion,, Command Completion}, for details on how to do this.
11999 @end table
12000
12001 @node Decimal Floating Point
12002 @subsubsection Decimal Floating Point format
12003 @cindex decimal floating point format
12004
12005 @value{GDBN} can examine, set and perform computations with numbers in
12006 decimal floating point format, which in the C language correspond to the
12007 @code{_Decimal32}, @code{_Decimal64} and @code{_Decimal128} types as
12008 specified by the extension to support decimal floating-point arithmetic.
12009
12010 There are two encodings in use, depending on the architecture: BID (Binary
12011 Integer Decimal) for x86 and x86-64, and DPD (Densely Packed Decimal) for
12012 PowerPC. @value{GDBN} will use the appropriate encoding for the configured
12013 target.
12014
12015 Because of a limitation in @file{libdecnumber}, the library used by @value{GDBN}
12016 to manipulate decimal floating point numbers, it is not possible to convert
12017 (using a cast, for example) integers wider than 32-bit to decimal float.
12018
12019 In addition, in order to imitate @value{GDBN}'s behaviour with binary floating
12020 point computations, error checking in decimal float operations ignores
12021 underflow, overflow and divide by zero exceptions.
12022
12023 In the PowerPC architecture, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers
12024 to inspect @code{_Decimal128} values stored in floating point registers.
12025 See @ref{PowerPC,,PowerPC} for more details.
12026
12027 @node D
12028 @subsection D
12029
12030 @cindex D
12031 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in D and compiled with
12032 GDC, LDC or DMD compilers. Currently @value{GDBN} supports only one D
12033 specific feature --- dynamic arrays.
12034
12035 @node Objective-C
12036 @subsection Objective-C
12037
12038 @cindex Objective-C
12039 This section provides information about some commands and command
12040 options that are useful for debugging Objective-C code. See also
12041 @ref{Symbols, info classes}, and @ref{Symbols, info selectors}, for a
12042 few more commands specific to Objective-C support.
12043
12044 @menu
12045 * Method Names in Commands::
12046 * The Print Command with Objective-C::
12047 @end menu
12048
12049 @node Method Names in Commands
12050 @subsubsection Method Names in Commands
12051
12052 The following commands have been extended to accept Objective-C method
12053 names as line specifications:
12054
12055 @kindex clear@r{, and Objective-C}
12056 @kindex break@r{, and Objective-C}
12057 @kindex info line@r{, and Objective-C}
12058 @kindex jump@r{, and Objective-C}
12059 @kindex list@r{, and Objective-C}
12060 @itemize
12061 @item @code{clear}
12062 @item @code{break}
12063 @item @code{info line}
12064 @item @code{jump}
12065 @item @code{list}
12066 @end itemize
12067
12068 A fully qualified Objective-C method name is specified as
12069
12070 @smallexample
12071 -[@var{Class} @var{methodName}]
12072 @end smallexample
12073
12074 where the minus sign is used to indicate an instance method and a
12075 plus sign (not shown) is used to indicate a class method. The class
12076 name @var{Class} and method name @var{methodName} are enclosed in
12077 brackets, similar to the way messages are specified in Objective-C
12078 source code. For example, to set a breakpoint at the @code{create}
12079 instance method of class @code{Fruit} in the program currently being
12080 debugged, enter:
12081
12082 @smallexample
12083 break -[Fruit create]
12084 @end smallexample
12085
12086 To list ten program lines around the @code{initialize} class method,
12087 enter:
12088
12089 @smallexample
12090 list +[NSText initialize]
12091 @end smallexample
12092
12093 In the current version of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus sign is
12094 required. In future versions of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus
12095 sign will be optional, but you can use it to narrow the search. It
12096 is also possible to specify just a method name:
12097
12098 @smallexample
12099 break create
12100 @end smallexample
12101
12102 You must specify the complete method name, including any colons. If
12103 your program's source files contain more than one @code{create} method,
12104 you'll be presented with a numbered list of classes that implement that
12105 method. Indicate your choice by number, or type @samp{0} to exit if
12106 none apply.
12107
12108 As another example, to clear a breakpoint established at the
12109 @code{makeKeyAndOrderFront:} method of the @code{NSWindow} class, enter:
12110
12111 @smallexample
12112 clear -[NSWindow makeKeyAndOrderFront:]
12113 @end smallexample
12114
12115 @node The Print Command with Objective-C
12116 @subsubsection The Print Command With Objective-C
12117 @cindex Objective-C, print objects
12118 @kindex print-object
12119 @kindex po @r{(@code{print-object})}
12120
12121 The print command has also been extended to accept methods. For example:
12122
12123 @smallexample
12124 print -[@var{object} hash]
12125 @end smallexample
12126
12127 @cindex print an Objective-C object description
12128 @cindex @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, and printing Objective-C objects
12129 @noindent
12130 will tell @value{GDBN} to send the @code{hash} message to @var{object}
12131 and print the result. Also, an additional command has been added,
12132 @code{print-object} or @code{po} for short, which is meant to print
12133 the description of an object. However, this command may only work
12134 with certain Objective-C libraries that have a particular hook
12135 function, @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, defined.
12136
12137 @node Fortran
12138 @subsection Fortran
12139 @cindex Fortran-specific support in @value{GDBN}
12140
12141 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, but it
12142 currently supports only the features of Fortran 77 language.
12143
12144 @cindex trailing underscore, in Fortran symbols
12145 Some Fortran compilers (@sc{gnu} Fortran 77 and Fortran 95 compilers
12146 among them) append an underscore to the names of variables and
12147 functions. When you debug programs compiled by those compilers, you
12148 will need to refer to variables and functions with a trailing
12149 underscore.
12150
12151 @menu
12152 * Fortran Operators:: Fortran operators and expressions
12153 * Fortran Defaults:: Default settings for Fortran
12154 * Special Fortran Commands:: Special @value{GDBN} commands for Fortran
12155 @end menu
12156
12157 @node Fortran Operators
12158 @subsubsection Fortran Operators and Expressions
12159
12160 @cindex Fortran operators and expressions
12161
12162 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
12163 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on characters or other non-
12164 arithmetic types. Operators are often defined on groups of types.
12165
12166 @table @code
12167 @item **
12168 The exponentiation operator. It raises the first operand to the power
12169 of the second one.
12170
12171 @item :
12172 The range operator. Normally used in the form of array(low:high) to
12173 represent a section of array.
12174
12175 @item %
12176 The access component operator. Normally used to access elements in derived
12177 types. Also suitable for unions. As unions aren't part of regular Fortran,
12178 this can only happen when accessing a register that uses a gdbarch-defined
12179 union type.
12180 @end table
12181
12182 @node Fortran Defaults
12183 @subsubsection Fortran Defaults
12184
12185 @cindex Fortran Defaults
12186
12187 Fortran symbols are usually case-insensitive, so @value{GDBN} by
12188 default uses case-insensitive matches for Fortran symbols. You can
12189 change that with the @samp{set case-insensitive} command, see
12190 @ref{Symbols}, for the details.
12191
12192 @node Special Fortran Commands
12193 @subsubsection Special Fortran Commands
12194
12195 @cindex Special Fortran commands
12196
12197 @value{GDBN} has some commands to support Fortran-specific features,
12198 such as displaying common blocks.
12199
12200 @table @code
12201 @cindex @code{COMMON} blocks, Fortran
12202 @kindex info common
12203 @item info common @r{[}@var{common-name}@r{]}
12204 This command prints the values contained in the Fortran @code{COMMON}
12205 block whose name is @var{common-name}. With no argument, the names of
12206 all @code{COMMON} blocks visible at the current program location are
12207 printed.
12208 @end table
12209
12210 @node Pascal
12211 @subsection Pascal
12212
12213 @cindex Pascal support in @value{GDBN}, limitations
12214 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
12215 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
12216 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
12217 syntax.
12218
12219 The Pascal-specific command @code{set print pascal_static-members}
12220 controls whether static members of Pascal objects are displayed.
12221 @xref{Print Settings, pascal_static-members}.
12222
12223 @node Modula-2
12224 @subsection Modula-2
12225
12226 @cindex Modula-2, @value{GDBN} support
12227
12228 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
12229 output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
12230 developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
12231 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
12232 to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
12233 table.
12234
12235 @cindex expressions in Modula-2
12236 @menu
12237 * M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
12238 * Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
12239 * M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
12240 * M2 Types:: Modula-2 types
12241 * M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
12242 * Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
12243 * M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
12244 * M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
12245 * GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
12246 @end menu
12247
12248 @node M2 Operators
12249 @subsubsection Operators
12250 @cindex Modula-2 operators
12251
12252 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
12253 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
12254 often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
12255 following definitions hold:
12256
12257 @itemize @bullet
12258
12259 @item
12260 @emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
12261 their subranges.
12262
12263 @item
12264 @emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
12265
12266 @item
12267 @emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
12268
12269 @item
12270 @emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
12271 @var{type}}.
12272
12273 @item
12274 @emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
12275
12276 @item
12277 @emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
12278
12279 @item
12280 @emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
12281 @end itemize
12282
12283 @noindent
12284 The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
12285 increasing precedence:
12286
12287 @table @code
12288 @item ,
12289 Function argument or array index separator.
12290
12291 @item :=
12292 Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
12293 @var{value}.
12294
12295 @item <@r{, }>
12296 Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
12297 types.
12298
12299 @item <=@r{, }>=
12300 Less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
12301 on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
12302 set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
12303
12304 @item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
12305 Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
12306 Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
12307 available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
12308 comment character.
12309
12310 @item IN
12311 Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
12312 Same precedence as @code{<}.
12313
12314 @item OR
12315 Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
12316
12317 @item AND@r{, }&
12318 Boolean conjunction. Defined on boolean types.
12319
12320 @item @@
12321 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
12322
12323 @item +@r{, }-
12324 Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
12325 and difference on set types.
12326
12327 @item *
12328 Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
12329 on set types.
12330
12331 @item /
12332 Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
12333 types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
12334
12335 @item DIV@r{, }MOD
12336 Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
12337 precedence as @code{*}.
12338
12339 @item -
12340 Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
12341
12342 @item ^
12343 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
12344
12345 @item NOT
12346 Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
12347 @code{^}.
12348
12349 @item .
12350 @code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
12351 precedence as @code{^}.
12352
12353 @item []
12354 Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
12355
12356 @item ()
12357 Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
12358 as @code{^}.
12359
12360 @item ::@r{, }.
12361 @value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
12362 @end table
12363
12364 @quotation
12365 @emph{Warning:} Set expressions and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
12366 treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
12367 @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
12368 @code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
12369 @end quotation
12370
12371
12372 @node Built-In Func/Proc
12373 @subsubsection Built-in Functions and Procedures
12374 @cindex Modula-2 built-ins
12375
12376 Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
12377 In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
12378
12379 @table @var
12380
12381 @item a
12382 represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
12383
12384 @item c
12385 represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
12386
12387 @item i
12388 represents a variable or constant of integral type.
12389
12390 @item m
12391 represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
12392 same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
12393 be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
12394
12395 @item n
12396 represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
12397
12398 @item r
12399 represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
12400
12401 @item t
12402 represents a type.
12403
12404 @item v
12405 represents a variable.
12406
12407 @item x
12408 represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
12409 explanation of the function for details.
12410 @end table
12411
12412 All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
12413
12414 @table @code
12415 @item ABS(@var{n})
12416 Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
12417
12418 @item CAP(@var{c})
12419 If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
12420 equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument.
12421
12422 @item CHR(@var{i})
12423 Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
12424
12425 @item DEC(@var{v})
12426 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
12427
12428 @item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
12429 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
12430 new value.
12431
12432 @item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
12433 Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
12434 set.
12435
12436 @item FLOAT(@var{i})
12437 Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
12438
12439 @item HIGH(@var{a})
12440 Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
12441
12442 @item INC(@var{v})
12443 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
12444
12445 @item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
12446 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
12447 new value.
12448
12449 @item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
12450 Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
12451 there. Returns the new set.
12452
12453 @item MAX(@var{t})
12454 Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
12455
12456 @item MIN(@var{t})
12457 Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
12458
12459 @item ODD(@var{i})
12460 Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
12461
12462 @item ORD(@var{x})
12463 Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
12464 value of a character is its @sc{ascii} value (on machines supporting the
12465 @sc{ascii} character set). @var{x} must be of an ordered type, which include
12466 integral, character and enumerated types.
12467
12468 @item SIZE(@var{x})
12469 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
12470
12471 @item TRUNC(@var{r})
12472 Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
12473
12474 @item TSIZE(@var{x})
12475 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
12476
12477 @item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
12478 Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
12479 @end table
12480
12481 @quotation
12482 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
12483 @value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
12484 an error.
12485 @end quotation
12486
12487 @cindex Modula-2 constants
12488 @node M2 Constants
12489 @subsubsection Constants
12490
12491 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
12492 ways:
12493
12494 @itemize @bullet
12495
12496 @item
12497 Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
12498 expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
12499 rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
12500 trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
12501
12502 @item
12503 Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
12504 decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
12505 then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
12506 @samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
12507 digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
12508 digits.
12509
12510 @item
12511 Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
12512 like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
12513 also be expressed by their ordinal value (their @sc{ascii} value, usually)
12514 followed by a @samp{C}.
12515
12516 @item
12517 String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
12518 pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
12519 Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
12520 Constants, ,C and C@t{++} Constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
12521 sequences.
12522
12523 @item
12524 Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
12525
12526 @item
12527 Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
12528 @code{FALSE}.
12529
12530 @item
12531 Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
12532
12533 @item
12534 Set constants are not yet supported.
12535 @end itemize
12536
12537 @node M2 Types
12538 @subsubsection Modula-2 Types
12539 @cindex Modula-2 types
12540
12541 Currently @value{GDBN} can print the following data types in Modula-2
12542 syntax: array types, record types, set types, pointer types, procedure
12543 types, enumerated types, subrange types and base types. You can also
12544 print the contents of variables declared using these type.
12545 This section gives a number of simple source code examples together with
12546 sample @value{GDBN} sessions.
12547
12548 The first example contains the following section of code:
12549
12550 @smallexample
12551 VAR
12552 s: SET OF CHAR ;
12553 r: [20..40] ;
12554 @end smallexample
12555
12556 @noindent
12557 and you can request @value{GDBN} to interrogate the type and value of
12558 @code{r} and @code{s}.
12559
12560 @smallexample
12561 (@value{GDBP}) print s
12562 @{'A'..'C', 'Z'@}
12563 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
12564 SET OF CHAR
12565 (@value{GDBP}) print r
12566 21
12567 (@value{GDBP}) ptype r
12568 [20..40]
12569 @end smallexample
12570
12571 @noindent
12572 Likewise if your source code declares @code{s} as:
12573
12574 @smallexample
12575 VAR
12576 s: SET ['A'..'Z'] ;
12577 @end smallexample
12578
12579 @noindent
12580 then you may query the type of @code{s} by:
12581
12582 @smallexample
12583 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
12584 type = SET ['A'..'Z']
12585 @end smallexample
12586
12587 @noindent
12588 Note that at present you cannot interactively manipulate set
12589 expressions using the debugger.
12590
12591 The following example shows how you might declare an array in Modula-2
12592 and how you can interact with @value{GDBN} to print its type and contents:
12593
12594 @smallexample
12595 VAR
12596 s: ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR ;
12597 @end smallexample
12598
12599 @smallexample
12600 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
12601 ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR
12602 @end smallexample
12603
12604 Note that the array handling is not yet complete and although the type
12605 is printed correctly, expression handling still assumes that all
12606 arrays have a lower bound of zero and not @code{-10} as in the example
12607 above.
12608
12609 Here are some more type related Modula-2 examples:
12610
12611 @smallexample
12612 TYPE
12613 colour = (blue, red, yellow, green) ;
12614 t = [blue..yellow] ;
12615 VAR
12616 s: t ;
12617 BEGIN
12618 s := blue ;
12619 @end smallexample
12620
12621 @noindent
12622 The @value{GDBN} interaction shows how you can query the data type
12623 and value of a variable.
12624
12625 @smallexample
12626 (@value{GDBP}) print s
12627 $1 = blue
12628 (@value{GDBP}) ptype t
12629 type = [blue..yellow]
12630 @end smallexample
12631
12632 @noindent
12633 In this example a Modula-2 array is declared and its contents
12634 displayed. Observe that the contents are written in the same way as
12635 their @code{C} counterparts.
12636
12637 @smallexample
12638 VAR
12639 s: ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
12640 BEGIN
12641 s[1] := 1 ;
12642 @end smallexample
12643
12644 @smallexample
12645 (@value{GDBP}) print s
12646 $1 = @{1, 0, 0, 0, 0@}
12647 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
12648 type = ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
12649 @end smallexample
12650
12651 The Modula-2 language interface to @value{GDBN} also understands
12652 pointer types as shown in this example:
12653
12654 @smallexample
12655 VAR
12656 s: POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
12657 BEGIN
12658 NEW(s) ;
12659 s^[1] := 1 ;
12660 @end smallexample
12661
12662 @noindent
12663 and you can request that @value{GDBN} describes the type of @code{s}.
12664
12665 @smallexample
12666 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
12667 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
12668 @end smallexample
12669
12670 @value{GDBN} handles compound types as we can see in this example.
12671 Here we combine array types, record types, pointer types and subrange
12672 types:
12673
12674 @smallexample
12675 TYPE
12676 foo = RECORD
12677 f1: CARDINAL ;
12678 f2: CHAR ;
12679 f3: myarray ;
12680 END ;
12681
12682 myarray = ARRAY myrange OF CARDINAL ;
12683 myrange = [-2..2] ;
12684 VAR
12685 s: POINTER TO ARRAY myrange OF foo ;
12686 @end smallexample
12687
12688 @noindent
12689 and you can ask @value{GDBN} to describe the type of @code{s} as shown
12690 below.
12691
12692 @smallexample
12693 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
12694 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [-2..2] OF foo = RECORD
12695 f1 : CARDINAL;
12696 f2 : CHAR;
12697 f3 : ARRAY [-2..2] OF CARDINAL;
12698 END
12699 @end smallexample
12700
12701 @node M2 Defaults
12702 @subsubsection Modula-2 Defaults
12703 @cindex Modula-2 defaults
12704
12705 If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
12706 both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
12707 Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
12708 selected the working language.
12709
12710 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
12711 code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
12712 working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN}
12713 Infer the Source Language}, for further details.
12714
12715 @node Deviations
12716 @subsubsection Deviations from Standard Modula-2
12717 @cindex Modula-2, deviations from
12718
12719 A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
12720 This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
12721
12722 @itemize @bullet
12723 @item
12724 Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
12725 integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
12726 debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
12727 pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
12728 through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
12729 returned a pointer.)
12730
12731 @item
12732 C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
12733 non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
12734 escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
12735 printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
12736
12737 @item
12738 The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
12739 argument.
12740
12741 @item
12742 All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
12743 @end itemize
12744
12745 @node M2 Checks
12746 @subsubsection Modula-2 Type and Range Checks
12747 @cindex Modula-2 checks
12748
12749 @quotation
12750 @emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
12751 range checking.
12752 @end quotation
12753 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
12754
12755 @value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
12756
12757 @itemize @bullet
12758 @item
12759 They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
12760 @var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
12761
12762 @item
12763 They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
12764 @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
12765 @end itemize
12766
12767 As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
12768 whose types are not equivalent is an error.
12769
12770 Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
12771 index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
12772
12773 @node M2 Scope
12774 @subsubsection The Scope Operators @code{::} and @code{.}
12775 @cindex scope
12776 @cindex @code{.}, Modula-2 scope operator
12777 @cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
12778 @ifinfo
12779 @vindex colon-colon@r{, in Modula-2}
12780 @c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
12781 @end ifinfo
12782 @ifnotinfo
12783 @vindex ::@r{, in Modula-2}
12784 @end ifnotinfo
12785
12786 There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
12787 (@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
12788 similar syntax:
12789
12790 @smallexample
12791
12792 @var{module} . @var{id}
12793 @var{scope} :: @var{id}
12794 @end smallexample
12795
12796 @noindent
12797 where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
12798 @var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
12799 identifier within your program, except another module.
12800
12801 Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
12802 specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
12803 found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
12804 enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
12805
12806 Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
12807 the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
12808 definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
12809 an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
12810 module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
12811 @var{module}.
12812
12813 @node GDB/M2
12814 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
12815
12816 Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
12817 Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
12818 specifically to C and C@t{++}: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
12819 @samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
12820 apply to C@t{++}, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
12821 analogue in Modula-2.
12822
12823 The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
12824 with any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
12825 intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
12826 created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C@t{++}. However, because an
12827 address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
12828 @samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful.
12829
12830 @cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
12831 In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
12832 interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
12833
12834 @node Ada
12835 @subsection Ada
12836 @cindex Ada
12837
12838 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} for Ada only support
12839 output from the @sc{gnu} Ada (GNAT) compiler.
12840 Other Ada compilers are not currently supported, and
12841 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
12842 to be difficult.
12843
12844
12845 @cindex expressions in Ada
12846 @menu
12847 * Ada Mode Intro:: General remarks on the Ada syntax
12848 and semantics supported by Ada mode
12849 in @value{GDBN}.
12850 * Omissions from Ada:: Restrictions on the Ada expression syntax.
12851 * Additions to Ada:: Extensions of the Ada expression syntax.
12852 * Stopping Before Main Program:: Debugging the program during elaboration.
12853 * Ada Tasks:: Listing and setting breakpoints in tasks.
12854 * Ada Tasks and Core Files:: Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
12855 * Ada Glitches:: Known peculiarities of Ada mode.
12856 @end menu
12857
12858 @node Ada Mode Intro
12859 @subsubsection Introduction
12860 @cindex Ada mode, general
12861
12862 The Ada mode of @value{GDBN} supports a fairly large subset of Ada expression
12863 syntax, with some extensions.
12864 The philosophy behind the design of this subset is
12865
12866 @itemize @bullet
12867 @item
12868 That @value{GDBN} should provide basic literals and access to operations for
12869 arithmetic, dereferencing, field selection, indexing, and subprogram calls,
12870 leaving more sophisticated computations to subprograms written into the
12871 program (which therefore may be called from @value{GDBN}).
12872
12873 @item
12874 That type safety and strict adherence to Ada language restrictions
12875 are not particularly important to the @value{GDBN} user.
12876
12877 @item
12878 That brevity is important to the @value{GDBN} user.
12879 @end itemize
12880
12881 Thus, for brevity, the debugger acts as if all names declared in
12882 user-written packages are directly visible, even if they are not visible
12883 according to Ada rules, thus making it unnecessary to fully qualify most
12884 names with their packages, regardless of context. Where this causes
12885 ambiguity, @value{GDBN} asks the user's intent.
12886
12887 The debugger will start in Ada mode if it detects an Ada main program.
12888 As for other languages, it will enter Ada mode when stopped in a program that
12889 was translated from an Ada source file.
12890
12891 While in Ada mode, you may use `@t{--}' for comments. This is useful
12892 mostly for documenting command files. The standard @value{GDBN} comment
12893 (@samp{#}) still works at the beginning of a line in Ada mode, but not in the
12894 middle (to allow based literals).
12895
12896 The debugger supports limited overloading. Given a subprogram call in which
12897 the function symbol has multiple definitions, it will use the number of
12898 actual parameters and some information about their types to attempt to narrow
12899 the set of definitions. It also makes very limited use of context, preferring
12900 procedures to functions in the context of the @code{call} command, and
12901 functions to procedures elsewhere.
12902
12903 @node Omissions from Ada
12904 @subsubsection Omissions from Ada
12905 @cindex Ada, omissions from
12906
12907 Here are the notable omissions from the subset:
12908
12909 @itemize @bullet
12910 @item
12911 Only a subset of the attributes are supported:
12912
12913 @itemize @minus
12914 @item
12915 @t{'First}, @t{'Last}, and @t{'Length}
12916 on array objects (not on types and subtypes).
12917
12918 @item
12919 @t{'Min} and @t{'Max}.
12920
12921 @item
12922 @t{'Pos} and @t{'Val}.
12923
12924 @item
12925 @t{'Tag}.
12926
12927 @item
12928 @t{'Range} on array objects (not subtypes), but only as the right
12929 operand of the membership (@code{in}) operator.
12930
12931 @item
12932 @t{'Access}, @t{'Unchecked_Access}, and
12933 @t{'Unrestricted_Access} (a GNAT extension).
12934
12935 @item
12936 @t{'Address}.
12937 @end itemize
12938
12939 @item
12940 The names in
12941 @code{Characters.Latin_1} are not available and
12942 concatenation is not implemented. Thus, escape characters in strings are
12943 not currently available.
12944
12945 @item
12946 Equality tests (@samp{=} and @samp{/=}) on arrays test for bitwise
12947 equality of representations. They will generally work correctly
12948 for strings and arrays whose elements have integer or enumeration types.
12949 They may not work correctly for arrays whose element
12950 types have user-defined equality, for arrays of real values
12951 (in particular, IEEE-conformant floating point, because of negative
12952 zeroes and NaNs), and for arrays whose elements contain unused bits with
12953 indeterminate values.
12954
12955 @item
12956 The other component-by-component array operations (@code{and}, @code{or},
12957 @code{xor}, @code{not}, and relational tests other than equality)
12958 are not implemented.
12959
12960 @item
12961 @cindex array aggregates (Ada)
12962 @cindex record aggregates (Ada)
12963 @cindex aggregates (Ada)
12964 There is limited support for array and record aggregates. They are
12965 permitted only on the right sides of assignments, as in these examples:
12966
12967 @smallexample
12968 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
12969 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, others => 0)
12970 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (0|4 => 1, 1..3 => 2, 5 => 6)
12971 (@value{GDBP}) set A_2D_Array := ((1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9))
12972 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (1, "Peter", True);
12973 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (Name => "Peter", Id => 1, Alive => True)
12974 @end smallexample
12975
12976 Changing a
12977 discriminant's value by assigning an aggregate has an
12978 undefined effect if that discriminant is used within the record.
12979 However, you can first modify discriminants by directly assigning to
12980 them (which normally would not be allowed in Ada), and then performing an
12981 aggregate assignment. For example, given a variable @code{A_Rec}
12982 declared to have a type such as:
12983
12984 @smallexample
12985 type Rec (Len : Small_Integer := 0) is record
12986 Id : Integer;
12987 Vals : IntArray (1 .. Len);
12988 end record;
12989 @end smallexample
12990
12991 you can assign a value with a different size of @code{Vals} with two
12992 assignments:
12993
12994 @smallexample
12995 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec.Len := 4
12996 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec := (Id => 42, Vals => (1, 2, 3, 4))
12997 @end smallexample
12998
12999 As this example also illustrates, @value{GDBN} is very loose about the usual
13000 rules concerning aggregates. You may leave out some of the
13001 components of an array or record aggregate (such as the @code{Len}
13002 component in the assignment to @code{A_Rec} above); they will retain their
13003 original values upon assignment. You may freely use dynamic values as
13004 indices in component associations. You may even use overlapping or
13005 redundant component associations, although which component values are
13006 assigned in such cases is not defined.
13007
13008 @item
13009 Calls to dispatching subprograms are not implemented.
13010
13011 @item
13012 The overloading algorithm is much more limited (i.e., less selective)
13013 than that of real Ada. It makes only limited use of the context in
13014 which a subexpression appears to resolve its meaning, and it is much
13015 looser in its rules for allowing type matches. As a result, some
13016 function calls will be ambiguous, and the user will be asked to choose
13017 the proper resolution.
13018
13019 @item
13020 The @code{new} operator is not implemented.
13021
13022 @item
13023 Entry calls are not implemented.
13024
13025 @item
13026 Aside from printing, arithmetic operations on the native VAX floating-point
13027 formats are not supported.
13028
13029 @item
13030 It is not possible to slice a packed array.
13031
13032 @item
13033 The names @code{True} and @code{False}, when not part of a qualified name,
13034 are interpreted as if implicitly prefixed by @code{Standard}, regardless of
13035 context.
13036 Should your program
13037 redefine these names in a package or procedure (at best a dubious practice),
13038 you will have to use fully qualified names to access their new definitions.
13039 @end itemize
13040
13041 @node Additions to Ada
13042 @subsubsection Additions to Ada
13043 @cindex Ada, deviations from
13044
13045 As it does for other languages, @value{GDBN} makes certain generic
13046 extensions to Ada (@pxref{Expressions}):
13047
13048 @itemize @bullet
13049 @item
13050 If the expression @var{E} is a variable residing in memory (typically
13051 a local variable or array element) and @var{N} is a positive integer,
13052 then @code{@var{E}@@@var{N}} displays the values of @var{E} and the
13053 @var{N}-1 adjacent variables following it in memory as an array. In
13054 Ada, this operator is generally not necessary, since its prime use is
13055 in displaying parts of an array, and slicing will usually do this in
13056 Ada. However, there are occasional uses when debugging programs in
13057 which certain debugging information has been optimized away.
13058
13059 @item
13060 @code{@var{B}::@var{var}} means ``the variable named @var{var} that
13061 appears in function or file @var{B}.'' When @var{B} is a file name,
13062 you must typically surround it in single quotes.
13063
13064 @item
13065 The expression @code{@{@var{type}@} @var{addr}} means ``the variable of type
13066 @var{type} that appears at address @var{addr}.''
13067
13068 @item
13069 A name starting with @samp{$} is a convenience variable
13070 (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) or a machine register (@pxref{Registers}).
13071 @end itemize
13072
13073 In addition, @value{GDBN} provides a few other shortcuts and outright
13074 additions specific to Ada:
13075
13076 @itemize @bullet
13077 @item
13078 The assignment statement is allowed as an expression, returning
13079 its right-hand operand as its value. Thus, you may enter
13080
13081 @smallexample
13082 (@value{GDBP}) set x := y + 3
13083 (@value{GDBP}) print A(tmp := y + 1)
13084 @end smallexample
13085
13086 @item
13087 The semicolon is allowed as an ``operator,'' returning as its value
13088 the value of its right-hand operand.
13089 This allows, for example,
13090 complex conditional breaks:
13091
13092 @smallexample
13093 (@value{GDBP}) break f
13094 (@value{GDBP}) condition 1 (report(i); k += 1; A(k) > 100)
13095 @end smallexample
13096
13097 @item
13098 Rather than use catenation and symbolic character names to introduce special
13099 characters into strings, one may instead use a special bracket notation,
13100 which is also used to print strings. A sequence of characters of the form
13101 @samp{["@var{XX}"]} within a string or character literal denotes the
13102 (single) character whose numeric encoding is @var{XX} in hexadecimal. The
13103 sequence of characters @samp{["""]} also denotes a single quotation mark
13104 in strings. For example,
13105 @smallexample
13106 "One line.["0a"]Next line.["0a"]"
13107 @end smallexample
13108 @noindent
13109 contains an ASCII newline character (@code{Ada.Characters.Latin_1.LF})
13110 after each period.
13111
13112 @item
13113 The subtype used as a prefix for the attributes @t{'Pos}, @t{'Min}, and
13114 @t{'Max} is optional (and is ignored in any case). For example, it is valid
13115 to write
13116
13117 @smallexample
13118 (@value{GDBP}) print 'max(x, y)
13119 @end smallexample
13120
13121 @item
13122 When printing arrays, @value{GDBN} uses positional notation when the
13123 array has a lower bound of 1, and uses a modified named notation otherwise.
13124 For example, a one-dimensional array of three integers with a lower bound
13125 of 3 might print as
13126
13127 @smallexample
13128 (3 => 10, 17, 1)
13129 @end smallexample
13130
13131 @noindent
13132 That is, in contrast to valid Ada, only the first component has a @code{=>}
13133 clause.
13134
13135 @item
13136 You may abbreviate attributes in expressions with any unique,
13137 multi-character subsequence of
13138 their names (an exact match gets preference).
13139 For example, you may use @t{a'len}, @t{a'gth}, or @t{a'lh}
13140 in place of @t{a'length}.
13141
13142 @item
13143 @cindex quoting Ada internal identifiers
13144 Since Ada is case-insensitive, the debugger normally maps identifiers you type
13145 to lower case. The GNAT compiler uses upper-case characters for
13146 some of its internal identifiers, which are normally of no interest to users.
13147 For the rare occasions when you actually have to look at them,
13148 enclose them in angle brackets to avoid the lower-case mapping.
13149 For example,
13150 @smallexample
13151 (@value{GDBP}) print <JMPBUF_SAVE>[0]
13152 @end smallexample
13153
13154 @item
13155 Printing an object of class-wide type or dereferencing an
13156 access-to-class-wide value will display all the components of the object's
13157 specific type (as indicated by its run-time tag). Likewise, component
13158 selection on such a value will operate on the specific type of the
13159 object.
13160
13161 @end itemize
13162
13163 @node Stopping Before Main Program
13164 @subsubsection Stopping at the Very Beginning
13165
13166 @cindex breakpointing Ada elaboration code
13167 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration, and
13168 before reaching the main procedure.
13169 As defined in the Ada Reference
13170 Manual, the elaboration code is invoked from a procedure called
13171 @code{adainit}. To run your program up to the beginning of
13172 elaboration, simply use the following two commands:
13173 @code{tbreak adainit} and @code{run}.
13174
13175 @node Ada Tasks
13176 @subsubsection Extensions for Ada Tasks
13177 @cindex Ada, tasking
13178
13179 Support for Ada tasks is analogous to that for threads (@pxref{Threads}).
13180 @value{GDBN} provides the following task-related commands:
13181
13182 @table @code
13183 @kindex info tasks
13184 @item info tasks
13185 This command shows a list of current Ada tasks, as in the following example:
13186
13187
13188 @smallexample
13189 @iftex
13190 @leftskip=0.5cm
13191 @end iftex
13192 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13193 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13194 1 8088000 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13195 2 80a4000 1 15 Accept Statement b
13196 3 809a800 1 15 Child Activation Wait a
13197 * 4 80ae800 3 15 Runnable c
13198
13199 @end smallexample
13200
13201 @noindent
13202 In this listing, the asterisk before the last task indicates it to be the
13203 task currently being inspected.
13204
13205 @table @asis
13206 @item ID
13207 Represents @value{GDBN}'s internal task number.
13208
13209 @item TID
13210 The Ada task ID.
13211
13212 @item P-ID
13213 The parent's task ID (@value{GDBN}'s internal task number).
13214
13215 @item Pri
13216 The base priority of the task.
13217
13218 @item State
13219 Current state of the task.
13220
13221 @table @code
13222 @item Unactivated
13223 The task has been created but has not been activated. It cannot be
13224 executing.
13225
13226 @item Runnable
13227 The task is not blocked for any reason known to Ada. (It may be waiting
13228 for a mutex, though.) It is conceptually "executing" in normal mode.
13229
13230 @item Terminated
13231 The task is terminated, in the sense of ARM 9.3 (5). Any dependents
13232 that were waiting on terminate alternatives have been awakened and have
13233 terminated themselves.
13234
13235 @item Child Activation Wait
13236 The task is waiting for created tasks to complete activation.
13237
13238 @item Accept Statement
13239 The task is waiting on an accept or selective wait statement.
13240
13241 @item Waiting on entry call
13242 The task is waiting on an entry call.
13243
13244 @item Async Select Wait
13245 The task is waiting to start the abortable part of an asynchronous
13246 select statement.
13247
13248 @item Delay Sleep
13249 The task is waiting on a select statement with only a delay
13250 alternative open.
13251
13252 @item Child Termination Wait
13253 The task is sleeping having completed a master within itself, and is
13254 waiting for the tasks dependent on that master to become terminated or
13255 waiting on a terminate Phase.
13256
13257 @item Wait Child in Term Alt
13258 The task is sleeping waiting for tasks on terminate alternatives to
13259 finish terminating.
13260
13261 @item Accepting RV with @var{taskno}
13262 The task is accepting a rendez-vous with the task @var{taskno}.
13263 @end table
13264
13265 @item Name
13266 Name of the task in the program.
13267
13268 @end table
13269
13270 @kindex info task @var{taskno}
13271 @item info task @var{taskno}
13272 This command shows detailled informations on the specified task, as in
13273 the following example:
13274 @smallexample
13275 @iftex
13276 @leftskip=0.5cm
13277 @end iftex
13278 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13279 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13280 1 8077880 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13281 * 2 807c468 1 15 Runnable task_1
13282 (@value{GDBP}) info task 2
13283 Ada Task: 0x807c468
13284 Name: task_1
13285 Thread: 0x807f378
13286 Parent: 1 (main_task)
13287 Base Priority: 15
13288 State: Runnable
13289 @end smallexample
13290
13291 @item task
13292 @kindex task@r{ (Ada)}
13293 @cindex current Ada task ID
13294 This command prints the ID of the current task.
13295
13296 @smallexample
13297 @iftex
13298 @leftskip=0.5cm
13299 @end iftex
13300 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13301 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13302 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13303 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
13304 (@value{GDBP}) task
13305 [Current task is 2]
13306 @end smallexample
13307
13308 @item task @var{taskno}
13309 @cindex Ada task switching
13310 This command is like the @code{thread @var{threadno}}
13311 command (@pxref{Threads}). It switches the context of debugging
13312 from the current task to the given task.
13313
13314 @smallexample
13315 @iftex
13316 @leftskip=0.5cm
13317 @end iftex
13318 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13319 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13320 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13321 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
13322 (@value{GDBP}) task 1
13323 [Switching to task 1]
13324 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
13325 (@value{GDBP}) bt
13326 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
13327 #1 0x8056714 in system.os_interface.pthread_cond_wait ()
13328 #2 0x805cb63 in system.task_primitives.operations.sleep ()
13329 #3 0x806153e in system.tasking.stages.activate_tasks ()
13330 #4 0x804aacc in un () at un.adb:5
13331 @end smallexample
13332
13333 @item break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno}
13334 @itemx break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno} if @dots{}
13335 @cindex breakpoints and tasks, in Ada
13336 @cindex task breakpoints, in Ada
13337 @kindex break @dots{} task @var{taskno}@r{ (Ada)}
13338 These commands are like the @code{break @dots{} thread @dots{}}
13339 command (@pxref{Thread Stops}).
13340 @var{linespec} specifies source lines, as described
13341 in @ref{Specify Location}.
13342
13343 Use the qualifier @samp{task @var{taskno}} with a breakpoint command
13344 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
13345 particular Ada task reaches this breakpoint. @var{taskno} is one of the
13346 numeric task identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
13347 column of the @samp{info tasks} display.
13348
13349 If you do not specify @samp{task @var{taskno}} when you set a
13350 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} tasks of your
13351 program.
13352
13353 You can use the @code{task} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
13354 well; in this case, place @samp{task @var{taskno}} before the
13355 breakpoint condition (before the @code{if}).
13356
13357 For example,
13358
13359 @smallexample
13360 @iftex
13361 @leftskip=0.5cm
13362 @end iftex
13363 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13364 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13365 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13366 2 140045060 1 15 Accept/Select Wait t2
13367 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
13368 * 4 140056040 1 15 Runnable t3
13369 (@value{GDBP}) b 15 task 2
13370 Breakpoint 5 at 0x120044cb0: file test_task_debug.adb, line 15.
13371 (@value{GDBP}) cont
13372 Continuing.
13373 task # 1 running
13374 task # 2 running
13375
13376 Breakpoint 5, test_task_debug () at test_task_debug.adb:15
13377 15 flush;
13378 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13379 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13380 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13381 * 2 140045060 1 15 Runnable t2
13382 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
13383 4 140056040 1 15 Delay Sleep t3
13384 @end smallexample
13385 @end table
13386
13387 @node Ada Tasks and Core Files
13388 @subsubsection Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
13389 @cindex Ada tasking and core file debugging
13390
13391 When inspecting a core file, as opposed to debugging a live program,
13392 tasking support may be limited or even unavailable, depending on
13393 the platform being used.
13394 For instance, on x86-linux, the list of tasks is available, but task
13395 switching is not supported. On Tru64, however, task switching will work
13396 as usual.
13397
13398 On certain platforms, including Tru64, the debugger needs to perform some
13399 memory writes in order to provide Ada tasking support. When inspecting
13400 a core file, this means that the core file must be opened with read-write
13401 privileges, using the command @samp{"set write on"} (@pxref{Patching}).
13402 Under these circumstances, you should make a backup copy of the core
13403 file before inspecting it with @value{GDBN}.
13404
13405 @node Ada Glitches
13406 @subsubsection Known Peculiarities of Ada Mode
13407 @cindex Ada, problems
13408
13409 Besides the omissions listed previously (@pxref{Omissions from Ada}),
13410 we know of several problems with and limitations of Ada mode in
13411 @value{GDBN},
13412 some of which will be fixed with planned future releases of the debugger
13413 and the GNU Ada compiler.
13414
13415 @itemize @bullet
13416 @item
13417 Currently, the debugger
13418 has insufficient information to determine whether certain pointers represent
13419 pointers to objects or the objects themselves.
13420 Thus, the user may have to tack an extra @code{.all} after an expression
13421 to get it printed properly.
13422
13423 @item
13424 Static constants that the compiler chooses not to materialize as objects in
13425 storage are invisible to the debugger.
13426
13427 @item
13428 Named parameter associations in function argument lists are ignored (the
13429 argument lists are treated as positional).
13430
13431 @item
13432 Many useful library packages are currently invisible to the debugger.
13433
13434 @item
13435 Fixed-point arithmetic, conversions, input, and output is carried out using
13436 floating-point arithmetic, and may give results that only approximate those on
13437 the host machine.
13438
13439 @item
13440 The GNAT compiler never generates the prefix @code{Standard} for any of
13441 the standard symbols defined by the Ada language. @value{GDBN} knows about
13442 this: it will strip the prefix from names when you use it, and will never
13443 look for a name you have so qualified among local symbols, nor match against
13444 symbols in other packages or subprograms. If you have
13445 defined entities anywhere in your program other than parameters and
13446 local variables whose simple names match names in @code{Standard},
13447 GNAT's lack of qualification here can cause confusion. When this happens,
13448 you can usually resolve the confusion
13449 by qualifying the problematic names with package
13450 @code{Standard} explicitly.
13451 @end itemize
13452
13453 Older versions of the compiler sometimes generate erroneous debugging
13454 information, resulting in the debugger incorrectly printing the value
13455 of affected entities. In some cases, the debugger is able to work
13456 around an issue automatically. In other cases, the debugger is able
13457 to work around the issue, but the work-around has to be specifically
13458 enabled.
13459
13460 @kindex set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
13461 @kindex show ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
13462 @table @code
13463
13464 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS on
13465 Configure GDB to strictly follow the GNAT encoding when computing the
13466 value of Ada entities, particularly when @code{PAD} and @code{PAD___XVS}
13467 types are involved (see @code{ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources for
13468 a complete description of the encoding used by the GNAT compiler).
13469 This is the default.
13470
13471 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS off
13472 This is related to the encoding using by the GNAT compiler. If @value{GDBN}
13473 sometimes prints the wrong value for certain entities, changing @code{ada
13474 trust-PAD-over-XVS} to @code{off} activates a work-around which may fix
13475 the issue. It is always safe to set @code{ada trust-PAD-over-XVS} to
13476 @code{off}, but this incurs a slight performance penalty, so it is
13477 recommended to leave this setting to @code{on} unless necessary.
13478
13479 @end table
13480
13481 @node Unsupported Languages
13482 @section Unsupported Languages
13483
13484 @cindex unsupported languages
13485 @cindex minimal language
13486 In addition to the other fully-supported programming languages,
13487 @value{GDBN} also provides a pseudo-language, called @code{minimal}.
13488 It does not represent a real programming language, but provides a set
13489 of capabilities close to what the C or assembly languages provide.
13490 This should allow most simple operations to be performed while debugging
13491 an application that uses a language currently not supported by @value{GDBN}.
13492
13493 If the language is set to @code{auto}, @value{GDBN} will automatically
13494 select this language if the current frame corresponds to an unsupported
13495 language.
13496
13497 @node Symbols
13498 @chapter Examining the Symbol Table
13499
13500 The commands described in this chapter allow you to inquire about the
13501 symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
13502 program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
13503 does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
13504 program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
13505 (@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing Files}), or by one of the
13506 file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
13507
13508 @cindex symbol names
13509 @cindex names of symbols
13510 @cindex quoting names
13511 Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
13512 characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
13513 most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
13514 source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program Variables}). File names
13515 are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
13516 ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
13517 @samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
13518 @samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
13519
13520 @smallexample
13521 p 'foo.c'::x
13522 @end smallexample
13523
13524 @noindent
13525 looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
13526
13527 @table @code
13528 @cindex case-insensitive symbol names
13529 @cindex case sensitivity in symbol names
13530 @kindex set case-sensitive
13531 @item set case-sensitive on
13532 @itemx set case-sensitive off
13533 @itemx set case-sensitive auto
13534 Normally, when @value{GDBN} looks up symbols, it matches their names
13535 with case sensitivity determined by the current source language.
13536 Occasionally, you may wish to control that. The command @code{set
13537 case-sensitive} lets you do that by specifying @code{on} for
13538 case-sensitive matches or @code{off} for case-insensitive ones. If
13539 you specify @code{auto}, case sensitivity is reset to the default
13540 suitable for the source language. The default is case-sensitive
13541 matches for all languages except for Fortran, for which the default is
13542 case-insensitive matches.
13543
13544 @kindex show case-sensitive
13545 @item show case-sensitive
13546 This command shows the current setting of case sensitivity for symbols
13547 lookups.
13548
13549 @kindex info address
13550 @cindex address of a symbol
13551 @item info address @var{symbol}
13552 Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
13553 variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
13554 local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
13555 is always stored.
13556
13557 Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
13558 at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
13559 the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
13560
13561 @kindex info symbol
13562 @cindex symbol from address
13563 @cindex closest symbol and offset for an address
13564 @item info symbol @var{addr}
13565 Print the name of a symbol which is stored at the address @var{addr}.
13566 If no symbol is stored exactly at @var{addr}, @value{GDBN} prints the
13567 nearest symbol and an offset from it:
13568
13569 @smallexample
13570 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x54320
13571 _initialize_vx + 396 in section .text
13572 @end smallexample
13573
13574 @noindent
13575 This is the opposite of the @code{info address} command. You can use
13576 it to find out the name of a variable or a function given its address.
13577
13578 For dynamically linked executables, the name of executable or shared
13579 library containing the symbol is also printed:
13580
13581 @smallexample
13582 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x400225
13583 _start + 5 in section .text of /tmp/a.out
13584 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x2aaaac2811cf
13585 __read_nocancel + 6 in section .text of /usr/lib64/libc.so.6
13586 @end smallexample
13587
13588 @kindex whatis
13589 @item whatis [@var{arg}]
13590 Print the data type of @var{arg}, which can be either an expression or
13591 a data type. With no argument, print the data type of @code{$}, the
13592 last value in the value history. If @var{arg} is an expression, it is
13593 not actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
13594 assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place. If
13595 @var{arg} is a type name, it may be the name of a type or typedef, or
13596 for C code it may have the form @samp{class @var{class-name}},
13597 @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union @var{union-tag}} or
13598 @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
13599 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
13600
13601 @kindex ptype
13602 @item ptype [@var{arg}]
13603 @code{ptype} accepts the same arguments as @code{whatis}, but prints a
13604 detailed description of the type, instead of just the name of the type.
13605 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
13606
13607 For example, for this variable declaration:
13608
13609 @smallexample
13610 struct complex @{double real; double imag;@} v;
13611 @end smallexample
13612
13613 @noindent
13614 the two commands give this output:
13615
13616 @smallexample
13617 @group
13618 (@value{GDBP}) whatis v
13619 type = struct complex
13620 (@value{GDBP}) ptype v
13621 type = struct complex @{
13622 double real;
13623 double imag;
13624 @}
13625 @end group
13626 @end smallexample
13627
13628 @noindent
13629 As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
13630 the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
13631
13632 @cindex incomplete type
13633 Sometimes, programs use opaque data types or incomplete specifications
13634 of complex data structure. If the debug information included in the
13635 program does not allow @value{GDBN} to display a full declaration of
13636 the data type, it will say @samp{<incomplete type>}. For example,
13637 given these declarations:
13638
13639 @smallexample
13640 struct foo;
13641 struct foo *fooptr;
13642 @end smallexample
13643
13644 @noindent
13645 but no definition for @code{struct foo} itself, @value{GDBN} will say:
13646
13647 @smallexample
13648 (@value{GDBP}) ptype foo
13649 $1 = <incomplete type>
13650 @end smallexample
13651
13652 @noindent
13653 ``Incomplete type'' is C terminology for data types that are not
13654 completely specified.
13655
13656 @kindex info types
13657 @item info types @var{regexp}
13658 @itemx info types
13659 Print a brief description of all types whose names match the regular
13660 expression @var{regexp} (or all types in your program, if you supply
13661 no argument). Each complete typename is matched as though it were a
13662 complete line; thus, @samp{i type value} gives information on all
13663 types in your program whose names include the string @code{value}, but
13664 @samp{i type ^value$} gives information only on types whose complete
13665 name is @code{value}.
13666
13667 This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
13668 @code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
13669 lists all source files where a type is defined.
13670
13671 @kindex info scope
13672 @cindex local variables
13673 @item info scope @var{location}
13674 List all the variables local to a particular scope. This command
13675 accepts a @var{location} argument---a function name, a source line, or
13676 an address preceded by a @samp{*}, and prints all the variables local
13677 to the scope defined by that location. (@xref{Specify Location}, for
13678 details about supported forms of @var{location}.) For example:
13679
13680 @smallexample
13681 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info scope command_line_handler}
13682 Scope for command_line_handler:
13683 Symbol rl is an argument at stack/frame offset 8, length 4.
13684 Symbol linebuffer is in static storage at address 0x150a18, length 4.
13685 Symbol linelength is in static storage at address 0x150a1c, length 4.
13686 Symbol p is a local variable in register $esi, length 4.
13687 Symbol p1 is a local variable in register $ebx, length 4.
13688 Symbol nline is a local variable in register $edx, length 4.
13689 Symbol repeat is a local variable at frame offset -8, length 4.
13690 @end smallexample
13691
13692 @noindent
13693 This command is especially useful for determining what data to collect
13694 during a @dfn{trace experiment}, see @ref{Tracepoint Actions,
13695 collect}.
13696
13697 @kindex info source
13698 @item info source
13699 Show information about the current source file---that is, the source file for
13700 the function containing the current point of execution:
13701 @itemize @bullet
13702 @item
13703 the name of the source file, and the directory containing it,
13704 @item
13705 the directory it was compiled in,
13706 @item
13707 its length, in lines,
13708 @item
13709 which programming language it is written in,
13710 @item
13711 whether the executable includes debugging information for that file, and
13712 if so, what format the information is in (e.g., STABS, Dwarf 2, etc.), and
13713 @item
13714 whether the debugging information includes information about
13715 preprocessor macros.
13716 @end itemize
13717
13718
13719 @kindex info sources
13720 @item info sources
13721 Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
13722 debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
13723 have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
13724
13725 @kindex info functions
13726 @item info functions
13727 Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
13728
13729 @item info functions @var{regexp}
13730 Print the names and data types of all defined functions
13731 whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
13732 Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
13733 include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
13734 start with @code{step}. If a function name contains characters
13735 that conflict with the regular expression language (e.g.@:
13736 @samp{operator*()}), they may be quoted with a backslash.
13737
13738 @kindex info variables
13739 @item info variables
13740 Print the names and data types of all variables that are defined
13741 outside of functions (i.e.@: excluding local variables).
13742
13743 @item info variables @var{regexp}
13744 Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
13745 variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
13746 @var{regexp}.
13747
13748 @kindex info classes
13749 @cindex Objective-C, classes and selectors
13750 @item info classes
13751 @itemx info classes @var{regexp}
13752 Display all Objective-C classes in your program, or
13753 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
13754 expression.
13755
13756 @kindex info selectors
13757 @item info selectors
13758 @itemx info selectors @var{regexp}
13759 Display all Objective-C selectors in your program, or
13760 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
13761 expression.
13762
13763 @ignore
13764 This was never implemented.
13765 @kindex info methods
13766 @item info methods
13767 @itemx info methods @var{regexp}
13768 The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
13769 methods within C@t{++} program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
13770 specific set of methods found in the various C@t{++} classes. Many
13771 C@t{++} classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
13772 from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
13773 @code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
13774 which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
13775 @end ignore
13776
13777 @cindex reloading symbols
13778 Some systems allow individual object files that make up your program to
13779 be replaced without stopping and restarting your program. For example,
13780 in VxWorks you can simply recompile a defective object file and keep on
13781 running. If you are running on one of these systems, you can allow
13782 @value{GDBN} to reload the symbols for automatically relinked modules:
13783
13784 @table @code
13785 @kindex set symbol-reloading
13786 @item set symbol-reloading on
13787 Replace symbol definitions for the corresponding source file when an
13788 object file with a particular name is seen again.
13789
13790 @item set symbol-reloading off
13791 Do not replace symbol definitions when encountering object files of the
13792 same name more than once. This is the default state; if you are not
13793 running on a system that permits automatic relinking of modules, you
13794 should leave @code{symbol-reloading} off, since otherwise @value{GDBN}
13795 may discard symbols when linking large programs, that may contain
13796 several modules (from different directories or libraries) with the same
13797 name.
13798
13799 @kindex show symbol-reloading
13800 @item show symbol-reloading
13801 Show the current @code{on} or @code{off} setting.
13802 @end table
13803
13804 @cindex opaque data types
13805 @kindex set opaque-type-resolution
13806 @item set opaque-type-resolution on
13807 Tell @value{GDBN} to resolve opaque types. An opaque type is a type
13808 declared as a pointer to a @code{struct}, @code{class}, or
13809 @code{union}---for example, @code{struct MyType *}---that is used in one
13810 source file although the full declaration of @code{struct MyType} is in
13811 another source file. The default is on.
13812
13813 A change in the setting of this subcommand will not take effect until
13814 the next time symbols for a file are loaded.
13815
13816 @item set opaque-type-resolution off
13817 Tell @value{GDBN} not to resolve opaque types. In this case, the type
13818 is printed as follows:
13819 @smallexample
13820 @{<no data fields>@}
13821 @end smallexample
13822
13823 @kindex show opaque-type-resolution
13824 @item show opaque-type-resolution
13825 Show whether opaque types are resolved or not.
13826
13827 @kindex maint print symbols
13828 @cindex symbol dump
13829 @kindex maint print psymbols
13830 @cindex partial symbol dump
13831 @item maint print symbols @var{filename}
13832 @itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
13833 @itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
13834 Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
13835 These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
13836 symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
13837 symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
13838 collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
13839 only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
13840 command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
13841 use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
13842 symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
13843 files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
13844 @samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
13845 required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
13846 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}, for a discussion of how
13847 @value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
13848
13849 @kindex maint info symtabs
13850 @kindex maint info psymtabs
13851 @cindex listing @value{GDBN}'s internal symbol tables
13852 @cindex symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
13853 @cindex full symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
13854 @cindex partial symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
13855 @item maint info symtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
13856 @itemx maint info psymtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
13857
13858 List the @code{struct symtab} or @code{struct partial_symtab}
13859 structures whose names match @var{regexp}. If @var{regexp} is not
13860 given, list them all. The output includes expressions which you can
13861 copy into a @value{GDBN} debugging this one to examine a particular
13862 structure in more detail. For example:
13863
13864 @smallexample
13865 (@value{GDBP}) maint info psymtabs dwarf2read
13866 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
13867 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
13868 @{ psymtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
13869 ((struct partial_symtab *) 0x8474b10)
13870 readin no
13871 fullname (null)
13872 text addresses 0x814d3c8 -- 0x8158074
13873 globals (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x8507a08 @@ 9)
13874 statics (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x40e95b78 @@ 2882)
13875 dependencies (none)
13876 @}
13877 @}
13878 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
13879 (@value{GDBP})
13880 @end smallexample
13881 @noindent
13882 We see that there is one partial symbol table whose filename contains
13883 the string @samp{dwarf2read}, belonging to the @samp{gdb} executable;
13884 and we see that @value{GDBN} has not read in any symtabs yet at all.
13885 If we set a breakpoint on a function, that will cause @value{GDBN} to
13886 read the symtab for the compilation unit containing that function:
13887
13888 @smallexample
13889 (@value{GDBP}) break dwarf2_psymtab_to_symtab
13890 Breakpoint 1 at 0x814e5da: file /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c,
13891 line 1574.
13892 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
13893 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
13894 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
13895 @{ symtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
13896 ((struct symtab *) 0x86c1f38)
13897 dirname (null)
13898 fullname (null)
13899 blockvector ((struct blockvector *) 0x86c1bd0) (primary)
13900 linetable ((struct linetable *) 0x8370fa0)
13901 debugformat DWARF 2
13902 @}
13903 @}
13904 (@value{GDBP})
13905 @end smallexample
13906 @end table
13907
13908
13909 @node Altering
13910 @chapter Altering Execution
13911
13912 Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
13913 find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
13914 correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
13915 experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
13916 program.
13917
13918 For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
13919 locations, give your program a signal, restart it at a different
13920 address, or even return prematurely from a function.
13921
13922 @menu
13923 * Assignment:: Assignment to variables
13924 * Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
13925 * Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
13926 * Returning:: Returning from a function
13927 * Calling:: Calling your program's functions
13928 * Patching:: Patching your program
13929 @end menu
13930
13931 @node Assignment
13932 @section Assignment to Variables
13933
13934 @cindex assignment
13935 @cindex setting variables
13936 To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
13937 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
13938
13939 @smallexample
13940 print x=4
13941 @end smallexample
13942
13943 @noindent
13944 stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
13945 value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
13946 @xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
13947 information on operators in supported languages.
13948
13949 @kindex set variable
13950 @cindex variables, setting
13951 If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
13952 @code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
13953 really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
13954 not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
13955 ,Value History}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
13956
13957 If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
13958 appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
13959 variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
13960 to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if your
13961 program has a variable @code{width}, you get an error if you try to set
13962 a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, because @value{GDBN} has the
13963 command @code{set width}:
13964
13965 @smallexample
13966 (@value{GDBP}) whatis width
13967 type = double
13968 (@value{GDBP}) p width
13969 $4 = 13
13970 (@value{GDBP}) set width=47
13971 Invalid syntax in expression.
13972 @end smallexample
13973
13974 @noindent
13975 The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
13976 order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
13977
13978 @smallexample
13979 (@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
13980 @end smallexample
13981
13982 Because the @code{set} command has many subcommands that can conflict
13983 with the names of program variables, it is a good idea to use the
13984 @code{set variable} command instead of just @code{set}. For example, if
13985 your program has a variable @code{g}, you run into problems if you try
13986 to set a new value with just @samp{set g=4}, because @value{GDBN} has
13987 the command @code{set gnutarget}, abbreviated @code{set g}:
13988
13989 @smallexample
13990 @group
13991 (@value{GDBP}) whatis g
13992 type = double
13993 (@value{GDBP}) p g
13994 $1 = 1
13995 (@value{GDBP}) set g=4
13996 (@value{GDBP}) p g
13997 $2 = 1
13998 (@value{GDBP}) r
13999 The program being debugged has been started already.
14000 Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
14001 Starting program: /home/smith/cc_progs/a.out
14002 "/home/smith/cc_progs/a.out": can't open to read symbols:
14003 Invalid bfd target.
14004 (@value{GDBP}) show g
14005 The current BFD target is "=4".
14006 @end group
14007 @end smallexample
14008
14009 @noindent
14010 The program variable @code{g} did not change, and you silently set the
14011 @code{gnutarget} to an invalid value. In order to set the variable
14012 @code{g}, use
14013
14014 @smallexample
14015 (@value{GDBP}) set var g=4
14016 @end smallexample
14017
14018 @value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
14019 freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
14020 and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
14021 same length or shorter.
14022 @comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
14023 @comment /doc@cygnus.com 18dec1990
14024
14025 To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
14026 construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
14027 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
14028 to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
14029 and representation in memory), and
14030
14031 @smallexample
14032 set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
14033 @end smallexample
14034
14035 @noindent
14036 stores the value 4 into that memory location.
14037
14038 @node Jumping
14039 @section Continuing at a Different Address
14040
14041 Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
14042 it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
14043 an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
14044
14045 @table @code
14046 @kindex jump
14047 @item jump @var{linespec}
14048 @itemx jump @var{location}
14049 Resume execution at line @var{linespec} or at address given by
14050 @var{location}. Execution stops again immediately if there is a
14051 breakpoint there. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
14052 different forms of @var{linespec} and @var{location}. It is common
14053 practice to use the @code{tbreak} command in conjunction with
14054 @code{jump}. @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
14055
14056 The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
14057 the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
14058 register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
14059 a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
14060 be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
14061 of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
14062 confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
14063 executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
14064 well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
14065 @end table
14066
14067 @c Doesn't work on HP-UX; have to set $pcoqh and $pcoqt.
14068 On many systems, you can get much the same effect as the @code{jump}
14069 command by storing a new value into the register @code{$pc}. The
14070 difference is that this does not start your program running; it only
14071 changes the address of where it @emph{will} run when you continue. For
14072 example,
14073
14074 @smallexample
14075 set $pc = 0x485
14076 @end smallexample
14077
14078 @noindent
14079 makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
14080 address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
14081 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}.
14082
14083 The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back
14084 up---perhaps with more breakpoints set---over a portion of a program
14085 that has already executed, in order to examine its execution in more
14086 detail.
14087
14088 @c @group
14089 @node Signaling
14090 @section Giving your Program a Signal
14091 @cindex deliver a signal to a program
14092
14093 @table @code
14094 @kindex signal
14095 @item signal @var{signal}
14096 Resume execution where your program stopped, but immediately give it the
14097 signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
14098 signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
14099 SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
14100
14101 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
14102 giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
14103 a signal and would ordinary see the signal when resumed with the
14104 @code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
14105 signal.
14106
14107 @code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
14108 after executing the command.
14109 @end table
14110 @c @end group
14111
14112 Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
14113 @code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
14114 causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
14115 the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
14116 passes the signal directly to your program.
14117
14118
14119 @node Returning
14120 @section Returning from a Function
14121
14122 @table @code
14123 @cindex returning from a function
14124 @kindex return
14125 @item return
14126 @itemx return @var{expression}
14127 You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
14128 command. If you give an
14129 @var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
14130 value.
14131 @end table
14132
14133 When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
14134 (and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
14135 discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
14136 be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
14137
14138 This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
14139 Frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
14140 innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
14141 specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
14142 of functions.
14143
14144 The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
14145 program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
14146 returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
14147 and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}) resumes execution until the
14148 selected stack frame returns naturally.
14149
14150 @value{GDBN} needs to know how the @var{expression} argument should be set for
14151 the inferior. The concrete registers assignment depends on the OS ABI and the
14152 type being returned by the selected stack frame. For example it is common for
14153 OS ABI to return floating point values in FPU registers while integer values in
14154 CPU registers. Still some ABIs return even floating point values in CPU
14155 registers. Larger integer widths (such as @code{long long int}) also have
14156 specific placement rules. @value{GDBN} already knows the OS ABI from its
14157 current target so it needs to find out also the type being returned to make the
14158 assignment into the right register(s).
14159
14160 Normally, the selected stack frame has debug info. @value{GDBN} will always
14161 use the debug info instead of the implicit type of @var{expression} when the
14162 debug info is available. For example, if you type @kbd{return -1}, and the
14163 function in the current stack frame is declared to return a @code{long long
14164 int}, @value{GDBN} transparently converts the implicit @code{int} value of -1
14165 into a @code{long long int}:
14166
14167 @smallexample
14168 Breakpoint 1, func () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:29
14169 29 return 31;
14170 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
14171 Make func return now? (y or n) y
14172 #0 0x004004f6 in main () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:43
14173 43 printf ("result=%lld\n", func ());
14174 (@value{GDBP})
14175 @end smallexample
14176
14177 However, if the selected stack frame does not have a debug info, e.g., if the
14178 function was compiled without debug info, @value{GDBN} has to find out the type
14179 to return from user. Specifying a different type by mistake may set the value
14180 in different inferior registers than the caller code expects. For example,
14181 typing @kbd{return -1} with its implicit type @code{int} would set only a part
14182 of a @code{long long int} result for a debug info less function (on 32-bit
14183 architectures). Therefore the user is required to specify the return type by
14184 an appropriate cast explicitly:
14185
14186 @smallexample
14187 Breakpoint 2, 0x0040050b in func ()
14188 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
14189 Return value type not available for selected stack frame.
14190 Please use an explicit cast of the value to return.
14191 (@value{GDBP}) return (long long int) -1
14192 Make selected stack frame return now? (y or n) y
14193 #0 0x00400526 in main ()
14194 (@value{GDBP})
14195 @end smallexample
14196
14197 @node Calling
14198 @section Calling Program Functions
14199
14200 @table @code
14201 @cindex calling functions
14202 @cindex inferior functions, calling
14203 @item print @var{expr}
14204 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} and display the resulting value.
14205 @var{expr} may include calls to functions in the program being
14206 debugged.
14207
14208 @kindex call
14209 @item call @var{expr}
14210 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
14211 returned values.
14212
14213 You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
14214 execute a function from your program that does not return anything
14215 (a.k.a.@: @dfn{a void function}), but without cluttering the output
14216 with @code{void} returned values that @value{GDBN} will otherwise
14217 print. If the result is not void, it is printed and saved in the
14218 value history.
14219 @end table
14220
14221 It is possible for the function you call via the @code{print} or
14222 @code{call} command to generate a signal (e.g., if there's a bug in
14223 the function, or if you passed it incorrect arguments). What happens
14224 in that case is controlled by the @code{set unwindonsignal} command.
14225
14226 Similarly, with a C@t{++} program it is possible for the function you
14227 call via the @code{print} or @code{call} command to generate an
14228 exception that is not handled due to the constraints of the dummy
14229 frame. In this case, any exception that is raised in the frame, but has
14230 an out-of-frame exception handler will not be found. GDB builds a
14231 dummy-frame for the inferior function call, and the unwinder cannot
14232 seek for exception handlers outside of this dummy-frame. What happens
14233 in that case is controlled by the
14234 @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception} command.
14235
14236 @table @code
14237 @item set unwindonsignal
14238 @kindex set unwindonsignal
14239 @cindex unwind stack in called functions
14240 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding
14241 Set unwinding of the stack if a signal is received while in a function
14242 that @value{GDBN} called in the program being debugged. If set to on,
14243 @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack it created for the call and restores
14244 the context to what it was before the call. If set to off (the
14245 default), @value{GDBN} stops in the frame where the signal was
14246 received.
14247
14248 @item show unwindonsignal
14249 @kindex show unwindonsignal
14250 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
14251 @value{GDBN}.
14252
14253 @item set unwind-on-terminating-exception
14254 @kindex set unwind-on-terminating-exception
14255 @cindex unwind stack in called functions with unhandled exceptions
14256 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding on unhandled exception.
14257 Set unwinding of the stack if a C@t{++} exception is raised, but left
14258 unhandled while in a function that @value{GDBN} called in the program being
14259 debugged. If set to on (the default), @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack
14260 it created for the call and restores the context to what it was before
14261 the call. If set to off, @value{GDBN} the exception is delivered to
14262 the default C@t{++} exception handler and the inferior terminated.
14263
14264 @item show unwind-on-terminating-exception
14265 @kindex show unwind-on-terminating-exception
14266 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
14267 @value{GDBN}.
14268
14269 @end table
14270
14271 @cindex weak alias functions
14272 Sometimes, a function you wish to call is actually a @dfn{weak alias}
14273 for another function. In such case, @value{GDBN} might not pick up
14274 the type information, including the types of the function arguments,
14275 which causes @value{GDBN} to call the inferior function incorrectly.
14276 As a result, the called function will function erroneously and may
14277 even crash. A solution to that is to use the name of the aliased
14278 function instead.
14279
14280 @node Patching
14281 @section Patching Programs
14282
14283 @cindex patching binaries
14284 @cindex writing into executables
14285 @cindex writing into corefiles
14286
14287 By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's
14288 executable code (or the corefile) read-only. This prevents accidental
14289 alterations to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally
14290 patching your program's binary.
14291
14292 If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
14293 explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
14294 want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
14295 repairs.
14296
14297 @table @code
14298 @kindex set write
14299 @item set write on
14300 @itemx set write off
14301 If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable and
14302 core files for both reading and writing; if you specify @kbd{set write
14303 off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
14304
14305 If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
14306 @code{exec-file} or @code{core-file} command) after changing @code{set
14307 write}, for your new setting to take effect.
14308
14309 @item show write
14310 @kindex show write
14311 Display whether executable files and core files are opened for writing
14312 as well as reading.
14313 @end table
14314
14315 @node GDB Files
14316 @chapter @value{GDBN} Files
14317
14318 @value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged,
14319 both in order to read its symbol table and in order to start your
14320 program. To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell
14321 @value{GDBN} the name of the core dump file.
14322
14323 @menu
14324 * Files:: Commands to specify files
14325 * Separate Debug Files:: Debugging information in separate files
14326 * Index Files:: Index files speed up GDB
14327 * Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
14328 * Data Files:: GDB data files
14329 @end menu
14330
14331 @node Files
14332 @section Commands to Specify Files
14333
14334 @cindex symbol table
14335 @cindex core dump file
14336
14337 You may want to specify executable and core dump file names. The usual
14338 way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
14339 @value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, , Getting In and
14340 Out of @value{GDBN}}).
14341
14342 Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
14343 @value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to
14344 specify a file you want to use. Or you are debugging a remote target
14345 via @code{gdbserver} (@pxref{Server, file, Using the @code{gdbserver}
14346 Program}). In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands to specify
14347 new files are useful.
14348
14349 @table @code
14350 @cindex executable file
14351 @kindex file
14352 @item file @var{filename}
14353 Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
14354 symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
14355 executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
14356 directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
14357 @value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
14358 directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
14359 to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
14360 and your program, using the @code{path} command.
14361
14362 @cindex unlinked object files
14363 @cindex patching object files
14364 You can load unlinked object @file{.o} files into @value{GDBN} using
14365 the @code{file} command. You will not be able to ``run'' an object
14366 file, but you can disassemble functions and inspect variables. Also,
14367 if the underlying BFD functionality supports it, you could use
14368 @kbd{gdb -write} to patch object files using this technique. Note
14369 that @value{GDBN} can neither interpret nor modify relocations in this
14370 case, so branches and some initialized variables will appear to go to
14371 the wrong place. But this feature is still handy from time to time.
14372
14373 @item file
14374 @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
14375 has on both executable file and the symbol table.
14376
14377 @kindex exec-file
14378 @item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
14379 Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
14380 in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
14381 if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
14382 discard information on the executable file.
14383
14384 @kindex symbol-file
14385 @item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
14386 Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
14387 searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
14388 table and program to run from the same file.
14389
14390 @code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
14391 program's symbol table.
14392
14393 The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents of
14394 some breakpoints and auto-display expressions. This is because they may
14395 contain pointers to the internal data recording symbols and data types,
14396 which are part of the old symbol table data being discarded inside
14397 @value{GDBN}.
14398
14399 @code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
14400 executing it once.
14401
14402 When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
14403 understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
14404 generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
14405 other compilers that adhere to the local conventions.
14406 Best results are usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example,
14407 using @code{@value{NGCC}} you can generate debugging information for
14408 optimized code.
14409
14410 For most kinds of object files, with the exception of old SVR3 systems
14411 using COFF, the @code{symbol-file} command does not normally read the
14412 symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans the symbol table
14413 quickly to find which source files and which symbols are present. The
14414 details are read later, one source file at a time, as they are needed.
14415
14416 The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN}
14417 start up faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for
14418 occasional pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source
14419 file are being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these
14420 pauses into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional
14421 Warnings and Messages}.)
14422
14423 We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
14424 symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
14425 symbol table data in full right away. Note that ``stabs-in-COFF''
14426 still does the two-stage strategy, since the debug info is actually
14427 in stabs format.
14428
14429 @kindex readnow
14430 @cindex reading symbols immediately
14431 @cindex symbols, reading immediately
14432 @item symbol-file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
14433 @itemx file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
14434 You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
14435 tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
14436 load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
14437 entire symbol table available.
14438
14439 @c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
14440 @c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
14441 @c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
14442 @c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
14443 @c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
14444 @c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
14445 @c files.
14446
14447 @kindex core-file
14448 @item core-file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
14449 @itemx core
14450 Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
14451 of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
14452 address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
14453 executable file itself for other parts.
14454
14455 @code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
14456 to be used.
14457
14458 Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
14459 under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you
14460 wish to debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which
14461 the program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
14462 (@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the Child Process}).
14463
14464 @kindex add-symbol-file
14465 @cindex dynamic linking
14466 @item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
14467 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]}
14468 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @r{-s}@var{section} @var{address} @dots{}
14469 The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table
14470 information from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command
14471 when @var{filename} has been dynamically loaded (by some other means)
14472 into the program that is running. @var{address} should be the memory
14473 address at which the file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure
14474 this out for itself. You can additionally specify an arbitrary number
14475 of @samp{@r{-s}@var{section} @var{address}} pairs, to give an explicit
14476 section name and base address for that section. You can specify any
14477 @var{address} as an expression.
14478
14479 The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
14480 originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
14481 @code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data
14482 thus read keeps adding to the old. To discard all old symbol data
14483 instead, use the @code{symbol-file} command without any arguments.
14484
14485 @cindex relocatable object files, reading symbols from
14486 @cindex object files, relocatable, reading symbols from
14487 @cindex reading symbols from relocatable object files
14488 @cindex symbols, reading from relocatable object files
14489 @cindex @file{.o} files, reading symbols from
14490 Although @var{filename} is typically a shared library file, an
14491 executable file, or some other object file which has been fully
14492 relocated for loading into a process, you can also load symbolic
14493 information from relocatable @file{.o} files, as long as:
14494
14495 @itemize @bullet
14496 @item
14497 the file's symbolic information refers only to linker symbols defined in
14498 that file, not to symbols defined by other object files,
14499 @item
14500 every section the file's symbolic information refers to has actually
14501 been loaded into the inferior, as it appears in the file, and
14502 @item
14503 you can determine the address at which every section was loaded, and
14504 provide these to the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
14505 @end itemize
14506
14507 @noindent
14508 Some embedded operating systems, like Sun Chorus and VxWorks, can load
14509 relocatable files into an already running program; such systems
14510 typically make the requirements above easy to meet. However, it's
14511 important to recognize that many native systems use complex link
14512 procedures (@code{.linkonce} section factoring and C@t{++} constructor table
14513 assembly, for example) that make the requirements difficult to meet. In
14514 general, one cannot assume that using @code{add-symbol-file} to read a
14515 relocatable object file's symbolic information will have the same effect
14516 as linking the relocatable object file into the program in the normal
14517 way.
14518
14519 @code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
14520
14521 @kindex add-symbol-file-from-memory
14522 @cindex @code{syscall DSO}
14523 @cindex load symbols from memory
14524 @item add-symbol-file-from-memory @var{address}
14525 Load symbols from the given @var{address} in a dynamically loaded
14526 object file whose image is mapped directly into the inferior's memory.
14527 For example, the Linux kernel maps a @code{syscall DSO} into each
14528 process's address space; this DSO provides kernel-specific code for
14529 some system calls. The argument can be any expression whose
14530 evaluation yields the address of the file's shared object file header.
14531 For this command to work, you must have used @code{symbol-file} or
14532 @code{exec-file} commands in advance.
14533
14534 @kindex add-shared-symbol-files
14535 @kindex assf
14536 @item add-shared-symbol-files @var{library-file}
14537 @itemx assf @var{library-file}
14538 The @code{add-shared-symbol-files} command can currently be used only
14539 in the Cygwin build of @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows OS, where it is an
14540 alias for the @code{dll-symbols} command (@pxref{Cygwin Native}).
14541 @value{GDBN} automatically looks for shared libraries, however if
14542 @value{GDBN} does not find yours, you can invoke
14543 @code{add-shared-symbol-files}. It takes one argument: the shared
14544 library's file name. @code{assf} is a shorthand alias for
14545 @code{add-shared-symbol-files}.
14546
14547 @kindex section
14548 @item section @var{section} @var{addr}
14549 The @code{section} command changes the base address of the named
14550 @var{section} of the exec file to @var{addr}. This can be used if the
14551 exec file does not contain section addresses, (such as in the
14552 @code{a.out} format), or when the addresses specified in the file
14553 itself are wrong. Each section must be changed separately. The
14554 @code{info files} command, described below, lists all the sections and
14555 their addresses.
14556
14557 @kindex info files
14558 @kindex info target
14559 @item info files
14560 @itemx info target
14561 @code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print the
14562 current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
14563 including the names of the executable and core dump files currently in
14564 use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were loaded. The
14565 command @code{help target} lists all possible targets rather than
14566 current ones.
14567
14568 @kindex maint info sections
14569 @item maint info sections
14570 Another command that can give you extra information about program sections
14571 is @code{maint info sections}. In addition to the section information
14572 displayed by @code{info files}, this command displays the flags and file
14573 offset of each section in the executable and core dump files. In addition,
14574 @code{maint info sections} provides the following command options (which
14575 may be arbitrarily combined):
14576
14577 @table @code
14578 @item ALLOBJ
14579 Display sections for all loaded object files, including shared libraries.
14580 @item @var{sections}
14581 Display info only for named @var{sections}.
14582 @item @var{section-flags}
14583 Display info only for sections for which @var{section-flags} are true.
14584 The section flags that @value{GDBN} currently knows about are:
14585 @table @code
14586 @item ALLOC
14587 Section will have space allocated in the process when loaded.
14588 Set for all sections except those containing debug information.
14589 @item LOAD
14590 Section will be loaded from the file into the child process memory.
14591 Set for pre-initialized code and data, clear for @code{.bss} sections.
14592 @item RELOC
14593 Section needs to be relocated before loading.
14594 @item READONLY
14595 Section cannot be modified by the child process.
14596 @item CODE
14597 Section contains executable code only.
14598 @item DATA
14599 Section contains data only (no executable code).
14600 @item ROM
14601 Section will reside in ROM.
14602 @item CONSTRUCTOR
14603 Section contains data for constructor/destructor lists.
14604 @item HAS_CONTENTS
14605 Section is not empty.
14606 @item NEVER_LOAD
14607 An instruction to the linker to not output the section.
14608 @item COFF_SHARED_LIBRARY
14609 A notification to the linker that the section contains
14610 COFF shared library information.
14611 @item IS_COMMON
14612 Section contains common symbols.
14613 @end table
14614 @end table
14615 @kindex set trust-readonly-sections
14616 @cindex read-only sections
14617 @item set trust-readonly-sections on
14618 Tell @value{GDBN} that readonly sections in your object file
14619 really are read-only (i.e.@: that their contents will not change).
14620 In that case, @value{GDBN} can fetch values from these sections
14621 out of the object file, rather than from the target program.
14622 For some targets (notably embedded ones), this can be a significant
14623 enhancement to debugging performance.
14624
14625 The default is off.
14626
14627 @item set trust-readonly-sections off
14628 Tell @value{GDBN} not to trust readonly sections. This means that
14629 the contents of the section might change while the program is running,
14630 and must therefore be fetched from the target when needed.
14631
14632 @item show trust-readonly-sections
14633 Show the current setting of trusting readonly sections.
14634 @end table
14635
14636 All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
14637 as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
14638 name and remembers it that way.
14639
14640 @cindex shared libraries
14641 @anchor{Shared Libraries}
14642 @value{GDBN} supports @sc{gnu}/Linux, MS-Windows, HP-UX, SunOS, SVr4, Irix,
14643 and IBM RS/6000 AIX shared libraries.
14644
14645 On MS-Windows @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support
14646 shared libraries. @xref{Expat}.
14647
14648 @value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
14649 when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
14650 (Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
14651 references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
14652 debugging a core file).
14653
14654 On HP-UX, if the program loads a library explicitly, @value{GDBN}
14655 automatically loads the symbols at the time of the @code{shl_load} call.
14656
14657 @c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
14658 @c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
14659 @c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
14660
14661 There are times, however, when you may wish to not automatically load
14662 symbol definitions from shared libraries, such as when they are
14663 particularly large or there are many of them.
14664
14665 To control the automatic loading of shared library symbols, use the
14666 commands:
14667
14668 @table @code
14669 @kindex set auto-solib-add
14670 @item set auto-solib-add @var{mode}
14671 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, symbols from all shared object libraries
14672 will be loaded automatically when the inferior begins execution, you
14673 attach to an independently started inferior, or when the dynamic linker
14674 informs @value{GDBN} that a new library has been loaded. If @var{mode}
14675 is @code{off}, symbols must be loaded manually, using the
14676 @code{sharedlibrary} command. The default value is @code{on}.
14677
14678 @cindex memory used for symbol tables
14679 If your program uses lots of shared libraries with debug info that
14680 takes large amounts of memory, you can decrease the @value{GDBN}
14681 memory footprint by preventing it from automatically loading the
14682 symbols from shared libraries. To that end, type @kbd{set
14683 auto-solib-add off} before running the inferior, then load each
14684 library whose debug symbols you do need with @kbd{sharedlibrary
14685 @var{regexp}}, where @var{regexp} is a regular expression that matches
14686 the libraries whose symbols you want to be loaded.
14687
14688 @kindex show auto-solib-add
14689 @item show auto-solib-add
14690 Display the current autoloading mode.
14691 @end table
14692
14693 @cindex load shared library
14694 To explicitly load shared library symbols, use the @code{sharedlibrary}
14695 command:
14696
14697 @table @code
14698 @kindex info sharedlibrary
14699 @kindex info share
14700 @item info share @var{regex}
14701 @itemx info sharedlibrary @var{regex}
14702 Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded
14703 that match @var{regex}. If @var{regex} is omitted then print
14704 all shared libraries that are loaded.
14705
14706 @kindex sharedlibrary
14707 @kindex share
14708 @item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
14709 @itemx share @var{regex}
14710 Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
14711 Unix regular expression.
14712 As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
14713 required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
14714 @var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
14715 loaded.
14716
14717 @item nosharedlibrary
14718 @kindex nosharedlibrary
14719 @cindex unload symbols from shared libraries
14720 Unload all shared object library symbols. This discards all symbols
14721 that have been loaded from all shared libraries. Symbols from shared
14722 libraries that were loaded by explicit user requests are not
14723 discarded.
14724 @end table
14725
14726 Sometimes you may wish that @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control
14727 when any of shared library events happen. Use the @code{set
14728 stop-on-solib-events} command for this:
14729
14730 @table @code
14731 @item set stop-on-solib-events
14732 @kindex set stop-on-solib-events
14733 This command controls whether @value{GDBN} should give you control
14734 when the dynamic linker notifies it about some shared library event.
14735 The most common event of interest is loading or unloading of a new
14736 shared library.
14737
14738 @item show stop-on-solib-events
14739 @kindex show stop-on-solib-events
14740 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control when shared
14741 library events happen.
14742 @end table
14743
14744 Shared libraries are also supported in many cross or remote debugging
14745 configurations. @value{GDBN} needs to have access to the target's libraries;
14746 this can be accomplished either by providing copies of the libraries
14747 on the host system, or by asking @value{GDBN} to automatically retrieve the
14748 libraries from the target. If copies of the target libraries are
14749 provided, they need to be the same as the target libraries, although the
14750 copies on the target can be stripped as long as the copies on the host are
14751 not.
14752
14753 @cindex where to look for shared libraries
14754 For remote debugging, you need to tell @value{GDBN} where the target
14755 libraries are, so that it can load the correct copies---otherwise, it
14756 may try to load the host's libraries. @value{GDBN} has two variables
14757 to specify the search directories for target libraries.
14758
14759 @table @code
14760 @cindex prefix for shared library file names
14761 @cindex system root, alternate
14762 @kindex set solib-absolute-prefix
14763 @kindex set sysroot
14764 @item set sysroot @var{path}
14765 Use @var{path} as the system root for the program being debugged. Any
14766 absolute shared library paths will be prefixed with @var{path}; many
14767 runtime loaders store the absolute paths to the shared library in the
14768 target program's memory. If you use @code{set sysroot} to find shared
14769 libraries, they need to be laid out in the same way that they are on
14770 the target, with e.g.@: a @file{/lib} and @file{/usr/lib} hierarchy
14771 under @var{path}.
14772
14773 If @var{path} starts with the sequence @file{remote:}, @value{GDBN} will
14774 retrieve the target libraries from the remote system. This is only
14775 supported when using a remote target that supports the @code{remote get}
14776 command (@pxref{File Transfer,,Sending files to a remote system}).
14777 The part of @var{path} following the initial @file{remote:}
14778 (if present) is used as system root prefix on the remote file system.
14779 @footnote{If you want to specify a local system root using a directory
14780 that happens to be named @file{remote:}, you need to use some equivalent
14781 variant of the name like @file{./remote:}.}
14782
14783 For targets with an MS-DOS based filesystem, such as MS-Windows and
14784 SymbianOS, @value{GDBN} tries prefixing a few variants of the target
14785 absolute file name with @var{path}. But first, on Unix hosts,
14786 @value{GDBN} converts all backslash directory separators into forward
14787 slashes, because the backslash is not a directory separator on Unix:
14788
14789 @smallexample
14790 c:\foo\bar.dll @result{} c:/foo/bar.dll
14791 @end smallexample
14792
14793 Then, @value{GDBN} attempts prefixing the target file name with
14794 @var{path}, and looks for the resulting file name in the host file
14795 system:
14796
14797 @smallexample
14798 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c:/foo/bar.dll
14799 @end smallexample
14800
14801 If that does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries removing
14802 the @samp{:} character from the drive spec, both for convenience, and,
14803 for the case of the host file system not supporting file names with
14804 colons:
14805
14806 @smallexample
14807 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c/foo/bar.dll
14808 @end smallexample
14809
14810 This makes it possible to have a system root that mirrors a target
14811 with more than one drive. E.g., you may want to setup your local
14812 copies of the target system shared libraries like so (note @samp{c} vs
14813 @samp{z}):
14814
14815 @smallexample
14816 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/foo.dll}
14817 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/bar.dll}
14818 @file{/path/to/sysroot/z/sys/bin/bar.dll}
14819 @end smallexample
14820
14821 @noindent
14822 and point the system root at @file{/path/to/sysroot}, so that
14823 @value{GDBN} can find the correct copies of both
14824 @file{c:\sys\bin\foo.dll}, and @file{z:\sys\bin\bar.dll}.
14825
14826 If that still does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries
14827 removing the whole drive spec from the target file name:
14828
14829 @smallexample
14830 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/foo/bar.dll
14831 @end smallexample
14832
14833 This last lookup makes it possible to not care about the drive name,
14834 if you don't want or need to.
14835
14836 The @code{set solib-absolute-prefix} command is an alias for @code{set
14837 sysroot}.
14838
14839 @cindex default system root
14840 @cindex @samp{--with-sysroot}
14841 You can set the default system root by using the configure-time
14842 @samp{--with-sysroot} option. If the system root is inside
14843 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
14844 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default system root will be updated
14845 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
14846 location.
14847
14848 @kindex show sysroot
14849 @item show sysroot
14850 Display the current shared library prefix.
14851
14852 @kindex set solib-search-path
14853 @item set solib-search-path @var{path}
14854 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
14855 directories to search for shared libraries. @samp{solib-search-path}
14856 is used after @samp{sysroot} fails to locate the library, or if the
14857 path to the library is relative instead of absolute. If you want to
14858 use @samp{solib-search-path} instead of @samp{sysroot}, be sure to set
14859 @samp{sysroot} to a nonexistent directory to prevent @value{GDBN} from
14860 finding your host's libraries. @samp{sysroot} is preferred; setting
14861 it to a nonexistent directory may interfere with automatic loading
14862 of shared library symbols.
14863
14864 @kindex show solib-search-path
14865 @item show solib-search-path
14866 Display the current shared library search path.
14867
14868 @cindex DOS file-name semantics of file names.
14869 @kindex set target-file-system-kind (unix|dos-based|auto)
14870 @kindex show target-file-system-kind
14871 @item set target-file-system-kind @var{kind}
14872 Set assumed file system kind for target reported file names.
14873
14874 Shared library file names as reported by the target system may not
14875 make sense as is on the system @value{GDBN} is running on. For
14876 example, when remote debugging a target that has MS-DOS based file
14877 system semantics, from a Unix host, the target may be reporting to
14878 @value{GDBN} a list of loaded shared libraries with file names such as
14879 @file{c:\Windows\kernel32.dll}. On Unix hosts, there's no concept of
14880 drive letters, so the @samp{c:\} prefix is not normally understood as
14881 indicating an absolute file name, and neither is the backslash
14882 normally considered a directory separator character. In that case,
14883 the native file system would interpret this whole absolute file name
14884 as a relative file name with no directory components. This would make
14885 it impossible to point @value{GDBN} at a copy of the remote target's
14886 shared libraries on the host using @code{set sysroot}, and impractical
14887 with @code{set solib-search-path}. Setting
14888 @code{target-file-system-kind} to @code{dos-based} tells @value{GDBN}
14889 to interpret such file names similarly to how the target would, and to
14890 map them to file names valid on @value{GDBN}'s native file system
14891 semantics. The value of @var{kind} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition
14892 to one of the supported file system kinds. In that case, @value{GDBN}
14893 tries to determine the appropriate file system variant based on the
14894 current target's operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the
14895 Current ABI}). The supported file system settings are:
14896
14897 @table @code
14898 @item unix
14899 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is of Unix
14900 kind. Only file names starting the forward slash (@samp{/}) character
14901 are considered absolute, and the directory separator character is also
14902 the forward slash.
14903
14904 @item dos-based
14905 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is DOS based.
14906 File names starting with either a forward slash, or a drive letter
14907 followed by a colon (e.g., @samp{c:}), are considered absolute, and
14908 both the slash (@samp{/}) and the backslash (@samp{\\}) characters are
14909 considered directory separators.
14910
14911 @item auto
14912 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the file system kind associated with the
14913 target operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
14914 This is the default.
14915 @end table
14916 @end table
14917
14918
14919 @node Separate Debug Files
14920 @section Debugging Information in Separate Files
14921 @cindex separate debugging information files
14922 @cindex debugging information in separate files
14923 @cindex @file{.debug} subdirectories
14924 @cindex debugging information directory, global
14925 @cindex global debugging information directory
14926 @cindex build ID, and separate debugging files
14927 @cindex @file{.build-id} directory
14928
14929 @value{GDBN} allows you to put a program's debugging information in a
14930 file separate from the executable itself, in a way that allows
14931 @value{GDBN} to find and load the debugging information automatically.
14932 Since debugging information can be very large---sometimes larger
14933 than the executable code itself---some systems distribute debugging
14934 information for their executables in separate files, which users can
14935 install only when they need to debug a problem.
14936
14937 @value{GDBN} supports two ways of specifying the separate debug info
14938 file:
14939
14940 @itemize @bullet
14941 @item
14942 The executable contains a @dfn{debug link} that specifies the name of
14943 the separate debug info file. The separate debug file's name is
14944 usually @file{@var{executable}.debug}, where @var{executable} is the
14945 name of the corresponding executable file without leading directories
14946 (e.g., @file{ls.debug} for @file{/usr/bin/ls}). In addition, the
14947 debug link specifies a 32-bit @dfn{Cyclic Redundancy Check} (CRC)
14948 checksum for the debug file, which @value{GDBN} uses to validate that
14949 the executable and the debug file came from the same build.
14950
14951 @item
14952 The executable contains a @dfn{build ID}, a unique bit string that is
14953 also present in the corresponding debug info file. (This is supported
14954 only on some operating systems, notably those which use the ELF format
14955 for binary files and the @sc{gnu} Binutils.) For more details about
14956 this feature, see the description of the @option{--build-id}
14957 command-line option in @ref{Options, , Command Line Options, ld.info,
14958 The GNU Linker}. The debug info file's name is not specified
14959 explicitly by the build ID, but can be computed from the build ID, see
14960 below.
14961 @end itemize
14962
14963 Depending on the way the debug info file is specified, @value{GDBN}
14964 uses two different methods of looking for the debug file:
14965
14966 @itemize @bullet
14967 @item
14968 For the ``debug link'' method, @value{GDBN} looks up the named file in
14969 the directory of the executable file, then in a subdirectory of that
14970 directory named @file{.debug}, and finally under the global debug
14971 directory, in a subdirectory whose name is identical to the leading
14972 directories of the executable's absolute file name.
14973
14974 @item
14975 For the ``build ID'' method, @value{GDBN} looks in the
14976 @file{.build-id} subdirectory of the global debug directory for a file
14977 named @file{@var{nn}/@var{nnnnnnnn}.debug}, where @var{nn} are the
14978 first 2 hex characters of the build ID bit string, and @var{nnnnnnnn}
14979 are the rest of the bit string. (Real build ID strings are 32 or more
14980 hex characters, not 10.)
14981 @end itemize
14982
14983 So, for example, suppose you ask @value{GDBN} to debug
14984 @file{/usr/bin/ls}, which has a debug link that specifies the
14985 file @file{ls.debug}, and a build ID whose value in hex is
14986 @code{abcdef1234}. If the global debug directory is
14987 @file{/usr/lib/debug}, then @value{GDBN} will look for the following
14988 debug information files, in the indicated order:
14989
14990 @itemize @minus
14991 @item
14992 @file{/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/ab/cdef1234.debug}
14993 @item
14994 @file{/usr/bin/ls.debug}
14995 @item
14996 @file{/usr/bin/.debug/ls.debug}
14997 @item
14998 @file{/usr/lib/debug/usr/bin/ls.debug}.
14999 @end itemize
15000
15001 You can set the global debugging info directory's name, and view the
15002 name @value{GDBN} is currently using.
15003
15004 @table @code
15005
15006 @kindex set debug-file-directory
15007 @item set debug-file-directory @var{directories}
15008 Set the directories which @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
15009 information files to @var{directory}. Multiple directory components can be set
15010 concatenating them by a directory separator.
15011
15012 @kindex show debug-file-directory
15013 @item show debug-file-directory
15014 Show the directories @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
15015 information files.
15016
15017 @end table
15018
15019 @cindex @code{.gnu_debuglink} sections
15020 @cindex debug link sections
15021 A debug link is a special section of the executable file named
15022 @code{.gnu_debuglink}. The section must contain:
15023
15024 @itemize
15025 @item
15026 A filename, with any leading directory components removed, followed by
15027 a zero byte,
15028 @item
15029 zero to three bytes of padding, as needed to reach the next four-byte
15030 boundary within the section, and
15031 @item
15032 a four-byte CRC checksum, stored in the same endianness used for the
15033 executable file itself. The checksum is computed on the debugging
15034 information file's full contents by the function given below, passing
15035 zero as the @var{crc} argument.
15036 @end itemize
15037
15038 Any executable file format can carry a debug link, as long as it can
15039 contain a section named @code{.gnu_debuglink} with the contents
15040 described above.
15041
15042 @cindex @code{.note.gnu.build-id} sections
15043 @cindex build ID sections
15044 The build ID is a special section in the executable file (and in other
15045 ELF binary files that @value{GDBN} may consider). This section is
15046 often named @code{.note.gnu.build-id}, but that name is not mandatory.
15047 It contains unique identification for the built files---the ID remains
15048 the same across multiple builds of the same build tree. The default
15049 algorithm SHA1 produces 160 bits (40 hexadecimal characters) of the
15050 content for the build ID string. The same section with an identical
15051 value is present in the original built binary with symbols, in its
15052 stripped variant, and in the separate debugging information file.
15053
15054 The debugging information file itself should be an ordinary
15055 executable, containing a full set of linker symbols, sections, and
15056 debugging information. The sections of the debugging information file
15057 should have the same names, addresses, and sizes as the original file,
15058 but they need not contain any data---much like a @code{.bss} section
15059 in an ordinary executable.
15060
15061 The @sc{gnu} binary utilities (Binutils) package includes the
15062 @samp{objcopy} utility that can produce
15063 the separated executable / debugging information file pairs using the
15064 following commands:
15065
15066 @smallexample
15067 @kbd{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.debug}
15068 @kbd{strip -g foo}
15069 @end smallexample
15070
15071 @noindent
15072 These commands remove the debugging
15073 information from the executable file @file{foo} and place it in the file
15074 @file{foo.debug}. You can use the first, second or both methods to link the
15075 two files:
15076
15077 @itemize @bullet
15078 @item
15079 The debug link method needs the following additional command to also leave
15080 behind a debug link in @file{foo}:
15081
15082 @smallexample
15083 @kbd{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug foo}
15084 @end smallexample
15085
15086 Ulrich Drepper's @file{elfutils} package, starting with version 0.53, contains
15087 a version of the @code{strip} command such that the command @kbd{strip foo -f
15088 foo.debug} has the same functionality as the two @code{objcopy} commands and
15089 the @code{ln -s} command above, together.
15090
15091 @item
15092 Build ID gets embedded into the main executable using @code{ld --build-id} or
15093 the @value{NGCC} counterpart @code{gcc -Wl,--build-id}. Build ID support plus
15094 compatibility fixes for debug files separation are present in @sc{gnu} binary
15095 utilities (Binutils) package since version 2.18.
15096 @end itemize
15097
15098 @noindent
15099
15100 @cindex CRC algorithm definition
15101 The CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink} is the CRC-32 defined in
15102 IEEE 802.3 using the polynomial:
15103
15104 @c TexInfo requires naked braces for multi-digit exponents for Tex
15105 @c output, but this causes HTML output to barf. HTML has to be set using
15106 @c raw commands. So we end up having to specify this equation in 2
15107 @c different ways!
15108 @ifhtml
15109 @display
15110 @html
15111 <em>x</em><sup>32</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>26</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>23</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>22</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>16</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>12</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>11</sup>
15112 + <em>x</em><sup>10</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>8</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>7</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>5</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>4</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>2</sup> + <em>x</em> + 1
15113 @end html
15114 @end display
15115 @end ifhtml
15116 @ifnothtml
15117 @display
15118 @math{x^{32} + x^{26} + x^{23} + x^{22} + x^{16} + x^{12} + x^{11}}
15119 @math{+ x^{10} + x^8 + x^7 + x^5 + x^4 + x^2 + x + 1}
15120 @end display
15121 @end ifnothtml
15122
15123 The function is computed byte at a time, taking the least
15124 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern
15125 @code{0xffffffff} is used, to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC and
15126 the final result is inverted to ensure trailing zeros also affect the
15127 CRC.
15128
15129 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC polynomial as used in handling the
15130 @dfn{Remote Serial Protocol} @code{qCRC} packet (@pxref{Remote Protocol,
15131 , @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol}). However in the
15132 case of the Remote Serial Protocol, the CRC is computed @emph{most}
15133 significant bit first, and the result is not inverted, so trailing
15134 zeros have no effect on the CRC value.
15135
15136 To complete the description, we show below the code of the function
15137 which produces the CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink}. Inverting the
15138 initially supplied @code{crc} argument means that an initial call to
15139 this function passing in zero will start computing the CRC using
15140 @code{0xffffffff}.
15141
15142 @kindex gnu_debuglink_crc32
15143 @smallexample
15144 unsigned long
15145 gnu_debuglink_crc32 (unsigned long crc,
15146 unsigned char *buf, size_t len)
15147 @{
15148 static const unsigned long crc32_table[256] =
15149 @{
15150 0x00000000, 0x77073096, 0xee0e612c, 0x990951ba, 0x076dc419,
15151 0x706af48f, 0xe963a535, 0x9e6495a3, 0x0edb8832, 0x79dcb8a4,
15152 0xe0d5e91e, 0x97d2d988, 0x09b64c2b, 0x7eb17cbd, 0xe7b82d07,
15153 0x90bf1d91, 0x1db71064, 0x6ab020f2, 0xf3b97148, 0x84be41de,
15154 0x1adad47d, 0x6ddde4eb, 0xf4d4b551, 0x83d385c7, 0x136c9856,
15155 0x646ba8c0, 0xfd62f97a, 0x8a65c9ec, 0x14015c4f, 0x63066cd9,
15156 0xfa0f3d63, 0x8d080df5, 0x3b6e20c8, 0x4c69105e, 0xd56041e4,
15157 0xa2677172, 0x3c03e4d1, 0x4b04d447, 0xd20d85fd, 0xa50ab56b,
15158 0x35b5a8fa, 0x42b2986c, 0xdbbbc9d6, 0xacbcf940, 0x32d86ce3,
15159 0x45df5c75, 0xdcd60dcf, 0xabd13d59, 0x26d930ac, 0x51de003a,
15160 0xc8d75180, 0xbfd06116, 0x21b4f4b5, 0x56b3c423, 0xcfba9599,
15161 0xb8bda50f, 0x2802b89e, 0x5f058808, 0xc60cd9b2, 0xb10be924,
15162 0x2f6f7c87, 0x58684c11, 0xc1611dab, 0xb6662d3d, 0x76dc4190,
15163 0x01db7106, 0x98d220bc, 0xefd5102a, 0x71b18589, 0x06b6b51f,
15164 0x9fbfe4a5, 0xe8b8d433, 0x7807c9a2, 0x0f00f934, 0x9609a88e,
15165 0xe10e9818, 0x7f6a0dbb, 0x086d3d2d, 0x91646c97, 0xe6635c01,
15166 0x6b6b51f4, 0x1c6c6162, 0x856530d8, 0xf262004e, 0x6c0695ed,
15167 0x1b01a57b, 0x8208f4c1, 0xf50fc457, 0x65b0d9c6, 0x12b7e950,
15168 0x8bbeb8ea, 0xfcb9887c, 0x62dd1ddf, 0x15da2d49, 0x8cd37cf3,
15169 0xfbd44c65, 0x4db26158, 0x3ab551ce, 0xa3bc0074, 0xd4bb30e2,
15170 0x4adfa541, 0x3dd895d7, 0xa4d1c46d, 0xd3d6f4fb, 0x4369e96a,
15171 0x346ed9fc, 0xad678846, 0xda60b8d0, 0x44042d73, 0x33031de5,
15172 0xaa0a4c5f, 0xdd0d7cc9, 0x5005713c, 0x270241aa, 0xbe0b1010,
15173 0xc90c2086, 0x5768b525, 0x206f85b3, 0xb966d409, 0xce61e49f,
15174 0x5edef90e, 0x29d9c998, 0xb0d09822, 0xc7d7a8b4, 0x59b33d17,
15175 0x2eb40d81, 0xb7bd5c3b, 0xc0ba6cad, 0xedb88320, 0x9abfb3b6,
15176 0x03b6e20c, 0x74b1d29a, 0xead54739, 0x9dd277af, 0x04db2615,
15177 0x73dc1683, 0xe3630b12, 0x94643b84, 0x0d6d6a3e, 0x7a6a5aa8,
15178 0xe40ecf0b, 0x9309ff9d, 0x0a00ae27, 0x7d079eb1, 0xf00f9344,
15179 0x8708a3d2, 0x1e01f268, 0x6906c2fe, 0xf762575d, 0x806567cb,
15180 0x196c3671, 0x6e6b06e7, 0xfed41b76, 0x89d32be0, 0x10da7a5a,
15181 0x67dd4acc, 0xf9b9df6f, 0x8ebeeff9, 0x17b7be43, 0x60b08ed5,
15182 0xd6d6a3e8, 0xa1d1937e, 0x38d8c2c4, 0x4fdff252, 0xd1bb67f1,
15183 0xa6bc5767, 0x3fb506dd, 0x48b2364b, 0xd80d2bda, 0xaf0a1b4c,
15184 0x36034af6, 0x41047a60, 0xdf60efc3, 0xa867df55, 0x316e8eef,
15185 0x4669be79, 0xcb61b38c, 0xbc66831a, 0x256fd2a0, 0x5268e236,
15186 0xcc0c7795, 0xbb0b4703, 0x220216b9, 0x5505262f, 0xc5ba3bbe,
15187 0xb2bd0b28, 0x2bb45a92, 0x5cb36a04, 0xc2d7ffa7, 0xb5d0cf31,
15188 0x2cd99e8b, 0x5bdeae1d, 0x9b64c2b0, 0xec63f226, 0x756aa39c,
15189 0x026d930a, 0x9c0906a9, 0xeb0e363f, 0x72076785, 0x05005713,
15190 0x95bf4a82, 0xe2b87a14, 0x7bb12bae, 0x0cb61b38, 0x92d28e9b,
15191 0xe5d5be0d, 0x7cdcefb7, 0x0bdbdf21, 0x86d3d2d4, 0xf1d4e242,
15192 0x68ddb3f8, 0x1fda836e, 0x81be16cd, 0xf6b9265b, 0x6fb077e1,
15193 0x18b74777, 0x88085ae6, 0xff0f6a70, 0x66063bca, 0x11010b5c,
15194 0x8f659eff, 0xf862ae69, 0x616bffd3, 0x166ccf45, 0xa00ae278,
15195 0xd70dd2ee, 0x4e048354, 0x3903b3c2, 0xa7672661, 0xd06016f7,
15196 0x4969474d, 0x3e6e77db, 0xaed16a4a, 0xd9d65adc, 0x40df0b66,
15197 0x37d83bf0, 0xa9bcae53, 0xdebb9ec5, 0x47b2cf7f, 0x30b5ffe9,
15198 0xbdbdf21c, 0xcabac28a, 0x53b39330, 0x24b4a3a6, 0xbad03605,
15199 0xcdd70693, 0x54de5729, 0x23d967bf, 0xb3667a2e, 0xc4614ab8,
15200 0x5d681b02, 0x2a6f2b94, 0xb40bbe37, 0xc30c8ea1, 0x5a05df1b,
15201 0x2d02ef8d
15202 @};
15203 unsigned char *end;
15204
15205 crc = ~crc & 0xffffffff;
15206 for (end = buf + len; buf < end; ++buf)
15207 crc = crc32_table[(crc ^ *buf) & 0xff] ^ (crc >> 8);
15208 return ~crc & 0xffffffff;
15209 @}
15210 @end smallexample
15211
15212 @noindent
15213 This computation does not apply to the ``build ID'' method.
15214
15215
15216 @node Index Files
15217 @section Index Files Speed Up @value{GDBN}
15218 @cindex index files
15219 @cindex @samp{.gdb_index} section
15220
15221 When @value{GDBN} finds a symbol file, it scans the symbols in the
15222 file in order to construct an internal symbol table. This lets most
15223 @value{GDBN} operations work quickly---at the cost of a delay early
15224 on. For large programs, this delay can be quite lengthy, so
15225 @value{GDBN} provides a way to build an index, which speeds up
15226 startup.
15227
15228 The index is stored as a section in the symbol file. @value{GDBN} can
15229 write the index to a file, then you can put it into the symbol file
15230 using @command{objcopy}.
15231
15232 To create an index file, use the @code{save gdb-index} command:
15233
15234 @table @code
15235 @item save gdb-index @var{directory}
15236 @kindex save gdb-index
15237 Create an index file for each symbol file currently known by
15238 @value{GDBN}. Each file is named after its corresponding symbol file,
15239 with @samp{.gdb-index} appended, and is written into the given
15240 @var{directory}.
15241 @end table
15242
15243 Once you have created an index file you can merge it into your symbol
15244 file, here named @file{symfile}, using @command{objcopy}:
15245
15246 @smallexample
15247 $ objcopy --add-section .gdb_index=symfile.gdb-index \
15248 --set-section-flags .gdb_index=readonly symfile symfile
15249 @end smallexample
15250
15251 There are currently some limitation on indices. They only work when
15252 for DWARF debugging information, not stabs. And, they do not
15253 currently work for programs using Ada.
15254
15255 @node Symbol Errors
15256 @section Errors Reading Symbol Files
15257
15258 While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
15259 such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
15260 output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
15261 they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
15262 debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
15263 about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
15264 only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
15265 times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
15266 to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
15267 complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
15268 Messages}).
15269
15270 The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
15271
15272 @table @code
15273 @item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
15274
15275 The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
15276 (such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
15277 error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
15278 in its outer scope blocks.
15279
15280 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
15281 the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
15282 may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
15283 function.
15284
15285 @item block at @var{address} out of order
15286
15287 The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
15288 order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
15289 do so.
15290
15291 @value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
15292 locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
15293 can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
15294 @code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
15295 Messages}.)
15296
15297 @item bad block start address patched
15298
15299 The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
15300 smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
15301 to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
15302
15303 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
15304 starting on the previous source line.
15305
15306 @item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
15307
15308 @cindex foo
15309 Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
15310 larger than the size of the string table.
15311
15312 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
15313 name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
15314 with this name.
15315
15316 @item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
15317
15318 The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does
15319 not yet know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the
15320 uncomprehended information, in hexadecimal.
15321
15322 @value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information.
15323 This usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
15324 are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
15325 debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint
15326 on @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab}
15327 and examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
15328
15329 @item stub type has NULL name
15330
15331 @value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for a struct or class.
15332
15333 @item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
15334 The symbol information for a C@t{++} member function is missing some
15335 information that recent versions of the compiler should have output for
15336 it.
15337
15338 @item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
15339
15340 @value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
15341
15342 @end table
15343
15344 @node Data Files
15345 @section GDB Data Files
15346
15347 @cindex prefix for data files
15348 @value{GDBN} will sometimes read an auxiliary data file. These files
15349 are kept in a directory known as the @dfn{data directory}.
15350
15351 You can set the data directory's name, and view the name @value{GDBN}
15352 is currently using.
15353
15354 @table @code
15355 @kindex set data-directory
15356 @item set data-directory @var{directory}
15357 Set the directory which @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files
15358 to @var{directory}.
15359
15360 @kindex show data-directory
15361 @item show data-directory
15362 Show the directory @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files.
15363 @end table
15364
15365 @cindex default data directory
15366 @cindex @samp{--with-gdb-datadir}
15367 You can set the default data directory by using the configure-time
15368 @samp{--with-gdb-datadir} option. If the data directory is inside
15369 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
15370 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default data directory will be updated
15371 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
15372 location.
15373
15374 @node Targets
15375 @chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
15376
15377 @cindex debugging target
15378 A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
15379
15380 Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program;
15381 in that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when
15382 you use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
15383 flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
15384 host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
15385 realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you can use the @code{target}
15386 command to specify one of the target types configured for @value{GDBN}
15387 (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for Managing Targets}).
15388
15389 @cindex target architecture
15390 It is possible to build @value{GDBN} for several different @dfn{target
15391 architectures}. When @value{GDBN} is built like that, you can choose
15392 one of the available architectures with the @kbd{set architecture}
15393 command.
15394
15395 @table @code
15396 @kindex set architecture
15397 @kindex show architecture
15398 @item set architecture @var{arch}
15399 This command sets the current target architecture to @var{arch}. The
15400 value of @var{arch} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition to one of the
15401 supported architectures.
15402
15403 @item show architecture
15404 Show the current target architecture.
15405
15406 @item set processor
15407 @itemx processor
15408 @kindex set processor
15409 @kindex show processor
15410 These are alias commands for, respectively, @code{set architecture}
15411 and @code{show architecture}.
15412 @end table
15413
15414 @menu
15415 * Active Targets:: Active targets
15416 * Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
15417 * Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
15418 @end menu
15419
15420 @node Active Targets
15421 @section Active Targets
15422
15423 @cindex stacking targets
15424 @cindex active targets
15425 @cindex multiple targets
15426
15427 There are multiple classes of targets such as: processes, executable files or
15428 recording sessions. Core files belong to the process class, making core file
15429 and process mutually exclusive. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} can work concurrently
15430 on multiple active targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for
15431 example) start a process and inspect its activity, while still having access to
15432 the executable file after the process finishes. Or if you start process
15433 recording (@pxref{Reverse Execution}) and @code{reverse-step} there, you are
15434 presented a virtual layer of the recording target, while the process target
15435 remains stopped at the chronologically last point of the process execution.
15436
15437 Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a new core
15438 file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}). To
15439 specify as a target a process that is already running, use the @code{attach}
15440 command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
15441
15442 @node Target Commands
15443 @section Commands for Managing Targets
15444
15445 @table @code
15446 @item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
15447 Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target machine or
15448 process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging
15449 facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the type or
15450 protocol of the target machine.
15451
15452 Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
15453 typically include things like device names or host names to connect
15454 with, process numbers, and baud rates.
15455
15456 The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
15457 after executing the command.
15458
15459 @kindex help target
15460 @item help target
15461 Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
15462 currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
15463 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
15464
15465 @item help target @var{name}
15466 Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
15467 select it.
15468
15469 @kindex set gnutarget
15470 @item set gnutarget @var{args}
15471 @value{GDBN} uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
15472 knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
15473 a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file; however, you can specify the file format
15474 with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
15475 with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
15476
15477 @quotation
15478 @emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
15479 you must know the actual BFD name.
15480 @end quotation
15481
15482 @noindent
15483 @xref{Files, , Commands to Specify Files}.
15484
15485 @kindex show gnutarget
15486 @item show gnutarget
15487 Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
15488 @code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
15489 @value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically,
15490 and @code{show gnutarget} displays @samp{The current BDF target is "auto"}.
15491 @end table
15492
15493 @cindex common targets
15494 Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
15495 configuration):
15496
15497 @table @code
15498 @kindex target
15499 @item target exec @var{program}
15500 @cindex executable file target
15501 An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
15502 @samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
15503
15504 @item target core @var{filename}
15505 @cindex core dump file target
15506 A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
15507 @samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
15508
15509 @item target remote @var{medium}
15510 @cindex remote target
15511 A remote system connected to @value{GDBN} via a serial line or network
15512 connection. This command tells @value{GDBN} to use its own remote
15513 protocol over @var{medium} for debugging. @xref{Remote Debugging}.
15514
15515 For example, if you have a board connected to @file{/dev/ttya} on the
15516 machine running @value{GDBN}, you could say:
15517
15518 @smallexample
15519 target remote /dev/ttya
15520 @end smallexample
15521
15522 @code{target remote} supports the @code{load} command. This is only
15523 useful if you have some other way of getting the stub to the target
15524 system, and you can put it somewhere in memory where it won't get
15525 clobbered by the download.
15526
15527 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
15528 @cindex built-in simulator target
15529 Builtin CPU simulator. @value{GDBN} includes simulators for most architectures.
15530 In general,
15531 @smallexample
15532 target sim
15533 load
15534 run
15535 @end smallexample
15536 @noindent
15537 works; however, you cannot assume that a specific memory map, device
15538 drivers, or even basic I/O is available, although some simulators do
15539 provide these. For info about any processor-specific simulator details,
15540 see the appropriate section in @ref{Embedded Processors, ,Embedded
15541 Processors}.
15542
15543 @end table
15544
15545 Some configurations may include these targets as well:
15546
15547 @table @code
15548
15549 @item target nrom @var{dev}
15550 @cindex NetROM ROM emulator target
15551 NetROM ROM emulator. This target only supports downloading.
15552
15553 @end table
15554
15555 Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
15556 your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
15557
15558 Many remote targets require you to download the executable's code once
15559 you've successfully established a connection. You may wish to control
15560 various aspects of this process.
15561
15562 @table @code
15563
15564 @item set hash
15565 @kindex set hash@r{, for remote monitors}
15566 @cindex hash mark while downloading
15567 This command controls whether a hash mark @samp{#} is displayed while
15568 downloading a file to the remote monitor. If on, a hash mark is
15569 displayed after each S-record is successfully downloaded to the
15570 monitor.
15571
15572 @item show hash
15573 @kindex show hash@r{, for remote monitors}
15574 Show the current status of displaying the hash mark.
15575
15576 @item set debug monitor
15577 @kindex set debug monitor
15578 @cindex display remote monitor communications
15579 Enable or disable display of communications messages between
15580 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
15581
15582 @item show debug monitor
15583 @kindex show debug monitor
15584 Show the current status of displaying communications between
15585 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
15586 @end table
15587
15588 @table @code
15589
15590 @kindex load @var{filename}
15591 @item load @var{filename}
15592 @anchor{load}
15593 Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
15594 @value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
15595 is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
15596 on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
15597 @code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
15598 the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
15599
15600 If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
15601 execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
15602 target is @dots{}}''
15603
15604 The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
15605 For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
15606 link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
15607 specifies a fixed address.
15608 @c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
15609
15610 Depending on the remote side capabilities, @value{GDBN} may be able to
15611 load programs into flash memory.
15612
15613 @code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
15614 @end table
15615
15616 @node Byte Order
15617 @section Choosing Target Byte Order
15618
15619 @cindex choosing target byte order
15620 @cindex target byte order
15621
15622 Some types of processors, such as the MIPS, PowerPC, and Renesas SH,
15623 offer the ability to run either big-endian or little-endian byte
15624 orders. Usually the executable or symbol will include a bit to
15625 designate the endian-ness, and you will not need to worry about
15626 which to use. However, you may still find it useful to adjust
15627 @value{GDBN}'s idea of processor endian-ness manually.
15628
15629 @table @code
15630 @kindex set endian
15631 @item set endian big
15632 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is big-endian.
15633
15634 @item set endian little
15635 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is little-endian.
15636
15637 @item set endian auto
15638 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the
15639 executable.
15640
15641 @item show endian
15642 Display @value{GDBN}'s current idea of the target byte order.
15643
15644 @end table
15645
15646 Note that these commands merely adjust interpretation of symbolic
15647 data on the host, and that they have absolutely no effect on the
15648 target system.
15649
15650
15651 @node Remote Debugging
15652 @chapter Debugging Remote Programs
15653 @cindex remote debugging
15654
15655 If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
15656 @value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
15657 For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
15658 or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
15659 powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
15660
15661 Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
15662 to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
15663 @value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
15664 but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
15665 write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
15666 communicate with @value{GDBN}.
15667
15668 Other remote targets may be available in your
15669 configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
15670
15671 @menu
15672 * Connecting:: Connecting to a remote target
15673 * File Transfer:: Sending files to a remote system
15674 * Server:: Using the gdbserver program
15675 * Remote Configuration:: Remote configuration
15676 * Remote Stub:: Implementing a remote stub
15677 @end menu
15678
15679 @node Connecting
15680 @section Connecting to a Remote Target
15681
15682 On the @value{GDBN} host machine, you will need an unstripped copy of
15683 your program, since @value{GDBN} needs symbol and debugging information.
15684 Start up @value{GDBN} as usual, using the name of the local copy of your
15685 program as the first argument.
15686
15687 @cindex @code{target remote}
15688 @value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, or
15689 over an @acronym{IP} network using @acronym{TCP} or @acronym{UDP}. In
15690 each case, @value{GDBN} uses the same protocol for debugging your
15691 program; only the medium carrying the debugging packets varies. The
15692 @code{target remote} command establishes a connection to the target.
15693 Its arguments indicate which medium to use:
15694
15695 @table @code
15696
15697 @item target remote @var{serial-device}
15698 @cindex serial line, @code{target remote}
15699 Use @var{serial-device} to communicate with the target. For example,
15700 to use a serial line connected to the device named @file{/dev/ttyb}:
15701
15702 @smallexample
15703 target remote /dev/ttyb
15704 @end smallexample
15705
15706 If you're using a serial line, you may want to give @value{GDBN} the
15707 @w{@samp{--baud}} option, or use the @code{set remotebaud} command
15708 (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remotebaud}) before the
15709 @code{target} command.
15710
15711 @item target remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
15712 @itemx target remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
15713 @cindex @acronym{TCP} port, @code{target remote}
15714 Debug using a @acronym{TCP} connection to @var{port} on @var{host}.
15715 The @var{host} may be either a host name or a numeric @acronym{IP}
15716 address; @var{port} must be a decimal number. The @var{host} could be
15717 the target machine itself, if it is directly connected to the net, or
15718 it might be a terminal server which in turn has a serial line to the
15719 target.
15720
15721 For example, to connect to port 2828 on a terminal server named
15722 @code{manyfarms}:
15723
15724 @smallexample
15725 target remote manyfarms:2828
15726 @end smallexample
15727
15728 If your remote target is actually running on the same machine as your
15729 debugger session (e.g.@: a simulator for your target running on the
15730 same host), you can omit the hostname. For example, to connect to
15731 port 1234 on your local machine:
15732
15733 @smallexample
15734 target remote :1234
15735 @end smallexample
15736 @noindent
15737
15738 Note that the colon is still required here.
15739
15740 @item target remote @code{udp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
15741 @cindex @acronym{UDP} port, @code{target remote}
15742 Debug using @acronym{UDP} packets to @var{port} on @var{host}. For example, to
15743 connect to @acronym{UDP} port 2828 on a terminal server named @code{manyfarms}:
15744
15745 @smallexample
15746 target remote udp:manyfarms:2828
15747 @end smallexample
15748
15749 When using a @acronym{UDP} connection for remote debugging, you should
15750 keep in mind that the `U' stands for ``Unreliable''. @acronym{UDP}
15751 can silently drop packets on busy or unreliable networks, which will
15752 cause havoc with your debugging session.
15753
15754 @item target remote | @var{command}
15755 @cindex pipe, @code{target remote} to
15756 Run @var{command} in the background and communicate with it using a
15757 pipe. The @var{command} is a shell command, to be parsed and expanded
15758 by the system's command shell, @code{/bin/sh}; it should expect remote
15759 protocol packets on its standard input, and send replies on its
15760 standard output. You could use this to run a stand-alone simulator
15761 that speaks the remote debugging protocol, to make net connections
15762 using programs like @code{ssh}, or for other similar tricks.
15763
15764 If @var{command} closes its standard output (perhaps by exiting),
15765 @value{GDBN} will try to send it a @code{SIGTERM} signal. (If the
15766 program has already exited, this will have no effect.)
15767
15768 @end table
15769
15770 Once the connection has been established, you can use all the usual
15771 commands to examine and change data. The remote program is already
15772 running; you can use @kbd{step} and @kbd{continue}, and you do not
15773 need to use @kbd{run}.
15774
15775 @cindex interrupting remote programs
15776 @cindex remote programs, interrupting
15777 Whenever @value{GDBN} is waiting for the remote program, if you type the
15778 interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}), @value{GDBN} attempts to stop the
15779 program. This may or may not succeed, depending in part on the hardware
15780 and the serial drivers the remote system uses. If you type the
15781 interrupt character once again, @value{GDBN} displays this prompt:
15782
15783 @smallexample
15784 Interrupted while waiting for the program.
15785 Give up (and stop debugging it)? (y or n)
15786 @end smallexample
15787
15788 If you type @kbd{y}, @value{GDBN} abandons the remote debugging session.
15789 (If you decide you want to try again later, you can use @samp{target
15790 remote} again to connect once more.) If you type @kbd{n}, @value{GDBN}
15791 goes back to waiting.
15792
15793 @table @code
15794 @kindex detach (remote)
15795 @item detach
15796 When you have finished debugging the remote program, you can use the
15797 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control.
15798 Detaching from the target normally resumes its execution, but the results
15799 will depend on your particular remote stub. After the @code{detach}
15800 command, @value{GDBN} is free to connect to another target.
15801
15802 @kindex disconnect
15803 @item disconnect
15804 The @code{disconnect} command behaves like @code{detach}, except that
15805 the target is generally not resumed. It will wait for @value{GDBN}
15806 (this instance or another one) to connect and continue debugging. After
15807 the @code{disconnect} command, @value{GDBN} is again free to connect to
15808 another target.
15809
15810 @cindex send command to remote monitor
15811 @cindex extend @value{GDBN} for remote targets
15812 @cindex add new commands for external monitor
15813 @kindex monitor
15814 @item monitor @var{cmd}
15815 This command allows you to send arbitrary commands directly to the
15816 remote monitor. Since @value{GDBN} doesn't care about the commands it
15817 sends like this, this command is the way to extend @value{GDBN}---you
15818 can add new commands that only the external monitor will understand
15819 and implement.
15820 @end table
15821
15822 @node File Transfer
15823 @section Sending files to a remote system
15824 @cindex remote target, file transfer
15825 @cindex file transfer
15826 @cindex sending files to remote systems
15827
15828 Some remote targets offer the ability to transfer files over the same
15829 connection used to communicate with @value{GDBN}. This is convenient
15830 for targets accessible through other means, e.g.@: @sc{gnu}/Linux systems
15831 running @code{gdbserver} over a network interface. For other targets,
15832 e.g.@: embedded devices with only a single serial port, this may be
15833 the only way to upload or download files.
15834
15835 Not all remote targets support these commands.
15836
15837 @table @code
15838 @kindex remote put
15839 @item remote put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
15840 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
15841 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
15842
15843 @kindex remote get
15844 @item remote get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
15845 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
15846 on the host system.
15847
15848 @kindex remote delete
15849 @item remote delete @var{targetfile}
15850 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
15851
15852 @end table
15853
15854 @node Server
15855 @section Using the @code{gdbserver} Program
15856
15857 @kindex gdbserver
15858 @cindex remote connection without stubs
15859 @code{gdbserver} is a control program for Unix-like systems, which
15860 allows you to connect your program with a remote @value{GDBN} via
15861 @code{target remote}---but without linking in the usual debugging stub.
15862
15863 @code{gdbserver} is not a complete replacement for the debugging stubs,
15864 because it requires essentially the same operating-system facilities
15865 that @value{GDBN} itself does. In fact, a system that can run
15866 @code{gdbserver} to connect to a remote @value{GDBN} could also run
15867 @value{GDBN} locally! @code{gdbserver} is sometimes useful nevertheless,
15868 because it is a much smaller program than @value{GDBN} itself. It is
15869 also easier to port than all of @value{GDBN}, so you may be able to get
15870 started more quickly on a new system by using @code{gdbserver}.
15871 Finally, if you develop code for real-time systems, you may find that
15872 the tradeoffs involved in real-time operation make it more convenient to
15873 do as much development work as possible on another system, for example
15874 by cross-compiling. You can use @code{gdbserver} to make a similar
15875 choice for debugging.
15876
15877 @value{GDBN} and @code{gdbserver} communicate via either a serial line
15878 or a TCP connection, using the standard @value{GDBN} remote serial
15879 protocol.
15880
15881 @quotation
15882 @emph{Warning:} @code{gdbserver} does not have any built-in security.
15883 Do not run @code{gdbserver} connected to any public network; a
15884 @value{GDBN} connection to @code{gdbserver} provides access to the
15885 target system with the same privileges as the user running
15886 @code{gdbserver}.
15887 @end quotation
15888
15889 @subsection Running @code{gdbserver}
15890 @cindex arguments, to @code{gdbserver}
15891
15892 Run @code{gdbserver} on the target system. You need a copy of the
15893 program you want to debug, including any libraries it requires.
15894 @code{gdbserver} does not need your program's symbol table, so you can
15895 strip the program if necessary to save space. @value{GDBN} on the host
15896 system does all the symbol handling.
15897
15898 To use the server, you must tell it how to communicate with @value{GDBN};
15899 the name of your program; and the arguments for your program. The usual
15900 syntax is:
15901
15902 @smallexample
15903 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [ @var{args} @dots{} ]
15904 @end smallexample
15905
15906 @var{comm} is either a device name (to use a serial line) or a TCP
15907 hostname and portnumber. For example, to debug Emacs with the argument
15908 @samp{foo.txt} and communicate with @value{GDBN} over the serial port
15909 @file{/dev/com1}:
15910
15911 @smallexample
15912 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
15913 @end smallexample
15914
15915 @code{gdbserver} waits passively for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate
15916 with it.
15917
15918 To use a TCP connection instead of a serial line:
15919
15920 @smallexample
15921 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
15922 @end smallexample
15923
15924 The only difference from the previous example is the first argument,
15925 specifying that you are communicating with the host @value{GDBN} via
15926 TCP. The @samp{host:2345} argument means that @code{gdbserver} is to
15927 expect a TCP connection from machine @samp{host} to local TCP port 2345.
15928 (Currently, the @samp{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number
15929 you want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any
15930 TCP ports already in use on the target system (for example, @code{23} is
15931 reserved for @code{telnet}).@footnote{If you choose a port number that
15932 conflicts with another service, @code{gdbserver} prints an error message
15933 and exits.} You must use the same port number with the host @value{GDBN}
15934 @code{target remote} command.
15935
15936 @subsubsection Attaching to a Running Program
15937
15938 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
15939 This is accomplished via the @code{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
15940
15941 @smallexample
15942 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
15943 @end smallexample
15944
15945 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't necessary
15946 to point @code{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
15947
15948 @pindex pidof
15949 @cindex attach to a program by name
15950 You can debug processes by name instead of process ID if your target has the
15951 @code{pidof} utility:
15952
15953 @smallexample
15954 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} `pidof @var{program}`
15955 @end smallexample
15956
15957 In case more than one copy of @var{program} is running, or @var{program}
15958 has multiple threads, most versions of @code{pidof} support the
15959 @code{-s} option to only return the first process ID.
15960
15961 @subsubsection Multi-Process Mode for @code{gdbserver}
15962 @cindex gdbserver, multiple processes
15963 @cindex multiple processes with gdbserver
15964
15965 When you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target remote},
15966 @code{gdbserver} debugs the specified program only once. When the
15967 program exits, or you detach from it, @value{GDBN} closes the connection
15968 and @code{gdbserver} exits.
15969
15970 If you connect using @kbd{target extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver}
15971 enters multi-process mode. When the debugged program exits, or you
15972 detach from it, @value{GDBN} stays connected to @code{gdbserver} even
15973 though no program is running. The @code{run} and @code{attach}
15974 commands instruct @code{gdbserver} to run or attach to a new program.
15975 The @code{run} command uses @code{set remote exec-file} (@pxref{set
15976 remote exec-file}) to select the program to run. Command line
15977 arguments are supported, except for wildcard expansion and I/O
15978 redirection (@pxref{Arguments}).
15979
15980 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
15981 or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
15982 Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
15983 the program you want to debug.
15984
15985 @code{gdbserver} does not automatically exit in multi-process mode.
15986 You can terminate it by using @code{monitor exit}
15987 (@pxref{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}).
15988
15989 @subsubsection Other Command-Line Arguments for @code{gdbserver}
15990
15991 The @option{--debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display extra
15992 status information about the debugging process. The
15993 @option{--remote-debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display
15994 remote protocol debug output. These options are intended for
15995 @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to the developers.
15996
15997 The @option{--wrapper} option specifies a wrapper to launch programs
15998 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
15999 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
16000 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
16001
16002 @code{gdbserver} runs the specified wrapper program with a combined
16003 command line including the wrapper arguments, then the name of the
16004 program to debug, then any arguments to the program. The wrapper
16005 runs until it executes your program, and then @value{GDBN} gains control.
16006
16007 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
16008 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
16009 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
16010 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
16011
16012 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
16013 the debugged program, without setting the variable in @code{gdbserver}'s
16014 environment:
16015
16016 @smallexample
16017 $ gdbserver --wrapper env LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so -- :2222 ./testprog
16018 @end smallexample
16019
16020 @subsection Connecting to @code{gdbserver}
16021
16022 Run @value{GDBN} on the host system.
16023
16024 First make sure you have the necessary symbol files. Load symbols for
16025 your application using the @code{file} command before you connect. Use
16026 @code{set sysroot} to locate target libraries (unless your @value{GDBN}
16027 was compiled with the correct sysroot using @code{--with-sysroot}).
16028
16029 The symbol file and target libraries must exactly match the executable
16030 and libraries on the target, with one exception: the files on the host
16031 system should not be stripped, even if the files on the target system
16032 are. Mismatched or missing files will lead to confusing results
16033 during debugging. On @sc{gnu}/Linux targets, mismatched or missing
16034 files may also prevent @code{gdbserver} from debugging multi-threaded
16035 programs.
16036
16037 Connect to your target (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
16038 For TCP connections, you must start up @code{gdbserver} prior to using
16039 the @code{target remote} command. Otherwise you may get an error whose
16040 text depends on the host system, but which usually looks something like
16041 @samp{Connection refused}. Don't use the @code{load}
16042 command in @value{GDBN} when using @code{gdbserver}, since the program is
16043 already on the target.
16044
16045 @subsection Monitor Commands for @code{gdbserver}
16046 @cindex monitor commands, for @code{gdbserver}
16047 @anchor{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}
16048
16049 During a @value{GDBN} session using @code{gdbserver}, you can use the
16050 @code{monitor} command to send special requests to @code{gdbserver}.
16051 Here are the available commands.
16052
16053 @table @code
16054 @item monitor help
16055 List the available monitor commands.
16056
16057 @item monitor set debug 0
16058 @itemx monitor set debug 1
16059 Disable or enable general debugging messages.
16060
16061 @item monitor set remote-debug 0
16062 @itemx monitor set remote-debug 1
16063 Disable or enable specific debugging messages associated with the remote
16064 protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}).
16065
16066 @item monitor set libthread-db-search-path [PATH]
16067 @cindex gdbserver, search path for @code{libthread_db}
16068 When this command is issued, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
16069 directories to search for @code{libthread_db} (@pxref{Threads,,set
16070 libthread-db-search-path}). If you omit @var{path},
16071 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to an empty list.
16072
16073 @item monitor exit
16074 Tell gdbserver to exit immediately. This command should be followed by
16075 @code{disconnect} to close the debugging session. @code{gdbserver} will
16076 detach from any attached processes and kill any processes it created.
16077 Use @code{monitor exit} to terminate @code{gdbserver} at the end
16078 of a multi-process mode debug session.
16079
16080 @end table
16081
16082 @subsection Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
16083 @cindex tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
16084
16085 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints, fast
16086 tracepoints and static tracepoints.
16087
16088 For fast or static tracepoints to work, a special library called the
16089 @dfn{in-process agent} (IPA), must be loaded in the inferior process.
16090 This library is built and distributed as an integral part of
16091 @code{gdbserver}. In addition, support for static tracepoints
16092 requires building the in-process agent library with static tracepoints
16093 support. At present, the UST (LTTng Userspace Tracer,
16094 @url{http://lttng.org/ust}) tracing engine is supported. This support
16095 is automatically available if UST development headers are found in the
16096 standard include path when @code{gdbserver} is built, or if
16097 @code{gdbserver} was explicitly configured using @option{--with-ust}
16098 to point at such headers. You can explicitly disable the support
16099 using @option{--with-ust=no}.
16100
16101 There are several ways to load the in-process agent in your program:
16102
16103 @table @code
16104 @item Specifying it as dependency at link time
16105
16106 You can link your program dynamically with the in-process agent
16107 library. On most systems, this is accomplished by adding
16108 @code{-linproctrace} to the link command.
16109
16110 @item Using the system's preloading mechanisms
16111
16112 You can force loading the in-process agent at startup time by using
16113 your system's support for preloading shared libraries. Many Unixes
16114 support the concept of preloading user defined libraries. In most
16115 cases, you do that by specifying @code{LD_PRELOAD=libinproctrace.so}
16116 in the environment. See also the description of @code{gdbserver}'s
16117 @option{--wrapper} command line option.
16118
16119 @item Using @value{GDBN} to force loading the agent at run time
16120
16121 On some systems, you can force the inferior to load a shared library,
16122 by calling a dynamic loader function in the inferior that takes care
16123 of dynamically looking up and loading a shared library. On most Unix
16124 systems, the function is @code{dlopen}. You'll use the @code{call}
16125 command for that. For example:
16126
16127 @smallexample
16128 (@value{GDBP}) call dlopen ("libinproctrace.so", ...)
16129 @end smallexample
16130
16131 Note that on most Unix systems, for the @code{dlopen} function to be
16132 available, the program needs to be linked with @code{-ldl}.
16133 @end table
16134
16135 On systems that have a userspace dynamic loader, like most Unix
16136 systems, when you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target
16137 remote}, you'll find that the program is stopped at the dynamic
16138 loader's entry point, and no shared library has been loaded in the
16139 program's address space yet, including the in-process agent. In that
16140 case, before being able to use any of the fast or static tracepoints
16141 features, you need to let the loader run and load the shared
16142 libraries. The simplest way to do that is to run the program to the
16143 main procedure. E.g., if debugging a C or C@t{++} program, start
16144 @code{gdbserver} like so:
16145
16146 @smallexample
16147 $ gdbserver :9999 myprogram
16148 @end smallexample
16149
16150 Start GDB and connect to @code{gdbserver} like so, and run to main:
16151
16152 @smallexample
16153 $ gdb myprogram
16154 (@value{GDBP}) target remote myhost:9999
16155 0x00007f215893ba60 in ?? () from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
16156 (@value{GDBP}) b main
16157 (@value{GDBP}) continue
16158 @end smallexample
16159
16160 The in-process tracing agent library should now be loaded into the
16161 process; you can confirm it with the @code{info sharedlibrary}
16162 command, which will list @file{libinproctrace.so} as loaded in the
16163 process. You are now ready to install fast tracepoints, list static
16164 tracepoint markers, probe static tracepoints markers, and start
16165 tracing.
16166
16167 @node Remote Configuration
16168 @section Remote Configuration
16169
16170 @kindex set remote
16171 @kindex show remote
16172 This section documents the configuration options available when
16173 debugging remote programs. For the options related to the File I/O
16174 extensions of the remote protocol, see @ref{system,
16175 system-call-allowed}.
16176
16177 @table @code
16178 @item set remoteaddresssize @var{bits}
16179 @cindex address size for remote targets
16180 @cindex bits in remote address
16181 Set the maximum size of address in a memory packet to the specified
16182 number of bits. @value{GDBN} will mask off the address bits above
16183 that number, when it passes addresses to the remote target. The
16184 default value is the number of bits in the target's address.
16185
16186 @item show remoteaddresssize
16187 Show the current value of remote address size in bits.
16188
16189 @item set remotebaud @var{n}
16190 @cindex baud rate for remote targets
16191 Set the baud rate for the remote serial I/O to @var{n} baud. The
16192 value is used to set the speed of the serial port used for debugging
16193 remote targets.
16194
16195 @item show remotebaud
16196 Show the current speed of the remote connection.
16197
16198 @item set remotebreak
16199 @cindex interrupt remote programs
16200 @cindex BREAK signal instead of Ctrl-C
16201 @anchor{set remotebreak}
16202 If set to on, @value{GDBN} sends a @code{BREAK} signal to the remote
16203 when you type @kbd{Ctrl-c} to interrupt the program running
16204 on the remote. If set to off, @value{GDBN} sends the @samp{Ctrl-C}
16205 character instead. The default is off, since most remote systems
16206 expect to see @samp{Ctrl-C} as the interrupt signal.
16207
16208 @item show remotebreak
16209 Show whether @value{GDBN} sends @code{BREAK} or @samp{Ctrl-C} to
16210 interrupt the remote program.
16211
16212 @item set remoteflow on
16213 @itemx set remoteflow off
16214 @kindex set remoteflow
16215 Enable or disable hardware flow control (@code{RTS}/@code{CTS})
16216 on the serial port used to communicate to the remote target.
16217
16218 @item show remoteflow
16219 @kindex show remoteflow
16220 Show the current setting of hardware flow control.
16221
16222 @item set remotelogbase @var{base}
16223 Set the base (a.k.a.@: radix) of logging serial protocol
16224 communications to @var{base}. Supported values of @var{base} are:
16225 @code{ascii}, @code{octal}, and @code{hex}. The default is
16226 @code{ascii}.
16227
16228 @item show remotelogbase
16229 Show the current setting of the radix for logging remote serial
16230 protocol.
16231
16232 @item set remotelogfile @var{file}
16233 @cindex record serial communications on file
16234 Record remote serial communications on the named @var{file}. The
16235 default is not to record at all.
16236
16237 @item show remotelogfile.
16238 Show the current setting of the file name on which to record the
16239 serial communications.
16240
16241 @item set remotetimeout @var{num}
16242 @cindex timeout for serial communications
16243 @cindex remote timeout
16244 Set the timeout limit to wait for the remote target to respond to
16245 @var{num} seconds. The default is 2 seconds.
16246
16247 @item show remotetimeout
16248 Show the current number of seconds to wait for the remote target
16249 responses.
16250
16251 @cindex limit hardware breakpoints and watchpoints
16252 @cindex remote target, limit break- and watchpoints
16253 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}
16254 @anchor{set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit}
16255 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit @var{limit}
16256 @itemx set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit @var{limit}
16257 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} remote hardware breakpoint or
16258 watchpoints. A limit of -1, the default, is treated as unlimited.
16259
16260 @item set remote exec-file @var{filename}
16261 @itemx show remote exec-file
16262 @anchor{set remote exec-file}
16263 @cindex executable file, for remote target
16264 Select the file used for @code{run} with @code{target
16265 extended-remote}. This should be set to a filename valid on the
16266 target system. If it is not set, the target will use a default
16267 filename (e.g.@: the last program run).
16268
16269 @item set remote interrupt-sequence
16270 @cindex interrupt remote programs
16271 @cindex select Ctrl-C, BREAK or BREAK-g
16272 Allow the user to select one of @samp{Ctrl-C}, a @code{BREAK} or
16273 @samp{BREAK-g} as the
16274 sequence to the remote target in order to interrupt the execution.
16275 @samp{Ctrl-C} is a default. Some system prefers @code{BREAK} which
16276 is high level of serial line for some certain time.
16277 Linux kernel prefers @samp{BREAK-g}, a.k.a Magic SysRq g.
16278 It is @code{BREAK} signal followed by character @code{g}.
16279
16280 @item show interrupt-sequence
16281 Show which of @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or @code{BREAK-g}
16282 is sent by @value{GDBN} to interrupt the remote program.
16283 @code{BREAK-g} is BREAK signal followed by @code{g} and
16284 also known as Magic SysRq g.
16285
16286 @item set remote interrupt-on-connect
16287 @cindex send interrupt-sequence on start
16288 Specify whether interrupt-sequence is sent to remote target when
16289 @value{GDBN} connects to it. This is mostly needed when you debug
16290 Linux kernel. Linux kernel expects @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g}
16291 which is known as Magic SysRq g in order to connect @value{GDBN}.
16292
16293 @item show interrupt-on-connect
16294 Show whether interrupt-sequence is sent
16295 to remote target when @value{GDBN} connects to it.
16296
16297 @kindex set tcp
16298 @kindex show tcp
16299 @item set tcp auto-retry on
16300 @cindex auto-retry, for remote TCP target
16301 Enable auto-retry for remote TCP connections. This is useful if the remote
16302 debugging agent is launched in parallel with @value{GDBN}; there is a race
16303 condition because the agent may not become ready to accept the connection
16304 before @value{GDBN} attempts to connect. When auto-retry is
16305 enabled, if the initial attempt to connect fails, @value{GDBN} reattempts
16306 to establish the connection using the timeout specified by
16307 @code{set tcp connect-timeout}.
16308
16309 @item set tcp auto-retry off
16310 Do not auto-retry failed TCP connections.
16311
16312 @item show tcp auto-retry
16313 Show the current auto-retry setting.
16314
16315 @item set tcp connect-timeout @var{seconds}
16316 @cindex connection timeout, for remote TCP target
16317 @cindex timeout, for remote target connection
16318 Set the timeout for establishing a TCP connection to the remote target to
16319 @var{seconds}. The timeout affects both polling to retry failed connections
16320 (enabled by @code{set tcp auto-retry on}) and waiting for connections
16321 that are merely slow to complete, and represents an approximate cumulative
16322 value.
16323
16324 @item show tcp connect-timeout
16325 Show the current connection timeout setting.
16326 @end table
16327
16328 @cindex remote packets, enabling and disabling
16329 The @value{GDBN} remote protocol autodetects the packets supported by
16330 your debugging stub. If you need to override the autodetection, you
16331 can use these commands to enable or disable individual packets. Each
16332 packet can be set to @samp{on} (the remote target supports this
16333 packet), @samp{off} (the remote target does not support this packet),
16334 or @samp{auto} (detect remote target support for this packet). They
16335 all default to @samp{auto}. For more information about each packet,
16336 see @ref{Remote Protocol}.
16337
16338 During normal use, you should not have to use any of these commands.
16339 If you do, that may be a bug in your remote debugging stub, or a bug
16340 in @value{GDBN}. You may want to report the problem to the
16341 @value{GDBN} developers.
16342
16343 For each packet @var{name}, the command to enable or disable the
16344 packet is @code{set remote @var{name}-packet}. The available settings
16345 are:
16346
16347 @multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.32 0.25
16348 @item Command Name
16349 @tab Remote Packet
16350 @tab Related Features
16351
16352 @item @code{fetch-register}
16353 @tab @code{p}
16354 @tab @code{info registers}
16355
16356 @item @code{set-register}
16357 @tab @code{P}
16358 @tab @code{set}
16359
16360 @item @code{binary-download}
16361 @tab @code{X}
16362 @tab @code{load}, @code{set}
16363
16364 @item @code{read-aux-vector}
16365 @tab @code{qXfer:auxv:read}
16366 @tab @code{info auxv}
16367
16368 @item @code{symbol-lookup}
16369 @tab @code{qSymbol}
16370 @tab Detecting multiple threads
16371
16372 @item @code{attach}
16373 @tab @code{vAttach}
16374 @tab @code{attach}
16375
16376 @item @code{verbose-resume}
16377 @tab @code{vCont}
16378 @tab Stepping or resuming multiple threads
16379
16380 @item @code{run}
16381 @tab @code{vRun}
16382 @tab @code{run}
16383
16384 @item @code{software-breakpoint}
16385 @tab @code{Z0}
16386 @tab @code{break}
16387
16388 @item @code{hardware-breakpoint}
16389 @tab @code{Z1}
16390 @tab @code{hbreak}
16391
16392 @item @code{write-watchpoint}
16393 @tab @code{Z2}
16394 @tab @code{watch}
16395
16396 @item @code{read-watchpoint}
16397 @tab @code{Z3}
16398 @tab @code{rwatch}
16399
16400 @item @code{access-watchpoint}
16401 @tab @code{Z4}
16402 @tab @code{awatch}
16403
16404 @item @code{target-features}
16405 @tab @code{qXfer:features:read}
16406 @tab @code{set architecture}
16407
16408 @item @code{library-info}
16409 @tab @code{qXfer:libraries:read}
16410 @tab @code{info sharedlibrary}
16411
16412 @item @code{memory-map}
16413 @tab @code{qXfer:memory-map:read}
16414 @tab @code{info mem}
16415
16416 @item @code{read-sdata-object}
16417 @tab @code{qXfer:sdata:read}
16418 @tab @code{print $_sdata}
16419
16420 @item @code{read-spu-object}
16421 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:read}
16422 @tab @code{info spu}
16423
16424 @item @code{write-spu-object}
16425 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:write}
16426 @tab @code{info spu}
16427
16428 @item @code{read-siginfo-object}
16429 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:read}
16430 @tab @code{print $_siginfo}
16431
16432 @item @code{write-siginfo-object}
16433 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:write}
16434 @tab @code{set $_siginfo}
16435
16436 @item @code{threads}
16437 @tab @code{qXfer:threads:read}
16438 @tab @code{info threads}
16439
16440 @item @code{get-thread-local-@*storage-address}
16441 @tab @code{qGetTLSAddr}
16442 @tab Displaying @code{__thread} variables
16443
16444 @item @code{get-thread-information-block-address}
16445 @tab @code{qGetTIBAddr}
16446 @tab Display MS-Windows Thread Information Block.
16447
16448 @item @code{search-memory}
16449 @tab @code{qSearch:memory}
16450 @tab @code{find}
16451
16452 @item @code{supported-packets}
16453 @tab @code{qSupported}
16454 @tab Remote communications parameters
16455
16456 @item @code{pass-signals}
16457 @tab @code{QPassSignals}
16458 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
16459
16460 @item @code{hostio-close-packet}
16461 @tab @code{vFile:close}
16462 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
16463
16464 @item @code{hostio-open-packet}
16465 @tab @code{vFile:open}
16466 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
16467
16468 @item @code{hostio-pread-packet}
16469 @tab @code{vFile:pread}
16470 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
16471
16472 @item @code{hostio-pwrite-packet}
16473 @tab @code{vFile:pwrite}
16474 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
16475
16476 @item @code{hostio-unlink-packet}
16477 @tab @code{vFile:unlink}
16478 @tab @code{remote delete}
16479
16480 @item @code{noack-packet}
16481 @tab @code{QStartNoAckMode}
16482 @tab Packet acknowledgment
16483
16484 @item @code{osdata}
16485 @tab @code{qXfer:osdata:read}
16486 @tab @code{info os}
16487
16488 @item @code{query-attached}
16489 @tab @code{qAttached}
16490 @tab Querying remote process attach state.
16491 @end multitable
16492
16493 @node Remote Stub
16494 @section Implementing a Remote Stub
16495
16496 @cindex debugging stub, example
16497 @cindex remote stub, example
16498 @cindex stub example, remote debugging
16499 The stub files provided with @value{GDBN} implement the target side of the
16500 communication protocol, and the @value{GDBN} side is implemented in the
16501 @value{GDBN} source file @file{remote.c}. Normally, you can simply allow
16502 these subroutines to communicate, and ignore the details. (If you're
16503 implementing your own stub file, you can still ignore the details: start
16504 with one of the existing stub files. @file{sparc-stub.c} is the best
16505 organized, and therefore the easiest to read.)
16506
16507 @cindex remote serial debugging, overview
16508 To debug a program running on another machine (the debugging
16509 @dfn{target} machine), you must first arrange for all the usual
16510 prerequisites for the program to run by itself. For example, for a C
16511 program, you need:
16512
16513 @enumerate
16514 @item
16515 A startup routine to set up the C runtime environment; these usually
16516 have a name like @file{crt0}. The startup routine may be supplied by
16517 your hardware supplier, or you may have to write your own.
16518
16519 @item
16520 A C subroutine library to support your program's
16521 subroutine calls, notably managing input and output.
16522
16523 @item
16524 A way of getting your program to the other machine---for example, a
16525 download program. These are often supplied by the hardware
16526 manufacturer, but you may have to write your own from hardware
16527 documentation.
16528 @end enumerate
16529
16530 The next step is to arrange for your program to use a serial port to
16531 communicate with the machine where @value{GDBN} is running (the @dfn{host}
16532 machine). In general terms, the scheme looks like this:
16533
16534 @table @emph
16535 @item On the host,
16536 @value{GDBN} already understands how to use this protocol; when everything
16537 else is set up, you can simply use the @samp{target remote} command
16538 (@pxref{Targets,,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
16539
16540 @item On the target,
16541 you must link with your program a few special-purpose subroutines that
16542 implement the @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol. The file containing these
16543 subroutines is called a @dfn{debugging stub}.
16544
16545 On certain remote targets, you can use an auxiliary program
16546 @code{gdbserver} instead of linking a stub into your program.
16547 @xref{Server,,Using the @code{gdbserver} Program}, for details.
16548 @end table
16549
16550 The debugging stub is specific to the architecture of the remote
16551 machine; for example, use @file{sparc-stub.c} to debug programs on
16552 @sc{sparc} boards.
16553
16554 @cindex remote serial stub list
16555 These working remote stubs are distributed with @value{GDBN}:
16556
16557 @table @code
16558
16559 @item i386-stub.c
16560 @cindex @file{i386-stub.c}
16561 @cindex Intel
16562 @cindex i386
16563 For Intel 386 and compatible architectures.
16564
16565 @item m68k-stub.c
16566 @cindex @file{m68k-stub.c}
16567 @cindex Motorola 680x0
16568 @cindex m680x0
16569 For Motorola 680x0 architectures.
16570
16571 @item sh-stub.c
16572 @cindex @file{sh-stub.c}
16573 @cindex Renesas
16574 @cindex SH
16575 For Renesas SH architectures.
16576
16577 @item sparc-stub.c
16578 @cindex @file{sparc-stub.c}
16579 @cindex Sparc
16580 For @sc{sparc} architectures.
16581
16582 @item sparcl-stub.c
16583 @cindex @file{sparcl-stub.c}
16584 @cindex Fujitsu
16585 @cindex SparcLite
16586 For Fujitsu @sc{sparclite} architectures.
16587
16588 @end table
16589
16590 The @file{README} file in the @value{GDBN} distribution may list other
16591 recently added stubs.
16592
16593 @menu
16594 * Stub Contents:: What the stub can do for you
16595 * Bootstrapping:: What you must do for the stub
16596 * Debug Session:: Putting it all together
16597 @end menu
16598
16599 @node Stub Contents
16600 @subsection What the Stub Can Do for You
16601
16602 @cindex remote serial stub
16603 The debugging stub for your architecture supplies these three
16604 subroutines:
16605
16606 @table @code
16607 @item set_debug_traps
16608 @findex set_debug_traps
16609 @cindex remote serial stub, initialization
16610 This routine arranges for @code{handle_exception} to run when your
16611 program stops. You must call this subroutine explicitly near the
16612 beginning of your program.
16613
16614 @item handle_exception
16615 @findex handle_exception
16616 @cindex remote serial stub, main routine
16617 This is the central workhorse, but your program never calls it
16618 explicitly---the setup code arranges for @code{handle_exception} to
16619 run when a trap is triggered.
16620
16621 @code{handle_exception} takes control when your program stops during
16622 execution (for example, on a breakpoint), and mediates communications
16623 with @value{GDBN} on the host machine. This is where the communications
16624 protocol is implemented; @code{handle_exception} acts as the @value{GDBN}
16625 representative on the target machine. It begins by sending summary
16626 information on the state of your program, then continues to execute,
16627 retrieving and transmitting any information @value{GDBN} needs, until you
16628 execute a @value{GDBN} command that makes your program resume; at that point,
16629 @code{handle_exception} returns control to your own code on the target
16630 machine.
16631
16632 @item breakpoint
16633 @cindex @code{breakpoint} subroutine, remote
16634 Use this auxiliary subroutine to make your program contain a
16635 breakpoint. Depending on the particular situation, this may be the only
16636 way for @value{GDBN} to get control. For instance, if your target
16637 machine has some sort of interrupt button, you won't need to call this;
16638 pressing the interrupt button transfers control to
16639 @code{handle_exception}---in effect, to @value{GDBN}. On some machines,
16640 simply receiving characters on the serial port may also trigger a trap;
16641 again, in that situation, you don't need to call @code{breakpoint} from
16642 your own program---simply running @samp{target remote} from the host
16643 @value{GDBN} session gets control.
16644
16645 Call @code{breakpoint} if none of these is true, or if you simply want
16646 to make certain your program stops at a predetermined point for the
16647 start of your debugging session.
16648 @end table
16649
16650 @node Bootstrapping
16651 @subsection What You Must Do for the Stub
16652
16653 @cindex remote stub, support routines
16654 The debugging stubs that come with @value{GDBN} are set up for a particular
16655 chip architecture, but they have no information about the rest of your
16656 debugging target machine.
16657
16658 First of all you need to tell the stub how to communicate with the
16659 serial port.
16660
16661 @table @code
16662 @item int getDebugChar()
16663 @findex getDebugChar
16664 Write this subroutine to read a single character from the serial port.
16665 It may be identical to @code{getchar} for your target system; a
16666 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
16667
16668 @item void putDebugChar(int)
16669 @findex putDebugChar
16670 Write this subroutine to write a single character to the serial port.
16671 It may be identical to @code{putchar} for your target system; a
16672 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
16673 @end table
16674
16675 @cindex control C, and remote debugging
16676 @cindex interrupting remote targets
16677 If you want @value{GDBN} to be able to stop your program while it is
16678 running, you need to use an interrupt-driven serial driver, and arrange
16679 for it to stop when it receives a @code{^C} (@samp{\003}, the control-C
16680 character). That is the character which @value{GDBN} uses to tell the
16681 remote system to stop.
16682
16683 Getting the debugging target to return the proper status to @value{GDBN}
16684 probably requires changes to the standard stub; one quick and dirty way
16685 is to just execute a breakpoint instruction (the ``dirty'' part is that
16686 @value{GDBN} reports a @code{SIGTRAP} instead of a @code{SIGINT}).
16687
16688 Other routines you need to supply are:
16689
16690 @table @code
16691 @item void exceptionHandler (int @var{exception_number}, void *@var{exception_address})
16692 @findex exceptionHandler
16693 Write this function to install @var{exception_address} in the exception
16694 handling tables. You need to do this because the stub does not have any
16695 way of knowing what the exception handling tables on your target system
16696 are like (for example, the processor's table might be in @sc{rom},
16697 containing entries which point to a table in @sc{ram}).
16698 @var{exception_number} is the exception number which should be changed;
16699 its meaning is architecture-dependent (for example, different numbers
16700 might represent divide by zero, misaligned access, etc). When this
16701 exception occurs, control should be transferred directly to
16702 @var{exception_address}, and the processor state (stack, registers,
16703 and so on) should be just as it is when a processor exception occurs. So if
16704 you want to use a jump instruction to reach @var{exception_address}, it
16705 should be a simple jump, not a jump to subroutine.
16706
16707 For the 386, @var{exception_address} should be installed as an interrupt
16708 gate so that interrupts are masked while the handler runs. The gate
16709 should be at privilege level 0 (the most privileged level). The
16710 @sc{sparc} and 68k stubs are able to mask interrupts themselves without
16711 help from @code{exceptionHandler}.
16712
16713 @item void flush_i_cache()
16714 @findex flush_i_cache
16715 On @sc{sparc} and @sc{sparclite} only, write this subroutine to flush the
16716 instruction cache, if any, on your target machine. If there is no
16717 instruction cache, this subroutine may be a no-op.
16718
16719 On target machines that have instruction caches, @value{GDBN} requires this
16720 function to make certain that the state of your program is stable.
16721 @end table
16722
16723 @noindent
16724 You must also make sure this library routine is available:
16725
16726 @table @code
16727 @item void *memset(void *, int, int)
16728 @findex memset
16729 This is the standard library function @code{memset} that sets an area of
16730 memory to a known value. If you have one of the free versions of
16731 @code{libc.a}, @code{memset} can be found there; otherwise, you must
16732 either obtain it from your hardware manufacturer, or write your own.
16733 @end table
16734
16735 If you do not use the GNU C compiler, you may need other standard
16736 library subroutines as well; this varies from one stub to another,
16737 but in general the stubs are likely to use any of the common library
16738 subroutines which @code{@value{NGCC}} generates as inline code.
16739
16740
16741 @node Debug Session
16742 @subsection Putting it All Together
16743
16744 @cindex remote serial debugging summary
16745 In summary, when your program is ready to debug, you must follow these
16746 steps.
16747
16748 @enumerate
16749 @item
16750 Make sure you have defined the supporting low-level routines
16751 (@pxref{Bootstrapping,,What You Must Do for the Stub}):
16752 @display
16753 @code{getDebugChar}, @code{putDebugChar},
16754 @code{flush_i_cache}, @code{memset}, @code{exceptionHandler}.
16755 @end display
16756
16757 @item
16758 Insert these lines near the top of your program:
16759
16760 @smallexample
16761 set_debug_traps();
16762 breakpoint();
16763 @end smallexample
16764
16765 @item
16766 For the 680x0 stub only, you need to provide a variable called
16767 @code{exceptionHook}. Normally you just use:
16768
16769 @smallexample
16770 void (*exceptionHook)() = 0;
16771 @end smallexample
16772
16773 @noindent
16774 but if before calling @code{set_debug_traps}, you set it to point to a
16775 function in your program, that function is called when
16776 @code{@value{GDBN}} continues after stopping on a trap (for example, bus
16777 error). The function indicated by @code{exceptionHook} is called with
16778 one parameter: an @code{int} which is the exception number.
16779
16780 @item
16781 Compile and link together: your program, the @value{GDBN} debugging stub for
16782 your target architecture, and the supporting subroutines.
16783
16784 @item
16785 Make sure you have a serial connection between your target machine and
16786 the @value{GDBN} host, and identify the serial port on the host.
16787
16788 @item
16789 @c The "remote" target now provides a `load' command, so we should
16790 @c document that. FIXME.
16791 Download your program to your target machine (or get it there by
16792 whatever means the manufacturer provides), and start it.
16793
16794 @item
16795 Start @value{GDBN} on the host, and connect to the target
16796 (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
16797
16798 @end enumerate
16799
16800 @node Configurations
16801 @chapter Configuration-Specific Information
16802
16803 While nearly all @value{GDBN} commands are available for all native and
16804 cross versions of the debugger, there are some exceptions. This chapter
16805 describes things that are only available in certain configurations.
16806
16807 There are three major categories of configurations: native
16808 configurations, where the host and target are the same, embedded
16809 operating system configurations, which are usually the same for several
16810 different processor architectures, and bare embedded processors, which
16811 are quite different from each other.
16812
16813 @menu
16814 * Native::
16815 * Embedded OS::
16816 * Embedded Processors::
16817 * Architectures::
16818 @end menu
16819
16820 @node Native
16821 @section Native
16822
16823 This section describes details specific to particular native
16824 configurations.
16825
16826 @menu
16827 * HP-UX:: HP-UX
16828 * BSD libkvm Interface:: Debugging BSD kernel memory images
16829 * SVR4 Process Information:: SVR4 process information
16830 * DJGPP Native:: Features specific to the DJGPP port
16831 * Cygwin Native:: Features specific to the Cygwin port
16832 * Hurd Native:: Features specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd
16833 * Neutrino:: Features specific to QNX Neutrino
16834 * Darwin:: Features specific to Darwin
16835 @end menu
16836
16837 @node HP-UX
16838 @subsection HP-UX
16839
16840 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
16841 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
16842 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
16843
16844
16845 @node BSD libkvm Interface
16846 @subsection BSD libkvm Interface
16847
16848 @cindex libkvm
16849 @cindex kernel memory image
16850 @cindex kernel crash dump
16851
16852 BSD-derived systems (FreeBSD/NetBSD/OpenBSD) have a kernel memory
16853 interface that provides a uniform interface for accessing kernel virtual
16854 memory images, including live systems and crash dumps. @value{GDBN}
16855 uses this interface to allow you to debug live kernels and kernel crash
16856 dumps on many native BSD configurations. This is implemented as a
16857 special @code{kvm} debugging target. For debugging a live system, load
16858 the currently running kernel into @value{GDBN} and connect to the
16859 @code{kvm} target:
16860
16861 @smallexample
16862 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm}
16863 @end smallexample
16864
16865 For debugging crash dumps, provide the file name of the crash dump as an
16866 argument:
16867
16868 @smallexample
16869 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm /var/crash/bsd.0}
16870 @end smallexample
16871
16872 Once connected to the @code{kvm} target, the following commands are
16873 available:
16874
16875 @table @code
16876 @kindex kvm
16877 @item kvm pcb
16878 Set current context from the @dfn{Process Control Block} (PCB) address.
16879
16880 @item kvm proc
16881 Set current context from proc address. This command isn't available on
16882 modern FreeBSD systems.
16883 @end table
16884
16885 @node SVR4 Process Information
16886 @subsection SVR4 Process Information
16887 @cindex /proc
16888 @cindex examine process image
16889 @cindex process info via @file{/proc}
16890
16891 Many versions of SVR4 and compatible systems provide a facility called
16892 @samp{/proc} that can be used to examine the image of a running
16893 process using file-system subroutines. If @value{GDBN} is configured
16894 for an operating system with this facility, the command @code{info
16895 proc} is available to report information about the process running
16896 your program, or about any process running on your system. @code{info
16897 proc} works only on SVR4 systems that include the @code{procfs} code.
16898 This includes, as of this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, OSF/1 (Digital
16899 Unix), Solaris, Irix, and Unixware, but not HP-UX, for example.
16900
16901 @table @code
16902 @kindex info proc
16903 @cindex process ID
16904 @item info proc
16905 @itemx info proc @var{process-id}
16906 Summarize available information about any running process. If a
16907 process ID is specified by @var{process-id}, display information about
16908 that process; otherwise display information about the program being
16909 debugged. The summary includes the debugged process ID, the command
16910 line used to invoke it, its current working directory, and its
16911 executable file's absolute file name.
16912
16913 On some systems, @var{process-id} can be of the form
16914 @samp{[@var{pid}]/@var{tid}} which specifies a certain thread ID
16915 within a process. If the optional @var{pid} part is missing, it means
16916 a thread from the process being debugged (the leading @samp{/} still
16917 needs to be present, or else @value{GDBN} will interpret the number as
16918 a process ID rather than a thread ID).
16919
16920 @item info proc mappings
16921 @cindex memory address space mappings
16922 Report the memory address space ranges accessible in the program, with
16923 information on whether the process has read, write, or execute access
16924 rights to each range. On @sc{gnu}/Linux systems, each memory range
16925 includes the object file which is mapped to that range, instead of the
16926 memory access rights to that range.
16927
16928 @item info proc stat
16929 @itemx info proc status
16930 @cindex process detailed status information
16931 These subcommands are specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux systems. They show
16932 the process-related information, including the user ID and group ID;
16933 how many threads are there in the process; its virtual memory usage;
16934 the signals that are pending, blocked, and ignored; its TTY; its
16935 consumption of system and user time; its stack size; its @samp{nice}
16936 value; etc. For more information, see the @samp{proc} man page
16937 (type @kbd{man 5 proc} from your shell prompt).
16938
16939 @item info proc all
16940 Show all the information about the process described under all of the
16941 above @code{info proc} subcommands.
16942
16943 @ignore
16944 @comment These sub-options of 'info proc' were not included when
16945 @comment procfs.c was re-written. Keep their descriptions around
16946 @comment against the day when someone finds the time to put them back in.
16947 @kindex info proc times
16948 @item info proc times
16949 Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
16950 its children.
16951
16952 @kindex info proc id
16953 @item info proc id
16954 Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
16955 the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
16956 @end ignore
16957
16958 @item set procfs-trace
16959 @kindex set procfs-trace
16960 @cindex @code{procfs} API calls
16961 This command enables and disables tracing of @code{procfs} API calls.
16962
16963 @item show procfs-trace
16964 @kindex show procfs-trace
16965 Show the current state of @code{procfs} API call tracing.
16966
16967 @item set procfs-file @var{file}
16968 @kindex set procfs-file
16969 Tell @value{GDBN} to write @code{procfs} API trace to the named
16970 @var{file}. @value{GDBN} appends the trace info to the previous
16971 contents of the file. The default is to display the trace on the
16972 standard output.
16973
16974 @item show procfs-file
16975 @kindex show procfs-file
16976 Show the file to which @code{procfs} API trace is written.
16977
16978 @item proc-trace-entry
16979 @itemx proc-trace-exit
16980 @itemx proc-untrace-entry
16981 @itemx proc-untrace-exit
16982 @kindex proc-trace-entry
16983 @kindex proc-trace-exit
16984 @kindex proc-untrace-entry
16985 @kindex proc-untrace-exit
16986 These commands enable and disable tracing of entries into and exits
16987 from the @code{syscall} interface.
16988
16989 @item info pidlist
16990 @kindex info pidlist
16991 @cindex process list, QNX Neutrino
16992 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all the
16993 processes and all the threads within each process.
16994
16995 @item info meminfo
16996 @kindex info meminfo
16997 @cindex mapinfo list, QNX Neutrino
16998 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all mapinfos.
16999 @end table
17000
17001 @node DJGPP Native
17002 @subsection Features for Debugging @sc{djgpp} Programs
17003 @cindex @sc{djgpp} debugging
17004 @cindex native @sc{djgpp} debugging
17005 @cindex MS-DOS-specific commands
17006
17007 @cindex DPMI
17008 @sc{djgpp} is a port of the @sc{gnu} development tools to MS-DOS and
17009 MS-Windows. @sc{djgpp} programs are 32-bit protected-mode programs
17010 that use the @dfn{DPMI} (DOS Protected-Mode Interface) API to run on
17011 top of real-mode DOS systems and their emulations.
17012
17013 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of @sc{djgpp} programs, and
17014 defines a few commands specific to the @sc{djgpp} port. This
17015 subsection describes those commands.
17016
17017 @table @code
17018 @kindex info dos
17019 @item info dos
17020 This is a prefix of @sc{djgpp}-specific commands which print
17021 information about the target system and important OS structures.
17022
17023 @kindex sysinfo
17024 @cindex MS-DOS system info
17025 @cindex free memory information (MS-DOS)
17026 @item info dos sysinfo
17027 This command displays assorted information about the underlying
17028 platform: the CPU type and features, the OS version and flavor, the
17029 DPMI version, and the available conventional and DPMI memory.
17030
17031 @cindex GDT
17032 @cindex LDT
17033 @cindex IDT
17034 @cindex segment descriptor tables
17035 @cindex descriptor tables display
17036 @item info dos gdt
17037 @itemx info dos ldt
17038 @itemx info dos idt
17039 These 3 commands display entries from, respectively, Global, Local,
17040 and Interrupt Descriptor Tables (GDT, LDT, and IDT). The descriptor
17041 tables are data structures which store a descriptor for each segment
17042 that is currently in use. The segment's selector is an index into a
17043 descriptor table; the table entry for that index holds the
17044 descriptor's base address and limit, and its attributes and access
17045 rights.
17046
17047 A typical @sc{djgpp} program uses 3 segments: a code segment, a data
17048 segment (used for both data and the stack), and a DOS segment (which
17049 allows access to DOS/BIOS data structures and absolute addresses in
17050 conventional memory). However, the DPMI host will usually define
17051 additional segments in order to support the DPMI environment.
17052
17053 @cindex garbled pointers
17054 These commands allow to display entries from the descriptor tables.
17055 Without an argument, all entries from the specified table are
17056 displayed. An argument, which should be an integer expression, means
17057 display a single entry whose index is given by the argument. For
17058 example, here's a convenient way to display information about the
17059 debugged program's data segment:
17060
17061 @smallexample
17062 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos ldt $ds}
17063 @exdent @code{0x13f: base=0x11970000 limit=0x0009ffff 32-Bit Data (Read/Write, Exp-up)}
17064 @end smallexample
17065
17066 @noindent
17067 This comes in handy when you want to see whether a pointer is outside
17068 the data segment's limit (i.e.@: @dfn{garbled}).
17069
17070 @cindex page tables display (MS-DOS)
17071 @item info dos pde
17072 @itemx info dos pte
17073 These two commands display entries from, respectively, the Page
17074 Directory and the Page Tables. Page Directories and Page Tables are
17075 data structures which control how virtual memory addresses are mapped
17076 into physical addresses. A Page Table includes an entry for every
17077 page of memory that is mapped into the program's address space; there
17078 may be several Page Tables, each one holding up to 4096 entries. A
17079 Page Directory has up to 4096 entries, one each for every Page Table
17080 that is currently in use.
17081
17082 Without an argument, @kbd{info dos pde} displays the entire Page
17083 Directory, and @kbd{info dos pte} displays all the entries in all of
17084 the Page Tables. An argument, an integer expression, given to the
17085 @kbd{info dos pde} command means display only that entry from the Page
17086 Directory table. An argument given to the @kbd{info dos pte} command
17087 means display entries from a single Page Table, the one pointed to by
17088 the specified entry in the Page Directory.
17089
17090 @cindex direct memory access (DMA) on MS-DOS
17091 These commands are useful when your program uses @dfn{DMA} (Direct
17092 Memory Access), which needs physical addresses to program the DMA
17093 controller.
17094
17095 These commands are supported only with some DPMI servers.
17096
17097 @cindex physical address from linear address
17098 @item info dos address-pte @var{addr}
17099 This command displays the Page Table entry for a specified linear
17100 address. The argument @var{addr} is a linear address which should
17101 already have the appropriate segment's base address added to it,
17102 because this command accepts addresses which may belong to @emph{any}
17103 segment. For example, here's how to display the Page Table entry for
17104 the page where a variable @code{i} is stored:
17105
17106 @smallexample
17107 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte __djgpp_base_address + (char *)&i}
17108 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x11a00d30:}
17109 @exdent @code{Base=0x02698000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0xd30}
17110 @end smallexample
17111
17112 @noindent
17113 This says that @code{i} is stored at offset @code{0xd30} from the page
17114 whose physical base address is @code{0x02698000}, and shows all the
17115 attributes of that page.
17116
17117 Note that you must cast the addresses of variables to a @code{char *},
17118 since otherwise the value of @code{__djgpp_base_address}, the base
17119 address of all variables and functions in a @sc{djgpp} program, will
17120 be added using the rules of C pointer arithmetics: if @code{i} is
17121 declared an @code{int}, @value{GDBN} will add 4 times the value of
17122 @code{__djgpp_base_address} to the address of @code{i}.
17123
17124 Here's another example, it displays the Page Table entry for the
17125 transfer buffer:
17126
17127 @smallexample
17128 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte *((unsigned *)&_go32_info_block + 3)}
17129 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x29110:}
17130 @exdent @code{Base=0x00029000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0x110}
17131 @end smallexample
17132
17133 @noindent
17134 (The @code{+ 3} offset is because the transfer buffer's address is the
17135 3rd member of the @code{_go32_info_block} structure.) The output
17136 clearly shows that this DPMI server maps the addresses in conventional
17137 memory 1:1, i.e.@: the physical (@code{0x00029000} + @code{0x110}) and
17138 linear (@code{0x29110}) addresses are identical.
17139
17140 This command is supported only with some DPMI servers.
17141 @end table
17142
17143 @cindex DOS serial data link, remote debugging
17144 In addition to native debugging, the DJGPP port supports remote
17145 debugging via a serial data link. The following commands are specific
17146 to remote serial debugging in the DJGPP port of @value{GDBN}.
17147
17148 @table @code
17149 @kindex set com1base
17150 @kindex set com1irq
17151 @kindex set com2base
17152 @kindex set com2irq
17153 @kindex set com3base
17154 @kindex set com3irq
17155 @kindex set com4base
17156 @kindex set com4irq
17157 @item set com1base @var{addr}
17158 This command sets the base I/O port address of the @file{COM1} serial
17159 port.
17160
17161 @item set com1irq @var{irq}
17162 This command sets the @dfn{Interrupt Request} (@code{IRQ}) line to use
17163 for the @file{COM1} serial port.
17164
17165 There are similar commands @samp{set com2base}, @samp{set com3irq},
17166 etc.@: for setting the port address and the @code{IRQ} lines for the
17167 other 3 COM ports.
17168
17169 @kindex show com1base
17170 @kindex show com1irq
17171 @kindex show com2base
17172 @kindex show com2irq
17173 @kindex show com3base
17174 @kindex show com3irq
17175 @kindex show com4base
17176 @kindex show com4irq
17177 The related commands @samp{show com1base}, @samp{show com1irq} etc.@:
17178 display the current settings of the base address and the @code{IRQ}
17179 lines used by the COM ports.
17180
17181 @item info serial
17182 @kindex info serial
17183 @cindex DOS serial port status
17184 This command prints the status of the 4 DOS serial ports. For each
17185 port, it prints whether it's active or not, its I/O base address and
17186 IRQ number, whether it uses a 16550-style FIFO, its baudrate, and the
17187 counts of various errors encountered so far.
17188 @end table
17189
17190
17191 @node Cygwin Native
17192 @subsection Features for Debugging MS Windows PE Executables
17193 @cindex MS Windows debugging
17194 @cindex native Cygwin debugging
17195 @cindex Cygwin-specific commands
17196
17197 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of MS Windows programs, including
17198 DLLs with and without symbolic debugging information.
17199
17200 @cindex Ctrl-BREAK, MS-Windows
17201 @cindex interrupt debuggee on MS-Windows
17202 MS-Windows programs that call @code{SetConsoleMode} to switch off the
17203 special meaning of the @samp{Ctrl-C} keystroke cannot be interrupted
17204 by typing @kbd{C-c}. For this reason, @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows
17205 supports @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} as an alternative interrupt key
17206 sequence, which can be used to interrupt the debuggee even if it
17207 ignores @kbd{C-c}.
17208
17209 There are various additional Cygwin-specific commands, described in
17210 this section. Working with DLLs that have no debugging symbols is
17211 described in @ref{Non-debug DLL Symbols}.
17212
17213 @table @code
17214 @kindex info w32
17215 @item info w32
17216 This is a prefix of MS Windows-specific commands which print
17217 information about the target system and important OS structures.
17218
17219 @item info w32 selector
17220 This command displays information returned by
17221 the Win32 API @code{GetThreadSelectorEntry} function.
17222 It takes an optional argument that is evaluated to
17223 a long value to give the information about this given selector.
17224 Without argument, this command displays information
17225 about the six segment registers.
17226
17227 @item info w32 thread-information-block
17228 This command displays thread specific information stored in the
17229 Thread Information Block (readable on the X86 CPU family using @code{$fs}
17230 selector for 32-bit programs and @code{$gs} for 64-bit programs).
17231
17232 @kindex info dll
17233 @item info dll
17234 This is a Cygwin-specific alias of @code{info shared}.
17235
17236 @kindex dll-symbols
17237 @item dll-symbols
17238 This command loads symbols from a dll similarly to
17239 add-sym command but without the need to specify a base address.
17240
17241 @kindex set cygwin-exceptions
17242 @cindex debugging the Cygwin DLL
17243 @cindex Cygwin DLL, debugging
17244 @item set cygwin-exceptions @var{mode}
17245 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that
17246 happen inside the Cygwin DLL. If @var{mode} is @code{off},
17247 @value{GDBN} will delay recognition of exceptions, and may ignore some
17248 exceptions which seem to be caused by internal Cygwin DLL
17249 ``bookkeeping''. This option is meant primarily for debugging the
17250 Cygwin DLL itself; the default value is @code{off} to avoid annoying
17251 @value{GDBN} users with false @code{SIGSEGV} signals.
17252
17253 @kindex show cygwin-exceptions
17254 @item show cygwin-exceptions
17255 Displays whether @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that happen
17256 inside the Cygwin DLL itself.
17257
17258 @kindex set new-console
17259 @item set new-console @var{mode}
17260 If @var{mode} is @code{on} the debuggee will
17261 be started in a new console on next start.
17262 If @var{mode} is @code{off}, the debuggee will
17263 be started in the same console as the debugger.
17264
17265 @kindex show new-console
17266 @item show new-console
17267 Displays whether a new console is used
17268 when the debuggee is started.
17269
17270 @kindex set new-group
17271 @item set new-group @var{mode}
17272 This boolean value controls whether the debuggee should
17273 start a new group or stay in the same group as the debugger.
17274 This affects the way the Windows OS handles
17275 @samp{Ctrl-C}.
17276
17277 @kindex show new-group
17278 @item show new-group
17279 Displays current value of new-group boolean.
17280
17281 @kindex set debugevents
17282 @item set debugevents
17283 This boolean value adds debug output concerning kernel events related
17284 to the debuggee seen by the debugger. This includes events that
17285 signal thread and process creation and exit, DLL loading and
17286 unloading, console interrupts, and debugging messages produced by the
17287 Windows @code{OutputDebugString} API call.
17288
17289 @kindex set debugexec
17290 @item set debugexec
17291 This boolean value adds debug output concerning execute events
17292 (such as resume thread) seen by the debugger.
17293
17294 @kindex set debugexceptions
17295 @item set debugexceptions
17296 This boolean value adds debug output concerning exceptions in the
17297 debuggee seen by the debugger.
17298
17299 @kindex set debugmemory
17300 @item set debugmemory
17301 This boolean value adds debug output concerning debuggee memory reads
17302 and writes by the debugger.
17303
17304 @kindex set shell
17305 @item set shell
17306 This boolean values specifies whether the debuggee is called
17307 via a shell or directly (default value is on).
17308
17309 @kindex show shell
17310 @item show shell
17311 Displays if the debuggee will be started with a shell.
17312
17313 @end table
17314
17315 @menu
17316 * Non-debug DLL Symbols:: Support for DLLs without debugging symbols
17317 @end menu
17318
17319 @node Non-debug DLL Symbols
17320 @subsubsection Support for DLLs without Debugging Symbols
17321 @cindex DLLs with no debugging symbols
17322 @cindex Minimal symbols and DLLs
17323
17324 Very often on windows, some of the DLLs that your program relies on do
17325 not include symbolic debugging information (for example,
17326 @file{kernel32.dll}). When @value{GDBN} doesn't recognize any debugging
17327 symbols in a DLL, it relies on the minimal amount of symbolic
17328 information contained in the DLL's export table. This section
17329 describes working with such symbols, known internally to @value{GDBN} as
17330 ``minimal symbols''.
17331
17332 Note that before the debugged program has started execution, no DLLs
17333 will have been loaded. The easiest way around this problem is simply to
17334 start the program --- either by setting a breakpoint or letting the
17335 program run once to completion. It is also possible to force
17336 @value{GDBN} to load a particular DLL before starting the executable ---
17337 see the shared library information in @ref{Files}, or the
17338 @code{dll-symbols} command in @ref{Cygwin Native}. Currently,
17339 explicitly loading symbols from a DLL with no debugging information will
17340 cause the symbol names to be duplicated in @value{GDBN}'s lookup table,
17341 which may adversely affect symbol lookup performance.
17342
17343 @subsubsection DLL Name Prefixes
17344
17345 In keeping with the naming conventions used by the Microsoft debugging
17346 tools, DLL export symbols are made available with a prefix based on the
17347 DLL name, for instance @code{KERNEL32!CreateFileA}. The plain name is
17348 also entered into the symbol table, so @code{CreateFileA} is often
17349 sufficient. In some cases there will be name clashes within a program
17350 (particularly if the executable itself includes full debugging symbols)
17351 necessitating the use of the fully qualified name when referring to the
17352 contents of the DLL. Use single-quotes around the name to avoid the
17353 exclamation mark (``!'') being interpreted as a language operator.
17354
17355 Note that the internal name of the DLL may be all upper-case, even
17356 though the file name of the DLL is lower-case, or vice-versa. Since
17357 symbols within @value{GDBN} are @emph{case-sensitive} this may cause
17358 some confusion. If in doubt, try the @code{info functions} and
17359 @code{info variables} commands or even @code{maint print msymbols}
17360 (@pxref{Symbols}). Here's an example:
17361
17362 @smallexample
17363 (@value{GDBP}) info function CreateFileA
17364 All functions matching regular expression "CreateFileA":
17365
17366 Non-debugging symbols:
17367 0x77e885f4 CreateFileA
17368 0x77e885f4 KERNEL32!CreateFileA
17369 @end smallexample
17370
17371 @smallexample
17372 (@value{GDBP}) info function !
17373 All functions matching regular expression "!":
17374
17375 Non-debugging symbols:
17376 0x6100114c cygwin1!__assert
17377 0x61004034 cygwin1!_dll_crt0@@0
17378 0x61004240 cygwin1!dll_crt0(per_process *)
17379 [etc...]
17380 @end smallexample
17381
17382 @subsubsection Working with Minimal Symbols
17383
17384 Symbols extracted from a DLL's export table do not contain very much
17385 type information. All that @value{GDBN} can do is guess whether a symbol
17386 refers to a function or variable depending on the linker section that
17387 contains the symbol. Also note that the actual contents of the memory
17388 contained in a DLL are not available unless the program is running. This
17389 means that you cannot examine the contents of a variable or disassemble
17390 a function within a DLL without a running program.
17391
17392 Variables are generally treated as pointers and dereferenced
17393 automatically. For this reason, it is often necessary to prefix a
17394 variable name with the address-of operator (``&'') and provide explicit
17395 type information in the command. Here's an example of the type of
17396 problem:
17397
17398 @smallexample
17399 (@value{GDBP}) print 'cygwin1!__argv'
17400 $1 = 268572168
17401 @end smallexample
17402
17403 @smallexample
17404 (@value{GDBP}) x 'cygwin1!__argv'
17405 0x10021610: "\230y\""
17406 @end smallexample
17407
17408 And two possible solutions:
17409
17410 @smallexample
17411 (@value{GDBP}) print ((char **)'cygwin1!__argv')[0]
17412 $2 = 0x22fd98 "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
17413 @end smallexample
17414
17415 @smallexample
17416 (@value{GDBP}) x/2x &'cygwin1!__argv'
17417 0x610c0aa8 <cygwin1!__argv>: 0x10021608 0x00000000
17418 (@value{GDBP}) x/x 0x10021608
17419 0x10021608: 0x0022fd98
17420 (@value{GDBP}) x/s 0x0022fd98
17421 0x22fd98: "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
17422 @end smallexample
17423
17424 Setting a break point within a DLL is possible even before the program
17425 starts execution. However, under these circumstances, @value{GDBN} can't
17426 examine the initial instructions of the function in order to skip the
17427 function's frame set-up code. You can work around this by using ``*&''
17428 to set the breakpoint at a raw memory address:
17429
17430 @smallexample
17431 (@value{GDBP}) break *&'python22!PyOS_Readline'
17432 Breakpoint 1 at 0x1e04eff0
17433 @end smallexample
17434
17435 The author of these extensions is not entirely convinced that setting a
17436 break point within a shared DLL like @file{kernel32.dll} is completely
17437 safe.
17438
17439 @node Hurd Native
17440 @subsection Commands Specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd Systems
17441 @cindex @sc{gnu} Hurd debugging
17442
17443 This subsection describes @value{GDBN} commands specific to the
17444 @sc{gnu} Hurd native debugging.
17445
17446 @table @code
17447 @item set signals
17448 @itemx set sigs
17449 @kindex set signals@r{, Hurd command}
17450 @kindex set sigs@r{, Hurd command}
17451 This command toggles the state of inferior signal interception by
17452 @value{GDBN}. Mach exceptions, such as breakpoint traps, are not
17453 affected by this command. @code{sigs} is a shorthand alias for
17454 @code{signals}.
17455
17456 @item show signals
17457 @itemx show sigs
17458 @kindex show signals@r{, Hurd command}
17459 @kindex show sigs@r{, Hurd command}
17460 Show the current state of intercepting inferior's signals.
17461
17462 @item set signal-thread
17463 @itemx set sigthread
17464 @kindex set signal-thread
17465 @kindex set sigthread
17466 This command tells @value{GDBN} which thread is the @code{libc} signal
17467 thread. That thread is run when a signal is delivered to a running
17468 process. @code{set sigthread} is the shorthand alias of @code{set
17469 signal-thread}.
17470
17471 @item show signal-thread
17472 @itemx show sigthread
17473 @kindex show signal-thread
17474 @kindex show sigthread
17475 These two commands show which thread will run when the inferior is
17476 delivered a signal.
17477
17478 @item set stopped
17479 @kindex set stopped@r{, Hurd command}
17480 This commands tells @value{GDBN} that the inferior process is stopped,
17481 as with the @code{SIGSTOP} signal. The stopped process can be
17482 continued by delivering a signal to it.
17483
17484 @item show stopped
17485 @kindex show stopped@r{, Hurd command}
17486 This command shows whether @value{GDBN} thinks the debuggee is
17487 stopped.
17488
17489 @item set exceptions
17490 @kindex set exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
17491 Use this command to turn off trapping of exceptions in the inferior.
17492 When exception trapping is off, neither breakpoints nor
17493 single-stepping will work. To restore the default, set exception
17494 trapping on.
17495
17496 @item show exceptions
17497 @kindex show exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
17498 Show the current state of trapping exceptions in the inferior.
17499
17500 @item set task pause
17501 @kindex set task@r{, Hurd commands}
17502 @cindex task attributes (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
17503 @cindex pause current task (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
17504 This command toggles task suspension when @value{GDBN} has control.
17505 Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the task is suspended
17506 whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to off will take
17507 effect the next time the inferior is continued. If this option is set
17508 to off, you can use @code{set thread default pause on} or @code{set
17509 thread pause on} (see below) to pause individual threads.
17510
17511 @item show task pause
17512 @kindex show task@r{, Hurd commands}
17513 Show the current state of task suspension.
17514
17515 @item set task detach-suspend-count
17516 @cindex task suspend count
17517 @cindex detach from task, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17518 This command sets the suspend count the task will be left with when
17519 @value{GDBN} detaches from it.
17520
17521 @item show task detach-suspend-count
17522 Show the suspend count the task will be left with when detaching.
17523
17524 @item set task exception-port
17525 @itemx set task excp
17526 @cindex task exception port, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17527 This command sets the task exception port to which @value{GDBN} will
17528 forward exceptions. The argument should be the value of the @dfn{send
17529 rights} of the task. @code{set task excp} is a shorthand alias.
17530
17531 @item set noninvasive
17532 @cindex noninvasive task options
17533 This command switches @value{GDBN} to a mode that is the least
17534 invasive as far as interfering with the inferior is concerned. This
17535 is the same as using @code{set task pause}, @code{set exceptions}, and
17536 @code{set signals} to values opposite to the defaults.
17537
17538 @item info send-rights
17539 @itemx info receive-rights
17540 @itemx info port-rights
17541 @itemx info port-sets
17542 @itemx info dead-names
17543 @itemx info ports
17544 @itemx info psets
17545 @cindex send rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17546 @cindex receive rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17547 @cindex port rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17548 @cindex port sets, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17549 @cindex dead names, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17550 These commands display information about, respectively, send rights,
17551 receive rights, port rights, port sets, and dead names of a task.
17552 There are also shorthand aliases: @code{info ports} for @code{info
17553 port-rights} and @code{info psets} for @code{info port-sets}.
17554
17555 @item set thread pause
17556 @kindex set thread@r{, Hurd command}
17557 @cindex thread properties, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17558 @cindex pause current thread (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
17559 This command toggles current thread suspension when @value{GDBN} has
17560 control. Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the current
17561 thread is suspended whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to
17562 off will take effect the next time the inferior is continued.
17563 Normally, this command has no effect, since when @value{GDBN} has
17564 control, the whole task is suspended. However, if you used @code{set
17565 task pause off} (see above), this command comes in handy to suspend
17566 only the current thread.
17567
17568 @item show thread pause
17569 @kindex show thread@r{, Hurd command}
17570 This command shows the state of current thread suspension.
17571
17572 @item set thread run
17573 This command sets whether the current thread is allowed to run.
17574
17575 @item show thread run
17576 Show whether the current thread is allowed to run.
17577
17578 @item set thread detach-suspend-count
17579 @cindex thread suspend count, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17580 @cindex detach from thread, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17581 This command sets the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on a
17582 thread when detaching. This number is relative to the suspend count
17583 found by @value{GDBN} when it notices the thread; use @code{set thread
17584 takeover-suspend-count} to force it to an absolute value.
17585
17586 @item show thread detach-suspend-count
17587 Show the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on the thread when
17588 detaching.
17589
17590 @item set thread exception-port
17591 @itemx set thread excp
17592 Set the thread exception port to which to forward exceptions. This
17593 overrides the port set by @code{set task exception-port} (see above).
17594 @code{set thread excp} is the shorthand alias.
17595
17596 @item set thread takeover-suspend-count
17597 Normally, @value{GDBN}'s thread suspend counts are relative to the
17598 value @value{GDBN} finds when it notices each thread. This command
17599 changes the suspend counts to be absolute instead.
17600
17601 @item set thread default
17602 @itemx show thread default
17603 @cindex thread default settings, @sc{gnu} Hurd
17604 Each of the above @code{set thread} commands has a @code{set thread
17605 default} counterpart (e.g., @code{set thread default pause}, @code{set
17606 thread default exception-port}, etc.). The @code{thread default}
17607 variety of commands sets the default thread properties for all
17608 threads; you can then change the properties of individual threads with
17609 the non-default commands.
17610 @end table
17611
17612
17613 @node Neutrino
17614 @subsection QNX Neutrino
17615 @cindex QNX Neutrino
17616
17617 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the QNX
17618 Neutrino target:
17619
17620 @table @code
17621 @item set debug nto-debug
17622 @kindex set debug nto-debug
17623 When set to on, enables debugging messages specific to the QNX
17624 Neutrino support.
17625
17626 @item show debug nto-debug
17627 @kindex show debug nto-debug
17628 Show the current state of QNX Neutrino messages.
17629 @end table
17630
17631 @node Darwin
17632 @subsection Darwin
17633 @cindex Darwin
17634
17635 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the Darwin target:
17636
17637 @table @code
17638 @item set debug darwin @var{num}
17639 @kindex set debug darwin
17640 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages specific to
17641 the Darwin support. Higher values produce more verbose output.
17642
17643 @item show debug darwin
17644 @kindex show debug darwin
17645 Show the current state of Darwin messages.
17646
17647 @item set debug mach-o @var{num}
17648 @kindex set debug mach-o
17649 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages while
17650 @value{GDBN} is reading Darwin object files. (@dfn{Mach-O} is the
17651 file format used on Darwin for object and executable files.) Higher
17652 values produce more verbose output. This is a command to diagnose
17653 problems internal to @value{GDBN} and should not be needed in normal
17654 usage.
17655
17656 @item show debug mach-o
17657 @kindex show debug mach-o
17658 Show the current state of Mach-O file messages.
17659
17660 @item set mach-exceptions on
17661 @itemx set mach-exceptions off
17662 @kindex set mach-exceptions
17663 On Darwin, faults are first reported as a Mach exception and are then
17664 mapped to a Posix signal. Use this command to turn on trapping of
17665 Mach exceptions in the inferior. This might be sometimes useful to
17666 better understand the cause of a fault. The default is off.
17667
17668 @item show mach-exceptions
17669 @kindex show mach-exceptions
17670 Show the current state of exceptions trapping.
17671 @end table
17672
17673
17674 @node Embedded OS
17675 @section Embedded Operating Systems
17676
17677 This section describes configurations involving the debugging of
17678 embedded operating systems that are available for several different
17679 architectures.
17680
17681 @menu
17682 * VxWorks:: Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
17683 @end menu
17684
17685 @value{GDBN} includes the ability to debug programs running on
17686 various real-time operating systems.
17687
17688 @node VxWorks
17689 @subsection Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
17690
17691 @cindex VxWorks
17692
17693 @table @code
17694
17695 @kindex target vxworks
17696 @item target vxworks @var{machinename}
17697 A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename}
17698 is the target system's machine name or IP address.
17699
17700 @end table
17701
17702 On VxWorks, @code{load} links @var{filename} dynamically on the
17703 current target system as well as adding its symbols in @value{GDBN}.
17704
17705 @value{GDBN} enables developers to spawn and debug tasks running on networked
17706 VxWorks targets from a Unix host. Already-running tasks spawned from
17707 the VxWorks shell can also be debugged. @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
17708 both the Unix host and on the VxWorks target. The program
17709 @code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host. (It may be
17710 installed with the name @code{vxgdb}, to distinguish it from a
17711 @value{GDBN} for debugging programs on the host itself.)
17712
17713 @table @code
17714 @item VxWorks-timeout @var{args}
17715 @kindex vxworks-timeout
17716 All VxWorks-based targets now support the option @code{vxworks-timeout}.
17717 This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
17718 seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses to rpc's. You might use this if
17719 your VxWorks target is a slow software simulator or is on the far side
17720 of a thin network line.
17721 @end table
17722
17723 The following information on connecting to VxWorks was current when
17724 this manual was produced; newer releases of VxWorks may use revised
17725 procedures.
17726
17727 @findex INCLUDE_RDB
17728 To use @value{GDBN} with VxWorks, you must rebuild your VxWorks kernel
17729 to include the remote debugging interface routines in the VxWorks
17730 library @file{rdb.a}. To do this, define @code{INCLUDE_RDB} in the
17731 VxWorks configuration file @file{configAll.h} and rebuild your VxWorks
17732 kernel. The resulting kernel contains @file{rdb.a}, and spawns the
17733 source debugging task @code{tRdbTask} when VxWorks is booted. For more
17734 information on configuring and remaking VxWorks, see the manufacturer's
17735 manual.
17736 @c VxWorks, see the @cite{VxWorks Programmer's Guide}.
17737
17738 Once you have included @file{rdb.a} in your VxWorks system image and set
17739 your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
17740 run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}} (or
17741 @code{vxgdb}, depending on your installation).
17742
17743 @value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
17744
17745 @smallexample
17746 (vxgdb)
17747 @end smallexample
17748
17749 @menu
17750 * VxWorks Connection:: Connecting to VxWorks
17751 * VxWorks Download:: VxWorks download
17752 * VxWorks Attach:: Running tasks
17753 @end menu
17754
17755 @node VxWorks Connection
17756 @subsubsection Connecting to VxWorks
17757
17758 The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a VxWorks target on the
17759 network. To connect to a target whose host name is ``@code{tt}'', type:
17760
17761 @smallexample
17762 (vxgdb) target vxworks tt
17763 @end smallexample
17764
17765 @need 750
17766 @value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
17767
17768 @smallexample
17769 Attaching remote machine across net...
17770 Connected to tt.
17771 @end smallexample
17772
17773 @need 1000
17774 @value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol tables of any object modules
17775 loaded into the VxWorks target since it was last booted. @value{GDBN} locates
17776 these files by searching the directories listed in the command search
17777 path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}); if it fails
17778 to find an object file, it displays a message such as:
17779
17780 @smallexample
17781 prog.o: No such file or directory.
17782 @end smallexample
17783
17784 When this happens, add the appropriate directory to the search path with
17785 the @value{GDBN} command @code{path}, and execute the @code{target}
17786 command again.
17787
17788 @node VxWorks Download
17789 @subsubsection VxWorks Download
17790
17791 @cindex download to VxWorks
17792 If you have connected to the VxWorks target and you want to debug an
17793 object that has not yet been loaded, you can use the @value{GDBN}
17794 @code{load} command to download a file from Unix to VxWorks
17795 incrementally. The object file given as an argument to the @code{load}
17796 command is actually opened twice: first by the VxWorks target in order
17797 to download the code, then by @value{GDBN} in order to read the symbol
17798 table. This can lead to problems if the current working directories on
17799 the two systems differ. If both systems have NFS mounted the same
17800 filesystems, you can avoid these problems by using absolute paths.
17801 Otherwise, it is simplest to set the working directory on both systems
17802 to the directory in which the object file resides, and then to reference
17803 the file by its name, without any path. For instance, a program
17804 @file{prog.o} may reside in @file{@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb} in VxWorks
17805 and in @file{@var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb} on the host. To load this
17806 program, type this on VxWorks:
17807
17808 @smallexample
17809 -> cd "@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb"
17810 @end smallexample
17811
17812 @noindent
17813 Then, in @value{GDBN}, type:
17814
17815 @smallexample
17816 (vxgdb) cd @var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb
17817 (vxgdb) load prog.o
17818 @end smallexample
17819
17820 @value{GDBN} displays a response similar to this:
17821
17822 @smallexample
17823 Reading symbol data from wherever/vw/demo/rdb/prog.o... done.
17824 @end smallexample
17825
17826 You can also use the @code{load} command to reload an object module
17827 after editing and recompiling the corresponding source file. Note that
17828 this makes @value{GDBN} delete all currently-defined breakpoints,
17829 auto-displays, and convenience variables, and to clear the value
17830 history. (This is necessary in order to preserve the integrity of
17831 debugger's data structures that reference the target system's symbol
17832 table.)
17833
17834 @node VxWorks Attach
17835 @subsubsection Running Tasks
17836
17837 @cindex running VxWorks tasks
17838 You can also attach to an existing task using the @code{attach} command as
17839 follows:
17840
17841 @smallexample
17842 (vxgdb) attach @var{task}
17843 @end smallexample
17844
17845 @noindent
17846 where @var{task} is the VxWorks hexadecimal task ID. The task can be running
17847 or suspended when you attach to it. Running tasks are suspended at
17848 the time of attachment.
17849
17850 @node Embedded Processors
17851 @section Embedded Processors
17852
17853 This section goes into details specific to particular embedded
17854 configurations.
17855
17856 @cindex send command to simulator
17857 Whenever a specific embedded processor has a simulator, @value{GDBN}
17858 allows to send an arbitrary command to the simulator.
17859
17860 @table @code
17861 @item sim @var{command}
17862 @kindex sim@r{, a command}
17863 Send an arbitrary @var{command} string to the simulator. Consult the
17864 documentation for the specific simulator in use for information about
17865 acceptable commands.
17866 @end table
17867
17868
17869 @menu
17870 * ARM:: ARM RDI
17871 * M32R/D:: Renesas M32R/D
17872 * M68K:: Motorola M68K
17873 * MicroBlaze:: Xilinx MicroBlaze
17874 * MIPS Embedded:: MIPS Embedded
17875 * OpenRISC 1000:: OpenRisc 1000
17876 * PA:: HP PA Embedded
17877 * PowerPC Embedded:: PowerPC Embedded
17878 * Sparclet:: Tsqware Sparclet
17879 * Sparclite:: Fujitsu Sparclite
17880 * Z8000:: Zilog Z8000
17881 * AVR:: Atmel AVR
17882 * CRIS:: CRIS
17883 * Super-H:: Renesas Super-H
17884 @end menu
17885
17886 @node ARM
17887 @subsection ARM
17888 @cindex ARM RDI
17889
17890 @table @code
17891 @kindex target rdi
17892 @item target rdi @var{dev}
17893 ARM Angel monitor, via RDI library interface to ADP protocol. You may
17894 use this target to communicate with both boards running the Angel
17895 monitor, or with the EmbeddedICE JTAG debug device.
17896
17897 @kindex target rdp
17898 @item target rdp @var{dev}
17899 ARM Demon monitor.
17900
17901 @end table
17902
17903 @value{GDBN} provides the following ARM-specific commands:
17904
17905 @table @code
17906 @item set arm disassembler
17907 @kindex set arm
17908 This commands selects from a list of disassembly styles. The
17909 @code{"std"} style is the standard style.
17910
17911 @item show arm disassembler
17912 @kindex show arm
17913 Show the current disassembly style.
17914
17915 @item set arm apcs32
17916 @cindex ARM 32-bit mode
17917 This command toggles ARM operation mode between 32-bit and 26-bit.
17918
17919 @item show arm apcs32
17920 Display the current usage of the ARM 32-bit mode.
17921
17922 @item set arm fpu @var{fputype}
17923 This command sets the ARM floating-point unit (FPU) type. The
17924 argument @var{fputype} can be one of these:
17925
17926 @table @code
17927 @item auto
17928 Determine the FPU type by querying the OS ABI.
17929 @item softfpa
17930 Software FPU, with mixed-endian doubles on little-endian ARM
17931 processors.
17932 @item fpa
17933 GCC-compiled FPA co-processor.
17934 @item softvfp
17935 Software FPU with pure-endian doubles.
17936 @item vfp
17937 VFP co-processor.
17938 @end table
17939
17940 @item show arm fpu
17941 Show the current type of the FPU.
17942
17943 @item set arm abi
17944 This command forces @value{GDBN} to use the specified ABI.
17945
17946 @item show arm abi
17947 Show the currently used ABI.
17948
17949 @item set arm fallback-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
17950 @value{GDBN} uses the symbol table, when available, to determine
17951 whether instructions are ARM or Thumb. This command controls
17952 @value{GDBN}'s default behavior when the symbol table is not
17953 available. The default is @samp{auto}, which causes @value{GDBN} to
17954 use the current execution mode (from the @code{T} bit in the @code{CPSR}
17955 register).
17956
17957 @item show arm fallback-mode
17958 Show the current fallback instruction mode.
17959
17960 @item set arm force-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
17961 This command overrides use of the symbol table to determine whether
17962 instructions are ARM or Thumb. The default is @samp{auto}, which
17963 causes @value{GDBN} to use the symbol table and then the setting
17964 of @samp{set arm fallback-mode}.
17965
17966 @item show arm force-mode
17967 Show the current forced instruction mode.
17968
17969 @item set debug arm
17970 Toggle whether to display ARM-specific debugging messages from the ARM
17971 target support subsystem.
17972
17973 @item show debug arm
17974 Show whether ARM-specific debugging messages are enabled.
17975 @end table
17976
17977 The following commands are available when an ARM target is debugged
17978 using the RDI interface:
17979
17980 @table @code
17981 @item rdilogfile @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
17982 @kindex rdilogfile
17983 @cindex ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) logging
17984 Set the filename for the ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) packet log.
17985 With an argument, sets the log file to the specified @var{file}. With
17986 no argument, show the current log file name. The default log file is
17987 @file{rdi.log}.
17988
17989 @item rdilogenable @r{[}@var{arg}@r{]}
17990 @kindex rdilogenable
17991 Control logging of ADP packets. With an argument of 1 or @code{"yes"}
17992 enables logging, with an argument 0 or @code{"no"} disables it. With
17993 no arguments displays the current setting. When logging is enabled,
17994 ADP packets exchanged between @value{GDBN} and the RDI target device
17995 are logged to a file.
17996
17997 @item set rdiromatzero
17998 @kindex set rdiromatzero
17999 @cindex ROM at zero address, RDI
18000 Tell @value{GDBN} whether the target has ROM at address 0. If on,
18001 vector catching is disabled, so that zero address can be used. If off
18002 (the default), vector catching is enabled. For this command to take
18003 effect, it needs to be invoked prior to the @code{target rdi} command.
18004
18005 @item show rdiromatzero
18006 @kindex show rdiromatzero
18007 Show the current setting of ROM at zero address.
18008
18009 @item set rdiheartbeat
18010 @kindex set rdiheartbeat
18011 @cindex RDI heartbeat
18012 Enable or disable RDI heartbeat packets. It is not recommended to
18013 turn on this option, since it confuses ARM and EPI JTAG interface, as
18014 well as the Angel monitor.
18015
18016 @item show rdiheartbeat
18017 @kindex show rdiheartbeat
18018 Show the setting of RDI heartbeat packets.
18019 @end table
18020
18021 @table @code
18022 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
18023 The @value{GDBN} ARM simulator accepts the following optional arguments.
18024
18025 @table @code
18026 @item --swi-support=@var{type}
18027 Tell the simulator which SWI interfaces to support.
18028 @var{type} may be a comma separated list of the following values.
18029 The default value is @code{all}.
18030
18031 @table @code
18032 @item none
18033 @item demon
18034 @item angel
18035 @item redboot
18036 @item all
18037 @end table
18038 @end table
18039 @end table
18040
18041 @node M32R/D
18042 @subsection Renesas M32R/D and M32R/SDI
18043
18044 @table @code
18045 @kindex target m32r
18046 @item target m32r @var{dev}
18047 Renesas M32R/D ROM monitor.
18048
18049 @kindex target m32rsdi
18050 @item target m32rsdi @var{dev}
18051 Renesas M32R SDI server, connected via parallel port to the board.
18052 @end table
18053
18054 The following @value{GDBN} commands are specific to the M32R monitor:
18055
18056 @table @code
18057 @item set download-path @var{path}
18058 @kindex set download-path
18059 @cindex find downloadable @sc{srec} files (M32R)
18060 Set the default path for finding downloadable @sc{srec} files.
18061
18062 @item show download-path
18063 @kindex show download-path
18064 Show the default path for downloadable @sc{srec} files.
18065
18066 @item set board-address @var{addr}
18067 @kindex set board-address
18068 @cindex M32-EVA target board address
18069 Set the IP address for the M32R-EVA target board.
18070
18071 @item show board-address
18072 @kindex show board-address
18073 Show the current IP address of the target board.
18074
18075 @item set server-address @var{addr}
18076 @kindex set server-address
18077 @cindex download server address (M32R)
18078 Set the IP address for the download server, which is the @value{GDBN}'s
18079 host machine.
18080
18081 @item show server-address
18082 @kindex show server-address
18083 Display the IP address of the download server.
18084
18085 @item upload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
18086 @kindex upload@r{, M32R}
18087 Upload the specified @sc{srec} @var{file} via the monitor's Ethernet
18088 upload capability. If no @var{file} argument is given, the current
18089 executable file is uploaded.
18090
18091 @item tload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
18092 @kindex tload@r{, M32R}
18093 Test the @code{upload} command.
18094 @end table
18095
18096 The following commands are available for M32R/SDI:
18097
18098 @table @code
18099 @item sdireset
18100 @kindex sdireset
18101 @cindex reset SDI connection, M32R
18102 This command resets the SDI connection.
18103
18104 @item sdistatus
18105 @kindex sdistatus
18106 This command shows the SDI connection status.
18107
18108 @item debug_chaos
18109 @kindex debug_chaos
18110 @cindex M32R/Chaos debugging
18111 Instructs the remote that M32R/Chaos debugging is to be used.
18112
18113 @item use_debug_dma
18114 @kindex use_debug_dma
18115 Instructs the remote to use the DEBUG_DMA method of accessing memory.
18116
18117 @item use_mon_code
18118 @kindex use_mon_code
18119 Instructs the remote to use the MON_CODE method of accessing memory.
18120
18121 @item use_ib_break
18122 @kindex use_ib_break
18123 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by IB break.
18124
18125 @item use_dbt_break
18126 @kindex use_dbt_break
18127 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by DBT.
18128 @end table
18129
18130 @node M68K
18131 @subsection M68k
18132
18133 The Motorola m68k configuration includes ColdFire support, and a
18134 target command for the following ROM monitor.
18135
18136 @table @code
18137
18138 @kindex target dbug
18139 @item target dbug @var{dev}
18140 dBUG ROM monitor for Motorola ColdFire.
18141
18142 @end table
18143
18144 @node MicroBlaze
18145 @subsection MicroBlaze
18146 @cindex Xilinx MicroBlaze
18147 @cindex XMD, Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger
18148
18149 The MicroBlaze is a soft-core processor supported on various Xilinx
18150 FPGAs, such as Spartan or Virtex series. Boards with these processors
18151 usually have JTAG ports which connect to a host system running the Xilinx
18152 Embedded Development Kit (EDK) or Software Development Kit (SDK).
18153 This host system is used to download the configuration bitstream to
18154 the target FPGA. The Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger (XMD) program
18155 communicates with the target board using the JTAG interface and
18156 presents a @code{gdbserver} interface to the board. By default
18157 @code{xmd} uses port @code{1234}. (While it is possible to change
18158 this default port, it requires the use of undocumented @code{xmd}
18159 commands. Contact Xilinx support if you need to do this.)
18160
18161 Use these GDB commands to connect to the MicroBlaze target processor.
18162
18163 @table @code
18164 @item target remote :1234
18165 Use this command to connect to the target if you are running @value{GDBN}
18166 on the same system as @code{xmd}.
18167
18168 @item target remote @var{xmd-host}:1234
18169 Use this command to connect to the target if it is connected to @code{xmd}
18170 running on a different system named @var{xmd-host}.
18171
18172 @item load
18173 Use this command to download a program to the MicroBlaze target.
18174
18175 @item set debug microblaze @var{n}
18176 Enable MicroBlaze-specific debugging messages if non-zero.
18177
18178 @item show debug microblaze @var{n}
18179 Show MicroBlaze-specific debugging level.
18180 @end table
18181
18182 @node MIPS Embedded
18183 @subsection MIPS Embedded
18184
18185 @cindex MIPS boards
18186 @value{GDBN} can use the MIPS remote debugging protocol to talk to a
18187 MIPS board attached to a serial line. This is available when
18188 you configure @value{GDBN} with @samp{--target=mips-idt-ecoff}.
18189
18190 @need 1000
18191 Use these @value{GDBN} commands to specify the connection to your target board:
18192
18193 @table @code
18194 @item target mips @var{port}
18195 @kindex target mips @var{port}
18196 To run a program on the board, start up @code{@value{GDBP}} with the
18197 name of your program as the argument. To connect to the board, use the
18198 command @samp{target mips @var{port}}, where @var{port} is the name of
18199 the serial port connected to the board. If the program has not already
18200 been downloaded to the board, you may use the @code{load} command to
18201 download it. You can then use all the usual @value{GDBN} commands.
18202
18203 For example, this sequence connects to the target board through a serial
18204 port, and loads and runs a program called @var{prog} through the
18205 debugger:
18206
18207 @smallexample
18208 host$ @value{GDBP} @var{prog}
18209 @value{GDBN} is free software and @dots{}
18210 (@value{GDBP}) target mips /dev/ttyb
18211 (@value{GDBP}) load @var{prog}
18212 (@value{GDBP}) run
18213 @end smallexample
18214
18215 @item target mips @var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}
18216 On some @value{GDBN} host configurations, you can specify a TCP
18217 connection (for instance, to a serial line managed by a terminal
18218 concentrator) instead of a serial port, using the syntax
18219 @samp{@var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}}.
18220
18221 @item target pmon @var{port}
18222 @kindex target pmon @var{port}
18223 PMON ROM monitor.
18224
18225 @item target ddb @var{port}
18226 @kindex target ddb @var{port}
18227 NEC's DDB variant of PMON for Vr4300.
18228
18229 @item target lsi @var{port}
18230 @kindex target lsi @var{port}
18231 LSI variant of PMON.
18232
18233 @kindex target r3900
18234 @item target r3900 @var{dev}
18235 Densan DVE-R3900 ROM monitor for Toshiba R3900 Mips.
18236
18237 @kindex target array
18238 @item target array @var{dev}
18239 Array Tech LSI33K RAID controller board.
18240
18241 @end table
18242
18243
18244 @noindent
18245 @value{GDBN} also supports these special commands for MIPS targets:
18246
18247 @table @code
18248 @item set mipsfpu double
18249 @itemx set mipsfpu single
18250 @itemx set mipsfpu none
18251 @itemx set mipsfpu auto
18252 @itemx show mipsfpu
18253 @kindex set mipsfpu
18254 @kindex show mipsfpu
18255 @cindex MIPS remote floating point
18256 @cindex floating point, MIPS remote
18257 If your target board does not support the MIPS floating point
18258 coprocessor, you should use the command @samp{set mipsfpu none} (if you
18259 need this, you may wish to put the command in your @value{GDBN} init
18260 file). This tells @value{GDBN} how to find the return value of
18261 functions which return floating point values. It also allows
18262 @value{GDBN} to avoid saving the floating point registers when calling
18263 functions on the board. If you are using a floating point coprocessor
18264 with only single precision floating point support, as on the @sc{r4650}
18265 processor, use the command @samp{set mipsfpu single}. The default
18266 double precision floating point coprocessor may be selected using
18267 @samp{set mipsfpu double}.
18268
18269 In previous versions the only choices were double precision or no
18270 floating point, so @samp{set mipsfpu on} will select double precision
18271 and @samp{set mipsfpu off} will select no floating point.
18272
18273 As usual, you can inquire about the @code{mipsfpu} variable with
18274 @samp{show mipsfpu}.
18275
18276 @item set timeout @var{seconds}
18277 @itemx set retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}
18278 @itemx show timeout
18279 @itemx show retransmit-timeout
18280 @cindex @code{timeout}, MIPS protocol
18281 @cindex @code{retransmit-timeout}, MIPS protocol
18282 @kindex set timeout
18283 @kindex show timeout
18284 @kindex set retransmit-timeout
18285 @kindex show retransmit-timeout
18286 You can control the timeout used while waiting for a packet, in the MIPS
18287 remote protocol, with the @code{set timeout @var{seconds}} command. The
18288 default is 5 seconds. Similarly, you can control the timeout used while
18289 waiting for an acknowledgment of a packet with the @code{set
18290 retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}} command. The default is 3 seconds.
18291 You can inspect both values with @code{show timeout} and @code{show
18292 retransmit-timeout}. (These commands are @emph{only} available when
18293 @value{GDBN} is configured for @samp{--target=mips-idt-ecoff}.)
18294
18295 The timeout set by @code{set timeout} does not apply when @value{GDBN}
18296 is waiting for your program to stop. In that case, @value{GDBN} waits
18297 forever because it has no way of knowing how long the program is going
18298 to run before stopping.
18299
18300 @item set syn-garbage-limit @var{num}
18301 @kindex set syn-garbage-limit@r{, MIPS remote}
18302 @cindex synchronize with remote MIPS target
18303 Limit the maximum number of characters @value{GDBN} should ignore when
18304 it tries to synchronize with the remote target. The default is 10
18305 characters. Setting the limit to -1 means there's no limit.
18306
18307 @item show syn-garbage-limit
18308 @kindex show syn-garbage-limit@r{, MIPS remote}
18309 Show the current limit on the number of characters to ignore when
18310 trying to synchronize with the remote system.
18311
18312 @item set monitor-prompt @var{prompt}
18313 @kindex set monitor-prompt@r{, MIPS remote}
18314 @cindex remote monitor prompt
18315 Tell @value{GDBN} to expect the specified @var{prompt} string from the
18316 remote monitor. The default depends on the target:
18317 @table @asis
18318 @item pmon target
18319 @samp{PMON}
18320 @item ddb target
18321 @samp{NEC010}
18322 @item lsi target
18323 @samp{PMON>}
18324 @end table
18325
18326 @item show monitor-prompt
18327 @kindex show monitor-prompt@r{, MIPS remote}
18328 Show the current strings @value{GDBN} expects as the prompt from the
18329 remote monitor.
18330
18331 @item set monitor-warnings
18332 @kindex set monitor-warnings@r{, MIPS remote}
18333 Enable or disable monitor warnings about hardware breakpoints. This
18334 has effect only for the @code{lsi} target. When on, @value{GDBN} will
18335 display warning messages whose codes are returned by the @code{lsi}
18336 PMON monitor for breakpoint commands.
18337
18338 @item show monitor-warnings
18339 @kindex show monitor-warnings@r{, MIPS remote}
18340 Show the current setting of printing monitor warnings.
18341
18342 @item pmon @var{command}
18343 @kindex pmon@r{, MIPS remote}
18344 @cindex send PMON command
18345 This command allows sending an arbitrary @var{command} string to the
18346 monitor. The monitor must be in debug mode for this to work.
18347 @end table
18348
18349 @node OpenRISC 1000
18350 @subsection OpenRISC 1000
18351 @cindex OpenRISC 1000
18352
18353 @cindex or1k boards
18354 See OR1k Architecture document (@uref{www.opencores.org}) for more information
18355 about platform and commands.
18356
18357 @table @code
18358
18359 @kindex target jtag
18360 @item target jtag jtag://@var{host}:@var{port}
18361
18362 Connects to remote JTAG server.
18363 JTAG remote server can be either an or1ksim or JTAG server,
18364 connected via parallel port to the board.
18365
18366 Example: @code{target jtag jtag://localhost:9999}
18367
18368 @kindex or1ksim
18369 @item or1ksim @var{command}
18370 If connected to @code{or1ksim} OpenRISC 1000 Architectural
18371 Simulator, proprietary commands can be executed.
18372
18373 @kindex info or1k spr
18374 @item info or1k spr
18375 Displays spr groups.
18376
18377 @item info or1k spr @var{group}
18378 @itemx info or1k spr @var{groupno}
18379 Displays register names in selected group.
18380
18381 @item info or1k spr @var{group} @var{register}
18382 @itemx info or1k spr @var{register}
18383 @itemx info or1k spr @var{groupno} @var{registerno}
18384 @itemx info or1k spr @var{registerno}
18385 Shows information about specified spr register.
18386
18387 @kindex spr
18388 @item spr @var{group} @var{register} @var{value}
18389 @itemx spr @var{register @var{value}}
18390 @itemx spr @var{groupno} @var{registerno @var{value}}
18391 @itemx spr @var{registerno @var{value}}
18392 Writes @var{value} to specified spr register.
18393 @end table
18394
18395 Some implementations of OpenRISC 1000 Architecture also have hardware trace.
18396 It is very similar to @value{GDBN} trace, except it does not interfere with normal
18397 program execution and is thus much faster. Hardware breakpoints/watchpoint
18398 triggers can be set using:
18399 @table @code
18400 @item $LEA/$LDATA
18401 Load effective address/data
18402 @item $SEA/$SDATA
18403 Store effective address/data
18404 @item $AEA/$ADATA
18405 Access effective address ($SEA or $LEA) or data ($SDATA/$LDATA)
18406 @item $FETCH
18407 Fetch data
18408 @end table
18409
18410 When triggered, it can capture low level data, like: @code{PC}, @code{LSEA},
18411 @code{LDATA}, @code{SDATA}, @code{READSPR}, @code{WRITESPR}, @code{INSTR}.
18412
18413 @code{htrace} commands:
18414 @cindex OpenRISC 1000 htrace
18415 @table @code
18416 @kindex hwatch
18417 @item hwatch @var{conditional}
18418 Set hardware watchpoint on combination of Load/Store Effective Address(es)
18419 or Data. For example:
18420
18421 @code{hwatch ($LEA == my_var) && ($LDATA < 50) || ($SEA == my_var) && ($SDATA >= 50)}
18422
18423 @code{hwatch ($LEA == my_var) && ($LDATA < 50) || ($SEA == my_var) && ($SDATA >= 50)}
18424
18425 @kindex htrace
18426 @item htrace info
18427 Display information about current HW trace configuration.
18428
18429 @item htrace trigger @var{conditional}
18430 Set starting criteria for HW trace.
18431
18432 @item htrace qualifier @var{conditional}
18433 Set acquisition qualifier for HW trace.
18434
18435 @item htrace stop @var{conditional}
18436 Set HW trace stopping criteria.
18437
18438 @item htrace record [@var{data}]*
18439 Selects the data to be recorded, when qualifier is met and HW trace was
18440 triggered.
18441
18442 @item htrace enable
18443 @itemx htrace disable
18444 Enables/disables the HW trace.
18445
18446 @item htrace rewind [@var{filename}]
18447 Clears currently recorded trace data.
18448
18449 If filename is specified, new trace file is made and any newly collected data
18450 will be written there.
18451
18452 @item htrace print [@var{start} [@var{len}]]
18453 Prints trace buffer, using current record configuration.
18454
18455 @item htrace mode continuous
18456 Set continuous trace mode.
18457
18458 @item htrace mode suspend
18459 Set suspend trace mode.
18460
18461 @end table
18462
18463 @node PowerPC Embedded
18464 @subsection PowerPC Embedded
18465
18466 @value{GDBN} provides the following PowerPC-specific commands:
18467
18468 @table @code
18469 @kindex set powerpc
18470 @item set powerpc soft-float
18471 @itemx show powerpc soft-float
18472 Force @value{GDBN} to use (or not use) a software floating point calling
18473 convention. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention based
18474 on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
18475
18476 @item set powerpc vector-abi
18477 @itemx show powerpc vector-abi
18478 Force @value{GDBN} to use the specified calling convention for vector
18479 arguments and return values. The valid options are @samp{auto};
18480 @samp{generic}, to avoid vector registers even if they are present;
18481 @samp{altivec}, to use AltiVec registers; and @samp{spe} to use SPE
18482 registers. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention
18483 based on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
18484
18485 @kindex target dink32
18486 @item target dink32 @var{dev}
18487 DINK32 ROM monitor.
18488
18489 @kindex target ppcbug
18490 @item target ppcbug @var{dev}
18491 @kindex target ppcbug1
18492 @item target ppcbug1 @var{dev}
18493 PPCBUG ROM monitor for PowerPC.
18494
18495 @kindex target sds
18496 @item target sds @var{dev}
18497 SDS monitor, running on a PowerPC board (such as Motorola's ADS).
18498 @end table
18499
18500 @cindex SDS protocol
18501 The following commands specific to the SDS protocol are supported
18502 by @value{GDBN}:
18503
18504 @table @code
18505 @item set sdstimeout @var{nsec}
18506 @kindex set sdstimeout
18507 Set the timeout for SDS protocol reads to be @var{nsec} seconds. The
18508 default is 2 seconds.
18509
18510 @item show sdstimeout
18511 @kindex show sdstimeout
18512 Show the current value of the SDS timeout.
18513
18514 @item sds @var{command}
18515 @kindex sds@r{, a command}
18516 Send the specified @var{command} string to the SDS monitor.
18517 @end table
18518
18519
18520 @node PA
18521 @subsection HP PA Embedded
18522
18523 @table @code
18524
18525 @kindex target op50n
18526 @item target op50n @var{dev}
18527 OP50N monitor, running on an OKI HPPA board.
18528
18529 @kindex target w89k
18530 @item target w89k @var{dev}
18531 W89K monitor, running on a Winbond HPPA board.
18532
18533 @end table
18534
18535 @node Sparclet
18536 @subsection Tsqware Sparclet
18537
18538 @cindex Sparclet
18539
18540 @value{GDBN} enables developers to debug tasks running on
18541 Sparclet targets from a Unix host.
18542 @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
18543 both the Unix host and on the Sparclet target. The program
18544 @code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host.
18545
18546 @table @code
18547 @item remotetimeout @var{args}
18548 @kindex remotetimeout
18549 @value{GDBN} supports the option @code{remotetimeout}.
18550 This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
18551 seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses.
18552 @end table
18553
18554 @cindex compiling, on Sparclet
18555 When compiling for debugging, include the options @samp{-g} to get debug
18556 information and @samp{-Ttext} to relocate the program to where you wish to
18557 load it on the target. You may also want to add the options @samp{-n} or
18558 @samp{-N} in order to reduce the size of the sections. Example:
18559
18560 @smallexample
18561 sparclet-aout-gcc prog.c -Ttext 0x12010000 -g -o prog -N
18562 @end smallexample
18563
18564 You can use @code{objdump} to verify that the addresses are what you intended:
18565
18566 @smallexample
18567 sparclet-aout-objdump --headers --syms prog
18568 @end smallexample
18569
18570 @cindex running, on Sparclet
18571 Once you have set
18572 your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
18573 run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}}
18574 (or @code{sparclet-aout-gdb}, depending on your installation).
18575
18576 @value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
18577
18578 @smallexample
18579 (gdbslet)
18580 @end smallexample
18581
18582 @menu
18583 * Sparclet File:: Setting the file to debug
18584 * Sparclet Connection:: Connecting to Sparclet
18585 * Sparclet Download:: Sparclet download
18586 * Sparclet Execution:: Running and debugging
18587 @end menu
18588
18589 @node Sparclet File
18590 @subsubsection Setting File to Debug
18591
18592 The @value{GDBN} command @code{file} lets you choose with program to debug.
18593
18594 @smallexample
18595 (gdbslet) file prog
18596 @end smallexample
18597
18598 @need 1000
18599 @value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol table of @file{prog}.
18600 @value{GDBN} locates
18601 the file by searching the directories listed in the command search
18602 path.
18603 If the file was compiled with debug information (option @samp{-g}), source
18604 files will be searched as well.
18605 @value{GDBN} locates
18606 the source files by searching the directories listed in the directory search
18607 path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}).
18608 If it fails
18609 to find a file, it displays a message such as:
18610
18611 @smallexample
18612 prog: No such file or directory.
18613 @end smallexample
18614
18615 When this happens, add the appropriate directories to the search paths with
18616 the @value{GDBN} commands @code{path} and @code{dir}, and execute the
18617 @code{target} command again.
18618
18619 @node Sparclet Connection
18620 @subsubsection Connecting to Sparclet
18621
18622 The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a Sparclet target.
18623 To connect to a target on serial port ``@code{ttya}'', type:
18624
18625 @smallexample
18626 (gdbslet) target sparclet /dev/ttya
18627 Remote target sparclet connected to /dev/ttya
18628 main () at ../prog.c:3
18629 @end smallexample
18630
18631 @need 750
18632 @value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
18633
18634 @smallexample
18635 Connected to ttya.
18636 @end smallexample
18637
18638 @node Sparclet Download
18639 @subsubsection Sparclet Download
18640
18641 @cindex download to Sparclet
18642 Once connected to the Sparclet target,
18643 you can use the @value{GDBN}
18644 @code{load} command to download the file from the host to the target.
18645 The file name and load offset should be given as arguments to the @code{load}
18646 command.
18647 Since the file format is aout, the program must be loaded to the starting
18648 address. You can use @code{objdump} to find out what this value is. The load
18649 offset is an offset which is added to the VMA (virtual memory address)
18650 of each of the file's sections.
18651 For instance, if the program
18652 @file{prog} was linked to text address 0x1201000, with data at 0x12010160
18653 and bss at 0x12010170, in @value{GDBN}, type:
18654
18655 @smallexample
18656 (gdbslet) load prog 0x12010000
18657 Loading section .text, size 0xdb0 vma 0x12010000
18658 @end smallexample
18659
18660 If the code is loaded at a different address then what the program was linked
18661 to, you may need to use the @code{section} and @code{add-symbol-file} commands
18662 to tell @value{GDBN} where to map the symbol table.
18663
18664 @node Sparclet Execution
18665 @subsubsection Running and Debugging
18666
18667 @cindex running and debugging Sparclet programs
18668 You can now begin debugging the task using @value{GDBN}'s execution control
18669 commands, @code{b}, @code{step}, @code{run}, etc. See the @value{GDBN}
18670 manual for the list of commands.
18671
18672 @smallexample
18673 (gdbslet) b main
18674 Breakpoint 1 at 0x12010000: file prog.c, line 3.
18675 (gdbslet) run
18676 Starting program: prog
18677 Breakpoint 1, main (argc=1, argv=0xeffff21c) at prog.c:3
18678 3 char *symarg = 0;
18679 (gdbslet) step
18680 4 char *execarg = "hello!";
18681 (gdbslet)
18682 @end smallexample
18683
18684 @node Sparclite
18685 @subsection Fujitsu Sparclite
18686
18687 @table @code
18688
18689 @kindex target sparclite
18690 @item target sparclite @var{dev}
18691 Fujitsu sparclite boards, used only for the purpose of loading.
18692 You must use an additional command to debug the program.
18693 For example: target remote @var{dev} using @value{GDBN} standard
18694 remote protocol.
18695
18696 @end table
18697
18698 @node Z8000
18699 @subsection Zilog Z8000
18700
18701 @cindex Z8000
18702 @cindex simulator, Z8000
18703 @cindex Zilog Z8000 simulator
18704
18705 When configured for debugging Zilog Z8000 targets, @value{GDBN} includes
18706 a Z8000 simulator.
18707
18708 For the Z8000 family, @samp{target sim} simulates either the Z8002 (the
18709 unsegmented variant of the Z8000 architecture) or the Z8001 (the
18710 segmented variant). The simulator recognizes which architecture is
18711 appropriate by inspecting the object code.
18712
18713 @table @code
18714 @item target sim @var{args}
18715 @kindex sim
18716 @kindex target sim@r{, with Z8000}
18717 Debug programs on a simulated CPU. If the simulator supports setup
18718 options, specify them via @var{args}.
18719 @end table
18720
18721 @noindent
18722 After specifying this target, you can debug programs for the simulated
18723 CPU in the same style as programs for your host computer; use the
18724 @code{file} command to load a new program image, the @code{run} command
18725 to run your program, and so on.
18726
18727 As well as making available all the usual machine registers
18728 (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}), the Z8000 simulator provides three
18729 additional items of information as specially named registers:
18730
18731 @table @code
18732
18733 @item cycles
18734 Counts clock-ticks in the simulator.
18735
18736 @item insts
18737 Counts instructions run in the simulator.
18738
18739 @item time
18740 Execution time in 60ths of a second.
18741
18742 @end table
18743
18744 You can refer to these values in @value{GDBN} expressions with the usual
18745 conventions; for example, @w{@samp{b fputc if $cycles>5000}} sets a
18746 conditional breakpoint that suspends only after at least 5000
18747 simulated clock ticks.
18748
18749 @node AVR
18750 @subsection Atmel AVR
18751 @cindex AVR
18752
18753 When configured for debugging the Atmel AVR, @value{GDBN} supports the
18754 following AVR-specific commands:
18755
18756 @table @code
18757 @item info io_registers
18758 @kindex info io_registers@r{, AVR}
18759 @cindex I/O registers (Atmel AVR)
18760 This command displays information about the AVR I/O registers. For
18761 each register, @value{GDBN} prints its number and value.
18762 @end table
18763
18764 @node CRIS
18765 @subsection CRIS
18766 @cindex CRIS
18767
18768 When configured for debugging CRIS, @value{GDBN} provides the
18769 following CRIS-specific commands:
18770
18771 @table @code
18772 @item set cris-version @var{ver}
18773 @cindex CRIS version
18774 Set the current CRIS version to @var{ver}, either @samp{10} or @samp{32}.
18775 The CRIS version affects register names and sizes. This command is useful in
18776 case autodetection of the CRIS version fails.
18777
18778 @item show cris-version
18779 Show the current CRIS version.
18780
18781 @item set cris-dwarf2-cfi
18782 @cindex DWARF-2 CFI and CRIS
18783 Set the usage of DWARF-2 CFI for CRIS debugging. The default is @samp{on}.
18784 Change to @samp{off} when using @code{gcc-cris} whose version is below
18785 @code{R59}.
18786
18787 @item show cris-dwarf2-cfi
18788 Show the current state of using DWARF-2 CFI.
18789
18790 @item set cris-mode @var{mode}
18791 @cindex CRIS mode
18792 Set the current CRIS mode to @var{mode}. It should only be changed when
18793 debugging in guru mode, in which case it should be set to
18794 @samp{guru} (the default is @samp{normal}).
18795
18796 @item show cris-mode
18797 Show the current CRIS mode.
18798 @end table
18799
18800 @node Super-H
18801 @subsection Renesas Super-H
18802 @cindex Super-H
18803
18804 For the Renesas Super-H processor, @value{GDBN} provides these
18805 commands:
18806
18807 @table @code
18808 @item regs
18809 @kindex regs@r{, Super-H}
18810 Show the values of all Super-H registers.
18811
18812 @item set sh calling-convention @var{convention}
18813 @kindex set sh calling-convention
18814 Set the calling-convention used when calling functions from @value{GDBN}.
18815 Allowed values are @samp{gcc}, which is the default setting, and @samp{renesas}.
18816 With the @samp{gcc} setting, functions are called using the @value{NGCC} calling
18817 convention. If the DWARF-2 information of the called function specifies
18818 that the function follows the Renesas calling convention, the function
18819 is called using the Renesas calling convention. If the calling convention
18820 is set to @samp{renesas}, the Renesas calling convention is always used,
18821 regardless of the DWARF-2 information. This can be used to override the
18822 default of @samp{gcc} if debug information is missing, or the compiler
18823 does not emit the DWARF-2 calling convention entry for a function.
18824
18825 @item show sh calling-convention
18826 @kindex show sh calling-convention
18827 Show the current calling convention setting.
18828
18829 @end table
18830
18831
18832 @node Architectures
18833 @section Architectures
18834
18835 This section describes characteristics of architectures that affect
18836 all uses of @value{GDBN} with the architecture, both native and cross.
18837
18838 @menu
18839 * i386::
18840 * A29K::
18841 * Alpha::
18842 * MIPS::
18843 * HPPA:: HP PA architecture
18844 * SPU:: Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
18845 * PowerPC::
18846 @end menu
18847
18848 @node i386
18849 @subsection x86 Architecture-specific Issues
18850
18851 @table @code
18852 @item set struct-convention @var{mode}
18853 @kindex set struct-convention
18854 @cindex struct return convention
18855 @cindex struct/union returned in registers
18856 Set the convention used by the inferior to return @code{struct}s and
18857 @code{union}s from functions to @var{mode}. Possible values of
18858 @var{mode} are @code{"pcc"}, @code{"reg"}, and @code{"default"} (the
18859 default). @code{"default"} or @code{"pcc"} means that @code{struct}s
18860 are returned on the stack, while @code{"reg"} means that a
18861 @code{struct} or a @code{union} whose size is 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes will
18862 be returned in a register.
18863
18864 @item show struct-convention
18865 @kindex show struct-convention
18866 Show the current setting of the convention to return @code{struct}s
18867 from functions.
18868 @end table
18869
18870 @node A29K
18871 @subsection A29K
18872
18873 @table @code
18874
18875 @kindex set rstack_high_address
18876 @cindex AMD 29K register stack
18877 @cindex register stack, AMD29K
18878 @item set rstack_high_address @var{address}
18879 On AMD 29000 family processors, registers are saved in a separate
18880 @dfn{register stack}. There is no way for @value{GDBN} to determine the
18881 extent of this stack. Normally, @value{GDBN} just assumes that the
18882 stack is ``large enough''. This may result in @value{GDBN} referencing
18883 memory locations that do not exist. If necessary, you can get around
18884 this problem by specifying the ending address of the register stack with
18885 the @code{set rstack_high_address} command. The argument should be an
18886 address, which you probably want to precede with @samp{0x} to specify in
18887 hexadecimal.
18888
18889 @kindex show rstack_high_address
18890 @item show rstack_high_address
18891 Display the current limit of the register stack, on AMD 29000 family
18892 processors.
18893
18894 @end table
18895
18896 @node Alpha
18897 @subsection Alpha
18898
18899 See the following section.
18900
18901 @node MIPS
18902 @subsection MIPS
18903
18904 @cindex stack on Alpha
18905 @cindex stack on MIPS
18906 @cindex Alpha stack
18907 @cindex MIPS stack
18908 Alpha- and MIPS-based computers use an unusual stack frame, which
18909 sometimes requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to
18910 find the beginning of a function.
18911
18912 @cindex response time, MIPS debugging
18913 To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
18914 @value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
18915 you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
18916 commands:
18917
18918 @table @code
18919 @cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (Alpha, MIPS)
18920 @item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
18921 Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its
18922 search for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the
18923 default) means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the
18924 larger the limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search
18925 and therefore the longer it takes to run. You should only need to use
18926 this command when debugging a stripped executable.
18927
18928 @item show heuristic-fence-post
18929 Display the current limit.
18930 @end table
18931
18932 @noindent
18933 These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
18934 for debugging programs on Alpha or MIPS processors.
18935
18936 Several MIPS-specific commands are available when debugging MIPS
18937 programs:
18938
18939 @table @code
18940 @item set mips abi @var{arg}
18941 @kindex set mips abi
18942 @cindex set ABI for MIPS
18943 Tell @value{GDBN} which MIPS ABI is used by the inferior. Possible
18944 values of @var{arg} are:
18945
18946 @table @samp
18947 @item auto
18948 The default ABI associated with the current binary (this is the
18949 default).
18950 @item o32
18951 @item o64
18952 @item n32
18953 @item n64
18954 @item eabi32
18955 @item eabi64
18956 @item auto
18957 @end table
18958
18959 @item show mips abi
18960 @kindex show mips abi
18961 Show the MIPS ABI used by @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
18962
18963 @item set mipsfpu
18964 @itemx show mipsfpu
18965 @xref{MIPS Embedded, set mipsfpu}.
18966
18967 @item set mips mask-address @var{arg}
18968 @kindex set mips mask-address
18969 @cindex MIPS addresses, masking
18970 This command determines whether the most-significant 32 bits of 64-bit
18971 MIPS addresses are masked off. The argument @var{arg} can be
18972 @samp{on}, @samp{off}, or @samp{auto}. The latter is the default
18973 setting, which lets @value{GDBN} determine the correct value.
18974
18975 @item show mips mask-address
18976 @kindex show mips mask-address
18977 Show whether the upper 32 bits of MIPS addresses are masked off or
18978 not.
18979
18980 @item set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
18981 @kindex set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
18982 This command controls compatibility with 64-bit MIPS targets that
18983 transfer data in 32-bit quantities. If you have an old MIPS 64 target
18984 that transfers 32 bits for some registers, like @sc{sr} and @sc{fsr},
18985 and 64 bits for other registers, set this option to @samp{on}.
18986
18987 @item show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
18988 @kindex show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
18989 Show the current setting of compatibility with older MIPS 64 targets.
18990
18991 @item set debug mips
18992 @kindex set debug mips
18993 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the MIPS-specific
18994 target code in @value{GDBN}.
18995
18996 @item show debug mips
18997 @kindex show debug mips
18998 Show the current setting of MIPS debugging messages.
18999 @end table
19000
19001
19002 @node HPPA
19003 @subsection HPPA
19004 @cindex HPPA support
19005
19006 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the HP PA architecture, it provides the
19007 following special commands:
19008
19009 @table @code
19010 @item set debug hppa
19011 @kindex set debug hppa
19012 This command determines whether HPPA architecture-specific debugging
19013 messages are to be displayed.
19014
19015 @item show debug hppa
19016 Show whether HPPA debugging messages are displayed.
19017
19018 @item maint print unwind @var{address}
19019 @kindex maint print unwind@r{, HPPA}
19020 This command displays the contents of the unwind table entry at the
19021 given @var{address}.
19022
19023 @end table
19024
19025
19026 @node SPU
19027 @subsection Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
19028 @cindex Cell Broadband Engine
19029 @cindex SPU
19030
19031 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture,
19032 it provides the following special commands:
19033
19034 @table @code
19035 @item info spu event
19036 @kindex info spu
19037 Display SPU event facility status. Shows current event mask
19038 and pending event status.
19039
19040 @item info spu signal
19041 Display SPU signal notification facility status. Shows pending
19042 signal-control word and signal notification mode of both signal
19043 notification channels.
19044
19045 @item info spu mailbox
19046 Display SPU mailbox facility status. Shows all pending entries,
19047 in order of processing, in each of the SPU Write Outbound,
19048 SPU Write Outbound Interrupt, and SPU Read Inbound mailboxes.
19049
19050 @item info spu dma
19051 Display MFC DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
19052 DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
19053 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
19054
19055 @item info spu proxydma
19056 Display MFC Proxy-DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
19057 Proxy-DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
19058 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
19059
19060 @end table
19061
19062 When @value{GDBN} is debugging a combined PowerPC/SPU application
19063 on the Cell Broadband Engine, it provides in addition the following
19064 special commands:
19065
19066 @table @code
19067 @item set spu stop-on-load @var{arg}
19068 @kindex set spu
19069 Set whether to stop for new SPE threads. When set to @code{on}, @value{GDBN}
19070 will give control to the user when a new SPE thread enters its @code{main}
19071 function. The default is @code{off}.
19072
19073 @item show spu stop-on-load
19074 @kindex show spu
19075 Show whether to stop for new SPE threads.
19076
19077 @item set spu auto-flush-cache @var{arg}
19078 Set whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache. When set to
19079 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will automatically cause the SPE software-managed
19080 cache to be flushed whenever SPE execution stops. This provides a consistent
19081 view of PowerPC memory that is accessed via the cache. If an application
19082 does not use the software-managed cache, this option has no effect.
19083
19084 @item show spu auto-flush-cache
19085 Show whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache.
19086
19087 @end table
19088
19089 @node PowerPC
19090 @subsection PowerPC
19091 @cindex PowerPC architecture
19092
19093 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the PowerPC architecture, it provides a set of
19094 pseudo-registers to enable inspection of 128-bit wide Decimal Floating Point
19095 numbers stored in the floating point registers. These values must be stored
19096 in two consecutive registers, always starting at an even register like
19097 @code{f0} or @code{f2}.
19098
19099 The pseudo-registers go from @code{$dl0} through @code{$dl15}, and are formed
19100 by joining the even/odd register pairs @code{f0} and @code{f1} for @code{$dl0},
19101 @code{f2} and @code{f3} for @code{$dl1} and so on.
19102
19103 For POWER7 processors, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers, the 64-bit
19104 wide Extended Floating Point Registers (@samp{f32} through @samp{f63}).
19105
19106
19107 @node Controlling GDB
19108 @chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
19109
19110 You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using the
19111 @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
19112 data, see @ref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}. Other settings are
19113 described here.
19114
19115 @menu
19116 * Prompt:: Prompt
19117 * Editing:: Command editing
19118 * Command History:: Command history
19119 * Screen Size:: Screen size
19120 * Numbers:: Numbers
19121 * ABI:: Configuring the current ABI
19122 * Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
19123 * Debugging Output:: Optional messages about internal happenings
19124 * Other Misc Settings:: Other Miscellaneous Settings
19125 @end menu
19126
19127 @node Prompt
19128 @section Prompt
19129
19130 @cindex prompt
19131
19132 @value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
19133 called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
19134 can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
19135 instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
19136 the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
19137 which one you are talking to.
19138
19139 @emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} does not add a space for you after the
19140 prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
19141 or a prompt that does not.
19142
19143 @table @code
19144 @kindex set prompt
19145 @item set prompt @var{newprompt}
19146 Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
19147
19148 @kindex show prompt
19149 @item show prompt
19150 Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
19151 @end table
19152
19153 @node Editing
19154 @section Command Editing
19155 @cindex readline
19156 @cindex command line editing
19157
19158 @value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{Readline} interface. This
19159 @sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
19160 command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
19161 or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
19162 substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
19163 debugging sessions.
19164
19165 You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
19166 command @code{set}.
19167
19168 @table @code
19169 @kindex set editing
19170 @cindex editing
19171 @item set editing
19172 @itemx set editing on
19173 Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
19174
19175 @item set editing off
19176 Disable command line editing.
19177
19178 @kindex show editing
19179 @item show editing
19180 Show whether command line editing is enabled.
19181 @end table
19182
19183 @xref{Command Line Editing}, for more details about the Readline
19184 interface. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs or @code{vi} are
19185 encouraged to read that chapter.
19186
19187 @node Command History
19188 @section Command History
19189 @cindex command history
19190
19191 @value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
19192 debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
19193 happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
19194 history facility.
19195
19196 @value{GDBN} uses the @sc{gnu} History library, a part of the Readline
19197 package, to provide the history facility. @xref{Using History
19198 Interactively}, for the detailed description of the History library.
19199
19200 To issue a command to @value{GDBN} without affecting certain aspects of
19201 the state which is seen by users, prefix it with @samp{server }
19202 (@pxref{Server Prefix}). This
19203 means that this command will not affect the command history, nor will it
19204 affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which command to repeat if @key{RET} is
19205 pressed on a line by itself.
19206
19207 @cindex @code{server}, command prefix
19208 The server prefix does not affect the recording of values into the value
19209 history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
19210 use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
19211
19212 Here is the description of @value{GDBN} commands related to command
19213 history.
19214
19215 @table @code
19216 @cindex history substitution
19217 @cindex history file
19218 @kindex set history filename
19219 @cindex @env{GDBHISTFILE}, environment variable
19220 @item set history filename @var{fname}
19221 Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
19222 This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
19223 list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
19224 exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
19225 the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
19226 to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
19227 @file{./.gdb_history} (@file{./_gdb_history} on MS-DOS) if this variable
19228 is not set.
19229
19230 @cindex save command history
19231 @kindex set history save
19232 @item set history save
19233 @itemx set history save on
19234 Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
19235 @code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
19236
19237 @item set history save off
19238 Stop recording command history in a file.
19239
19240 @cindex history size
19241 @kindex set history size
19242 @cindex @env{HISTSIZE}, environment variable
19243 @item set history size @var{size}
19244 Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
19245 This defaults to the value of the environment variable
19246 @code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set.
19247 @end table
19248
19249 History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
19250 @xref{Event Designators}, for more details.
19251
19252 @cindex history expansion, turn on/off
19253 Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
19254 is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
19255 @code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
19256 follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
19257 a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
19258 history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
19259 @kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
19260
19261 The commands to control history expansion are:
19262
19263 @table @code
19264 @item set history expansion on
19265 @itemx set history expansion
19266 @kindex set history expansion
19267 Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
19268
19269 @item set history expansion off
19270 Disable history expansion.
19271
19272 @c @group
19273 @kindex show history
19274 @item show history
19275 @itemx show history filename
19276 @itemx show history save
19277 @itemx show history size
19278 @itemx show history expansion
19279 These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
19280 @code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
19281 @c @end group
19282 @end table
19283
19284 @table @code
19285 @kindex show commands
19286 @cindex show last commands
19287 @cindex display command history
19288 @item show commands
19289 Display the last ten commands in the command history.
19290
19291 @item show commands @var{n}
19292 Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
19293
19294 @item show commands +
19295 Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
19296 @end table
19297
19298 @node Screen Size
19299 @section Screen Size
19300 @cindex size of screen
19301 @cindex pauses in output
19302
19303 Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
19304 information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
19305 @value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
19306 output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
19307 to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
19308 determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
19309 printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
19310 rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
19311
19312 Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the terminal
19313 driver software. For example, on Unix @value{GDBN} uses the termcap data base
19314 together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
19315 @code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
19316 you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
19317 width} commands:
19318
19319 @table @code
19320 @kindex set height
19321 @kindex set width
19322 @kindex show width
19323 @kindex show height
19324 @item set height @var{lpp}
19325 @itemx show height
19326 @itemx set width @var{cpl}
19327 @itemx show width
19328 These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
19329 a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
19330 commands display the current settings.
19331
19332 If you specify a height of zero lines, @value{GDBN} does not pause during
19333 output no matter how long the output is. This is useful if output is to a
19334 file or to an editor buffer.
19335
19336 Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN}
19337 from wrapping its output.
19338
19339 @item set pagination on
19340 @itemx set pagination off
19341 @kindex set pagination
19342 Turn the output pagination on or off; the default is on. Turning
19343 pagination off is the alternative to @code{set height 0}. Note that
19344 running @value{GDBN} with the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode
19345 Options, -batch}) also automatically disables pagination.
19346
19347 @item show pagination
19348 @kindex show pagination
19349 Show the current pagination mode.
19350 @end table
19351
19352 @node Numbers
19353 @section Numbers
19354 @cindex number representation
19355 @cindex entering numbers
19356
19357 You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in
19358 @value{GDBN} by the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with
19359 @samp{0}, decimal numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers
19360 begin with @samp{0x}. Numbers that neither begin with @samp{0} or
19361 @samp{0x}, nor end with a @samp{.} are, by default, entered in base
19362 10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
19363 format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
19364 both input and output with the commands described below.
19365
19366 @table @code
19367 @kindex set input-radix
19368 @item set input-radix @var{base}
19369 Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
19370 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
19371 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix; for
19372 example, any of
19373
19374 @smallexample
19375 set input-radix 012
19376 set input-radix 10.
19377 set input-radix 0xa
19378 @end smallexample
19379
19380 @noindent
19381 sets the input base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set input-radix 10}
19382 leaves the input radix unchanged, no matter what it was, since
19383 @samp{10}, being without any leading or trailing signs of its base, is
19384 interpreted in the current radix. Thus, if the current radix is 16,
19385 @samp{10} is interpreted in hex, i.e.@: as 16 decimal, which doesn't
19386 change the radix.
19387
19388 @kindex set output-radix
19389 @item set output-radix @var{base}
19390 Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
19391 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
19392 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix.
19393
19394 @kindex show input-radix
19395 @item show input-radix
19396 Display the current default base for numeric input.
19397
19398 @kindex show output-radix
19399 @item show output-radix
19400 Display the current default base for numeric display.
19401
19402 @item set radix @r{[}@var{base}@r{]}
19403 @itemx show radix
19404 @kindex set radix
19405 @kindex show radix
19406 These commands set and show the default base for both input and output
19407 of numbers. @code{set radix} sets the radix of input and output to
19408 the same base; without an argument, it resets the radix back to its
19409 default value of 10.
19410
19411 @end table
19412
19413 @node ABI
19414 @section Configuring the Current ABI
19415
19416 @value{GDBN} can determine the @dfn{ABI} (Application Binary Interface) of your
19417 application automatically. However, sometimes you need to override its
19418 conclusions. Use these commands to manage @value{GDBN}'s view of the
19419 current ABI.
19420
19421 @cindex OS ABI
19422 @kindex set osabi
19423 @kindex show osabi
19424
19425 One @value{GDBN} configuration can debug binaries for multiple operating
19426 system targets, either via remote debugging or native emulation.
19427 @value{GDBN} will autodetect the @dfn{OS ABI} (Operating System ABI) in use,
19428 but you can override its conclusion using the @code{set osabi} command.
19429 One example where this is useful is in debugging of binaries which use
19430 an alternate C library (e.g.@: @sc{uClibc} for @sc{gnu}/Linux) which does
19431 not have the same identifying marks that the standard C library for your
19432 platform provides.
19433
19434 @table @code
19435 @item show osabi
19436 Show the OS ABI currently in use.
19437
19438 @item set osabi
19439 With no argument, show the list of registered available OS ABI's.
19440
19441 @item set osabi @var{abi}
19442 Set the current OS ABI to @var{abi}.
19443 @end table
19444
19445 @cindex float promotion
19446
19447 Generally, the way that an argument of type @code{float} is passed to a
19448 function depends on whether the function is prototyped. For a prototyped
19449 (i.e.@: ANSI/ISO style) function, @code{float} arguments are passed unchanged,
19450 according to the architecture's convention for @code{float}. For unprototyped
19451 (i.e.@: K&R style) functions, @code{float} arguments are first promoted to type
19452 @code{double} and then passed.
19453
19454 Unfortunately, some forms of debug information do not reliably indicate whether
19455 a function is prototyped. If @value{GDBN} calls a function that is not marked
19456 as prototyped, it consults @kbd{set coerce-float-to-double}.
19457
19458 @table @code
19459 @kindex set coerce-float-to-double
19460 @item set coerce-float-to-double
19461 @itemx set coerce-float-to-double on
19462 Arguments of type @code{float} will be promoted to @code{double} when passed
19463 to an unprototyped function. This is the default setting.
19464
19465 @item set coerce-float-to-double off
19466 Arguments of type @code{float} will be passed directly to unprototyped
19467 functions.
19468
19469 @kindex show coerce-float-to-double
19470 @item show coerce-float-to-double
19471 Show the current setting of promoting @code{float} to @code{double}.
19472 @end table
19473
19474 @kindex set cp-abi
19475 @kindex show cp-abi
19476 @value{GDBN} needs to know the ABI used for your program's C@t{++}
19477 objects. The correct C@t{++} ABI depends on which C@t{++} compiler was
19478 used to build your application. @value{GDBN} only fully supports
19479 programs with a single C@t{++} ABI; if your program contains code using
19480 multiple C@t{++} ABI's or if @value{GDBN} can not identify your
19481 program's ABI correctly, you can tell @value{GDBN} which ABI to use.
19482 Currently supported ABI's include ``gnu-v2'', for @code{g++} versions
19483 before 3.0, ``gnu-v3'', for @code{g++} versions 3.0 and later, and
19484 ``hpaCC'' for the HP ANSI C@t{++} compiler. Other C@t{++} compilers may
19485 use the ``gnu-v2'' or ``gnu-v3'' ABI's as well. The default setting is
19486 ``auto''.
19487
19488 @table @code
19489 @item show cp-abi
19490 Show the C@t{++} ABI currently in use.
19491
19492 @item set cp-abi
19493 With no argument, show the list of supported C@t{++} ABI's.
19494
19495 @item set cp-abi @var{abi}
19496 @itemx set cp-abi auto
19497 Set the current C@t{++} ABI to @var{abi}, or return to automatic detection.
19498 @end table
19499
19500 @node Messages/Warnings
19501 @section Optional Warnings and Messages
19502
19503 @cindex verbose operation
19504 @cindex optional warnings
19505 By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are
19506 running on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose}
19507 command. This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy
19508 internal operation, so you will not think it has crashed.
19509
19510 Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
19511 which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
19512 see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
19513
19514 @table @code
19515 @kindex set verbose
19516 @item set verbose on
19517 Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
19518
19519 @item set verbose off
19520 Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
19521
19522 @kindex show verbose
19523 @item show verbose
19524 Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
19525 @end table
19526
19527 By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an
19528 object file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may
19529 find this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors Reading
19530 Symbol Files}).
19531
19532 @table @code
19533
19534 @kindex set complaints
19535 @item set complaints @var{limit}
19536 Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of
19537 unusual symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set
19538 @var{limit} to zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number
19539 to prevent complaints from being suppressed.
19540
19541 @kindex show complaints
19542 @item show complaints
19543 Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
19544
19545 @end table
19546
19547 @anchor{confirmation requests}
19548 By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
19549 lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
19550 you try to run a program which is already running:
19551
19552 @smallexample
19553 (@value{GDBP}) run
19554 The program being debugged has been started already.
19555 Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
19556 @end smallexample
19557
19558 If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
19559 commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
19560
19561 @table @code
19562
19563 @kindex set confirm
19564 @cindex flinching
19565 @cindex confirmation
19566 @cindex stupid questions
19567 @item set confirm off
19568 Disables confirmation requests. Note that running @value{GDBN} with
19569 the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode Options, -batch}) also
19570 automatically disables confirmation requests.
19571
19572 @item set confirm on
19573 Enables confirmation requests (the default).
19574
19575 @kindex show confirm
19576 @item show confirm
19577 Displays state of confirmation requests.
19578
19579 @end table
19580
19581 @cindex command tracing
19582 If you need to debug user-defined commands or sourced files you may find it
19583 useful to enable @dfn{command tracing}. In this mode each command will be
19584 printed as it is executed, prefixed with one or more @samp{+} symbols, the
19585 quantity denoting the call depth of each command.
19586
19587 @table @code
19588 @kindex set trace-commands
19589 @cindex command scripts, debugging
19590 @item set trace-commands on
19591 Enable command tracing.
19592 @item set trace-commands off
19593 Disable command tracing.
19594 @item show trace-commands
19595 Display the current state of command tracing.
19596 @end table
19597
19598 @node Debugging Output
19599 @section Optional Messages about Internal Happenings
19600 @cindex optional debugging messages
19601
19602 @value{GDBN} has commands that enable optional debugging messages from
19603 various @value{GDBN} subsystems; normally these commands are of
19604 interest to @value{GDBN} maintainers, or when reporting a bug. This
19605 section documents those commands.
19606
19607 @table @code
19608 @kindex set exec-done-display
19609 @item set exec-done-display
19610 Turns on or off the notification of asynchronous commands'
19611 completion. When on, @value{GDBN} will print a message when an
19612 asynchronous command finishes its execution. The default is off.
19613 @kindex show exec-done-display
19614 @item show exec-done-display
19615 Displays the current setting of asynchronous command completion
19616 notification.
19617 @kindex set debug
19618 @cindex gdbarch debugging info
19619 @cindex architecture debugging info
19620 @item set debug arch
19621 Turns on or off display of gdbarch debugging info. The default is off
19622 @kindex show debug
19623 @item show debug arch
19624 Displays the current state of displaying gdbarch debugging info.
19625 @item set debug aix-thread
19626 @cindex AIX threads
19627 Display debugging messages about inner workings of the AIX thread
19628 module.
19629 @item show debug aix-thread
19630 Show the current state of AIX thread debugging info display.
19631 @item set debug dwarf2-die
19632 @cindex DWARF2 DIEs
19633 Dump DWARF2 DIEs after they are read in.
19634 The value is the number of nesting levels to print.
19635 A value of zero turns off the display.
19636 @item show debug dwarf2-die
19637 Show the current state of DWARF2 DIE debugging.
19638 @item set debug displaced
19639 @cindex displaced stepping debugging info
19640 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for the
19641 displaced stepping support. The default is off.
19642 @item show debug displaced
19643 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} debugging info
19644 related to displaced stepping.
19645 @item set debug event
19646 @cindex event debugging info
19647 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} event debugging info. The
19648 default is off.
19649 @item show debug event
19650 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} event debugging
19651 info.
19652 @item set debug expression
19653 @cindex expression debugging info
19654 Turns on or off display of debugging info about @value{GDBN}
19655 expression parsing. The default is off.
19656 @item show debug expression
19657 Displays the current state of displaying debugging info about
19658 @value{GDBN} expression parsing.
19659 @item set debug frame
19660 @cindex frame debugging info
19661 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} frame debugging info. The
19662 default is off.
19663 @item show debug frame
19664 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} frame debugging
19665 info.
19666 @item set debug gnu-nat
19667 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug messages
19668 Turns on or off debugging messages from the @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug support.
19669 @item show debug gnu-nat
19670 Show the current state of @sc{gnu}/Hurd debugging messages.
19671 @item set debug infrun
19672 @cindex inferior debugging info
19673 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for running the inferior.
19674 The default is off. @file{infrun.c} contains GDB's runtime state machine used
19675 for implementing operations such as single-stepping the inferior.
19676 @item show debug infrun
19677 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} inferior debugging.
19678 @item set debug lin-lwp
19679 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux LWP debug messages
19680 @cindex Linux lightweight processes
19681 Turns on or off debugging messages from the Linux LWP debug support.
19682 @item show debug lin-lwp
19683 Show the current state of Linux LWP debugging messages.
19684 @item set debug lin-lwp-async
19685 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux LWP async debug messages
19686 @cindex Linux lightweight processes
19687 Turns on or off debugging messages from the Linux LWP async debug support.
19688 @item show debug lin-lwp-async
19689 Show the current state of Linux LWP async debugging messages.
19690 @item set debug observer
19691 @cindex observer debugging info
19692 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} observer debugging. This
19693 includes info such as the notification of observable events.
19694 @item show debug observer
19695 Displays the current state of observer debugging.
19696 @item set debug overload
19697 @cindex C@t{++} overload debugging info
19698 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload debugging
19699 info. This includes info such as ranking of functions, etc. The default
19700 is off.
19701 @item show debug overload
19702 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload
19703 debugging info.
19704 @cindex expression parser, debugging info
19705 @cindex debug expression parser
19706 @item set debug parser
19707 Turns on or off the display of expression parser debugging output.
19708 Internally, this sets the @code{yydebug} variable in the expression
19709 parser. @xref{Tracing, , Tracing Your Parser, bison, Bison}, for
19710 details. The default is off.
19711 @item show debug parser
19712 Show the current state of expression parser debugging.
19713 @cindex packets, reporting on stdout
19714 @cindex serial connections, debugging
19715 @cindex debug remote protocol
19716 @cindex remote protocol debugging
19717 @cindex display remote packets
19718 @item set debug remote
19719 Turns on or off display of reports on all packets sent back and forth across
19720 the serial line to the remote machine. The info is printed on the
19721 @value{GDBN} standard output stream. The default is off.
19722 @item show debug remote
19723 Displays the state of display of remote packets.
19724 @item set debug serial
19725 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} serial debugging info. The
19726 default is off.
19727 @item show debug serial
19728 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} serial debugging
19729 info.
19730 @item set debug solib-frv
19731 @cindex FR-V shared-library debugging
19732 Turns on or off debugging messages for FR-V shared-library code.
19733 @item show debug solib-frv
19734 Display the current state of FR-V shared-library code debugging
19735 messages.
19736 @item set debug target
19737 @cindex target debugging info
19738 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} target debugging info. This info
19739 includes what is going on at the target level of GDB, as it happens. The
19740 default is 0. Set it to 1 to track events, and to 2 to also track the
19741 value of large memory transfers. Changes to this flag do not take effect
19742 until the next time you connect to a target or use the @code{run} command.
19743 @item show debug target
19744 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} target debugging
19745 info.
19746 @item set debug timestamp
19747 @cindex timestampping debugging info
19748 Turns on or off display of timestamps with @value{GDBN} debugging info.
19749 When enabled, seconds and microseconds are displayed before each debugging
19750 message.
19751 @item show debug timestamp
19752 Displays the current state of displaying timestamps with @value{GDBN}
19753 debugging info.
19754 @item set debugvarobj
19755 @cindex variable object debugging info
19756 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} variable object debugging
19757 info. The default is off.
19758 @item show debugvarobj
19759 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} variable object
19760 debugging info.
19761 @item set debug xml
19762 @cindex XML parser debugging
19763 Turns on or off debugging messages for built-in XML parsers.
19764 @item show debug xml
19765 Displays the current state of XML debugging messages.
19766 @end table
19767
19768 @node Other Misc Settings
19769 @section Other Miscellaneous Settings
19770 @cindex miscellaneous settings
19771
19772 @table @code
19773 @kindex set interactive-mode
19774 @item set interactive-mode
19775 If @code{on}, forces @value{GDBN} to operate interactively.
19776 If @code{off}, forces @value{GDBN} to operate non-interactively,
19777 If @code{auto} (the default), @value{GDBN} guesses which mode to use,
19778 based on whether the debugger was started in a terminal or not.
19779
19780 In the vast majority of cases, the debugger should be able to guess
19781 correctly which mode should be used. But this setting can be useful
19782 in certain specific cases, such as running a MinGW @value{GDBN}
19783 inside a cygwin window.
19784
19785 @kindex show interactive-mode
19786 @item show interactive-mode
19787 Displays whether the debugger is operating in interactive mode or not.
19788 @end table
19789
19790 @node Extending GDB
19791 @chapter Extending @value{GDBN}
19792 @cindex extending GDB
19793
19794 @value{GDBN} provides two mechanisms for extension. The first is based
19795 on composition of @value{GDBN} commands, and the second is based on the
19796 Python scripting language.
19797
19798 To facilitate the use of these extensions, @value{GDBN} is capable
19799 of evaluating the contents of a file. When doing so, @value{GDBN}
19800 can recognize which scripting language is being used by looking at
19801 the filename extension. Files with an unrecognized filename extension
19802 are always treated as a @value{GDBN} Command Files.
19803 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
19804
19805 You can control how @value{GDBN} evaluates these files with the following
19806 setting:
19807
19808 @table @code
19809 @kindex set script-extension
19810 @kindex show script-extension
19811 @item set script-extension off
19812 All scripts are always evaluated as @value{GDBN} Command Files.
19813
19814 @item set script-extension soft
19815 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
19816 extension. If this scripting language is supported, @value{GDBN}
19817 evaluates the script using that language. Otherwise, it evaluates
19818 the file as a @value{GDBN} Command File.
19819
19820 @item set script-extension strict
19821 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
19822 extension, and evaluates the script using that language. If the
19823 language is not supported, then the evaluation fails.
19824
19825 @item show script-extension
19826 Display the current value of the @code{script-extension} option.
19827
19828 @end table
19829
19830 @menu
19831 * Sequences:: Canned Sequences of Commands
19832 * Python:: Scripting @value{GDBN} using Python
19833 @end menu
19834
19835 @node Sequences
19836 @section Canned Sequences of Commands
19837
19838 Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
19839 Command Lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of
19840 commands for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command
19841 files.
19842
19843 @menu
19844 * Define:: How to define your own commands
19845 * Hooks:: Hooks for user-defined commands
19846 * Command Files:: How to write scripts of commands to be stored in a file
19847 * Output:: Commands for controlled output
19848 @end menu
19849
19850 @node Define
19851 @subsection User-defined Commands
19852
19853 @cindex user-defined command
19854 @cindex arguments, to user-defined commands
19855 A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to
19856 which you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the
19857 @code{define} command. User commands may accept up to 10 arguments
19858 separated by whitespace. Arguments are accessed within the user command
19859 via @code{$arg0@dots{}$arg9}. A trivial example:
19860
19861 @smallexample
19862 define adder
19863 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
19864 end
19865 @end smallexample
19866
19867 @noindent
19868 To execute the command use:
19869
19870 @smallexample
19871 adder 1 2 3
19872 @end smallexample
19873
19874 @noindent
19875 This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
19876 its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
19877 reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
19878 functions calls.
19879
19880 @cindex argument count in user-defined commands
19881 @cindex how many arguments (user-defined commands)
19882 In addition, @code{$argc} may be used to find out how many arguments have
19883 been passed. This expands to a number in the range 0@dots{}10.
19884
19885 @smallexample
19886 define adder
19887 if $argc == 2
19888 print $arg0 + $arg1
19889 end
19890 if $argc == 3
19891 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
19892 end
19893 end
19894 @end smallexample
19895
19896 @table @code
19897
19898 @kindex define
19899 @item define @var{commandname}
19900 Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
19901 by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
19902 @var{commandname} may be a bare command name consisting of letters,
19903 numbers, dashes, and underscores. It may also start with any predefined
19904 prefix command. For example, @samp{define target my-target} creates
19905 a user-defined @samp{target my-target} command.
19906
19907 The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
19908 which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
19909 commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
19910
19911 @kindex document
19912 @kindex end@r{ (user-defined commands)}
19913 @item document @var{commandname}
19914 Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
19915 accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
19916 defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
19917 reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
19918 After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
19919 @var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
19920
19921 You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
19922 documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
19923 does not change the documentation.
19924
19925 @kindex dont-repeat
19926 @cindex don't repeat command
19927 @item dont-repeat
19928 Used inside a user-defined command, this tells @value{GDBN} that this
19929 command should not be repeated when the user hits @key{RET}
19930 (@pxref{Command Syntax, repeat last command}).
19931
19932 @kindex help user-defined
19933 @item help user-defined
19934 List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the documentation
19935 (if any) for each.
19936
19937 @kindex show user
19938 @item show user
19939 @itemx show user @var{commandname}
19940 Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but
19941 not its documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
19942 definitions for all user-defined commands.
19943
19944 @cindex infinite recursion in user-defined commands
19945 @kindex show max-user-call-depth
19946 @kindex set max-user-call-depth
19947 @item show max-user-call-depth
19948 @itemx set max-user-call-depth
19949 The value of @code{max-user-call-depth} controls how many recursion
19950 levels are allowed in user-defined commands before @value{GDBN} suspects an
19951 infinite recursion and aborts the command.
19952 @end table
19953
19954 In addition to the above commands, user-defined commands frequently
19955 use control flow commands, described in @ref{Command Files}.
19956
19957 When user-defined commands are executed, the
19958 commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
19959 stops execution of the user-defined command.
19960
19961 If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
19962 without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
19963 commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
19964 messages when used in a user-defined command.
19965
19966 @node Hooks
19967 @subsection User-defined Command Hooks
19968 @cindex command hooks
19969 @cindex hooks, for commands
19970 @cindex hooks, pre-command
19971
19972 @kindex hook
19973 You may define @dfn{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
19974 command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
19975 command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
19976 before that command.
19977
19978 @cindex hooks, post-command
19979 @kindex hookpost
19980 A hook may also be defined which is run after the command you executed.
19981 Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined command
19982 @samp{hookpost-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments) after
19983 that command. Post-execution hooks may exist simultaneously with
19984 pre-execution hooks, for the same command.
19985
19986 It is valid for a hook to call the command which it hooks. If this
19987 occurs, the hook is not re-executed, thereby avoiding infinite recursion.
19988
19989 @c It would be nice if hookpost could be passed a parameter indicating
19990 @c if the command it hooks executed properly or not. FIXME!
19991
19992 @kindex stop@r{, a pseudo-command}
19993 In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
19994 (@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
19995 execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
19996 displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
19997
19998 For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
19999 single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
20000 you could define:
20001
20002 @smallexample
20003 define hook-stop
20004 handle SIGALRM nopass
20005 end
20006
20007 define hook-run
20008 handle SIGALRM pass
20009 end
20010
20011 define hook-continue
20012 handle SIGALRM pass
20013 end
20014 @end smallexample
20015
20016 As a further example, to hook at the beginning and end of the @code{echo}
20017 command, and to add extra text to the beginning and end of the message,
20018 you could define:
20019
20020 @smallexample
20021 define hook-echo
20022 echo <<<---
20023 end
20024
20025 define hookpost-echo
20026 echo --->>>\n
20027 end
20028
20029 (@value{GDBP}) echo Hello World
20030 <<<---Hello World--->>>
20031 (@value{GDBP})
20032
20033 @end smallexample
20034
20035 You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
20036 not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
20037 name, e.g.@: @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
20038 @c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
20039 @c or not?
20040 You can hook a multi-word command by adding @code{hook-} or
20041 @code{hookpost-} to the last word of the command, e.g.@:
20042 @samp{define target hook-remote} to add a hook to @samp{target remote}.
20043
20044 If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
20045 @value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
20046 (before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
20047
20048 If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
20049 get a warning from the @code{define} command.
20050
20051 @node Command Files
20052 @subsection Command Files
20053
20054 @cindex command files
20055 @cindex scripting commands
20056 A command file for @value{GDBN} is a text file made of lines that are
20057 @value{GDBN} commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may
20058 also be included. An empty line in a command file does nothing; it
20059 does not mean to repeat the last command, as it would from the
20060 terminal.
20061
20062 You can request the execution of a command file with the @code{source}
20063 command. Note that the @code{source} command is also used to evaluate
20064 scripts that are not Command Files. The exact behavior can be configured
20065 using the @code{script-extension} setting.
20066 @xref{Extending GDB,, Extending GDB}.
20067
20068 @table @code
20069 @kindex source
20070 @cindex execute commands from a file
20071 @item source [-s] [-v] @var{filename}
20072 Execute the command file @var{filename}.
20073 @end table
20074
20075 The lines in a command file are generally executed sequentially,
20076 unless the order of execution is changed by one of the
20077 @emph{flow-control commands} described below. The commands are not
20078 printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates
20079 execution of the command file and control is returned to the console.
20080
20081 @value{GDBN} first searches for @var{filename} in the current directory.
20082 If the file is not found there, and @var{filename} does not specify a
20083 directory, then @value{GDBN} also looks for the file on the source search path
20084 (specified with the @samp{directory} command);
20085 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched because the compilation directory
20086 is not relevant to scripts.
20087
20088 If @code{-s} is specified, then @value{GDBN} searches for @var{filename}
20089 on the search path even if @var{filename} specifies a directory.
20090 The search is done by appending @var{filename} to each element of the
20091 search path. So, for example, if @var{filename} is @file{mylib/myscript}
20092 and the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
20093 look for the script @file{/home/user/mylib/myscript}.
20094 The search is also done if @var{filename} is an absolute path.
20095 For example, if @var{filename} is @file{/tmp/myscript} and
20096 the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
20097 look for the script @file{/home/user/tmp/myscript}.
20098 For DOS-like systems, if @var{filename} contains a drive specification,
20099 it is stripped before concatenation. For example, if @var{filename} is
20100 @file{d:myscript} and the search path contains @file{c:/tmp} then @value{GDBN}
20101 will look for the script @file{c:/tmp/myscript}.
20102
20103 If @code{-v}, for verbose mode, is given then @value{GDBN} displays
20104 each command as it is executed. The option must be given before
20105 @var{filename}, and is interpreted as part of the filename anywhere else.
20106
20107 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
20108 without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
20109 normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
20110 when called from command files.
20111
20112 @value{GDBN} also accepts command input from standard input. In this
20113 mode, normal output goes to standard output and error output goes to
20114 standard error. Errors in a command file supplied on standard input do
20115 not terminate execution of the command file---execution continues with
20116 the next command.
20117
20118 @smallexample
20119 gdb < cmds > log 2>&1
20120 @end smallexample
20121
20122 (The syntax above will vary depending on the shell used.) This example
20123 will execute commands from the file @file{cmds}. All output and errors
20124 would be directed to @file{log}.
20125
20126 Since commands stored on command files tend to be more general than
20127 commands typed interactively, they frequently need to deal with
20128 complicated situations, such as different or unexpected values of
20129 variables and symbols, changes in how the program being debugged is
20130 built, etc. @value{GDBN} provides a set of flow-control commands to
20131 deal with these complexities. Using these commands, you can write
20132 complex scripts that loop over data structures, execute commands
20133 conditionally, etc.
20134
20135 @table @code
20136 @kindex if
20137 @kindex else
20138 @item if
20139 @itemx else
20140 This command allows to include in your script conditionally executed
20141 commands. The @code{if} command takes a single argument, which is an
20142 expression to evaluate. It is followed by a series of commands that
20143 are executed only if the expression is true (its value is nonzero).
20144 There can then optionally be an @code{else} line, followed by a series
20145 of commands that are only executed if the expression was false. The
20146 end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
20147
20148 @kindex while
20149 @item while
20150 This command allows to write loops. Its syntax is similar to
20151 @code{if}: the command takes a single argument, which is an expression
20152 to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to execute, one per
20153 line, terminated by an @code{end}. These commands are called the
20154 @dfn{body} of the loop. The commands in the body of @code{while} are
20155 executed repeatedly as long as the expression evaluates to true.
20156
20157 @kindex loop_break
20158 @item loop_break
20159 This command exits the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included.
20160 Execution of the script continues after that @code{while}s @code{end}
20161 line.
20162
20163 @kindex loop_continue
20164 @item loop_continue
20165 This command skips the execution of the rest of the body of commands
20166 in the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included. Execution
20167 branches to the beginning of the @code{while} loop, where it evaluates
20168 the controlling expression.
20169
20170 @kindex end@r{ (if/else/while commands)}
20171 @item end
20172 Terminate the block of commands that are the body of @code{if},
20173 @code{else}, or @code{while} flow-control commands.
20174 @end table
20175
20176
20177 @node Output
20178 @subsection Commands for Controlled Output
20179
20180 During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
20181 @value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
20182 explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
20183 describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
20184 want.
20185
20186 @table @code
20187 @kindex echo
20188 @item echo @var{text}
20189 @c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
20190 @c because it is not in ANSI.
20191 Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
20192 @var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
20193 newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
20194 In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
20195 by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
20196 string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
20197 trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
20198 To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
20199 @samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
20200
20201 A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
20202 the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
20203
20204 @smallexample
20205 echo This is some text\n\
20206 which is continued\n\
20207 onto several lines.\n
20208 @end smallexample
20209
20210 produces the same output as
20211
20212 @smallexample
20213 echo This is some text\n
20214 echo which is continued\n
20215 echo onto several lines.\n
20216 @end smallexample
20217
20218 @kindex output
20219 @item output @var{expression}
20220 Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
20221 newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
20222 value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
20223 on expressions.
20224
20225 @item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
20226 Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
20227 the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
20228 Formats}, for more information.
20229
20230 @kindex printf
20231 @item printf @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
20232 Print the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
20233 the string @var{template}. To print several values, make
20234 @var{expressions} be a comma-separated list of individual expressions,
20235 which may be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as
20236 specified by @var{template}, exactly as a C program would do by
20237 executing the code below:
20238
20239 @smallexample
20240 printf (@var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
20241 @end smallexample
20242
20243 As in @code{C} @code{printf}, ordinary characters in @var{template}
20244 are printed verbatim, while @dfn{conversion specification} introduced
20245 by the @samp{%} character cause subsequent @var{expressions} to be
20246 evaluated, their values converted and formatted according to type and
20247 style information encoded in the conversion specifications, and then
20248 printed.
20249
20250 For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
20251
20252 @smallexample
20253 printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
20254 @end smallexample
20255
20256 @code{printf} supports all the standard @code{C} conversion
20257 specifications, including the flags and modifiers between the @samp{%}
20258 character and the conversion letter, with the following exceptions:
20259
20260 @itemize @bullet
20261 @item
20262 The argument-ordering modifiers, such as @samp{2$}, are not supported.
20263
20264 @item
20265 The modifier @samp{*} is not supported for specifying precision or
20266 width.
20267
20268 @item
20269 The @samp{'} flag (for separation of digits into groups according to
20270 @code{LC_NUMERIC'}) is not supported.
20271
20272 @item
20273 The type modifiers @samp{hh}, @samp{j}, @samp{t}, and @samp{z} are not
20274 supported.
20275
20276 @item
20277 The conversion letter @samp{n} (as in @samp{%n}) is not supported.
20278
20279 @item
20280 The conversion letters @samp{a} and @samp{A} are not supported.
20281 @end itemize
20282
20283 @noindent
20284 Note that the @samp{ll} type modifier is supported only if the
20285 underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} supports
20286 the @code{long long int} type, and the @samp{L} type modifier is
20287 supported only if @code{long double} type is available.
20288
20289 As in @code{C}, @code{printf} supports simple backslash-escape
20290 sequences, such as @code{\n}, @samp{\t}, @samp{\\}, @samp{\"},
20291 @samp{\a}, and @samp{\f}, that consist of backslash followed by a
20292 single character. Octal and hexadecimal escape sequences are not
20293 supported.
20294
20295 Additionally, @code{printf} supports conversion specifications for DFP
20296 (@dfn{Decimal Floating Point}) types using the following length modifiers
20297 together with a floating point specifier.
20298 letters:
20299
20300 @itemize @bullet
20301 @item
20302 @samp{H} for printing @code{Decimal32} types.
20303
20304 @item
20305 @samp{D} for printing @code{Decimal64} types.
20306
20307 @item
20308 @samp{DD} for printing @code{Decimal128} types.
20309 @end itemize
20310
20311 If the underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} has
20312 support for the three length modifiers for DFP types, other modifiers
20313 such as width and precision will also be available for @value{GDBN} to use.
20314
20315 In case there is no such @code{C} support, no additional modifiers will be
20316 available and the value will be printed in the standard way.
20317
20318 Here's an example of printing DFP types using the above conversion letters:
20319 @smallexample
20320 printf "D32: %Hf - D64: %Df - D128: %DDf\n",1.2345df,1.2E10dd,1.2E1dl
20321 @end smallexample
20322
20323 @kindex eval
20324 @item eval @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
20325 Convert the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
20326 the string @var{template} to a command line, and call it.
20327
20328 @end table
20329
20330 @node Python
20331 @section Scripting @value{GDBN} using Python
20332 @cindex python scripting
20333 @cindex scripting with python
20334
20335 You can script @value{GDBN} using the @uref{http://www.python.org/,
20336 Python programming language}. This feature is available only if
20337 @value{GDBN} was configured using @option{--with-python}.
20338
20339 @cindex python directory
20340 Python scripts used by @value{GDBN} should be installed in
20341 @file{@var{data-directory}/python}, where @var{data-directory} is
20342 the data directory as determined at @value{GDBN} startup (@pxref{Data Files}). This directory, known as the @dfn{python directory},
20343 is automatically added to the Python Search Path in order to allow
20344 the Python interpreter to locate all scripts installed at this location.
20345
20346 @menu
20347 * Python Commands:: Accessing Python from @value{GDBN}.
20348 * Python API:: Accessing @value{GDBN} from Python.
20349 * Auto-loading:: Automatically loading Python code.
20350 @end menu
20351
20352 @node Python Commands
20353 @subsection Python Commands
20354 @cindex python commands
20355 @cindex commands to access python
20356
20357 @value{GDBN} provides one command for accessing the Python interpreter,
20358 and one related setting:
20359
20360 @table @code
20361 @kindex python
20362 @item python @r{[}@var{code}@r{]}
20363 The @code{python} command can be used to evaluate Python code.
20364
20365 If given an argument, the @code{python} command will evaluate the
20366 argument as a Python command. For example:
20367
20368 @smallexample
20369 (@value{GDBP}) python print 23
20370 23
20371 @end smallexample
20372
20373 If you do not provide an argument to @code{python}, it will act as a
20374 multi-line command, like @code{define}. In this case, the Python
20375 script is made up of subsequent command lines, given after the
20376 @code{python} command. This command list is terminated using a line
20377 containing @code{end}. For example:
20378
20379 @smallexample
20380 (@value{GDBP}) python
20381 Type python script
20382 End with a line saying just "end".
20383 >print 23
20384 >end
20385 23
20386 @end smallexample
20387
20388 @kindex maint set python print-stack
20389 @item maint set python print-stack
20390 By default, @value{GDBN} will print a stack trace when an error occurs
20391 in a Python script. This can be controlled using @code{maint set
20392 python print-stack}: if @code{on}, the default, then Python stack
20393 printing is enabled; if @code{off}, then Python stack printing is
20394 disabled.
20395 @end table
20396
20397 It is also possible to execute a Python script from the @value{GDBN}
20398 interpreter:
20399
20400 @table @code
20401 @item source @file{script-name}
20402 The script name must end with @samp{.py} and @value{GDBN} must be configured
20403 to recognize the script language based on filename extension using
20404 the @code{script-extension} setting. @xref{Extending GDB, ,Extending GDB}.
20405
20406 @item python execfile ("script-name")
20407 This method is based on the @code{execfile} Python built-in function,
20408 and thus is always available.
20409 @end table
20410
20411 @node Python API
20412 @subsection Python API
20413 @cindex python api
20414 @cindex programming in python
20415
20416 @cindex python stdout
20417 @cindex python pagination
20418 At startup, @value{GDBN} overrides Python's @code{sys.stdout} and
20419 @code{sys.stderr} to print using @value{GDBN}'s output-paging streams.
20420 A Python program which outputs to one of these streams may have its
20421 output interrupted by the user (@pxref{Screen Size}). In this
20422 situation, a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception is thrown.
20423
20424 @menu
20425 * Basic Python:: Basic Python Functions.
20426 * Exception Handling::
20427 * Values From Inferior::
20428 * Types In Python:: Python representation of types.
20429 * Pretty Printing API:: Pretty-printing values.
20430 * Selecting Pretty-Printers:: How GDB chooses a pretty-printer.
20431 * Disabling Pretty-Printers:: Disabling broken printers.
20432 * Inferiors In Python:: Python representation of inferiors (processes)
20433 * Threads In Python:: Accessing inferior threads from Python.
20434 * Commands In Python:: Implementing new commands in Python.
20435 * Parameters In Python:: Adding new @value{GDBN} parameters.
20436 * Functions In Python:: Writing new convenience functions.
20437 * Progspaces In Python:: Program spaces.
20438 * Objfiles In Python:: Object files.
20439 * Frames In Python:: Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
20440 * Blocks In Python:: Accessing frame blocks from Python.
20441 * Symbols In Python:: Python representation of symbols.
20442 * Symbol Tables In Python:: Python representation of symbol tables.
20443 * Lazy Strings In Python:: Python representation of lazy strings.
20444 * Breakpoints In Python:: Manipulating breakpoints using Python.
20445 @end menu
20446
20447 @node Basic Python
20448 @subsubsection Basic Python
20449
20450 @cindex python functions
20451 @cindex python module
20452 @cindex gdb module
20453 @value{GDBN} introduces a new Python module, named @code{gdb}. All
20454 methods and classes added by @value{GDBN} are placed in this module.
20455 @value{GDBN} automatically @code{import}s the @code{gdb} module for
20456 use in all scripts evaluated by the @code{python} command.
20457
20458 @findex gdb.PYTHONDIR
20459 @defvar PYTHONDIR
20460 A string containing the python directory (@pxref{Python}).
20461 @end defvar
20462
20463 @findex gdb.execute
20464 @defun execute command [from_tty] [to_string]
20465 Evaluate @var{command}, a string, as a @value{GDBN} CLI command.
20466 If a GDB exception happens while @var{command} runs, it is
20467 translated as described in @ref{Exception Handling,,Exception Handling}.
20468
20469 @var{from_tty} specifies whether @value{GDBN} ought to consider this
20470 command as having originated from the user invoking it interactively.
20471 It must be a boolean value. If omitted, it defaults to @code{False}.
20472
20473 By default, any output produced by @var{command} is sent to
20474 @value{GDBN}'s standard output. If the @var{to_string} parameter is
20475 @code{True}, then output will be collected by @code{gdb.execute} and
20476 returned as a string. The default is @code{False}, in which case the
20477 return value is @code{None}. If @var{to_string} is @code{True}, the
20478 @value{GDBN} virtual terminal will be temporarily set to unlimited width
20479 and height, and its pagination will be disabled; @pxref{Screen Size}.
20480 @end defun
20481
20482 @findex gdb.breakpoints
20483 @defun breakpoints
20484 Return a sequence holding all of @value{GDBN}'s breakpoints.
20485 @xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for more information.
20486 @end defun
20487
20488 @findex gdb.parameter
20489 @defun parameter parameter
20490 Return the value of a @value{GDBN} parameter. @var{parameter} is a
20491 string naming the parameter to look up; @var{parameter} may contain
20492 spaces if the parameter has a multi-part name. For example,
20493 @samp{print object} is a valid parameter name.
20494
20495 If the named parameter does not exist, this function throws a
20496 @code{RuntimeError}. Otherwise, the parameter's value is converted to
20497 a Python value of the appropriate type, and returned.
20498 @end defun
20499
20500 @findex gdb.history
20501 @defun history number
20502 Return a value from @value{GDBN}'s value history (@pxref{Value
20503 History}). @var{number} indicates which history element to return.
20504 If @var{number} is negative, then @value{GDBN} will take its absolute value
20505 and count backward from the last element (i.e., the most recent element) to
20506 find the value to return. If @var{number} is zero, then @value{GDBN} will
20507 return the most recent element. If the element specified by @var{number}
20508 doesn't exist in the value history, a @code{RuntimeError} exception will be
20509 raised.
20510
20511 If no exception is raised, the return value is always an instance of
20512 @code{gdb.Value} (@pxref{Values From Inferior}).
20513 @end defun
20514
20515 @findex gdb.parse_and_eval
20516 @defun parse_and_eval expression
20517 Parse @var{expression} as an expression in the current language,
20518 evaluate it, and return the result as a @code{gdb.Value}.
20519 @var{expression} must be a string.
20520
20521 This function can be useful when implementing a new command
20522 (@pxref{Commands In Python}), as it provides a way to parse the
20523 command's argument as an expression. It is also useful simply to
20524 compute values, for example, it is the only way to get the value of a
20525 convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) as a @code{gdb.Value}.
20526 @end defun
20527
20528 @findex gdb.write
20529 @defun write string
20530 Print a string to @value{GDBN}'s paginated standard output stream.
20531 Writing to @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically
20532 call this function.
20533 @end defun
20534
20535 @findex gdb.flush
20536 @defun flush
20537 Flush @value{GDBN}'s paginated standard output stream. Flushing
20538 @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically call this
20539 function.
20540 @end defun
20541
20542 @findex gdb.target_charset
20543 @defun target_charset
20544 Return the name of the current target character set (@pxref{Character
20545 Sets}). This differs from @code{gdb.parameter('target-charset')} in
20546 that @samp{auto} is never returned.
20547 @end defun
20548
20549 @findex gdb.target_wide_charset
20550 @defun target_wide_charset
20551 Return the name of the current target wide character set
20552 (@pxref{Character Sets}). This differs from
20553 @code{gdb.parameter('target-wide-charset')} in that @samp{auto} is
20554 never returned.
20555 @end defun
20556
20557 @node Exception Handling
20558 @subsubsection Exception Handling
20559 @cindex python exceptions
20560 @cindex exceptions, python
20561
20562 When executing the @code{python} command, Python exceptions
20563 uncaught within the Python code are translated to calls to
20564 @value{GDBN} error-reporting mechanism. If the command that called
20565 @code{python} does not handle the error, @value{GDBN} will
20566 terminate it and print an error message containing the Python
20567 exception name, the associated value, and the Python call stack
20568 backtrace at the point where the exception was raised. Example:
20569
20570 @smallexample
20571 (@value{GDBP}) python print foo
20572 Traceback (most recent call last):
20573 File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
20574 NameError: name 'foo' is not defined
20575 @end smallexample
20576
20577 @value{GDBN} errors that happen in @value{GDBN} commands invoked by Python
20578 code are converted to Python @code{RuntimeError} exceptions. User
20579 interrupt (via @kbd{C-c} or by typing @kbd{q} at a pagination
20580 prompt) is translated to a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt}
20581 exception. If you catch these exceptions in your Python code, your
20582 exception handler will see @code{RuntimeError} or
20583 @code{KeyboardInterrupt} as the exception type, the @value{GDBN} error
20584 message as its value, and the Python call stack backtrace at the
20585 Python statement closest to where the @value{GDBN} error occured as the
20586 traceback.
20587
20588 @findex gdb.GdbError
20589 When implementing @value{GDBN} commands in Python via @code{gdb.Command},
20590 it is useful to be able to throw an exception that doesn't cause a
20591 traceback to be printed. For example, the user may have invoked the
20592 command incorrectly. Use the @code{gdb.GdbError} exception
20593 to handle this case. Example:
20594
20595 @smallexample
20596 (gdb) python
20597 >class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
20598 > """Greet the whole world."""
20599 > def __init__ (self):
20600 > super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)
20601 > def invoke (self, args, from_tty):
20602 > argv = gdb.string_to_argv (args)
20603 > if len (argv) != 0:
20604 > raise gdb.GdbError ("hello-world takes no arguments")
20605 > print "Hello, World!"
20606 >HelloWorld ()
20607 >end
20608 (gdb) hello-world 42
20609 hello-world takes no arguments
20610 @end smallexample
20611
20612 @node Values From Inferior
20613 @subsubsection Values From Inferior
20614 @cindex values from inferior, with Python
20615 @cindex python, working with values from inferior
20616
20617 @cindex @code{gdb.Value}
20618 @value{GDBN} provides values it obtains from the inferior program in
20619 an object of type @code{gdb.Value}. @value{GDBN} uses this object
20620 for its internal bookkeeping of the inferior's values, and for
20621 fetching values when necessary.
20622
20623 Inferior values that are simple scalars can be used directly in
20624 Python expressions that are valid for the value's data type. Here's
20625 an example for an integer or floating-point value @code{some_val}:
20626
20627 @smallexample
20628 bar = some_val + 2
20629 @end smallexample
20630
20631 @noindent
20632 As result of this, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object
20633 whose values are of the same type as those of @code{some_val}.
20634
20635 Inferior values that are structures or instances of some class can
20636 be accessed using the Python @dfn{dictionary syntax}. For example, if
20637 @code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance holding a structure, you
20638 can access its @code{foo} element with:
20639
20640 @smallexample
20641 bar = some_val['foo']
20642 @end smallexample
20643
20644 Again, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object.
20645
20646 A @code{gdb.Value} that represents a function can be executed via
20647 inferior function call. Any arguments provided to the call must match
20648 the function's prototype, and must be provided in the order specified
20649 by that prototype.
20650
20651 For example, @code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance
20652 representing a function that takes two integers as arguments. To
20653 execute this function, call it like so:
20654
20655 @smallexample
20656 result = some_val (10,20)
20657 @end smallexample
20658
20659 Any values returned from a function call will be stored as a
20660 @code{gdb.Value}.
20661
20662 The following attributes are provided:
20663
20664 @table @code
20665 @defivar Value address
20666 If this object is addressable, this read-only attribute holds a
20667 @code{gdb.Value} object representing the address. Otherwise,
20668 this attribute holds @code{None}.
20669 @end defivar
20670
20671 @cindex optimized out value in Python
20672 @defivar Value is_optimized_out
20673 This read-only boolean attribute is true if the compiler optimized out
20674 this value, thus it is not available for fetching from the inferior.
20675 @end defivar
20676
20677 @defivar Value type
20678 The type of this @code{gdb.Value}. The value of this attribute is a
20679 @code{gdb.Type} object.
20680 @end defivar
20681 @end table
20682
20683 The following methods are provided:
20684
20685 @table @code
20686 @defmethod Value cast type
20687 Return a new instance of @code{gdb.Value} that is the result of
20688 casting this instance to the type described by @var{type}, which must
20689 be a @code{gdb.Type} object. If the cast cannot be performed for some
20690 reason, this method throws an exception.
20691 @end defmethod
20692
20693 @defmethod Value dereference
20694 For pointer data types, this method returns a new @code{gdb.Value} object
20695 whose contents is the object pointed to by the pointer. For example, if
20696 @code{foo} is a C pointer to an @code{int}, declared in your C program as
20697
20698 @smallexample
20699 int *foo;
20700 @end smallexample
20701
20702 @noindent
20703 then you can use the corresponding @code{gdb.Value} to access what
20704 @code{foo} points to like this:
20705
20706 @smallexample
20707 bar = foo.dereference ()
20708 @end smallexample
20709
20710 The result @code{bar} will be a @code{gdb.Value} object holding the
20711 value pointed to by @code{foo}.
20712 @end defmethod
20713
20714 @defmethod Value string @r{[}encoding@r{]} @r{[}errors@r{]} @r{[}length@r{]}
20715 If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
20716 converts the contents to a Python string. Otherwise, this method will
20717 throw an exception.
20718
20719 Strings are recognized in a language-specific way; whether a given
20720 @code{gdb.Value} represents a string is determined by the current
20721 language.
20722
20723 For C-like languages, a value is a string if it is a pointer to or an
20724 array of characters or ints. The string is assumed to be terminated
20725 by a zero of the appropriate width. However if the optional length
20726 argument is given, the string will be converted to that given length,
20727 ignoring any embedded zeros that the string may contain.
20728
20729 If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
20730 naming the encoding of the string in the @code{gdb.Value}, such as
20731 @code{"ascii"}, @code{"iso-8859-6"} or @code{"utf-8"}. It accepts
20732 the same encodings as the corresponding argument to Python's
20733 @code{string.decode} method, and the Python codec machinery will be used
20734 to convert the string. If @var{encoding} is not given, or if
20735 @var{encoding} is the empty string, then either the @code{target-charset}
20736 (@pxref{Character Sets}) will be used, or a language-specific encoding
20737 will be used, if the current language is able to supply one.
20738
20739 The optional @var{errors} argument is the same as the corresponding
20740 argument to Python's @code{string.decode} method.
20741
20742 If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
20743 fetched and converted to the given length.
20744 @end defmethod
20745
20746 @defmethod Value lazy_string @r{[}encoding@r{]} @r{[}length@r{]}
20747 If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
20748 converts the contents to a @code{gdb.LazyString} (@pxref{Lazy Strings
20749 In Python}). Otherwise, this method will throw an exception.
20750
20751 If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
20752 naming the encoding of the @code{gdb.LazyString}. Some examples are:
20753 @samp{ascii}, @samp{iso-8859-6} or @samp{utf-8}. If the
20754 @var{encoding} argument is an encoding that @value{GDBN} does
20755 recognize, @value{GDBN} will raise an error.
20756
20757 When a lazy string is printed, the @value{GDBN} encoding machinery is
20758 used to convert the string during printing. If the optional
20759 @var{encoding} argument is not provided, or is an empty string,
20760 @value{GDBN} will automatically select the encoding most suitable for
20761 the string type. For further information on encoding in @value{GDBN}
20762 please see @ref{Character Sets}.
20763
20764 If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
20765 fetched and encoded to the length of characters specified. If
20766 the @var{length} argument is not provided, the string will be fetched
20767 and encoded until a null of appropriate width is found.
20768 @end defmethod
20769 @end table
20770
20771 @node Types In Python
20772 @subsubsection Types In Python
20773 @cindex types in Python
20774 @cindex Python, working with types
20775
20776 @tindex gdb.Type
20777 @value{GDBN} represents types from the inferior using the class
20778 @code{gdb.Type}.
20779
20780 The following type-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
20781 module:
20782
20783 @findex gdb.lookup_type
20784 @defun lookup_type name [block]
20785 This function looks up a type by name. @var{name} is the name of the
20786 type to look up. It must be a string.
20787
20788 If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
20789 Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
20790
20791 Ordinarily, this function will return an instance of @code{gdb.Type}.
20792 If the named type cannot be found, it will throw an exception.
20793 @end defun
20794
20795 An instance of @code{Type} has the following attributes:
20796
20797 @table @code
20798 @defivar Type code
20799 The type code for this type. The type code will be one of the
20800 @code{TYPE_CODE_} constants defined below.
20801 @end defivar
20802
20803 @defivar Type sizeof
20804 The size of this type, in target @code{char} units. Usually, a
20805 target's @code{char} type will be an 8-bit byte. However, on some
20806 unusual platforms, this type may have a different size.
20807 @end defivar
20808
20809 @defivar Type tag
20810 The tag name for this type. The tag name is the name after
20811 @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} in C and C@t{++}; not all
20812 languages have this concept. If this type has no tag name, then
20813 @code{None} is returned.
20814 @end defivar
20815 @end table
20816
20817 The following methods are provided:
20818
20819 @table @code
20820 @defmethod Type fields
20821 For structure and union types, this method returns the fields. Range
20822 types have two fields, the minimum and maximum values. Enum types
20823 have one field per enum constant. Function and method types have one
20824 field per parameter. The base types of C@t{++} classes are also
20825 represented as fields. If the type has no fields, or does not fit
20826 into one of these categories, an empty sequence will be returned.
20827
20828 Each field is an object, with some pre-defined attributes:
20829 @table @code
20830 @item bitpos
20831 This attribute is not available for @code{static} fields (as in
20832 C@t{++} or Java). For non-@code{static} fields, the value is the bit
20833 position of the field.
20834
20835 @item name
20836 The name of the field, or @code{None} for anonymous fields.
20837
20838 @item artificial
20839 This is @code{True} if the field is artificial, usually meaning that
20840 it was provided by the compiler and not the user. This attribute is
20841 always provided, and is @code{False} if the field is not artificial.
20842
20843 @item is_base_class
20844 This is @code{True} if the field represents a base class of a C@t{++}
20845 structure. This attribute is always provided, and is @code{False}
20846 if the field is not a base class of the type that is the argument of
20847 @code{fields}, or if that type was not a C@t{++} class.
20848
20849 @item bitsize
20850 If the field is packed, or is a bitfield, then this will have a
20851 non-zero value, which is the size of the field in bits. Otherwise,
20852 this will be zero; in this case the field's size is given by its type.
20853
20854 @item type
20855 The type of the field. This is usually an instance of @code{Type},
20856 but it can be @code{None} in some situations.
20857 @end table
20858 @end defmethod
20859
20860 @defmethod Type const
20861 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
20862 @code{const}-qualified variant of this type.
20863 @end defmethod
20864
20865 @defmethod Type volatile
20866 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
20867 @code{volatile}-qualified variant of this type.
20868 @end defmethod
20869
20870 @defmethod Type unqualified
20871 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents an unqualified
20872 variant of this type. That is, the result is neither @code{const} nor
20873 @code{volatile}.
20874 @end defmethod
20875
20876 @defmethod Type range
20877 Return a Python @code{Tuple} object that contains two elements: the
20878 low bound of the argument type and the high bound of that type. If
20879 the type does not have a range, @value{GDBN} will raise a
20880 @code{RuntimeError} exception.
20881 @end defmethod
20882
20883 @defmethod Type reference
20884 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a reference to this
20885 type.
20886 @end defmethod
20887
20888 @defmethod Type pointer
20889 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a pointer to this
20890 type.
20891 @end defmethod
20892
20893 @defmethod Type strip_typedefs
20894 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} that represents the real type,
20895 after removing all layers of typedefs.
20896 @end defmethod
20897
20898 @defmethod Type target
20899 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents the target type
20900 of this type.
20901
20902 For a pointer type, the target type is the type of the pointed-to
20903 object. For an array type (meaning C-like arrays), the target type is
20904 the type of the elements of the array. For a function or method type,
20905 the target type is the type of the return value. For a complex type,
20906 the target type is the type of the elements. For a typedef, the
20907 target type is the aliased type.
20908
20909 If the type does not have a target, this method will throw an
20910 exception.
20911 @end defmethod
20912
20913 @defmethod Type template_argument n [block]
20914 If this @code{gdb.Type} is an instantiation of a template, this will
20915 return a new @code{gdb.Type} which represents the type of the
20916 @var{n}th template argument.
20917
20918 If this @code{gdb.Type} is not a template type, this will throw an
20919 exception. Ordinarily, only C@t{++} code will have template types.
20920
20921 If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
20922 Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
20923 @end defmethod
20924 @end table
20925
20926
20927 Each type has a code, which indicates what category this type falls
20928 into. The available type categories are represented by constants
20929 defined in the @code{gdb} module:
20930
20931 @table @code
20932 @findex TYPE_CODE_PTR
20933 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_PTR
20934 @item TYPE_CODE_PTR
20935 The type is a pointer.
20936
20937 @findex TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
20938 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
20939 @item TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
20940 The type is an array.
20941
20942 @findex TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
20943 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
20944 @item TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
20945 The type is a structure.
20946
20947 @findex TYPE_CODE_UNION
20948 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_UNION
20949 @item TYPE_CODE_UNION
20950 The type is a union.
20951
20952 @findex TYPE_CODE_ENUM
20953 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ENUM
20954 @item TYPE_CODE_ENUM
20955 The type is an enum.
20956
20957 @findex TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
20958 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
20959 @item TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
20960 A bit flags type, used for things such as status registers.
20961
20962 @findex TYPE_CODE_FUNC
20963 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FUNC
20964 @item TYPE_CODE_FUNC
20965 The type is a function.
20966
20967 @findex TYPE_CODE_INT
20968 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INT
20969 @item TYPE_CODE_INT
20970 The type is an integer type.
20971
20972 @findex TYPE_CODE_FLT
20973 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLT
20974 @item TYPE_CODE_FLT
20975 A floating point type.
20976
20977 @findex TYPE_CODE_VOID
20978 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_VOID
20979 @item TYPE_CODE_VOID
20980 The special type @code{void}.
20981
20982 @findex TYPE_CODE_SET
20983 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_SET
20984 @item TYPE_CODE_SET
20985 A Pascal set type.
20986
20987 @findex TYPE_CODE_RANGE
20988 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_RANGE
20989 @item TYPE_CODE_RANGE
20990 A range type, that is, an integer type with bounds.
20991
20992 @findex TYPE_CODE_STRING
20993 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRING
20994 @item TYPE_CODE_STRING
20995 A string type. Note that this is only used for certain languages with
20996 language-defined string types; C strings are not represented this way.
20997
20998 @findex TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
20999 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
21000 @item TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
21001 A string of bits.
21002
21003 @findex TYPE_CODE_ERROR
21004 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ERROR
21005 @item TYPE_CODE_ERROR
21006 An unknown or erroneous type.
21007
21008 @findex TYPE_CODE_METHOD
21009 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHOD
21010 @item TYPE_CODE_METHOD
21011 A method type, as found in C@t{++} or Java.
21012
21013 @findex TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
21014 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
21015 @item TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
21016 A pointer-to-member-function.
21017
21018 @findex TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
21019 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
21020 @item TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
21021 A pointer-to-member.
21022
21023 @findex TYPE_CODE_REF
21024 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_REF
21025 @item TYPE_CODE_REF
21026 A reference type.
21027
21028 @findex TYPE_CODE_CHAR
21029 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_CHAR
21030 @item TYPE_CODE_CHAR
21031 A character type.
21032
21033 @findex TYPE_CODE_BOOL
21034 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BOOL
21035 @item TYPE_CODE_BOOL
21036 A boolean type.
21037
21038 @findex TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
21039 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
21040 @item TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
21041 A complex float type.
21042
21043 @findex TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
21044 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
21045 @item TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
21046 A typedef to some other type.
21047
21048 @findex TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
21049 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
21050 @item TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
21051 A C@t{++} namespace.
21052
21053 @findex TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
21054 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
21055 @item TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
21056 A decimal floating point type.
21057
21058 @findex TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
21059 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
21060 @item TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
21061 A function internal to @value{GDBN}. This is the type used to represent
21062 convenience functions.
21063 @end table
21064
21065 @node Pretty Printing API
21066 @subsubsection Pretty Printing API
21067
21068 An example output is provided (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
21069
21070 A pretty-printer is just an object that holds a value and implements a
21071 specific interface, defined here.
21072
21073 @defop Operation {pretty printer} children (self)
21074 @value{GDBN} will call this method on a pretty-printer to compute the
21075 children of the pretty-printer's value.
21076
21077 This method must return an object conforming to the Python iterator
21078 protocol. Each item returned by the iterator must be a tuple holding
21079 two elements. The first element is the ``name'' of the child; the
21080 second element is the child's value. The value can be any Python
21081 object which is convertible to a @value{GDBN} value.
21082
21083 This method is optional. If it does not exist, @value{GDBN} will act
21084 as though the value has no children.
21085 @end defop
21086
21087 @defop Operation {pretty printer} display_hint (self)
21088 The CLI may call this method and use its result to change the
21089 formatting of a value. The result will also be supplied to an MI
21090 consumer as a @samp{displayhint} attribute of the variable being
21091 printed.
21092
21093 This method is optional. If it does exist, this method must return a
21094 string.
21095
21096 Some display hints are predefined by @value{GDBN}:
21097
21098 @table @samp
21099 @item array
21100 Indicate that the object being printed is ``array-like''. The CLI
21101 uses this to respect parameters such as @code{set print elements} and
21102 @code{set print array}.
21103
21104 @item map
21105 Indicate that the object being printed is ``map-like'', and that the
21106 children of this value can be assumed to alternate between keys and
21107 values.
21108
21109 @item string
21110 Indicate that the object being printed is ``string-like''. If the
21111 printer's @code{to_string} method returns a Python string of some
21112 kind, then @value{GDBN} will call its internal language-specific
21113 string-printing function to format the string. For the CLI this means
21114 adding quotation marks, possibly escaping some characters, respecting
21115 @code{set print elements}, and the like.
21116 @end table
21117 @end defop
21118
21119 @defop Operation {pretty printer} to_string (self)
21120 @value{GDBN} will call this method to display the string
21121 representation of the value passed to the object's constructor.
21122
21123 When printing from the CLI, if the @code{to_string} method exists,
21124 then @value{GDBN} will prepend its result to the values returned by
21125 @code{children}. Exactly how this formatting is done is dependent on
21126 the display hint, and may change as more hints are added. Also,
21127 depending on the print settings (@pxref{Print Settings}), the CLI may
21128 print just the result of @code{to_string} in a stack trace, omitting
21129 the result of @code{children}.
21130
21131 If this method returns a string, it is printed verbatim.
21132
21133 Otherwise, if this method returns an instance of @code{gdb.Value},
21134 then @value{GDBN} prints this value. This may result in a call to
21135 another pretty-printer.
21136
21137 If instead the method returns a Python value which is convertible to a
21138 @code{gdb.Value}, then @value{GDBN} performs the conversion and prints
21139 the resulting value. Again, this may result in a call to another
21140 pretty-printer. Python scalars (integers, floats, and booleans) and
21141 strings are convertible to @code{gdb.Value}; other types are not.
21142
21143 Finally, if this method returns @code{None} then no further operations
21144 are peformed in this method and nothing is printed.
21145
21146 If the result is not one of these types, an exception is raised.
21147 @end defop
21148
21149 @value{GDBN} provides a function which can be used to look up the
21150 default pretty-printer for a @code{gdb.Value}:
21151
21152 @findex gdb.default_visualizer
21153 @defun default_visualizer value
21154 This function takes a @code{gdb.Value} object as an argument. If a
21155 pretty-printer for this value exists, then it is returned. If no such
21156 printer exists, then this returns @code{None}.
21157 @end defun
21158
21159 @node Selecting Pretty-Printers
21160 @subsubsection Selecting Pretty-Printers
21161
21162 The Python list @code{gdb.pretty_printers} contains an array of
21163 functions or callable objects that have been registered via addition
21164 as a pretty-printer.
21165 Each @code{gdb.Progspace} contains a @code{pretty_printers} attribute.
21166 Each @code{gdb.Objfile} also contains a @code{pretty_printers}
21167 attribute.
21168
21169 A function on one of these lists is passed a single @code{gdb.Value}
21170 argument and should return a pretty-printer object conforming to the
21171 interface definition above (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}). If a function
21172 cannot create a pretty-printer for the value, it should return
21173 @code{None}.
21174
21175 @value{GDBN} first checks the @code{pretty_printers} attribute of each
21176 @code{gdb.Objfile} in the current program space and iteratively calls
21177 each enabled function (@pxref{Disabling Pretty-Printers})
21178 in the list for that @code{gdb.Objfile} until it receives
21179 a pretty-printer object.
21180 If no pretty-printer is found in the objfile lists, @value{GDBN} then
21181 searches the pretty-printer list of the current program space,
21182 calling each enabled function until an object is returned.
21183 After these lists have been exhausted, it tries the global
21184 @code{gdb.pretty_printers} list, again calling each enabled function until an
21185 object is returned.
21186
21187 The order in which the objfiles are searched is not specified. For a
21188 given list, functions are always invoked from the head of the list,
21189 and iterated over sequentially until the end of the list, or a printer
21190 object is returned.
21191
21192 Here is an example showing how a @code{std::string} printer might be
21193 written:
21194
21195 @smallexample
21196 class StdStringPrinter:
21197 "Print a std::string"
21198
21199 def __init__ (self, val):
21200 self.val = val
21201
21202 def to_string (self):
21203 return self.val['_M_dataplus']['_M_p']
21204
21205 def display_hint (self):
21206 return 'string'
21207 @end smallexample
21208
21209 And here is an example showing how a lookup function for the printer
21210 example above might be written.
21211
21212 @smallexample
21213 def str_lookup_function (val):
21214
21215 lookup_tag = val.type.tag
21216 regex = re.compile ("^std::basic_string<char,.*>$")
21217 if lookup_tag == None:
21218 return None
21219 if regex.match (lookup_tag):
21220 return StdStringPrinter (val)
21221
21222 return None
21223 @end smallexample
21224
21225 The example lookup function extracts the value's type, and attempts to
21226 match it to a type that it can pretty-print. If it is a type the
21227 printer can pretty-print, it will return a printer object. If not, it
21228 returns @code{None}.
21229
21230 We recommend that you put your core pretty-printers into a Python
21231 package. If your pretty-printers are for use with a library, we
21232 further recommend embedding a version number into the package name.
21233 This practice will enable @value{GDBN} to load multiple versions of
21234 your pretty-printers at the same time, because they will have
21235 different names.
21236
21237 You should write auto-loaded code (@pxref{Auto-loading}) such that it
21238 can be evaluated multiple times without changing its meaning. An
21239 ideal auto-load file will consist solely of @code{import}s of your
21240 printer modules, followed by a call to a register pretty-printers with
21241 the current objfile.
21242
21243 Taken as a whole, this approach will scale nicely to multiple
21244 inferiors, each potentially using a different library version.
21245 Embedding a version number in the Python package name will ensure that
21246 @value{GDBN} is able to load both sets of printers simultaneously.
21247 Then, because the search for pretty-printers is done by objfile, and
21248 because your auto-loaded code took care to register your library's
21249 printers with a specific objfile, @value{GDBN} will find the correct
21250 printers for the specific version of the library used by each
21251 inferior.
21252
21253 To continue the @code{std::string} example (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}),
21254 this code might appear in @code{gdb.libstdcxx.v6}:
21255
21256 @smallexample
21257 def register_printers (objfile):
21258 objfile.pretty_printers.add (str_lookup_function)
21259 @end smallexample
21260
21261 @noindent
21262 And then the corresponding contents of the auto-load file would be:
21263
21264 @smallexample
21265 import gdb.libstdcxx.v6
21266 gdb.libstdcxx.v6.register_printers (gdb.current_objfile ())
21267 @end smallexample
21268
21269 @node Disabling Pretty-Printers
21270 @subsubsection Disabling Pretty-Printers
21271 @cindex disabling pretty-printers
21272
21273 For various reasons a pretty-printer may not work.
21274 For example, the underlying data structure may have changed and
21275 the pretty-printer is out of date.
21276
21277 The consequences of a broken pretty-printer are severe enough that
21278 @value{GDBN} provides support for enabling and disabling individual
21279 printers. For example, if @code{print frame-arguments} is on,
21280 a backtrace can become highly illegible if any argument is printed
21281 with a broken printer.
21282
21283 Pretty-printers are enabled and disabled by attaching an @code{enabled}
21284 attribute to the registered function or callable object. If this attribute
21285 is present and its value is @code{False}, the printer is disabled, otherwise
21286 the printer is enabled.
21287
21288 @node Inferiors In Python
21289 @subsubsection Inferiors In Python
21290 @cindex inferiors in python
21291
21292 @findex gdb.Inferior
21293 Programs which are being run under @value{GDBN} are called inferiors
21294 (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). Python scripts can access
21295 information about and manipulate inferiors controlled by @value{GDBN}
21296 via objects of the @code{gdb.Inferior} class.
21297
21298 The following inferior-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
21299 module:
21300
21301 @defun inferiors
21302 Return a tuple containing all inferior objects.
21303 @end defun
21304
21305 A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following attributes:
21306
21307 @table @code
21308 @defivar Inferior num
21309 ID of inferior, as assigned by GDB.
21310 @end defivar
21311
21312 @defivar Inferior pid
21313 Process ID of the inferior, as assigned by the underlying operating
21314 system.
21315 @end defivar
21316
21317 @defivar Inferior was_attached
21318 Boolean signaling whether the inferior was created using `attach', or
21319 started by @value{GDBN} itself.
21320 @end defivar
21321 @end table
21322
21323 A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following methods:
21324
21325 @table @code
21326 @defmethod Inferior threads
21327 This method returns a tuple holding all the threads which are valid
21328 when it is called. If there are no valid threads, the method will
21329 return an empty tuple.
21330 @end defmethod
21331
21332 @findex gdb.read_memory
21333 @defmethod Inferior read_memory address length
21334 Read @var{length} bytes of memory from the inferior, starting at
21335 @var{address}. Returns a buffer object, which behaves much like an array
21336 or a string. It can be modified and given to the @code{gdb.write_memory}
21337 function.
21338 @end defmethod
21339
21340 @findex gdb.write_memory
21341 @defmethod Inferior write_memory address buffer @r{[}length@r{]}
21342 Write the contents of @var{buffer} to the inferior, starting at
21343 @var{address}. The @var{buffer} parameter must be a Python object
21344 which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
21345 object returned from @code{gdb.read_memory}. If given, @var{length}
21346 determines the number of bytes from @var{buffer} to be written.
21347 @end defmethod
21348
21349 @findex gdb.search_memory
21350 @defmethod Inferior search_memory address length pattern
21351 Search a region of the inferior memory starting at @var{address} with
21352 the given @var{length} using the search pattern supplied in
21353 @var{pattern}. The @var{pattern} parameter must be a Python object
21354 which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
21355 object returned from @code{gdb.read_memory}. Returns a Python @code{Long}
21356 containing the address where the pattern was found, or @code{None} if
21357 the pattern could not be found.
21358 @end defmethod
21359 @end table
21360
21361 @node Threads In Python
21362 @subsubsection Threads In Python
21363 @cindex threads in python
21364
21365 @findex gdb.InferiorThread
21366 Python scripts can access information about, and manipulate inferior threads
21367 controlled by @value{GDBN}, via objects of the @code{gdb.InferiorThread} class.
21368
21369 The following thread-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
21370 module:
21371
21372 @findex gdb.selected_thread
21373 @defun selected_thread
21374 This function returns the thread object for the selected thread. If there
21375 is no selected thread, this will return @code{None}.
21376 @end defun
21377
21378 A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following attributes:
21379
21380 @table @code
21381 @defivar InferiorThread num
21382 ID of the thread, as assigned by GDB.
21383 @end defivar
21384
21385 @defivar InferiorThread ptid
21386 ID of the thread, as assigned by the operating system. This attribute is a
21387 tuple containing three integers. The first is the Process ID (PID); the second
21388 is the Lightweight Process ID (LWPID), and the third is the Thread ID (TID).
21389 Either the LWPID or TID may be 0, which indicates that the operating system
21390 does not use that identifier.
21391 @end defivar
21392 @end table
21393
21394 A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following methods:
21395
21396 @table @code
21397 @defmethod InferiorThread switch
21398 This changes @value{GDBN}'s currently selected thread to the one represented
21399 by this object.
21400 @end defmethod
21401
21402 @defmethod InferiorThread is_stopped
21403 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is stopped.
21404 @end defmethod
21405
21406 @defmethod InferiorThread is_running
21407 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is running.
21408 @end defmethod
21409
21410 @defmethod InferiorThread is_exited
21411 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is exited.
21412 @end defmethod
21413 @end table
21414
21415 @node Commands In Python
21416 @subsubsection Commands In Python
21417
21418 @cindex commands in python
21419 @cindex python commands
21420 You can implement new @value{GDBN} CLI commands in Python. A CLI
21421 command is implemented using an instance of the @code{gdb.Command}
21422 class, most commonly using a subclass.
21423
21424 @defmethod Command __init__ name @var{command_class} @r{[}@var{completer_class}@r{]} @r{[}@var{prefix}@r{]}
21425 The object initializer for @code{Command} registers the new command
21426 with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked from the
21427 subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
21428
21429 @var{name} is the name of the command. If @var{name} consists of
21430 multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
21431 commands. In this case, if one of the prefix commands does not exist,
21432 an exception is raised.
21433
21434 There is no support for multi-line commands.
21435
21436 @var{command_class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
21437 defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to categorize the
21438 new command in the help system.
21439
21440 @var{completer_class} is an optional argument. If given, it should be
21441 one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined below. This argument
21442 tells @value{GDBN} how to perform completion for this command. If not
21443 given, @value{GDBN} will attempt to complete using the object's
21444 @code{complete} method (see below); if no such method is found, an
21445 error will occur when completion is attempted.
21446
21447 @var{prefix} is an optional argument. If @code{True}, then the new
21448 command is a prefix command; sub-commands of this command may be
21449 registered.
21450
21451 The help text for the new command is taken from the Python
21452 documentation string for the command's class, if there is one. If no
21453 documentation string is provided, the default value ``This command is
21454 not documented.'' is used.
21455 @end defmethod
21456
21457 @cindex don't repeat Python command
21458 @defmethod Command dont_repeat
21459 By default, a @value{GDBN} command is repeated when the user enters a
21460 blank line at the command prompt. A command can suppress this
21461 behavior by invoking the @code{dont_repeat} method. This is similar
21462 to the user command @code{dont-repeat}, see @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
21463 @end defmethod
21464
21465 @defmethod Command invoke argument from_tty
21466 This method is called by @value{GDBN} when this command is invoked.
21467
21468 @var{argument} is a string. It is the argument to the command, after
21469 leading and trailing whitespace has been stripped.
21470
21471 @var{from_tty} is a boolean argument. When true, this means that the
21472 command was entered by the user at the terminal; when false it means
21473 that the command came from elsewhere.
21474
21475 If this method throws an exception, it is turned into a @value{GDBN}
21476 @code{error} call. Otherwise, the return value is ignored.
21477
21478 @findex gdb.string_to_argv
21479 To break @var{argument} up into an argv-like string use
21480 @code{gdb.string_to_argv}. This function behaves identically to
21481 @value{GDBN}'s internal argument lexer @code{buildargv}.
21482 It is recommended to use this for consistency.
21483 Arguments are separated by spaces and may be quoted.
21484 Example:
21485
21486 @smallexample
21487 print gdb.string_to_argv ("1 2\ \\\"3 '4 \"5' \"6 '7\"")
21488 ['1', '2 "3', '4 "5', "6 '7"]
21489 @end smallexample
21490
21491 @end defmethod
21492
21493 @cindex completion of Python commands
21494 @defmethod Command complete text word
21495 This method is called by @value{GDBN} when the user attempts
21496 completion on this command. All forms of completion are handled by
21497 this method, that is, the @key{TAB} and @key{M-?} key bindings
21498 (@pxref{Completion}), and the @code{complete} command (@pxref{Help,
21499 complete}).
21500
21501 The arguments @var{text} and @var{word} are both strings. @var{text}
21502 holds the complete command line up to the cursor's location.
21503 @var{word} holds the last word of the command line; this is computed
21504 using a word-breaking heuristic.
21505
21506 The @code{complete} method can return several values:
21507 @itemize @bullet
21508 @item
21509 If the return value is a sequence, the contents of the sequence are
21510 used as the completions. It is up to @code{complete} to ensure that the
21511 contents actually do complete the word. A zero-length sequence is
21512 allowed, it means that there were no completions available. Only
21513 string elements of the sequence are used; other elements in the
21514 sequence are ignored.
21515
21516 @item
21517 If the return value is one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined
21518 below, then the corresponding @value{GDBN}-internal completion
21519 function is invoked, and its result is used.
21520
21521 @item
21522 All other results are treated as though there were no available
21523 completions.
21524 @end itemize
21525 @end defmethod
21526
21527 When a new command is registered, it must be declared as a member of
21528 some general class of commands. This is used to classify top-level
21529 commands in the on-line help system; note that prefix commands are not
21530 listed under their own category but rather that of their top-level
21531 command. The available classifications are represented by constants
21532 defined in the @code{gdb} module:
21533
21534 @table @code
21535 @findex COMMAND_NONE
21536 @findex gdb.COMMAND_NONE
21537 @item COMMAND_NONE
21538 The command does not belong to any particular class. A command in
21539 this category will not be displayed in any of the help categories.
21540
21541 @findex COMMAND_RUNNING
21542 @findex gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING
21543 @item COMMAND_RUNNING
21544 The command is related to running the inferior. For example,
21545 @code{start}, @code{step}, and @code{continue} are in this category.
21546 Type @kbd{help running} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
21547 commands in this category.
21548
21549 @findex COMMAND_DATA
21550 @findex gdb.COMMAND_DATA
21551 @item COMMAND_DATA
21552 The command is related to data or variables. For example,
21553 @code{call}, @code{find}, and @code{print} are in this category. Type
21554 @kbd{help data} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands
21555 in this category.
21556
21557 @findex COMMAND_STACK
21558 @findex gdb.COMMAND_STACK
21559 @item COMMAND_STACK
21560 The command has to do with manipulation of the stack. For example,
21561 @code{backtrace}, @code{frame}, and @code{return} are in this
21562 category. Type @kbd{help stack} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a
21563 list of commands in this category.
21564
21565 @findex COMMAND_FILES
21566 @findex gdb.COMMAND_FILES
21567 @item COMMAND_FILES
21568 This class is used for file-related commands. For example,
21569 @code{file}, @code{list} and @code{section} are in this category.
21570 Type @kbd{help files} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
21571 commands in this category.
21572
21573 @findex COMMAND_SUPPORT
21574 @findex gdb.COMMAND_SUPPORT
21575 @item COMMAND_SUPPORT
21576 This should be used for ``support facilities'', generally meaning
21577 things that are useful to the user when interacting with @value{GDBN},
21578 but not related to the state of the inferior. For example,
21579 @code{help}, @code{make}, and @code{shell} are in this category. Type
21580 @kbd{help support} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
21581 commands in this category.
21582
21583 @findex COMMAND_STATUS
21584 @findex gdb.COMMAND_STATUS
21585 @item COMMAND_STATUS
21586 The command is an @samp{info}-related command, that is, related to the
21587 state of @value{GDBN} itself. For example, @code{info}, @code{macro},
21588 and @code{show} are in this category. Type @kbd{help status} at the
21589 @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this category.
21590
21591 @findex COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
21592 @findex gdb.COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
21593 @item COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
21594 The command has to do with breakpoints. For example, @code{break},
21595 @code{clear}, and @code{delete} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
21596 breakpoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in
21597 this category.
21598
21599 @findex COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
21600 @findex gdb.COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
21601 @item COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
21602 The command has to do with tracepoints. For example, @code{trace},
21603 @code{actions}, and @code{tfind} are in this category. Type
21604 @kbd{help tracepoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
21605 commands in this category.
21606
21607 @findex COMMAND_OBSCURE
21608 @findex gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE
21609 @item COMMAND_OBSCURE
21610 The command is only used in unusual circumstances, or is not of
21611 general interest to users. For example, @code{checkpoint},
21612 @code{fork}, and @code{stop} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
21613 obscure} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this
21614 category.
21615
21616 @findex COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
21617 @findex gdb.COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
21618 @item COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
21619 The command is only useful to @value{GDBN} maintainers. The
21620 @code{maintenance} and @code{flushregs} commands are in this category.
21621 Type @kbd{help internals} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
21622 commands in this category.
21623 @end table
21624
21625 A new command can use a predefined completion function, either by
21626 specifying it via an argument at initialization, or by returning it
21627 from the @code{complete} method. These predefined completion
21628 constants are all defined in the @code{gdb} module:
21629
21630 @table @code
21631 @findex COMPLETE_NONE
21632 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_NONE
21633 @item COMPLETE_NONE
21634 This constant means that no completion should be done.
21635
21636 @findex COMPLETE_FILENAME
21637 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_FILENAME
21638 @item COMPLETE_FILENAME
21639 This constant means that filename completion should be performed.
21640
21641 @findex COMPLETE_LOCATION
21642 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_LOCATION
21643 @item COMPLETE_LOCATION
21644 This constant means that location completion should be done.
21645 @xref{Specify Location}.
21646
21647 @findex COMPLETE_COMMAND
21648 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_COMMAND
21649 @item COMPLETE_COMMAND
21650 This constant means that completion should examine @value{GDBN}
21651 command names.
21652
21653 @findex COMPLETE_SYMBOL
21654 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_SYMBOL
21655 @item COMPLETE_SYMBOL
21656 This constant means that completion should be done using symbol names
21657 as the source.
21658 @end table
21659
21660 The following code snippet shows how a trivial CLI command can be
21661 implemented in Python:
21662
21663 @smallexample
21664 class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
21665 """Greet the whole world."""
21666
21667 def __init__ (self):
21668 super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)
21669
21670 def invoke (self, arg, from_tty):
21671 print "Hello, World!"
21672
21673 HelloWorld ()
21674 @end smallexample
21675
21676 The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
21677 registration of the command with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
21678 Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
21679 @code{gdb} module explicitly.
21680
21681 @node Parameters In Python
21682 @subsubsection Parameters In Python
21683
21684 @cindex parameters in python
21685 @cindex python parameters
21686 @tindex gdb.Parameter
21687 @tindex Parameter
21688 You can implement new @value{GDBN} parameters using Python. A new
21689 parameter is implemented as an instance of the @code{gdb.Parameter}
21690 class.
21691
21692 Parameters are exposed to the user via the @code{set} and
21693 @code{show} commands. @xref{Help}.
21694
21695 There are many parameters that already exist and can be set in
21696 @value{GDBN}. Two examples are: @code{set follow fork} and
21697 @code{set charset}. Setting these parameters influences certain
21698 behavior in @value{GDBN}. Similarly, you can define parameters that
21699 can be used to influence behavior in custom Python scripts and commands.
21700
21701 @defmethod Parameter __init__ name @var{command-class} @var{parameter-class} @r{[}@var{enum-sequence}@r{]}
21702 The object initializer for @code{Parameter} registers the new
21703 parameter with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked
21704 from the subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
21705
21706 @var{name} is the name of the new parameter. If @var{name} consists
21707 of multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
21708 parameters. An example of this can be illustrated with the
21709 @code{set print} set of parameters. If @var{name} is
21710 @code{print foo}, then @code{print} will be searched as the prefix
21711 parameter. In this case the parameter can subsequently be accessed in
21712 @value{GDBN} as @code{set print foo}.
21713
21714 If @var{name} consists of multiple words, and no prefix parameter group
21715 can be found, an exception is raised.
21716
21717 @var{command-class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
21718 (@pxref{Commands In Python}). This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to
21719 categorize the new parameter in the help system.
21720
21721 @var{parameter-class} should be one of the @samp{PARAM_} constants
21722 defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} the type of the new
21723 parameter; this information is used for input validation and
21724 completion.
21725
21726 If @var{parameter-class} is @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then
21727 @var{enum-sequence} must be a sequence of strings. These strings
21728 represent the possible values for the parameter.
21729
21730 If @var{parameter-class} is not @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then the presence
21731 of a fourth argument will cause an exception to be thrown.
21732
21733 The help text for the new parameter is taken from the Python
21734 documentation string for the parameter's class, if there is one. If
21735 there is no documentation string, a default value is used.
21736 @end defmethod
21737
21738 @defivar Parameter set_doc
21739 If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
21740 the help text for this parameter's @code{set} command. The value is
21741 examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
21742 have no effect.
21743 @end defivar
21744
21745 @defivar Parameter show_doc
21746 If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
21747 the help text for this parameter's @code{show} command. The value is
21748 examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
21749 have no effect.
21750 @end defivar
21751
21752 @defivar Parameter value
21753 The @code{value} attribute holds the underlying value of the
21754 parameter. It can be read and assigned to just as any other
21755 attribute. @value{GDBN} does validation when assignments are made.
21756 @end defivar
21757
21758
21759 When a new parameter is defined, its type must be specified. The
21760 available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
21761 module:
21762
21763 @table @code
21764 @findex PARAM_BOOLEAN
21765 @findex gdb.PARAM_BOOLEAN
21766 @item PARAM_BOOLEAN
21767 The value is a plain boolean. The Python boolean values, @code{True}
21768 and @code{False} are the only valid values.
21769
21770 @findex PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
21771 @findex gdb.PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
21772 @item PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
21773 The value has three possible states: true, false, and @samp{auto}. In
21774 Python, true and false are represented using boolean constants, and
21775 @samp{auto} is represented using @code{None}.
21776
21777 @findex PARAM_UINTEGER
21778 @findex gdb.PARAM_UINTEGER
21779 @item PARAM_UINTEGER
21780 The value is an unsigned integer. The value of 0 should be
21781 interpreted to mean ``unlimited''.
21782
21783 @findex PARAM_INTEGER
21784 @findex gdb.PARAM_INTEGER
21785 @item PARAM_INTEGER
21786 The value is a signed integer. The value of 0 should be interpreted
21787 to mean ``unlimited''.
21788
21789 @findex PARAM_STRING
21790 @findex gdb.PARAM_STRING
21791 @item PARAM_STRING
21792 The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, any escape
21793 sequences, such as @samp{\t}, @samp{\f}, and octal escapes, are
21794 translated into corresponding characters and encoded into the current
21795 host charset.
21796
21797 @findex PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
21798 @findex gdb.PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
21799 @item PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
21800 The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, escapes are
21801 passed through untranslated.
21802
21803 @findex PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
21804 @findex gdb.PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
21805 @item PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
21806 The value is a either a filename (a string), or @code{None}.
21807
21808 @findex PARAM_FILENAME
21809 @findex gdb.PARAM_FILENAME
21810 @item PARAM_FILENAME
21811 The value is a filename. This is just like
21812 @code{PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE}, but uses file names for completion.
21813
21814 @findex PARAM_ZINTEGER
21815 @findex gdb.PARAM_ZINTEGER
21816 @item PARAM_ZINTEGER
21817 The value is an integer. This is like @code{PARAM_INTEGER}, except 0
21818 is interpreted as itself.
21819
21820 @findex PARAM_ENUM
21821 @findex gdb.PARAM_ENUM
21822 @item PARAM_ENUM
21823 The value is a string, which must be one of a collection string
21824 constants provided when the parameter is created.
21825 @end table
21826
21827 @node Functions In Python
21828 @subsubsection Writing new convenience functions
21829
21830 @cindex writing convenience functions
21831 @cindex convenience functions in python
21832 @cindex python convenience functions
21833 @tindex gdb.Function
21834 @tindex Function
21835 You can implement new convenience functions (@pxref{Convenience Vars})
21836 in Python. A convenience function is an instance of a subclass of the
21837 class @code{gdb.Function}.
21838
21839 @defmethod Function __init__ name
21840 The initializer for @code{Function} registers the new function with
21841 @value{GDBN}. The argument @var{name} is the name of the function,
21842 a string. The function will be visible to the user as a convenience
21843 variable of type @code{internal function}, whose name is the same as
21844 the given @var{name}.
21845
21846 The documentation for the new function is taken from the documentation
21847 string for the new class.
21848 @end defmethod
21849
21850 @defmethod Function invoke @var{*args}
21851 When a convenience function is evaluated, its arguments are converted
21852 to instances of @code{gdb.Value}, and then the function's
21853 @code{invoke} method is called. Note that @value{GDBN} does not
21854 predetermine the arity of convenience functions. Instead, all
21855 available arguments are passed to @code{invoke}, following the
21856 standard Python calling convention. In particular, a convenience
21857 function can have default values for parameters without ill effect.
21858
21859 The return value of this method is used as its value in the enclosing
21860 expression. If an ordinary Python value is returned, it is converted
21861 to a @code{gdb.Value} following the usual rules.
21862 @end defmethod
21863
21864 The following code snippet shows how a trivial convenience function can
21865 be implemented in Python:
21866
21867 @smallexample
21868 class Greet (gdb.Function):
21869 """Return string to greet someone.
21870 Takes a name as argument."""
21871
21872 def __init__ (self):
21873 super (Greet, self).__init__ ("greet")
21874
21875 def invoke (self, name):
21876 return "Hello, %s!" % name.string ()
21877
21878 Greet ()
21879 @end smallexample
21880
21881 The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
21882 registration of the function with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
21883 Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
21884 @code{gdb} module explicitly.
21885
21886 @node Progspaces In Python
21887 @subsubsection Program Spaces In Python
21888
21889 @cindex progspaces in python
21890 @tindex gdb.Progspace
21891 @tindex Progspace
21892 A program space, or @dfn{progspace}, represents a symbolic view
21893 of an address space.
21894 It consists of all of the objfiles of the program.
21895 @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
21896 @xref{Inferiors and Programs, program spaces}, for more details
21897 about program spaces.
21898
21899 The following progspace-related functions are available in the
21900 @code{gdb} module:
21901
21902 @findex gdb.current_progspace
21903 @defun current_progspace
21904 This function returns the program space of the currently selected inferior.
21905 @xref{Inferiors and Programs}.
21906 @end defun
21907
21908 @findex gdb.progspaces
21909 @defun progspaces
21910 Return a sequence of all the progspaces currently known to @value{GDBN}.
21911 @end defun
21912
21913 Each progspace is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Progspace}
21914 class.
21915
21916 @defivar Progspace filename
21917 The file name of the progspace as a string.
21918 @end defivar
21919
21920 @defivar Progspace pretty_printers
21921 The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
21922 used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
21923 function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
21924 search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
21925 which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
21926 information.
21927 @end defivar
21928
21929 @node Objfiles In Python
21930 @subsubsection Objfiles In Python
21931
21932 @cindex objfiles in python
21933 @tindex gdb.Objfile
21934 @tindex Objfile
21935 @value{GDBN} loads symbols for an inferior from various
21936 symbol-containing files (@pxref{Files}). These include the primary
21937 executable file, any shared libraries used by the inferior, and any
21938 separate debug info files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}).
21939 @value{GDBN} calls these symbol-containing files @dfn{objfiles}.
21940
21941 The following objfile-related functions are available in the
21942 @code{gdb} module:
21943
21944 @findex gdb.current_objfile
21945 @defun current_objfile
21946 When auto-loading a Python script (@pxref{Auto-loading}), @value{GDBN}
21947 sets the ``current objfile'' to the corresponding objfile. This
21948 function returns the current objfile. If there is no current objfile,
21949 this function returns @code{None}.
21950 @end defun
21951
21952 @findex gdb.objfiles
21953 @defun objfiles
21954 Return a sequence of all the objfiles current known to @value{GDBN}.
21955 @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
21956 @end defun
21957
21958 Each objfile is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Objfile}
21959 class.
21960
21961 @defivar Objfile filename
21962 The file name of the objfile as a string.
21963 @end defivar
21964
21965 @defivar Objfile pretty_printers
21966 The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
21967 used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
21968 function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
21969 search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
21970 which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
21971 information.
21972 @end defivar
21973
21974 @node Frames In Python
21975 @subsubsection Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
21976
21977 @cindex frames in python
21978 When the debugged program stops, @value{GDBN} is able to analyze its call
21979 stack (@pxref{Frames,,Stack frames}). The @code{gdb.Frame} class
21980 represents a frame in the stack. A @code{gdb.Frame} object is only valid
21981 while its corresponding frame exists in the inferior's stack. If you try
21982 to use an invalid frame object, @value{GDBN} will throw a @code{RuntimeError}
21983 exception.
21984
21985 Two @code{gdb.Frame} objects can be compared for equality with the @code{==}
21986 operator, like:
21987
21988 @smallexample
21989 (@value{GDBP}) python print gdb.newest_frame() == gdb.selected_frame ()
21990 True
21991 @end smallexample
21992
21993 The following frame-related functions are available in the @code{gdb} module:
21994
21995 @findex gdb.selected_frame
21996 @defun selected_frame
21997 Return the selected frame object. (@pxref{Selection,,Selecting a Frame}).
21998 @end defun
21999
22000 @defun frame_stop_reason_string reason
22001 Return a string explaining the reason why @value{GDBN} stopped unwinding
22002 frames, as expressed by the given @var{reason} code (an integer, see the
22003 @code{unwind_stop_reason} method further down in this section).
22004 @end defun
22005
22006 A @code{gdb.Frame} object has the following methods:
22007
22008 @table @code
22009 @defmethod Frame is_valid
22010 Returns true if the @code{gdb.Frame} object is valid, false if not.
22011 A frame object can become invalid if the frame it refers to doesn't
22012 exist anymore in the inferior. All @code{gdb.Frame} methods will throw
22013 an exception if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
22014 @end defmethod
22015
22016 @defmethod Frame name
22017 Returns the function name of the frame, or @code{None} if it can't be
22018 obtained.
22019 @end defmethod
22020
22021 @defmethod Frame type
22022 Returns the type of the frame. The value can be one of
22023 @code{gdb.NORMAL_FRAME}, @code{gdb.DUMMY_FRAME}, @code{gdb.SIGTRAMP_FRAME}
22024 or @code{gdb.SENTINEL_FRAME}.
22025 @end defmethod
22026
22027 @defmethod Frame unwind_stop_reason
22028 Return an integer representing the reason why it's not possible to find
22029 more frames toward the outermost frame. Use
22030 @code{gdb.frame_stop_reason_string} to convert the value returned by this
22031 function to a string.
22032 @end defmethod
22033
22034 @defmethod Frame pc
22035 Returns the frame's resume address.
22036 @end defmethod
22037
22038 @defmethod Frame block
22039 Return the frame's code block. @xref{Blocks In Python}.
22040 @end defmethod
22041
22042 @defmethod Frame function
22043 Return the symbol for the function corresponding to this frame.
22044 @xref{Symbols In Python}.
22045 @end defmethod
22046
22047 @defmethod Frame older
22048 Return the frame that called this frame.
22049 @end defmethod
22050
22051 @defmethod Frame newer
22052 Return the frame called by this frame.
22053 @end defmethod
22054
22055 @defmethod Frame find_sal
22056 Return the frame's symtab and line object.
22057 @xref{Symbol Tables In Python}.
22058 @end defmethod
22059
22060 @defmethod Frame read_var variable @r{[}block@r{]}
22061 Return the value of @var{variable} in this frame. If the optional
22062 argument @var{block} is provided, search for the variable from that
22063 block; otherwise start at the frame's current block (which is
22064 determined by the frame's current program counter). @var{variable}
22065 must be a string or a @code{gdb.Symbol} object. @var{block} must be a
22066 @code{gdb.Block} object.
22067 @end defmethod
22068
22069 @defmethod Frame select
22070 Set this frame to be the selected frame. @xref{Stack, ,Examining the
22071 Stack}.
22072 @end defmethod
22073 @end table
22074
22075 @node Blocks In Python
22076 @subsubsection Accessing frame blocks from Python.
22077
22078 @cindex blocks in python
22079 @tindex gdb.Block
22080
22081 Within each frame, @value{GDBN} maintains information on each block
22082 stored in that frame. These blocks are organized hierarchically, and
22083 are represented individually in Python as a @code{gdb.Block}.
22084 Please see @ref{Frames In Python}, for a more in-depth discussion on
22085 frames. Furthermore, see @ref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}, for more
22086 detailed technical information on @value{GDBN}'s book-keeping of the
22087 stack.
22088
22089 The following block-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
22090 module:
22091
22092 @findex gdb.block_for_pc
22093 @defun block_for_pc pc
22094 Return the @code{gdb.Block} containing the given @var{pc} value. If the
22095 block cannot be found for the @var{pc} value specified, the function
22096 will return @code{None}.
22097 @end defun
22098
22099 A @code{gdb.Block} object has the following attributes:
22100
22101 @table @code
22102 @defivar Block start
22103 The start address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
22104 @end defivar
22105
22106 @defivar Block end
22107 The end address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
22108 @end defivar
22109
22110 @defivar Block function
22111 The name of the block represented as a @code{gdb.Symbol}. If the
22112 block is not named, then this attribute holds @code{None}. This
22113 attribute is not writable.
22114 @end defivar
22115
22116 @defivar Block superblock
22117 The block containing this block. If this parent block does not exist,
22118 this attribute holds @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
22119 @end defivar
22120 @end table
22121
22122 @node Symbols In Python
22123 @subsubsection Python representation of Symbols.
22124
22125 @cindex symbols in python
22126 @tindex gdb.Symbol
22127
22128 @value{GDBN} represents every variable, function and type as an
22129 entry in a symbol table. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
22130 Similarly, Python represents these symbols in @value{GDBN} with the
22131 @code{gdb.Symbol} object.
22132
22133 The following symbol-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
22134 module:
22135
22136 @findex gdb.lookup_symbol
22137 @defun lookup_symbol name [block] [domain]
22138 This function searches for a symbol by name. The search scope can be
22139 restricted to the parameters defined in the optional domain and block
22140 arguments.
22141
22142 @var{name} is the name of the symbol. It must be a string. The
22143 optional @var{block} argument restricts the search to symbols visible
22144 in that @var{block}. The @var{block} argument must be a
22145 @code{gdb.Block} object. The optional @var{domain} argument restricts
22146 the search to the domain type. The @var{domain} argument must be a
22147 domain constant defined in the @code{gdb} module and described later
22148 in this chapter.
22149 @end defun
22150
22151 A @code{gdb.Symbol} object has the following attributes:
22152
22153 @table @code
22154 @defivar Symbol symtab
22155 The symbol table in which the symbol appears. This attribute is
22156 represented as a @code{gdb.Symtab} object. @xref{Symbol Tables In
22157 Python}. This attribute is not writable.
22158 @end defivar
22159
22160 @defivar Symbol name
22161 The name of the symbol as a string. This attribute is not writable.
22162 @end defivar
22163
22164 @defivar Symbol linkage_name
22165 The name of the symbol, as used by the linker (i.e., may be mangled).
22166 This attribute is not writable.
22167 @end defivar
22168
22169 @defivar Symbol print_name
22170 The name of the symbol in a form suitable for output. This is either
22171 @code{name} or @code{linkage_name}, depending on whether the user
22172 asked @value{GDBN} to display demangled or mangled names.
22173 @end defivar
22174
22175 @defivar Symbol addr_class
22176 The address class of the symbol. This classifies how to find the value
22177 of a symbol. Each address class is a constant defined in the
22178 @code{gdb} module and described later in this chapter.
22179 @end defivar
22180
22181 @defivar Symbol is_argument
22182 @code{True} if the symbol is an argument of a function.
22183 @end defivar
22184
22185 @defivar Symbol is_constant
22186 @code{True} if the symbol is a constant.
22187 @end defivar
22188
22189 @defivar Symbol is_function
22190 @code{True} if the symbol is a function or a method.
22191 @end defivar
22192
22193 @defivar Symbol is_variable
22194 @code{True} if the symbol is a variable.
22195 @end defivar
22196 @end table
22197
22198 The available domain categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
22199 as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
22200
22201 @table @code
22202 @findex SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
22203 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
22204 @item SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
22205 This is used when a domain has not been discovered or none of the
22206 following domains apply. This usually indicates an error either
22207 in the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
22208 @findex SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
22209 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
22210 @item SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
22211 This domain contains variables, function names, typedef names and enum
22212 type values.
22213 @findex SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
22214 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
22215 @item SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
22216 This domain holds struct, union and enum type names.
22217 @findex SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
22218 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
22219 @item SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
22220 This domain contains names of labels (for gotos).
22221 @findex SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
22222 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
22223 @item SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
22224 This domain holds a subset of the @code{SYMBOLS_VAR_DOMAIN}; it
22225 contains everything minus functions and types.
22226 @findex SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
22227 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
22228 @item SYMBOL_FUNCTION_DOMAIN
22229 This domain contains all functions.
22230 @findex SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
22231 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
22232 @item SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
22233 This domain contains all types.
22234 @end table
22235
22236 The available address class categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
22237 as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
22238
22239 @table @code
22240 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
22241 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
22242 @item SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
22243 If this is returned by address class, it indicates an error either in
22244 the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
22245 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
22246 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
22247 @item SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
22248 Value is constant int.
22249 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
22250 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
22251 @item SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
22252 Value is at a fixed address.
22253 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
22254 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
22255 @item SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
22256 Value is in a register.
22257 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
22258 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
22259 @item SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
22260 Value is an argument. This value is at the offset stored within the
22261 symbol inside the frame's argument list.
22262 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
22263 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
22264 @item SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
22265 Value address is stored in the frame's argument list. Just like
22266 @code{LOC_ARG} except that the value's address is stored at the
22267 offset, not the value itself.
22268 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
22269 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
22270 @item SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
22271 Value is a specified register. Just like @code{LOC_REGISTER} except
22272 the register holds the address of the argument instead of the argument
22273 itself.
22274 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
22275 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
22276 @item SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
22277 Value is a local variable.
22278 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
22279 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
22280 @item SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
22281 Value not used. Symbols in the domain @code{SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN} all
22282 have this class.
22283 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
22284 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
22285 @item SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
22286 Value is a block.
22287 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
22288 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
22289 @item SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
22290 Value is a byte-sequence.
22291 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
22292 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
22293 @item SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
22294 Value is at a fixed address, but the address of the variable has to be
22295 determined from the minimal symbol table whenever the variable is
22296 referenced.
22297 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
22298 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
22299 @item SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
22300 The value does not actually exist in the program.
22301 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
22302 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
22303 @item SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
22304 The value's address is a computed location.
22305 @end table
22306
22307 @node Symbol Tables In Python
22308 @subsubsection Symbol table representation in Python.
22309
22310 @cindex symbol tables in python
22311 @tindex gdb.Symtab
22312 @tindex gdb.Symtab_and_line
22313
22314 Access to symbol table data maintained by @value{GDBN} on the inferior
22315 is exposed to Python via two objects: @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} and
22316 @code{gdb.Symtab}. Symbol table and line data for a frame is returned
22317 from the @code{find_sal} method in @code{gdb.Frame} object.
22318 @xref{Frames In Python}.
22319
22320 For more information on @value{GDBN}'s symbol table management, see
22321 @ref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, for more information.
22322
22323 A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object has the following attributes:
22324
22325 @table @code
22326 @defivar Symtab_and_line symtab
22327 The symbol table object (@code{gdb.Symtab}) for this frame.
22328 This attribute is not writable.
22329 @end defivar
22330
22331 @defivar Symtab_and_line pc
22332 Indicates the current program counter address. This attribute is not
22333 writable.
22334 @end defivar
22335
22336 @defivar Symtab_and_line line
22337 Indicates the current line number for this object. This
22338 attribute is not writable.
22339 @end defivar
22340 @end table
22341
22342 A @code{gdb.Symtab} object has the following attributes:
22343
22344 @table @code
22345 @defivar Symtab filename
22346 The symbol table's source filename. This attribute is not writable.
22347 @end defivar
22348
22349 @defivar Symtab objfile
22350 The symbol table's backing object file. @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
22351 This attribute is not writable.
22352 @end defivar
22353 @end table
22354
22355 The following methods are provided:
22356
22357 @table @code
22358 @defmethod Symtab fullname
22359 Return the symbol table's source absolute file name.
22360 @end defmethod
22361 @end table
22362
22363 @node Breakpoints In Python
22364 @subsubsection Manipulating breakpoints using Python
22365
22366 @cindex breakpoints in python
22367 @tindex gdb.Breakpoint
22368
22369 Python code can manipulate breakpoints via the @code{gdb.Breakpoint}
22370 class.
22371
22372 @defmethod Breakpoint __init__ spec @r{[}type@r{]} @r{[}wp_class@r{]}
22373 Create a new breakpoint. @var{spec} is a string naming the
22374 location of the breakpoint, or an expression that defines a
22375 watchpoint. The contents can be any location recognized by the
22376 @code{break} command, or in the case of a watchpoint, by the @code{watch}
22377 command. The optional @var{type} denotes the breakpoint to create
22378 from the types defined later in this chapter. This argument can be
22379 either: @code{BP_BREAKPOINT} or @code{BP_WATCHPOINT}. @var{type}
22380 defaults to @code{BP_BREAKPOINT}. The optional @var{wp_class}
22381 argument defines the class of watchpoint to create, if @var{type} is
22382 defined as @code{BP_WATCHPOINT}. If a watchpoint class is not
22383 provided, it is assumed to be a @var{WP_WRITE} class.
22384 @end defmethod
22385
22386 The available watchpoint types represented by constants are defined in the
22387 @code{gdb} module:
22388
22389 @table @code
22390 @findex WP_READ
22391 @findex gdb.WP_READ
22392 @item WP_READ
22393 Read only watchpoint.
22394
22395 @findex WP_WRITE
22396 @findex gdb.WP_WRITE
22397 @item WP_WRITE
22398 Write only watchpoint.
22399
22400 @findex WP_ACCESS
22401 @findex gdb.WP_ACCESS
22402 @item WP_ACCESS
22403 Read/Write watchpoint.
22404 @end table
22405
22406 @defmethod Breakpoint is_valid
22407 Return @code{True} if this @code{Breakpoint} object is valid,
22408 @code{False} otherwise. A @code{Breakpoint} object can become invalid
22409 if the user deletes the breakpoint. In this case, the object still
22410 exists, but the underlying breakpoint does not. In the cases of
22411 watchpoint scope, the watchpoint remains valid even if execution of the
22412 inferior leaves the scope of that watchpoint.
22413 @end defmethod
22414
22415 @defivar Breakpoint enabled
22416 This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is enabled, and
22417 @code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
22418 @end defivar
22419
22420 @defivar Breakpoint silent
22421 This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is silent, and
22422 @code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
22423
22424 Note that a breakpoint can also be silent if it has commands and the
22425 first command is @code{silent}. This is not reported by the
22426 @code{silent} attribute.
22427 @end defivar
22428
22429 @defivar Breakpoint thread
22430 If the breakpoint is thread-specific, this attribute holds the thread
22431 id. If the breakpoint is not thread-specific, this attribute is
22432 @code{None}. This attribute is writable.
22433 @end defivar
22434
22435 @defivar Breakpoint task
22436 If the breakpoint is Ada task-specific, this attribute holds the Ada task
22437 id. If the breakpoint is not task-specific (or the underlying
22438 language is not Ada), this attribute is @code{None}. This attribute
22439 is writable.
22440 @end defivar
22441
22442 @defivar Breakpoint ignore_count
22443 This attribute holds the ignore count for the breakpoint, an integer.
22444 This attribute is writable.
22445 @end defivar
22446
22447 @defivar Breakpoint number
22448 This attribute holds the breakpoint's number --- the identifier used by
22449 the user to manipulate the breakpoint. This attribute is not writable.
22450 @end defivar
22451
22452 @defivar Breakpoint type
22453 This attribute holds the breakpoint's type --- the identifier used to
22454 determine the actual breakpoint type or use-case. This attribute is not
22455 writable.
22456 @end defivar
22457
22458 The available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
22459 module:
22460
22461 @table @code
22462 @findex BP_BREAKPOINT
22463 @findex gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT
22464 @item BP_BREAKPOINT
22465 Normal code breakpoint.
22466
22467 @findex BP_WATCHPOINT
22468 @findex gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT
22469 @item BP_WATCHPOINT
22470 Watchpoint breakpoint.
22471
22472 @findex BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
22473 @findex gdb.BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
22474 @item BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
22475 Hardware assisted watchpoint.
22476
22477 @findex BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
22478 @findex gdb.BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
22479 @item BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
22480 Hardware assisted read watchpoint.
22481
22482 @findex BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
22483 @findex gdb.BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
22484 @item BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
22485 Hardware assisted access watchpoint.
22486 @end table
22487
22488 @defivar Breakpoint hit_count
22489 This attribute holds the hit count for the breakpoint, an integer.
22490 This attribute is writable, but currently it can only be set to zero.
22491 @end defivar
22492
22493 @defivar Breakpoint location
22494 This attribute holds the location of the breakpoint, as specified by
22495 the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have a location
22496 (that is, it is a watchpoint) the attribute's value is @code{None}. This
22497 attribute is not writable.
22498 @end defivar
22499
22500 @defivar Breakpoint expression
22501 This attribute holds a breakpoint expression, as specified by
22502 the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have an
22503 expression (the breakpoint is not a watchpoint) the attribute's value
22504 is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
22505 @end defivar
22506
22507 @defivar Breakpoint condition
22508 This attribute holds the condition of the breakpoint, as specified by
22509 the user. It is a string. If there is no condition, this attribute's
22510 value is @code{None}. This attribute is writable.
22511 @end defivar
22512
22513 @defivar Breakpoint commands
22514 This attribute holds the commands attached to the breakpoint. If
22515 there are commands, this attribute's value is a string holding all the
22516 commands, separated by newlines. If there are no commands, this
22517 attribute is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
22518 @end defivar
22519
22520 @node Lazy Strings In Python
22521 @subsubsection Python representation of lazy strings.
22522
22523 @cindex lazy strings in python
22524 @tindex gdb.LazyString
22525
22526 A @dfn{lazy string} is a string whose contents is not retrieved or
22527 encoded until it is needed.
22528
22529 A @code{gdb.LazyString} is represented in @value{GDBN} as an
22530 @code{address} that points to a region of memory, an @code{encoding}
22531 that will be used to encode that region of memory, and a @code{length}
22532 to delimit the region of memory that represents the string. The
22533 difference between a @code{gdb.LazyString} and a string wrapped within
22534 a @code{gdb.Value} is that a @code{gdb.LazyString} will be treated
22535 differently by @value{GDBN} when printing. A @code{gdb.LazyString} is
22536 retrieved and encoded during printing, while a @code{gdb.Value}
22537 wrapping a string is immediately retrieved and encoded on creation.
22538
22539 A @code{gdb.LazyString} object has the following functions:
22540
22541 @defmethod LazyString value
22542 Convert the @code{gdb.LazyString} to a @code{gdb.Value}. This value
22543 will point to the string in memory, but will lose all the delayed
22544 retrieval, encoding and handling that @value{GDBN} applies to a
22545 @code{gdb.LazyString}.
22546 @end defmethod
22547
22548 @defivar LazyString address
22549 This attribute holds the address of the string. This attribute is not
22550 writable.
22551 @end defivar
22552
22553 @defivar LazyString length
22554 This attribute holds the length of the string in characters. If the
22555 length is -1, then the string will be fetched and encoded up to the
22556 first null of appropriate width. This attribute is not writable.
22557 @end defivar
22558
22559 @defivar LazyString encoding
22560 This attribute holds the encoding that will be applied to the string
22561 when the string is printed by @value{GDBN}. If the encoding is not
22562 set, or contains an empty string, then @value{GDBN} will select the
22563 most appropriate encoding when the string is printed. This attribute
22564 is not writable.
22565 @end defivar
22566
22567 @defivar LazyString type
22568 This attribute holds the type that is represented by the lazy string's
22569 type. For a lazy string this will always be a pointer type. To
22570 resolve this to the lazy string's character type, use the type's
22571 @code{target} method. @xref{Types In Python}. This attribute is not
22572 writable.
22573 @end defivar
22574
22575 @node Auto-loading
22576 @subsection Auto-loading
22577 @cindex auto-loading, Python
22578
22579 When a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
22580 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library),
22581 @value{GDBN} will look for Python support scripts in several ways:
22582 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} and @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section.
22583
22584 @menu
22585 * objfile-gdb.py file:: The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} file
22586 * .debug_gdb_scripts section:: The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
22587 * Which flavor to choose?::
22588 @end menu
22589
22590 The auto-loading feature is useful for supplying application-specific
22591 debugging commands and scripts.
22592
22593 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled.
22594
22595 @table @code
22596 @kindex maint set python auto-load
22597 @item maint set python auto-load [yes|no]
22598 Enable or disable the Python auto-loading feature.
22599
22600 @kindex maint show python auto-load
22601 @item maint show python auto-load
22602 Show whether Python auto-loading is enabled or disabled.
22603 @end table
22604
22605 When reading an auto-loaded file, @value{GDBN} sets the
22606 @dfn{current objfile}. This is available via the @code{gdb.current_objfile}
22607 function (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}). This can be useful for
22608 registering objfile-specific pretty-printers.
22609
22610 @node objfile-gdb.py file
22611 @subsubsection The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} file
22612 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
22613
22614 When a new object file is read, @value{GDBN} looks for
22615 a file named @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py},
22616 where @var{objfile} is the object file's real name, formed by ensuring
22617 that the file name is absolute, following all symlinks, and resolving
22618 @code{.} and @code{..} components. If this file exists and is
22619 readable, @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as a Python script.
22620
22621 If this file does not exist, and if the parameter
22622 @code{debug-file-directory} is set (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}),
22623 then @value{GDBN} will look for @var{real-name} in all of the
22624 directories mentioned in the value of @code{debug-file-directory}.
22625
22626 Finally, if this file does not exist, then @value{GDBN} will look for
22627 a file named @file{@var{data-directory}/python/auto-load/@var{real-name}}, where
22628 @var{data-directory} is @value{GDBN}'s data directory (available via
22629 @code{show data-directory}, @pxref{Data Files}), and @var{real-name}
22630 is the object file's real name, as described above.
22631
22632 @value{GDBN} does not track which files it has already auto-loaded this way.
22633 @value{GDBN} will load the associated script every time the corresponding
22634 @var{objfile} is opened.
22635 So your @file{-gdb.py} file should be careful to avoid errors if it
22636 is evaluated more than once.
22637
22638 @node .debug_gdb_scripts section
22639 @subsubsection The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
22640 @cindex @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
22641
22642 For systems using file formats like ELF and COFF,
22643 when @value{GDBN} loads a new object file
22644 it will look for a special section named @samp{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
22645 If this section exists, its contents is a list of names of scripts to load.
22646
22647 @value{GDBN} will look for each specified script file first in the
22648 current directory and then along the source search path
22649 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}),
22650 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched, since the compilation
22651 directory is not relevant to scripts.
22652
22653 Entries can be placed in section @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} with,
22654 for example, this GCC macro:
22655
22656 @example
22657 /* Note: The "MS" section flags are to remote duplicates. */
22658 #define DEFINE_GDB_SCRIPT(script_name) \
22659 asm("\
22660 .pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n\
22661 .byte 1\n\
22662 .asciz \"" script_name "\"\n\
22663 .popsection \n\
22664 ");
22665 @end example
22666
22667 @noindent
22668 Then one can reference the macro in a header or source file like this:
22669
22670 @example
22671 DEFINE_GDB_SCRIPT ("my-app-scripts.py")
22672 @end example
22673
22674 The script name may include directories if desired.
22675
22676 If the macro is put in a header, any application or library
22677 using this header will get a reference to the specified script.
22678
22679 @node Which flavor to choose?
22680 @subsubsection Which flavor to choose?
22681
22682 Given the multiple ways of auto-loading Python scripts, it might not always
22683 be clear which one to choose. This section provides some guidance.
22684
22685 Benefits of the @file{-gdb.py} way:
22686
22687 @itemize @bullet
22688 @item
22689 Can be used with file formats that don't support multiple sections.
22690
22691 @item
22692 Ease of finding scripts for public libraries.
22693
22694 Scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section are searched for
22695 in the source search path.
22696 For publicly installed libraries, e.g., @file{libstdc++}, there typically
22697 isn't a source directory in which to find the script.
22698
22699 @item
22700 Doesn't require source code additions.
22701 @end itemize
22702
22703 Benefits of the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} way:
22704
22705 @itemize @bullet
22706 @item
22707 Works with static linking.
22708
22709 Scripts for libraries done the @file{-gdb.py} way require an objfile to
22710 trigger their loading. When an application is statically linked the only
22711 objfile available is the executable, and it is cumbersome to attach all the
22712 scripts from all the input libraries to the executable's @file{-gdb.py} script.
22713
22714 @item
22715 Works with classes that are entirely inlined.
22716
22717 Some classes can be entirely inlined, and thus there may not be an associated
22718 shared library to attach a @file{-gdb.py} script to.
22719
22720 @item
22721 Scripts needn't be copied out of the source tree.
22722
22723 In some circumstances, apps can be built out of large collections of internal
22724 libraries, and the build infrastructure necessary to install the
22725 @file{-gdb.py} scripts in a place where @value{GDBN} can find them is
22726 cumbersome. It may be easier to specify the scripts in the
22727 @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section as relative paths, and add a path to the
22728 top of the source tree to the source search path.
22729 @end itemize
22730
22731 @node Interpreters
22732 @chapter Command Interpreters
22733 @cindex command interpreters
22734
22735 @value{GDBN} supports multiple command interpreters, and some command
22736 infrastructure to allow users or user interface writers to switch
22737 between interpreters or run commands in other interpreters.
22738
22739 @value{GDBN} currently supports two command interpreters, the console
22740 interpreter (sometimes called the command-line interpreter or @sc{cli})
22741 and the machine interface interpreter (or @sc{gdb/mi}). This manual
22742 describes both of these interfaces in great detail.
22743
22744 By default, @value{GDBN} will start with the console interpreter.
22745 However, the user may choose to start @value{GDBN} with another
22746 interpreter by specifying the @option{-i} or @option{--interpreter}
22747 startup options. Defined interpreters include:
22748
22749 @table @code
22750 @item console
22751 @cindex console interpreter
22752 The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often
22753 used interpreter with @value{GDBN}. With no interpreter specified at runtime,
22754 @value{GDBN} will use this interpreter.
22755
22756 @item mi
22757 @cindex mi interpreter
22758 The newest @sc{gdb/mi} interface (currently @code{mi2}). Used primarily
22759 by programs wishing to use @value{GDBN} as a backend for a debugger GUI
22760 or an IDE. For more information, see @ref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi}
22761 Interface}.
22762
22763 @item mi2
22764 @cindex mi2 interpreter
22765 The current @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
22766
22767 @item mi1
22768 @cindex mi1 interpreter
22769 The @sc{gdb/mi} interface included in @value{GDBN} 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.
22770
22771 @end table
22772
22773 @cindex invoke another interpreter
22774 The interpreter being used by @value{GDBN} may not be dynamically
22775 switched at runtime. Although possible, this could lead to a very
22776 precarious situation. Consider an IDE using @sc{gdb/mi}. If a user
22777 enters the command "interpreter-set console" in a console view,
22778 @value{GDBN} would switch to using the console interpreter, rendering
22779 the IDE inoperable!
22780
22781 @kindex interpreter-exec
22782 Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, you may execute
22783 commands in any interpreter from the current interpreter using the appropriate
22784 command. If you are running the console interpreter, simply use the
22785 @code{interpreter-exec} command:
22786
22787 @smallexample
22788 interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names"
22789 @end smallexample
22790
22791 @sc{gdb/mi} has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of
22792 @value{GDBN} which support @sc{gdb/mi} version 2 (or greater).
22793
22794 @node TUI
22795 @chapter @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
22796 @cindex TUI
22797 @cindex Text User Interface
22798
22799 @menu
22800 * TUI Overview:: TUI overview
22801 * TUI Keys:: TUI key bindings
22802 * TUI Single Key Mode:: TUI single key mode
22803 * TUI Commands:: TUI-specific commands
22804 * TUI Configuration:: TUI configuration variables
22805 @end menu
22806
22807 The @value{GDBN} Text User Interface (TUI) is a terminal
22808 interface which uses the @code{curses} library to show the source
22809 file, the assembly output, the program registers and @value{GDBN}
22810 commands in separate text windows. The TUI mode is supported only
22811 on platforms where a suitable version of the @code{curses} library
22812 is available.
22813
22814 @pindex @value{GDBTUI}
22815 The TUI mode is enabled by default when you invoke @value{GDBN} as
22816 either @samp{@value{GDBTUI}} or @samp{@value{GDBP} -tui}.
22817 You can also switch in and out of TUI mode while @value{GDBN} runs by
22818 using various TUI commands and key bindings, such as @kbd{C-x C-a}.
22819 @xref{TUI Keys, ,TUI Key Bindings}.
22820
22821 @node TUI Overview
22822 @section TUI Overview
22823
22824 In TUI mode, @value{GDBN} can display several text windows:
22825
22826 @table @emph
22827 @item command
22828 This window is the @value{GDBN} command window with the @value{GDBN}
22829 prompt and the @value{GDBN} output. The @value{GDBN} input is still
22830 managed using readline.
22831
22832 @item source
22833 The source window shows the source file of the program. The current
22834 line and active breakpoints are displayed in this window.
22835
22836 @item assembly
22837 The assembly window shows the disassembly output of the program.
22838
22839 @item register
22840 This window shows the processor registers. Registers are highlighted
22841 when their values change.
22842 @end table
22843
22844 The source and assembly windows show the current program position
22845 by highlighting the current line and marking it with a @samp{>} marker.
22846 Breakpoints are indicated with two markers. The first marker
22847 indicates the breakpoint type:
22848
22849 @table @code
22850 @item B
22851 Breakpoint which was hit at least once.
22852
22853 @item b
22854 Breakpoint which was never hit.
22855
22856 @item H
22857 Hardware breakpoint which was hit at least once.
22858
22859 @item h
22860 Hardware breakpoint which was never hit.
22861 @end table
22862
22863 The second marker indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled or not:
22864
22865 @table @code
22866 @item +
22867 Breakpoint is enabled.
22868
22869 @item -
22870 Breakpoint is disabled.
22871 @end table
22872
22873 The source, assembly and register windows are updated when the current
22874 thread changes, when the frame changes, or when the program counter
22875 changes.
22876
22877 These windows are not all visible at the same time. The command
22878 window is always visible. The others can be arranged in several
22879 layouts:
22880
22881 @itemize @bullet
22882 @item
22883 source only,
22884
22885 @item
22886 assembly only,
22887
22888 @item
22889 source and assembly,
22890
22891 @item
22892 source and registers, or
22893
22894 @item
22895 assembly and registers.
22896 @end itemize
22897
22898 A status line above the command window shows the following information:
22899
22900 @table @emph
22901 @item target
22902 Indicates the current @value{GDBN} target.
22903 (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
22904
22905 @item process
22906 Gives the current process or thread number.
22907 When no process is being debugged, this field is set to @code{No process}.
22908
22909 @item function
22910 Gives the current function name for the selected frame.
22911 The name is demangled if demangling is turned on (@pxref{Print Settings}).
22912 When there is no symbol corresponding to the current program counter,
22913 the string @code{??} is displayed.
22914
22915 @item line
22916 Indicates the current line number for the selected frame.
22917 When the current line number is not known, the string @code{??} is displayed.
22918
22919 @item pc
22920 Indicates the current program counter address.
22921 @end table
22922
22923 @node TUI Keys
22924 @section TUI Key Bindings
22925 @cindex TUI key bindings
22926
22927 The TUI installs several key bindings in the readline keymaps
22928 (@pxref{Command Line Editing}). The following key bindings
22929 are installed for both TUI mode and the @value{GDBN} standard mode.
22930
22931 @table @kbd
22932 @kindex C-x C-a
22933 @item C-x C-a
22934 @kindex C-x a
22935 @itemx C-x a
22936 @kindex C-x A
22937 @itemx C-x A
22938 Enter or leave the TUI mode. When leaving the TUI mode,
22939 the curses window management stops and @value{GDBN} operates using
22940 its standard mode, writing on the terminal directly. When reentering
22941 the TUI mode, control is given back to the curses windows.
22942 The screen is then refreshed.
22943
22944 @kindex C-x 1
22945 @item C-x 1
22946 Use a TUI layout with only one window. The layout will
22947 either be @samp{source} or @samp{assembly}. When the TUI mode
22948 is not active, it will switch to the TUI mode.
22949
22950 Think of this key binding as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 1} binding.
22951
22952 @kindex C-x 2
22953 @item C-x 2
22954 Use a TUI layout with at least two windows. When the current
22955 layout already has two windows, the next layout with two windows is used.
22956 When a new layout is chosen, one window will always be common to the
22957 previous layout and the new one.
22958
22959 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 2} binding.
22960
22961 @kindex C-x o
22962 @item C-x o
22963 Change the active window. The TUI associates several key bindings
22964 (like scrolling and arrow keys) with the active window. This command
22965 gives the focus to the next TUI window.
22966
22967 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x o} binding.
22968
22969 @kindex C-x s
22970 @item C-x s
22971 Switch in and out of the TUI SingleKey mode that binds single
22972 keys to @value{GDBN} commands (@pxref{TUI Single Key Mode}).
22973 @end table
22974
22975 The following key bindings only work in the TUI mode:
22976
22977 @table @asis
22978 @kindex PgUp
22979 @item @key{PgUp}
22980 Scroll the active window one page up.
22981
22982 @kindex PgDn
22983 @item @key{PgDn}
22984 Scroll the active window one page down.
22985
22986 @kindex Up
22987 @item @key{Up}
22988 Scroll the active window one line up.
22989
22990 @kindex Down
22991 @item @key{Down}
22992 Scroll the active window one line down.
22993
22994 @kindex Left
22995 @item @key{Left}
22996 Scroll the active window one column left.
22997
22998 @kindex Right
22999 @item @key{Right}
23000 Scroll the active window one column right.
23001
23002 @kindex C-L
23003 @item @kbd{C-L}
23004 Refresh the screen.
23005 @end table
23006
23007 Because the arrow keys scroll the active window in the TUI mode, they
23008 are not available for their normal use by readline unless the command
23009 window has the focus. When another window is active, you must use
23010 other readline key bindings such as @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}
23011 and @kbd{C-f} to control the command window.
23012
23013 @node TUI Single Key Mode
23014 @section TUI Single Key Mode
23015 @cindex TUI single key mode
23016
23017 The TUI also provides a @dfn{SingleKey} mode, which binds several
23018 frequently used @value{GDBN} commands to single keys. Type @kbd{C-x s} to
23019 switch into this mode, where the following key bindings are used:
23020
23021 @table @kbd
23022 @kindex c @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23023 @item c
23024 continue
23025
23026 @kindex d @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23027 @item d
23028 down
23029
23030 @kindex f @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23031 @item f
23032 finish
23033
23034 @kindex n @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23035 @item n
23036 next
23037
23038 @kindex q @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23039 @item q
23040 exit the SingleKey mode.
23041
23042 @kindex r @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23043 @item r
23044 run
23045
23046 @kindex s @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23047 @item s
23048 step
23049
23050 @kindex u @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23051 @item u
23052 up
23053
23054 @kindex v @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23055 @item v
23056 info locals
23057
23058 @kindex w @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
23059 @item w
23060 where
23061 @end table
23062
23063 Other keys temporarily switch to the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
23064 The key that was pressed is inserted in the editing buffer so that
23065 it is possible to type most @value{GDBN} commands without interaction
23066 with the TUI SingleKey mode. Once the command is entered the TUI
23067 SingleKey mode is restored. The only way to permanently leave
23068 this mode is by typing @kbd{q} or @kbd{C-x s}.
23069
23070
23071 @node TUI Commands
23072 @section TUI-specific Commands
23073 @cindex TUI commands
23074
23075 The TUI has specific commands to control the text windows.
23076 These commands are always available, even when @value{GDBN} is not in
23077 the TUI mode. When @value{GDBN} is in the standard mode, most
23078 of these commands will automatically switch to the TUI mode.
23079
23080 Note that if @value{GDBN}'s @code{stdout} is not connected to a
23081 terminal, or @value{GDBN} has been started with the machine interface
23082 interpreter (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}), most of
23083 these commands will fail with an error, because it would not be
23084 possible or desirable to enable curses window management.
23085
23086 @table @code
23087 @item info win
23088 @kindex info win
23089 List and give the size of all displayed windows.
23090
23091 @item layout next
23092 @kindex layout
23093 Display the next layout.
23094
23095 @item layout prev
23096 Display the previous layout.
23097
23098 @item layout src
23099 Display the source window only.
23100
23101 @item layout asm
23102 Display the assembly window only.
23103
23104 @item layout split
23105 Display the source and assembly window.
23106
23107 @item layout regs
23108 Display the register window together with the source or assembly window.
23109
23110 @item focus next
23111 @kindex focus
23112 Make the next window active for scrolling.
23113
23114 @item focus prev
23115 Make the previous window active for scrolling.
23116
23117 @item focus src
23118 Make the source window active for scrolling.
23119
23120 @item focus asm
23121 Make the assembly window active for scrolling.
23122
23123 @item focus regs
23124 Make the register window active for scrolling.
23125
23126 @item focus cmd
23127 Make the command window active for scrolling.
23128
23129 @item refresh
23130 @kindex refresh
23131 Refresh the screen. This is similar to typing @kbd{C-L}.
23132
23133 @item tui reg float
23134 @kindex tui reg
23135 Show the floating point registers in the register window.
23136
23137 @item tui reg general
23138 Show the general registers in the register window.
23139
23140 @item tui reg next
23141 Show the next register group. The list of register groups as well as
23142 their order is target specific. The predefined register groups are the
23143 following: @code{general}, @code{float}, @code{system}, @code{vector},
23144 @code{all}, @code{save}, @code{restore}.
23145
23146 @item tui reg system
23147 Show the system registers in the register window.
23148
23149 @item update
23150 @kindex update
23151 Update the source window and the current execution point.
23152
23153 @item winheight @var{name} +@var{count}
23154 @itemx winheight @var{name} -@var{count}
23155 @kindex winheight
23156 Change the height of the window @var{name} by @var{count}
23157 lines. Positive counts increase the height, while negative counts
23158 decrease it.
23159
23160 @item tabset @var{nchars}
23161 @kindex tabset
23162 Set the width of tab stops to be @var{nchars} characters.
23163 @end table
23164
23165 @node TUI Configuration
23166 @section TUI Configuration Variables
23167 @cindex TUI configuration variables
23168
23169 Several configuration variables control the appearance of TUI windows.
23170
23171 @table @code
23172 @item set tui border-kind @var{kind}
23173 @kindex set tui border-kind
23174 Select the border appearance for the source, assembly and register windows.
23175 The possible values are the following:
23176 @table @code
23177 @item space
23178 Use a space character to draw the border.
23179
23180 @item ascii
23181 Use @sc{ascii} characters @samp{+}, @samp{-} and @samp{|} to draw the border.
23182
23183 @item acs
23184 Use the Alternate Character Set to draw the border. The border is
23185 drawn using character line graphics if the terminal supports them.
23186 @end table
23187
23188 @item set tui border-mode @var{mode}
23189 @kindex set tui border-mode
23190 @itemx set tui active-border-mode @var{mode}
23191 @kindex set tui active-border-mode
23192 Select the display attributes for the borders of the inactive windows
23193 or the active window. The @var{mode} can be one of the following:
23194 @table @code
23195 @item normal
23196 Use normal attributes to display the border.
23197
23198 @item standout
23199 Use standout mode.
23200
23201 @item reverse
23202 Use reverse video mode.
23203
23204 @item half
23205 Use half bright mode.
23206
23207 @item half-standout
23208 Use half bright and standout mode.
23209
23210 @item bold
23211 Use extra bright or bold mode.
23212
23213 @item bold-standout
23214 Use extra bright or bold and standout mode.
23215 @end table
23216 @end table
23217
23218 @node Emacs
23219 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
23220
23221 @cindex Emacs
23222 @cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
23223 A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
23224 edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
23225 @value{GDBN}.
23226
23227 To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
23228 executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
23229 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
23230 created Emacs buffer.
23231 @c (Do not use the @code{-tui} option to run @value{GDBN} from Emacs.)
23232
23233 Running @value{GDBN} under Emacs can be just like running @value{GDBN} normally except for two
23234 things:
23235
23236 @itemize @bullet
23237 @item
23238 All ``terminal'' input and output goes through an Emacs buffer, called
23239 the GUD buffer.
23240
23241 This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
23242 and output done by the program you are debugging.
23243
23244 This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
23245 commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
23246 in this way.
23247
23248 All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
23249 with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
23250 way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
23251 stop.
23252
23253 @item
23254 @value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
23255
23256 Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
23257 source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
23258 left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
23259 source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
23260 and the source.
23261
23262 Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
23263 usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
23264 @end itemize
23265
23266 We call this @dfn{text command mode}. Emacs 22.1, and later, also uses
23267 a graphical mode, enabled by default, which provides further buffers
23268 that can control the execution and describe the state of your program.
23269 @xref{GDB Graphical Interface,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}.
23270
23271 If you specify an absolute file name when prompted for the @kbd{M-x
23272 gdb} argument, then Emacs sets your current working directory to where
23273 your program resides. If you only specify the file name, then Emacs
23274 sets your current working directory to to the directory associated
23275 with the previous buffer. In this case, @value{GDBN} may find your
23276 program by searching your environment's @code{PATH} variable, but on
23277 some operating systems it might not find the source. So, although the
23278 @value{GDBN} input and output session proceeds normally, the auxiliary
23279 buffer does not display the current source and line of execution.
23280
23281 The initial working directory of @value{GDBN} is printed on the top
23282 line of the GUD buffer and this serves as a default for the commands
23283 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files,
23284 ,Commands to Specify Files}.
23285
23286 By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If you
23287 need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you
23288 keep several configurations around, with different names) you can
23289 customize the Emacs variable @code{gud-gdb-command-name} to run the
23290 one you want.
23291
23292 In the GUD buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
23293 addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
23294
23295 @table @kbd
23296 @item C-h m
23297 Describe the features of Emacs' GUD Mode.
23298
23299 @item C-c C-s
23300 Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
23301 update the display window to show the current file and location.
23302
23303 @item C-c C-n
23304 Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
23305 calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
23306 to show the current file and location.
23307
23308 @item C-c C-i
23309 Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
23310 display window accordingly.
23311
23312 @item C-c C-f
23313 Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
23314 @code{finish} command.
23315
23316 @item C-c C-r
23317 Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
23318 command.
23319
23320 @item C-c <
23321 Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
23322 (@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
23323 like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
23324
23325 @item C-c >
23326 Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
23327 @value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
23328 @end table
23329
23330 In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x @key{SPC}} (@code{gud-break})
23331 tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
23332
23333 In text command mode, if you type @kbd{M-x speedbar}, Emacs displays a
23334 separate frame which shows a backtrace when the GUD buffer is current.
23335 Move point to any frame in the stack and type @key{RET} to make it
23336 become the current frame and display the associated source in the
23337 source buffer. Alternatively, click @kbd{Mouse-2} to make the
23338 selected frame become the current one. In graphical mode, the
23339 speedbar displays watch expressions.
23340
23341 If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
23342 it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
23343 request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
23344 the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
23345 frame.
23346
23347 The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
23348 which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
23349 the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
23350 communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
23351 delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
23352 to correspond properly with the code.
23353
23354 A more detailed description of Emacs' interaction with @value{GDBN} is
23355 given in the Emacs manual (@pxref{Debuggers,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu}
23356 Emacs Manual}).
23357
23358 @c The following dropped because Epoch is nonstandard. Reactivate
23359 @c if/when v19 does something similar. ---doc@cygnus.com 19dec1990
23360 @ignore
23361 @kindex Emacs Epoch environment
23362 @kindex Epoch
23363 @kindex inspect
23364
23365 Version 18 of @sc{gnu} Emacs has a built-in window system
23366 called the @code{epoch}
23367 environment. Users of this environment can use a new command,
23368 @code{inspect} which performs identically to @code{print} except that
23369 each value is printed in its own window.
23370 @end ignore
23371
23372
23373 @node GDB/MI
23374 @chapter The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface
23375
23376 @unnumberedsec Function and Purpose
23377
23378 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, its purpose
23379 @sc{gdb/mi} is a line based machine oriented text interface to
23380 @value{GDBN} and is activated by specifying using the
23381 @option{--interpreter} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}). It
23382 is specifically intended to support the development of systems which
23383 use the debugger as just one small component of a larger system.
23384
23385 This chapter is a specification of the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. It is written
23386 in the form of a reference manual.
23387
23388 Note that @sc{gdb/mi} is still under construction, so some of the
23389 features described below are incomplete and subject to change
23390 (@pxref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, , @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends}).
23391
23392 @unnumberedsec Notation and Terminology
23393
23394 @cindex notational conventions, for @sc{gdb/mi}
23395 This chapter uses the following notation:
23396
23397 @itemize @bullet
23398 @item
23399 @code{|} separates two alternatives.
23400
23401 @item
23402 @code{[ @var{something} ]} indicates that @var{something} is optional:
23403 it may or may not be given.
23404
23405 @item
23406 @code{( @var{group} )*} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
23407 may repeat zero or more times.
23408
23409 @item
23410 @code{( @var{group} )+} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
23411 may repeat one or more times.
23412
23413 @item
23414 @code{"@var{string}"} means a literal @var{string}.
23415 @end itemize
23416
23417 @ignore
23418 @heading Dependencies
23419 @end ignore
23420
23421 @menu
23422 * GDB/MI General Design::
23423 * GDB/MI Command Syntax::
23424 * GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI::
23425 * GDB/MI Development and Front Ends::
23426 * GDB/MI Output Records::
23427 * GDB/MI Simple Examples::
23428 * GDB/MI Command Description Format::
23429 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands::
23430 * GDB/MI Program Context::
23431 * GDB/MI Thread Commands::
23432 * GDB/MI Program Execution::
23433 * GDB/MI Stack Manipulation::
23434 * GDB/MI Variable Objects::
23435 * GDB/MI Data Manipulation::
23436 * GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands::
23437 * GDB/MI Symbol Query::
23438 * GDB/MI File Commands::
23439 @ignore
23440 * GDB/MI Kod Commands::
23441 * GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands::
23442 * GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands::
23443 @end ignore
23444 * GDB/MI Target Manipulation::
23445 * GDB/MI File Transfer Commands::
23446 * GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands::
23447 @end menu
23448
23449 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
23450 @node GDB/MI General Design
23451 @section @sc{gdb/mi} General Design
23452 @cindex GDB/MI General Design
23453
23454 Interaction of a @sc{GDB/MI} frontend with @value{GDBN} involves three
23455 parts---commands sent to @value{GDBN}, responses to those commands
23456 and notifications. Each command results in exactly one response,
23457 indicating either successful completion of the command, or an error.
23458 For the commands that do not resume the target, the response contains the
23459 requested information. For the commands that resume the target, the
23460 response only indicates whether the target was successfully resumed.
23461 Notifications is the mechanism for reporting changes in the state of the
23462 target, or in @value{GDBN} state, that cannot conveniently be associated with
23463 a command and reported as part of that command response.
23464
23465 The important examples of notifications are:
23466 @itemize @bullet
23467
23468 @item
23469 Exec notifications. These are used to report changes in
23470 target state---when a target is resumed, or stopped. It would not
23471 be feasible to include this information in response of resuming
23472 commands, because one resume commands can result in multiple events in
23473 different threads. Also, quite some time may pass before any event
23474 happens in the target, while a frontend needs to know whether the resuming
23475 command itself was successfully executed.
23476
23477 @item
23478 Console output, and status notifications. Console output
23479 notifications are used to report output of CLI commands, as well as
23480 diagnostics for other commands. Status notifications are used to
23481 report the progress of a long-running operation. Naturally, including
23482 this information in command response would mean no output is produced
23483 until the command is finished, which is undesirable.
23484
23485 @item
23486 General notifications. Commands may have various side effects on
23487 the @value{GDBN} or target state beyond their official purpose. For example,
23488 a command may change the selected thread. Although such changes can
23489 be included in command response, using notification allows for more
23490 orthogonal frontend design.
23491
23492 @end itemize
23493
23494 There's no guarantee that whenever an MI command reports an error,
23495 @value{GDBN} or the target are in any specific state, and especially,
23496 the state is not reverted to the state before the MI command was
23497 processed. Therefore, whenever an MI command results in an error,
23498 we recommend that the frontend refreshes all the information shown in
23499 the user interface.
23500
23501
23502 @menu
23503 * Context management::
23504 * Asynchronous and non-stop modes::
23505 * Thread groups::
23506 @end menu
23507
23508 @node Context management
23509 @subsection Context management
23510
23511 In most cases when @value{GDBN} accesses the target, this access is
23512 done in context of a specific thread and frame (@pxref{Frames}).
23513 Often, even when accessing global data, the target requires that a thread
23514 be specified. The CLI interface maintains the selected thread and frame,
23515 and supplies them to target on each command. This is convenient,
23516 because a command line user would not want to specify that information
23517 explicitly on each command, and because user interacts with
23518 @value{GDBN} via a single terminal, so no confusion is possible as
23519 to what thread and frame are the current ones.
23520
23521 In the case of MI, the concept of selected thread and frame is less
23522 useful. First, a frontend can easily remember this information
23523 itself. Second, a graphical frontend can have more than one window,
23524 each one used for debugging a different thread, and the frontend might
23525 want to access additional threads for internal purposes. This
23526 increases the risk that by relying on implicitly selected thread, the
23527 frontend may be operating on a wrong one. Therefore, each MI command
23528 should explicitly specify which thread and frame to operate on. To
23529 make it possible, each MI command accepts the @samp{--thread} and
23530 @samp{--frame} options, the value to each is @value{GDBN} identifier
23531 for thread and frame to operate on.
23532
23533 Usually, each top-level window in a frontend allows the user to select
23534 a thread and a frame, and remembers the user selection for further
23535 operations. However, in some cases @value{GDBN} may suggest that the
23536 current thread be changed. For example, when stopping on a breakpoint
23537 it is reasonable to switch to the thread where breakpoint is hit. For
23538 another example, if the user issues the CLI @samp{thread} command via
23539 the frontend, it is desirable to change the frontend's selected thread to the
23540 one specified by user. @value{GDBN} communicates the suggestion to
23541 change current thread using the @samp{=thread-selected} notification.
23542 No such notification is available for the selected frame at the moment.
23543
23544 Note that historically, MI shares the selected thread with CLI, so
23545 frontends used the @code{-thread-select} to execute commands in the
23546 right context. However, getting this to work right is cumbersome. The
23547 simplest way is for frontend to emit @code{-thread-select} command
23548 before every command. This doubles the number of commands that need
23549 to be sent. The alternative approach is to suppress @code{-thread-select}
23550 if the selected thread in @value{GDBN} is supposed to be identical to the
23551 thread the frontend wants to operate on. However, getting this
23552 optimization right can be tricky. In particular, if the frontend
23553 sends several commands to @value{GDBN}, and one of the commands changes the
23554 selected thread, then the behaviour of subsequent commands will
23555 change. So, a frontend should either wait for response from such
23556 problematic commands, or explicitly add @code{-thread-select} for
23557 all subsequent commands. No frontend is known to do this exactly
23558 right, so it is suggested to just always pass the @samp{--thread} and
23559 @samp{--frame} options.
23560
23561 @node Asynchronous and non-stop modes
23562 @subsection Asynchronous command execution and non-stop mode
23563
23564 On some targets, @value{GDBN} is capable of processing MI commands
23565 even while the target is running. This is called @dfn{asynchronous
23566 command execution} (@pxref{Background Execution}). The frontend may
23567 specify a preferrence for asynchronous execution using the
23568 @code{-gdb-set target-async 1} command, which should be emitted before
23569 either running the executable or attaching to the target. After the
23570 frontend has started the executable or attached to the target, it can
23571 find if asynchronous execution is enabled using the
23572 @code{-list-target-features} command.
23573
23574 Even if @value{GDBN} can accept a command while target is running,
23575 many commands that access the target do not work when the target is
23576 running. Therefore, asynchronous command execution is most useful
23577 when combined with non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}). Then,
23578 it is possible to examine the state of one thread, while other threads
23579 are running.
23580
23581 When a given thread is running, MI commands that try to access the
23582 target in the context of that thread may not work, or may work only on
23583 some targets. In particular, commands that try to operate on thread's
23584 stack will not work, on any target. Commands that read memory, or
23585 modify breakpoints, may work or not work, depending on the target. Note
23586 that even commands that operate on global state, such as @code{print},
23587 @code{set}, and breakpoint commands, still access the target in the
23588 context of a specific thread, so frontend should try to find a
23589 stopped thread and perform the operation on that thread (using the
23590 @samp{--thread} option).
23591
23592 Which commands will work in the context of a running thread is
23593 highly target dependent. However, the two commands
23594 @code{-exec-interrupt}, to stop a thread, and @code{-thread-info},
23595 to find the state of a thread, will always work.
23596
23597 @node Thread groups
23598 @subsection Thread groups
23599 @value{GDBN} may be used to debug several processes at the same time.
23600 On some platfroms, @value{GDBN} may support debugging of several
23601 hardware systems, each one having several cores with several different
23602 processes running on each core. This section describes the MI
23603 mechanism to support such debugging scenarios.
23604
23605 The key observation is that regardless of the structure of the
23606 target, MI can have a global list of threads, because most commands that
23607 accept the @samp{--thread} option do not need to know what process that
23608 thread belongs to. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce
23609 neither additional @samp{--process} option, nor an notion of the
23610 current process in the MI interface. The only strictly new feature
23611 that is required is the ability to find how the threads are grouped
23612 into processes.
23613
23614 To allow the user to discover such grouping, and to support arbitrary
23615 hierarchy of machines/cores/processes, MI introduces the concept of a
23616 @dfn{thread group}. Thread group is a collection of threads and other
23617 thread groups. A thread group always has a string identifier, a type,
23618 and may have additional attributes specific to the type. A new
23619 command, @code{-list-thread-groups}, returns the list of top-level
23620 thread groups, which correspond to processes that @value{GDBN} is
23621 debugging at the moment. By passing an identifier of a thread group
23622 to the @code{-list-thread-groups} command, it is possible to obtain
23623 the members of specific thread group.
23624
23625 To allow the user to easily discover processes, and other objects, he
23626 wishes to debug, a concept of @dfn{available thread group} is
23627 introduced. Available thread group is an thread group that
23628 @value{GDBN} is not debugging, but that can be attached to, using the
23629 @code{-target-attach} command. The list of available top-level thread
23630 groups can be obtained using @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}.
23631 In general, the content of a thread group may be only retrieved only
23632 after attaching to that thread group.
23633
23634 Thread groups are related to inferiors (@pxref{Inferiors and
23635 Programs}). Each inferior corresponds to a thread group of a special
23636 type @samp{process}, and some additional operations are permitted on
23637 such thread groups.
23638
23639 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
23640 @node GDB/MI Command Syntax
23641 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Syntax
23642
23643 @menu
23644 * GDB/MI Input Syntax::
23645 * GDB/MI Output Syntax::
23646 @end menu
23647
23648 @node GDB/MI Input Syntax
23649 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Input Syntax
23650
23651 @cindex input syntax for @sc{gdb/mi}
23652 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, input syntax
23653 @table @code
23654 @item @var{command} @expansion{}
23655 @code{@var{cli-command} | @var{mi-command}}
23656
23657 @item @var{cli-command} @expansion{}
23658 @code{[ @var{token} ] @var{cli-command} @var{nl}}, where
23659 @var{cli-command} is any existing @value{GDBN} CLI command.
23660
23661 @item @var{mi-command} @expansion{}
23662 @code{[ @var{token} ] "-" @var{operation} ( " " @var{option} )*
23663 @code{[} " --" @code{]} ( " " @var{parameter} )* @var{nl}}
23664
23665 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
23666 "any sequence of digits"
23667
23668 @item @var{option} @expansion{}
23669 @code{"-" @var{parameter} [ " " @var{parameter} ]}
23670
23671 @item @var{parameter} @expansion{}
23672 @code{@var{non-blank-sequence} | @var{c-string}}
23673
23674 @item @var{operation} @expansion{}
23675 @emph{any of the operations described in this chapter}
23676
23677 @item @var{non-blank-sequence} @expansion{}
23678 @emph{anything, provided it doesn't contain special characters such as
23679 "-", @var{nl}, """ and of course " "}
23680
23681 @item @var{c-string} @expansion{}
23682 @code{""" @var{seven-bit-iso-c-string-content} """}
23683
23684 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
23685 @code{CR | CR-LF}
23686 @end table
23687
23688 @noindent
23689 Notes:
23690
23691 @itemize @bullet
23692 @item
23693 The CLI commands are still handled by the @sc{mi} interpreter; their
23694 output is described below.
23695
23696 @item
23697 The @code{@var{token}}, when present, is passed back when the command
23698 finishes.
23699
23700 @item
23701 Some @sc{mi} commands accept optional arguments as part of the parameter
23702 list. Each option is identified by a leading @samp{-} (dash) and may be
23703 followed by an optional argument parameter. Options occur first in the
23704 parameter list and can be delimited from normal parameters using
23705 @samp{--} (this is useful when some parameters begin with a dash).
23706 @end itemize
23707
23708 Pragmatics:
23709
23710 @itemize @bullet
23711 @item
23712 We want easy access to the existing CLI syntax (for debugging).
23713
23714 @item
23715 We want it to be easy to spot a @sc{mi} operation.
23716 @end itemize
23717
23718 @node GDB/MI Output Syntax
23719 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax
23720
23721 @cindex output syntax of @sc{gdb/mi}
23722 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, output syntax
23723 The output from @sc{gdb/mi} consists of zero or more out-of-band records
23724 followed, optionally, by a single result record. This result record
23725 is for the most recent command. The sequence of output records is
23726 terminated by @samp{(gdb)}.
23727
23728 If an input command was prefixed with a @code{@var{token}} then the
23729 corresponding output for that command will also be prefixed by that same
23730 @var{token}.
23731
23732 @table @code
23733 @item @var{output} @expansion{}
23734 @code{( @var{out-of-band-record} )* [ @var{result-record} ] "(gdb)" @var{nl}}
23735
23736 @item @var{result-record} @expansion{}
23737 @code{ [ @var{token} ] "^" @var{result-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
23738
23739 @item @var{out-of-band-record} @expansion{}
23740 @code{@var{async-record} | @var{stream-record}}
23741
23742 @item @var{async-record} @expansion{}
23743 @code{@var{exec-async-output} | @var{status-async-output} | @var{notify-async-output}}
23744
23745 @item @var{exec-async-output} @expansion{}
23746 @code{[ @var{token} ] "*" @var{async-output}}
23747
23748 @item @var{status-async-output} @expansion{}
23749 @code{[ @var{token} ] "+" @var{async-output}}
23750
23751 @item @var{notify-async-output} @expansion{}
23752 @code{[ @var{token} ] "=" @var{async-output}}
23753
23754 @item @var{async-output} @expansion{}
23755 @code{@var{async-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
23756
23757 @item @var{result-class} @expansion{}
23758 @code{"done" | "running" | "connected" | "error" | "exit"}
23759
23760 @item @var{async-class} @expansion{}
23761 @code{"stopped" | @var{others}} (where @var{others} will be added
23762 depending on the needs---this is still in development).
23763
23764 @item @var{result} @expansion{}
23765 @code{ @var{variable} "=" @var{value}}
23766
23767 @item @var{variable} @expansion{}
23768 @code{ @var{string} }
23769
23770 @item @var{value} @expansion{}
23771 @code{ @var{const} | @var{tuple} | @var{list} }
23772
23773 @item @var{const} @expansion{}
23774 @code{@var{c-string}}
23775
23776 @item @var{tuple} @expansion{}
23777 @code{ "@{@}" | "@{" @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "@}" }
23778
23779 @item @var{list} @expansion{}
23780 @code{ "[]" | "[" @var{value} ( "," @var{value} )* "]" | "["
23781 @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "]" }
23782
23783 @item @var{stream-record} @expansion{}
23784 @code{@var{console-stream-output} | @var{target-stream-output} | @var{log-stream-output}}
23785
23786 @item @var{console-stream-output} @expansion{}
23787 @code{"~" @var{c-string}}
23788
23789 @item @var{target-stream-output} @expansion{}
23790 @code{"@@" @var{c-string}}
23791
23792 @item @var{log-stream-output} @expansion{}
23793 @code{"&" @var{c-string}}
23794
23795 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
23796 @code{CR | CR-LF}
23797
23798 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
23799 @emph{any sequence of digits}.
23800 @end table
23801
23802 @noindent
23803 Notes:
23804
23805 @itemize @bullet
23806 @item
23807 All output sequences end in a single line containing a period.
23808
23809 @item
23810 The @code{@var{token}} is from the corresponding request. Note that
23811 for all async output, while the token is allowed by the grammar and
23812 may be output by future versions of @value{GDBN} for select async
23813 output messages, it is generally omitted. Frontends should treat
23814 all async output as reporting general changes in the state of the
23815 target and there should be no need to associate async output to any
23816 prior command.
23817
23818 @item
23819 @cindex status output in @sc{gdb/mi}
23820 @var{status-async-output} contains on-going status information about the
23821 progress of a slow operation. It can be discarded. All status output is
23822 prefixed by @samp{+}.
23823
23824 @item
23825 @cindex async output in @sc{gdb/mi}
23826 @var{exec-async-output} contains asynchronous state change on the target
23827 (stopped, started, disappeared). All async output is prefixed by
23828 @samp{*}.
23829
23830 @item
23831 @cindex notify output in @sc{gdb/mi}
23832 @var{notify-async-output} contains supplementary information that the
23833 client should handle (e.g., a new breakpoint information). All notify
23834 output is prefixed by @samp{=}.
23835
23836 @item
23837 @cindex console output in @sc{gdb/mi}
23838 @var{console-stream-output} is output that should be displayed as is in the
23839 console. It is the textual response to a CLI command. All the console
23840 output is prefixed by @samp{~}.
23841
23842 @item
23843 @cindex target output in @sc{gdb/mi}
23844 @var{target-stream-output} is the output produced by the target program.
23845 All the target output is prefixed by @samp{@@}.
23846
23847 @item
23848 @cindex log output in @sc{gdb/mi}
23849 @var{log-stream-output} is output text coming from @value{GDBN}'s internals, for
23850 instance messages that should be displayed as part of an error log. All
23851 the log output is prefixed by @samp{&}.
23852
23853 @item
23854 @cindex list output in @sc{gdb/mi}
23855 New @sc{gdb/mi} commands should only output @var{lists} containing
23856 @var{values}.
23857
23858
23859 @end itemize
23860
23861 @xref{GDB/MI Stream Records, , @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records}, for more
23862 details about the various output records.
23863
23864 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
23865 @node GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI
23866 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Compatibility with CLI
23867
23868 @cindex compatibility, @sc{gdb/mi} and CLI
23869 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, compatibility with CLI
23870
23871 For the developers convenience CLI commands can be entered directly,
23872 but there may be some unexpected behaviour. For example, commands
23873 that query the user will behave as if the user replied yes, breakpoint
23874 command lists are not executed and some CLI commands, such as
23875 @code{if}, @code{when} and @code{define}, prompt for further input with
23876 @samp{>}, which is not valid MI output.
23877
23878 This feature may be removed at some stage in the future and it is
23879 recommended that front ends use the @code{-interpreter-exec} command
23880 (@pxref{-interpreter-exec}).
23881
23882 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
23883 @node GDB/MI Development and Front Ends
23884 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends
23885 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi} development
23886
23887 The application which takes the MI output and presents the state of the
23888 program being debugged to the user is called a @dfn{front end}.
23889
23890 Although @sc{gdb/mi} is still incomplete, it is currently being used
23891 by a variety of front ends to @value{GDBN}. This makes it difficult
23892 to introduce new functionality without breaking existing usage. This
23893 section tries to minimize the problems by describing how the protocol
23894 might change.
23895
23896 Some changes in MI need not break a carefully designed front end, and
23897 for these the MI version will remain unchanged. The following is a
23898 list of changes that may occur within one level, so front ends should
23899 parse MI output in a way that can handle them:
23900
23901 @itemize @bullet
23902 @item
23903 New MI commands may be added.
23904
23905 @item
23906 New fields may be added to the output of any MI command.
23907
23908 @item
23909 The range of values for fields with specified values, e.g.,
23910 @code{in_scope} (@pxref{-var-update}) may be extended.
23911
23912 @c The format of field's content e.g type prefix, may change so parse it
23913 @c at your own risk. Yes, in general?
23914
23915 @c The order of fields may change? Shouldn't really matter but it might
23916 @c resolve inconsistencies.
23917 @end itemize
23918
23919 If the changes are likely to break front ends, the MI version level
23920 will be increased by one. This will allow the front end to parse the
23921 output according to the MI version. Apart from mi0, new versions of
23922 @value{GDBN} will not support old versions of MI and it will be the
23923 responsibility of the front end to work with the new one.
23924
23925 @c Starting with mi3, add a new command -mi-version that prints the MI
23926 @c version?
23927
23928 The best way to avoid unexpected changes in MI that might break your front
23929 end is to make your project known to @value{GDBN} developers and
23930 follow development on @email{gdb@@sourceware.org} and
23931 @email{gdb-patches@@sourceware.org}.
23932 @cindex mailing lists
23933
23934 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
23935 @node GDB/MI Output Records
23936 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Output Records
23937
23938 @menu
23939 * GDB/MI Result Records::
23940 * GDB/MI Stream Records::
23941 * GDB/MI Async Records::
23942 * GDB/MI Frame Information::
23943 * GDB/MI Thread Information::
23944 @end menu
23945
23946 @node GDB/MI Result Records
23947 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Result Records
23948
23949 @cindex result records in @sc{gdb/mi}
23950 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, result records
23951 In addition to a number of out-of-band notifications, the response to a
23952 @sc{gdb/mi} command includes one of the following result indications:
23953
23954 @table @code
23955 @findex ^done
23956 @item "^done" [ "," @var{results} ]
23957 The synchronous operation was successful, @code{@var{results}} are the return
23958 values.
23959
23960 @item "^running"
23961 @findex ^running
23962 This result record is equivalent to @samp{^done}. Historically, it
23963 was output instead of @samp{^done} if the command has resumed the
23964 target. This behaviour is maintained for backward compatibility, but
23965 all frontends should treat @samp{^done} and @samp{^running}
23966 identically and rely on the @samp{*running} output record to determine
23967 which threads are resumed.
23968
23969 @item "^connected"
23970 @findex ^connected
23971 @value{GDBN} has connected to a remote target.
23972
23973 @item "^error" "," @var{c-string}
23974 @findex ^error
23975 The operation failed. The @code{@var{c-string}} contains the corresponding
23976 error message.
23977
23978 @item "^exit"
23979 @findex ^exit
23980 @value{GDBN} has terminated.
23981
23982 @end table
23983
23984 @node GDB/MI Stream Records
23985 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records
23986
23987 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, stream records
23988 @cindex stream records in @sc{gdb/mi}
23989 @value{GDBN} internally maintains a number of output streams: the console, the
23990 target, and the log. The output intended for each of these streams is
23991 funneled through the @sc{gdb/mi} interface using @dfn{stream records}.
23992
23993 Each stream record begins with a unique @dfn{prefix character} which
23994 identifies its stream (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, , @sc{gdb/mi} Output
23995 Syntax}). In addition to the prefix, each stream record contains a
23996 @code{@var{string-output}}. This is either raw text (with an implicit new
23997 line) or a quoted C string (which does not contain an implicit newline).
23998
23999 @table @code
24000 @item "~" @var{string-output}
24001 The console output stream contains text that should be displayed in the
24002 CLI console window. It contains the textual responses to CLI commands.
24003
24004 @item "@@" @var{string-output}
24005 The target output stream contains any textual output from the running
24006 target. This is only present when GDB's event loop is truly
24007 asynchronous, which is currently only the case for remote targets.
24008
24009 @item "&" @var{string-output}
24010 The log stream contains debugging messages being produced by @value{GDBN}'s
24011 internals.
24012 @end table
24013
24014 @node GDB/MI Async Records
24015 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Async Records
24016
24017 @cindex async records in @sc{gdb/mi}
24018 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, async records
24019 @dfn{Async} records are used to notify the @sc{gdb/mi} client of
24020 additional changes that have occurred. Those changes can either be a
24021 consequence of @sc{gdb/mi} commands (e.g., a breakpoint modified) or a result of
24022 target activity (e.g., target stopped).
24023
24024 The following is the list of possible async records:
24025
24026 @table @code
24027
24028 @item *running,thread-id="@var{thread}"
24029 The target is now running. The @var{thread} field tells which
24030 specific thread is now running, and can be @samp{all} if all threads
24031 are running. The frontend should assume that no interaction with a
24032 running thread is possible after this notification is produced.
24033 The frontend should not assume that this notification is output
24034 only once for any command. @value{GDBN} may emit this notification
24035 several times, either for different threads, because it cannot resume
24036 all threads together, or even for a single thread, if the thread must
24037 be stepped though some code before letting it run freely.
24038
24039 @item *stopped,reason="@var{reason}",thread-id="@var{id}",stopped-threads="@var{stopped}",core="@var{core}"
24040 The target has stopped. The @var{reason} field can have one of the
24041 following values:
24042
24043 @table @code
24044 @item breakpoint-hit
24045 A breakpoint was reached.
24046 @item watchpoint-trigger
24047 A watchpoint was triggered.
24048 @item read-watchpoint-trigger
24049 A read watchpoint was triggered.
24050 @item access-watchpoint-trigger
24051 An access watchpoint was triggered.
24052 @item function-finished
24053 An -exec-finish or similar CLI command was accomplished.
24054 @item location-reached
24055 An -exec-until or similar CLI command was accomplished.
24056 @item watchpoint-scope
24057 A watchpoint has gone out of scope.
24058 @item end-stepping-range
24059 An -exec-next, -exec-next-instruction, -exec-step, -exec-step-instruction or
24060 similar CLI command was accomplished.
24061 @item exited-signalled
24062 The inferior exited because of a signal.
24063 @item exited
24064 The inferior exited.
24065 @item exited-normally
24066 The inferior exited normally.
24067 @item signal-received
24068 A signal was received by the inferior.
24069 @end table
24070
24071 The @var{id} field identifies the thread that directly caused the stop
24072 -- for example by hitting a breakpoint. Depending on whether all-stop
24073 mode is in effect (@pxref{All-Stop Mode}), @value{GDBN} may either
24074 stop all threads, or only the thread that directly triggered the stop.
24075 If all threads are stopped, the @var{stopped} field will have the
24076 value of @code{"all"}. Otherwise, the value of the @var{stopped}
24077 field will be a list of thread identifiers. Presently, this list will
24078 always include a single thread, but frontend should be prepared to see
24079 several threads in the list. The @var{core} field reports the
24080 processor core on which the stop event has happened. This field may be absent
24081 if such information is not available.
24082
24083 @item =thread-group-added,id="@var{id}"
24084 @itemx =thread-group-removed,id="@var{id}"
24085 A thread group was either added or removed. The @var{id} field
24086 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. When a thread
24087 group is added, it generally might not be associated with a running
24088 process. When a thread group is removed, its id becomes invalid and
24089 cannot be used in any way.
24090
24091 @item =thread-group-started,id="@var{id}",pid="@var{pid}"
24092 A thread group became associated with a running program,
24093 either because the program was just started or the thread group
24094 was attached to a program. The @var{id} field contains the
24095 @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. The @var{pid} field
24096 contains process identifier, specific to the operating system.
24097
24098 @itemx =thread-group-exited,id="@var{id}"
24099 A thread group is no longer associated with a running program,
24100 either because the program has exited, or because it was detached
24101 from. The @var{id} field contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the
24102 thread group.
24103
24104 @item =thread-created,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
24105 @itemx =thread-exited,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
24106 A thread either was created, or has exited. The @var{id} field
24107 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread. The @var{gid}
24108 field identifies the thread group this thread belongs to.
24109
24110 @item =thread-selected,id="@var{id}"
24111 Informs that the selected thread was changed as result of the last
24112 command. This notification is not emitted as result of @code{-thread-select}
24113 command but is emitted whenever an MI command that is not documented
24114 to change the selected thread actually changes it. In particular,
24115 invoking, directly or indirectly (via user-defined command), the CLI
24116 @code{thread} command, will generate this notification.
24117
24118 We suggest that in response to this notification, front ends
24119 highlight the selected thread and cause subsequent commands to apply to
24120 that thread.
24121
24122 @item =library-loaded,...
24123 Reports that a new library file was loaded by the program. This
24124 notification has 4 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name},
24125 @var{host-name}, and @var{symbols-loaded}. The @var{id} field is an
24126 opaque identifier of the library. For remote debugging case,
24127 @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} fields give the name of the
24128 library file on the target, and on the host respectively. For native
24129 debugging, both those fields have the same value. The
24130 @var{symbols-loaded} field reports if the debug symbols for this
24131 library are loaded. The @var{thread-group} field, if present,
24132 specifies the id of the thread group in whose context the library was loaded.
24133 If the field is absent, it means the library was loaded in the context
24134 of all present thread groups.
24135
24136 @item =library-unloaded,...
24137 Reports that a library was unloaded by the program. This notification
24138 has 3 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} with
24139 the same meaning as for the @code{=library-loaded} notification.
24140 The @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the
24141 thread group in whose context the library was unloaded. If the field is
24142 absent, it means the library was unloaded in the context of all present
24143 thread groups.
24144
24145 @end table
24146
24147 @node GDB/MI Frame Information
24148 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Frame Information
24149
24150 Response from many MI commands includes an information about stack
24151 frame. This information is a tuple that may have the following
24152 fields:
24153
24154 @table @code
24155 @item level
24156 The level of the stack frame. The innermost frame has the level of
24157 zero. This field is always present.
24158
24159 @item func
24160 The name of the function corresponding to the frame. This field may
24161 be absent if @value{GDBN} is unable to determine the function name.
24162
24163 @item addr
24164 The code address for the frame. This field is always present.
24165
24166 @item file
24167 The name of the source files that correspond to the frame's code
24168 address. This field may be absent.
24169
24170 @item line
24171 The source line corresponding to the frames' code address. This field
24172 may be absent.
24173
24174 @item from
24175 The name of the binary file (either executable or shared library) the
24176 corresponds to the frame's code address. This field may be absent.
24177
24178 @end table
24179
24180 @node GDB/MI Thread Information
24181 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Information
24182
24183 Whenever @value{GDBN} has to report an information about a thread, it
24184 uses a tuple with the following fields:
24185
24186 @table @code
24187 @item id
24188 The numeric id assigned to the thread by @value{GDBN}. This field is
24189 always present.
24190
24191 @item target-id
24192 Target-specific string identifying the thread. This field is always present.
24193
24194 @item details
24195 Additional information about the thread provided by the target.
24196 It is supposed to be human-readable and not interpreted by the
24197 frontend. This field is optional.
24198
24199 @item state
24200 Either @samp{stopped} or @samp{running}, depending on whether the
24201 thread is presently running. This field is always present.
24202
24203 @item core
24204 The value of this field is an integer number of the processor core the
24205 thread was last seen on. This field is optional.
24206 @end table
24207
24208
24209 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
24210 @node GDB/MI Simple Examples
24211 @section Simple Examples of @sc{gdb/mi} Interaction
24212 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, simple examples
24213
24214 This subsection presents several simple examples of interaction using
24215 the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. In these examples, @samp{->} means that the
24216 following line is passed to @sc{gdb/mi} as input, while @samp{<-} means
24217 the output received from @sc{gdb/mi}.
24218
24219 Note the line breaks shown in the examples are here only for
24220 readability, they don't appear in the real output.
24221
24222 @subheading Setting a Breakpoint
24223
24224 Setting a breakpoint generates synchronous output which contains detailed
24225 information of the breakpoint.
24226
24227 @smallexample
24228 -> -break-insert main
24229 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
24230 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
24231 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",times="0"@}
24232 <- (gdb)
24233 @end smallexample
24234
24235 @subheading Program Execution
24236
24237 Program execution generates asynchronous records and MI gives the
24238 reason that execution stopped.
24239
24240 @smallexample
24241 -> -exec-run
24242 <- ^running
24243 <- (gdb)
24244 <- *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
24245 frame=@{addr="0x08048564",func="main",
24246 args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},@{name="argv",value="0xbfc4d4d4"@}],
24247 file="myprog.c",fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68"@}
24248 <- (gdb)
24249 -> -exec-continue
24250 <- ^running
24251 <- (gdb)
24252 <- *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
24253 <- (gdb)
24254 @end smallexample
24255
24256 @subheading Quitting @value{GDBN}
24257
24258 Quitting @value{GDBN} just prints the result class @samp{^exit}.
24259
24260 @smallexample
24261 -> (gdb)
24262 <- -gdb-exit
24263 <- ^exit
24264 @end smallexample
24265
24266 Please note that @samp{^exit} is printed immediately, but it might
24267 take some time for @value{GDBN} to actually exit. During that time, @value{GDBN}
24268 performs necessary cleanups, including killing programs being debugged
24269 or disconnecting from debug hardware, so the frontend should wait till
24270 @value{GDBN} exits and should only forcibly kill @value{GDBN} if it
24271 fails to exit in reasonable time.
24272
24273 @subheading A Bad Command
24274
24275 Here's what happens if you pass a non-existent command:
24276
24277 @smallexample
24278 -> -rubbish
24279 <- ^error,msg="Undefined MI command: rubbish"
24280 <- (gdb)
24281 @end smallexample
24282
24283
24284 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
24285 @node GDB/MI Command Description Format
24286 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Description Format
24287
24288 The remaining sections describe blocks of commands. Each block of
24289 commands is laid out in a fashion similar to this section.
24290
24291 @subheading Motivation
24292
24293 The motivation for this collection of commands.
24294
24295 @subheading Introduction
24296
24297 A brief introduction to this collection of commands as a whole.
24298
24299 @subheading Commands
24300
24301 For each command in the block, the following is described:
24302
24303 @subsubheading Synopsis
24304
24305 @smallexample
24306 -command @var{args}@dots{}
24307 @end smallexample
24308
24309 @subsubheading Result
24310
24311 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24312
24313 The corresponding @value{GDBN} CLI command(s), if any.
24314
24315 @subsubheading Example
24316
24317 Example(s) formatted for readability. Some of the described commands have
24318 not been implemented yet and these are labeled N.A.@: (not available).
24319
24320
24321 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
24322 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands
24323 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Commands
24324
24325 @cindex breakpoint commands for @sc{gdb/mi}
24326 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, breakpoint commands
24327 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
24328 breakpoints.
24329
24330 @subheading The @code{-break-after} Command
24331 @findex -break-after
24332
24333 @subsubheading Synopsis
24334
24335 @smallexample
24336 -break-after @var{number} @var{count}
24337 @end smallexample
24338
24339 The breakpoint number @var{number} is not in effect until it has been
24340 hit @var{count} times. To see how this is reflected in the output of
24341 the @samp{-break-list} command, see the description of the
24342 @samp{-break-list} command below.
24343
24344 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24345
24346 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ignore}.
24347
24348 @subsubheading Example
24349
24350 @smallexample
24351 (gdb)
24352 -break-insert main
24353 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
24354 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
24355 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",times="0"@}
24356 (gdb)
24357 -break-after 1 3
24358 ~
24359 ^done
24360 (gdb)
24361 -break-list
24362 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
24363 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24364 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24365 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24366 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24367 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24368 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24369 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24370 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
24371 line="5",times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
24372 (gdb)
24373 @end smallexample
24374
24375 @ignore
24376 @subheading The @code{-break-catch} Command
24377 @findex -break-catch
24378 @end ignore
24379
24380 @subheading The @code{-break-commands} Command
24381 @findex -break-commands
24382
24383 @subsubheading Synopsis
24384
24385 @smallexample
24386 -break-commands @var{number} [ @var{command1} ... @var{commandN} ]
24387 @end smallexample
24388
24389 Specifies the CLI commands that should be executed when breakpoint
24390 @var{number} is hit. The parameters @var{command1} to @var{commandN}
24391 are the commands. If no command is specified, any previously-set
24392 commands are cleared. @xref{Break Commands}. Typical use of this
24393 functionality is tracing a program, that is, printing of values of
24394 some variables whenever breakpoint is hit and then continuing.
24395
24396 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24397
24398 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{commands}.
24399
24400 @subsubheading Example
24401
24402 @smallexample
24403 (gdb)
24404 -break-insert main
24405 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
24406 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
24407 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",times="0"@}
24408 (gdb)
24409 -break-commands 1 "print v" "continue"
24410 ^done
24411 (gdb)
24412 @end smallexample
24413
24414 @subheading The @code{-break-condition} Command
24415 @findex -break-condition
24416
24417 @subsubheading Synopsis
24418
24419 @smallexample
24420 -break-condition @var{number} @var{expr}
24421 @end smallexample
24422
24423 Breakpoint @var{number} will stop the program only if the condition in
24424 @var{expr} is true. The condition becomes part of the
24425 @samp{-break-list} output (see the description of the @samp{-break-list}
24426 command below).
24427
24428 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24429
24430 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{condition}.
24431
24432 @subsubheading Example
24433
24434 @smallexample
24435 (gdb)
24436 -break-condition 1 1
24437 ^done
24438 (gdb)
24439 -break-list
24440 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
24441 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24442 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24443 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24444 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24445 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24446 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24447 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24448 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
24449 line="5",cond="1",times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
24450 (gdb)
24451 @end smallexample
24452
24453 @subheading The @code{-break-delete} Command
24454 @findex -break-delete
24455
24456 @subsubheading Synopsis
24457
24458 @smallexample
24459 -break-delete ( @var{breakpoint} )+
24460 @end smallexample
24461
24462 Delete the breakpoint(s) whose number(s) are specified in the argument
24463 list. This is obviously reflected in the breakpoint list.
24464
24465 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24466
24467 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{delete}.
24468
24469 @subsubheading Example
24470
24471 @smallexample
24472 (gdb)
24473 -break-delete 1
24474 ^done
24475 (gdb)
24476 -break-list
24477 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
24478 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24479 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24480 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24481 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24482 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24483 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24484 body=[]@}
24485 (gdb)
24486 @end smallexample
24487
24488 @subheading The @code{-break-disable} Command
24489 @findex -break-disable
24490
24491 @subsubheading Synopsis
24492
24493 @smallexample
24494 -break-disable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
24495 @end smallexample
24496
24497 Disable the named @var{breakpoint}(s). The field @samp{enabled} in the
24498 break list is now set to @samp{n} for the named @var{breakpoint}(s).
24499
24500 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24501
24502 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disable}.
24503
24504 @subsubheading Example
24505
24506 @smallexample
24507 (gdb)
24508 -break-disable 2
24509 ^done
24510 (gdb)
24511 -break-list
24512 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
24513 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24514 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24515 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24516 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24517 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24518 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24519 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
24520 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
24521 line="5",times="0"@}]@}
24522 (gdb)
24523 @end smallexample
24524
24525 @subheading The @code{-break-enable} Command
24526 @findex -break-enable
24527
24528 @subsubheading Synopsis
24529
24530 @smallexample
24531 -break-enable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
24532 @end smallexample
24533
24534 Enable (previously disabled) @var{breakpoint}(s).
24535
24536 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24537
24538 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{enable}.
24539
24540 @subsubheading Example
24541
24542 @smallexample
24543 (gdb)
24544 -break-enable 2
24545 ^done
24546 (gdb)
24547 -break-list
24548 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
24549 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24550 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24551 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24552 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24553 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24554 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24555 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24556 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
24557 line="5",times="0"@}]@}
24558 (gdb)
24559 @end smallexample
24560
24561 @subheading The @code{-break-info} Command
24562 @findex -break-info
24563
24564 @subsubheading Synopsis
24565
24566 @smallexample
24567 -break-info @var{breakpoint}
24568 @end smallexample
24569
24570 @c REDUNDANT???
24571 Get information about a single breakpoint.
24572
24573 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24574
24575 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break @var{breakpoint}}.
24576
24577 @subsubheading Example
24578 N.A.
24579
24580 @subheading The @code{-break-insert} Command
24581 @findex -break-insert
24582
24583 @subsubheading Synopsis
24584
24585 @smallexample
24586 -break-insert [ -t ] [ -h ] [ -f ] [ -d ] [ -a ]
24587 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
24588 [ -p @var{thread} ] [ @var{location} ]
24589 @end smallexample
24590
24591 @noindent
24592 If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
24593
24594 @itemize @bullet
24595 @item function
24596 @c @item +offset
24597 @c @item -offset
24598 @c @item linenum
24599 @item filename:linenum
24600 @item filename:function
24601 @item *address
24602 @end itemize
24603
24604 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
24605
24606 @table @samp
24607 @item -t
24608 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
24609 @item -h
24610 Insert a hardware breakpoint.
24611 @item -c @var{condition}
24612 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
24613 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
24614 Initialize the @var{ignore-count}.
24615 @item -f
24616 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example if it
24617 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
24618 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
24619 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
24620 cannot be parsed.
24621 @item -d
24622 Create a disabled breakpoint.
24623 @item -a
24624 Create a tracepoint. @xref{Tracepoints}. When this parameter
24625 is used together with @samp{-h}, a fast tracepoint is created.
24626 @end table
24627
24628 @subsubheading Result
24629
24630 The result is in the form:
24631
24632 @smallexample
24633 ^done,bkpt=@{number="@var{number}",type="@var{type}",disp="del"|"keep",
24634 enabled="y"|"n",addr="@var{hex}",func="@var{funcname}",file="@var{filename}",
24635 fullname="@var{full_filename}",line="@var{lineno}",[thread="@var{threadno},]
24636 times="@var{times}"@}
24637 @end smallexample
24638
24639 @noindent
24640 where @var{number} is the @value{GDBN} number for this breakpoint,
24641 @var{funcname} is the name of the function where the breakpoint was
24642 inserted, @var{filename} is the name of the source file which contains
24643 this function, @var{lineno} is the source line number within that file
24644 and @var{times} the number of times that the breakpoint has been hit
24645 (always 0 for -break-insert but may be greater for -break-info or -break-list
24646 which use the same output).
24647
24648 Note: this format is open to change.
24649 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
24650
24651 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24652
24653 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{break}, @samp{tbreak},
24654 @samp{hbreak}, @samp{thbreak}, and @samp{rbreak}.
24655
24656 @subsubheading Example
24657
24658 @smallexample
24659 (gdb)
24660 -break-insert main
24661 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",
24662 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="4",times="0"@}
24663 (gdb)
24664 -break-insert -t foo
24665 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c",
24666 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="11",times="0"@}
24667 (gdb)
24668 -break-list
24669 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
24670 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24671 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24672 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24673 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24674 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24675 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24676 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24677 addr="0x0001072c", func="main",file="recursive2.c",
24678 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,"line="4",times="0"@},
24679 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
24680 addr="0x00010774",func="foo",file="recursive2.c",
24681 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",times="0"@}]@}
24682 (gdb)
24683 -break-insert -r foo.*
24684 ~int foo(int, int);
24685 ^done,bkpt=@{number="3",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c,
24686 "fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",times="0"@}
24687 (gdb)
24688 @end smallexample
24689
24690 @subheading The @code{-break-list} Command
24691 @findex -break-list
24692
24693 @subsubheading Synopsis
24694
24695 @smallexample
24696 -break-list
24697 @end smallexample
24698
24699 Displays the list of inserted breakpoints, showing the following fields:
24700
24701 @table @samp
24702 @item Number
24703 number of the breakpoint
24704 @item Type
24705 type of the breakpoint: @samp{breakpoint} or @samp{watchpoint}
24706 @item Disposition
24707 should the breakpoint be deleted or disabled when it is hit: @samp{keep}
24708 or @samp{nokeep}
24709 @item Enabled
24710 is the breakpoint enabled or no: @samp{y} or @samp{n}
24711 @item Address
24712 memory location at which the breakpoint is set
24713 @item What
24714 logical location of the breakpoint, expressed by function name, file
24715 name, line number
24716 @item Times
24717 number of times the breakpoint has been hit
24718 @end table
24719
24720 If there are no breakpoints or watchpoints, the @code{BreakpointTable}
24721 @code{body} field is an empty list.
24722
24723 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24724
24725 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break}.
24726
24727 @subsubheading Example
24728
24729 @smallexample
24730 (gdb)
24731 -break-list
24732 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
24733 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24734 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24735 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24736 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24737 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24738 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24739 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24740 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",line="5",times="0"@},
24741 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24742 addr="0x00010114",func="foo",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
24743 line="13",times="0"@}]@}
24744 (gdb)
24745 @end smallexample
24746
24747 Here's an example of the result when there are no breakpoints:
24748
24749 @smallexample
24750 (gdb)
24751 -break-list
24752 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
24753 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24754 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24755 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24756 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24757 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24758 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24759 body=[]@}
24760 (gdb)
24761 @end smallexample
24762
24763 @subheading The @code{-break-passcount} Command
24764 @findex -break-passcount
24765
24766 @subsubheading Synopsis
24767
24768 @smallexample
24769 -break-passcount @var{tracepoint-number} @var{passcount}
24770 @end smallexample
24771
24772 Set the passcount for tracepoint @var{tracepoint-number} to
24773 @var{passcount}. If the breakpoint referred to by @var{tracepoint-number}
24774 is not a tracepoint, error is emitted. This corresponds to CLI
24775 command @samp{passcount}.
24776
24777 @subheading The @code{-break-watch} Command
24778 @findex -break-watch
24779
24780 @subsubheading Synopsis
24781
24782 @smallexample
24783 -break-watch [ -a | -r ]
24784 @end smallexample
24785
24786 Create a watchpoint. With the @samp{-a} option it will create an
24787 @dfn{access} watchpoint, i.e., a watchpoint that triggers either on a
24788 read from or on a write to the memory location. With the @samp{-r}
24789 option, the watchpoint created is a @dfn{read} watchpoint, i.e., it will
24790 trigger only when the memory location is accessed for reading. Without
24791 either of the options, the watchpoint created is a regular watchpoint,
24792 i.e., it will trigger when the memory location is accessed for writing.
24793 @xref{Set Watchpoints, , Setting Watchpoints}.
24794
24795 Note that @samp{-break-list} will report a single list of watchpoints and
24796 breakpoints inserted.
24797
24798 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24799
24800 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{watch}, @samp{awatch}, and
24801 @samp{rwatch}.
24802
24803 @subsubheading Example
24804
24805 Setting a watchpoint on a variable in the @code{main} function:
24806
24807 @smallexample
24808 (gdb)
24809 -break-watch x
24810 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@}
24811 (gdb)
24812 -exec-continue
24813 ^running
24814 (gdb)
24815 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@},
24816 value=@{old="-268439212",new="55"@},
24817 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
24818 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="5"@}
24819 (gdb)
24820 @end smallexample
24821
24822 Setting a watchpoint on a variable local to a function. @value{GDBN} will stop
24823 the program execution twice: first for the variable changing value, then
24824 for the watchpoint going out of scope.
24825
24826 @smallexample
24827 (gdb)
24828 -break-watch C
24829 ^done,wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@}
24830 (gdb)
24831 -exec-continue
24832 ^running
24833 (gdb)
24834 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",
24835 wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@},value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
24836 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
24837 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
24838 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
24839 (gdb)
24840 -exec-continue
24841 ^running
24842 (gdb)
24843 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="5",
24844 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
24845 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
24846 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
24847 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
24848 (gdb)
24849 @end smallexample
24850
24851 Listing breakpoints and watchpoints, at different points in the program
24852 execution. Note that once the watchpoint goes out of scope, it is
24853 deleted.
24854
24855 @smallexample
24856 (gdb)
24857 -break-watch C
24858 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@}
24859 (gdb)
24860 -break-list
24861 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
24862 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24863 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24864 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24865 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24866 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24867 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24868 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24869 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
24870 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
24871 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c"line="8",times="1"@},
24872 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
24873 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",times="0"@}]@}
24874 (gdb)
24875 -exec-continue
24876 ^running
24877 (gdb)
24878 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@},
24879 value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
24880 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
24881 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
24882 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
24883 (gdb)
24884 -break-list
24885 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
24886 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24887 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24888 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24889 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24890 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24891 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24892 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24893 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
24894 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
24895 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",times="1"@},
24896 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
24897 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",times="-5"@}]@}
24898 (gdb)
24899 -exec-continue
24900 ^running
24901 ^done,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="2",
24902 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
24903 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
24904 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
24905 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
24906 (gdb)
24907 -break-list
24908 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
24909 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
24910 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
24911 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
24912 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
24913 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
24914 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
24915 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
24916 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
24917 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
24918 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",
24919 times="1"@}]@}
24920 (gdb)
24921 @end smallexample
24922
24923 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
24924 @node GDB/MI Program Context
24925 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Context
24926
24927 @subheading The @code{-exec-arguments} Command
24928 @findex -exec-arguments
24929
24930
24931 @subsubheading Synopsis
24932
24933 @smallexample
24934 -exec-arguments @var{args}
24935 @end smallexample
24936
24937 Set the inferior program arguments, to be used in the next
24938 @samp{-exec-run}.
24939
24940 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24941
24942 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set args}.
24943
24944 @subsubheading Example
24945
24946 @smallexample
24947 (gdb)
24948 -exec-arguments -v word
24949 ^done
24950 (gdb)
24951 @end smallexample
24952
24953
24954 @ignore
24955 @subheading The @code{-exec-show-arguments} Command
24956 @findex -exec-show-arguments
24957
24958 @subsubheading Synopsis
24959
24960 @smallexample
24961 -exec-show-arguments
24962 @end smallexample
24963
24964 Print the arguments of the program.
24965
24966 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24967
24968 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show args}.
24969
24970 @subsubheading Example
24971 N.A.
24972 @end ignore
24973
24974
24975 @subheading The @code{-environment-cd} Command
24976 @findex -environment-cd
24977
24978 @subsubheading Synopsis
24979
24980 @smallexample
24981 -environment-cd @var{pathdir}
24982 @end smallexample
24983
24984 Set @value{GDBN}'s working directory.
24985
24986 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
24987
24988 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{cd}.
24989
24990 @subsubheading Example
24991
24992 @smallexample
24993 (gdb)
24994 -environment-cd /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
24995 ^done
24996 (gdb)
24997 @end smallexample
24998
24999
25000 @subheading The @code{-environment-directory} Command
25001 @findex -environment-directory
25002
25003 @subsubheading Synopsis
25004
25005 @smallexample
25006 -environment-directory [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
25007 @end smallexample
25008
25009 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for source files.
25010 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the default
25011 search path. If directories @var{pathdir} are supplied in addition to the
25012 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
25013 occurs as normal.
25014 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
25015 multiple directories in a single command
25016 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
25017 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
25018 If blanks are needed as
25019 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
25020 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
25021 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
25022 character must not be used
25023 in any directory name.
25024 If no directories are specified, the current search path is displayed.
25025
25026 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25027
25028 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dir}.
25029
25030 @subsubheading Example
25031
25032 @smallexample
25033 (gdb)
25034 -environment-directory /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
25035 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
25036 (gdb)
25037 -environment-directory ""
25038 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
25039 (gdb)
25040 -environment-directory -r /home/jjohnstn/src/gdb /usr/src
25041 ^done,source-path="/home/jjohnstn/src/gdb:/usr/src:$cdir:$cwd"
25042 (gdb)
25043 -environment-directory -r
25044 ^done,source-path="$cdir:$cwd"
25045 (gdb)
25046 @end smallexample
25047
25048
25049 @subheading The @code{-environment-path} Command
25050 @findex -environment-path
25051
25052 @subsubheading Synopsis
25053
25054 @smallexample
25055 -environment-path [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
25056 @end smallexample
25057
25058 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for object files.
25059 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the original
25060 search path that existed at gdb start-up. If directories @var{pathdir} are
25061 supplied in addition to the
25062 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
25063 occurs as normal.
25064 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
25065 multiple directories in a single command
25066 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
25067 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
25068 If blanks are needed as
25069 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
25070 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
25071 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
25072 character must not be used
25073 in any directory name.
25074 If no directories are specified, the current path is displayed.
25075
25076
25077 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25078
25079 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{path}.
25080
25081 @subsubheading Example
25082
25083 @smallexample
25084 (gdb)
25085 -environment-path
25086 ^done,path="/usr/bin"
25087 (gdb)
25088 -environment-path /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb /bin
25089 ^done,path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb:/bin:/usr/bin"
25090 (gdb)
25091 -environment-path -r /usr/local/bin
25092 ^done,path="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin"
25093 (gdb)
25094 @end smallexample
25095
25096
25097 @subheading The @code{-environment-pwd} Command
25098 @findex -environment-pwd
25099
25100 @subsubheading Synopsis
25101
25102 @smallexample
25103 -environment-pwd
25104 @end smallexample
25105
25106 Show the current working directory.
25107
25108 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25109
25110 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{pwd}.
25111
25112 @subsubheading Example
25113
25114 @smallexample
25115 (gdb)
25116 -environment-pwd
25117 ^done,cwd="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb"
25118 (gdb)
25119 @end smallexample
25120
25121 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25122 @node GDB/MI Thread Commands
25123 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Commands
25124
25125
25126 @subheading The @code{-thread-info} Command
25127 @findex -thread-info
25128
25129 @subsubheading Synopsis
25130
25131 @smallexample
25132 -thread-info [ @var{thread-id} ]
25133 @end smallexample
25134
25135 Reports information about either a specific thread, if
25136 the @var{thread-id} parameter is present, or about all
25137 threads. When printing information about all threads,
25138 also reports the current thread.
25139
25140 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25141
25142 The @samp{info thread} command prints the same information
25143 about all threads.
25144
25145 @subsubheading Example
25146
25147 @smallexample
25148 -thread-info
25149 ^done,threads=[
25150 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
25151 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",args=[]@},state="running"@},
25152 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
25153 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
25154 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},state="running"@}],
25155 current-thread-id="1"
25156 (gdb)
25157 @end smallexample
25158
25159 The @samp{state} field may have the following values:
25160
25161 @table @code
25162 @item stopped
25163 The thread is stopped. Frame information is available for stopped
25164 threads.
25165
25166 @item running
25167 The thread is running. There's no frame information for running
25168 threads.
25169
25170 @end table
25171
25172 @subheading The @code{-thread-list-ids} Command
25173 @findex -thread-list-ids
25174
25175 @subsubheading Synopsis
25176
25177 @smallexample
25178 -thread-list-ids
25179 @end smallexample
25180
25181 Produces a list of the currently known @value{GDBN} thread ids. At the
25182 end of the list it also prints the total number of such threads.
25183
25184 This command is retained for historical reasons, the
25185 @code{-thread-info} command should be used instead.
25186
25187 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25188
25189 Part of @samp{info threads} supplies the same information.
25190
25191 @subsubheading Example
25192
25193 @smallexample
25194 (gdb)
25195 -thread-list-ids
25196 ^done,thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
25197 current-thread-id="1",number-of-threads="3"
25198 (gdb)
25199 @end smallexample
25200
25201
25202 @subheading The @code{-thread-select} Command
25203 @findex -thread-select
25204
25205 @subsubheading Synopsis
25206
25207 @smallexample
25208 -thread-select @var{threadnum}
25209 @end smallexample
25210
25211 Make @var{threadnum} the current thread. It prints the number of the new
25212 current thread, and the topmost frame for that thread.
25213
25214 This command is deprecated in favor of explicitly using the
25215 @samp{--thread} option to each command.
25216
25217 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25218
25219 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{thread}.
25220
25221 @subsubheading Example
25222
25223 @smallexample
25224 (gdb)
25225 -exec-next
25226 ^running
25227 (gdb)
25228 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",thread-id="2",line="187",
25229 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.threads/linux-dp.c"
25230 (gdb)
25231 -thread-list-ids
25232 ^done,
25233 thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
25234 number-of-threads="3"
25235 (gdb)
25236 -thread-select 3
25237 ^done,new-thread-id="3",
25238 frame=@{level="0",func="vprintf",
25239 args=[@{name="format",value="0x8048e9c \"%*s%c %d %c\\n\""@},
25240 @{name="arg",value="0x2"@}],file="vprintf.c",line="31"@}
25241 (gdb)
25242 @end smallexample
25243
25244 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25245 @node GDB/MI Program Execution
25246 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Execution
25247
25248 These are the asynchronous commands which generate the out-of-band
25249 record @samp{*stopped}. Currently @value{GDBN} only really executes
25250 asynchronously with remote targets and this interaction is mimicked in
25251 other cases.
25252
25253 @subheading The @code{-exec-continue} Command
25254 @findex -exec-continue
25255
25256 @subsubheading Synopsis
25257
25258 @smallexample
25259 -exec-continue [--reverse] [--all|--thread-group N]
25260 @end smallexample
25261
25262 Resumes the execution of the inferior program, which will continue
25263 to execute until it reaches a debugger stop event. If the
25264 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, execution resumes in reverse until
25265 it reaches a stop event. Stop events may include
25266 @itemize @bullet
25267 @item
25268 breakpoints or watchpoints
25269 @item
25270 signals or exceptions
25271 @item
25272 the end of the process (or its beginning under @samp{--reverse})
25273 @item
25274 the end or beginning of a replay log if one is being used.
25275 @end itemize
25276 In all-stop mode (@pxref{All-Stop
25277 Mode}), may resume only one thread, or all threads, depending on the
25278 value of the @samp{scheduler-locking} variable. If @samp{--all} is
25279 specified, all threads (in all inferiors) will be resumed. The @samp{--all} option is
25280 ignored in all-stop mode. If the @samp{--thread-group} options is
25281 specified, then all threads in that thread group are resumed.
25282
25283 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25284
25285 The corresponding @value{GDBN} corresponding is @samp{continue}.
25286
25287 @subsubheading Example
25288
25289 @smallexample
25290 -exec-continue
25291 ^running
25292 (gdb)
25293 @@Hello world
25294 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="2",frame=@{
25295 func="foo",args=[],file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",
25296 line="13"@}
25297 (gdb)
25298 @end smallexample
25299
25300
25301 @subheading The @code{-exec-finish} Command
25302 @findex -exec-finish
25303
25304 @subsubheading Synopsis
25305
25306 @smallexample
25307 -exec-finish [--reverse]
25308 @end smallexample
25309
25310 Resumes the execution of the inferior program until the current
25311 function is exited. Displays the results returned by the function.
25312 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes the reverse
25313 execution of the inferior program until the point where current
25314 function was called.
25315
25316 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25317
25318 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{finish}.
25319
25320 @subsubheading Example
25321
25322 Function returning @code{void}.
25323
25324 @smallexample
25325 -exec-finish
25326 ^running
25327 (gdb)
25328 @@hello from foo
25329 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
25330 file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",line="7"@}
25331 (gdb)
25332 @end smallexample
25333
25334 Function returning other than @code{void}. The name of the internal
25335 @value{GDBN} variable storing the result is printed, together with the
25336 value itself.
25337
25338 @smallexample
25339 -exec-finish
25340 ^running
25341 (gdb)
25342 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{addr="0x000107b0",func="foo",
25343 args=[@{name="a",value="1"],@{name="b",value="9"@}@},
25344 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25345 gdb-result-var="$1",return-value="0"
25346 (gdb)
25347 @end smallexample
25348
25349
25350 @subheading The @code{-exec-interrupt} Command
25351 @findex -exec-interrupt
25352
25353 @subsubheading Synopsis
25354
25355 @smallexample
25356 -exec-interrupt [--all|--thread-group N]
25357 @end smallexample
25358
25359 Interrupts the background execution of the target. Note how the token
25360 associated with the stop message is the one for the execution command
25361 that has been interrupted. The token for the interrupt itself only
25362 appears in the @samp{^done} output. If the user is trying to
25363 interrupt a non-running program, an error message will be printed.
25364
25365 Note that when asynchronous execution is enabled, this command is
25366 asynchronous just like other execution commands. That is, first the
25367 @samp{^done} response will be printed, and the target stop will be
25368 reported after that using the @samp{*stopped} notification.
25369
25370 In non-stop mode, only the context thread is interrupted by default.
25371 All threads (in all inferiors) will be interrupted if the
25372 @samp{--all} option is specified. If the @samp{--thread-group}
25373 option is specified, all threads in that group will be interrupted.
25374
25375 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25376
25377 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interrupt}.
25378
25379 @subsubheading Example
25380
25381 @smallexample
25382 (gdb)
25383 111-exec-continue
25384 111^running
25385
25386 (gdb)
25387 222-exec-interrupt
25388 222^done
25389 (gdb)
25390 111*stopped,signal-name="SIGINT",signal-meaning="Interrupt",
25391 frame=@{addr="0x00010140",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
25392 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="13"@}
25393 (gdb)
25394
25395 (gdb)
25396 -exec-interrupt
25397 ^error,msg="mi_cmd_exec_interrupt: Inferior not executing."
25398 (gdb)
25399 @end smallexample
25400
25401 @subheading The @code{-exec-jump} Command
25402 @findex -exec-jump
25403
25404 @subsubheading Synopsis
25405
25406 @smallexample
25407 -exec-jump @var{location}
25408 @end smallexample
25409
25410 Resumes execution of the inferior program at the location specified by
25411 parameter. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
25412 different forms of @var{location}.
25413
25414 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25415
25416 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{jump}.
25417
25418 @subsubheading Example
25419
25420 @smallexample
25421 -exec-jump foo.c:10
25422 *running,thread-id="all"
25423 ^running
25424 @end smallexample
25425
25426
25427 @subheading The @code{-exec-next} Command
25428 @findex -exec-next
25429
25430 @subsubheading Synopsis
25431
25432 @smallexample
25433 -exec-next [--reverse]
25434 @end smallexample
25435
25436 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
25437 of the next source line is reached.
25438
25439 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
25440 of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the previous
25441 source line. If you issue this command on the first line of a
25442 function, it will take you back to the caller of that function, to the
25443 source line where the function was called.
25444
25445
25446 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25447
25448 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{next}.
25449
25450 @subsubheading Example
25451
25452 @smallexample
25453 -exec-next
25454 ^running
25455 (gdb)
25456 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="8",file="hello.c"
25457 (gdb)
25458 @end smallexample
25459
25460
25461 @subheading The @code{-exec-next-instruction} Command
25462 @findex -exec-next-instruction
25463
25464 @subsubheading Synopsis
25465
25466 @smallexample
25467 -exec-next-instruction [--reverse]
25468 @end smallexample
25469
25470 Executes one machine instruction. If the instruction is a function
25471 call, continues until the function returns. If the program stops at an
25472 instruction in the middle of a source line, the address will be
25473 printed as well.
25474
25475 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
25476 of the inferior program, stopping at the previous instruction. If the
25477 previously executed instruction was a return from another function,
25478 it will continue to execute in reverse until the call to that function
25479 (from the current stack frame) is reached.
25480
25481 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25482
25483 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{nexti}.
25484
25485 @subsubheading Example
25486
25487 @smallexample
25488 (gdb)
25489 -exec-next-instruction
25490 ^running
25491
25492 (gdb)
25493 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
25494 addr="0x000100d4",line="5",file="hello.c"
25495 (gdb)
25496 @end smallexample
25497
25498
25499 @subheading The @code{-exec-return} Command
25500 @findex -exec-return
25501
25502 @subsubheading Synopsis
25503
25504 @smallexample
25505 -exec-return
25506 @end smallexample
25507
25508 Makes current function return immediately. Doesn't execute the inferior.
25509 Displays the new current frame.
25510
25511 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25512
25513 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{return}.
25514
25515 @subsubheading Example
25516
25517 @smallexample
25518 (gdb)
25519 200-break-insert callee4
25520 200^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x00010734",
25521 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
25522 (gdb)
25523 000-exec-run
25524 000^running
25525 (gdb)
25526 000*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
25527 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
25528 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25529 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
25530 (gdb)
25531 205-break-delete
25532 205^done
25533 (gdb)
25534 111-exec-return
25535 111^done,frame=@{level="0",func="callee3",
25536 args=[@{name="strarg",
25537 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
25538 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25539 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
25540 (gdb)
25541 @end smallexample
25542
25543
25544 @subheading The @code{-exec-run} Command
25545 @findex -exec-run
25546
25547 @subsubheading Synopsis
25548
25549 @smallexample
25550 -exec-run [--all | --thread-group N]
25551 @end smallexample
25552
25553 Starts execution of the inferior from the beginning. The inferior
25554 executes until either a breakpoint is encountered or the program
25555 exits. In the latter case the output will include an exit code, if
25556 the program has exited exceptionally.
25557
25558 When no option is specified, the current inferior is started. If the
25559 @samp{--thread-group} option is specified, it should refer to a thread
25560 group of type @samp{process}, and that thread group will be started.
25561 If the @samp{--all} option is specified, then all inferiors will be started.
25562
25563 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25564
25565 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{run}.
25566
25567 @subsubheading Examples
25568
25569 @smallexample
25570 (gdb)
25571 -break-insert main
25572 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",line="4"@}
25573 (gdb)
25574 -exec-run
25575 ^running
25576 (gdb)
25577 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
25578 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
25579 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}
25580 (gdb)
25581 @end smallexample
25582
25583 @noindent
25584 Program exited normally:
25585
25586 @smallexample
25587 (gdb)
25588 -exec-run
25589 ^running
25590 (gdb)
25591 x = 55
25592 *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
25593 (gdb)
25594 @end smallexample
25595
25596 @noindent
25597 Program exited exceptionally:
25598
25599 @smallexample
25600 (gdb)
25601 -exec-run
25602 ^running
25603 (gdb)
25604 x = 55
25605 *stopped,reason="exited",exit-code="01"
25606 (gdb)
25607 @end smallexample
25608
25609 Another way the program can terminate is if it receives a signal such as
25610 @code{SIGINT}. In this case, @sc{gdb/mi} displays this:
25611
25612 @smallexample
25613 (gdb)
25614 *stopped,reason="exited-signalled",signal-name="SIGINT",
25615 signal-meaning="Interrupt"
25616 @end smallexample
25617
25618
25619 @c @subheading -exec-signal
25620
25621
25622 @subheading The @code{-exec-step} Command
25623 @findex -exec-step
25624
25625 @subsubheading Synopsis
25626
25627 @smallexample
25628 -exec-step [--reverse]
25629 @end smallexample
25630
25631 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
25632 of the next source line is reached, if the next source line is not a
25633 function call. If it is, stop at the first instruction of the called
25634 function. If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse
25635 execution of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the
25636 previously executed source line.
25637
25638 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25639
25640 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{step}.
25641
25642 @subsubheading Example
25643
25644 Stepping into a function:
25645
25646 @smallexample
25647 -exec-step
25648 ^running
25649 (gdb)
25650 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
25651 frame=@{func="foo",args=[@{name="a",value="10"@},
25652 @{name="b",value="0"@}],file="recursive2.c",
25653 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@}
25654 (gdb)
25655 @end smallexample
25656
25657 Regular stepping:
25658
25659 @smallexample
25660 -exec-step
25661 ^running
25662 (gdb)
25663 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="14",file="recursive2.c"
25664 (gdb)
25665 @end smallexample
25666
25667
25668 @subheading The @code{-exec-step-instruction} Command
25669 @findex -exec-step-instruction
25670
25671 @subsubheading Synopsis
25672
25673 @smallexample
25674 -exec-step-instruction [--reverse]
25675 @end smallexample
25676
25677 Resumes the inferior which executes one machine instruction. If the
25678 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution of the
25679 inferior program, stopping at the previously executed instruction.
25680 The output, once @value{GDBN} has stopped, will vary depending on
25681 whether we have stopped in the middle of a source line or not. In the
25682 former case, the address at which the program stopped will be printed
25683 as well.
25684
25685 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25686
25687 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{stepi}.
25688
25689 @subsubheading Example
25690
25691 @smallexample
25692 (gdb)
25693 -exec-step-instruction
25694 ^running
25695
25696 (gdb)
25697 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
25698 frame=@{func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
25699 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
25700 (gdb)
25701 -exec-step-instruction
25702 ^running
25703
25704 (gdb)
25705 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
25706 frame=@{addr="0x000100f4",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
25707 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
25708 (gdb)
25709 @end smallexample
25710
25711
25712 @subheading The @code{-exec-until} Command
25713 @findex -exec-until
25714
25715 @subsubheading Synopsis
25716
25717 @smallexample
25718 -exec-until [ @var{location} ]
25719 @end smallexample
25720
25721 Executes the inferior until the @var{location} specified in the
25722 argument is reached. If there is no argument, the inferior executes
25723 until a source line greater than the current one is reached. The
25724 reason for stopping in this case will be @samp{location-reached}.
25725
25726 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25727
25728 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{until}.
25729
25730 @subsubheading Example
25731
25732 @smallexample
25733 (gdb)
25734 -exec-until recursive2.c:6
25735 ^running
25736 (gdb)
25737 x = 55
25738 *stopped,reason="location-reached",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
25739 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="6"@}
25740 (gdb)
25741 @end smallexample
25742
25743 @ignore
25744 @subheading -file-clear
25745 Is this going away????
25746 @end ignore
25747
25748 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25749 @node GDB/MI Stack Manipulation
25750 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Stack Manipulation Commands
25751
25752
25753 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-frame} Command
25754 @findex -stack-info-frame
25755
25756 @subsubheading Synopsis
25757
25758 @smallexample
25759 -stack-info-frame
25760 @end smallexample
25761
25762 Get info on the selected frame.
25763
25764 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25765
25766 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info frame} or @samp{frame}
25767 (without arguments).
25768
25769 @subsubheading Example
25770
25771 @smallexample
25772 (gdb)
25773 -stack-info-frame
25774 ^done,frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
25775 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25776 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@}
25777 (gdb)
25778 @end smallexample
25779
25780 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-depth} Command
25781 @findex -stack-info-depth
25782
25783 @subsubheading Synopsis
25784
25785 @smallexample
25786 -stack-info-depth [ @var{max-depth} ]
25787 @end smallexample
25788
25789 Return the depth of the stack. If the integer argument @var{max-depth}
25790 is specified, do not count beyond @var{max-depth} frames.
25791
25792 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25793
25794 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
25795
25796 @subsubheading Example
25797
25798 For a stack with frame levels 0 through 11:
25799
25800 @smallexample
25801 (gdb)
25802 -stack-info-depth
25803 ^done,depth="12"
25804 (gdb)
25805 -stack-info-depth 4
25806 ^done,depth="4"
25807 (gdb)
25808 -stack-info-depth 12
25809 ^done,depth="12"
25810 (gdb)
25811 -stack-info-depth 11
25812 ^done,depth="11"
25813 (gdb)
25814 -stack-info-depth 13
25815 ^done,depth="12"
25816 (gdb)
25817 @end smallexample
25818
25819 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-arguments} Command
25820 @findex -stack-list-arguments
25821
25822 @subsubheading Synopsis
25823
25824 @smallexample
25825 -stack-list-arguments @var{print-values}
25826 [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
25827 @end smallexample
25828
25829 Display a list of the arguments for the frames between @var{low-frame}
25830 and @var{high-frame} (inclusive). If @var{low-frame} and
25831 @var{high-frame} are not provided, list the arguments for the whole
25832 call stack. If the two arguments are equal, show the single frame
25833 at the corresponding level. It is an error if @var{low-frame} is
25834 larger than the actual number of frames. On the other hand,
25835 @var{high-frame} may be larger than the actual number of frames, in
25836 which case only existing frames will be returned.
25837
25838 If @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
25839 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
25840 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
25841 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
25842 structures and unions.
25843
25844 Use of this command to obtain arguments in a single frame is
25845 deprecated in favor of the @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
25846
25847 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25848
25849 @value{GDBN} does not have an equivalent command. @code{gdbtk} has a
25850 @samp{gdb_get_args} command which partially overlaps with the
25851 functionality of @samp{-stack-list-arguments}.
25852
25853 @subsubheading Example
25854
25855 @smallexample
25856 (gdb)
25857 -stack-list-frames
25858 ^done,
25859 stack=[
25860 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
25861 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25862 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@},
25863 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
25864 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25865 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@},
25866 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x0001078c",func="callee2",
25867 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25868 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="22"@},
25869 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107b4",func="callee1",
25870 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25871 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="27"@},
25872 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107e0",func="main",
25873 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
25874 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="32"@}]
25875 (gdb)
25876 -stack-list-arguments 0
25877 ^done,
25878 stack-args=[
25879 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
25880 frame=@{level="1",args=[name="strarg"]@},
25881 frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@},
25882 frame=@{level="3",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg",name="fltarg"]@},
25883 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
25884 (gdb)
25885 -stack-list-arguments 1
25886 ^done,
25887 stack-args=[
25888 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
25889 frame=@{level="1",
25890 args=[@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
25891 frame=@{level="2",args=[
25892 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
25893 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
25894 @{frame=@{level="3",args=[
25895 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
25896 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@},
25897 @{name="fltarg",value="3.5"@}]@},
25898 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
25899 (gdb)
25900 -stack-list-arguments 0 2 2
25901 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@}]
25902 (gdb)
25903 -stack-list-arguments 1 2 2
25904 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",
25905 args=[@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
25906 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@}]
25907 (gdb)
25908 @end smallexample
25909
25910 @c @subheading -stack-list-exception-handlers
25911
25912
25913 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-frames} Command
25914 @findex -stack-list-frames
25915
25916 @subsubheading Synopsis
25917
25918 @smallexample
25919 -stack-list-frames [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
25920 @end smallexample
25921
25922 List the frames currently on the stack. For each frame it displays the
25923 following info:
25924
25925 @table @samp
25926 @item @var{level}
25927 The frame number, 0 being the topmost frame, i.e., the innermost function.
25928 @item @var{addr}
25929 The @code{$pc} value for that frame.
25930 @item @var{func}
25931 Function name.
25932 @item @var{file}
25933 File name of the source file where the function lives.
25934 @item @var{line}
25935 Line number corresponding to the @code{$pc}.
25936 @end table
25937
25938 If invoked without arguments, this command prints a backtrace for the
25939 whole stack. If given two integer arguments, it shows the frames whose
25940 levels are between the two arguments (inclusive). If the two arguments
25941 are equal, it shows the single frame at the corresponding level. It is
25942 an error if @var{low-frame} is larger than the actual number of
25943 frames. On the other hand, @var{high-frame} may be larger than the
25944 actual number of frames, in which case only existing frames will be returned.
25945
25946 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
25947
25948 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{backtrace} and @samp{where}.
25949
25950 @subsubheading Example
25951
25952 Full stack backtrace:
25953
25954 @smallexample
25955 (gdb)
25956 -stack-list-frames
25957 ^done,stack=
25958 [frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0001076c",func="foo",
25959 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@},
25960 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25961 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25962 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25963 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25964 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25965 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25966 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25967 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25968 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25969 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25970 frame=@{level="6",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25971 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25972 frame=@{level="7",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25973 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25974 frame=@{level="8",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25975 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25976 frame=@{level="9",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25977 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25978 frame=@{level="10",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25979 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25980 frame=@{level="11",addr="0x00010738",func="main",
25981 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}]
25982 (gdb)
25983 @end smallexample
25984
25985 Show frames between @var{low_frame} and @var{high_frame}:
25986
25987 @smallexample
25988 (gdb)
25989 -stack-list-frames 3 5
25990 ^done,stack=
25991 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25992 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25993 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25994 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
25995 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
25996 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
25997 (gdb)
25998 @end smallexample
25999
26000 Show a single frame:
26001
26002 @smallexample
26003 (gdb)
26004 -stack-list-frames 3 3
26005 ^done,stack=
26006 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
26007 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
26008 (gdb)
26009 @end smallexample
26010
26011
26012 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-locals} Command
26013 @findex -stack-list-locals
26014
26015 @subsubheading Synopsis
26016
26017 @smallexample
26018 -stack-list-locals @var{print-values}
26019 @end smallexample
26020
26021 Display the local variable names for the selected frame. If
26022 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
26023 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
26024 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
26025 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
26026 structures and unions. In this last case, a frontend can immediately
26027 display the value of simple data types and create variable objects for
26028 other data types when the user wishes to explore their values in
26029 more detail.
26030
26031 This command is deprecated in favor of the
26032 @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
26033
26034 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26035
26036 @samp{info locals} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_get_locals} in @code{gdbtk}.
26037
26038 @subsubheading Example
26039
26040 @smallexample
26041 (gdb)
26042 -stack-list-locals 0
26043 ^done,locals=[name="A",name="B",name="C"]
26044 (gdb)
26045 -stack-list-locals --all-values
26046 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",value="1"@},@{name="B",value="2"@},
26047 @{name="C",value="@{1, 2, 3@}"@}]
26048 -stack-list-locals --simple-values
26049 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",type="int",value="1"@},
26050 @{name="B",type="int",value="2"@},@{name="C",type="int [3]"@}]
26051 (gdb)
26052 @end smallexample
26053
26054 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-variables} Command
26055 @findex -stack-list-variables
26056
26057 @subsubheading Synopsis
26058
26059 @smallexample
26060 -stack-list-variables @var{print-values}
26061 @end smallexample
26062
26063 Display the names of local variables and function arguments for the selected frame. If
26064 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
26065 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
26066 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
26067 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
26068 structures and unions.
26069
26070 @subsubheading Example
26071
26072 @smallexample
26073 (gdb)
26074 -stack-list-variables --thread 1 --frame 0 --all-values
26075 ^done,variables=[@{name="x",value="11"@},@{name="s",value="@{a = 1, b = 2@}"@}]
26076 (gdb)
26077 @end smallexample
26078
26079
26080 @subheading The @code{-stack-select-frame} Command
26081 @findex -stack-select-frame
26082
26083 @subsubheading Synopsis
26084
26085 @smallexample
26086 -stack-select-frame @var{framenum}
26087 @end smallexample
26088
26089 Change the selected frame. Select a different frame @var{framenum} on
26090 the stack.
26091
26092 This command in deprecated in favor of passing the @samp{--frame}
26093 option to every command.
26094
26095 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26096
26097 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{frame}, @samp{up},
26098 @samp{down}, @samp{select-frame}, @samp{up-silent}, and @samp{down-silent}.
26099
26100 @subsubheading Example
26101
26102 @smallexample
26103 (gdb)
26104 -stack-select-frame 2
26105 ^done
26106 (gdb)
26107 @end smallexample
26108
26109 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26110 @node GDB/MI Variable Objects
26111 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects
26112
26113 @ignore
26114
26115 @subheading Motivation for Variable Objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
26116
26117 For the implementation of a variable debugger window (locals, watched
26118 expressions, etc.), we are proposing the adaptation of the existing code
26119 used by @code{Insight}.
26120
26121 The two main reasons for that are:
26122
26123 @enumerate 1
26124 @item
26125 It has been proven in practice (it is already on its second generation).
26126
26127 @item
26128 It will shorten development time (needless to say how important it is
26129 now).
26130 @end enumerate
26131
26132 The original interface was designed to be used by Tcl code, so it was
26133 slightly changed so it could be used through @sc{gdb/mi}. This section
26134 describes the @sc{gdb/mi} operations that will be available and gives some
26135 hints about their use.
26136
26137 @emph{Note}: In addition to the set of operations described here, we
26138 expect the @sc{gui} implementation of a variable window to require, at
26139 least, the following operations:
26140
26141 @itemize @bullet
26142 @item @code{-gdb-show} @code{output-radix}
26143 @item @code{-stack-list-arguments}
26144 @item @code{-stack-list-locals}
26145 @item @code{-stack-select-frame}
26146 @end itemize
26147
26148 @end ignore
26149
26150 @subheading Introduction to Variable Objects
26151
26152 @cindex variable objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
26153
26154 Variable objects are "object-oriented" MI interface for examining and
26155 changing values of expressions. Unlike some other MI interfaces that
26156 work with expressions, variable objects are specifically designed for
26157 simple and efficient presentation in the frontend. A variable object
26158 is identified by string name. When a variable object is created, the
26159 frontend specifies the expression for that variable object. The
26160 expression can be a simple variable, or it can be an arbitrary complex
26161 expression, and can even involve CPU registers. After creating a
26162 variable object, the frontend can invoke other variable object
26163 operations---for example to obtain or change the value of a variable
26164 object, or to change display format.
26165
26166 Variable objects have hierarchical tree structure. Any variable object
26167 that corresponds to a composite type, such as structure in C, has
26168 a number of child variable objects, for example corresponding to each
26169 element of a structure. A child variable object can itself have
26170 children, recursively. Recursion ends when we reach
26171 leaf variable objects, which always have built-in types. Child variable
26172 objects are created only by explicit request, so if a frontend
26173 is not interested in the children of a particular variable object, no
26174 child will be created.
26175
26176 For a leaf variable object it is possible to obtain its value as a
26177 string, or set the value from a string. String value can be also
26178 obtained for a non-leaf variable object, but it's generally a string
26179 that only indicates the type of the object, and does not list its
26180 contents. Assignment to a non-leaf variable object is not allowed.
26181
26182 A frontend does not need to read the values of all variable objects each time
26183 the program stops. Instead, MI provides an update command that lists all
26184 variable objects whose values has changed since the last update
26185 operation. This considerably reduces the amount of data that must
26186 be transferred to the frontend. As noted above, children variable
26187 objects are created on demand, and only leaf variable objects have a
26188 real value. As result, gdb will read target memory only for leaf
26189 variables that frontend has created.
26190
26191 The automatic update is not always desirable. For example, a frontend
26192 might want to keep a value of some expression for future reference,
26193 and never update it. For another example, fetching memory is
26194 relatively slow for embedded targets, so a frontend might want
26195 to disable automatic update for the variables that are either not
26196 visible on the screen, or ``closed''. This is possible using so
26197 called ``frozen variable objects''. Such variable objects are never
26198 implicitly updated.
26199
26200 Variable objects can be either @dfn{fixed} or @dfn{floating}. For the
26201 fixed variable object, the expression is parsed when the variable
26202 object is created, including associating identifiers to specific
26203 variables. The meaning of expression never changes. For a floating
26204 variable object the values of variables whose names appear in the
26205 expressions are re-evaluated every time in the context of the current
26206 frame. Consider this example:
26207
26208 @smallexample
26209 void do_work(...)
26210 @{
26211 struct work_state state;
26212
26213 if (...)
26214 do_work(...);
26215 @}
26216 @end smallexample
26217
26218 If a fixed variable object for the @code{state} variable is created in
26219 this function, and we enter the recursive call, the the variable
26220 object will report the value of @code{state} in the top-level
26221 @code{do_work} invocation. On the other hand, a floating variable
26222 object will report the value of @code{state} in the current frame.
26223
26224 If an expression specified when creating a fixed variable object
26225 refers to a local variable, the variable object becomes bound to the
26226 thread and frame in which the variable object is created. When such
26227 variable object is updated, @value{GDBN} makes sure that the
26228 thread/frame combination the variable object is bound to still exists,
26229 and re-evaluates the variable object in context of that thread/frame.
26230
26231 The following is the complete set of @sc{gdb/mi} operations defined to
26232 access this functionality:
26233
26234 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
26235 @item @strong{Operation}
26236 @tab @strong{Description}
26237
26238 @item @code{-enable-pretty-printing}
26239 @tab enable Python-based pretty-printing
26240 @item @code{-var-create}
26241 @tab create a variable object
26242 @item @code{-var-delete}
26243 @tab delete the variable object and/or its children
26244 @item @code{-var-set-format}
26245 @tab set the display format of this variable
26246 @item @code{-var-show-format}
26247 @tab show the display format of this variable
26248 @item @code{-var-info-num-children}
26249 @tab tells how many children this object has
26250 @item @code{-var-list-children}
26251 @tab return a list of the object's children
26252 @item @code{-var-info-type}
26253 @tab show the type of this variable object
26254 @item @code{-var-info-expression}
26255 @tab print parent-relative expression that this variable object represents
26256 @item @code{-var-info-path-expression}
26257 @tab print full expression that this variable object represents
26258 @item @code{-var-show-attributes}
26259 @tab is this variable editable? does it exist here?
26260 @item @code{-var-evaluate-expression}
26261 @tab get the value of this variable
26262 @item @code{-var-assign}
26263 @tab set the value of this variable
26264 @item @code{-var-update}
26265 @tab update the variable and its children
26266 @item @code{-var-set-frozen}
26267 @tab set frozeness attribute
26268 @item @code{-var-set-update-range}
26269 @tab set range of children to display on update
26270 @end multitable
26271
26272 In the next subsection we describe each operation in detail and suggest
26273 how it can be used.
26274
26275 @subheading Description And Use of Operations on Variable Objects
26276
26277 @subheading The @code{-enable-pretty-printing} Command
26278 @findex -enable-pretty-printing
26279
26280 @smallexample
26281 -enable-pretty-printing
26282 @end smallexample
26283
26284 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based visualizers to affect the output of the
26285 MI variable object commands. However, because there was no way to
26286 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
26287 request that this functionality be enabled.
26288
26289 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
26290
26291 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
26292 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
26293
26294 This feature is currently (as of @value{GDBN} 7.0) experimental, and
26295 may work differently in future versions of @value{GDBN}.
26296
26297 @subheading The @code{-var-create} Command
26298 @findex -var-create
26299
26300 @subsubheading Synopsis
26301
26302 @smallexample
26303 -var-create @{@var{name} | "-"@}
26304 @{@var{frame-addr} | "*" | "@@"@} @var{expression}
26305 @end smallexample
26306
26307 This operation creates a variable object, which allows the monitoring of
26308 a variable, the result of an expression, a memory cell or a CPU
26309 register.
26310
26311 The @var{name} parameter is the string by which the object can be
26312 referenced. It must be unique. If @samp{-} is specified, the varobj
26313 system will generate a string ``varNNNNNN'' automatically. It will be
26314 unique provided that one does not specify @var{name} of that format.
26315 The command fails if a duplicate name is found.
26316
26317 The frame under which the expression should be evaluated can be
26318 specified by @var{frame-addr}. A @samp{*} indicates that the current
26319 frame should be used. A @samp{@@} indicates that a floating variable
26320 object must be created.
26321
26322 @var{expression} is any expression valid on the current language set (must not
26323 begin with a @samp{*}), or one of the following:
26324
26325 @itemize @bullet
26326 @item
26327 @samp{*@var{addr}}, where @var{addr} is the address of a memory cell
26328
26329 @item
26330 @samp{*@var{addr}-@var{addr}} --- a memory address range (TBD)
26331
26332 @item
26333 @samp{$@var{regname}} --- a CPU register name
26334 @end itemize
26335
26336 @cindex dynamic varobj
26337 A varobj's contents may be provided by a Python-based pretty-printer. In this
26338 case the varobj is known as a @dfn{dynamic varobj}. Dynamic varobjs
26339 have slightly different semantics in some cases. If the
26340 @code{-enable-pretty-printing} command is not sent, then @value{GDBN}
26341 will never create a dynamic varobj. This ensures backward
26342 compatibility for existing clients.
26343
26344 @subsubheading Result
26345
26346 This operation returns attributes of the newly-created varobj. These
26347 are:
26348
26349 @table @samp
26350 @item name
26351 The name of the varobj.
26352
26353 @item numchild
26354 The number of children of the varobj. This number is not necessarily
26355 reliable for a dynamic varobj. Instead, you must examine the
26356 @samp{has_more} attribute.
26357
26358 @item value
26359 The varobj's scalar value. For a varobj whose type is some sort of
26360 aggregate (e.g., a @code{struct}), or for a dynamic varobj, this value
26361 will not be interesting.
26362
26363 @item type
26364 The varobj's type. This is a string representation of the type, as
26365 would be printed by the @value{GDBN} CLI.
26366
26367 @item thread-id
26368 If a variable object is bound to a specific thread, then this is the
26369 thread's identifier.
26370
26371 @item has_more
26372 For a dynamic varobj, this indicates whether there appear to be any
26373 children available. For a non-dynamic varobj, this will be 0.
26374
26375 @item dynamic
26376 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
26377 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
26378 then this attribute will not be present.
26379
26380 @item displayhint
26381 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
26382 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
26383 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
26384 @end table
26385
26386 Typical output will look like this:
26387
26388 @smallexample
26389 name="@var{name}",numchild="@var{N}",type="@var{type}",thread-id="@var{M}",
26390 has_more="@var{has_more}"
26391 @end smallexample
26392
26393
26394 @subheading The @code{-var-delete} Command
26395 @findex -var-delete
26396
26397 @subsubheading Synopsis
26398
26399 @smallexample
26400 -var-delete [ -c ] @var{name}
26401 @end smallexample
26402
26403 Deletes a previously created variable object and all of its children.
26404 With the @samp{-c} option, just deletes the children.
26405
26406 Returns an error if the object @var{name} is not found.
26407
26408
26409 @subheading The @code{-var-set-format} Command
26410 @findex -var-set-format
26411
26412 @subsubheading Synopsis
26413
26414 @smallexample
26415 -var-set-format @var{name} @var{format-spec}
26416 @end smallexample
26417
26418 Sets the output format for the value of the object @var{name} to be
26419 @var{format-spec}.
26420
26421 @anchor{-var-set-format}
26422 The syntax for the @var{format-spec} is as follows:
26423
26424 @smallexample
26425 @var{format-spec} @expansion{}
26426 @{binary | decimal | hexadecimal | octal | natural@}
26427 @end smallexample
26428
26429 The natural format is the default format choosen automatically
26430 based on the variable type (like decimal for an @code{int}, hex
26431 for pointers, etc.).
26432
26433 For a variable with children, the format is set only on the
26434 variable itself, and the children are not affected.
26435
26436 @subheading The @code{-var-show-format} Command
26437 @findex -var-show-format
26438
26439 @subsubheading Synopsis
26440
26441 @smallexample
26442 -var-show-format @var{name}
26443 @end smallexample
26444
26445 Returns the format used to display the value of the object @var{name}.
26446
26447 @smallexample
26448 @var{format} @expansion{}
26449 @var{format-spec}
26450 @end smallexample
26451
26452
26453 @subheading The @code{-var-info-num-children} Command
26454 @findex -var-info-num-children
26455
26456 @subsubheading Synopsis
26457
26458 @smallexample
26459 -var-info-num-children @var{name}
26460 @end smallexample
26461
26462 Returns the number of children of a variable object @var{name}:
26463
26464 @smallexample
26465 numchild=@var{n}
26466 @end smallexample
26467
26468 Note that this number is not completely reliable for a dynamic varobj.
26469 It will return the current number of children, but more children may
26470 be available.
26471
26472
26473 @subheading The @code{-var-list-children} Command
26474 @findex -var-list-children
26475
26476 @subsubheading Synopsis
26477
26478 @smallexample
26479 -var-list-children [@var{print-values}] @var{name} [@var{from} @var{to}]
26480 @end smallexample
26481 @anchor{-var-list-children}
26482
26483 Return a list of the children of the specified variable object and
26484 create variable objects for them, if they do not already exist. With
26485 a single argument or if @var{print-values} has a value of 0 or
26486 @code{--no-values}, print only the names of the variables; if
26487 @var{print-values} is 1 or @code{--all-values}, also print their
26488 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values} print the name and
26489 value for simple data types and just the name for arrays, structures
26490 and unions.
26491
26492 @var{from} and @var{to}, if specified, indicate the range of children
26493 to report. If @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is
26494 reset and all children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting
26495 at @var{from} (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be
26496 reported.
26497
26498 If a child range is requested, it will only affect the current call to
26499 @code{-var-list-children}, but not future calls to @code{-var-update}.
26500 For this, you must instead use @code{-var-set-update-range}. The
26501 intent of this approach is to enable a front end to implement any
26502 update approach it likes; for example, scrolling a view may cause the
26503 front end to request more children with @code{-var-list-children}, and
26504 then the front end could call @code{-var-set-update-range} with a
26505 different range to ensure that future updates are restricted to just
26506 the visible items.
26507
26508 For each child the following results are returned:
26509
26510 @table @var
26511
26512 @item name
26513 Name of the variable object created for this child.
26514
26515 @item exp
26516 The expression to be shown to the user by the front end to designate this child.
26517 For example this may be the name of a structure member.
26518
26519 For a dynamic varobj, this value cannot be used to form an
26520 expression. There is no way to do this at all with a dynamic varobj.
26521
26522 For C/C@t{++} structures there are several pseudo children returned to
26523 designate access qualifiers. For these pseudo children @var{exp} is
26524 @samp{public}, @samp{private}, or @samp{protected}. In this case the
26525 type and value are not present.
26526
26527 A dynamic varobj will not report the access qualifying
26528 pseudo-children, regardless of the language. This information is not
26529 available at all with a dynamic varobj.
26530
26531 @item numchild
26532 Number of children this child has. For a dynamic varobj, this will be
26533 0.
26534
26535 @item type
26536 The type of the child.
26537
26538 @item value
26539 If values were requested, this is the value.
26540
26541 @item thread-id
26542 If this variable object is associated with a thread, this is the thread id.
26543 Otherwise this result is not present.
26544
26545 @item frozen
26546 If the variable object is frozen, this variable will be present with a value of 1.
26547 @end table
26548
26549 The result may have its own attributes:
26550
26551 @table @samp
26552 @item displayhint
26553 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
26554 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
26555 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
26556
26557 @item has_more
26558 This is an integer attribute which is nonzero if there are children
26559 remaining after the end of the selected range.
26560 @end table
26561
26562 @subsubheading Example
26563
26564 @smallexample
26565 (gdb)
26566 -var-list-children n
26567 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
26568 numchild=@var{n},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
26569 (gdb)
26570 -var-list-children --all-values n
26571 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
26572 numchild=@var{n},value=@var{value},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
26573 @end smallexample
26574
26575
26576 @subheading The @code{-var-info-type} Command
26577 @findex -var-info-type
26578
26579 @subsubheading Synopsis
26580
26581 @smallexample
26582 -var-info-type @var{name}
26583 @end smallexample
26584
26585 Returns the type of the specified variable @var{name}. The type is
26586 returned as a string in the same format as it is output by the
26587 @value{GDBN} CLI:
26588
26589 @smallexample
26590 type=@var{typename}
26591 @end smallexample
26592
26593
26594 @subheading The @code{-var-info-expression} Command
26595 @findex -var-info-expression
26596
26597 @subsubheading Synopsis
26598
26599 @smallexample
26600 -var-info-expression @var{name}
26601 @end smallexample
26602
26603 Returns a string that is suitable for presenting this
26604 variable object in user interface. The string is generally
26605 not valid expression in the current language, and cannot be evaluated.
26606
26607 For example, if @code{a} is an array, and variable object
26608 @code{A} was created for @code{a}, then we'll get this output:
26609
26610 @smallexample
26611 (gdb) -var-info-expression A.1
26612 ^done,lang="C",exp="1"
26613 @end smallexample
26614
26615 @noindent
26616 Here, the values of @code{lang} can be @code{@{"C" | "C++" | "Java"@}}.
26617
26618 Note that the output of the @code{-var-list-children} command also
26619 includes those expressions, so the @code{-var-info-expression} command
26620 is of limited use.
26621
26622 @subheading The @code{-var-info-path-expression} Command
26623 @findex -var-info-path-expression
26624
26625 @subsubheading Synopsis
26626
26627 @smallexample
26628 -var-info-path-expression @var{name}
26629 @end smallexample
26630
26631 Returns an expression that can be evaluated in the current
26632 context and will yield the same value that a variable object has.
26633 Compare this with the @code{-var-info-expression} command, which
26634 result can be used only for UI presentation. Typical use of
26635 the @code{-var-info-path-expression} command is creating a
26636 watchpoint from a variable object.
26637
26638 This command is currently not valid for children of a dynamic varobj,
26639 and will give an error when invoked on one.
26640
26641 For example, suppose @code{C} is a C@t{++} class, derived from class
26642 @code{Base}, and that the @code{Base} class has a member called
26643 @code{m_size}. Assume a variable @code{c} is has the type of
26644 @code{C} and a variable object @code{C} was created for variable
26645 @code{c}. Then, we'll get this output:
26646 @smallexample
26647 (gdb) -var-info-path-expression C.Base.public.m_size
26648 ^done,path_expr=((Base)c).m_size)
26649 @end smallexample
26650
26651 @subheading The @code{-var-show-attributes} Command
26652 @findex -var-show-attributes
26653
26654 @subsubheading Synopsis
26655
26656 @smallexample
26657 -var-show-attributes @var{name}
26658 @end smallexample
26659
26660 List attributes of the specified variable object @var{name}:
26661
26662 @smallexample
26663 status=@var{attr} [ ( ,@var{attr} )* ]
26664 @end smallexample
26665
26666 @noindent
26667 where @var{attr} is @code{@{ @{ editable | noneditable @} | TBD @}}.
26668
26669 @subheading The @code{-var-evaluate-expression} Command
26670 @findex -var-evaluate-expression
26671
26672 @subsubheading Synopsis
26673
26674 @smallexample
26675 -var-evaluate-expression [-f @var{format-spec}] @var{name}
26676 @end smallexample
26677
26678 Evaluates the expression that is represented by the specified variable
26679 object and returns its value as a string. The format of the string
26680 can be specified with the @samp{-f} option. The possible values of
26681 this option are the same as for @code{-var-set-format}
26682 (@pxref{-var-set-format}). If the @samp{-f} option is not specified,
26683 the current display format will be used. The current display format
26684 can be changed using the @code{-var-set-format} command.
26685
26686 @smallexample
26687 value=@var{value}
26688 @end smallexample
26689
26690 Note that one must invoke @code{-var-list-children} for a variable
26691 before the value of a child variable can be evaluated.
26692
26693 @subheading The @code{-var-assign} Command
26694 @findex -var-assign
26695
26696 @subsubheading Synopsis
26697
26698 @smallexample
26699 -var-assign @var{name} @var{expression}
26700 @end smallexample
26701
26702 Assigns the value of @var{expression} to the variable object specified
26703 by @var{name}. The object must be @samp{editable}. If the variable's
26704 value is altered by the assign, the variable will show up in any
26705 subsequent @code{-var-update} list.
26706
26707 @subsubheading Example
26708
26709 @smallexample
26710 (gdb)
26711 -var-assign var1 3
26712 ^done,value="3"
26713 (gdb)
26714 -var-update *
26715 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",in_scope="true",type_changed="false"@}]
26716 (gdb)
26717 @end smallexample
26718
26719 @subheading The @code{-var-update} Command
26720 @findex -var-update
26721
26722 @subsubheading Synopsis
26723
26724 @smallexample
26725 -var-update [@var{print-values}] @{@var{name} | "*"@}
26726 @end smallexample
26727
26728 Reevaluate the expressions corresponding to the variable object
26729 @var{name} and all its direct and indirect children, and return the
26730 list of variable objects whose values have changed; @var{name} must
26731 be a root variable object. Here, ``changed'' means that the result of
26732 @code{-var-evaluate-expression} before and after the
26733 @code{-var-update} is different. If @samp{*} is used as the variable
26734 object names, all existing variable objects are updated, except
26735 for frozen ones (@pxref{-var-set-frozen}). The option
26736 @var{print-values} determines whether both names and values, or just
26737 names are printed. The possible values of this option are the same
26738 as for @code{-var-list-children} (@pxref{-var-list-children}). It is
26739 recommended to use the @samp{--all-values} option, to reduce the
26740 number of MI commands needed on each program stop.
26741
26742 With the @samp{*} parameter, if a variable object is bound to a
26743 currently running thread, it will not be updated, without any
26744 diagnostic.
26745
26746 If @code{-var-set-update-range} was previously used on a varobj, then
26747 only the selected range of children will be reported.
26748
26749 @code{-var-update} reports all the changed varobjs in a tuple named
26750 @samp{changelist}.
26751
26752 Each item in the change list is itself a tuple holding:
26753
26754 @table @samp
26755 @item name
26756 The name of the varobj.
26757
26758 @item value
26759 If values were requested for this update, then this field will be
26760 present and will hold the value of the varobj.
26761
26762 @item in_scope
26763 @anchor{-var-update}
26764 This field is a string which may take one of three values:
26765
26766 @table @code
26767 @item "true"
26768 The variable object's current value is valid.
26769
26770 @item "false"
26771 The variable object does not currently hold a valid value but it may
26772 hold one in the future if its associated expression comes back into
26773 scope.
26774
26775 @item "invalid"
26776 The variable object no longer holds a valid value.
26777 This can occur when the executable file being debugged has changed,
26778 either through recompilation or by using the @value{GDBN} @code{file}
26779 command. The front end should normally choose to delete these variable
26780 objects.
26781 @end table
26782
26783 In the future new values may be added to this list so the front should
26784 be prepared for this possibility. @xref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, ,@sc{GDB/MI} Development and Front Ends}.
26785
26786 @item type_changed
26787 This is only present if the varobj is still valid. If the type
26788 changed, then this will be the string @samp{true}; otherwise it will
26789 be @samp{false}.
26790
26791 @item new_type
26792 If the varobj's type changed, then this field will be present and will
26793 hold the new type.
26794
26795 @item new_num_children
26796 For a dynamic varobj, if the number of children changed, or if the
26797 type changed, this will be the new number of children.
26798
26799 The @samp{numchild} field in other varobj responses is generally not
26800 valid for a dynamic varobj -- it will show the number of children that
26801 @value{GDBN} knows about, but because dynamic varobjs lazily
26802 instantiate their children, this will not reflect the number of
26803 children which may be available.
26804
26805 The @samp{new_num_children} attribute only reports changes to the
26806 number of children known by @value{GDBN}. This is the only way to
26807 detect whether an update has removed children (which necessarily can
26808 only happen at the end of the update range).
26809
26810 @item displayhint
26811 The display hint, if any.
26812
26813 @item has_more
26814 This is an integer value, which will be 1 if there are more children
26815 available outside the varobj's update range.
26816
26817 @item dynamic
26818 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
26819 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
26820 then this attribute will not be present.
26821
26822 @item new_children
26823 If new children were added to a dynamic varobj within the selected
26824 update range (as set by @code{-var-set-update-range}), then they will
26825 be listed in this attribute.
26826 @end table
26827
26828 @subsubheading Example
26829
26830 @smallexample
26831 (gdb)
26832 -var-assign var1 3
26833 ^done,value="3"
26834 (gdb)
26835 -var-update --all-values var1
26836 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",value="3",in_scope="true",
26837 type_changed="false"@}]
26838 (gdb)
26839 @end smallexample
26840
26841 @subheading The @code{-var-set-frozen} Command
26842 @findex -var-set-frozen
26843 @anchor{-var-set-frozen}
26844
26845 @subsubheading Synopsis
26846
26847 @smallexample
26848 -var-set-frozen @var{name} @var{flag}
26849 @end smallexample
26850
26851 Set the frozenness flag on the variable object @var{name}. The
26852 @var{flag} parameter should be either @samp{1} to make the variable
26853 frozen or @samp{0} to make it unfrozen. If a variable object is
26854 frozen, then neither itself, nor any of its children, are
26855 implicitly updated by @code{-var-update} of
26856 a parent variable or by @code{-var-update *}. Only
26857 @code{-var-update} of the variable itself will update its value and
26858 values of its children. After a variable object is unfrozen, it is
26859 implicitly updated by all subsequent @code{-var-update} operations.
26860 Unfreezing a variable does not update it, only subsequent
26861 @code{-var-update} does.
26862
26863 @subsubheading Example
26864
26865 @smallexample
26866 (gdb)
26867 -var-set-frozen V 1
26868 ^done
26869 (gdb)
26870 @end smallexample
26871
26872 @subheading The @code{-var-set-update-range} command
26873 @findex -var-set-update-range
26874 @anchor{-var-set-update-range}
26875
26876 @subsubheading Synopsis
26877
26878 @smallexample
26879 -var-set-update-range @var{name} @var{from} @var{to}
26880 @end smallexample
26881
26882 Set the range of children to be returned by future invocations of
26883 @code{-var-update}.
26884
26885 @var{from} and @var{to} indicate the range of children to report. If
26886 @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is reset and all
26887 children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting at @var{from}
26888 (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be reported.
26889
26890 @subsubheading Example
26891
26892 @smallexample
26893 (gdb)
26894 -var-set-update-range V 1 2
26895 ^done
26896 @end smallexample
26897
26898 @subheading The @code{-var-set-visualizer} command
26899 @findex -var-set-visualizer
26900 @anchor{-var-set-visualizer}
26901
26902 @subsubheading Synopsis
26903
26904 @smallexample
26905 -var-set-visualizer @var{name} @var{visualizer}
26906 @end smallexample
26907
26908 Set a visualizer for the variable object @var{name}.
26909
26910 @var{visualizer} is the visualizer to use. The special value
26911 @samp{None} means to disable any visualizer in use.
26912
26913 If not @samp{None}, @var{visualizer} must be a Python expression.
26914 This expression must evaluate to a callable object which accepts a
26915 single argument. @value{GDBN} will call this object with the value of
26916 the varobj @var{name} as an argument (this is done so that the same
26917 Python pretty-printing code can be used for both the CLI and MI).
26918 When called, this object must return an object which conforms to the
26919 pretty-printing interface (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}).
26920
26921 The pre-defined function @code{gdb.default_visualizer} may be used to
26922 select a visualizer by following the built-in process
26923 (@pxref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}). This is done automatically when
26924 a varobj is created, and so ordinarily is not needed.
26925
26926 This feature is only available if Python support is enabled. The MI
26927 command @code{-list-features} (@pxref{GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands})
26928 can be used to check this.
26929
26930 @subsubheading Example
26931
26932 Resetting the visualizer:
26933
26934 @smallexample
26935 (gdb)
26936 -var-set-visualizer V None
26937 ^done
26938 @end smallexample
26939
26940 Reselecting the default (type-based) visualizer:
26941
26942 @smallexample
26943 (gdb)
26944 -var-set-visualizer V gdb.default_visualizer
26945 ^done
26946 @end smallexample
26947
26948 Suppose @code{SomeClass} is a visualizer class. A lambda expression
26949 can be used to instantiate this class for a varobj:
26950
26951 @smallexample
26952 (gdb)
26953 -var-set-visualizer V "lambda val: SomeClass()"
26954 ^done
26955 @end smallexample
26956
26957 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26958 @node GDB/MI Data Manipulation
26959 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Data Manipulation
26960
26961 @cindex data manipulation, in @sc{gdb/mi}
26962 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, data manipulation
26963 This section describes the @sc{gdb/mi} commands that manipulate data:
26964 examine memory and registers, evaluate expressions, etc.
26965
26966 @c REMOVED FROM THE INTERFACE.
26967 @c @subheading -data-assign
26968 @c Change the value of a program variable. Plenty of side effects.
26969 @c @subsubheading GDB Command
26970 @c set variable
26971 @c @subsubheading Example
26972 @c N.A.
26973
26974 @subheading The @code{-data-disassemble} Command
26975 @findex -data-disassemble
26976
26977 @subsubheading Synopsis
26978
26979 @smallexample
26980 -data-disassemble
26981 [ -s @var{start-addr} -e @var{end-addr} ]
26982 | [ -f @var{filename} -l @var{linenum} [ -n @var{lines} ] ]
26983 -- @var{mode}
26984 @end smallexample
26985
26986 @noindent
26987 Where:
26988
26989 @table @samp
26990 @item @var{start-addr}
26991 is the beginning address (or @code{$pc})
26992 @item @var{end-addr}
26993 is the end address
26994 @item @var{filename}
26995 is the name of the file to disassemble
26996 @item @var{linenum}
26997 is the line number to disassemble around
26998 @item @var{lines}
26999 is the number of disassembly lines to be produced. If it is -1,
27000 the whole function will be disassembled, in case no @var{end-addr} is
27001 specified. If @var{end-addr} is specified as a non-zero value, and
27002 @var{lines} is lower than the number of disassembly lines between
27003 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only @var{lines} lines are
27004 displayed; if @var{lines} is higher than the number of lines between
27005 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only the lines up to @var{end-addr}
27006 are displayed.
27007 @item @var{mode}
27008 is either 0 (meaning only disassembly) or 1 (meaning mixed source and
27009 disassembly).
27010 @end table
27011
27012 @subsubheading Result
27013
27014 The output for each instruction is composed of four fields:
27015
27016 @itemize @bullet
27017 @item Address
27018 @item Func-name
27019 @item Offset
27020 @item Instruction
27021 @end itemize
27022
27023 Note that whatever included in the instruction field, is not manipulated
27024 directly by @sc{gdb/mi}, i.e., it is not possible to adjust its format.
27025
27026 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27027
27028 There's no direct mapping from this command to the CLI.
27029
27030 @subsubheading Example
27031
27032 Disassemble from the current value of @code{$pc} to @code{$pc + 20}:
27033
27034 @smallexample
27035 (gdb)
27036 -data-disassemble -s $pc -e "$pc + 20" -- 0
27037 ^done,
27038 asm_insns=[
27039 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
27040 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
27041 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
27042 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
27043 @{address="0x000107c8",func-name="main",offset="12",
27044 inst="or %o2, 0x140, %o1\t! 0x11940 <_lib_version+8>"@},
27045 @{address="0x000107cc",func-name="main",offset="16",
27046 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
27047 @{address="0x000107d0",func-name="main",offset="20",
27048 inst="or %o2, 0x168, %o4\t! 0x11968 <_lib_version+48>"@}]
27049 (gdb)
27050 @end smallexample
27051
27052 Disassemble the whole @code{main} function. Line 32 is part of
27053 @code{main}.
27054
27055 @smallexample
27056 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -- 0
27057 ^done,asm_insns=[
27058 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
27059 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
27060 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
27061 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
27062 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
27063 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
27064 [@dots{}]
27065 @{address="0x0001081c",func-name="main",offset="96",inst="ret "@},
27066 @{address="0x00010820",func-name="main",offset="100",inst="restore "@}]
27067 (gdb)
27068 @end smallexample
27069
27070 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main}:
27071
27072 @smallexample
27073 (gdb)
27074 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 0
27075 ^done,asm_insns=[
27076 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
27077 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
27078 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
27079 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
27080 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
27081 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]
27082 (gdb)
27083 @end smallexample
27084
27085 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main} in mixed mode:
27086
27087 @smallexample
27088 (gdb)
27089 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 1
27090 ^done,asm_insns=[
27091 src_and_asm_line=@{line="31",
27092 file="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb/ \
27093 testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line_asm_insn=[
27094 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
27095 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@}]@},
27096 src_and_asm_line=@{line="32",
27097 file="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb/ \
27098 testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line_asm_insn=[
27099 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
27100 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
27101 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
27102 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]@}]
27103 (gdb)
27104 @end smallexample
27105
27106
27107 @subheading The @code{-data-evaluate-expression} Command
27108 @findex -data-evaluate-expression
27109
27110 @subsubheading Synopsis
27111
27112 @smallexample
27113 -data-evaluate-expression @var{expr}
27114 @end smallexample
27115
27116 Evaluate @var{expr} as an expression. The expression could contain an
27117 inferior function call. The function call will execute synchronously.
27118 If the expression contains spaces, it must be enclosed in double quotes.
27119
27120 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27121
27122 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{print}, @samp{output}, and
27123 @samp{call}. In @code{gdbtk} only, there's a corresponding
27124 @samp{gdb_eval} command.
27125
27126 @subsubheading Example
27127
27128 In the following example, the numbers that precede the commands are the
27129 @dfn{tokens} described in @ref{GDB/MI Command Syntax, ,@sc{gdb/mi}
27130 Command Syntax}. Notice how @sc{gdb/mi} returns the same tokens in its
27131 output.
27132
27133 @smallexample
27134 211-data-evaluate-expression A
27135 211^done,value="1"
27136 (gdb)
27137 311-data-evaluate-expression &A
27138 311^done,value="0xefffeb7c"
27139 (gdb)
27140 411-data-evaluate-expression A+3
27141 411^done,value="4"
27142 (gdb)
27143 511-data-evaluate-expression "A + 3"
27144 511^done,value="4"
27145 (gdb)
27146 @end smallexample
27147
27148
27149 @subheading The @code{-data-list-changed-registers} Command
27150 @findex -data-list-changed-registers
27151
27152 @subsubheading Synopsis
27153
27154 @smallexample
27155 -data-list-changed-registers
27156 @end smallexample
27157
27158 Display a list of the registers that have changed.
27159
27160 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27161
27162 @value{GDBN} doesn't have a direct analog for this command; @code{gdbtk}
27163 has the corresponding command @samp{gdb_changed_register_list}.
27164
27165 @subsubheading Example
27166
27167 On a PPC MBX board:
27168
27169 @smallexample
27170 (gdb)
27171 -exec-continue
27172 ^running
27173
27174 (gdb)
27175 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",frame=@{
27176 func="main",args=[],file="try.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",
27177 line="5"@}
27178 (gdb)
27179 -data-list-changed-registers
27180 ^done,changed-registers=["0","1","2","4","5","6","7","8","9",
27181 "10","11","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23",
27182 "24","25","26","27","28","30","31","64","65","66","67","69"]
27183 (gdb)
27184 @end smallexample
27185
27186
27187 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-names} Command
27188 @findex -data-list-register-names
27189
27190 @subsubheading Synopsis
27191
27192 @smallexample
27193 -data-list-register-names [ ( @var{regno} )+ ]
27194 @end smallexample
27195
27196 Show a list of register names for the current target. If no arguments
27197 are given, it shows a list of the names of all the registers. If
27198 integer numbers are given as arguments, it will print a list of the
27199 names of the registers corresponding to the arguments. To ensure
27200 consistency between a register name and its number, the output list may
27201 include empty register names.
27202
27203 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27204
27205 @value{GDBN} does not have a command which corresponds to
27206 @samp{-data-list-register-names}. In @code{gdbtk} there is a
27207 corresponding command @samp{gdb_regnames}.
27208
27209 @subsubheading Example
27210
27211 For the PPC MBX board:
27212 @smallexample
27213 (gdb)
27214 -data-list-register-names
27215 ^done,register-names=["r0","r1","r2","r3","r4","r5","r6","r7",
27216 "r8","r9","r10","r11","r12","r13","r14","r15","r16","r17","r18",
27217 "r19","r20","r21","r22","r23","r24","r25","r26","r27","r28","r29",
27218 "r30","r31","f0","f1","f2","f3","f4","f5","f6","f7","f8","f9",
27219 "f10","f11","f12","f13","f14","f15","f16","f17","f18","f19","f20",
27220 "f21","f22","f23","f24","f25","f26","f27","f28","f29","f30","f31",
27221 "", "pc","ps","cr","lr","ctr","xer"]
27222 (gdb)
27223 -data-list-register-names 1 2 3
27224 ^done,register-names=["r1","r2","r3"]
27225 (gdb)
27226 @end smallexample
27227
27228 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-values} Command
27229 @findex -data-list-register-values
27230
27231 @subsubheading Synopsis
27232
27233 @smallexample
27234 -data-list-register-values @var{fmt} [ ( @var{regno} )*]
27235 @end smallexample
27236
27237 Display the registers' contents. @var{fmt} is the format according to
27238 which the registers' contents are to be returned, followed by an optional
27239 list of numbers specifying the registers to display. A missing list of
27240 numbers indicates that the contents of all the registers must be returned.
27241
27242 Allowed formats for @var{fmt} are:
27243
27244 @table @code
27245 @item x
27246 Hexadecimal
27247 @item o
27248 Octal
27249 @item t
27250 Binary
27251 @item d
27252 Decimal
27253 @item r
27254 Raw
27255 @item N
27256 Natural
27257 @end table
27258
27259 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27260
27261 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{info reg}, @samp{info
27262 all-reg}, and (in @code{gdbtk}) @samp{gdb_fetch_registers}.
27263
27264 @subsubheading Example
27265
27266 For a PPC MBX board (note: line breaks are for readability only, they
27267 don't appear in the actual output):
27268
27269 @smallexample
27270 (gdb)
27271 -data-list-register-values r 64 65
27272 ^done,register-values=[@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
27273 @{number="65",value="0x00029002"@}]
27274 (gdb)
27275 -data-list-register-values x
27276 ^done,register-values=[@{number="0",value="0xfe0043c8"@},
27277 @{number="1",value="0x3fff88"@},@{number="2",value="0xfffffffe"@},
27278 @{number="3",value="0x0"@},@{number="4",value="0xa"@},
27279 @{number="5",value="0x3fff68"@},@{number="6",value="0x3fff58"@},
27280 @{number="7",value="0xfe011e98"@},@{number="8",value="0x2"@},
27281 @{number="9",value="0xfa202820"@},@{number="10",value="0xfa202808"@},
27282 @{number="11",value="0x1"@},@{number="12",value="0x0"@},
27283 @{number="13",value="0x4544"@},@{number="14",value="0xffdfffff"@},
27284 @{number="15",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="16",value="0xfffffeff"@},
27285 @{number="17",value="0xefffffed"@},@{number="18",value="0xfffffffe"@},
27286 @{number="19",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="20",value="0xffffffff"@},
27287 @{number="21",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="22",value="0xfffffff7"@},
27288 @{number="23",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="24",value="0xffffffff"@},
27289 @{number="25",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="26",value="0xfffffffb"@},
27290 @{number="27",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="28",value="0xf7bfffff"@},
27291 @{number="29",value="0x0"@},@{number="30",value="0xfe010000"@},
27292 @{number="31",value="0x0"@},@{number="32",value="0x0"@},
27293 @{number="33",value="0x0"@},@{number="34",value="0x0"@},
27294 @{number="35",value="0x0"@},@{number="36",value="0x0"@},
27295 @{number="37",value="0x0"@},@{number="38",value="0x0"@},
27296 @{number="39",value="0x0"@},@{number="40",value="0x0"@},
27297 @{number="41",value="0x0"@},@{number="42",value="0x0"@},
27298 @{number="43",value="0x0"@},@{number="44",value="0x0"@},
27299 @{number="45",value="0x0"@},@{number="46",value="0x0"@},
27300 @{number="47",value="0x0"@},@{number="48",value="0x0"@},
27301 @{number="49",value="0x0"@},@{number="50",value="0x0"@},
27302 @{number="51",value="0x0"@},@{number="52",value="0x0"@},
27303 @{number="53",value="0x0"@},@{number="54",value="0x0"@},
27304 @{number="55",value="0x0"@},@{number="56",value="0x0"@},
27305 @{number="57",value="0x0"@},@{number="58",value="0x0"@},
27306 @{number="59",value="0x0"@},@{number="60",value="0x0"@},
27307 @{number="61",value="0x0"@},@{number="62",value="0x0"@},
27308 @{number="63",value="0x0"@},@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
27309 @{number="65",value="0x29002"@},@{number="66",value="0x202f04b5"@},
27310 @{number="67",value="0xfe0043b0"@},@{number="68",value="0xfe00b3e4"@},
27311 @{number="69",value="0x20002b03"@}]
27312 (gdb)
27313 @end smallexample
27314
27315
27316 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory} Command
27317 @findex -data-read-memory
27318
27319 @subsubheading Synopsis
27320
27321 @smallexample
27322 -data-read-memory [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
27323 @var{address} @var{word-format} @var{word-size}
27324 @var{nr-rows} @var{nr-cols} [ @var{aschar} ]
27325 @end smallexample
27326
27327 @noindent
27328 where:
27329
27330 @table @samp
27331 @item @var{address}
27332 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
27333 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
27334 quoted using the C convention.
27335
27336 @item @var{word-format}
27337 The format to be used to print the memory words. The notation is the
27338 same as for @value{GDBN}'s @code{print} command (@pxref{Output Formats,
27339 ,Output Formats}).
27340
27341 @item @var{word-size}
27342 The size of each memory word in bytes.
27343
27344 @item @var{nr-rows}
27345 The number of rows in the output table.
27346
27347 @item @var{nr-cols}
27348 The number of columns in the output table.
27349
27350 @item @var{aschar}
27351 If present, indicates that each row should include an @sc{ascii} dump. The
27352 value of @var{aschar} is used as a padding character when a byte is not a
27353 member of the printable @sc{ascii} character set (printable @sc{ascii}
27354 characters are those whose code is between 32 and 126, inclusively).
27355
27356 @item @var{byte-offset}
27357 An offset to add to the @var{address} before fetching memory.
27358 @end table
27359
27360 This command displays memory contents as a table of @var{nr-rows} by
27361 @var{nr-cols} words, each word being @var{word-size} bytes. In total,
27362 @code{@var{nr-rows} * @var{nr-cols} * @var{word-size}} bytes are read
27363 (returned as @samp{total-bytes}). Should less than the requested number
27364 of bytes be returned by the target, the missing words are identified
27365 using @samp{N/A}. The number of bytes read from the target is returned
27366 in @samp{nr-bytes} and the starting address used to read memory in
27367 @samp{addr}.
27368
27369 The address of the next/previous row or page is available in
27370 @samp{next-row} and @samp{prev-row}, @samp{next-page} and
27371 @samp{prev-page}.
27372
27373 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27374
27375 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}. @code{gdbtk} has
27376 @samp{gdb_get_mem} memory read command.
27377
27378 @subsubheading Example
27379
27380 Read six bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+6} but then offset by
27381 @code{-6} bytes. Format as three rows of two columns. One byte per
27382 word. Display each word in hex.
27383
27384 @smallexample
27385 (gdb)
27386 9-data-read-memory -o -6 -- bytes+6 x 1 3 2
27387 9^done,addr="0x00001390",nr-bytes="6",total-bytes="6",
27388 next-row="0x00001396",prev-row="0x0000138e",next-page="0x00001396",
27389 prev-page="0x0000138a",memory=[
27390 @{addr="0x00001390",data=["0x00","0x01"]@},
27391 @{addr="0x00001392",data=["0x02","0x03"]@},
27392 @{addr="0x00001394",data=["0x04","0x05"]@}]
27393 (gdb)
27394 @end smallexample
27395
27396 Read two bytes of memory starting at address @code{shorts + 64} and
27397 display as a single word formatted in decimal.
27398
27399 @smallexample
27400 (gdb)
27401 5-data-read-memory shorts+64 d 2 1 1
27402 5^done,addr="0x00001510",nr-bytes="2",total-bytes="2",
27403 next-row="0x00001512",prev-row="0x0000150e",
27404 next-page="0x00001512",prev-page="0x0000150e",memory=[
27405 @{addr="0x00001510",data=["128"]@}]
27406 (gdb)
27407 @end smallexample
27408
27409 Read thirty two bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+16} and format
27410 as eight rows of four columns. Include a string encoding with @samp{x}
27411 used as the non-printable character.
27412
27413 @smallexample
27414 (gdb)
27415 4-data-read-memory bytes+16 x 1 8 4 x
27416 4^done,addr="0x000013a0",nr-bytes="32",total-bytes="32",
27417 next-row="0x000013c0",prev-row="0x0000139c",
27418 next-page="0x000013c0",prev-page="0x00001380",memory=[
27419 @{addr="0x000013a0",data=["0x10","0x11","0x12","0x13"],ascii="xxxx"@},
27420 @{addr="0x000013a4",data=["0x14","0x15","0x16","0x17"],ascii="xxxx"@},
27421 @{addr="0x000013a8",data=["0x18","0x19","0x1a","0x1b"],ascii="xxxx"@},
27422 @{addr="0x000013ac",data=["0x1c","0x1d","0x1e","0x1f"],ascii="xxxx"@},
27423 @{addr="0x000013b0",data=["0x20","0x21","0x22","0x23"],ascii=" !\"#"@},
27424 @{addr="0x000013b4",data=["0x24","0x25","0x26","0x27"],ascii="$%&'"@},
27425 @{addr="0x000013b8",data=["0x28","0x29","0x2a","0x2b"],ascii="()*+"@},
27426 @{addr="0x000013bc",data=["0x2c","0x2d","0x2e","0x2f"],ascii=",-./"@}]
27427 (gdb)
27428 @end smallexample
27429
27430 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27431 @node GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands
27432 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Tracepoint Commands
27433
27434 The commands defined in this section implement MI support for
27435 tracepoints. For detailed introduction, see @ref{Tracepoints}.
27436
27437 @subheading The @code{-trace-find} Command
27438 @findex -trace-find
27439
27440 @subsubheading Synopsis
27441
27442 @smallexample
27443 -trace-find @var{mode} [@var{parameters}@dots{}]
27444 @end smallexample
27445
27446 Find a trace frame using criteria defined by @var{mode} and
27447 @var{parameters}. The following table lists permissible
27448 modes and their parameters. For details of operation, see @ref{tfind}.
27449
27450 @table @samp
27451
27452 @item none
27453 No parameters are required. Stops examining trace frames.
27454
27455 @item frame-number
27456 An integer is required as parameter. Selects tracepoint frame with
27457 that index.
27458
27459 @item tracepoint-number
27460 An integer is required as parameter. Finds next
27461 trace frame that corresponds to tracepoint with the specified number.
27462
27463 @item pc
27464 An address is required as parameter. Finds
27465 next trace frame that corresponds to any tracepoint at the specified
27466 address.
27467
27468 @item pc-inside-range
27469 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds next trace
27470 frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address inside the
27471 specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
27472
27473 @item pc-outside-range
27474 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds
27475 next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address outside
27476 the specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
27477
27478 @item line
27479 Line specification is required as parameter. @xref{Specify Location}.
27480 Finds next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at
27481 the specified location.
27482
27483 @end table
27484
27485 If @samp{none} was passed as @var{mode}, the response does not
27486 have fields. Otherwise, the response may have the following fields:
27487
27488 @table @samp
27489 @item found
27490 This field has either @samp{0} or @samp{1} as the value, depending
27491 on whether a matching tracepoint was found.
27492
27493 @item traceframe
27494 The index of the found traceframe. This field is present iff
27495 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
27496
27497 @item tracepoint
27498 The index of the found tracepoint. This field is present iff
27499 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
27500
27501 @item frame
27502 The information about the frame corresponding to the found trace
27503 frame. This field is present only if a trace frame was found.
27504 @xref{GDB/MI Frame Information}, for description of this field.
27505
27506 @end table
27507
27508 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27509
27510 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tfind}.
27511
27512 @subheading -trace-define-variable
27513 @findex -trace-define-variable
27514
27515 @subsubheading Synopsis
27516
27517 @smallexample
27518 -trace-define-variable @var{name} [ @var{value} ]
27519 @end smallexample
27520
27521 Create trace variable @var{name} if it does not exist. If
27522 @var{value} is specified, sets the initial value of the specified
27523 trace variable to that value. Note that the @var{name} should start
27524 with the @samp{$} character.
27525
27526 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27527
27528 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariable}.
27529
27530 @subheading -trace-list-variables
27531 @findex -trace-list-variables
27532
27533 @subsubheading Synopsis
27534
27535 @smallexample
27536 -trace-list-variables
27537 @end smallexample
27538
27539 Return a table of all defined trace variables. Each element of the
27540 table has the following fields:
27541
27542 @table @samp
27543 @item name
27544 The name of the trace variable. This field is always present.
27545
27546 @item initial
27547 The initial value. This is a 64-bit signed integer. This
27548 field is always present.
27549
27550 @item current
27551 The value the trace variable has at the moment. This is a 64-bit
27552 signed integer. This field is absent iff current value is
27553 not defined, for example if the trace was never run, or is
27554 presently running.
27555
27556 @end table
27557
27558 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27559
27560 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariables}.
27561
27562 @subsubheading Example
27563
27564 @smallexample
27565 (gdb)
27566 -trace-list-variables
27567 ^done,trace-variables=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="3",
27568 hdr=[@{width="15",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
27569 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="initial",colhdr="Initial"@},
27570 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr="Current"@}],
27571 body=[variable=@{name="$trace_timestamp",initial="0"@}
27572 variable=@{name="$foo",initial="10",current="15"@}]@}
27573 (gdb)
27574 @end smallexample
27575
27576 @subheading -trace-save
27577 @findex -trace-save
27578
27579 @subsubheading Synopsis
27580
27581 @smallexample
27582 -trace-save [-r ] @var{filename}
27583 @end smallexample
27584
27585 Saves the collected trace data to @var{filename}. Without the
27586 @samp{-r} option, the data is downloaded from the target and saved
27587 in a local file. With the @samp{-r} option the target is asked
27588 to perform the save.
27589
27590 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27591
27592 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tsave}.
27593
27594
27595 @subheading -trace-start
27596 @findex -trace-start
27597
27598 @subsubheading Synopsis
27599
27600 @smallexample
27601 -trace-start
27602 @end smallexample
27603
27604 Starts a tracing experiments. The result of this command does not
27605 have any fields.
27606
27607 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27608
27609 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstart}.
27610
27611 @subheading -trace-status
27612 @findex -trace-status
27613
27614 @subsubheading Synopsis
27615
27616 @smallexample
27617 -trace-status
27618 @end smallexample
27619
27620 Obtains the status of a tracing experiment. The result may include
27621 the following fields:
27622
27623 @table @samp
27624
27625 @item supported
27626 May have a value of either @samp{0}, when no tracing operations are
27627 supported, @samp{1}, when all tracing operations are supported, or
27628 @samp{file} when examining trace file. In the latter case, examining
27629 of trace frame is possible but new tracing experiement cannot be
27630 started. This field is always present.
27631
27632 @item running
27633 May have a value of either @samp{0} or @samp{1} depending on whether
27634 tracing experiement is in progress on target. This field is present
27635 if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
27636
27637 @item stop-reason
27638 Report the reason why the tracing was stopped last time. This field
27639 may be absent iff tracing was never stopped on target yet. The
27640 value of @samp{request} means the tracing was stopped as result of
27641 the @code{-trace-stop} command. The value of @samp{overflow} means
27642 the tracing buffer is full. The value of @samp{disconnection} means
27643 tracing was automatically stopped when @value{GDBN} has disconnected.
27644 The value of @samp{passcount} means tracing was stopped when a
27645 tracepoint was passed a maximal number of times for that tracepoint.
27646 This field is present if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
27647
27648 @item stopping-tracepoint
27649 The number of tracepoint whose passcount as exceeded. This field is
27650 present iff the @samp{stop-reason} field has the value of
27651 @samp{passcount}.
27652
27653 @item frames
27654 @itemx frames-created
27655 The @samp{frames} field is a count of the total number of trace frames
27656 in the trace buffer, while @samp{frames-created} is the total created
27657 during the run, including ones that were discarded, such as when a
27658 circular trace buffer filled up. Both fields are optional.
27659
27660 @item buffer-size
27661 @itemx buffer-free
27662 These fields tell the current size of the tracing buffer and the
27663 remaining space. These fields are optional.
27664
27665 @item circular
27666 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
27667 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
27668 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
27669 and may fill up.
27670
27671 @item disconnected
27672 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
27673 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
27674 that the trace run will stop.
27675
27676 @end table
27677
27678 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27679
27680 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstatus}.
27681
27682 @subheading -trace-stop
27683 @findex -trace-stop
27684
27685 @subsubheading Synopsis
27686
27687 @smallexample
27688 -trace-stop
27689 @end smallexample
27690
27691 Stops a tracing experiment. The result of this command has the same
27692 fields as @code{-trace-status}, except that the @samp{supported} and
27693 @samp{running} fields are not output.
27694
27695 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27696
27697 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstop}.
27698
27699
27700 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27701 @node GDB/MI Symbol Query
27702 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Symbol Query Commands
27703
27704
27705 @ignore
27706 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-address} Command
27707 @findex -symbol-info-address
27708
27709 @subsubheading Synopsis
27710
27711 @smallexample
27712 -symbol-info-address @var{symbol}
27713 @end smallexample
27714
27715 Describe where @var{symbol} is stored.
27716
27717 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27718
27719 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info address}.
27720
27721 @subsubheading Example
27722 N.A.
27723
27724
27725 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-file} Command
27726 @findex -symbol-info-file
27727
27728 @subsubheading Synopsis
27729
27730 @smallexample
27731 -symbol-info-file
27732 @end smallexample
27733
27734 Show the file for the symbol.
27735
27736 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27737
27738 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command. @code{gdbtk} has
27739 @samp{gdb_find_file}.
27740
27741 @subsubheading Example
27742 N.A.
27743
27744
27745 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-function} Command
27746 @findex -symbol-info-function
27747
27748 @subsubheading Synopsis
27749
27750 @smallexample
27751 -symbol-info-function
27752 @end smallexample
27753
27754 Show which function the symbol lives in.
27755
27756 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27757
27758 @samp{gdb_get_function} in @code{gdbtk}.
27759
27760 @subsubheading Example
27761 N.A.
27762
27763
27764 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-line} Command
27765 @findex -symbol-info-line
27766
27767 @subsubheading Synopsis
27768
27769 @smallexample
27770 -symbol-info-line
27771 @end smallexample
27772
27773 Show the core addresses of the code for a source line.
27774
27775 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27776
27777 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info line}.
27778 @code{gdbtk} has the @samp{gdb_get_line} and @samp{gdb_get_file} commands.
27779
27780 @subsubheading Example
27781 N.A.
27782
27783
27784 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-symbol} Command
27785 @findex -symbol-info-symbol
27786
27787 @subsubheading Synopsis
27788
27789 @smallexample
27790 -symbol-info-symbol @var{addr}
27791 @end smallexample
27792
27793 Describe what symbol is at location @var{addr}.
27794
27795 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27796
27797 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info symbol}.
27798
27799 @subsubheading Example
27800 N.A.
27801
27802
27803 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-functions} Command
27804 @findex -symbol-list-functions
27805
27806 @subsubheading Synopsis
27807
27808 @smallexample
27809 -symbol-list-functions
27810 @end smallexample
27811
27812 List the functions in the executable.
27813
27814 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27815
27816 @samp{info functions} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_listfunc} and
27817 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
27818
27819 @subsubheading Example
27820 N.A.
27821 @end ignore
27822
27823
27824 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-lines} Command
27825 @findex -symbol-list-lines
27826
27827 @subsubheading Synopsis
27828
27829 @smallexample
27830 -symbol-list-lines @var{filename}
27831 @end smallexample
27832
27833 Print the list of lines that contain code and their associated program
27834 addresses for the given source filename. The entries are sorted in
27835 ascending PC order.
27836
27837 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27838
27839 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
27840
27841 @subsubheading Example
27842 @smallexample
27843 (gdb)
27844 -symbol-list-lines basics.c
27845 ^done,lines=[@{pc="0x08048554",line="7"@},@{pc="0x0804855a",line="8"@}]
27846 (gdb)
27847 @end smallexample
27848
27849
27850 @ignore
27851 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-types} Command
27852 @findex -symbol-list-types
27853
27854 @subsubheading Synopsis
27855
27856 @smallexample
27857 -symbol-list-types
27858 @end smallexample
27859
27860 List all the type names.
27861
27862 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27863
27864 The corresponding commands are @samp{info types} in @value{GDBN},
27865 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
27866
27867 @subsubheading Example
27868 N.A.
27869
27870
27871 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-variables} Command
27872 @findex -symbol-list-variables
27873
27874 @subsubheading Synopsis
27875
27876 @smallexample
27877 -symbol-list-variables
27878 @end smallexample
27879
27880 List all the global and static variable names.
27881
27882 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27883
27884 @samp{info variables} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
27885
27886 @subsubheading Example
27887 N.A.
27888
27889
27890 @subheading The @code{-symbol-locate} Command
27891 @findex -symbol-locate
27892
27893 @subsubheading Synopsis
27894
27895 @smallexample
27896 -symbol-locate
27897 @end smallexample
27898
27899 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27900
27901 @samp{gdb_loc} in @code{gdbtk}.
27902
27903 @subsubheading Example
27904 N.A.
27905
27906
27907 @subheading The @code{-symbol-type} Command
27908 @findex -symbol-type
27909
27910 @subsubheading Synopsis
27911
27912 @smallexample
27913 -symbol-type @var{variable}
27914 @end smallexample
27915
27916 Show type of @var{variable}.
27917
27918 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27919
27920 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ptype}, @code{gdbtk} has
27921 @samp{gdb_obj_variable}.
27922
27923 @subsubheading Example
27924 N.A.
27925 @end ignore
27926
27927
27928 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27929 @node GDB/MI File Commands
27930 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Commands
27931
27932 This section describes the GDB/MI commands to specify executable file names
27933 and to read in and obtain symbol table information.
27934
27935 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-and-symbols} Command
27936 @findex -file-exec-and-symbols
27937
27938 @subsubheading Synopsis
27939
27940 @smallexample
27941 -file-exec-and-symbols @var{file}
27942 @end smallexample
27943
27944 Specify the executable file to be debugged. This file is the one from
27945 which the symbol table is also read. If no file is specified, the
27946 command clears the executable and symbol information. If breakpoints
27947 are set when using this command with no arguments, @value{GDBN} will produce
27948 error messages. Otherwise, no output is produced, except a completion
27949 notification.
27950
27951 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27952
27953 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{file}.
27954
27955 @subsubheading Example
27956
27957 @smallexample
27958 (gdb)
27959 -file-exec-and-symbols /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
27960 ^done
27961 (gdb)
27962 @end smallexample
27963
27964
27965 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-file} Command
27966 @findex -file-exec-file
27967
27968 @subsubheading Synopsis
27969
27970 @smallexample
27971 -file-exec-file @var{file}
27972 @end smallexample
27973
27974 Specify the executable file to be debugged. Unlike
27975 @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols}, the symbol table is @emph{not} read
27976 from this file. If used without argument, @value{GDBN} clears the information
27977 about the executable file. No output is produced, except a completion
27978 notification.
27979
27980 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27981
27982 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{exec-file}.
27983
27984 @subsubheading Example
27985
27986 @smallexample
27987 (gdb)
27988 -file-exec-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
27989 ^done
27990 (gdb)
27991 @end smallexample
27992
27993
27994 @ignore
27995 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-sections} Command
27996 @findex -file-list-exec-sections
27997
27998 @subsubheading Synopsis
27999
28000 @smallexample
28001 -file-list-exec-sections
28002 @end smallexample
28003
28004 List the sections of the current executable file.
28005
28006 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28007
28008 The @value{GDBN} command @samp{info file} shows, among the rest, the same
28009 information as this command. @code{gdbtk} has a corresponding command
28010 @samp{gdb_load_info}.
28011
28012 @subsubheading Example
28013 N.A.
28014 @end ignore
28015
28016
28017 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-file} Command
28018 @findex -file-list-exec-source-file
28019
28020 @subsubheading Synopsis
28021
28022 @smallexample
28023 -file-list-exec-source-file
28024 @end smallexample
28025
28026 List the line number, the current source file, and the absolute path
28027 to the current source file for the current executable. The macro
28028 information field has a value of @samp{1} or @samp{0} depending on
28029 whether or not the file includes preprocessor macro information.
28030
28031 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28032
28033 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info source}
28034
28035 @subsubheading Example
28036
28037 @smallexample
28038 (gdb)
28039 123-file-list-exec-source-file
28040 123^done,line="1",file="foo.c",fullname="/home/bar/foo.c,macro-info="1"
28041 (gdb)
28042 @end smallexample
28043
28044
28045 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-files} Command
28046 @findex -file-list-exec-source-files
28047
28048 @subsubheading Synopsis
28049
28050 @smallexample
28051 -file-list-exec-source-files
28052 @end smallexample
28053
28054 List the source files for the current executable.
28055
28056 It will always output the filename, but only when @value{GDBN} can find
28057 the absolute file name of a source file, will it output the fullname.
28058
28059 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28060
28061 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info sources}.
28062 @code{gdbtk} has an analogous command @samp{gdb_listfiles}.
28063
28064 @subsubheading Example
28065 @smallexample
28066 (gdb)
28067 -file-list-exec-source-files
28068 ^done,files=[
28069 @{file=foo.c,fullname=/home/foo.c@},
28070 @{file=/home/bar.c,fullname=/home/bar.c@},
28071 @{file=gdb_could_not_find_fullpath.c@}]
28072 (gdb)
28073 @end smallexample
28074
28075 @ignore
28076 @subheading The @code{-file-list-shared-libraries} Command
28077 @findex -file-list-shared-libraries
28078
28079 @subsubheading Synopsis
28080
28081 @smallexample
28082 -file-list-shared-libraries
28083 @end smallexample
28084
28085 List the shared libraries in the program.
28086
28087 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28088
28089 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info shared}.
28090
28091 @subsubheading Example
28092 N.A.
28093
28094
28095 @subheading The @code{-file-list-symbol-files} Command
28096 @findex -file-list-symbol-files
28097
28098 @subsubheading Synopsis
28099
28100 @smallexample
28101 -file-list-symbol-files
28102 @end smallexample
28103
28104 List symbol files.
28105
28106 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28107
28108 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info file} (part of it).
28109
28110 @subsubheading Example
28111 N.A.
28112 @end ignore
28113
28114
28115 @subheading The @code{-file-symbol-file} Command
28116 @findex -file-symbol-file
28117
28118 @subsubheading Synopsis
28119
28120 @smallexample
28121 -file-symbol-file @var{file}
28122 @end smallexample
28123
28124 Read symbol table info from the specified @var{file} argument. When
28125 used without arguments, clears @value{GDBN}'s symbol table info. No output is
28126 produced, except for a completion notification.
28127
28128 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28129
28130 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{symbol-file}.
28131
28132 @subsubheading Example
28133
28134 @smallexample
28135 (gdb)
28136 -file-symbol-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
28137 ^done
28138 (gdb)
28139 @end smallexample
28140
28141 @ignore
28142 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28143 @node GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands
28144 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Memory Overlay Commands
28145
28146 The memory overlay commands are not implemented.
28147
28148 @c @subheading -overlay-auto
28149
28150 @c @subheading -overlay-list-mapping-state
28151
28152 @c @subheading -overlay-list-overlays
28153
28154 @c @subheading -overlay-map
28155
28156 @c @subheading -overlay-off
28157
28158 @c @subheading -overlay-on
28159
28160 @c @subheading -overlay-unmap
28161
28162 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28163 @node GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands
28164 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Signal Handling Commands
28165
28166 Signal handling commands are not implemented.
28167
28168 @c @subheading -signal-handle
28169
28170 @c @subheading -signal-list-handle-actions
28171
28172 @c @subheading -signal-list-signal-types
28173 @end ignore
28174
28175
28176 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28177 @node GDB/MI Target Manipulation
28178 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Target Manipulation Commands
28179
28180
28181 @subheading The @code{-target-attach} Command
28182 @findex -target-attach
28183
28184 @subsubheading Synopsis
28185
28186 @smallexample
28187 -target-attach @var{pid} | @var{gid} | @var{file}
28188 @end smallexample
28189
28190 Attach to a process @var{pid} or a file @var{file} outside of
28191 @value{GDBN}, or a thread group @var{gid}. If attaching to a thread
28192 group, the id previously returned by
28193 @samp{-list-thread-groups --available} must be used.
28194
28195 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28196
28197 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{attach}.
28198
28199 @subsubheading Example
28200 @smallexample
28201 (gdb)
28202 -target-attach 34
28203 =thread-created,id="1"
28204 *stopped,thread-id="1",frame=@{addr="0xb7f7e410",func="bar",args=[]@}
28205 ^done
28206 (gdb)
28207 @end smallexample
28208
28209 @ignore
28210 @subheading The @code{-target-compare-sections} Command
28211 @findex -target-compare-sections
28212
28213 @subsubheading Synopsis
28214
28215 @smallexample
28216 -target-compare-sections [ @var{section} ]
28217 @end smallexample
28218
28219 Compare data of section @var{section} on target to the exec file.
28220 Without the argument, all sections are compared.
28221
28222 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28223
28224 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{compare-sections}.
28225
28226 @subsubheading Example
28227 N.A.
28228 @end ignore
28229
28230
28231 @subheading The @code{-target-detach} Command
28232 @findex -target-detach
28233
28234 @subsubheading Synopsis
28235
28236 @smallexample
28237 -target-detach [ @var{pid} | @var{gid} ]
28238 @end smallexample
28239
28240 Detach from the remote target which normally resumes its execution.
28241 If either @var{pid} or @var{gid} is specified, detaches from either
28242 the specified process, or specified thread group. There's no output.
28243
28244 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28245
28246 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{detach}.
28247
28248 @subsubheading Example
28249
28250 @smallexample
28251 (gdb)
28252 -target-detach
28253 ^done
28254 (gdb)
28255 @end smallexample
28256
28257
28258 @subheading The @code{-target-disconnect} Command
28259 @findex -target-disconnect
28260
28261 @subsubheading Synopsis
28262
28263 @smallexample
28264 -target-disconnect
28265 @end smallexample
28266
28267 Disconnect from the remote target. There's no output and the target is
28268 generally not resumed.
28269
28270 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28271
28272 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disconnect}.
28273
28274 @subsubheading Example
28275
28276 @smallexample
28277 (gdb)
28278 -target-disconnect
28279 ^done
28280 (gdb)
28281 @end smallexample
28282
28283
28284 @subheading The @code{-target-download} Command
28285 @findex -target-download
28286
28287 @subsubheading Synopsis
28288
28289 @smallexample
28290 -target-download
28291 @end smallexample
28292
28293 Loads the executable onto the remote target.
28294 It prints out an update message every half second, which includes the fields:
28295
28296 @table @samp
28297 @item section
28298 The name of the section.
28299 @item section-sent
28300 The size of what has been sent so far for that section.
28301 @item section-size
28302 The size of the section.
28303 @item total-sent
28304 The total size of what was sent so far (the current and the previous sections).
28305 @item total-size
28306 The size of the overall executable to download.
28307 @end table
28308
28309 @noindent
28310 Each message is sent as status record (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, ,
28311 @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax}).
28312
28313 In addition, it prints the name and size of the sections, as they are
28314 downloaded. These messages include the following fields:
28315
28316 @table @samp
28317 @item section
28318 The name of the section.
28319 @item section-size
28320 The size of the section.
28321 @item total-size
28322 The size of the overall executable to download.
28323 @end table
28324
28325 @noindent
28326 At the end, a summary is printed.
28327
28328 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28329
28330 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{load}.
28331
28332 @subsubheading Example
28333
28334 Note: each status message appears on a single line. Here the messages
28335 have been broken down so that they can fit onto a page.
28336
28337 @smallexample
28338 (gdb)
28339 -target-download
28340 +download,@{section=".text",section-size="6668",total-size="9880"@}
28341 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="512",section-size="6668",
28342 total-sent="512",total-size="9880"@}
28343 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1024",section-size="6668",
28344 total-sent="1024",total-size="9880"@}
28345 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1536",section-size="6668",
28346 total-sent="1536",total-size="9880"@}
28347 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2048",section-size="6668",
28348 total-sent="2048",total-size="9880"@}
28349 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2560",section-size="6668",
28350 total-sent="2560",total-size="9880"@}
28351 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3072",section-size="6668",
28352 total-sent="3072",total-size="9880"@}
28353 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3584",section-size="6668",
28354 total-sent="3584",total-size="9880"@}
28355 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4096",section-size="6668",
28356 total-sent="4096",total-size="9880"@}
28357 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4608",section-size="6668",
28358 total-sent="4608",total-size="9880"@}
28359 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5120",section-size="6668",
28360 total-sent="5120",total-size="9880"@}
28361 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5632",section-size="6668",
28362 total-sent="5632",total-size="9880"@}
28363 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6144",section-size="6668",
28364 total-sent="6144",total-size="9880"@}
28365 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6656",section-size="6668",
28366 total-sent="6656",total-size="9880"@}
28367 +download,@{section=".init",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
28368 +download,@{section=".fini",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
28369 +download,@{section=".data",section-size="3156",total-size="9880"@}
28370 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="512",section-size="3156",
28371 total-sent="7236",total-size="9880"@}
28372 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1024",section-size="3156",
28373 total-sent="7748",total-size="9880"@}
28374 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1536",section-size="3156",
28375 total-sent="8260",total-size="9880"@}
28376 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2048",section-size="3156",
28377 total-sent="8772",total-size="9880"@}
28378 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2560",section-size="3156",
28379 total-sent="9284",total-size="9880"@}
28380 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="3072",section-size="3156",
28381 total-sent="9796",total-size="9880"@}
28382 ^done,address="0x10004",load-size="9880",transfer-rate="6586",
28383 write-rate="429"
28384 (gdb)
28385 @end smallexample
28386
28387
28388 @ignore
28389 @subheading The @code{-target-exec-status} Command
28390 @findex -target-exec-status
28391
28392 @subsubheading Synopsis
28393
28394 @smallexample
28395 -target-exec-status
28396 @end smallexample
28397
28398 Provide information on the state of the target (whether it is running or
28399 not, for instance).
28400
28401 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28402
28403 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
28404
28405 @subsubheading Example
28406 N.A.
28407
28408
28409 @subheading The @code{-target-list-available-targets} Command
28410 @findex -target-list-available-targets
28411
28412 @subsubheading Synopsis
28413
28414 @smallexample
28415 -target-list-available-targets
28416 @end smallexample
28417
28418 List the possible targets to connect to.
28419
28420 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28421
28422 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{help target}.
28423
28424 @subsubheading Example
28425 N.A.
28426
28427
28428 @subheading The @code{-target-list-current-targets} Command
28429 @findex -target-list-current-targets
28430
28431 @subsubheading Synopsis
28432
28433 @smallexample
28434 -target-list-current-targets
28435 @end smallexample
28436
28437 Describe the current target.
28438
28439 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28440
28441 The corresponding information is printed by @samp{info file} (among
28442 other things).
28443
28444 @subsubheading Example
28445 N.A.
28446
28447
28448 @subheading The @code{-target-list-parameters} Command
28449 @findex -target-list-parameters
28450
28451 @subsubheading Synopsis
28452
28453 @smallexample
28454 -target-list-parameters
28455 @end smallexample
28456
28457 @c ????
28458 @end ignore
28459
28460 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28461
28462 No equivalent.
28463
28464 @subsubheading Example
28465 N.A.
28466
28467
28468 @subheading The @code{-target-select} Command
28469 @findex -target-select
28470
28471 @subsubheading Synopsis
28472
28473 @smallexample
28474 -target-select @var{type} @var{parameters @dots{}}
28475 @end smallexample
28476
28477 Connect @value{GDBN} to the remote target. This command takes two args:
28478
28479 @table @samp
28480 @item @var{type}
28481 The type of target, for instance @samp{remote}, etc.
28482 @item @var{parameters}
28483 Device names, host names and the like. @xref{Target Commands, ,
28484 Commands for Managing Targets}, for more details.
28485 @end table
28486
28487 The output is a connection notification, followed by the address at
28488 which the target program is, in the following form:
28489
28490 @smallexample
28491 ^connected,addr="@var{address}",func="@var{function name}",
28492 args=[@var{arg list}]
28493 @end smallexample
28494
28495 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28496
28497 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{target}.
28498
28499 @subsubheading Example
28500
28501 @smallexample
28502 (gdb)
28503 -target-select remote /dev/ttya
28504 ^connected,addr="0xfe00a300",func="??",args=[]
28505 (gdb)
28506 @end smallexample
28507
28508 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28509 @node GDB/MI File Transfer Commands
28510 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Transfer Commands
28511
28512
28513 @subheading The @code{-target-file-put} Command
28514 @findex -target-file-put
28515
28516 @subsubheading Synopsis
28517
28518 @smallexample
28519 -target-file-put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
28520 @end smallexample
28521
28522 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
28523 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
28524
28525 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28526
28527 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote put}.
28528
28529 @subsubheading Example
28530
28531 @smallexample
28532 (gdb)
28533 -target-file-put localfile remotefile
28534 ^done
28535 (gdb)
28536 @end smallexample
28537
28538
28539 @subheading The @code{-target-file-get} Command
28540 @findex -target-file-get
28541
28542 @subsubheading Synopsis
28543
28544 @smallexample
28545 -target-file-get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
28546 @end smallexample
28547
28548 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
28549 on the host system.
28550
28551 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28552
28553 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote get}.
28554
28555 @subsubheading Example
28556
28557 @smallexample
28558 (gdb)
28559 -target-file-get remotefile localfile
28560 ^done
28561 (gdb)
28562 @end smallexample
28563
28564
28565 @subheading The @code{-target-file-delete} Command
28566 @findex -target-file-delete
28567
28568 @subsubheading Synopsis
28569
28570 @smallexample
28571 -target-file-delete @var{targetfile}
28572 @end smallexample
28573
28574 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
28575
28576 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28577
28578 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote delete}.
28579
28580 @subsubheading Example
28581
28582 @smallexample
28583 (gdb)
28584 -target-file-delete remotefile
28585 ^done
28586 (gdb)
28587 @end smallexample
28588
28589
28590 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28591 @node GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands
28592 @section Miscellaneous @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
28593
28594 @c @subheading -gdb-complete
28595
28596 @subheading The @code{-gdb-exit} Command
28597 @findex -gdb-exit
28598
28599 @subsubheading Synopsis
28600
28601 @smallexample
28602 -gdb-exit
28603 @end smallexample
28604
28605 Exit @value{GDBN} immediately.
28606
28607 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28608
28609 Approximately corresponds to @samp{quit}.
28610
28611 @subsubheading Example
28612
28613 @smallexample
28614 (gdb)
28615 -gdb-exit
28616 ^exit
28617 @end smallexample
28618
28619
28620 @ignore
28621 @subheading The @code{-exec-abort} Command
28622 @findex -exec-abort
28623
28624 @subsubheading Synopsis
28625
28626 @smallexample
28627 -exec-abort
28628 @end smallexample
28629
28630 Kill the inferior running program.
28631
28632 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28633
28634 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{kill}.
28635
28636 @subsubheading Example
28637 N.A.
28638 @end ignore
28639
28640
28641 @subheading The @code{-gdb-set} Command
28642 @findex -gdb-set
28643
28644 @subsubheading Synopsis
28645
28646 @smallexample
28647 -gdb-set
28648 @end smallexample
28649
28650 Set an internal @value{GDBN} variable.
28651 @c IS THIS A DOLLAR VARIABLE? OR SOMETHING LIKE ANNOTATE ?????
28652
28653 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28654
28655 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set}.
28656
28657 @subsubheading Example
28658
28659 @smallexample
28660 (gdb)
28661 -gdb-set $foo=3
28662 ^done
28663 (gdb)
28664 @end smallexample
28665
28666
28667 @subheading The @code{-gdb-show} Command
28668 @findex -gdb-show
28669
28670 @subsubheading Synopsis
28671
28672 @smallexample
28673 -gdb-show
28674 @end smallexample
28675
28676 Show the current value of a @value{GDBN} variable.
28677
28678 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28679
28680 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show}.
28681
28682 @subsubheading Example
28683
28684 @smallexample
28685 (gdb)
28686 -gdb-show annotate
28687 ^done,value="0"
28688 (gdb)
28689 @end smallexample
28690
28691 @c @subheading -gdb-source
28692
28693
28694 @subheading The @code{-gdb-version} Command
28695 @findex -gdb-version
28696
28697 @subsubheading Synopsis
28698
28699 @smallexample
28700 -gdb-version
28701 @end smallexample
28702
28703 Show version information for @value{GDBN}. Used mostly in testing.
28704
28705 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28706
28707 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{show version}. @value{GDBN} by
28708 default shows this information when you start an interactive session.
28709
28710 @subsubheading Example
28711
28712 @c This example modifies the actual output from GDB to avoid overfull
28713 @c box in TeX.
28714 @smallexample
28715 (gdb)
28716 -gdb-version
28717 ~GNU gdb 5.2.1
28718 ~Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
28719 ~GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, and
28720 ~you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under
28721 ~ certain conditions.
28722 ~Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
28723 ~There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty" for
28724 ~ details.
28725 ~This GDB was configured as
28726 "--host=sparc-sun-solaris2.5.1 --target=ppc-eabi".
28727 ^done
28728 (gdb)
28729 @end smallexample
28730
28731 @subheading The @code{-list-features} Command
28732 @findex -list-features
28733
28734 Returns a list of particular features of the MI protocol that
28735 this version of gdb implements. A feature can be a command,
28736 or a new field in an output of some command, or even an
28737 important bugfix. While a frontend can sometimes detect presence
28738 of a feature at runtime, it is easier to perform detection at debugger
28739 startup.
28740
28741 The command returns a list of strings, with each string naming an
28742 available feature. Each returned string is just a name, it does not
28743 have any internal structure. The list of possible feature names
28744 is given below.
28745
28746 Example output:
28747
28748 @smallexample
28749 (gdb) -list-features
28750 ^done,result=["feature1","feature2"]
28751 @end smallexample
28752
28753 The current list of features is:
28754
28755 @table @samp
28756 @item frozen-varobjs
28757 Indicates presence of the @code{-var-set-frozen} command, as well
28758 as possible presense of the @code{frozen} field in the output
28759 of @code{-varobj-create}.
28760 @item pending-breakpoints
28761 Indicates presence of the @option{-f} option to the @code{-break-insert} command.
28762 @item python
28763 Indicates presence of Python scripting support, Python-based
28764 pretty-printing commands, and possible presence of the
28765 @samp{display_hint} field in the output of @code{-var-list-children}
28766 @item thread-info
28767 Indicates presence of the @code{-thread-info} command.
28768
28769 @end table
28770
28771 @subheading The @code{-list-target-features} Command
28772 @findex -list-target-features
28773
28774 Returns a list of particular features that are supported by the
28775 target. Those features affect the permitted MI commands, but
28776 unlike the features reported by the @code{-list-features} command, the
28777 features depend on which target GDB is using at the moment. Whenever
28778 a target can change, due to commands such as @code{-target-select},
28779 @code{-target-attach} or @code{-exec-run}, the list of target features
28780 may change, and the frontend should obtain it again.
28781 Example output:
28782
28783 @smallexample
28784 (gdb) -list-features
28785 ^done,result=["async"]
28786 @end smallexample
28787
28788 The current list of features is:
28789
28790 @table @samp
28791 @item async
28792 Indicates that the target is capable of asynchronous command
28793 execution, which means that @value{GDBN} will accept further commands
28794 while the target is running.
28795
28796 @end table
28797
28798 @subheading The @code{-list-thread-groups} Command
28799 @findex -list-thread-groups
28800
28801 @subheading Synopsis
28802
28803 @smallexample
28804 -list-thread-groups [ --available ] [ --recurse 1 ] [ @var{group} ... ]
28805 @end smallexample
28806
28807 Lists thread groups (@pxref{Thread groups}). When a single thread
28808 group is passed as the argument, lists the children of that group.
28809 When several thread group are passed, lists information about those
28810 thread groups. Without any parameters, lists information about all
28811 top-level thread groups.
28812
28813 Normally, thread groups that are being debugged are reported.
28814 With the @samp{--available} option, @value{GDBN} reports thread groups
28815 available on the target.
28816
28817 The output of this command may have either a @samp{threads} result or
28818 a @samp{groups} result. The @samp{thread} result has a list of tuples
28819 as value, with each tuple describing a thread (@pxref{GDB/MI Thread
28820 Information}). The @samp{groups} result has a list of tuples as value,
28821 each tuple describing a thread group. If top-level groups are
28822 requested (that is, no parameter is passed), or when several groups
28823 are passed, the output always has a @samp{groups} result. The format
28824 of the @samp{group} result is described below.
28825
28826 To reduce the number of roundtrips it's possible to list thread groups
28827 together with their children, by passing the @samp{--recurse} option
28828 and the recursion depth. Presently, only recursion depth of 1 is
28829 permitted. If this option is present, then every reported thread group
28830 will also include its children, either as @samp{group} or
28831 @samp{threads} field.
28832
28833 In general, any combination of option and parameters is permitted, with
28834 the following caveats:
28835
28836 @itemize @bullet
28837 @item
28838 When a single thread group is passed, the output will typically
28839 be the @samp{threads} result. Because threads may not contain
28840 anything, the @samp{recurse} option will be ignored.
28841
28842 @item
28843 When the @samp{--available} option is passed, limited information may
28844 be available. In particular, the list of threads of a process might
28845 be inaccessible. Further, specifying specific thread groups might
28846 not give any performance advantage over listing all thread groups.
28847 The frontend should assume that @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}
28848 is always an expensive operation and cache the results.
28849
28850 @end itemize
28851
28852 The @samp{groups} result is a list of tuples, where each tuple may
28853 have the following fields:
28854
28855 @table @code
28856 @item id
28857 Identifier of the thread group. This field is always present.
28858 The identifier is an opaque string; frontends should not try to
28859 convert it to an integer, even though it might look like one.
28860
28861 @item type
28862 The type of the thread group. At present, only @samp{process} is a
28863 valid type.
28864
28865 @item pid
28866 The target-specific process identifier. This field is only present
28867 for thread groups of type @samp{process} and only if the process exists.
28868
28869 @item num_children
28870 The number of children this thread group has. This field may be
28871 absent for an available thread group.
28872
28873 @item threads
28874 This field has a list of tuples as value, each tuple describing a
28875 thread. It may be present if the @samp{--recurse} option is
28876 specified, and it's actually possible to obtain the threads.
28877
28878 @item cores
28879 This field is a list of integers, each identifying a core that one
28880 thread of the group is running on. This field may be absent if
28881 such information is not available.
28882
28883 @item executable
28884 The name of the executable file that corresponds to this thread group.
28885 The field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process},
28886 and only if there is a corresponding executable file.
28887
28888 @end table
28889
28890 @subheading Example
28891
28892 @smallexample
28893 @value{GDBP}
28894 -list-thread-groups
28895 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2"@}]
28896 -list-thread-groups 17
28897 ^done,threads=[@{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
28898 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",args=[]@},state="running"@},
28899 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
28900 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
28901 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},state="running"@}]]
28902 -list-thread-groups --available
28903 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2]@}]
28904 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1
28905 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
28906 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
28907 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},..]
28908 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1 17 18
28909 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
28910 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
28911 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},...]
28912 @end smallexample
28913
28914
28915 @subheading The @code{-add-inferior} Command
28916 @findex -add-inferior
28917
28918 @subheading Synopsis
28919
28920 @smallexample
28921 -add-inferior
28922 @end smallexample
28923
28924 Creates a new inferior (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). The created
28925 inferior is not associated with any executable. Such association may
28926 be established with the @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols} command
28927 (@pxref{GDB/MI File Commands}). The command response has a single
28928 field, @samp{thread-group}, whose value is the identifier of the
28929 thread group corresponding to the new inferior.
28930
28931 @subheading Example
28932
28933 @smallexample
28934 @value{GDBP}
28935 -add-inferior
28936 ^done,thread-group="i3"
28937 @end smallexample
28938
28939 @subheading The @code{-interpreter-exec} Command
28940 @findex -interpreter-exec
28941
28942 @subheading Synopsis
28943
28944 @smallexample
28945 -interpreter-exec @var{interpreter} @var{command}
28946 @end smallexample
28947 @anchor{-interpreter-exec}
28948
28949 Execute the specified @var{command} in the given @var{interpreter}.
28950
28951 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
28952
28953 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interpreter-exec}.
28954
28955 @subheading Example
28956
28957 @smallexample
28958 (gdb)
28959 -interpreter-exec console "break main"
28960 &"During symbol reading, couldn't parse type; debugger out of date?.\n"
28961 &"During symbol reading, bad structure-type format.\n"
28962 ~"Breakpoint 1 at 0x8074fc6: file ../../src/gdb/main.c, line 743.\n"
28963 ^done
28964 (gdb)
28965 @end smallexample
28966
28967 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-set} Command
28968 @findex -inferior-tty-set
28969
28970 @subheading Synopsis
28971
28972 @smallexample
28973 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
28974 @end smallexample
28975
28976 Set terminal for future runs of the program being debugged.
28977
28978 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
28979
28980 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set inferior-tty} /dev/pts/1.
28981
28982 @subheading Example
28983
28984 @smallexample
28985 (gdb)
28986 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
28987 ^done
28988 (gdb)
28989 @end smallexample
28990
28991 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-show} Command
28992 @findex -inferior-tty-show
28993
28994 @subheading Synopsis
28995
28996 @smallexample
28997 -inferior-tty-show
28998 @end smallexample
28999
29000 Show terminal for future runs of program being debugged.
29001
29002 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
29003
29004 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show inferior-tty}.
29005
29006 @subheading Example
29007
29008 @smallexample
29009 (gdb)
29010 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
29011 ^done
29012 (gdb)
29013 -inferior-tty-show
29014 ^done,inferior_tty_terminal="/dev/pts/1"
29015 (gdb)
29016 @end smallexample
29017
29018 @subheading The @code{-enable-timings} Command
29019 @findex -enable-timings
29020
29021 @subheading Synopsis
29022
29023 @smallexample
29024 -enable-timings [yes | no]
29025 @end smallexample
29026
29027 Toggle the printing of the wallclock, user and system times for an MI
29028 command as a field in its output. This command is to help frontend
29029 developers optimize the performance of their code. No argument is
29030 equivalent to @samp{yes}.
29031
29032 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
29033
29034 No equivalent.
29035
29036 @subheading Example
29037
29038 @smallexample
29039 (gdb)
29040 -enable-timings
29041 ^done
29042 (gdb)
29043 -break-insert main
29044 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
29045 addr="0x080484ed",func="main",file="myprog.c",
29046 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73",times="0"@},
29047 time=@{wallclock="0.05185",user="0.00800",system="0.00000"@}
29048 (gdb)
29049 -enable-timings no
29050 ^done
29051 (gdb)
29052 -exec-run
29053 ^running
29054 (gdb)
29055 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
29056 frame=@{addr="0x080484ed",func="main",args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},
29057 @{name="argv",value="0xbfb60364"@}],file="myprog.c",
29058 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73"@}
29059 (gdb)
29060 @end smallexample
29061
29062 @node Annotations
29063 @chapter @value{GDBN} Annotations
29064
29065 This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations were
29066 designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or other
29067 similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
29068 relatively high level.
29069
29070 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
29071 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
29072
29073 @ignore
29074 This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
29075 @end ignore
29076
29077 @menu
29078 * Annotations Overview:: What annotations are; the general syntax.
29079 * Server Prefix:: Issuing a command without affecting user state.
29080 * Prompting:: Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
29081 * Errors:: Annotations for error messages.
29082 * Invalidation:: Some annotations describe things now invalid.
29083 * Annotations for Running::
29084 Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
29085 * Source Annotations:: Annotations describing source code.
29086 @end menu
29087
29088 @node Annotations Overview
29089 @section What is an Annotation?
29090 @cindex annotations
29091
29092 Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
29093 characters, and the name of the annotation. If there is no additional
29094 information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
29095 is followed immediately by a newline. If there is additional
29096 information, the name of the annotation is followed by a space, the
29097 additional information, and a newline. The additional information
29098 cannot contain newline characters.
29099
29100 Any output not beginning with a newline and two @samp{control-z}
29101 characters denotes literal output from @value{GDBN}. Currently there is
29102 no need for @value{GDBN} to output a newline followed by two
29103 @samp{control-z} characters, but if there was such a need, the
29104 annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
29105 means those three characters as output.
29106
29107 The annotation @var{level}, which is specified using the
29108 @option{--annotate} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}), controls
29109 how much information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt,
29110 values of expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0
29111 is for no annotations, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a
29112 subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable
29113 for programs that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 annotations have
29114 been made obsolete (@pxref{Limitations, , Limitations of the Annotation
29115 Interface, annotate, GDB's Obsolete Annotations}).
29116
29117 @table @code
29118 @kindex set annotate
29119 @item set annotate @var{level}
29120 The @value{GDBN} command @code{set annotate} sets the level of
29121 annotations to the specified @var{level}.
29122
29123 @item show annotate
29124 @kindex show annotate
29125 Show the current annotation level.
29126 @end table
29127
29128 This chapter describes level 3 annotations.
29129
29130 A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
29131
29132 @smallexample
29133 $ @kbd{gdb --annotate=3}
29134 GNU gdb 6.0
29135 Copyright 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
29136 GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
29137 and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
29138 under certain conditions.
29139 Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
29140 There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty"
29141 for details.
29142 This GDB was configured as "i386-pc-linux-gnu"
29143
29144 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
29145 (@value{GDBP})
29146 ^Z^Zprompt
29147 @kbd{quit}
29148
29149 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
29150 $
29151 @end smallexample
29152
29153 Here @samp{quit} is input to @value{GDBN}; the rest is output from
29154 @value{GDBN}. The three lines beginning @samp{^Z^Z} (where @samp{^Z}
29155 denotes a @samp{control-z} character) are annotations; the rest is
29156 output from @value{GDBN}.
29157
29158 @node Server Prefix
29159 @section The Server Prefix
29160 @cindex server prefix
29161
29162 If you prefix a command with @samp{server } then it will not affect
29163 the command history, nor will it affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which
29164 command to repeat if @key{RET} is pressed on a line by itself. This
29165 means that commands can be run behind a user's back by a front-end in
29166 a transparent manner.
29167
29168 The @code{server } prefix does not affect the recording of values into
29169 the value history; to print a value without recording it into the
29170 value history, use the @code{output} command instead of the
29171 @code{print} command.
29172
29173 Using this prefix also disables confirmation requests
29174 (@pxref{confirmation requests}).
29175
29176 @node Prompting
29177 @section Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
29178
29179 @cindex annotations for prompts
29180 When @value{GDBN} prompts for input, it annotates this fact so it is possible
29181 to know when to send output, when the output from a given command is
29182 over, etc.
29183
29184 Different kinds of input each have a different @dfn{input type}. Each
29185 input type has three annotations: a @code{pre-} annotation, which
29186 denotes the beginning of any prompt which is being output, a plain
29187 annotation, which denotes the end of the prompt, and then a @code{post-}
29188 annotation which denotes the end of any echo which may (or may not) be
29189 associated with the input. For example, the @code{prompt} input type
29190 features the following annotations:
29191
29192 @smallexample
29193 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
29194 ^Z^Zprompt
29195 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
29196 @end smallexample
29197
29198 The input types are
29199
29200 @table @code
29201 @findex pre-prompt annotation
29202 @findex prompt annotation
29203 @findex post-prompt annotation
29204 @item prompt
29205 When @value{GDBN} is prompting for a command (the main @value{GDBN} prompt).
29206
29207 @findex pre-commands annotation
29208 @findex commands annotation
29209 @findex post-commands annotation
29210 @item commands
29211 When @value{GDBN} prompts for a set of commands, like in the @code{commands}
29212 command. The annotations are repeated for each command which is input.
29213
29214 @findex pre-overload-choice annotation
29215 @findex overload-choice annotation
29216 @findex post-overload-choice annotation
29217 @item overload-choice
29218 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to select between various overloaded functions.
29219
29220 @findex pre-query annotation
29221 @findex query annotation
29222 @findex post-query annotation
29223 @item query
29224 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to confirm a potentially dangerous operation.
29225
29226 @findex pre-prompt-for-continue annotation
29227 @findex prompt-for-continue annotation
29228 @findex post-prompt-for-continue annotation
29229 @item prompt-for-continue
29230 When @value{GDBN} is asking the user to press return to continue. Note: Don't
29231 expect this to work well; instead use @code{set height 0} to disable
29232 prompting. This is because the counting of lines is buggy in the
29233 presence of annotations.
29234 @end table
29235
29236 @node Errors
29237 @section Errors
29238 @cindex annotations for errors, warnings and interrupts
29239
29240 @findex quit annotation
29241 @smallexample
29242 ^Z^Zquit
29243 @end smallexample
29244
29245 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an interrupt.
29246
29247 @findex error annotation
29248 @smallexample
29249 ^Z^Zerror
29250 @end smallexample
29251
29252 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an error.
29253
29254 Quit and error annotations indicate that any annotations which @value{GDBN} was
29255 in the middle of may end abruptly. For example, if a
29256 @code{value-history-begin} annotation is followed by a @code{error}, one
29257 cannot expect to receive the matching @code{value-history-end}. One
29258 cannot expect not to receive it either, however; an error annotation
29259 does not necessarily mean that @value{GDBN} is immediately returning all the way
29260 to the top level.
29261
29262 @findex error-begin annotation
29263 A quit or error annotation may be preceded by
29264
29265 @smallexample
29266 ^Z^Zerror-begin
29267 @end smallexample
29268
29269 Any output between that and the quit or error annotation is the error
29270 message.
29271
29272 Warning messages are not yet annotated.
29273 @c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
29274 @c range_error(), and possibly other places.
29275
29276 @node Invalidation
29277 @section Invalidation Notices
29278
29279 @cindex annotations for invalidation messages
29280 The following annotations say that certain pieces of state may have
29281 changed.
29282
29283 @table @code
29284 @findex frames-invalid annotation
29285 @item ^Z^Zframes-invalid
29286
29287 The frames (for example, output from the @code{backtrace} command) may
29288 have changed.
29289
29290 @findex breakpoints-invalid annotation
29291 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoints-invalid
29292
29293 The breakpoints may have changed. For example, the user just added or
29294 deleted a breakpoint.
29295 @end table
29296
29297 @node Annotations for Running
29298 @section Running the Program
29299 @cindex annotations for running programs
29300
29301 @findex starting annotation
29302 @findex stopping annotation
29303 When the program starts executing due to a @value{GDBN} command such as
29304 @code{step} or @code{continue},
29305
29306 @smallexample
29307 ^Z^Zstarting
29308 @end smallexample
29309
29310 is output. When the program stops,
29311
29312 @smallexample
29313 ^Z^Zstopped
29314 @end smallexample
29315
29316 is output. Before the @code{stopped} annotation, a variety of
29317 annotations describe how the program stopped.
29318
29319 @table @code
29320 @findex exited annotation
29321 @item ^Z^Zexited @var{exit-status}
29322 The program exited, and @var{exit-status} is the exit status (zero for
29323 successful exit, otherwise nonzero).
29324
29325 @findex signalled annotation
29326 @findex signal-name annotation
29327 @findex signal-name-end annotation
29328 @findex signal-string annotation
29329 @findex signal-string-end annotation
29330 @item ^Z^Zsignalled
29331 The program exited with a signal. After the @code{^Z^Zsignalled}, the
29332 annotation continues:
29333
29334 @smallexample
29335 @var{intro-text}
29336 ^Z^Zsignal-name
29337 @var{name}
29338 ^Z^Zsignal-name-end
29339 @var{middle-text}
29340 ^Z^Zsignal-string
29341 @var{string}
29342 ^Z^Zsignal-string-end
29343 @var{end-text}
29344 @end smallexample
29345
29346 @noindent
29347 where @var{name} is the name of the signal, such as @code{SIGILL} or
29348 @code{SIGSEGV}, and @var{string} is the explanation of the signal, such
29349 as @code{Illegal Instruction} or @code{Segmentation fault}.
29350 @var{intro-text}, @var{middle-text}, and @var{end-text} are for the
29351 user's benefit and have no particular format.
29352
29353 @findex signal annotation
29354 @item ^Z^Zsignal
29355 The syntax of this annotation is just like @code{signalled}, but @value{GDBN} is
29356 just saying that the program received the signal, not that it was
29357 terminated with it.
29358
29359 @findex breakpoint annotation
29360 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoint @var{number}
29361 The program hit breakpoint number @var{number}.
29362
29363 @findex watchpoint annotation
29364 @item ^Z^Zwatchpoint @var{number}
29365 The program hit watchpoint number @var{number}.
29366 @end table
29367
29368 @node Source Annotations
29369 @section Displaying Source
29370 @cindex annotations for source display
29371
29372 @findex source annotation
29373 The following annotation is used instead of displaying source code:
29374
29375 @smallexample
29376 ^Z^Zsource @var{filename}:@var{line}:@var{character}:@var{middle}:@var{addr}
29377 @end smallexample
29378
29379 where @var{filename} is an absolute file name indicating which source
29380 file, @var{line} is the line number within that file (where 1 is the
29381 first line in the file), @var{character} is the character position
29382 within the file (where 0 is the first character in the file) (for most
29383 debug formats this will necessarily point to the beginning of a line),
29384 @var{middle} is @samp{middle} if @var{addr} is in the middle of the
29385 line, or @samp{beg} if @var{addr} is at the beginning of the line, and
29386 @var{addr} is the address in the target program associated with the
29387 source which is being displayed. @var{addr} is in the form @samp{0x}
29388 followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
29389 depend on the language).
29390
29391 @node JIT Interface
29392 @chapter JIT Compilation Interface
29393 @cindex just-in-time compilation
29394 @cindex JIT compilation interface
29395
29396 This chapter documents @value{GDBN}'s @dfn{just-in-time} (JIT) compilation
29397 interface. A JIT compiler is a program or library that generates native
29398 executable code at runtime and executes it, usually in order to achieve good
29399 performance while maintaining platform independence.
29400
29401 Programs that use JIT compilation are normally difficult to debug because
29402 portions of their code are generated at runtime, instead of being loaded from
29403 object files, which is where @value{GDBN} normally finds the program's symbols
29404 and debug information. In order to debug programs that use JIT compilation,
29405 @value{GDBN} has an interface that allows the program to register in-memory
29406 symbol files with @value{GDBN} at runtime.
29407
29408 If you are using @value{GDBN} to debug a program that uses this interface, then
29409 it should work transparently so long as you have not stripped the binary. If
29410 you are developing a JIT compiler, then the interface is documented in the rest
29411 of this chapter. At this time, the only known client of this interface is the
29412 LLVM JIT.
29413
29414 Broadly speaking, the JIT interface mirrors the dynamic loader interface. The
29415 JIT compiler communicates with @value{GDBN} by writing data into a global
29416 variable and calling a fuction at a well-known symbol. When @value{GDBN}
29417 attaches, it reads a linked list of symbol files from the global variable to
29418 find existing code, and puts a breakpoint in the function so that it can find
29419 out about additional code.
29420
29421 @menu
29422 * Declarations:: Relevant C struct declarations
29423 * Registering Code:: Steps to register code
29424 * Unregistering Code:: Steps to unregister code
29425 @end menu
29426
29427 @node Declarations
29428 @section JIT Declarations
29429
29430 These are the relevant struct declarations that a C program should include to
29431 implement the interface:
29432
29433 @smallexample
29434 typedef enum
29435 @{
29436 JIT_NOACTION = 0,
29437 JIT_REGISTER_FN,
29438 JIT_UNREGISTER_FN
29439 @} jit_actions_t;
29440
29441 struct jit_code_entry
29442 @{
29443 struct jit_code_entry *next_entry;
29444 struct jit_code_entry *prev_entry;
29445 const char *symfile_addr;
29446 uint64_t symfile_size;
29447 @};
29448
29449 struct jit_descriptor
29450 @{
29451 uint32_t version;
29452 /* This type should be jit_actions_t, but we use uint32_t
29453 to be explicit about the bitwidth. */
29454 uint32_t action_flag;
29455 struct jit_code_entry *relevant_entry;
29456 struct jit_code_entry *first_entry;
29457 @};
29458
29459 /* GDB puts a breakpoint in this function. */
29460 void __attribute__((noinline)) __jit_debug_register_code() @{ @};
29461
29462 /* Make sure to specify the version statically, because the
29463 debugger may check the version before we can set it. */
29464 struct jit_descriptor __jit_debug_descriptor = @{ 1, 0, 0, 0 @};
29465 @end smallexample
29466
29467 If the JIT is multi-threaded, then it is important that the JIT synchronize any
29468 modifications to this global data properly, which can easily be done by putting
29469 a global mutex around modifications to these structures.
29470
29471 @node Registering Code
29472 @section Registering Code
29473
29474 To register code with @value{GDBN}, the JIT should follow this protocol:
29475
29476 @itemize @bullet
29477 @item
29478 Generate an object file in memory with symbols and other desired debug
29479 information. The file must include the virtual addresses of the sections.
29480
29481 @item
29482 Create a code entry for the file, which gives the start and size of the symbol
29483 file.
29484
29485 @item
29486 Add it to the linked list in the JIT descriptor.
29487
29488 @item
29489 Point the relevant_entry field of the descriptor at the entry.
29490
29491 @item
29492 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_REGISTER} and call
29493 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
29494 @end itemize
29495
29496 When @value{GDBN} is attached and the breakpoint fires, @value{GDBN} uses the
29497 @code{relevant_entry} pointer so it doesn't have to walk the list looking for
29498 new code. However, the linked list must still be maintained in order to allow
29499 @value{GDBN} to attach to a running process and still find the symbol files.
29500
29501 @node Unregistering Code
29502 @section Unregistering Code
29503
29504 If code is freed, then the JIT should use the following protocol:
29505
29506 @itemize @bullet
29507 @item
29508 Remove the code entry corresponding to the code from the linked list.
29509
29510 @item
29511 Point the @code{relevant_entry} field of the descriptor at the code entry.
29512
29513 @item
29514 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_UNREGISTER} and call
29515 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
29516 @end itemize
29517
29518 If the JIT frees or recompiles code without unregistering it, then @value{GDBN}
29519 and the JIT will leak the memory used for the associated symbol files.
29520
29521 @node GDB Bugs
29522 @chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
29523 @cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
29524 @cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
29525
29526 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
29527
29528 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
29529 may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
29530 the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
29531 reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
29532
29533 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
29534 information that enables us to fix the bug.
29535
29536 @menu
29537 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
29538 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
29539 @end menu
29540
29541 @node Bug Criteria
29542 @section Have You Found a Bug?
29543 @cindex bug criteria
29544
29545 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
29546
29547 @itemize @bullet
29548 @cindex fatal signal
29549 @cindex debugger crash
29550 @cindex crash of debugger
29551 @item
29552 If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
29553 @value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
29554
29555 @cindex error on valid input
29556 @item
29557 If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a
29558 bug. (Note that if you're cross debugging, the problem may also be
29559 somewhere in the connection to the target.)
29560
29561 @cindex invalid input
29562 @item
29563 If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
29564 that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
29565 ``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
29566 for traditional practice''.
29567
29568 @item
29569 If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
29570 for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
29571 @end itemize
29572
29573 @node Bug Reporting
29574 @section How to Report Bugs
29575 @cindex bug reports
29576 @cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
29577
29578 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
29579 If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
29580 contact that organization first.
29581
29582 You can find contact information for many support companies and
29583 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
29584 distribution.
29585 @c should add a web page ref...
29586
29587 @ifset BUGURL
29588 @ifset BUGURL_DEFAULT
29589 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
29590 @value{GDBN}. The preferred method is to submit them directly using
29591 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/, @value{GDBN}'s Bugs web
29592 page}. Alternatively, the @email{bug-gdb@@gnu.org, e-mail gateway} can
29593 be used.
29594
29595 @strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
29596 @samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do
29597 not want to receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive
29598 @samp{bug-gdb}.
29599
29600 The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
29601 serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
29602 the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
29603 newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
29604 problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
29605 path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
29606 we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
29607 bug reports to the mailing list.
29608 @end ifset
29609 @ifclear BUGURL_DEFAULT
29610 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
29611 @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.
29612 @end ifclear
29613 @end ifset
29614
29615 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
29616 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
29617 fact or leave it out, state it!
29618
29619 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
29620 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
29621 assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
29622 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
29623 stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
29624 name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
29625 of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
29626 the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
29627 easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
29628
29629 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the
29630 bug. It may be that the bug has been reported previously, but neither
29631 you nor we can know that unless your bug report is complete and
29632 self-contained.
29633
29634 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
29635 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
29636 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
29637 bugs properly.
29638
29639 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
29640
29641 @itemize @bullet
29642 @item
29643 The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start
29644 with no arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show
29645 version}.
29646
29647 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
29648 the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
29649
29650 @item
29651 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
29652 version number.
29653
29654 @item
29655 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.@:
29656 ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1''.
29657
29658 @item
29659 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you are
29660 debugging---e.g.@: ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1'', or ``HP92453-01 A.10.32.03 HP
29661 C Compiler''. For @value{NGCC}, you can say @kbd{@value{GCC} --version}
29662 to get this information; for other compilers, see the documentation for
29663 those compilers.
29664
29665 @item
29666 The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
29667 observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
29668 you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
29669 Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
29670
29671 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
29672 and then we might not encounter the bug.
29673
29674 @item
29675 A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
29676 reproduce the bug.
29677
29678 @item
29679 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
29680 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
29681
29682 Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we
29683 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
29684 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
29685 a chance to make a mistake.
29686
29687 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
29688 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your
29689 copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
29690 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
29691 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
29692 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
29693 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
29694 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
29695
29696 @pindex script
29697 @cindex recording a session script
29698 To collect all this information, you can use a session recording program
29699 such as @command{script}, which is available on many Unix systems.
29700 Just run your @value{GDBN} session inside @command{script} and then
29701 include the @file{typescript} file with your bug report.
29702
29703 Another way to record a @value{GDBN} session is to run @value{GDBN}
29704 inside Emacs and then save the entire buffer to a file.
29705
29706 @item
29707 If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
29708 diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
29709 it by context, not by line number.
29710
29711 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
29712 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
29713
29714 @end itemize
29715
29716 Here are some things that are not necessary:
29717
29718 @itemize @bullet
29719 @item
29720 A description of the envelope of the bug.
29721
29722 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
29723 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
29724 changes will not affect it.
29725
29726 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
29727 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
29728 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
29729 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
29730
29731 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
29732 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
29733 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
29734 less time, and so on.
29735
29736 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
29737 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
29738
29739 @item
29740 A patch for the bug.
29741
29742 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
29743 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
29744 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
29745 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
29746
29747 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
29748 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
29749 through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
29750 to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
29751
29752 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
29753 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
29754 help us to understand.
29755
29756 @item
29757 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
29758
29759 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
29760 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
29761 @end itemize
29762
29763 @c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
29764 @c and consists of the two following files:
29765 @c rluser.texinfo
29766 @c inc-hist.texinfo
29767 @c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
29768 @c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
29769 @include rluser.texi
29770 @include inc-hist.texinfo
29771
29772
29773 @node Formatting Documentation
29774 @appendix Formatting Documentation
29775
29776 @cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
29777 @cindex reference card
29778 The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
29779 for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
29780 subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
29781 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
29782 release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
29783 you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
29784
29785 The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
29786 can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
29787
29788 @smallexample
29789 make refcard.dvi
29790 @end smallexample
29791
29792 The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
29793 mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
29794 that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
29795 high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
29796 your @sc{dvi} output program.
29797
29798 @cindex documentation
29799
29800 All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
29801 distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
29802 a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
29803 on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
29804 formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
29805 and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
29806
29807 @value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info
29808 version of this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info
29809 file is @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
29810 subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
29811 necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
29812 but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu}
29813 Emacs or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the
29814 @sc{gnu} Texinfo distribution.
29815
29816 If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
29817 Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
29818 @code{makeinfo}.
29819
29820 If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level
29821 @value{GDBN} source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of
29822 version @value{GDBVN}), you can make the Info file by typing:
29823
29824 @smallexample
29825 cd gdb
29826 make gdb.info
29827 @end smallexample
29828
29829 If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
29830 a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
29831 Texinfo definitions file.
29832
29833 @TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
29834 produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
29835 document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
29836 has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
29837 command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
29838 (for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
29839 require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
29840
29841 @TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
29842 @file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
29843 written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
29844 typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
29845 and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
29846 directory.
29847
29848 If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
29849 typeset and print this manual. First switch to the @file{gdb}
29850 subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
29851 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and type:
29852
29853 @smallexample
29854 make gdb.dvi
29855 @end smallexample
29856
29857 Then give @file{gdb.dvi} to your @sc{dvi} printing program.
29858
29859 @node Installing GDB
29860 @appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
29861 @cindex installation
29862
29863 @menu
29864 * Requirements:: Requirements for building @value{GDBN}
29865 * Running Configure:: Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} script
29866 * Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
29867 * Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
29868 * Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
29869 * System-wide configuration:: Having a system-wide init file
29870 @end menu
29871
29872 @node Requirements
29873 @section Requirements for Building @value{GDBN}
29874 @cindex building @value{GDBN}, requirements for
29875
29876 Building @value{GDBN} requires various tools and packages to be available.
29877 Other packages will be used only if they are found.
29878
29879 @heading Tools/Packages Necessary for Building @value{GDBN}
29880 @table @asis
29881 @item ISO C90 compiler
29882 @value{GDBN} is written in ISO C90. It should be buildable with any
29883 working C90 compiler, e.g.@: GCC.
29884
29885 @end table
29886
29887 @heading Tools/Packages Optional for Building @value{GDBN}
29888 @table @asis
29889 @item Expat
29890 @anchor{Expat}
29891 @value{GDBN} can use the Expat XML parsing library. This library may be
29892 included with your operating system distribution; if it is not, you
29893 can get the latest version from @url{http://expat.sourceforge.net}.
29894 The @file{configure} script will search for this library in several
29895 standard locations; if it is installed in an unusual path, you can
29896 use the @option{--with-libexpat-prefix} option to specify its location.
29897
29898 Expat is used for:
29899
29900 @itemize @bullet
29901 @item
29902 Remote protocol memory maps (@pxref{Memory Map Format})
29903 @item
29904 Target descriptions (@pxref{Target Descriptions})
29905 @item
29906 Remote shared library lists (@pxref{Library List Format})
29907 @item
29908 MS-Windows shared libraries (@pxref{Shared Libraries})
29909 @end itemize
29910
29911 @item zlib
29912 @cindex compressed debug sections
29913 @value{GDBN} will use the @samp{zlib} library, if available, to read
29914 compressed debug sections. Some linkers, such as GNU gold, are capable
29915 of producing binaries with compressed debug sections. If @value{GDBN}
29916 is compiled with @samp{zlib}, it will be able to read the debug
29917 information in such binaries.
29918
29919 The @samp{zlib} library is likely included with your operating system
29920 distribution; if it is not, you can get the latest version from
29921 @url{http://zlib.net}.
29922
29923 @item iconv
29924 @value{GDBN}'s features related to character sets (@pxref{Character
29925 Sets}) require a functioning @code{iconv} implementation. If you are
29926 on a GNU system, then this is provided by the GNU C Library. Some
29927 other systems also provide a working @code{iconv}.
29928
29929 On systems with @code{iconv}, you can install GNU Libiconv. If you
29930 have previously installed Libiconv, you can use the
29931 @option{--with-libiconv-prefix} option to configure.
29932
29933 @value{GDBN}'s top-level @file{configure} and @file{Makefile} will
29934 arrange to build Libiconv if a directory named @file{libiconv} appears
29935 in the top-most source directory. If Libiconv is built this way, and
29936 if the operating system does not provide a suitable @code{iconv}
29937 implementation, then the just-built library will automatically be used
29938 by @value{GDBN}. One easy way to set this up is to download GNU
29939 Libiconv, unpack it, and then rename the directory holding the
29940 Libiconv source code to @samp{libiconv}.
29941 @end table
29942
29943 @node Running Configure
29944 @section Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} Script
29945 @cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
29946 @value{GDBN} comes with a @file{configure} script that automates the process
29947 of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
29948 build the @code{gdb} program.
29949 @iftex
29950 @c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
29951 @footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
29952 look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
29953 installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
29954 @end iftex
29955
29956 The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
29957 @value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
29958 appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
29959
29960 For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
29961 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
29962
29963 @table @code
29964 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
29965 script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
29966
29967 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
29968 the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
29969
29970 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
29971 source for the Binary File Descriptor library
29972
29973 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
29974 @sc{gnu} include files
29975
29976 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
29977 source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
29978
29979 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
29980 source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
29981
29982 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
29983 source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
29984
29985 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
29986 source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
29987
29988 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
29989 source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
29990 @end table
29991
29992 The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @file{configure}
29993 from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
29994 this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
29995
29996 First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
29997 if you are not already in it; then run @file{configure}. Pass the
29998 identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
29999 argument.
30000
30001 For example:
30002
30003 @smallexample
30004 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
30005 ./configure @var{host}
30006 make
30007 @end smallexample
30008
30009 @noindent
30010 where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
30011 @samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
30012 (You can often leave off @var{host}; @file{configure} tries to guess the
30013 correct value by examining your system.)
30014
30015 Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
30016 @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
30017 libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
30018 binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
30019
30020 @need 750
30021 @file{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
30022 system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
30023 shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
30024
30025 @smallexample
30026 sh configure @var{host}
30027 @end smallexample
30028
30029 If you run @file{configure} from a directory that contains source
30030 directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
30031 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN},
30032 @file{configure}
30033 creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
30034 you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
30035
30036 You should run the @file{configure} script from the top directory in the
30037 source tree, the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory. If you run
30038 @file{configure} from one of the subdirectories, you will configure only
30039 that subdirectory. That is usually not what you want. In particular,
30040 if you run the first @file{configure} from the @file{gdb} subdirectory
30041 of the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory, you will omit the
30042 configuration of @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, and other sibling
30043 directories of the @file{gdb} subdirectory. This leads to build errors
30044 about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
30045
30046 You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
30047 However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
30048 the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
30049 that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
30050 let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
30051
30052 @node Separate Objdir
30053 @section Compiling @value{GDBN} in Another Directory
30054
30055 If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
30056 you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
30057 host and target. @file{configure} is designed to make this easy by
30058 allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
30059 rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
30060 handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
30061 @code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
30062 program specified there.
30063
30064 To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @file{configure}
30065 with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
30066 (You also need to specify a path to find @file{configure}
30067 itself from your working directory. If the path to @file{configure}
30068 would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
30069 the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
30070
30071 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
30072 separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
30073
30074 @smallexample
30075 @group
30076 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
30077 mkdir ../gdb-sun4
30078 cd ../gdb-sun4
30079 ../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
30080 make
30081 @end group
30082 @end smallexample
30083
30084 When @file{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
30085 directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
30086 (and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
30087 the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
30088 directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
30089 @file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
30090
30091 Make sure that your path to the @file{configure} script has just one
30092 instance of @file{gdb} in it. If your path to @file{configure} looks
30093 like @file{../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/configure}, you are configuring only
30094 one subdirectory of @value{GDBN}, not the whole package. This leads to
30095 build errors about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
30096
30097 One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
30098 directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
30099 @value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
30100 programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
30101 You specify a cross-debugging target by
30102 giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @file{configure}.
30103
30104 When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
30105 it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
30106 called @file{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
30107
30108 The @code{Makefile} that @file{configure} generates in each source
30109 directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
30110 directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
30111 directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
30112 will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
30113
30114 When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
30115 directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
30116 if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
30117 with each other.
30118
30119 @node Config Names
30120 @section Specifying Names for Hosts and Targets
30121
30122 The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @file{configure}
30123 script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
30124 aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
30125 of information in the following pattern:
30126
30127 @smallexample
30128 @var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
30129 @end smallexample
30130
30131 For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
30132 or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
30133 option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
30134
30135 The @file{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
30136 any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
30137 aliases. @file{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
30138 @code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
30139 script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
30140 abbreviations---for example:
30141
30142 @smallexample
30143 % sh config.sub i386-linux
30144 i386-pc-linux-gnu
30145 % sh config.sub alpha-linux
30146 alpha-unknown-linux-gnu
30147 % sh config.sub hp9k700
30148 hppa1.1-hp-hpux
30149 % sh config.sub sun4
30150 sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
30151 % sh config.sub sun3
30152 m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
30153 % sh config.sub i986v
30154 Invalid configuration `i986v': machine `i986v' not recognized
30155 @end smallexample
30156
30157 @noindent
30158 @code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
30159 directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
30160
30161 @node Configure Options
30162 @section @file{configure} Options
30163
30164 Here is a summary of the @file{configure} options and arguments that
30165 are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @file{configure} also has
30166 several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
30167 Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @file{configure}.
30168
30169 @smallexample
30170 configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
30171 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
30172 @r{[}--exec-prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
30173 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
30174 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
30175 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]}
30176 @var{host}
30177 @end smallexample
30178
30179 @noindent
30180 You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
30181 @samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
30182 @samp{--}.
30183
30184 @table @code
30185 @item --help
30186 Display a quick summary of how to invoke @file{configure}.
30187
30188 @item --prefix=@var{dir}
30189 Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
30190 @file{@var{dir}}.
30191
30192 @item --exec-prefix=@var{dir}
30193 Configure the source to install programs under directory
30194 @file{@var{dir}}.
30195
30196 @c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
30197 @need 2000
30198 @item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
30199 @strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
30200 @code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
30201 Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
30202 @value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
30203 build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
30204 directories. @file{configure} writes configuration-specific files in
30205 the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
30206 directory @var{dirname}. @file{configure} creates directories under
30207 the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
30208 @var{dirname}.
30209
30210 @item --norecursion
30211 Configure only the directory level where @file{configure} is executed; do not
30212 propagate configuration to subdirectories.
30213
30214 @item --target=@var{target}
30215 Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
30216 @var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
30217 programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
30218
30219 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
30220
30221 @item @var{host} @dots{}
30222 Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
30223
30224 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
30225 @end table
30226
30227 There are many other options available as well, but they are generally
30228 needed for special purposes only.
30229
30230 @node System-wide configuration
30231 @section System-wide configuration and settings
30232 @cindex system-wide init file
30233
30234 @value{GDBN} can be configured to have a system-wide init file;
30235 this file will be read and executed at startup (@pxref{Startup, , What
30236 @value{GDBN} does during startup}).
30237
30238 Here is the corresponding configure option:
30239
30240 @table @code
30241 @item --with-system-gdbinit=@var{file}
30242 Specify that the default location of the system-wide init file is
30243 @var{file}.
30244 @end table
30245
30246 If @value{GDBN} has been configured with the option @option{--prefix=$prefix},
30247 it may be subject to relocation. Two possible cases:
30248
30249 @itemize @bullet
30250 @item
30251 If the default location of this init file contains @file{$prefix},
30252 it will be subject to relocation. Suppose that the configure options
30253 are @option{--prefix=$prefix --with-system-gdbinit=$prefix/etc/gdbinit};
30254 if @value{GDBN} is moved from @file{$prefix} to @file{$install}, the system
30255 init file is looked for as @file{$install/etc/gdbinit} instead of
30256 @file{$prefix/etc/gdbinit}.
30257
30258 @item
30259 By contrast, if the default location does not contain the prefix,
30260 it will not be relocated. E.g.@: if @value{GDBN} has been configured with
30261 @option{--prefix=/usr/local --with-system-gdbinit=/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
30262 then @value{GDBN} will always look for @file{/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
30263 wherever @value{GDBN} is installed.
30264 @end itemize
30265
30266 @node Maintenance Commands
30267 @appendix Maintenance Commands
30268 @cindex maintenance commands
30269 @cindex internal commands
30270
30271 In addition to commands intended for @value{GDBN} users, @value{GDBN}
30272 includes a number of commands intended for @value{GDBN} developers,
30273 that are not documented elsewhere in this manual. These commands are
30274 provided here for reference. (For commands that turn on debugging
30275 messages, see @ref{Debugging Output}.)
30276
30277 @table @code
30278 @kindex maint agent
30279 @kindex maint agent-eval
30280 @item maint agent @var{expression}
30281 @itemx maint agent-eval @var{expression}
30282 Translate the given @var{expression} into remote agent bytecodes.
30283 This command is useful for debugging the Agent Expression mechanism
30284 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}). The @samp{agent} version produces an
30285 expression useful for data collection, such as by tracepoints, while
30286 @samp{maint agent-eval} produces an expression that evaluates directly
30287 to a result. For instance, a collection expression for @code{globa +
30288 globb} will include bytecodes to record four bytes of memory at each
30289 of the addresses of @code{globa} and @code{globb}, while discarding
30290 the result of the addition, while an evaluation expression will do the
30291 addition and return the sum.
30292
30293 @kindex maint info breakpoints
30294 @item @anchor{maint info breakpoints}maint info breakpoints
30295 Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
30296 breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
30297 internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
30298 breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
30299 is shown:
30300
30301 @table @code
30302 @item breakpoint
30303 Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
30304
30305 @item watchpoint
30306 Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
30307
30308 @item longjmp
30309 Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
30310 @code{longjmp} calls.
30311
30312 @item longjmp resume
30313 Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
30314
30315 @item until
30316 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
30317
30318 @item finish
30319 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
30320
30321 @item shlib events
30322 Shared library events.
30323
30324 @end table
30325
30326 @kindex set displaced-stepping
30327 @kindex show displaced-stepping
30328 @cindex displaced stepping support
30329 @cindex out-of-line single-stepping
30330 @item set displaced-stepping
30331 @itemx show displaced-stepping
30332 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will do @dfn{displaced stepping}
30333 if the target supports it. Displaced stepping is a way to single-step
30334 over breakpoints without removing them from the inferior, by executing
30335 an out-of-line copy of the instruction that was originally at the
30336 breakpoint location. It is also known as out-of-line single-stepping.
30337
30338 @table @code
30339 @item set displaced-stepping on
30340 If the target architecture supports it, @value{GDBN} will use
30341 displaced stepping to step over breakpoints.
30342
30343 @item set displaced-stepping off
30344 @value{GDBN} will not use displaced stepping to step over breakpoints,
30345 even if such is supported by the target architecture.
30346
30347 @cindex non-stop mode, and @samp{set displaced-stepping}
30348 @item set displaced-stepping auto
30349 This is the default mode. @value{GDBN} will use displaced stepping
30350 only if non-stop mode is active (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) and the target
30351 architecture supports displaced stepping.
30352 @end table
30353
30354 @kindex maint check-symtabs
30355 @item maint check-symtabs
30356 Check the consistency of psymtabs and symtabs.
30357
30358 @kindex maint cplus first_component
30359 @item maint cplus first_component @var{name}
30360 Print the first C@t{++} class/namespace component of @var{name}.
30361
30362 @kindex maint cplus namespace
30363 @item maint cplus namespace
30364 Print the list of possible C@t{++} namespaces.
30365
30366 @kindex maint demangle
30367 @item maint demangle @var{name}
30368 Demangle a C@t{++} or Objective-C mangled @var{name}.
30369
30370 @kindex maint deprecate
30371 @kindex maint undeprecate
30372 @cindex deprecated commands
30373 @item maint deprecate @var{command} @r{[}@var{replacement}@r{]}
30374 @itemx maint undeprecate @var{command}
30375 Deprecate or undeprecate the named @var{command}. Deprecated commands
30376 cause @value{GDBN} to issue a warning when you use them. The optional
30377 argument @var{replacement} says which newer command should be used in
30378 favor of the deprecated one; if it is given, @value{GDBN} will mention
30379 the replacement as part of the warning.
30380
30381 @kindex maint dump-me
30382 @item maint dump-me
30383 @cindex @code{SIGQUIT} signal, dump core of @value{GDBN}
30384 Cause a fatal signal in the debugger and force it to dump its core.
30385 This is supported only on systems which support aborting a program
30386 with the @code{SIGQUIT} signal.
30387
30388 @kindex maint internal-error
30389 @kindex maint internal-warning
30390 @item maint internal-error @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
30391 @itemx maint internal-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
30392 Cause @value{GDBN} to call the internal function @code{internal_error}
30393 or @code{internal_warning} and hence behave as though an internal error
30394 or internal warning has been detected. In addition to reporting the
30395 internal problem, these functions give the user the opportunity to
30396 either quit @value{GDBN} or create a core file of the current
30397 @value{GDBN} session.
30398
30399 These commands take an optional parameter @var{message-text} that is
30400 used as the text of the error or warning message.
30401
30402 Here's an example of using @code{internal-error}:
30403
30404 @smallexample
30405 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint internal-error testing, 1, 2}
30406 @dots{}/maint.c:121: internal-error: testing, 1, 2
30407 A problem internal to GDB has been detected. Further
30408 debugging may prove unreliable.
30409 Quit this debugging session? (y or n) @kbd{n}
30410 Create a core file? (y or n) @kbd{n}
30411 (@value{GDBP})
30412 @end smallexample
30413
30414 @cindex @value{GDBN} internal error
30415 @cindex internal errors, control of @value{GDBN} behavior
30416
30417 @kindex maint set internal-error
30418 @kindex maint show internal-error
30419 @kindex maint set internal-warning
30420 @kindex maint show internal-warning
30421 @item maint set internal-error @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
30422 @itemx maint show internal-error @var{action}
30423 @itemx maint set internal-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
30424 @itemx maint show internal-warning @var{action}
30425 When @value{GDBN} reports an internal problem (error or warning) it
30426 gives the user the opportunity to both quit @value{GDBN} and create a
30427 core file of the current @value{GDBN} session. These commands let you
30428 override the default behaviour for each particular @var{action},
30429 described in the table below.
30430
30431 @table @samp
30432 @item quit
30433 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
30434 quit. The default is to ask the user what to do.
30435
30436 @item corefile
30437 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
30438 create a core file. The default is to ask the user what to do.
30439 @end table
30440
30441 @kindex maint packet
30442 @item maint packet @var{text}
30443 If @value{GDBN} is talking to an inferior via the serial protocol,
30444 then this command sends the string @var{text} to the inferior, and
30445 displays the response packet. @value{GDBN} supplies the initial
30446 @samp{$} character, the terminating @samp{#} character, and the
30447 checksum.
30448
30449 @kindex maint print architecture
30450 @item maint print architecture @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
30451 Print the entire architecture configuration. The optional argument
30452 @var{file} names the file where the output goes.
30453
30454 @kindex maint print c-tdesc
30455 @item maint print c-tdesc
30456 Print the current target description (@pxref{Target Descriptions}) as
30457 a C source file. The created source file can be used in @value{GDBN}
30458 when an XML parser is not available to parse the description.
30459
30460 @kindex maint print dummy-frames
30461 @item maint print dummy-frames
30462 Prints the contents of @value{GDBN}'s internal dummy-frame stack.
30463
30464 @smallexample
30465 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{b add}
30466 @dots{}
30467 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{print add(2,3)}
30468 Breakpoint 2, add (a=2, b=3) at @dots{}
30469 58 return (a + b);
30470 The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB.
30471 @dots{}
30472 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print dummy-frames}
30473 0x1a57c80: pc=0x01014068 fp=0x0200bddc sp=0x0200bdd6
30474 top=0x0200bdd4 id=@{stack=0x200bddc,code=0x101405c@}
30475 call_lo=0x01014000 call_hi=0x01014001
30476 (@value{GDBP})
30477 @end smallexample
30478
30479 Takes an optional file parameter.
30480
30481 @kindex maint print registers
30482 @kindex maint print raw-registers
30483 @kindex maint print cooked-registers
30484 @kindex maint print register-groups
30485 @item maint print registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
30486 @itemx maint print raw-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
30487 @itemx maint print cooked-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
30488 @itemx maint print register-groups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
30489 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register data structures.
30490
30491 The command @code{maint print raw-registers} includes the contents of
30492 the raw register cache; the command @code{maint print cooked-registers}
30493 includes the (cooked) value of all registers, including registers which
30494 aren't available on the target nor visible to user; and the
30495 command @code{maint print register-groups} includes the groups that each
30496 register is a member of. @xref{Registers,, Registers, gdbint,
30497 @value{GDBN} Internals}.
30498
30499 These commands take an optional parameter, a file name to which to
30500 write the information.
30501
30502 @kindex maint print reggroups
30503 @item maint print reggroups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
30504 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register group data structures. The
30505 optional argument @var{file} tells to what file to write the
30506 information.
30507
30508 The register groups info looks like this:
30509
30510 @smallexample
30511 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print reggroups}
30512 Group Type
30513 general user
30514 float user
30515 all user
30516 vector user
30517 system user
30518 save internal
30519 restore internal
30520 @end smallexample
30521
30522 @kindex flushregs
30523 @item flushregs
30524 This command forces @value{GDBN} to flush its internal register cache.
30525
30526 @kindex maint print objfiles
30527 @cindex info for known object files
30528 @item maint print objfiles
30529 Print a dump of all known object files. For each object file, this
30530 command prints its name, address in memory, and all of its psymtabs
30531 and symtabs.
30532
30533 @kindex maint print section-scripts
30534 @cindex info for known .debug_gdb_scripts-loaded scripts
30535 @item maint print section-scripts [@var{regexp}]
30536 Print a dump of scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_section} section.
30537 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print scripts loaded by object files
30538 matching @var{regexp}.
30539 For each script, this command prints its name as specified in the objfile,
30540 and the full path if known.
30541 @xref{.debug_gdb_scripts section}.
30542
30543 @kindex maint print statistics
30544 @cindex bcache statistics
30545 @item maint print statistics
30546 This command prints, for each object file in the program, various data
30547 about that object file followed by the byte cache (@dfn{bcache})
30548 statistics for the object file. The objfile data includes the number
30549 of minimal, partial, full, and stabs symbols, the number of types
30550 defined by the objfile, the number of as yet unexpanded psym tables,
30551 the number of line tables and string tables, and the amount of memory
30552 used by the various tables. The bcache statistics include the counts,
30553 sizes, and counts of duplicates of all and unique objects, max,
30554 average, and median entry size, total memory used and its overhead and
30555 savings, and various measures of the hash table size and chain
30556 lengths.
30557
30558 @kindex maint print target-stack
30559 @cindex target stack description
30560 @item maint print target-stack
30561 A @dfn{target} is an interface between the debugger and a particular
30562 kind of file or process. Targets can be stacked in @dfn{strata},
30563 so that more than one target can potentially respond to a request.
30564 In particular, memory accesses will walk down the stack of targets
30565 until they find a target that is interested in handling that particular
30566 address.
30567
30568 This command prints a short description of each layer that was pushed on
30569 the @dfn{target stack}, starting from the top layer down to the bottom one.
30570
30571 @kindex maint print type
30572 @cindex type chain of a data type
30573 @item maint print type @var{expr}
30574 Print the type chain for a type specified by @var{expr}. The argument
30575 can be either a type name or a symbol. If it is a symbol, the type of
30576 that symbol is described. The type chain produced by this command is
30577 a recursive definition of the data type as stored in @value{GDBN}'s
30578 data structures, including its flags and contained types.
30579
30580 @kindex maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
30581 @kindex maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
30582 @item maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
30583 @item maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
30584 Control the behavior of @code{info address} when using DWARF debugging
30585 information.
30586
30587 The default is @code{off}, which means that @value{GDBN} should try to
30588 describe a variable's location in an easily readable format. When
30589 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will instead display the DWARF location
30590 expression in an assembly-like format. Note that some locations are
30591 too complex for @value{GDBN} to describe simply; in this case you will
30592 always see the disassembly form.
30593
30594 Here is an example of the resulting disassembly:
30595
30596 @smallexample
30597 (gdb) info addr argc
30598 Symbol "argc" is a complex DWARF expression:
30599 1: DW_OP_fbreg 0
30600 @end smallexample
30601
30602 For more information on these expressions, see
30603 @uref{http://www.dwarfstd.org/, the DWARF standard}.
30604
30605 @kindex maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
30606 @kindex maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
30607 @item maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
30608 @itemx maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
30609 Control the DWARF 2 compilation unit cache.
30610
30611 @cindex DWARF 2 compilation units cache
30612 In object files with inter-compilation-unit references, such as those
30613 produced by the GCC option @samp{-feliminate-dwarf2-dups}, the DWARF 2
30614 reader needs to frequently refer to previously read compilation units.
30615 This setting controls how long a compilation unit will remain in the
30616 cache if it is not referenced. A higher limit means that cached
30617 compilation units will be stored in memory longer, and more total
30618 memory will be used. Setting it to zero disables caching, which will
30619 slow down @value{GDBN} startup, but reduce memory consumption.
30620
30621 @kindex maint set profile
30622 @kindex maint show profile
30623 @cindex profiling GDB
30624 @item maint set profile
30625 @itemx maint show profile
30626 Control profiling of @value{GDBN}.
30627
30628 Profiling will be disabled until you use the @samp{maint set profile}
30629 command to enable it. When you enable profiling, the system will begin
30630 collecting timing and execution count data; when you disable profiling or
30631 exit @value{GDBN}, the results will be written to a log file. Remember that
30632 if you use profiling, @value{GDBN} will overwrite the profiling log file
30633 (often called @file{gmon.out}). If you have a record of important profiling
30634 data in a @file{gmon.out} file, be sure to move it to a safe location.
30635
30636 Configuring with @samp{--enable-profiling} arranges for @value{GDBN} to be
30637 compiled with the @samp{-pg} compiler option.
30638
30639 @kindex maint set show-debug-regs
30640 @kindex maint show show-debug-regs
30641 @cindex hardware debug registers
30642 @item maint set show-debug-regs
30643 @itemx maint show show-debug-regs
30644 Control whether to show variables that mirror the hardware debug
30645 registers. Use @code{ON} to enable, @code{OFF} to disable. If
30646 enabled, the debug registers values are shown when @value{GDBN} inserts or
30647 removes a hardware breakpoint or watchpoint, and when the inferior
30648 triggers a hardware-assisted breakpoint or watchpoint.
30649
30650 @kindex maint set show-all-tib
30651 @kindex maint show show-all-tib
30652 @item maint set show-all-tib
30653 @itemx maint show show-all-tib
30654 Control whether to show all non zero areas within a 1k block starting
30655 at thread local base, when using the @samp{info w32 thread-information-block}
30656 command.
30657
30658 @kindex maint space
30659 @cindex memory used by commands
30660 @item maint space
30661 Control whether to display memory usage for each command. If set to a
30662 nonzero value, @value{GDBN} will display how much memory each command
30663 took, following the command's own output. This can also be requested
30664 by invoking @value{GDBN} with the @option{--statistics} command-line
30665 switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
30666
30667 @kindex maint time
30668 @cindex time of command execution
30669 @item maint time
30670 Control whether to display the execution time for each command. If
30671 set to a nonzero value, @value{GDBN} will display how much time it
30672 took to execute each command, following the command's own output.
30673 The time is not printed for the commands that run the target, since
30674 there's no mechanism currently to compute how much time was spend
30675 by @value{GDBN} and how much time was spend by the program been debugged.
30676 it's not possibly currently
30677 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
30678 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
30679
30680 @kindex maint translate-address
30681 @item maint translate-address @r{[}@var{section}@r{]} @var{addr}
30682 Find the symbol stored at the location specified by the address
30683 @var{addr} and an optional section name @var{section}. If found,
30684 @value{GDBN} prints the name of the closest symbol and an offset from
30685 the symbol's location to the specified address. This is similar to
30686 the @code{info address} command (@pxref{Symbols}), except that this
30687 command also allows to find symbols in other sections.
30688
30689 If section was not specified, the section in which the symbol was found
30690 is also printed. For dynamically linked executables, the name of
30691 executable or shared library containing the symbol is printed as well.
30692
30693 @end table
30694
30695 The following command is useful for non-interactive invocations of
30696 @value{GDBN}, such as in the test suite.
30697
30698 @table @code
30699 @item set watchdog @var{nsec}
30700 @kindex set watchdog
30701 @cindex watchdog timer
30702 @cindex timeout for commands
30703 Set the maximum number of seconds @value{GDBN} will wait for the
30704 target operation to finish. If this time expires, @value{GDBN}
30705 reports and error and the command is aborted.
30706
30707 @item show watchdog
30708 Show the current setting of the target wait timeout.
30709 @end table
30710
30711 @node Remote Protocol
30712 @appendix @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol
30713
30714 @menu
30715 * Overview::
30716 * Packets::
30717 * Stop Reply Packets::
30718 * General Query Packets::
30719 * Architecture-Specific Protocol Details::
30720 * Tracepoint Packets::
30721 * Host I/O Packets::
30722 * Interrupts::
30723 * Notification Packets::
30724 * Remote Non-Stop::
30725 * Packet Acknowledgment::
30726 * Examples::
30727 * File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension::
30728 * Library List Format::
30729 * Memory Map Format::
30730 * Thread List Format::
30731 @end menu
30732
30733 @node Overview
30734 @section Overview
30735
30736 There may be occasions when you need to know something about the
30737 protocol---for example, if there is only one serial port to your target
30738 machine, you might want your program to do something special if it
30739 recognizes a packet meant for @value{GDBN}.
30740
30741 In the examples below, @samp{->} and @samp{<-} are used to indicate
30742 transmitted and received data, respectively.
30743
30744 @cindex protocol, @value{GDBN} remote serial
30745 @cindex serial protocol, @value{GDBN} remote
30746 @cindex remote serial protocol
30747 All @value{GDBN} commands and responses (other than acknowledgments
30748 and notifications, see @ref{Notification Packets}) are sent as a
30749 @var{packet}. A @var{packet} is introduced with the character
30750 @samp{$}, the actual @var{packet-data}, and the terminating character
30751 @samp{#} followed by a two-digit @var{checksum}:
30752
30753 @smallexample
30754 @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
30755 @end smallexample
30756 @noindent
30757
30758 @cindex checksum, for @value{GDBN} remote
30759 @noindent
30760 The two-digit @var{checksum} is computed as the modulo 256 sum of all
30761 characters between the leading @samp{$} and the trailing @samp{#} (an
30762 eight bit unsigned checksum).
30763
30764 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0 the protocol
30765 specification also included an optional two-digit @var{sequence-id}:
30766
30767 @smallexample
30768 @code{$}@var{sequence-id}@code{:}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
30769 @end smallexample
30770
30771 @cindex sequence-id, for @value{GDBN} remote
30772 @noindent
30773 That @var{sequence-id} was appended to the acknowledgment. @value{GDBN}
30774 has never output @var{sequence-id}s. Stubs that handle packets added
30775 since @value{GDBN} 5.0 must not accept @var{sequence-id}.
30776
30777 When either the host or the target machine receives a packet, the first
30778 response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
30779 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request
30780 retransmission):
30781
30782 @smallexample
30783 -> @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
30784 <- @code{+}
30785 @end smallexample
30786 @noindent
30787
30788 The @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments can be disabled
30789 once a connection is established.
30790 @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}, for details.
30791
30792 The host (@value{GDBN}) sends @var{command}s, and the target (the
30793 debugging stub incorporated in your program) sends a @var{response}. In
30794 the case of step and continue @var{command}s, the response is only sent
30795 when the operation has completed, and the target has again stopped all
30796 threads in all attached processes. This is the default all-stop mode
30797 behavior, but the remote protocol also supports @value{GDBN}'s non-stop
30798 execution mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}, for details.
30799
30800 @var{packet-data} consists of a sequence of characters with the
30801 exception of @samp{#} and @samp{$} (see @samp{X} packet for additional
30802 exceptions).
30803
30804 @cindex remote protocol, field separator
30805 Fields within the packet should be separated using @samp{,} @samp{;} or
30806 @samp{:}. Except where otherwise noted all numbers are represented in
30807 @sc{hex} with leading zeros suppressed.
30808
30809 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0, the character
30810 @samp{:} could not appear as the third character in a packet (as it
30811 would potentially conflict with the @var{sequence-id}).
30812
30813 @cindex remote protocol, binary data
30814 @anchor{Binary Data}
30815 Binary data in most packets is encoded either as two hexadecimal
30816 digits per byte of binary data. This allowed the traditional remote
30817 protocol to work over connections which were only seven-bit clean.
30818 Some packets designed more recently assume an eight-bit clean
30819 connection, and use a more efficient encoding to send and receive
30820 binary data.
30821
30822 The binary data representation uses @code{7d} (@sc{ascii} @samp{@}})
30823 as an escape character. Any escaped byte is transmitted as the escape
30824 character followed by the original character XORed with @code{0x20}.
30825 For example, the byte @code{0x7d} would be transmitted as the two
30826 bytes @code{0x7d 0x5d}. The bytes @code{0x23} (@sc{ascii} @samp{#}),
30827 @code{0x24} (@sc{ascii} @samp{$}), and @code{0x7d} (@sc{ascii}
30828 @samp{@}}) must always be escaped. Responses sent by the stub
30829 must also escape @code{0x2a} (@sc{ascii} @samp{*}), so that it
30830 is not interpreted as the start of a run-length encoded sequence
30831 (described next).
30832
30833 Response @var{data} can be run-length encoded to save space.
30834 Run-length encoding replaces runs of identical characters with one
30835 instance of the repeated character, followed by a @samp{*} and a
30836 repeat count. The repeat count is itself sent encoded, to avoid
30837 binary characters in @var{data}: a value of @var{n} is sent as
30838 @code{@var{n}+29}. For a repeat count greater or equal to 3, this
30839 produces a printable @sc{ascii} character, e.g.@: a space (@sc{ascii}
30840 code 32) for a repeat count of 3. (This is because run-length
30841 encoding starts to win for counts 3 or more.) Thus, for example,
30842 @samp{0* } is a run-length encoding of ``0000'': the space character
30843 after @samp{*} means repeat the leading @code{0} @w{@code{32 - 29 =
30844 3}} more times.
30845
30846 The printable characters @samp{#} and @samp{$} or with a numeric value
30847 greater than 126 must not be used. Runs of six repeats (@samp{#}) or
30848 seven repeats (@samp{$}) can be expanded using a repeat count of only
30849 five (@samp{"}). For example, @samp{00000000} can be encoded as
30850 @samp{0*"00}.
30851
30852 The error response returned for some packets includes a two character
30853 error number. That number is not well defined.
30854
30855 @cindex empty response, for unsupported packets
30856 For any @var{command} not supported by the stub, an empty response
30857 (@samp{$#00}) should be returned. That way it is possible to extend the
30858 protocol. A newer @value{GDBN} can tell if a packet is supported based
30859 on that response.
30860
30861 A stub is required to support the @samp{g}, @samp{G}, @samp{m}, @samp{M},
30862 @samp{c}, and @samp{s} @var{command}s. All other @var{command}s are
30863 optional.
30864
30865 @node Packets
30866 @section Packets
30867
30868 The following table provides a complete list of all currently defined
30869 @var{command}s and their corresponding response @var{data}.
30870 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for details about the File
30871 I/O extension of the remote protocol.
30872
30873 Each packet's description has a template showing the packet's overall
30874 syntax, followed by an explanation of the packet's meaning. We
30875 include spaces in some of the templates for clarity; these are not
30876 part of the packet's syntax. No @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to
30877 separate its components. For example, a template like @samp{foo
30878 @var{bar} @var{baz}} describes a packet beginning with the three ASCII
30879 bytes @samp{foo}, followed by a @var{bar}, followed directly by a
30880 @var{baz}. @value{GDBN} does not transmit a space character between the
30881 @samp{foo} and the @var{bar}, or between the @var{bar} and the
30882 @var{baz}.
30883
30884 @cindex @var{thread-id}, in remote protocol
30885 @anchor{thread-id syntax}
30886 Several packets and replies include a @var{thread-id} field to identify
30887 a thread. Normally these are positive numbers with a target-specific
30888 interpretation, formatted as big-endian hex strings. A @var{thread-id}
30889 can also be a literal @samp{-1} to indicate all threads, or @samp{0} to
30890 pick any thread.
30891
30892 In addition, the remote protocol supports a multiprocess feature in
30893 which the @var{thread-id} syntax is extended to optionally include both
30894 process and thread ID fields, as @samp{p@var{pid}.@var{tid}}.
30895 The @var{pid} (process) and @var{tid} (thread) components each have the
30896 format described above: a positive number with target-specific
30897 interpretation formatted as a big-endian hex string, literal @samp{-1}
30898 to indicate all processes or threads (respectively), or @samp{0} to
30899 indicate an arbitrary process or thread. Specifying just a process, as
30900 @samp{p@var{pid}}, is equivalent to @samp{p@var{pid}.-1}. It is an
30901 error to specify all processes but a specific thread, such as
30902 @samp{p-1.@var{tid}}. Note that the @samp{p} prefix is @emph{not} used
30903 for those packets and replies explicitly documented to include a process
30904 ID, rather than a @var{thread-id}.
30905
30906 The multiprocess @var{thread-id} syntax extensions are only used if both
30907 @value{GDBN} and the stub report support for the @samp{multiprocess}
30908 feature using @samp{qSupported}. @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for
30909 more information.
30910
30911 Note that all packet forms beginning with an upper- or lower-case
30912 letter, other than those described here, are reserved for future use.
30913
30914 Here are the packet descriptions.
30915
30916 @table @samp
30917
30918 @item !
30919 @cindex @samp{!} packet
30920 @anchor{extended mode}
30921 Enable extended mode. In extended mode, the remote server is made
30922 persistent. The @samp{R} packet is used to restart the program being
30923 debugged.
30924
30925 Reply:
30926 @table @samp
30927 @item OK
30928 The remote target both supports and has enabled extended mode.
30929 @end table
30930
30931 @item ?
30932 @cindex @samp{?} packet
30933 Indicate the reason the target halted. The reply is the same as for
30934 step and continue. This packet has a special interpretation when the
30935 target is in non-stop mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}.
30936
30937 Reply:
30938 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
30939
30940 @item A @var{arglen},@var{argnum},@var{arg},@dots{}
30941 @cindex @samp{A} packet
30942 Initialized @code{argv[]} array passed into program. @var{arglen}
30943 specifies the number of bytes in the hex encoded byte stream
30944 @var{arg}. See @code{gdbserver} for more details.
30945
30946 Reply:
30947 @table @samp
30948 @item OK
30949 The arguments were set.
30950 @item E @var{NN}
30951 An error occurred.
30952 @end table
30953
30954 @item b @var{baud}
30955 @cindex @samp{b} packet
30956 (Don't use this packet; its behavior is not well-defined.)
30957 Change the serial line speed to @var{baud}.
30958
30959 JTC: @emph{When does the transport layer state change? When it's
30960 received, or after the ACK is transmitted. In either case, there are
30961 problems if the command or the acknowledgment packet is dropped.}
30962
30963 Stan: @emph{If people really wanted to add something like this, and get
30964 it working for the first time, they ought to modify ser-unix.c to send
30965 some kind of out-of-band message to a specially-setup stub and have the
30966 switch happen "in between" packets, so that from remote protocol's point
30967 of view, nothing actually happened.}
30968
30969 @item B @var{addr},@var{mode}
30970 @cindex @samp{B} packet
30971 Set (@var{mode} is @samp{S}) or clear (@var{mode} is @samp{C}) a
30972 breakpoint at @var{addr}.
30973
30974 Don't use this packet. Use the @samp{Z} and @samp{z} packets instead
30975 (@pxref{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}).
30976
30977 @cindex @samp{bc} packet
30978 @anchor{bc}
30979 @item bc
30980 Backward continue. Execute the target system in reverse. No parameter.
30981 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
30982
30983 Reply:
30984 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
30985
30986 @cindex @samp{bs} packet
30987 @anchor{bs}
30988 @item bs
30989 Backward single step. Execute one instruction in reverse. No parameter.
30990 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
30991
30992 Reply:
30993 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
30994
30995 @item c @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
30996 @cindex @samp{c} packet
30997 Continue. @var{addr} is address to resume. If @var{addr} is omitted,
30998 resume at current address.
30999
31000 Reply:
31001 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
31002
31003 @item C @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
31004 @cindex @samp{C} packet
31005 Continue with signal @var{sig} (hex signal number). If
31006 @samp{;@var{addr}} is omitted, resume at same address.
31007
31008 Reply:
31009 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
31010
31011 @item d
31012 @cindex @samp{d} packet
31013 Toggle debug flag.
31014
31015 Don't use this packet; instead, define a general set packet
31016 (@pxref{General Query Packets}).
31017
31018 @item D
31019 @itemx D;@var{pid}
31020 @cindex @samp{D} packet
31021 The first form of the packet is used to detach @value{GDBN} from the
31022 remote system. It is sent to the remote target
31023 before @value{GDBN} disconnects via the @code{detach} command.
31024
31025 The second form, including a process ID, is used when multiprocess
31026 protocol extensions are enabled (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}), to
31027 detach only a specific process. The @var{pid} is specified as a
31028 big-endian hex string.
31029
31030 Reply:
31031 @table @samp
31032 @item OK
31033 for success
31034 @item E @var{NN}
31035 for an error
31036 @end table
31037
31038 @item F @var{RC},@var{EE},@var{CF};@var{XX}
31039 @cindex @samp{F} packet
31040 A reply from @value{GDBN} to an @samp{F} packet sent by the target.
31041 This is part of the File-I/O protocol extension. @xref{File-I/O
31042 Remote Protocol Extension}, for the specification.
31043
31044 @item g
31045 @anchor{read registers packet}
31046 @cindex @samp{g} packet
31047 Read general registers.
31048
31049 Reply:
31050 @table @samp
31051 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
31052 Each byte of register data is described by two hex digits. The bytes
31053 with the register are transmitted in target byte order. The size of
31054 each register and their position within the @samp{g} packet are
31055 determined by the @value{GDBN} internal gdbarch functions
31056 @code{DEPRECATED_REGISTER_RAW_SIZE} and @code{gdbarch_register_name}. The
31057 specification of several standard @samp{g} packets is specified below.
31058 @item E @var{NN}
31059 for an error.
31060 @end table
31061
31062 @item G @var{XX@dots{}}
31063 @cindex @samp{G} packet
31064 Write general registers. @xref{read registers packet}, for a
31065 description of the @var{XX@dots{}} data.
31066
31067 Reply:
31068 @table @samp
31069 @item OK
31070 for success
31071 @item E @var{NN}
31072 for an error
31073 @end table
31074
31075 @item H @var{c} @var{thread-id}
31076 @cindex @samp{H} packet
31077 Set thread for subsequent operations (@samp{m}, @samp{M}, @samp{g},
31078 @samp{G}, et.al.). @var{c} depends on the operation to be performed: it
31079 should be @samp{c} for step and continue operations, @samp{g} for other
31080 operations. The thread designator @var{thread-id} has the format and
31081 interpretation described in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
31082
31083 Reply:
31084 @table @samp
31085 @item OK
31086 for success
31087 @item E @var{NN}
31088 for an error
31089 @end table
31090
31091 @c FIXME: JTC:
31092 @c 'H': How restrictive (or permissive) is the thread model. If a
31093 @c thread is selected and stopped, are other threads allowed
31094 @c to continue to execute? As I mentioned above, I think the
31095 @c semantics of each command when a thread is selected must be
31096 @c described. For example:
31097 @c
31098 @c 'g': If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
31099 @c selected, returns the register block from that thread;
31100 @c otherwise returns current registers.
31101 @c
31102 @c 'G' If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
31103 @c selected, sets the registers of the register block of
31104 @c that thread; otherwise sets current registers.
31105
31106 @item i @r{[}@var{addr}@r{[},@var{nnn}@r{]]}
31107 @anchor{cycle step packet}
31108 @cindex @samp{i} packet
31109 Step the remote target by a single clock cycle. If @samp{,@var{nnn}} is
31110 present, cycle step @var{nnn} cycles. If @var{addr} is present, cycle
31111 step starting at that address.
31112
31113 @item I
31114 @cindex @samp{I} packet
31115 Signal, then cycle step. @xref{step with signal packet}. @xref{cycle
31116 step packet}.
31117
31118 @item k
31119 @cindex @samp{k} packet
31120 Kill request.
31121
31122 FIXME: @emph{There is no description of how to operate when a specific
31123 thread context has been selected (i.e.@: does 'k' kill only that
31124 thread?)}.
31125
31126 @item m @var{addr},@var{length}
31127 @cindex @samp{m} packet
31128 Read @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
31129 Note that @var{addr} may not be aligned to any particular boundary.
31130
31131 The stub need not use any particular size or alignment when gathering
31132 data from memory for the response; even if @var{addr} is word-aligned
31133 and @var{length} is a multiple of the word size, the stub is free to
31134 use byte accesses, or not. For this reason, this packet may not be
31135 suitable for accessing memory-mapped I/O devices.
31136 @cindex alignment of remote memory accesses
31137 @cindex size of remote memory accesses
31138 @cindex memory, alignment and size of remote accesses
31139
31140 Reply:
31141 @table @samp
31142 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
31143 Memory contents; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit hexadecimal
31144 number. The reply may contain fewer bytes than requested if the
31145 server was able to read only part of the region of memory.
31146 @item E @var{NN}
31147 @var{NN} is errno
31148 @end table
31149
31150 @item M @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
31151 @cindex @samp{M} packet
31152 Write @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
31153 @var{XX@dots{}} is the data; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit
31154 hexadecimal number.
31155
31156 Reply:
31157 @table @samp
31158 @item OK
31159 for success
31160 @item E @var{NN}
31161 for an error (this includes the case where only part of the data was
31162 written).
31163 @end table
31164
31165 @item p @var{n}
31166 @cindex @samp{p} packet
31167 Read the value of register @var{n}; @var{n} is in hex.
31168 @xref{read registers packet}, for a description of how the returned
31169 register value is encoded.
31170
31171 Reply:
31172 @table @samp
31173 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
31174 the register's value
31175 @item E @var{NN}
31176 for an error
31177 @item
31178 Indicating an unrecognized @var{query}.
31179 @end table
31180
31181 @item P @var{n@dots{}}=@var{r@dots{}}
31182 @anchor{write register packet}
31183 @cindex @samp{P} packet
31184 Write register @var{n@dots{}} with value @var{r@dots{}}. The register
31185 number @var{n} is in hexadecimal, and @var{r@dots{}} contains two hex
31186 digits for each byte in the register (target byte order).
31187
31188 Reply:
31189 @table @samp
31190 @item OK
31191 for success
31192 @item E @var{NN}
31193 for an error
31194 @end table
31195
31196 @item q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
31197 @itemx Q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
31198 @cindex @samp{q} packet
31199 @cindex @samp{Q} packet
31200 General query (@samp{q}) and set (@samp{Q}). These packets are
31201 described fully in @ref{General Query Packets}.
31202
31203 @item r
31204 @cindex @samp{r} packet
31205 Reset the entire system.
31206
31207 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{R} packet instead.
31208
31209 @item R @var{XX}
31210 @cindex @samp{R} packet
31211 Restart the program being debugged. @var{XX}, while needed, is ignored.
31212 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
31213
31214 The @samp{R} packet has no reply.
31215
31216 @item s @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
31217 @cindex @samp{s} packet
31218 Single step. @var{addr} is the address at which to resume. If
31219 @var{addr} is omitted, resume at same address.
31220
31221 Reply:
31222 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
31223
31224 @item S @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
31225 @anchor{step with signal packet}
31226 @cindex @samp{S} packet
31227 Step with signal. This is analogous to the @samp{C} packet, but
31228 requests a single-step, rather than a normal resumption of execution.
31229
31230 Reply:
31231 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
31232
31233 @item t @var{addr}:@var{PP},@var{MM}
31234 @cindex @samp{t} packet
31235 Search backwards starting at address @var{addr} for a match with pattern
31236 @var{PP} and mask @var{MM}. @var{PP} and @var{MM} are 4 bytes.
31237 @var{addr} must be at least 3 digits.
31238
31239 @item T @var{thread-id}
31240 @cindex @samp{T} packet
31241 Find out if the thread @var{thread-id} is alive. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
31242
31243 Reply:
31244 @table @samp
31245 @item OK
31246 thread is still alive
31247 @item E @var{NN}
31248 thread is dead
31249 @end table
31250
31251 @item v
31252 Packets starting with @samp{v} are identified by a multi-letter name,
31253 up to the first @samp{;} or @samp{?} (or the end of the packet).
31254
31255 @item vAttach;@var{pid}
31256 @cindex @samp{vAttach} packet
31257 Attach to a new process with the specified process ID @var{pid}.
31258 The process ID is a
31259 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. In all-stop mode, all
31260 threads in the attached process are stopped; in non-stop mode, it may be
31261 attached without being stopped if that is supported by the target.
31262
31263 @c In non-stop mode, on a successful vAttach, the stub should set the
31264 @c current thread to a thread of the newly-attached process. After
31265 @c attaching, GDB queries for the attached process's thread ID with qC.
31266 @c Also note that, from a user perspective, whether or not the
31267 @c target is stopped on attach in non-stop mode depends on whether you
31268 @c use the foreground or background version of the attach command, not
31269 @c on what vAttach does; GDB does the right thing with respect to either
31270 @c stopping or restarting threads.
31271
31272 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
31273
31274 Reply:
31275 @table @samp
31276 @item E @var{nn}
31277 for an error
31278 @item @r{Any stop packet}
31279 for success in all-stop mode (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
31280 @item OK
31281 for success in non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop})
31282 @end table
31283
31284 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@r{[}:@var{thread-id}@r{]]}@dots{}
31285 @cindex @samp{vCont} packet
31286 Resume the inferior, specifying different actions for each thread.
31287 If an action is specified with no @var{thread-id}, then it is applied to any
31288 threads that don't have a specific action specified; if no default action is
31289 specified then other threads should remain stopped in all-stop mode and
31290 in their current state in non-stop mode.
31291 Specifying multiple
31292 default actions is an error; specifying no actions is also an error.
31293 Thread IDs are specified using the syntax described in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
31294
31295 Currently supported actions are:
31296
31297 @table @samp
31298 @item c
31299 Continue.
31300 @item C @var{sig}
31301 Continue with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
31302 @item s
31303 Step.
31304 @item S @var{sig}
31305 Step with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
31306 @item t
31307 Stop.
31308 @end table
31309
31310 The optional argument @var{addr} normally associated with the
31311 @samp{c}, @samp{C}, @samp{s}, and @samp{S} packets is
31312 not supported in @samp{vCont}.
31313
31314 The @samp{t} action is only relevant in non-stop mode
31315 (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}) and may be ignored by the stub otherwise.
31316 A stop reply should be generated for any affected thread not already stopped.
31317 When a thread is stopped by means of a @samp{t} action,
31318 the corresponding stop reply should indicate that the thread has stopped with
31319 signal @samp{0}, regardless of whether the target uses some other signal
31320 as an implementation detail.
31321
31322 Reply:
31323 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
31324
31325 @item vCont?
31326 @cindex @samp{vCont?} packet
31327 Request a list of actions supported by the @samp{vCont} packet.
31328
31329 Reply:
31330 @table @samp
31331 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@dots{}@r{]}
31332 The @samp{vCont} packet is supported. Each @var{action} is a supported
31333 command in the @samp{vCont} packet.
31334 @item
31335 The @samp{vCont} packet is not supported.
31336 @end table
31337
31338 @item vFile:@var{operation}:@var{parameter}@dots{}
31339 @cindex @samp{vFile} packet
31340 Perform a file operation on the target system. For details,
31341 see @ref{Host I/O Packets}.
31342
31343 @item vFlashErase:@var{addr},@var{length}
31344 @cindex @samp{vFlashErase} packet
31345 Direct the stub to erase @var{length} bytes of flash starting at
31346 @var{addr}. The region may enclose any number of flash blocks, but
31347 its start and end must fall on block boundaries, as indicated by the
31348 flash block size appearing in the memory map (@pxref{Memory Map
31349 Format}). @value{GDBN} groups flash memory programming operations
31350 together, and sends a @samp{vFlashDone} request after each group; the
31351 stub is allowed to delay erase operation until the @samp{vFlashDone}
31352 packet is received.
31353
31354 The stub must support @samp{vCont} if it reports support for
31355 multiprocess extensions (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}). Note that in
31356 this case @samp{vCont} actions can be specified to apply to all threads
31357 in a process by using the @samp{p@var{pid}.-1} form of the
31358 @var{thread-id}.
31359
31360 Reply:
31361 @table @samp
31362 @item OK
31363 for success
31364 @item E @var{NN}
31365 for an error
31366 @end table
31367
31368 @item vFlashWrite:@var{addr}:@var{XX@dots{}}
31369 @cindex @samp{vFlashWrite} packet
31370 Direct the stub to write data to flash address @var{addr}. The data
31371 is passed in binary form using the same encoding as for the @samp{X}
31372 packet (@pxref{Binary Data}). The memory ranges specified by
31373 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets preceding a @samp{vFlashDone} packet must
31374 not overlap, and must appear in order of increasing addresses
31375 (although @samp{vFlashErase} packets for higher addresses may already
31376 have been received; the ordering is guaranteed only between
31377 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets). If a packet writes to an address that was
31378 neither erased by a preceding @samp{vFlashErase} packet nor by some other
31379 target-specific method, the results are unpredictable.
31380
31381
31382 Reply:
31383 @table @samp
31384 @item OK
31385 for success
31386 @item E.memtype
31387 for vFlashWrite addressing non-flash memory
31388 @item E @var{NN}
31389 for an error
31390 @end table
31391
31392 @item vFlashDone
31393 @cindex @samp{vFlashDone} packet
31394 Indicate to the stub that flash programming operation is finished.
31395 The stub is permitted to delay or batch the effects of a group of
31396 @samp{vFlashErase} and @samp{vFlashWrite} packets until a
31397 @samp{vFlashDone} packet is received. The contents of the affected
31398 regions of flash memory are unpredictable until the @samp{vFlashDone}
31399 request is completed.
31400
31401 @item vKill;@var{pid}
31402 @cindex @samp{vKill} packet
31403 Kill the process with the specified process ID. @var{pid} is a
31404 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. This packet is used in
31405 preference to @samp{k} when multiprocess protocol extensions are
31406 supported; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
31407
31408 Reply:
31409 @table @samp
31410 @item E @var{nn}
31411 for an error
31412 @item OK
31413 for success
31414 @end table
31415
31416 @item vRun;@var{filename}@r{[};@var{argument}@r{]}@dots{}
31417 @cindex @samp{vRun} packet
31418 Run the program @var{filename}, passing it each @var{argument} on its
31419 command line. The file and arguments are hex-encoded strings. If
31420 @var{filename} is an empty string, the stub may use a default program
31421 (e.g.@: the last program run). The program is created in the stopped
31422 state.
31423
31424 @c FIXME: What about non-stop mode?
31425
31426 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
31427
31428 Reply:
31429 @table @samp
31430 @item E @var{nn}
31431 for an error
31432 @item @r{Any stop packet}
31433 for success (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
31434 @end table
31435
31436 @item vStopped
31437 @anchor{vStopped packet}
31438 @cindex @samp{vStopped} packet
31439
31440 In non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}), acknowledge a previous stop
31441 reply and prompt for the stub to report another one.
31442
31443 Reply:
31444 @table @samp
31445 @item @r{Any stop packet}
31446 if there is another unreported stop event (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
31447 @item OK
31448 if there are no unreported stop events
31449 @end table
31450
31451 @item X @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
31452 @anchor{X packet}
31453 @cindex @samp{X} packet
31454 Write data to memory, where the data is transmitted in binary.
31455 @var{addr} is address, @var{length} is number of bytes,
31456 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
31457
31458 Reply:
31459 @table @samp
31460 @item OK
31461 for success
31462 @item E @var{NN}
31463 for an error
31464 @end table
31465
31466 @item z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
31467 @itemx Z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
31468 @anchor{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}
31469 @cindex @samp{z} packet
31470 @cindex @samp{Z} packets
31471 Insert (@samp{Z}) or remove (@samp{z}) a @var{type} breakpoint or
31472 watchpoint starting at address @var{address} of kind @var{kind}.
31473
31474 Each breakpoint and watchpoint packet @var{type} is documented
31475 separately.
31476
31477 @emph{Implementation notes: A remote target shall return an empty string
31478 for an unrecognized breakpoint or watchpoint packet @var{type}. A
31479 remote target shall support either both or neither of a given
31480 @samp{Z@var{type}@dots{}} and @samp{z@var{type}@dots{}} packet pair. To
31481 avoid potential problems with duplicate packets, the operations should
31482 be implemented in an idempotent way.}
31483
31484 @item z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31485 @itemx Z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31486 @cindex @samp{z0} packet
31487 @cindex @samp{Z0} packet
31488 Insert (@samp{Z0}) or remove (@samp{z0}) a memory breakpoint at address
31489 @var{addr} of type @var{kind}.
31490
31491 A memory breakpoint is implemented by replacing the instruction at
31492 @var{addr} with a software breakpoint or trap instruction. The
31493 @var{kind} is target-specific and typically indicates the size of
31494 the breakpoint in bytes that should be inserted. E.g., the @sc{arm}
31495 and @sc{mips} can insert either a 2 or 4 byte breakpoint. Some
31496 architectures have additional meanings for @var{kind};
31497 see @ref{Architecture-Specific Protocol Details}.
31498
31499 @emph{Implementation note: It is possible for a target to copy or move
31500 code that contains memory breakpoints (e.g., when implementing
31501 overlays). The behavior of this packet, in the presence of such a
31502 target, is not defined.}
31503
31504 Reply:
31505 @table @samp
31506 @item OK
31507 success
31508 @item
31509 not supported
31510 @item E @var{NN}
31511 for an error
31512 @end table
31513
31514 @item z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31515 @itemx Z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31516 @cindex @samp{z1} packet
31517 @cindex @samp{Z1} packet
31518 Insert (@samp{Z1}) or remove (@samp{z1}) a hardware breakpoint at
31519 address @var{addr}.
31520
31521 A hardware breakpoint is implemented using a mechanism that is not
31522 dependant on being able to modify the target's memory. @var{kind}
31523 has the same meaning as in @samp{Z0} packets.
31524
31525 @emph{Implementation note: A hardware breakpoint is not affected by code
31526 movement.}
31527
31528 Reply:
31529 @table @samp
31530 @item OK
31531 success
31532 @item
31533 not supported
31534 @item E @var{NN}
31535 for an error
31536 @end table
31537
31538 @item z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31539 @itemx Z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31540 @cindex @samp{z2} packet
31541 @cindex @samp{Z2} packet
31542 Insert (@samp{Z2}) or remove (@samp{z2}) a write watchpoint at @var{addr}.
31543 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
31544
31545 Reply:
31546 @table @samp
31547 @item OK
31548 success
31549 @item
31550 not supported
31551 @item E @var{NN}
31552 for an error
31553 @end table
31554
31555 @item z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31556 @itemx Z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31557 @cindex @samp{z3} packet
31558 @cindex @samp{Z3} packet
31559 Insert (@samp{Z3}) or remove (@samp{z3}) a read watchpoint at @var{addr}.
31560 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
31561
31562 Reply:
31563 @table @samp
31564 @item OK
31565 success
31566 @item
31567 not supported
31568 @item E @var{NN}
31569 for an error
31570 @end table
31571
31572 @item z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31573 @itemx Z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
31574 @cindex @samp{z4} packet
31575 @cindex @samp{Z4} packet
31576 Insert (@samp{Z4}) or remove (@samp{z4}) an access watchpoint at @var{addr}.
31577 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
31578
31579 Reply:
31580 @table @samp
31581 @item OK
31582 success
31583 @item
31584 not supported
31585 @item E @var{NN}
31586 for an error
31587 @end table
31588
31589 @end table
31590
31591 @node Stop Reply Packets
31592 @section Stop Reply Packets
31593 @cindex stop reply packets
31594
31595 The @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}, @samp{s}, @samp{vCont},
31596 @samp{vAttach}, @samp{vRun}, @samp{vStopped}, and @samp{?} packets can
31597 receive any of the below as a reply. Except for @samp{?}
31598 and @samp{vStopped}, that reply is only returned
31599 when the target halts. In the below the exact meaning of @dfn{signal
31600 number} is defined by the header @file{include/gdb/signals.h} in the
31601 @value{GDBN} source code.
31602
31603 As in the description of request packets, we include spaces in the
31604 reply templates for clarity; these are not part of the reply packet's
31605 syntax. No @value{GDBN} stop reply packet uses spaces to separate its
31606 components.
31607
31608 @table @samp
31609
31610 @item S @var{AA}
31611 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
31612 number). This is equivalent to a @samp{T} response with no
31613 @var{n}:@var{r} pairs.
31614
31615 @item T @var{AA} @var{n1}:@var{r1};@var{n2}:@var{r2};@dots{}
31616 @cindex @samp{T} packet reply
31617 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
31618 number). This is equivalent to an @samp{S} response, except that the
31619 @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pairs can carry values of important registers
31620 and other information directly in the stop reply packet, reducing
31621 round-trip latency. Single-step and breakpoint traps are reported
31622 this way. Each @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair is interpreted as follows:
31623
31624 @itemize @bullet
31625 @item
31626 If @var{n} is a hexadecimal number, it is a register number, and the
31627 corresponding @var{r} gives that register's value. @var{r} is a
31628 series of bytes in target byte order, with each byte given by a
31629 two-digit hex number.
31630
31631 @item
31632 If @var{n} is @samp{thread}, then @var{r} is the @var{thread-id} of
31633 the stopped thread, as specified in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
31634
31635 @item
31636 If @var{n} is @samp{core}, then @var{r} is the hexadecimal number of
31637 the core on which the stop event was detected.
31638
31639 @item
31640 If @var{n} is a recognized @dfn{stop reason}, it describes a more
31641 specific event that stopped the target. The currently defined stop
31642 reasons are listed below. @var{aa} should be @samp{05}, the trap
31643 signal. At most one stop reason should be present.
31644
31645 @item
31646 Otherwise, @value{GDBN} should ignore this @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair
31647 and go on to the next; this allows us to extend the protocol in the
31648 future.
31649 @end itemize
31650
31651 The currently defined stop reasons are:
31652
31653 @table @samp
31654 @item watch
31655 @itemx rwatch
31656 @itemx awatch
31657 The packet indicates a watchpoint hit, and @var{r} is the data address, in
31658 hex.
31659
31660 @cindex shared library events, remote reply
31661 @item library
31662 The packet indicates that the loaded libraries have changed.
31663 @value{GDBN} should use @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} to fetch a new
31664 list of loaded libraries. @var{r} is ignored.
31665
31666 @cindex replay log events, remote reply
31667 @item replaylog
31668 The packet indicates that the target cannot continue replaying
31669 logged execution events, because it has reached the end (or the
31670 beginning when executing backward) of the log. The value of @var{r}
31671 will be either @samp{begin} or @samp{end}. @xref{Reverse Execution},
31672 for more information.
31673 @end table
31674
31675 @item W @var{AA}
31676 @itemx W @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
31677 The process exited, and @var{AA} is the exit status. This is only
31678 applicable to certain targets.
31679
31680 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the exited
31681 process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported support for
31682 multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
31683 The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
31684
31685 @item X @var{AA}
31686 @itemx X @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
31687 The process terminated with signal @var{AA}.
31688
31689 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the
31690 terminated process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported
31691 support for multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess
31692 extensions}. The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
31693
31694 @item O @var{XX}@dots{}
31695 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data, to be
31696 written as the program's console output. This can happen at any time
31697 while the program is running and the debugger should continue to wait
31698 for @samp{W}, @samp{T}, etc. This reply is not permitted in non-stop mode.
31699
31700 @item F @var{call-id},@var{parameter}@dots{}
31701 @var{call-id} is the identifier which says which host system call should
31702 be called. This is just the name of the function. Translation into the
31703 correct system call is only applicable as it's defined in @value{GDBN}.
31704 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for a list of implemented
31705 system calls.
31706
31707 @samp{@var{parameter}@dots{}} is a list of parameters as defined for
31708 this very system call.
31709
31710 The target replies with this packet when it expects @value{GDBN} to
31711 call a host system call on behalf of the target. @value{GDBN} replies
31712 with an appropriate @samp{F} packet and keeps up waiting for the next
31713 reply packet from the target. The latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
31714 or @samp{s} action is expected to be continued. @xref{File-I/O Remote
31715 Protocol Extension}, for more details.
31716
31717 @end table
31718
31719 @node General Query Packets
31720 @section General Query Packets
31721 @cindex remote query requests
31722
31723 Packets starting with @samp{q} are @dfn{general query packets};
31724 packets starting with @samp{Q} are @dfn{general set packets}. General
31725 query and set packets are a semi-unified form for retrieving and
31726 sending information to and from the stub.
31727
31728 The initial letter of a query or set packet is followed by a name
31729 indicating what sort of thing the packet applies to. For example,
31730 @value{GDBN} may use a @samp{qSymbol} packet to exchange symbol
31731 definitions with the stub. These packet names follow some
31732 conventions:
31733
31734 @itemize @bullet
31735 @item
31736 The name must not contain commas, colons or semicolons.
31737 @item
31738 Most @value{GDBN} query and set packets have a leading upper case
31739 letter.
31740 @item
31741 The names of custom vendor packets should use a company prefix, in
31742 lower case, followed by a period. For example, packets designed at
31743 the Acme Corporation might begin with @samp{qacme.foo} (for querying
31744 foos) or @samp{Qacme.bar} (for setting bars).
31745 @end itemize
31746
31747 The name of a query or set packet should be separated from any
31748 parameters by a @samp{:}; the parameters themselves should be
31749 separated by @samp{,} or @samp{;}. Stubs must be careful to match the
31750 full packet name, and check for a separator or the end of the packet,
31751 in case two packet names share a common prefix. New packets should not begin
31752 with @samp{qC}, @samp{qP}, or @samp{qL}@footnote{The @samp{qP} and @samp{qL}
31753 packets predate these conventions, and have arguments without any terminator
31754 for the packet name; we suspect they are in widespread use in places that
31755 are difficult to upgrade. The @samp{qC} packet has no arguments, but some
31756 existing stubs (e.g.@: RedBoot) are known to not check for the end of the
31757 packet.}.
31758
31759 Like the descriptions of the other packets, each description here
31760 has a template showing the packet's overall syntax, followed by an
31761 explanation of the packet's meaning. We include spaces in some of the
31762 templates for clarity; these are not part of the packet's syntax. No
31763 @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to separate its components.
31764
31765 Here are the currently defined query and set packets:
31766
31767 @table @samp
31768
31769 @item QAllow:@var{op}:@var{val}@dots{}
31770 @cindex @samp{QAllow} packet
31771 Specify which operations @value{GDBN} expects to request of the
31772 target, as a semicolon-separated list of operation name and value
31773 pairs. Possible values for @var{op} include @samp{WriteReg},
31774 @samp{WriteMem}, @samp{InsertBreak}, @samp{InsertTrace},
31775 @samp{InsertFastTrace}, and @samp{Stop}. @var{val} is either 0,
31776 indicating that @value{GDBN} will not request the operation, or 1,
31777 indicating that it may. (The target can then use this to set up its
31778 own internals optimally, for instance if the debugger never expects to
31779 insert breakpoints, it may not need to install its own trap handler.)
31780
31781 @item qC
31782 @cindex current thread, remote request
31783 @cindex @samp{qC} packet
31784 Return the current thread ID.
31785
31786 Reply:
31787 @table @samp
31788 @item QC @var{thread-id}
31789 Where @var{thread-id} is a thread ID as documented in
31790 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
31791 @item @r{(anything else)}
31792 Any other reply implies the old thread ID.
31793 @end table
31794
31795 @item qCRC:@var{addr},@var{length}
31796 @cindex CRC of memory block, remote request
31797 @cindex @samp{qCRC} packet
31798 Compute the CRC checksum of a block of memory using CRC-32 defined in
31799 IEEE 802.3. The CRC is computed byte at a time, taking the most
31800 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern code
31801 @code{0xffffffff} is used to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC.
31802
31803 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC used in validating separate debug
31804 files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files, , Debugging Information in Separate
31805 Files}). However the algorithm is slightly different. When validating
31806 separate debug files, the CRC is computed taking the @emph{least}
31807 significant bit of each byte first, and the final result is inverted to
31808 detect trailing zeros.
31809
31810 Reply:
31811 @table @samp
31812 @item E @var{NN}
31813 An error (such as memory fault)
31814 @item C @var{crc32}
31815 The specified memory region's checksum is @var{crc32}.
31816 @end table
31817
31818 @item qfThreadInfo
31819 @itemx qsThreadInfo
31820 @cindex list active threads, remote request
31821 @cindex @samp{qfThreadInfo} packet
31822 @cindex @samp{qsThreadInfo} packet
31823 Obtain a list of all active thread IDs from the target (OS). Since there
31824 may be too many active threads to fit into one reply packet, this query
31825 works iteratively: it may require more than one query/reply sequence to
31826 obtain the entire list of threads. The first query of the sequence will
31827 be the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query; subsequent queries in the
31828 sequence will be the @samp{qsThreadInfo} query.
31829
31830 NOTE: This packet replaces the @samp{qL} query (see below).
31831
31832 Reply:
31833 @table @samp
31834 @item m @var{thread-id}
31835 A single thread ID
31836 @item m @var{thread-id},@var{thread-id}@dots{}
31837 a comma-separated list of thread IDs
31838 @item l
31839 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
31840 @end table
31841
31842 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
31843 more thread IDs, separated by commas.
31844 @value{GDBN} will respond to each reply with a request for more thread
31845 ids (using the @samp{qs} form of the query), until the target responds
31846 with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for @dfn{last}).
31847 Refer to @ref{thread-id syntax}, for the format of the @var{thread-id}
31848 fields.
31849
31850 @item qGetTLSAddr:@var{thread-id},@var{offset},@var{lm}
31851 @cindex get thread-local storage address, remote request
31852 @cindex @samp{qGetTLSAddr} packet
31853 Fetch the address associated with thread local storage specified
31854 by @var{thread-id}, @var{offset}, and @var{lm}.
31855
31856 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the
31857 thread for which to fetch the TLS address. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
31858
31859 @var{offset} is the (big endian, hex encoded) offset associated with the
31860 thread local variable. (This offset is obtained from the debug
31861 information associated with the variable.)
31862
31863 @var{lm} is the (big endian, hex encoded) OS/ABI-specific encoding of the
31864 the load module associated with the thread local storage. For example,
31865 a @sc{gnu}/Linux system will pass the link map address of the shared
31866 object associated with the thread local storage under consideration.
31867 Other operating environments may choose to represent the load module
31868 differently, so the precise meaning of this parameter will vary.
31869
31870 Reply:
31871 @table @samp
31872 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
31873 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the address of the thread
31874 local storage requested.
31875
31876 @item E @var{nn}
31877 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
31878
31879 @item
31880 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTLSAddr} is not supported by the stub.
31881 @end table
31882
31883 @item qGetTIBAddr:@var{thread-id}
31884 @cindex get thread information block address
31885 @cindex @samp{qGetTIBAddr} packet
31886 Fetch address of the Windows OS specific Thread Information Block.
31887
31888 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the thread.
31889
31890 Reply:
31891 @table @samp
31892 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
31893 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the linear address of the
31894 thread information block.
31895
31896 @item E @var{nn}
31897 An error occured. This means that either the thread was not found, or the
31898 address could not be retrieved.
31899
31900 @item
31901 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTIBAddr} is not supported by the stub.
31902 @end table
31903
31904 @item qL @var{startflag} @var{threadcount} @var{nextthread}
31905 Obtain thread information from RTOS. Where: @var{startflag} (one hex
31906 digit) is one to indicate the first query and zero to indicate a
31907 subsequent query; @var{threadcount} (two hex digits) is the maximum
31908 number of threads the response packet can contain; and @var{nextthread}
31909 (eight hex digits), for subsequent queries (@var{startflag} is zero), is
31910 returned in the response as @var{argthread}.
31911
31912 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query instead (see above).
31913
31914 Reply:
31915 @table @samp
31916 @item qM @var{count} @var{done} @var{argthread} @var{thread}@dots{}
31917 Where: @var{count} (two hex digits) is the number of threads being
31918 returned; @var{done} (one hex digit) is zero to indicate more threads
31919 and one indicates no further threads; @var{argthreadid} (eight hex
31920 digits) is @var{nextthread} from the request packet; @var{thread}@dots{}
31921 is a sequence of thread IDs from the target. @var{threadid} (eight hex
31922 digits). See @code{remote.c:parse_threadlist_response()}.
31923 @end table
31924
31925 @item qOffsets
31926 @cindex section offsets, remote request
31927 @cindex @samp{qOffsets} packet
31928 Get section offsets that the target used when relocating the downloaded
31929 image.
31930
31931 Reply:
31932 @table @samp
31933 @item Text=@var{xxx};Data=@var{yyy}@r{[};Bss=@var{zzz}@r{]}
31934 Relocate the @code{Text} section by @var{xxx} from its original address.
31935 Relocate the @code{Data} section by @var{yyy} from its original address.
31936 If the object file format provides segment information (e.g.@: @sc{elf}
31937 @samp{PT_LOAD} program headers), @value{GDBN} will relocate entire
31938 segments by the supplied offsets.
31939
31940 @emph{Note: while a @code{Bss} offset may be included in the response,
31941 @value{GDBN} ignores this and instead applies the @code{Data} offset
31942 to the @code{Bss} section.}
31943
31944 @item TextSeg=@var{xxx}@r{[};DataSeg=@var{yyy}@r{]}
31945 Relocate the first segment of the object file, which conventionally
31946 contains program code, to a starting address of @var{xxx}. If
31947 @samp{DataSeg} is specified, relocate the second segment, which
31948 conventionally contains modifiable data, to a starting address of
31949 @var{yyy}. @value{GDBN} will report an error if the object file
31950 does not contain segment information, or does not contain at least
31951 as many segments as mentioned in the reply. Extra segments are
31952 kept at fixed offsets relative to the last relocated segment.
31953 @end table
31954
31955 @item qP @var{mode} @var{thread-id}
31956 @cindex thread information, remote request
31957 @cindex @samp{qP} packet
31958 Returns information on @var{thread-id}. Where: @var{mode} is a hex
31959 encoded 32 bit mode; @var{thread-id} is a thread ID
31960 (@pxref{thread-id syntax}).
31961
31962 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} query instead
31963 (see below).
31964
31965 Reply: see @code{remote.c:remote_unpack_thread_info_response()}.
31966
31967 @item QNonStop:1
31968 @item QNonStop:0
31969 @cindex non-stop mode, remote request
31970 @cindex @samp{QNonStop} packet
31971 @anchor{QNonStop}
31972 Enter non-stop (@samp{QNonStop:1}) or all-stop (@samp{QNonStop:0}) mode.
31973 @xref{Remote Non-Stop}, for more information.
31974
31975 Reply:
31976 @table @samp
31977 @item OK
31978 The request succeeded.
31979
31980 @item E @var{nn}
31981 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
31982
31983 @item
31984 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QNonStop} is not supported by
31985 the stub.
31986 @end table
31987
31988 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
31989 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
31990 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set non-stop} command;
31991 @pxref{Non-Stop Mode}.
31992
31993 @item QPassSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
31994 @cindex pass signals to inferior, remote request
31995 @cindex @samp{QPassSignals} packet
31996 @anchor{QPassSignals}
31997 Each listed @var{signal} should be passed directly to the inferior process.
31998 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
31999 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
32000 strictly greater than the previous item. These signals do not need to stop
32001 the inferior, or be reported to @value{GDBN}. All other signals should be
32002 reported to @value{GDBN}. Multiple @samp{QPassSignals} packets do not
32003 combine; any earlier @samp{QPassSignals} list is completely replaced by the
32004 new list. This packet improves performance when using @samp{handle
32005 @var{signal} nostop noprint pass}.
32006
32007 Reply:
32008 @table @samp
32009 @item OK
32010 The request succeeded.
32011
32012 @item E @var{nn}
32013 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
32014
32015 @item
32016 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QPassSignals} is not supported by
32017 the stub.
32018 @end table
32019
32020 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote pass-signals}
32021 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote pass-signals}).
32022 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32023 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
32024
32025 @item qRcmd,@var{command}
32026 @cindex execute remote command, remote request
32027 @cindex @samp{qRcmd} packet
32028 @var{command} (hex encoded) is passed to the local interpreter for
32029 execution. Invalid commands should be reported using the output
32030 string. Before the final result packet, the target may also respond
32031 with a number of intermediate @samp{O@var{output}} console output
32032 packets. @emph{Implementors should note that providing access to a
32033 stubs's interpreter may have security implications}.
32034
32035 Reply:
32036 @table @samp
32037 @item OK
32038 A command response with no output.
32039 @item @var{OUTPUT}
32040 A command response with the hex encoded output string @var{OUTPUT}.
32041 @item E @var{NN}
32042 Indicate a badly formed request.
32043 @item
32044 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qRcmd} is not recognized.
32045 @end table
32046
32047 (Note that the @code{qRcmd} packet's name is separated from the
32048 command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
32049 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
32050 packets.)
32051
32052 @item qSearch:memory:@var{address};@var{length};@var{search-pattern}
32053 @cindex searching memory, in remote debugging
32054 @cindex @samp{qSearch:memory} packet
32055 @anchor{qSearch memory}
32056 Search @var{length} bytes at @var{address} for @var{search-pattern}.
32057 @var{address} and @var{length} are encoded in hex.
32058 @var{search-pattern} is a sequence of bytes, hex encoded.
32059
32060 Reply:
32061 @table @samp
32062 @item 0
32063 The pattern was not found.
32064 @item 1,address
32065 The pattern was found at @var{address}.
32066 @item E @var{NN}
32067 A badly formed request or an error was encountered while searching memory.
32068 @item
32069 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSearch:memory} is not recognized.
32070 @end table
32071
32072 @item QStartNoAckMode
32073 @cindex @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet
32074 @anchor{QStartNoAckMode}
32075 Request that the remote stub disable the normal @samp{+}/@samp{-}
32076 protocol acknowledgments (@pxref{Packet Acknowledgment}).
32077
32078 Reply:
32079 @table @samp
32080 @item OK
32081 The stub has switched to no-acknowledgment mode.
32082 @value{GDBN} acknowledges this reponse,
32083 but neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or expect further
32084 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments in the current connection.
32085 @item
32086 An empty reply indicates that the stub does not support no-acknowledgment mode.
32087 @end table
32088
32089 @item qSupported @r{[}:@var{gdbfeature} @r{[};@var{gdbfeature}@r{]}@dots{} @r{]}
32090 @cindex supported packets, remote query
32091 @cindex features of the remote protocol
32092 @cindex @samp{qSupported} packet
32093 @anchor{qSupported}
32094 Tell the remote stub about features supported by @value{GDBN}, and
32095 query the stub for features it supports. This packet allows
32096 @value{GDBN} and the remote stub to take advantage of each others'
32097 features. @samp{qSupported} also consolidates multiple feature probes
32098 at startup, to improve @value{GDBN} performance---a single larger
32099 packet performs better than multiple smaller probe packets on
32100 high-latency links. Some features may enable behavior which must not
32101 be on by default, e.g.@: because it would confuse older clients or
32102 stubs. Other features may describe packets which could be
32103 automatically probed for, but are not. These features must be
32104 reported before @value{GDBN} will use them. This ``default
32105 unsupported'' behavior is not appropriate for all packets, but it
32106 helps to keep the initial connection time under control with new
32107 versions of @value{GDBN} which support increasing numbers of packets.
32108
32109 Reply:
32110 @table @samp
32111 @item @var{stubfeature} @r{[};@var{stubfeature}@r{]}@dots{}
32112 The stub supports or does not support each returned @var{stubfeature},
32113 depending on the form of each @var{stubfeature} (see below for the
32114 possible forms).
32115 @item
32116 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSupported} is not recognized,
32117 or that no features needed to be reported to @value{GDBN}.
32118 @end table
32119
32120 The allowed forms for each feature (either a @var{gdbfeature} in the
32121 @samp{qSupported} packet, or a @var{stubfeature} in the response)
32122 are:
32123
32124 @table @samp
32125 @item @var{name}=@var{value}
32126 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and associated
32127 with the specified @var{value}. The format of @var{value} depends
32128 on the feature, but it must not include a semicolon.
32129 @item @var{name}+
32130 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and does not
32131 need an associated value.
32132 @item @var{name}-
32133 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is not supported.
32134 @item @var{name}?
32135 The remote protocol feature @var{name} may be supported, and
32136 @value{GDBN} should auto-detect support in some other way when it is
32137 needed. This form will not be used for @var{gdbfeature} notifications,
32138 but may be used for @var{stubfeature} responses.
32139 @end table
32140
32141 Whenever the stub receives a @samp{qSupported} request, the
32142 supplied set of @value{GDBN} features should override any previous
32143 request. This allows @value{GDBN} to put the stub in a known
32144 state, even if the stub had previously been communicating with
32145 a different version of @value{GDBN}.
32146
32147 The following values of @var{gdbfeature} (for the packet sent by @value{GDBN})
32148 are defined:
32149
32150 @table @samp
32151 @item multiprocess
32152 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports multiprocess
32153 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
32154 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
32155 including @samp{multiprocess+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
32156 @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for details.
32157
32158 @item xmlRegisters
32159 This feature indicates that @value{GDBN} supports the XML target
32160 description. If the stub sees @samp{xmlRegisters=} with target
32161 specific strings separated by a comma, it will report register
32162 description.
32163
32164 @item qRelocInsn
32165 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the
32166 @samp{qRelocInsn} packet (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
32167 instruction reply packet}).
32168 @end table
32169
32170 Stubs should ignore any unknown values for
32171 @var{gdbfeature}. Any @value{GDBN} which sends a @samp{qSupported}
32172 packet supports receiving packets of unlimited length (earlier
32173 versions of @value{GDBN} may reject overly long responses). Additional values
32174 for @var{gdbfeature} may be defined in the future to let the stub take
32175 advantage of new features in @value{GDBN}, e.g.@: incompatible
32176 improvements in the remote protocol---the @samp{multiprocess} feature is
32177 an example of such a feature. The stub's reply should be independent
32178 of the @var{gdbfeature} entries sent by @value{GDBN}; first @value{GDBN}
32179 describes all the features it supports, and then the stub replies with
32180 all the features it supports.
32181
32182 Similarly, @value{GDBN} will silently ignore unrecognized stub feature
32183 responses, as long as each response uses one of the standard forms.
32184
32185 Some features are flags. A stub which supports a flag feature
32186 should respond with a @samp{+} form response. Other features
32187 require values, and the stub should respond with an @samp{=}
32188 form response.
32189
32190 Each feature has a default value, which @value{GDBN} will use if
32191 @samp{qSupported} is not available or if the feature is not mentioned
32192 in the @samp{qSupported} response. The default values are fixed; a
32193 stub is free to omit any feature responses that match the defaults.
32194
32195 Not all features can be probed, but for those which can, the probing
32196 mechanism is useful: in some cases, a stub's internal
32197 architecture may not allow the protocol layer to know some information
32198 about the underlying target in advance. This is especially common in
32199 stubs which may be configured for multiple targets.
32200
32201 These are the currently defined stub features and their properties:
32202
32203 @multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.2 0.12 0.2
32204 @c NOTE: The first row should be @headitem, but we do not yet require
32205 @c a new enough version of Texinfo (4.7) to use @headitem.
32206 @item Feature Name
32207 @tab Value Required
32208 @tab Default
32209 @tab Probe Allowed
32210
32211 @item @samp{PacketSize}
32212 @tab Yes
32213 @tab @samp{-}
32214 @tab No
32215
32216 @item @samp{qXfer:auxv:read}
32217 @tab No
32218 @tab @samp{-}
32219 @tab Yes
32220
32221 @item @samp{qXfer:features:read}
32222 @tab No
32223 @tab @samp{-}
32224 @tab Yes
32225
32226 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
32227 @tab No
32228 @tab @samp{-}
32229 @tab Yes
32230
32231 @item @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
32232 @tab No
32233 @tab @samp{-}
32234 @tab Yes
32235
32236 @item @samp{qXfer:sdata:read}
32237 @tab No
32238 @tab @samp{-}
32239 @tab Yes
32240
32241 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:read}
32242 @tab No
32243 @tab @samp{-}
32244 @tab Yes
32245
32246 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:write}
32247 @tab No
32248 @tab @samp{-}
32249 @tab Yes
32250
32251 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read}
32252 @tab No
32253 @tab @samp{-}
32254 @tab Yes
32255
32256 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write}
32257 @tab No
32258 @tab @samp{-}
32259 @tab Yes
32260
32261 @item @samp{qXfer:threads:read}
32262 @tab No
32263 @tab @samp{-}
32264 @tab Yes
32265
32266
32267 @item @samp{QNonStop}
32268 @tab No
32269 @tab @samp{-}
32270 @tab Yes
32271
32272 @item @samp{QPassSignals}
32273 @tab No
32274 @tab @samp{-}
32275 @tab Yes
32276
32277 @item @samp{QStartNoAckMode}
32278 @tab No
32279 @tab @samp{-}
32280 @tab Yes
32281
32282 @item @samp{multiprocess}
32283 @tab No
32284 @tab @samp{-}
32285 @tab No
32286
32287 @item @samp{ConditionalTracepoints}
32288 @tab No
32289 @tab @samp{-}
32290 @tab No
32291
32292 @item @samp{ReverseContinue}
32293 @tab No
32294 @tab @samp{-}
32295 @tab No
32296
32297 @item @samp{ReverseStep}
32298 @tab No
32299 @tab @samp{-}
32300 @tab No
32301
32302 @item @samp{TracepointSource}
32303 @tab No
32304 @tab @samp{-}
32305 @tab No
32306
32307 @item @samp{QAllow}
32308 @tab No
32309 @tab @samp{-}
32310 @tab No
32311
32312 @end multitable
32313
32314 These are the currently defined stub features, in more detail:
32315
32316 @table @samp
32317 @cindex packet size, remote protocol
32318 @item PacketSize=@var{bytes}
32319 The remote stub can accept packets up to at least @var{bytes} in
32320 length. @value{GDBN} will send packets up to this size for bulk
32321 transfers, and will never send larger packets. This is a limit on the
32322 data characters in the packet, including the frame and checksum.
32323 There is no trailing NUL byte in a remote protocol packet; if the stub
32324 stores packets in a NUL-terminated format, it should allow an extra
32325 byte in its buffer for the NUL. If this stub feature is not supported,
32326 @value{GDBN} guesses based on the size of the @samp{g} packet response.
32327
32328 @item qXfer:auxv:read
32329 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet
32330 (@pxref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}).
32331
32332 @item qXfer:features:read
32333 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:features:read} packet
32334 (@pxref{qXfer target description read}).
32335
32336 @item qXfer:libraries:read
32337 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet
32338 (@pxref{qXfer library list read}).
32339
32340 @item qXfer:memory-map:read
32341 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read} packet
32342 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}).
32343
32344 @item qXfer:sdata:read
32345 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:sdata:read} packet
32346 (@pxref{qXfer sdata read}).
32347
32348 @item qXfer:spu:read
32349 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:read} packet
32350 (@pxref{qXfer spu read}).
32351
32352 @item qXfer:spu:write
32353 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:write} packet
32354 (@pxref{qXfer spu write}).
32355
32356 @item qXfer:siginfo:read
32357 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read} packet
32358 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo read}).
32359
32360 @item qXfer:siginfo:write
32361 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write} packet
32362 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo write}).
32363
32364 @item qXfer:threads:read
32365 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
32366 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}).
32367
32368 @item QNonStop
32369 The remote stub understands the @samp{QNonStop} packet
32370 (@pxref{QNonStop}).
32371
32372 @item QPassSignals
32373 The remote stub understands the @samp{QPassSignals} packet
32374 (@pxref{QPassSignals}).
32375
32376 @item QStartNoAckMode
32377 The remote stub understands the @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet and
32378 prefers to operate in no-acknowledgment mode. @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}.
32379
32380 @item multiprocess
32381 @anchor{multiprocess extensions}
32382 @cindex multiprocess extensions, in remote protocol
32383 The remote stub understands the multiprocess extensions to the remote
32384 protocol syntax. The multiprocess extensions affect the syntax of
32385 thread IDs in both packets and replies (@pxref{thread-id syntax}), and
32386 add process IDs to the @samp{D} packet and @samp{W} and @samp{X}
32387 replies. Note that reporting this feature indicates support for the
32388 syntactic extensions only, not that the stub necessarily supports
32389 debugging of more than one process at a time. The stub must not use
32390 multiprocess extensions in packet replies unless @value{GDBN} has also
32391 indicated it supports them in its @samp{qSupported} request.
32392
32393 @item qXfer:osdata:read
32394 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet
32395 ((@pxref{qXfer osdata read}).
32396
32397 @item ConditionalTracepoints
32398 The remote stub accepts and implements conditional expressions defined
32399 for tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoint Conditions}).
32400
32401 @item ReverseContinue
32402 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse continue packet
32403 (@pxref{bc}).
32404
32405 @item ReverseStep
32406 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse step packet
32407 (@pxref{bs}).
32408
32409 @item TracepointSource
32410 The remote stub understands the @samp{QTDPsrc} packet that supplies
32411 the source form of tracepoint definitions.
32412
32413 @item QAllow
32414 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAllow} packet.
32415
32416 @item StaticTracepoint
32417 @cindex static tracepoints, in remote protocol
32418 The remote stub supports static tracepoints.
32419
32420 @end table
32421
32422 @item qSymbol::
32423 @cindex symbol lookup, remote request
32424 @cindex @samp{qSymbol} packet
32425 Notify the target that @value{GDBN} is prepared to serve symbol lookup
32426 requests. Accept requests from the target for the values of symbols.
32427
32428 Reply:
32429 @table @samp
32430 @item OK
32431 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
32432 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
32433 The target requests the value of symbol @var{sym_name} (hex encoded).
32434 @value{GDBN} may provide the value by using the
32435 @samp{qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}} message, described
32436 below.
32437 @end table
32438
32439 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}
32440 Set the value of @var{sym_name} to @var{sym_value}.
32441
32442 @var{sym_name} (hex encoded) is the name of a symbol whose value the
32443 target has previously requested.
32444
32445 @var{sym_value} (hex) is the value for symbol @var{sym_name}. If
32446 @value{GDBN} cannot supply a value for @var{sym_name}, then this field
32447 will be empty.
32448
32449 Reply:
32450 @table @samp
32451 @item OK
32452 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
32453 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
32454 The target requests the value of a new symbol @var{sym_name} (hex
32455 encoded). @value{GDBN} will continue to supply the values of symbols
32456 (if available), until the target ceases to request them.
32457 @end table
32458
32459 @item qTBuffer
32460 @item QTBuffer
32461 @item QTDisconnected
32462 @itemx QTDP
32463 @itemx QTDPsrc
32464 @itemx QTDV
32465 @itemx qTfP
32466 @itemx qTfV
32467 @itemx QTFrame
32468 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
32469
32470 @item qThreadExtraInfo,@var{thread-id}
32471 @cindex thread attributes info, remote request
32472 @cindex @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} packet
32473 Obtain a printable string description of a thread's attributes from
32474 the target OS. @var{thread-id} is a thread ID;
32475 see @ref{thread-id syntax}. This
32476 string may contain anything that the target OS thinks is interesting
32477 for @value{GDBN} to tell the user about the thread. The string is
32478 displayed in @value{GDBN}'s @code{info threads} display. Some
32479 examples of possible thread extra info strings are @samp{Runnable}, or
32480 @samp{Blocked on Mutex}.
32481
32482 Reply:
32483 @table @samp
32484 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
32485 Where @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is a hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data,
32486 comprising the printable string containing the extra information about
32487 the thread's attributes.
32488 @end table
32489
32490 (Note that the @code{qThreadExtraInfo} packet's name is separated from
32491 the command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
32492 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
32493 packets.)
32494
32495 @item QTSave
32496 @item qTsP
32497 @item qTsV
32498 @itemx QTStart
32499 @itemx QTStop
32500 @itemx QTinit
32501 @itemx QTro
32502 @itemx qTStatus
32503 @itemx qTV
32504 @itemx qTfSTM
32505 @itemx qTsSTM
32506 @itemx qTSTMat
32507 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
32508
32509 @item qXfer:@var{object}:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
32510 @cindex read special object, remote request
32511 @cindex @samp{qXfer} packet
32512 @anchor{qXfer read}
32513 Read uninterpreted bytes from the target's special data area
32514 identified by the keyword @var{object}. Request @var{length} bytes
32515 starting at @var{offset} bytes into the data. The content and
32516 encoding of @var{annex} is specific to @var{object}; it can supply
32517 additional details about what data to access.
32518
32519 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
32520 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:read:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
32521 formats, listed below.
32522
32523 @table @samp
32524 @item qXfer:auxv:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
32525 @anchor{qXfer auxiliary vector read}
32526 Access the target's @dfn{auxiliary vector}. @xref{OS Information,
32527 auxiliary vector}. Note @var{annex} must be empty.
32528
32529 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32530 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
32531
32532 @item qXfer:features:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
32533 @anchor{qXfer target description read}
32534 Access the @dfn{target description}. @xref{Target Descriptions}. The
32535 annex specifies which XML document to access. The main description is
32536 always loaded from the @samp{target.xml} annex.
32537
32538 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32539 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
32540
32541 @item qXfer:libraries:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
32542 @anchor{qXfer library list read}
32543 Access the target's list of loaded libraries. @xref{Library List Format}.
32544 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
32545 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
32546
32547 Targets which maintain a list of libraries in the program's memory do
32548 not need to implement this packet; it is designed for platforms where
32549 the operating system manages the list of loaded libraries.
32550
32551 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32552 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
32553
32554 @item qXfer:memory-map:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
32555 @anchor{qXfer memory map read}
32556 Access the target's @dfn{memory-map}. @xref{Memory Map Format}. The
32557 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
32558 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
32559
32560 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32561 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
32562
32563 @item qXfer:sdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
32564 @anchor{qXfer sdata read}
32565
32566 Read contents of the extra collected static tracepoint marker
32567 information. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must
32568 be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}). @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint
32569 Action Lists}.
32570
32571 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32572 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
32573 (@pxref{qSupported}).
32574
32575 @item qXfer:siginfo:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
32576 @anchor{qXfer siginfo read}
32577 Read contents of the extra signal information on the target
32578 system. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
32579 empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
32580
32581 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32582 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
32583 (@pxref{qSupported}).
32584
32585 @item qXfer:spu:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
32586 @anchor{qXfer spu read}
32587 Read contents of an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
32588 annex specifies which file to read; it must be of the form
32589 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
32590 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
32591 in that context to be accessed.
32592
32593 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32594 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
32595 (@pxref{qSupported}).
32596
32597 @item qXfer:threads:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
32598 @anchor{qXfer threads read}
32599 Access the list of threads on target. @xref{Thread List Format}. The
32600 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
32601 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
32602
32603 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32604 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
32605
32606 @item qXfer:osdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
32607 @anchor{qXfer osdata read}
32608 Access the target's @dfn{operating system information}.
32609 @xref{Operating System Information}.
32610
32611 @end table
32612
32613 Reply:
32614 @table @samp
32615 @item m @var{data}
32616 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the
32617 target. There may be more data at a higher address (although
32618 it is permitted to return @samp{m} even for the last valid
32619 block of data, as long as at least one byte of data was read).
32620 @var{data} may have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the
32621 request.
32622
32623 @item l @var{data}
32624 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the target.
32625 There is no more data to be read. @var{data} may have fewer bytes
32626 than the @var{length} in the request.
32627
32628 @item l
32629 The @var{offset} in the request is at the end of the data.
32630 There is no more data to be read.
32631
32632 @item E00
32633 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
32634
32635 @item E @var{nn}
32636 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered reading the data.
32637 @var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
32638
32639 @item
32640 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not recognized by
32641 the stub, or that the object does not support reading.
32642 @end table
32643
32644 @item qXfer:@var{object}:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
32645 @cindex write data into object, remote request
32646 @anchor{qXfer write}
32647 Write uninterpreted bytes into the target's special data area
32648 identified by the keyword @var{object}, starting at @var{offset} bytes
32649 into the data. @var{data}@dots{} is the binary-encoded data
32650 (@pxref{Binary Data}) to be written. The content and encoding of @var{annex}
32651 is specific to @var{object}; it can supply additional details about what data
32652 to access.
32653
32654 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
32655 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:write:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
32656 formats, listed below.
32657
32658 @table @samp
32659 @item qXfer:siginfo:write::@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
32660 @anchor{qXfer siginfo write}
32661 Write @var{data} to the extra signal information on the target system.
32662 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
32663 empty (@pxref{qXfer write}).
32664
32665 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32666 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
32667 (@pxref{qSupported}).
32668
32669 @item qXfer:spu:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
32670 @anchor{qXfer spu write}
32671 Write @var{data} to an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
32672 annex specifies which file to write; it must be of the form
32673 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
32674 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
32675 in that context to be accessed.
32676
32677 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
32678 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
32679 @end table
32680
32681 Reply:
32682 @table @samp
32683 @item @var{nn}
32684 @var{nn} (hex encoded) is the number of bytes written.
32685 This may be fewer bytes than supplied in the request.
32686
32687 @item E00
32688 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
32689
32690 @item E @var{nn}
32691 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered writing the data.
32692 @var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
32693
32694 @item
32695 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not
32696 recognized by the stub, or that the object does not support writing.
32697 @end table
32698
32699 @item qXfer:@var{object}:@var{operation}:@dots{}
32700 Requests of this form may be added in the future. When a stub does
32701 not recognize the @var{object} keyword, or its support for
32702 @var{object} does not recognize the @var{operation} keyword, the stub
32703 must respond with an empty packet.
32704
32705 @item qAttached:@var{pid}
32706 @cindex query attached, remote request
32707 @cindex @samp{qAttached} packet
32708 Return an indication of whether the remote server attached to an
32709 existing process or created a new process. When the multiprocess
32710 protocol extensions are supported (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}),
32711 @var{pid} is an integer in hexadecimal format identifying the target
32712 process. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} will omit the @var{pid} field and
32713 the query packet will be simplified as @samp{qAttached}.
32714
32715 This query is used, for example, to know whether the remote process
32716 should be detached or killed when a @value{GDBN} session is ended with
32717 the @code{quit} command.
32718
32719 Reply:
32720 @table @samp
32721 @item 1
32722 The remote server attached to an existing process.
32723 @item 0
32724 The remote server created a new process.
32725 @item E @var{NN}
32726 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
32727 @end table
32728
32729 @end table
32730
32731 @node Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
32732 @section Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
32733
32734 This section describes how the remote protocol is applied to specific
32735 target architectures. Also see @ref{Standard Target Features}, for
32736 details of XML target descriptions for each architecture.
32737
32738 @subsection ARM
32739
32740 @subsubsection Breakpoint Kinds
32741
32742 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
32743
32744 @table @r
32745
32746 @item 2
32747 16-bit Thumb mode breakpoint.
32748
32749 @item 3
32750 32-bit Thumb mode (Thumb-2) breakpoint.
32751
32752 @item 4
32753 32-bit ARM mode breakpoint.
32754
32755 @end table
32756
32757 @subsection MIPS
32758
32759 @subsubsection Register Packet Format
32760
32761 The following @code{g}/@code{G} packets have previously been defined.
32762 In the below, some thirty-two bit registers are transferred as
32763 sixty-four bits. Those registers should be zero/sign extended (which?)
32764 to fill the space allocated. Register bytes are transferred in target
32765 byte order. The two nibbles within a register byte are transferred
32766 most-significant - least-significant.
32767
32768 @table @r
32769
32770 @item MIPS32
32771
32772 All registers are transferred as thirty-two bit quantities in the order:
32773 32 general-purpose; sr; lo; hi; bad; cause; pc; 32 floating-point
32774 registers; fsr; fir; fp.
32775
32776 @item MIPS64
32777
32778 All registers are transferred as sixty-four bit quantities (including
32779 thirty-two bit registers such as @code{sr}). The ordering is the same
32780 as @code{MIPS32}.
32781
32782 @end table
32783
32784 @node Tracepoint Packets
32785 @section Tracepoint Packets
32786 @cindex tracepoint packets
32787 @cindex packets, tracepoint
32788
32789 Here we describe the packets @value{GDBN} uses to implement
32790 tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
32791
32792 @table @samp
32793
32794 @item QTDP:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{ena}:@var{step}:@var{pass}[:F@var{flen}][:X@var{len},@var{bytes}]@r{[}-@r{]}
32795 Create a new tracepoint, number @var{n}, at @var{addr}. If @var{ena}
32796 is @samp{E}, then the tracepoint is enabled; if it is @samp{D}, then
32797 the tracepoint is disabled. @var{step} is the tracepoint's step
32798 count, and @var{pass} is its pass count. If an @samp{F} is present,
32799 then the tracepoint is to be a fast tracepoint, and the @var{flen} is
32800 the number of bytes that the target should copy elsewhere to make room
32801 for the tracepoint. If an @samp{X} is present, it introduces a
32802 tracepoint condition, which consists of a hexadecimal length, followed
32803 by a comma and hex-encoded bytes, in a manner similar to action
32804 encodings as described below. If the trailing @samp{-} is present,
32805 further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow to specify this tracepoint's
32806 actions.
32807
32808 Replies:
32809 @table @samp
32810 @item OK
32811 The packet was understood and carried out.
32812 @item qRelocInsn
32813 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
32814 @item
32815 The packet was not recognized.
32816 @end table
32817
32818 @item QTDP:-@var{n}:@var{addr}:@r{[}S@r{]}@var{action}@dots{}@r{[}-@r{]}
32819 Define actions to be taken when a tracepoint is hit. @var{n} and
32820 @var{addr} must be the same as in the initial @samp{QTDP} packet for
32821 this tracepoint. This packet may only be sent immediately after
32822 another @samp{QTDP} packet that ended with a @samp{-}. If the
32823 trailing @samp{-} is present, further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow,
32824 specifying more actions for this tracepoint.
32825
32826 In the series of action packets for a given tracepoint, at most one
32827 can have an @samp{S} before its first @var{action}. If such a packet
32828 is sent, it and the following packets define ``while-stepping''
32829 actions. Any prior packets define ordinary actions --- that is, those
32830 taken when the tracepoint is first hit. If no action packet has an
32831 @samp{S}, then all the packets in the series specify ordinary
32832 tracepoint actions.
32833
32834 The @samp{@var{action}@dots{}} portion of the packet is a series of
32835 actions, concatenated without separators. Each action has one of the
32836 following forms:
32837
32838 @table @samp
32839
32840 @item R @var{mask}
32841 Collect the registers whose bits are set in @var{mask}. @var{mask} is
32842 a hexadecimal number whose @var{i}'th bit is set if register number
32843 @var{i} should be collected. (The least significant bit is numbered
32844 zero.) Note that @var{mask} may be any number of digits long; it may
32845 not fit in a 32-bit word.
32846
32847 @item M @var{basereg},@var{offset},@var{len}
32848 Collect @var{len} bytes of memory starting at the address in register
32849 number @var{basereg}, plus @var{offset}. If @var{basereg} is
32850 @samp{-1}, then the range has a fixed address: @var{offset} is the
32851 address of the lowest byte to collect. The @var{basereg},
32852 @var{offset}, and @var{len} parameters are all unsigned hexadecimal
32853 values (the @samp{-1} value for @var{basereg} is a special case).
32854
32855 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
32856 Evaluate @var{expr}, whose length is @var{len}, and collect memory as
32857 it directs. @var{expr} is an agent expression, as described in
32858 @ref{Agent Expressions}. Each byte of the expression is encoded as a
32859 two-digit hex number in the packet; @var{len} is the number of bytes
32860 in the expression (and thus one-half the number of hex digits in the
32861 packet).
32862
32863 @end table
32864
32865 Any number of actions may be packed together in a single @samp{QTDP}
32866 packet, as long as the packet does not exceed the maximum packet
32867 length (400 bytes, for many stubs). There may be only one @samp{R}
32868 action per tracepoint, and it must precede any @samp{M} or @samp{X}
32869 actions. Any registers referred to by @samp{M} and @samp{X} actions
32870 must be collected by a preceding @samp{R} action. (The
32871 ``while-stepping'' actions are treated as if they were attached to a
32872 separate tracepoint, as far as these restrictions are concerned.)
32873
32874 Replies:
32875 @table @samp
32876 @item OK
32877 The packet was understood and carried out.
32878 @item qRelocInsn
32879 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
32880 @item
32881 The packet was not recognized.
32882 @end table
32883
32884 @item QTDPsrc:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{type}:@var{start}:@var{slen}:@var{bytes}
32885 @cindex @samp{QTDPsrc} packet
32886 Specify a source string of tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr}.
32887 This is useful to get accurate reproduction of the tracepoints
32888 originally downloaded at the beginning of the trace run. @var{type}
32889 is the name of the tracepoint part, such as @samp{cond} for the
32890 tracepoint's conditional expression (see below for a list of types), while
32891 @var{bytes} is the string, encoded in hexadecimal.
32892
32893 @var{start} is the offset of the @var{bytes} within the overall source
32894 string, while @var{slen} is the total length of the source string.
32895 This is intended for handling source strings that are longer than will
32896 fit in a single packet.
32897 @c Add detailed example when this info is moved into a dedicated
32898 @c tracepoint descriptions section.
32899
32900 The available string types are @samp{at} for the location,
32901 @samp{cond} for the conditional, and @samp{cmd} for an action command.
32902 @value{GDBN} sends a separate packet for each command in the action
32903 list, in the same order in which the commands are stored in the list.
32904
32905 The target does not need to do anything with source strings except
32906 report them back as part of the replies to the @samp{qTfP}/@samp{qTsP}
32907 query packets.
32908
32909 Although this packet is optional, and @value{GDBN} will only send it
32910 if the target replies with @samp{TracepointSource} @xref{General
32911 Query Packets}, it makes both disconnected tracing and trace files
32912 much easier to use. Otherwise the user must be careful that the
32913 tracepoints in effect while looking at trace frames are identical to
32914 the ones in effect during the trace run; even a small discrepancy
32915 could cause @samp{tdump} not to work, or a particular trace frame not
32916 be found.
32917
32918 @item QTDV:@var{n}:@var{value}
32919 @cindex define trace state variable, remote request
32920 @cindex @samp{QTDV} packet
32921 Create a new trace state variable, number @var{n}, with an initial
32922 value of @var{value}, which is a 64-bit signed integer. Both @var{n}
32923 and @var{value} are encoded as hexadecimal values. @value{GDBN} has
32924 the option of not using this packet for initial values of zero; the
32925 target should simply create the trace state variables as they are
32926 mentioned in expressions.
32927
32928 @item QTFrame:@var{n}
32929 Select the @var{n}'th tracepoint frame from the buffer, and use the
32930 register and memory contents recorded there to answer subsequent
32931 request packets from @value{GDBN}.
32932
32933 A successful reply from the stub indicates that the stub has found the
32934 requested frame. The response is a series of parts, concatenated
32935 without separators, describing the frame we selected. Each part has
32936 one of the following forms:
32937
32938 @table @samp
32939 @item F @var{f}
32940 The selected frame is number @var{n} in the trace frame buffer;
32941 @var{f} is a hexadecimal number. If @var{f} is @samp{-1}, then there
32942 was no frame matching the criteria in the request packet.
32943
32944 @item T @var{t}
32945 The selected trace frame records a hit of tracepoint number @var{t};
32946 @var{t} is a hexadecimal number.
32947
32948 @end table
32949
32950 @item QTFrame:pc:@var{addr}
32951 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
32952 currently selected frame whose PC is @var{addr};
32953 @var{addr} is a hexadecimal number.
32954
32955 @item QTFrame:tdp:@var{t}
32956 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
32957 currently selected frame that is a hit of tracepoint @var{t}; @var{t}
32958 is a hexadecimal number.
32959
32960 @item QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}
32961 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
32962 currently selected frame whose PC is between @var{start} (inclusive)
32963 and @var{end} (inclusive); @var{start} and @var{end} are hexadecimal
32964 numbers.
32965
32966 @item QTFrame:outside:@var{start}:@var{end}
32967 Like @samp{QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}}, but select the first
32968 frame @emph{outside} the given range of addresses (exclusive).
32969
32970 @item QTStart
32971 Begin the tracepoint experiment. Begin collecting data from
32972 tracepoint hits in the trace frame buffer. This packet supports the
32973 @samp{qRelocInsn} reply (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
32974 instruction reply packet}).
32975
32976 @item QTStop
32977 End the tracepoint experiment. Stop collecting trace frames.
32978
32979 @item QTinit
32980 Clear the table of tracepoints, and empty the trace frame buffer.
32981
32982 @item QTro:@var{start1},@var{end1}:@var{start2},@var{end2}:@dots{}
32983 Establish the given ranges of memory as ``transparent''. The stub
32984 will answer requests for these ranges from memory's current contents,
32985 if they were not collected as part of the tracepoint hit.
32986
32987 @value{GDBN} uses this to mark read-only regions of memory, like those
32988 containing program code. Since these areas never change, they should
32989 still have the same contents they did when the tracepoint was hit, so
32990 there's no reason for the stub to refuse to provide their contents.
32991
32992 @item QTDisconnected:@var{value}
32993 Set the choice to what to do with the tracing run when @value{GDBN}
32994 disconnects from the target. A @var{value} of 1 directs the target to
32995 continue the tracing run, while 0 tells the target to stop tracing if
32996 @value{GDBN} is no longer in the picture.
32997
32998 @item qTStatus
32999 Ask the stub if there is a trace experiment running right now.
33000
33001 The reply has the form:
33002
33003 @table @samp
33004
33005 @item T@var{running}@r{[};@var{field}@r{]}@dots{}
33006 @var{running} is a single digit @code{1} if the trace is presently
33007 running, or @code{0} if not. It is followed by semicolon-separated
33008 optional fields that an agent may use to report additional status.
33009
33010 @end table
33011
33012 If the trace is not running, the agent may report any of several
33013 explanations as one of the optional fields:
33014
33015 @table @samp
33016
33017 @item tnotrun:0
33018 No trace has been run yet.
33019
33020 @item tstop:0
33021 The trace was stopped by a user-originated stop command.
33022
33023 @item tfull:0
33024 The trace stopped because the trace buffer filled up.
33025
33026 @item tdisconnected:0
33027 The trace stopped because @value{GDBN} disconnected from the target.
33028
33029 @item tpasscount:@var{tpnum}
33030 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} exceeded its pass count.
33031
33032 @item terror:@var{text}:@var{tpnum}
33033 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} had an error. The
33034 string @var{text} is available to describe the nature of the error
33035 (for instance, a divide by zero in the condition expression).
33036 @var{text} is hex encoded.
33037
33038 @item tunknown:0
33039 The trace stopped for some other reason.
33040
33041 @end table
33042
33043 Additional optional fields supply statistical and other information.
33044 Although not required, they are extremely useful for users monitoring
33045 the progress of a trace run. If a trace has stopped, and these
33046 numbers are reported, they must reflect the state of the just-stopped
33047 trace.
33048
33049 @table @samp
33050
33051 @item tframes:@var{n}
33052 The number of trace frames in the buffer.
33053
33054 @item tcreated:@var{n}
33055 The total number of trace frames created during the run. This may
33056 be larger than the trace frame count, if the buffer is circular.
33057
33058 @item tsize:@var{n}
33059 The total size of the trace buffer, in bytes.
33060
33061 @item tfree:@var{n}
33062 The number of bytes still unused in the buffer.
33063
33064 @item circular:@var{n}
33065 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
33066 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
33067 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
33068 and may fill up.
33069
33070 @item disconn:@var{n}
33071 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
33072 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
33073 that the trace run will stop.
33074
33075 @end table
33076
33077 @item qTV:@var{var}
33078 @cindex trace state variable value, remote request
33079 @cindex @samp{qTV} packet
33080 Ask the stub for the value of the trace state variable number @var{var}.
33081
33082 Replies:
33083 @table @samp
33084 @item V@var{value}
33085 The value of the variable is @var{value}. This will be the current
33086 value of the variable if the user is examining a running target, or a
33087 saved value if the variable was collected in the trace frame that the
33088 user is looking at. Note that multiple requests may result in
33089 different reply values, such as when requesting values while the
33090 program is running.
33091
33092 @item U
33093 The value of the variable is unknown. This would occur, for example,
33094 if the user is examining a trace frame in which the requested variable
33095 was not collected.
33096 @end table
33097
33098 @item qTfP
33099 @itemx qTsP
33100 These packets request data about tracepoints that are being used by
33101 the target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfP} to get the first piece
33102 of data, and multiple @code{qTsP} to get additional pieces. Replies
33103 to these packets generally take the form of the @code{QTDP} packets
33104 that define tracepoints. (FIXME add detailed syntax)
33105
33106 @item qTfV
33107 @itemx qTsV
33108 These packets request data about trace state variables that are on the
33109 target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfV} to get the first vari of data,
33110 and multiple @code{qTsV} to get additional variables. Replies to
33111 these packets follow the syntax of the @code{QTDV} packets that define
33112 trace state variables.
33113
33114 @item qTfSTM
33115 @itemx qTsSTM
33116 These packets request data about static tracepoint markers that exist
33117 in the target program. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfSTM} to get the
33118 first piece of data, and multiple @code{qTsSTM} to get additional
33119 pieces. Replies to these packets take the following form:
33120
33121 Reply:
33122 @table @samp
33123 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}
33124 A single marker
33125 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra},@var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}@dots{}
33126 a comma-separated list of markers
33127 @item l
33128 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
33129 @item E @var{nn}
33130 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
33131 @item
33132 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the
33133 stub.
33134 @end table
33135
33136 @var{address} is encoded in hex.
33137 @var{id} and @var{extra} are strings encoded in hex.
33138
33139 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
33140 more markers, separated by commas. @value{GDBN} will respond to each
33141 reply with a request for more markers (using the @samp{qs} form of the
33142 query), until the target responds with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for
33143 @dfn{last}).
33144
33145 @item qTSTMat:@var{address}
33146 This packets requests data about static tracepoint markers in the
33147 target program at @var{address}. Replies to this packet follow the
33148 syntax of the @samp{qTfSTM} and @code{qTsSTM} packets that list static
33149 tracepoint markers.
33150
33151 @item QTSave:@var{filename}
33152 This packet directs the target to save trace data to the file name
33153 @var{filename} in the target's filesystem. @var{filename} is encoded
33154 as a hex string; the interpretation of the file name (relative vs
33155 absolute, wild cards, etc) is up to the target.
33156
33157 @item qTBuffer:@var{offset},@var{len}
33158 Return up to @var{len} bytes of the current contents of trace buffer,
33159 starting at @var{offset}. The trace buffer is treated as if it were
33160 a contiguous collection of traceframes, as per the trace file format.
33161 The reply consists as many hex-encoded bytes as the target can deliver
33162 in a packet; it is not an error to return fewer than were asked for.
33163 A reply consisting of just @code{l} indicates that no bytes are
33164 available.
33165
33166 @item QTBuffer:circular:@var{value}
33167 This packet directs the target to use a circular trace buffer if
33168 @var{value} is 1, or a linear buffer if the value is 0.
33169
33170 @end table
33171
33172 @subsection Relocate instruction reply packet
33173 When installing fast tracepoints in memory, the target may need to
33174 relocate the instruction currently at the tracepoint address to a
33175 different address in memory. For most instructions, a simple copy is
33176 enough, but, for example, call instructions that implicitly push the
33177 return address on the stack, and relative branches or other
33178 PC-relative instructions require offset adjustment, so that the effect
33179 of executing the instruction at a different address is the same as if
33180 it had executed in the original location.
33181
33182 In response to several of the tracepoint packets, the target may also
33183 respond with a number of intermediate @samp{qRelocInsn} request
33184 packets before the final result packet, to have @value{GDBN} handle
33185 this relocation operation. If a packet supports this mechanism, its
33186 documentation will explicitly say so. See for example the above
33187 descriptions for the @samp{QTStart} and @samp{QTDP} packets. The
33188 format of the request is:
33189
33190 @table @samp
33191 @item qRelocInsn:@var{from};@var{to}
33192
33193 This requests @value{GDBN} to copy instruction at address @var{from}
33194 to address @var{to}, possibly adjusted so that executing the
33195 instruction at @var{to} has the same effect as executing it at
33196 @var{from}. @value{GDBN} writes the adjusted instruction to target
33197 memory starting at @var{to}.
33198 @end table
33199
33200 Replies:
33201 @table @samp
33202 @item qRelocInsn:@var{adjusted_size}
33203 Informs the stub the relocation is complete. @var{adjusted_size} is
33204 the length in bytes of resulting relocated instruction sequence.
33205 @item E @var{NN}
33206 A badly formed request was detected, or an error was encountered while
33207 relocating the instruction.
33208 @end table
33209
33210 @node Host I/O Packets
33211 @section Host I/O Packets
33212 @cindex Host I/O, remote protocol
33213 @cindex file transfer, remote protocol
33214
33215 The @dfn{Host I/O} packets allow @value{GDBN} to perform I/O
33216 operations on the far side of a remote link. For example, Host I/O is
33217 used to upload and download files to a remote target with its own
33218 filesystem. Host I/O uses the same constant values and data structure
33219 layout as the target-initiated File-I/O protocol. However, the
33220 Host I/O packets are structured differently. The target-initiated
33221 protocol relies on target memory to store parameters and buffers.
33222 Host I/O requests are initiated by @value{GDBN}, and the
33223 target's memory is not involved. @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol
33224 Extension}, for more details on the target-initiated protocol.
33225
33226 The Host I/O request packets all encode a single operation along with
33227 its arguments. They have this format:
33228
33229 @table @samp
33230
33231 @item vFile:@var{operation}: @var{parameter}@dots{}
33232 @var{operation} is the name of the particular request; the target
33233 should compare the entire packet name up to the second colon when checking
33234 for a supported operation. The format of @var{parameter} depends on
33235 the operation. Numbers are always passed in hexadecimal. Negative
33236 numbers have an explicit minus sign (i.e.@: two's complement is not
33237 used). Strings (e.g.@: filenames) are encoded as a series of
33238 hexadecimal bytes. The last argument to a system call may be a
33239 buffer of escaped binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
33240
33241 @end table
33242
33243 The valid responses to Host I/O packets are:
33244
33245 @table @samp
33246
33247 @item F @var{result} [, @var{errno}] [; @var{attachment}]
33248 @var{result} is the integer value returned by this operation, usually
33249 non-negative for success and -1 for errors. If an error has occured,
33250 @var{errno} will be included in the result. @var{errno} will have a
33251 value defined by the File-I/O protocol (@pxref{Errno Values}). For
33252 operations which return data, @var{attachment} supplies the data as a
33253 binary buffer. Binary buffers in response packets are escaped in the
33254 normal way (@pxref{Binary Data}). See the individual packet
33255 documentation for the interpretation of @var{result} and
33256 @var{attachment}.
33257
33258 @item
33259 An empty response indicates that this operation is not recognized.
33260
33261 @end table
33262
33263 These are the supported Host I/O operations:
33264
33265 @table @samp
33266 @item vFile:open: @var{pathname}, @var{flags}, @var{mode}
33267 Open a file at @var{pathname} and return a file descriptor for it, or
33268 return -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string,
33269 @var{flags} is an integer indicating a mask of open flags
33270 (@pxref{Open Flags}), and @var{mode} is an integer indicating a mask
33271 of mode bits to use if the file is created (@pxref{mode_t Values}).
33272 @xref{open}, for details of the open flags and mode values.
33273
33274 @item vFile:close: @var{fd}
33275 Close the open file corresponding to @var{fd} and return 0, or
33276 -1 if an error occurs.
33277
33278 @item vFile:pread: @var{fd}, @var{count}, @var{offset}
33279 Read data from the open file corresponding to @var{fd}. Up to
33280 @var{count} bytes will be read from the file, starting at @var{offset}
33281 relative to the start of the file. The target may read fewer bytes;
33282 common reasons include packet size limits and an end-of-file
33283 condition. The number of bytes read is returned. Zero should only be
33284 returned for a successful read at the end of the file, or if
33285 @var{count} was zero.
33286
33287 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
33288 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
33289 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
33290 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
33291 some characters were escaped.
33292
33293 @item vFile:pwrite: @var{fd}, @var{offset}, @var{data}
33294 Write @var{data} (a binary buffer) to the open file corresponding
33295 to @var{fd}. Start the write at @var{offset} from the start of the
33296 file. Unlike many @code{write} system calls, there is no
33297 separate @var{count} argument; the length of @var{data} in the
33298 packet is used. @samp{vFile:write} returns the number of bytes written,
33299 which may be shorter than the length of @var{data}, or -1 if an
33300 error occurred.
33301
33302 @item vFile:unlink: @var{pathname}
33303 Delete the file at @var{pathname} on the target. Return 0,
33304 or -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string.
33305
33306 @end table
33307
33308 @node Interrupts
33309 @section Interrupts
33310 @cindex interrupts (remote protocol)
33311
33312 When a program on the remote target is running, @value{GDBN} may
33313 attempt to interrupt it by sending a @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or
33314 a @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g},
33315 control of which is specified via @value{GDBN}'s @samp{interrupt-sequence}.
33316
33317 The precise meaning of @code{BREAK} is defined by the transport
33318 mechanism and may, in fact, be undefined. @value{GDBN} does not
33319 currently define a @code{BREAK} mechanism for any of the network
33320 interfaces except for TCP, in which case @value{GDBN} sends the
33321 @code{telnet} BREAK sequence.
33322
33323 @samp{Ctrl-C}, on the other hand, is defined and implemented for all
33324 transport mechanisms. It is represented by sending the single byte
33325 @code{0x03} without any of the usual packet overhead described in
33326 the Overview section (@pxref{Overview}). When a @code{0x03} byte is
33327 transmitted as part of a packet, it is considered to be packet data
33328 and does @emph{not} represent an interrupt. E.g., an @samp{X} packet
33329 (@pxref{X packet}), used for binary downloads, may include an unescaped
33330 @code{0x03} as part of its packet.
33331
33332 @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g} is also known as Magic SysRq g.
33333 When Linux kernel receives this sequence from serial port,
33334 it stops execution and connects to gdb.
33335
33336 Stubs are not required to recognize these interrupt mechanisms and the
33337 precise meaning associated with receipt of the interrupt is
33338 implementation defined. If the target supports debugging of multiple
33339 threads and/or processes, it should attempt to interrupt all
33340 currently-executing threads and processes.
33341 If the stub is successful at interrupting the
33342 running program, it should send one of the stop
33343 reply packets (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}) to @value{GDBN} as a result
33344 of successfully stopping the program in all-stop mode, and a stop reply
33345 for each stopped thread in non-stop mode.
33346 Interrupts received while the
33347 program is stopped are discarded.
33348
33349 @node Notification Packets
33350 @section Notification Packets
33351 @cindex notification packets
33352 @cindex packets, notification
33353
33354 The @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol includes @dfn{notifications},
33355 packets that require no acknowledgment. Both the GDB and the stub
33356 may send notifications (although the only notifications defined at
33357 present are sent by the stub). Notifications carry information
33358 without incurring the round-trip latency of an acknowledgment, and so
33359 are useful for low-impact communications where occasional packet loss
33360 is not a problem.
33361
33362 A notification packet has the form @samp{% @var{data} #
33363 @var{checksum}}, where @var{data} is the content of the notification,
33364 and @var{checksum} is a checksum of @var{data}, computed and formatted
33365 as for ordinary @value{GDBN} packets. A notification's @var{data}
33366 never contains @samp{$}, @samp{%} or @samp{#} characters. Upon
33367 receiving a notification, the recipient sends no @samp{+} or @samp{-}
33368 to acknowledge the notification's receipt or to report its corruption.
33369
33370 Every notification's @var{data} begins with a name, which contains no
33371 colon characters, followed by a colon character.
33372
33373 Recipients should silently ignore corrupted notifications and
33374 notifications they do not understand. Recipients should restart
33375 timeout periods on receipt of a well-formed notification, whether or
33376 not they understand it.
33377
33378 Senders should only send the notifications described here when this
33379 protocol description specifies that they are permitted. In the
33380 future, we may extend the protocol to permit existing notifications in
33381 new contexts; this rule helps older senders avoid confusing newer
33382 recipients.
33383
33384 (Older versions of @value{GDBN} ignore bytes received until they see
33385 the @samp{$} byte that begins an ordinary packet, so new stubs may
33386 transmit notifications without fear of confusing older clients. There
33387 are no notifications defined for @value{GDBN} to send at the moment, but we
33388 assume that most older stubs would ignore them, as well.)
33389
33390 The following notification packets from the stub to @value{GDBN} are
33391 defined:
33392
33393 @table @samp
33394 @item Stop: @var{reply}
33395 Report an asynchronous stop event in non-stop mode.
33396 The @var{reply} has the form of a stop reply, as
33397 described in @ref{Stop Reply Packets}. Refer to @ref{Remote Non-Stop},
33398 for information on how these notifications are acknowledged by
33399 @value{GDBN}.
33400 @end table
33401
33402 @node Remote Non-Stop
33403 @section Remote Protocol Support for Non-Stop Mode
33404
33405 @value{GDBN}'s remote protocol supports non-stop debugging of
33406 multi-threaded programs, as described in @ref{Non-Stop Mode}. If the stub
33407 supports non-stop mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN} by including
33408 @samp{QNonStop+} in its @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
33409
33410 @value{GDBN} typically sends a @samp{QNonStop} packet only when
33411 establishing a new connection with the stub. Entering non-stop mode
33412 does not alter the state of any currently-running threads, but targets
33413 must stop all threads in any already-attached processes when entering
33414 all-stop mode. @value{GDBN} uses the @samp{?} packet as necessary to
33415 probe the target state after a mode change.
33416
33417 In non-stop mode, when an attached process encounters an event that
33418 would otherwise be reported with a stop reply, it uses the
33419 asynchronous notification mechanism (@pxref{Notification Packets}) to
33420 inform @value{GDBN}. In contrast to all-stop mode, where all threads
33421 in all processes are stopped when a stop reply is sent, in non-stop
33422 mode only the thread reporting the stop event is stopped. That is,
33423 when reporting a @samp{S} or @samp{T} response to indicate completion
33424 of a step operation, hitting a breakpoint, or a fault, only the
33425 affected thread is stopped; any other still-running threads continue
33426 to run. When reporting a @samp{W} or @samp{X} response, all running
33427 threads belonging to other attached processes continue to run.
33428
33429 Only one stop reply notification at a time may be pending; if
33430 additional stop events occur before @value{GDBN} has acknowledged the
33431 previous notification, they must be queued by the stub for later
33432 synchronous transmission in response to @samp{vStopped} packets from
33433 @value{GDBN}. Because the notification mechanism is unreliable,
33434 the stub is permitted to resend a stop reply notification
33435 if it believes @value{GDBN} may not have received it. @value{GDBN}
33436 ignores additional stop reply notifications received before it has
33437 finished processing a previous notification and the stub has completed
33438 sending any queued stop events.
33439
33440 Otherwise, @value{GDBN} must be prepared to receive a stop reply
33441 notification at any time. Specifically, they may appear when
33442 @value{GDBN} is not otherwise reading input from the stub, or when
33443 @value{GDBN} is expecting to read a normal synchronous response or a
33444 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgment to a packet it has sent.
33445 Notification packets are distinct from any other communication from
33446 the stub so there is no ambiguity.
33447
33448 After receiving a stop reply notification, @value{GDBN} shall
33449 acknowledge it by sending a @samp{vStopped} packet (@pxref{vStopped packet})
33450 as a regular, synchronous request to the stub. Such acknowledgment
33451 is not required to happen immediately, as @value{GDBN} is permitted to
33452 send other, unrelated packets to the stub first, which the stub should
33453 process normally.
33454
33455 Upon receiving a @samp{vStopped} packet, if the stub has other queued
33456 stop events to report to @value{GDBN}, it shall respond by sending a
33457 normal stop reply response. @value{GDBN} shall then send another
33458 @samp{vStopped} packet to solicit further responses; again, it is
33459 permitted to send other, unrelated packets as well which the stub
33460 should process normally.
33461
33462 If the stub receives a @samp{vStopped} packet and there are no
33463 additional stop events to report, the stub shall return an @samp{OK}
33464 response. At this point, if further stop events occur, the stub shall
33465 send a new stop reply notification, @value{GDBN} shall accept the
33466 notification, and the process shall be repeated.
33467
33468 In non-stop mode, the target shall respond to the @samp{?} packet as
33469 follows. First, any incomplete stop reply notification/@samp{vStopped}
33470 sequence in progress is abandoned. The target must begin a new
33471 sequence reporting stop events for all stopped threads, whether or not
33472 it has previously reported those events to @value{GDBN}. The first
33473 stop reply is sent as a synchronous reply to the @samp{?} packet, and
33474 subsequent stop replies are sent as responses to @samp{vStopped} packets
33475 using the mechanism described above. The target must not send
33476 asynchronous stop reply notifications until the sequence is complete.
33477 If all threads are running when the target receives the @samp{?} packet,
33478 or if the target is not attached to any process, it shall respond
33479 @samp{OK}.
33480
33481 @node Packet Acknowledgment
33482 @section Packet Acknowledgment
33483
33484 @cindex acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
33485 @cindex packet acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
33486 By default, when either the host or the target machine receives a packet,
33487 the first response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
33488 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request retransmission).
33489 This mechanism allows the @value{GDBN} remote protocol to operate over
33490 unreliable transport mechanisms, such as a serial line.
33491
33492 In cases where the transport mechanism is itself reliable (such as a pipe or
33493 TCP connection), the @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are redundant.
33494 It may be desirable to disable them in that case to reduce communication
33495 overhead, or for other reasons. This can be accomplished by means of the
33496 @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet; @pxref{QStartNoAckMode}.
33497
33498 When in no-acknowledgment mode, neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or
33499 expect @samp{+}/@samp{-} protocol acknowledgments. The packet
33500 and response format still includes the normal checksum, as described in
33501 @ref{Overview}, but the checksum may be ignored by the receiver.
33502
33503 If the stub supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and prefers to operate in
33504 no-acknowledgment mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN}
33505 by including @samp{QStartNoAckMode+} in its response to @samp{qSupported};
33506 @pxref{qSupported}.
33507 If @value{GDBN} also supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and it has not been
33508 disabled via the @code{set remote noack-packet off} command
33509 (@pxref{Remote Configuration}),
33510 @value{GDBN} may then send a @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet to the stub.
33511 Only then may the stub actually turn off packet acknowledgments.
33512 @value{GDBN} sends a final @samp{+} acknowledgment of the stub's @samp{OK}
33513 response, which can be safely ignored by the stub.
33514
33515 Note that @code{set remote noack-packet} command only affects negotiation
33516 between @value{GDBN} and the stub when subsequent connections are made;
33517 it does not affect the protocol acknowledgment state for any current
33518 connection.
33519 Since @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are enabled by default when a
33520 new connection is established,
33521 there is also no protocol request to re-enable the acknowledgments
33522 for the current connection, once disabled.
33523
33524 @node Examples
33525 @section Examples
33526
33527 Example sequence of a target being re-started. Notice how the restart
33528 does not get any direct output:
33529
33530 @smallexample
33531 -> @code{R00}
33532 <- @code{+}
33533 @emph{target restarts}
33534 -> @code{?}
33535 <- @code{+}
33536 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
33537 -> @code{+}
33538 @end smallexample
33539
33540 Example sequence of a target being stepped by a single instruction:
33541
33542 @smallexample
33543 -> @code{G1445@dots{}}
33544 <- @code{+}
33545 -> @code{s}
33546 <- @code{+}
33547 @emph{time passes}
33548 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
33549 -> @code{+}
33550 -> @code{g}
33551 <- @code{+}
33552 <- @code{1455@dots{}}
33553 -> @code{+}
33554 @end smallexample
33555
33556 @node File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
33557 @section File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
33558 @cindex File-I/O remote protocol extension
33559
33560 @menu
33561 * File-I/O Overview::
33562 * Protocol Basics::
33563 * The F Request Packet::
33564 * The F Reply Packet::
33565 * The Ctrl-C Message::
33566 * Console I/O::
33567 * List of Supported Calls::
33568 * Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes::
33569 * Constants::
33570 * File-I/O Examples::
33571 @end menu
33572
33573 @node File-I/O Overview
33574 @subsection File-I/O Overview
33575 @cindex file-i/o overview
33576
33577 The @dfn{File I/O remote protocol extension} (short: File-I/O) allows the
33578 target to use the host's file system and console I/O to perform various
33579 system calls. System calls on the target system are translated into a
33580 remote protocol packet to the host system, which then performs the needed
33581 actions and returns a response packet to the target system.
33582 This simulates file system operations even on targets that lack file systems.
33583
33584 The protocol is defined to be independent of both the host and target systems.
33585 It uses its own internal representation of datatypes and values. Both
33586 @value{GDBN} and the target's @value{GDBN} stub are responsible for
33587 translating the system-dependent value representations into the internal
33588 protocol representations when data is transmitted.
33589
33590 The communication is synchronous. A system call is possible only when
33591 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
33592 or @samp{s} packets. While @value{GDBN} handles the request for a system call,
33593 the target is stopped to allow deterministic access to the target's
33594 memory. Therefore File-I/O is not interruptible by target signals. On
33595 the other hand, it is possible to interrupt File-I/O by a user interrupt
33596 (@samp{Ctrl-C}) within @value{GDBN}.
33597
33598 The target's request to perform a host system call does not finish
33599 the latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} action. That means,
33600 after finishing the system call, the target returns to continuing the
33601 previous activity (continue, step). No additional continue or step
33602 request from @value{GDBN} is required.
33603
33604 @smallexample
33605 (@value{GDBP}) continue
33606 <- target requests 'system call X'
33607 target is stopped, @value{GDBN} executes system call
33608 -> @value{GDBN} returns result
33609 ... target continues, @value{GDBN} returns to wait for the target
33610 <- target hits breakpoint and sends a Txx packet
33611 @end smallexample
33612
33613 The protocol only supports I/O on the console and to regular files on
33614 the host file system. Character or block special devices, pipes,
33615 named pipes, sockets or any other communication method on the host
33616 system are not supported by this protocol.
33617
33618 File I/O is not supported in non-stop mode.
33619
33620 @node Protocol Basics
33621 @subsection Protocol Basics
33622 @cindex protocol basics, file-i/o
33623
33624 The File-I/O protocol uses the @code{F} packet as the request as well
33625 as reply packet. Since a File-I/O system call can only occur when
33626 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the continuing or stepping target,
33627 the File-I/O request is a reply that @value{GDBN} has to expect as a result
33628 of a previous @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} packet.
33629 This @code{F} packet contains all information needed to allow @value{GDBN}
33630 to call the appropriate host system call:
33631
33632 @itemize @bullet
33633 @item
33634 A unique identifier for the requested system call.
33635
33636 @item
33637 All parameters to the system call. Pointers are given as addresses
33638 in the target memory address space. Pointers to strings are given as
33639 pointer/length pair. Numerical values are given as they are.
33640 Numerical control flags are given in a protocol-specific representation.
33641
33642 @end itemize
33643
33644 At this point, @value{GDBN} has to perform the following actions.
33645
33646 @itemize @bullet
33647 @item
33648 If the parameters include pointer values to data needed as input to a
33649 system call, @value{GDBN} requests this data from the target with a
33650 standard @code{m} packet request. This additional communication has to be
33651 expected by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{m}
33652 packet.
33653
33654 @item
33655 @value{GDBN} translates all value from protocol representation to host
33656 representation as needed. Datatypes are coerced into the host types.
33657
33658 @item
33659 @value{GDBN} calls the system call.
33660
33661 @item
33662 It then coerces datatypes back to protocol representation.
33663
33664 @item
33665 If the system call is expected to return data in buffer space specified
33666 by pointer parameters to the call, the data is transmitted to the
33667 target using a @code{M} or @code{X} packet. This packet has to be expected
33668 by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{M} or @code{X}
33669 packet.
33670
33671 @end itemize
33672
33673 Eventually @value{GDBN} replies with another @code{F} packet which contains all
33674 necessary information for the target to continue. This at least contains
33675
33676 @itemize @bullet
33677 @item
33678 Return value.
33679
33680 @item
33681 @code{errno}, if has been changed by the system call.
33682
33683 @item
33684 ``Ctrl-C'' flag.
33685
33686 @end itemize
33687
33688 After having done the needed type and value coercion, the target continues
33689 the latest continue or step action.
33690
33691 @node The F Request Packet
33692 @subsection The @code{F} Request Packet
33693 @cindex file-i/o request packet
33694 @cindex @code{F} request packet
33695
33696 The @code{F} request packet has the following format:
33697
33698 @table @samp
33699 @item F@var{call-id},@var{parameter@dots{}}
33700
33701 @var{call-id} is the identifier to indicate the host system call to be called.
33702 This is just the name of the function.
33703
33704 @var{parameter@dots{}} are the parameters to the system call.
33705 Parameters are hexadecimal integer values, either the actual values in case
33706 of scalar datatypes, pointers to target buffer space in case of compound
33707 datatypes and unspecified memory areas, or pointer/length pairs in case
33708 of string parameters. These are appended to the @var{call-id} as a
33709 comma-delimited list. All values are transmitted in ASCII
33710 string representation, pointer/length pairs separated by a slash.
33711
33712 @end table
33713
33714
33715
33716 @node The F Reply Packet
33717 @subsection The @code{F} Reply Packet
33718 @cindex file-i/o reply packet
33719 @cindex @code{F} reply packet
33720
33721 The @code{F} reply packet has the following format:
33722
33723 @table @samp
33724
33725 @item F@var{retcode},@var{errno},@var{Ctrl-C flag};@var{call-specific attachment}
33726
33727 @var{retcode} is the return code of the system call as hexadecimal value.
33728
33729 @var{errno} is the @code{errno} set by the call, in protocol-specific
33730 representation.
33731 This parameter can be omitted if the call was successful.
33732
33733 @var{Ctrl-C flag} is only sent if the user requested a break. In this
33734 case, @var{errno} must be sent as well, even if the call was successful.
33735 The @var{Ctrl-C flag} itself consists of the character @samp{C}:
33736
33737 @smallexample
33738 F0,0,C
33739 @end smallexample
33740
33741 @noindent
33742 or, if the call was interrupted before the host call has been performed:
33743
33744 @smallexample
33745 F-1,4,C
33746 @end smallexample
33747
33748 @noindent
33749 assuming 4 is the protocol-specific representation of @code{EINTR}.
33750
33751 @end table
33752
33753
33754 @node The Ctrl-C Message
33755 @subsection The @samp{Ctrl-C} Message
33756 @cindex ctrl-c message, in file-i/o protocol
33757
33758 If the @samp{Ctrl-C} flag is set in the @value{GDBN}
33759 reply packet (@pxref{The F Reply Packet}),
33760 the target should behave as if it had
33761 gotten a break message. The meaning for the target is ``system call
33762 interrupted by @code{SIGINT}''. Consequentially, the target should actually stop
33763 (as with a break message) and return to @value{GDBN} with a @code{T02}
33764 packet.
33765
33766 It's important for the target to know in which
33767 state the system call was interrupted. There are two possible cases:
33768
33769 @itemize @bullet
33770 @item
33771 The system call hasn't been performed on the host yet.
33772
33773 @item
33774 The system call on the host has been finished.
33775
33776 @end itemize
33777
33778 These two states can be distinguished by the target by the value of the
33779 returned @code{errno}. If it's the protocol representation of @code{EINTR}, the system
33780 call hasn't been performed. This is equivalent to the @code{EINTR} handling
33781 on POSIX systems. In any other case, the target may presume that the
33782 system call has been finished --- successfully or not --- and should behave
33783 as if the break message arrived right after the system call.
33784
33785 @value{GDBN} must behave reliably. If the system call has not been called
33786 yet, @value{GDBN} may send the @code{F} reply immediately, setting @code{EINTR} as
33787 @code{errno} in the packet. If the system call on the host has been finished
33788 before the user requests a break, the full action must be finished by
33789 @value{GDBN}. This requires sending @code{M} or @code{X} packets as necessary.
33790 The @code{F} packet may only be sent when either nothing has happened
33791 or the full action has been completed.
33792
33793 @node Console I/O
33794 @subsection Console I/O
33795 @cindex console i/o as part of file-i/o
33796
33797 By default and if not explicitly closed by the target system, the file
33798 descriptors 0, 1 and 2 are connected to the @value{GDBN} console. Output
33799 on the @value{GDBN} console is handled as any other file output operation
33800 (@code{write(1, @dots{})} or @code{write(2, @dots{})}). Console input is handled
33801 by @value{GDBN} so that after the target read request from file descriptor
33802 0 all following typing is buffered until either one of the following
33803 conditions is met:
33804
33805 @itemize @bullet
33806 @item
33807 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The behaviour is as explained above, and the
33808 @code{read}
33809 system call is treated as finished.
33810
33811 @item
33812 The user presses @key{RET}. This is treated as end of input with a trailing
33813 newline.
33814
33815 @item
33816 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-d}. This is treated as end of input. No trailing
33817 character (neither newline nor @samp{Ctrl-D}) is appended to the input.
33818
33819 @end itemize
33820
33821 If the user has typed more characters than fit in the buffer given to
33822 the @code{read} call, the trailing characters are buffered in @value{GDBN} until
33823 either another @code{read(0, @dots{})} is requested by the target, or debugging
33824 is stopped at the user's request.
33825
33826
33827 @node List of Supported Calls
33828 @subsection List of Supported Calls
33829 @cindex list of supported file-i/o calls
33830
33831 @menu
33832 * open::
33833 * close::
33834 * read::
33835 * write::
33836 * lseek::
33837 * rename::
33838 * unlink::
33839 * stat/fstat::
33840 * gettimeofday::
33841 * isatty::
33842 * system::
33843 @end menu
33844
33845 @node open
33846 @unnumberedsubsubsec open
33847 @cindex open, file-i/o system call
33848
33849 @table @asis
33850 @item Synopsis:
33851 @smallexample
33852 int open(const char *pathname, int flags);
33853 int open(const char *pathname, int flags, mode_t mode);
33854 @end smallexample
33855
33856 @item Request:
33857 @samp{Fopen,@var{pathptr}/@var{len},@var{flags},@var{mode}}
33858
33859 @noindent
33860 @var{flags} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
33861
33862 @table @code
33863 @item O_CREAT
33864 If the file does not exist it will be created. The host
33865 rules apply as far as file ownership and time stamps
33866 are concerned.
33867
33868 @item O_EXCL
33869 When used with @code{O_CREAT}, if the file already exists it is
33870 an error and open() fails.
33871
33872 @item O_TRUNC
33873 If the file already exists and the open mode allows
33874 writing (@code{O_RDWR} or @code{O_WRONLY} is given) it will be
33875 truncated to zero length.
33876
33877 @item O_APPEND
33878 The file is opened in append mode.
33879
33880 @item O_RDONLY
33881 The file is opened for reading only.
33882
33883 @item O_WRONLY
33884 The file is opened for writing only.
33885
33886 @item O_RDWR
33887 The file is opened for reading and writing.
33888 @end table
33889
33890 @noindent
33891 Other bits are silently ignored.
33892
33893
33894 @noindent
33895 @var{mode} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
33896
33897 @table @code
33898 @item S_IRUSR
33899 User has read permission.
33900
33901 @item S_IWUSR
33902 User has write permission.
33903
33904 @item S_IRGRP
33905 Group has read permission.
33906
33907 @item S_IWGRP
33908 Group has write permission.
33909
33910 @item S_IROTH
33911 Others have read permission.
33912
33913 @item S_IWOTH
33914 Others have write permission.
33915 @end table
33916
33917 @noindent
33918 Other bits are silently ignored.
33919
33920
33921 @item Return value:
33922 @code{open} returns the new file descriptor or -1 if an error
33923 occurred.
33924
33925 @item Errors:
33926
33927 @table @code
33928 @item EEXIST
33929 @var{pathname} already exists and @code{O_CREAT} and @code{O_EXCL} were used.
33930
33931 @item EISDIR
33932 @var{pathname} refers to a directory.
33933
33934 @item EACCES
33935 The requested access is not allowed.
33936
33937 @item ENAMETOOLONG
33938 @var{pathname} was too long.
33939
33940 @item ENOENT
33941 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
33942
33943 @item ENODEV
33944 @var{pathname} refers to a device, pipe, named pipe or socket.
33945
33946 @item EROFS
33947 @var{pathname} refers to a file on a read-only filesystem and
33948 write access was requested.
33949
33950 @item EFAULT
33951 @var{pathname} is an invalid pointer value.
33952
33953 @item ENOSPC
33954 No space on device to create the file.
33955
33956 @item EMFILE
33957 The process already has the maximum number of files open.
33958
33959 @item ENFILE
33960 The limit on the total number of files open on the system
33961 has been reached.
33962
33963 @item EINTR
33964 The call was interrupted by the user.
33965 @end table
33966
33967 @end table
33968
33969 @node close
33970 @unnumberedsubsubsec close
33971 @cindex close, file-i/o system call
33972
33973 @table @asis
33974 @item Synopsis:
33975 @smallexample
33976 int close(int fd);
33977 @end smallexample
33978
33979 @item Request:
33980 @samp{Fclose,@var{fd}}
33981
33982 @item Return value:
33983 @code{close} returns zero on success, or -1 if an error occurred.
33984
33985 @item Errors:
33986
33987 @table @code
33988 @item EBADF
33989 @var{fd} isn't a valid open file descriptor.
33990
33991 @item EINTR
33992 The call was interrupted by the user.
33993 @end table
33994
33995 @end table
33996
33997 @node read
33998 @unnumberedsubsubsec read
33999 @cindex read, file-i/o system call
34000
34001 @table @asis
34002 @item Synopsis:
34003 @smallexample
34004 int read(int fd, void *buf, unsigned int count);
34005 @end smallexample
34006
34007 @item Request:
34008 @samp{Fread,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
34009
34010 @item Return value:
34011 On success, the number of bytes read is returned.
34012 Zero indicates end of file. If count is zero, read
34013 returns zero as well. On error, -1 is returned.
34014
34015 @item Errors:
34016
34017 @table @code
34018 @item EBADF
34019 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
34020 reading.
34021
34022 @item EFAULT
34023 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
34024
34025 @item EINTR
34026 The call was interrupted by the user.
34027 @end table
34028
34029 @end table
34030
34031 @node write
34032 @unnumberedsubsubsec write
34033 @cindex write, file-i/o system call
34034
34035 @table @asis
34036 @item Synopsis:
34037 @smallexample
34038 int write(int fd, const void *buf, unsigned int count);
34039 @end smallexample
34040
34041 @item Request:
34042 @samp{Fwrite,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
34043
34044 @item Return value:
34045 On success, the number of bytes written are returned.
34046 Zero indicates nothing was written. On error, -1
34047 is returned.
34048
34049 @item Errors:
34050
34051 @table @code
34052 @item EBADF
34053 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
34054 writing.
34055
34056 @item EFAULT
34057 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
34058
34059 @item EFBIG
34060 An attempt was made to write a file that exceeds the
34061 host-specific maximum file size allowed.
34062
34063 @item ENOSPC
34064 No space on device to write the data.
34065
34066 @item EINTR
34067 The call was interrupted by the user.
34068 @end table
34069
34070 @end table
34071
34072 @node lseek
34073 @unnumberedsubsubsec lseek
34074 @cindex lseek, file-i/o system call
34075
34076 @table @asis
34077 @item Synopsis:
34078 @smallexample
34079 long lseek (int fd, long offset, int flag);
34080 @end smallexample
34081
34082 @item Request:
34083 @samp{Flseek,@var{fd},@var{offset},@var{flag}}
34084
34085 @var{flag} is one of:
34086
34087 @table @code
34088 @item SEEK_SET
34089 The offset is set to @var{offset} bytes.
34090
34091 @item SEEK_CUR
34092 The offset is set to its current location plus @var{offset}
34093 bytes.
34094
34095 @item SEEK_END
34096 The offset is set to the size of the file plus @var{offset}
34097 bytes.
34098 @end table
34099
34100 @item Return value:
34101 On success, the resulting unsigned offset in bytes from
34102 the beginning of the file is returned. Otherwise, a
34103 value of -1 is returned.
34104
34105 @item Errors:
34106
34107 @table @code
34108 @item EBADF
34109 @var{fd} is not a valid open file descriptor.
34110
34111 @item ESPIPE
34112 @var{fd} is associated with the @value{GDBN} console.
34113
34114 @item EINVAL
34115 @var{flag} is not a proper value.
34116
34117 @item EINTR
34118 The call was interrupted by the user.
34119 @end table
34120
34121 @end table
34122
34123 @node rename
34124 @unnumberedsubsubsec rename
34125 @cindex rename, file-i/o system call
34126
34127 @table @asis
34128 @item Synopsis:
34129 @smallexample
34130 int rename(const char *oldpath, const char *newpath);
34131 @end smallexample
34132
34133 @item Request:
34134 @samp{Frename,@var{oldpathptr}/@var{len},@var{newpathptr}/@var{len}}
34135
34136 @item Return value:
34137 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
34138
34139 @item Errors:
34140
34141 @table @code
34142 @item EISDIR
34143 @var{newpath} is an existing directory, but @var{oldpath} is not a
34144 directory.
34145
34146 @item EEXIST
34147 @var{newpath} is a non-empty directory.
34148
34149 @item EBUSY
34150 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} is a directory that is in use by some
34151 process.
34152
34153 @item EINVAL
34154 An attempt was made to make a directory a subdirectory
34155 of itself.
34156
34157 @item ENOTDIR
34158 A component used as a directory in @var{oldpath} or new
34159 path is not a directory. Or @var{oldpath} is a directory
34160 and @var{newpath} exists but is not a directory.
34161
34162 @item EFAULT
34163 @var{oldpathptr} or @var{newpathptr} are invalid pointer values.
34164
34165 @item EACCES
34166 No access to the file or the path of the file.
34167
34168 @item ENAMETOOLONG
34169
34170 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} was too long.
34171
34172 @item ENOENT
34173 A directory component in @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} does not exist.
34174
34175 @item EROFS
34176 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
34177
34178 @item ENOSPC
34179 The device containing the file has no room for the new
34180 directory entry.
34181
34182 @item EINTR
34183 The call was interrupted by the user.
34184 @end table
34185
34186 @end table
34187
34188 @node unlink
34189 @unnumberedsubsubsec unlink
34190 @cindex unlink, file-i/o system call
34191
34192 @table @asis
34193 @item Synopsis:
34194 @smallexample
34195 int unlink(const char *pathname);
34196 @end smallexample
34197
34198 @item Request:
34199 @samp{Funlink,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len}}
34200
34201 @item Return value:
34202 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
34203
34204 @item Errors:
34205
34206 @table @code
34207 @item EACCES
34208 No access to the file or the path of the file.
34209
34210 @item EPERM
34211 The system does not allow unlinking of directories.
34212
34213 @item EBUSY
34214 The file @var{pathname} cannot be unlinked because it's
34215 being used by another process.
34216
34217 @item EFAULT
34218 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
34219
34220 @item ENAMETOOLONG
34221 @var{pathname} was too long.
34222
34223 @item ENOENT
34224 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
34225
34226 @item ENOTDIR
34227 A component of the path is not a directory.
34228
34229 @item EROFS
34230 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
34231
34232 @item EINTR
34233 The call was interrupted by the user.
34234 @end table
34235
34236 @end table
34237
34238 @node stat/fstat
34239 @unnumberedsubsubsec stat/fstat
34240 @cindex fstat, file-i/o system call
34241 @cindex stat, file-i/o system call
34242
34243 @table @asis
34244 @item Synopsis:
34245 @smallexample
34246 int stat(const char *pathname, struct stat *buf);
34247 int fstat(int fd, struct stat *buf);
34248 @end smallexample
34249
34250 @item Request:
34251 @samp{Fstat,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len},@var{bufptr}}@*
34252 @samp{Ffstat,@var{fd},@var{bufptr}}
34253
34254 @item Return value:
34255 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
34256
34257 @item Errors:
34258
34259 @table @code
34260 @item EBADF
34261 @var{fd} is not a valid open file.
34262
34263 @item ENOENT
34264 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist or the
34265 path is an empty string.
34266
34267 @item ENOTDIR
34268 A component of the path is not a directory.
34269
34270 @item EFAULT
34271 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
34272
34273 @item EACCES
34274 No access to the file or the path of the file.
34275
34276 @item ENAMETOOLONG
34277 @var{pathname} was too long.
34278
34279 @item EINTR
34280 The call was interrupted by the user.
34281 @end table
34282
34283 @end table
34284
34285 @node gettimeofday
34286 @unnumberedsubsubsec gettimeofday
34287 @cindex gettimeofday, file-i/o system call
34288
34289 @table @asis
34290 @item Synopsis:
34291 @smallexample
34292 int gettimeofday(struct timeval *tv, void *tz);
34293 @end smallexample
34294
34295 @item Request:
34296 @samp{Fgettimeofday,@var{tvptr},@var{tzptr}}
34297
34298 @item Return value:
34299 On success, 0 is returned, -1 otherwise.
34300
34301 @item Errors:
34302
34303 @table @code
34304 @item EINVAL
34305 @var{tz} is a non-NULL pointer.
34306
34307 @item EFAULT
34308 @var{tvptr} and/or @var{tzptr} is an invalid pointer value.
34309 @end table
34310
34311 @end table
34312
34313 @node isatty
34314 @unnumberedsubsubsec isatty
34315 @cindex isatty, file-i/o system call
34316
34317 @table @asis
34318 @item Synopsis:
34319 @smallexample
34320 int isatty(int fd);
34321 @end smallexample
34322
34323 @item Request:
34324 @samp{Fisatty,@var{fd}}
34325
34326 @item Return value:
34327 Returns 1 if @var{fd} refers to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise.
34328
34329 @item Errors:
34330
34331 @table @code
34332 @item EINTR
34333 The call was interrupted by the user.
34334 @end table
34335
34336 @end table
34337
34338 Note that the @code{isatty} call is treated as a special case: it returns
34339 1 to the target if the file descriptor is attached
34340 to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise. Implementing through system calls
34341 would require implementing @code{ioctl} and would be more complex than
34342 needed.
34343
34344
34345 @node system
34346 @unnumberedsubsubsec system
34347 @cindex system, file-i/o system call
34348
34349 @table @asis
34350 @item Synopsis:
34351 @smallexample
34352 int system(const char *command);
34353 @end smallexample
34354
34355 @item Request:
34356 @samp{Fsystem,@var{commandptr}/@var{len}}
34357
34358 @item Return value:
34359 If @var{len} is zero, the return value indicates whether a shell is
34360 available. A zero return value indicates a shell is not available.
34361 For non-zero @var{len}, the value returned is -1 on error and the
34362 return status of the command otherwise. Only the exit status of the
34363 command is returned, which is extracted from the host's @code{system}
34364 return value by calling @code{WEXITSTATUS(retval)}. In case
34365 @file{/bin/sh} could not be executed, 127 is returned.
34366
34367 @item Errors:
34368
34369 @table @code
34370 @item EINTR
34371 The call was interrupted by the user.
34372 @end table
34373
34374 @end table
34375
34376 @value{GDBN} takes over the full task of calling the necessary host calls
34377 to perform the @code{system} call. The return value of @code{system} on
34378 the host is simplified before it's returned
34379 to the target. Any termination signal information from the child process
34380 is discarded, and the return value consists
34381 entirely of the exit status of the called command.
34382
34383 Due to security concerns, the @code{system} call is by default refused
34384 by @value{GDBN}. The user has to allow this call explicitly with the
34385 @code{set remote system-call-allowed 1} command.
34386
34387 @table @code
34388 @item set remote system-call-allowed
34389 @kindex set remote system-call-allowed
34390 Control whether to allow the @code{system} calls in the File I/O
34391 protocol for the remote target. The default is zero (disabled).
34392
34393 @item show remote system-call-allowed
34394 @kindex show remote system-call-allowed
34395 Show whether the @code{system} calls are allowed in the File I/O
34396 protocol.
34397 @end table
34398
34399 @node Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
34400 @subsection Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
34401 @cindex protocol-specific representation of datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
34402
34403 @menu
34404 * Integral Datatypes::
34405 * Pointer Values::
34406 * Memory Transfer::
34407 * struct stat::
34408 * struct timeval::
34409 @end menu
34410
34411 @node Integral Datatypes
34412 @unnumberedsubsubsec Integral Datatypes
34413 @cindex integral datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
34414
34415 The integral datatypes used in the system calls are @code{int},
34416 @code{unsigned int}, @code{long}, @code{unsigned long},
34417 @code{mode_t}, and @code{time_t}.
34418
34419 @code{int}, @code{unsigned int}, @code{mode_t} and @code{time_t} are
34420 implemented as 32 bit values in this protocol.
34421
34422 @code{long} and @code{unsigned long} are implemented as 64 bit types.
34423
34424 @xref{Limits}, for corresponding MIN and MAX values (similar to those
34425 in @file{limits.h}) to allow range checking on host and target.
34426
34427 @code{time_t} datatypes are defined as seconds since the Epoch.
34428
34429 All integral datatypes transferred as part of a memory read or write of a
34430 structured datatype e.g.@: a @code{struct stat} have to be given in big endian
34431 byte order.
34432
34433 @node Pointer Values
34434 @unnumberedsubsubsec Pointer Values
34435 @cindex pointer values, in file-i/o protocol
34436
34437 Pointers to target data are transmitted as they are. An exception
34438 is made for pointers to buffers for which the length isn't
34439 transmitted as part of the function call, namely strings. Strings
34440 are transmitted as a pointer/length pair, both as hex values, e.g.@:
34441
34442 @smallexample
34443 @code{1aaf/12}
34444 @end smallexample
34445
34446 @noindent
34447 which is a pointer to data of length 18 bytes at position 0x1aaf.
34448 The length is defined as the full string length in bytes, including
34449 the trailing null byte. For example, the string @code{"hello world"}
34450 at address 0x123456 is transmitted as
34451
34452 @smallexample
34453 @code{123456/d}
34454 @end smallexample
34455
34456 @node Memory Transfer
34457 @unnumberedsubsubsec Memory Transfer
34458 @cindex memory transfer, in file-i/o protocol
34459
34460 Structured data which is transferred using a memory read or write (for
34461 example, a @code{struct stat}) is expected to be in a protocol-specific format
34462 with all scalar multibyte datatypes being big endian. Translation to
34463 this representation needs to be done both by the target before the @code{F}
34464 packet is sent, and by @value{GDBN} before
34465 it transfers memory to the target. Transferred pointers to structured
34466 data should point to the already-coerced data at any time.
34467
34468
34469 @node struct stat
34470 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct stat
34471 @cindex struct stat, in file-i/o protocol
34472
34473 The buffer of type @code{struct stat} used by the target and @value{GDBN}
34474 is defined as follows:
34475
34476 @smallexample
34477 struct stat @{
34478 unsigned int st_dev; /* device */
34479 unsigned int st_ino; /* inode */
34480 mode_t st_mode; /* protection */
34481 unsigned int st_nlink; /* number of hard links */
34482 unsigned int st_uid; /* user ID of owner */
34483 unsigned int st_gid; /* group ID of owner */
34484 unsigned int st_rdev; /* device type (if inode device) */
34485 unsigned long st_size; /* total size, in bytes */
34486 unsigned long st_blksize; /* blocksize for filesystem I/O */
34487 unsigned long st_blocks; /* number of blocks allocated */
34488 time_t st_atime; /* time of last access */
34489 time_t st_mtime; /* time of last modification */
34490 time_t st_ctime; /* time of last change */
34491 @};
34492 @end smallexample
34493
34494 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
34495 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
34496 structure is of size 64 bytes.
34497
34498 The values of several fields have a restricted meaning and/or
34499 range of values.
34500
34501 @table @code
34502
34503 @item st_dev
34504 A value of 0 represents a file, 1 the console.
34505
34506 @item st_ino
34507 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
34508
34509 @item st_mode
34510 Valid mode bits are described in @ref{Constants}. Any other
34511 bits have currently no meaning for the target.
34512
34513 @item st_uid
34514 @itemx st_gid
34515 @itemx st_rdev
34516 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
34517
34518 @item st_atime
34519 @itemx st_mtime
34520 @itemx st_ctime
34521 These values have a host and file system dependent
34522 accuracy. Especially on Windows hosts, the file system may not
34523 support exact timing values.
34524 @end table
34525
34526 The target gets a @code{struct stat} of the above representation and is
34527 responsible for coercing it to the target representation before
34528 continuing.
34529
34530 Note that due to size differences between the host, target, and protocol
34531 representations of @code{struct stat} members, these members could eventually
34532 get truncated on the target.
34533
34534 @node struct timeval
34535 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct timeval
34536 @cindex struct timeval, in file-i/o protocol
34537
34538 The buffer of type @code{struct timeval} used by the File-I/O protocol
34539 is defined as follows:
34540
34541 @smallexample
34542 struct timeval @{
34543 time_t tv_sec; /* second */
34544 long tv_usec; /* microsecond */
34545 @};
34546 @end smallexample
34547
34548 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
34549 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
34550 structure is of size 8 bytes.
34551
34552 @node Constants
34553 @subsection Constants
34554 @cindex constants, in file-i/o protocol
34555
34556 The following values are used for the constants inside of the
34557 protocol. @value{GDBN} and target are responsible for translating these
34558 values before and after the call as needed.
34559
34560 @menu
34561 * Open Flags::
34562 * mode_t Values::
34563 * Errno Values::
34564 * Lseek Flags::
34565 * Limits::
34566 @end menu
34567
34568 @node Open Flags
34569 @unnumberedsubsubsec Open Flags
34570 @cindex open flags, in file-i/o protocol
34571
34572 All values are given in hexadecimal representation.
34573
34574 @smallexample
34575 O_RDONLY 0x0
34576 O_WRONLY 0x1
34577 O_RDWR 0x2
34578 O_APPEND 0x8
34579 O_CREAT 0x200
34580 O_TRUNC 0x400
34581 O_EXCL 0x800
34582 @end smallexample
34583
34584 @node mode_t Values
34585 @unnumberedsubsubsec mode_t Values
34586 @cindex mode_t values, in file-i/o protocol
34587
34588 All values are given in octal representation.
34589
34590 @smallexample
34591 S_IFREG 0100000
34592 S_IFDIR 040000
34593 S_IRUSR 0400
34594 S_IWUSR 0200
34595 S_IXUSR 0100
34596 S_IRGRP 040
34597 S_IWGRP 020
34598 S_IXGRP 010
34599 S_IROTH 04
34600 S_IWOTH 02
34601 S_IXOTH 01
34602 @end smallexample
34603
34604 @node Errno Values
34605 @unnumberedsubsubsec Errno Values
34606 @cindex errno values, in file-i/o protocol
34607
34608 All values are given in decimal representation.
34609
34610 @smallexample
34611 EPERM 1
34612 ENOENT 2
34613 EINTR 4
34614 EBADF 9
34615 EACCES 13
34616 EFAULT 14
34617 EBUSY 16
34618 EEXIST 17
34619 ENODEV 19
34620 ENOTDIR 20
34621 EISDIR 21
34622 EINVAL 22
34623 ENFILE 23
34624 EMFILE 24
34625 EFBIG 27
34626 ENOSPC 28
34627 ESPIPE 29
34628 EROFS 30
34629 ENAMETOOLONG 91
34630 EUNKNOWN 9999
34631 @end smallexample
34632
34633 @code{EUNKNOWN} is used as a fallback error value if a host system returns
34634 any error value not in the list of supported error numbers.
34635
34636 @node Lseek Flags
34637 @unnumberedsubsubsec Lseek Flags
34638 @cindex lseek flags, in file-i/o protocol
34639
34640 @smallexample
34641 SEEK_SET 0
34642 SEEK_CUR 1
34643 SEEK_END 2
34644 @end smallexample
34645
34646 @node Limits
34647 @unnumberedsubsubsec Limits
34648 @cindex limits, in file-i/o protocol
34649
34650 All values are given in decimal representation.
34651
34652 @smallexample
34653 INT_MIN -2147483648
34654 INT_MAX 2147483647
34655 UINT_MAX 4294967295
34656 LONG_MIN -9223372036854775808
34657 LONG_MAX 9223372036854775807
34658 ULONG_MAX 18446744073709551615
34659 @end smallexample
34660
34661 @node File-I/O Examples
34662 @subsection File-I/O Examples
34663 @cindex file-i/o examples
34664
34665 Example sequence of a write call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
34666 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be written:
34667
34668 @smallexample
34669 <- @code{Fwrite,3,1234,6}
34670 @emph{request memory read from target}
34671 -> @code{m1234,6}
34672 <- XXXXXX
34673 @emph{return "6 bytes written"}
34674 -> @code{F6}
34675 @end smallexample
34676
34677 Example sequence of a read call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
34678 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be read:
34679
34680 @smallexample
34681 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
34682 @emph{request memory write to target}
34683 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
34684 @emph{return "6 bytes read"}
34685 -> @code{F6}
34686 @end smallexample
34687
34688 Example sequence of a read call, call fails on the host due to invalid
34689 file descriptor (@code{EBADF}):
34690
34691 @smallexample
34692 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
34693 -> @code{F-1,9}
34694 @end smallexample
34695
34696 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} before syscall on
34697 host is called:
34698
34699 @smallexample
34700 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
34701 -> @code{F-1,4,C}
34702 <- @code{T02}
34703 @end smallexample
34704
34705 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} after syscall on
34706 host is called:
34707
34708 @smallexample
34709 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
34710 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
34711 <- @code{T02}
34712 @end smallexample
34713
34714 @node Library List Format
34715 @section Library List Format
34716 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
34717
34718 On some platforms, a dynamic loader (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) runs in the
34719 same process as your application to manage libraries. In this case,
34720 @value{GDBN} can use the loader's symbol table and normal memory
34721 operations to maintain a list of shared libraries. On other
34722 platforms, the operating system manages loaded libraries.
34723 @value{GDBN} can not retrieve the list of currently loaded libraries
34724 through memory operations, so it uses the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
34725 packet (@pxref{qXfer library list read}) instead. The remote stub
34726 queries the target's operating system and reports which libraries
34727 are loaded.
34728
34729 The @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet returns an XML document which
34730 lists loaded libraries and their offsets. Each library has an
34731 associated name and one or more segment or section base addresses,
34732 which report where the library was loaded in memory.
34733
34734 For the common case of libraries that are fully linked binaries, the
34735 library should have a list of segments. If the target supports
34736 dynamic linking of a relocatable object file, its library XML element
34737 should instead include a list of allocated sections. The segment or
34738 section bases are start addresses, not relocation offsets; they do not
34739 depend on the library's link-time base addresses.
34740
34741 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
34742 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
34743
34744 A simple memory map, with one loaded library relocated by a single
34745 offset, looks like this:
34746
34747 @smallexample
34748 <library-list>
34749 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6">
34750 <segment address="0x10000000"/>
34751 </library>
34752 </library-list>
34753 @end smallexample
34754
34755 Another simple memory map, with one loaded library with three
34756 allocated sections (.text, .data, .bss), looks like this:
34757
34758 @smallexample
34759 <library-list>
34760 <library name="sharedlib.o">
34761 <section address="0x10000000"/>
34762 <section address="0x20000000"/>
34763 <section address="0x30000000"/>
34764 </library>
34765 </library-list>
34766 @end smallexample
34767
34768 The format of a library list is described by this DTD:
34769
34770 @smallexample
34771 <!-- library-list: Root element with versioning -->
34772 <!ELEMENT library-list (library)*>
34773 <!ATTLIST library-list version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
34774 <!ELEMENT library (segment*, section*)>
34775 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
34776 <!ELEMENT segment EMPTY>
34777 <!ATTLIST segment address CDATA #REQUIRED>
34778 <!ELEMENT section EMPTY>
34779 <!ATTLIST section address CDATA #REQUIRED>
34780 @end smallexample
34781
34782 In addition, segments and section descriptors cannot be mixed within a
34783 single library element, and you must supply at least one segment or
34784 section for each library.
34785
34786 @node Memory Map Format
34787 @section Memory Map Format
34788 @cindex memory map format
34789
34790 To be able to write into flash memory, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain a
34791 memory map from the target. This section describes the format of the
34792 memory map.
34793
34794 The memory map is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
34795 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}) packet and is an XML document that
34796 lists memory regions.
34797
34798 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
34799 memory maps. @xref{Expat}.
34800
34801 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
34802
34803 @smallexample
34804 <?xml version="1.0"?>
34805 <!DOCTYPE memory-map
34806 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
34807 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-memory-map.dtd">
34808 <memory-map>
34809 region...
34810 </memory-map>
34811 @end smallexample
34812
34813 Each region can be either:
34814
34815 @itemize
34816
34817 @item
34818 A region of RAM starting at @var{addr} and extending for @var{length}
34819 bytes from there:
34820
34821 @smallexample
34822 <memory type="ram" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
34823 @end smallexample
34824
34825
34826 @item
34827 A region of read-only memory:
34828
34829 @smallexample
34830 <memory type="rom" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
34831 @end smallexample
34832
34833
34834 @item
34835 A region of flash memory, with erasure blocks @var{blocksize}
34836 bytes in length:
34837
34838 @smallexample
34839 <memory type="flash" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}">
34840 <property name="blocksize">@var{blocksize}</property>
34841 </memory>
34842 @end smallexample
34843
34844 @end itemize
34845
34846 Regions must not overlap. @value{GDBN} assumes that areas of memory not covered
34847 by the memory map are RAM, and uses the ordinary @samp{M} and @samp{X}
34848 packets to write to addresses in such ranges.
34849
34850 The formal DTD for memory map format is given below:
34851
34852 @smallexample
34853 <!-- ................................................... -->
34854 <!-- Memory Map XML DTD ................................ -->
34855 <!-- File: memory-map.dtd .............................. -->
34856 <!-- .................................... .............. -->
34857 <!-- memory-map.dtd -->
34858 <!-- memory-map: Root element with versioning -->
34859 <!ELEMENT memory-map (memory | property)>
34860 <!ATTLIST memory-map version CDATA #FIXED "1.0.0">
34861 <!ELEMENT memory (property)>
34862 <!-- memory: Specifies a memory region,
34863 and its type, or device. -->
34864 <!ATTLIST memory type CDATA #REQUIRED
34865 start CDATA #REQUIRED
34866 length CDATA #REQUIRED
34867 device CDATA #IMPLIED>
34868 <!-- property: Generic attribute tag -->
34869 <!ELEMENT property (#PCDATA | property)*>
34870 <!ATTLIST property name CDATA #REQUIRED>
34871 @end smallexample
34872
34873 @node Thread List Format
34874 @section Thread List Format
34875 @cindex thread list format
34876
34877 To efficiently update the list of threads and their attributes,
34878 @value{GDBN} issues the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
34879 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}) and obtains the XML document with
34880 the following structure:
34881
34882 @smallexample
34883 <?xml version="1.0"?>
34884 <threads>
34885 <thread id="id" core="0">
34886 ... description ...
34887 </thread>
34888 </threads>
34889 @end smallexample
34890
34891 Each @samp{thread} element must have the @samp{id} attribute that
34892 identifies the thread (@pxref{thread-id syntax}). The
34893 @samp{core} attribute, if present, specifies which processor core
34894 the thread was last executing on. The content of the of @samp{thread}
34895 element is interpreted as human-readable auxilliary information.
34896
34897 @include agentexpr.texi
34898
34899 @node Trace File Format
34900 @appendix Trace File Format
34901 @cindex trace file format
34902
34903 The trace file comes in three parts: a header, a textual description
34904 section, and a trace frame section with binary data.
34905
34906 The header has the form @code{\x7fTRACE0\n}. The first byte is
34907 @code{0x7f} so as to indicate that the file contains binary data,
34908 while the @code{0} is a version number that may have different values
34909 in the future.
34910
34911 The description section consists of multiple lines of @sc{ascii} text
34912 separated by newline characters (@code{0xa}). The lines may include a
34913 variety of optional descriptive or context-setting information, such
34914 as tracepoint definitions or register set size. @value{GDBN} will
34915 ignore any line that it does not recognize. An empty line marks the end
34916 of this section.
34917
34918 @c FIXME add some specific types of data
34919
34920 The trace frame section consists of a number of consecutive frames.
34921 Each frame begins with a two-byte tracepoint number, followed by a
34922 four-byte size giving the amount of data in the frame. The data in
34923 the frame consists of a number of blocks, each introduced by a
34924 character indicating its type (at least register, memory, and trace
34925 state variable). The data in this section is raw binary, not a
34926 hexadecimal or other encoding; its endianness matches the target's
34927 endianness.
34928
34929 @c FIXME bi-arch may require endianness/arch info in description section
34930
34931 @table @code
34932 @item R @var{bytes}
34933 Register block. The number and ordering of bytes matches that of a
34934 @code{g} packet in the remote protocol. Note that these are the
34935 actual bytes, in target order and @value{GDBN} register order, not a
34936 hexadecimal encoding.
34937
34938 @item M @var{address} @var{length} @var{bytes}...
34939 Memory block. This is a contiguous block of memory, at the 8-byte
34940 address @var{address}, with a 2-byte length @var{length}, followed by
34941 @var{length} bytes.
34942
34943 @item V @var{number} @var{value}
34944 Trace state variable block. This records the 8-byte signed value
34945 @var{value} of trace state variable numbered @var{number}.
34946
34947 @end table
34948
34949 Future enhancements of the trace file format may include additional types
34950 of blocks.
34951
34952 @node Target Descriptions
34953 @appendix Target Descriptions
34954 @cindex target descriptions
34955
34956 @strong{Warning:} target descriptions are still under active development,
34957 and the contents and format may change between @value{GDBN} releases.
34958 The format is expected to stabilize in the future.
34959
34960 One of the challenges of using @value{GDBN} to debug embedded systems
34961 is that there are so many minor variants of each processor
34962 architecture in use. It is common practice for vendors to start with
34963 a standard processor core --- ARM, PowerPC, or MIPS, for example ---
34964 and then make changes to adapt it to a particular market niche. Some
34965 architectures have hundreds of variants, available from dozens of
34966 vendors. This leads to a number of problems:
34967
34968 @itemize @bullet
34969 @item
34970 With so many different customized processors, it is difficult for
34971 the @value{GDBN} maintainers to keep up with the changes.
34972 @item
34973 Since individual variants may have short lifetimes or limited
34974 audiences, it may not be worthwhile to carry information about every
34975 variant in the @value{GDBN} source tree.
34976 @item
34977 When @value{GDBN} does support the architecture of the embedded system
34978 at hand, the task of finding the correct architecture name to give the
34979 @command{set architecture} command can be error-prone.
34980 @end itemize
34981
34982 To address these problems, the @value{GDBN} remote protocol allows a
34983 target system to not only identify itself to @value{GDBN}, but to
34984 actually describe its own features. This lets @value{GDBN} support
34985 processor variants it has never seen before --- to the extent that the
34986 descriptions are accurate, and that @value{GDBN} understands them.
34987
34988 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
34989 target descriptions. @xref{Expat}.
34990
34991 @menu
34992 * Retrieving Descriptions:: How descriptions are fetched from a target.
34993 * Target Description Format:: The contents of a target description.
34994 * Predefined Target Types:: Standard types available for target
34995 descriptions.
34996 * Standard Target Features:: Features @value{GDBN} knows about.
34997 @end menu
34998
34999 @node Retrieving Descriptions
35000 @section Retrieving Descriptions
35001
35002 Target descriptions can be read from the target automatically, or
35003 specified by the user manually. The default behavior is to read the
35004 description from the target. @value{GDBN} retrieves it via the remote
35005 protocol using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{General Query Packets,
35006 qXfer}). The @var{annex} in the @samp{qXfer} packet will be
35007 @samp{target.xml}. The contents of the @samp{target.xml} annex are an
35008 XML document, of the form described in @ref{Target Description
35009 Format}.
35010
35011 Alternatively, you can specify a file to read for the target description.
35012 If a file is set, the target will not be queried. The commands to
35013 specify a file are:
35014
35015 @table @code
35016 @cindex set tdesc filename
35017 @item set tdesc filename @var{path}
35018 Read the target description from @var{path}.
35019
35020 @cindex unset tdesc filename
35021 @item unset tdesc filename
35022 Do not read the XML target description from a file. @value{GDBN}
35023 will use the description supplied by the current target.
35024
35025 @cindex show tdesc filename
35026 @item show tdesc filename
35027 Show the filename to read for a target description, if any.
35028 @end table
35029
35030
35031 @node Target Description Format
35032 @section Target Description Format
35033 @cindex target descriptions, XML format
35034
35035 A target description annex is an @uref{http://www.w3.org/XML/, XML}
35036 document which complies with the Document Type Definition provided in
35037 the @value{GDBN} sources in @file{gdb/features/gdb-target.dtd}. This
35038 means you can use generally available tools like @command{xmllint} to
35039 check that your feature descriptions are well-formed and valid.
35040 However, to help people unfamiliar with XML write descriptions for
35041 their targets, we also describe the grammar here.
35042
35043 Target descriptions can identify the architecture of the remote target
35044 and (for some architectures) provide information about custom register
35045 sets. They can also identify the OS ABI of the remote target.
35046 @value{GDBN} can use this information to autoconfigure for your
35047 target, or to warn you if you connect to an unsupported target.
35048
35049 Here is a simple target description:
35050
35051 @smallexample
35052 <target version="1.0">
35053 <architecture>i386:x86-64</architecture>
35054 </target>
35055 @end smallexample
35056
35057 @noindent
35058 This minimal description only says that the target uses
35059 the x86-64 architecture.
35060
35061 A target description has the following overall form, with [ ] marking
35062 optional elements and @dots{} marking repeatable elements. The elements
35063 are explained further below.
35064
35065 @smallexample
35066 <?xml version="1.0"?>
35067 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "gdb-target.dtd">
35068 <target version="1.0">
35069 @r{[}@var{architecture}@r{]}
35070 @r{[}@var{osabi}@r{]}
35071 @r{[}@var{compatible}@r{]}
35072 @r{[}@var{feature}@dots{}@r{]}
35073 </target>
35074 @end smallexample
35075
35076 @noindent
35077 The description is generally insensitive to whitespace and line
35078 breaks, under the usual common-sense rules. The XML version
35079 declaration and document type declaration can generally be omitted
35080 (@value{GDBN} does not require them), but specifying them may be
35081 useful for XML validation tools. The @samp{version} attribute for
35082 @samp{<target>} may also be omitted, but we recommend
35083 including it; if future versions of @value{GDBN} use an incompatible
35084 revision of @file{gdb-target.dtd}, they will detect and report
35085 the version mismatch.
35086
35087 @subsection Inclusion
35088 @cindex target descriptions, inclusion
35089 @cindex XInclude
35090 @ifnotinfo
35091 @cindex <xi:include>
35092 @end ifnotinfo
35093
35094 It can sometimes be valuable to split a target description up into
35095 several different annexes, either for organizational purposes, or to
35096 share files between different possible target descriptions. You can
35097 divide a description into multiple files by replacing any element of
35098 the target description with an inclusion directive of the form:
35099
35100 @smallexample
35101 <xi:include href="@var{document}"/>
35102 @end smallexample
35103
35104 @noindent
35105 When @value{GDBN} encounters an element of this form, it will retrieve
35106 the named XML @var{document}, and replace the inclusion directive with
35107 the contents of that document. If the current description was read
35108 using @samp{qXfer}, then so will be the included document;
35109 @var{document} will be interpreted as the name of an annex. If the
35110 current description was read from a file, @value{GDBN} will look for
35111 @var{document} as a file in the same directory where it found the
35112 original description.
35113
35114 @subsection Architecture
35115 @cindex <architecture>
35116
35117 An @samp{<architecture>} element has this form:
35118
35119 @smallexample
35120 <architecture>@var{arch}</architecture>
35121 @end smallexample
35122
35123 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
35124 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
35125
35126 @subsection OS ABI
35127 @cindex @code{<osabi>}
35128
35129 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
35130 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
35131
35132 An @samp{<osabi>} element has this form:
35133
35134 @smallexample
35135 <osabi>@var{abi-name}</osabi>
35136 @end smallexample
35137
35138 @var{abi-name} is an OS ABI name from the same selection accepted by
35139 @w{@code{set osabi}} (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
35140
35141 @subsection Compatible Architecture
35142 @cindex @code{<compatible>}
35143
35144 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
35145 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
35146
35147 A @samp{<compatible>} element has this form:
35148
35149 @smallexample
35150 <compatible>@var{arch}</compatible>
35151 @end smallexample
35152
35153 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
35154 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
35155
35156 A @samp{<compatible>} element is used to specify that the target
35157 is able to run binaries in some other than the main target architecture
35158 given by the @samp{<architecture>} element. For example, on the
35159 Cell Broadband Engine, the main architecture is @code{powerpc:common}
35160 or @code{powerpc:common64}, but the system is able to run binaries
35161 in the @code{spu} architecture as well. The way to describe this
35162 capability with @samp{<compatible>} is as follows:
35163
35164 @smallexample
35165 <architecture>powerpc:common</architecture>
35166 <compatible>spu</compatible>
35167 @end smallexample
35168
35169 @subsection Features
35170 @cindex <feature>
35171
35172 Each @samp{<feature>} describes some logical portion of the target
35173 system. Features are currently used to describe available CPU
35174 registers and the types of their contents. A @samp{<feature>} element
35175 has this form:
35176
35177 @smallexample
35178 <feature name="@var{name}">
35179 @r{[}@var{type}@dots{}@r{]}
35180 @var{reg}@dots{}
35181 </feature>
35182 @end smallexample
35183
35184 @noindent
35185 Each feature's name should be unique within the description. The name
35186 of a feature does not matter unless @value{GDBN} has some special
35187 knowledge of the contents of that feature; if it does, the feature
35188 should have its standard name. @xref{Standard Target Features}.
35189
35190 @subsection Types
35191
35192 Any register's value is a collection of bits which @value{GDBN} must
35193 interpret. The default interpretation is a two's complement integer,
35194 but other types can be requested by name in the register description.
35195 Some predefined types are provided by @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Predefined
35196 Target Types}), and the description can define additional composite types.
35197
35198 Each type element must have an @samp{id} attribute, which gives
35199 a unique (within the containing @samp{<feature>}) name to the type.
35200 Types must be defined before they are used.
35201
35202 @cindex <vector>
35203 Some targets offer vector registers, which can be treated as arrays
35204 of scalar elements. These types are written as @samp{<vector>} elements,
35205 specifying the array element type, @var{type}, and the number of elements,
35206 @var{count}:
35207
35208 @smallexample
35209 <vector id="@var{id}" type="@var{type}" count="@var{count}"/>
35210 @end smallexample
35211
35212 @cindex <union>
35213 If a register's value is usefully viewed in multiple ways, define it
35214 with a union type containing the useful representations. The
35215 @samp{<union>} element contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements,
35216 each of which has a @var{name} and a @var{type}:
35217
35218 @smallexample
35219 <union id="@var{id}">
35220 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
35221 @dots{}
35222 </union>
35223 @end smallexample
35224
35225 @cindex <struct>
35226 If a register's value is composed from several separate values, define
35227 it with a structure type. There are two forms of the @samp{<struct>}
35228 element; a @samp{<struct>} element must either contain only bitfields
35229 or contain no bitfields. If the structure contains only bitfields,
35230 its total size in bytes must be specified, each bitfield must have an
35231 explicit start and end, and bitfields are automatically assigned an
35232 integer type. The field's @var{start} should be less than or
35233 equal to its @var{end}, and zero represents the least significant bit.
35234
35235 @smallexample
35236 <struct id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
35237 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
35238 @dots{}
35239 </struct>
35240 @end smallexample
35241
35242 If the structure contains no bitfields, then each field has an
35243 explicit type, and no implicit padding is added.
35244
35245 @smallexample
35246 <struct id="@var{id}">
35247 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
35248 @dots{}
35249 </struct>
35250 @end smallexample
35251
35252 @cindex <flags>
35253 If a register's value is a series of single-bit flags, define it with
35254 a flags type. The @samp{<flags>} element has an explicit @var{size}
35255 and contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements. Each field has a
35256 @var{name}, a @var{start}, and an @var{end}. Only single-bit flags
35257 are supported.
35258
35259 @smallexample
35260 <flags id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
35261 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
35262 @dots{}
35263 </flags>
35264 @end smallexample
35265
35266 @subsection Registers
35267 @cindex <reg>
35268
35269 Each register is represented as an element with this form:
35270
35271 @smallexample
35272 <reg name="@var{name}"
35273 bitsize="@var{size}"
35274 @r{[}regnum="@var{num}"@r{]}
35275 @r{[}save-restore="@var{save-restore}"@r{]}
35276 @r{[}type="@var{type}"@r{]}
35277 @r{[}group="@var{group}"@r{]}/>
35278 @end smallexample
35279
35280 @noindent
35281 The components are as follows:
35282
35283 @table @var
35284
35285 @item name
35286 The register's name; it must be unique within the target description.
35287
35288 @item bitsize
35289 The register's size, in bits.
35290
35291 @item regnum
35292 The register's number. If omitted, a register's number is one greater
35293 than that of the previous register (either in the current feature or in
35294 a preceeding feature); the first register in the target description
35295 defaults to zero. This register number is used to read or write
35296 the register; e.g.@: it is used in the remote @code{p} and @code{P}
35297 packets, and registers appear in the @code{g} and @code{G} packets
35298 in order of increasing register number.
35299
35300 @item save-restore
35301 Whether the register should be preserved across inferior function
35302 calls; this must be either @code{yes} or @code{no}. The default is
35303 @code{yes}, which is appropriate for most registers except for
35304 some system control registers; this is not related to the target's
35305 ABI.
35306
35307 @item type
35308 The type of the register. @var{type} may be a predefined type, a type
35309 defined in the current feature, or one of the special types @code{int}
35310 and @code{float}. @code{int} is an integer type of the correct size
35311 for @var{bitsize}, and @code{float} is a floating point type (in the
35312 architecture's normal floating point format) of the correct size for
35313 @var{bitsize}. The default is @code{int}.
35314
35315 @item group
35316 The register group to which this register belongs. @var{group} must
35317 be either @code{general}, @code{float}, or @code{vector}. If no
35318 @var{group} is specified, @value{GDBN} will not display the register
35319 in @code{info registers}.
35320
35321 @end table
35322
35323 @node Predefined Target Types
35324 @section Predefined Target Types
35325 @cindex target descriptions, predefined types
35326
35327 Type definitions in the self-description can build up composite types
35328 from basic building blocks, but can not define fundamental types. Instead,
35329 standard identifiers are provided by @value{GDBN} for the fundamental
35330 types. The currently supported types are:
35331
35332 @table @code
35333
35334 @item int8
35335 @itemx int16
35336 @itemx int32
35337 @itemx int64
35338 @itemx int128
35339 Signed integer types holding the specified number of bits.
35340
35341 @item uint8
35342 @itemx uint16
35343 @itemx uint32
35344 @itemx uint64
35345 @itemx uint128
35346 Unsigned integer types holding the specified number of bits.
35347
35348 @item code_ptr
35349 @itemx data_ptr
35350 Pointers to unspecified code and data. The program counter and
35351 any dedicated return address register may be marked as code
35352 pointers; printing a code pointer converts it into a symbolic
35353 address. The stack pointer and any dedicated address registers
35354 may be marked as data pointers.
35355
35356 @item ieee_single
35357 Single precision IEEE floating point.
35358
35359 @item ieee_double
35360 Double precision IEEE floating point.
35361
35362 @item arm_fpa_ext
35363 The 12-byte extended precision format used by ARM FPA registers.
35364
35365 @item i387_ext
35366 The 10-byte extended precision format used by x87 registers.
35367
35368 @item i386_eflags
35369 32bit @sc{eflags} register used by x86.
35370
35371 @item i386_mxcsr
35372 32bit @sc{mxcsr} register used by x86.
35373
35374 @end table
35375
35376 @node Standard Target Features
35377 @section Standard Target Features
35378 @cindex target descriptions, standard features
35379
35380 A target description must contain either no registers or all the
35381 target's registers. If the description contains no registers, then
35382 @value{GDBN} will assume a default register layout, selected based on
35383 the architecture. If the description contains any registers, the
35384 default layout will not be used; the standard registers must be
35385 described in the target description, in such a way that @value{GDBN}
35386 can recognize them.
35387
35388 This is accomplished by giving specific names to feature elements
35389 which contain standard registers. @value{GDBN} will look for features
35390 with those names and verify that they contain the expected registers;
35391 if any known feature is missing required registers, or if any required
35392 feature is missing, @value{GDBN} will reject the target
35393 description. You can add additional registers to any of the
35394 standard features --- @value{GDBN} will display them just as if
35395 they were added to an unrecognized feature.
35396
35397 This section lists the known features and their expected contents.
35398 Sample XML documents for these features are included in the
35399 @value{GDBN} source tree, in the directory @file{gdb/features}.
35400
35401 Names recognized by @value{GDBN} should include the name of the
35402 company or organization which selected the name, and the overall
35403 architecture to which the feature applies; so e.g.@: the feature
35404 containing ARM core registers is named @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}.
35405
35406 The names of registers are not case sensitive for the purpose
35407 of recognizing standard features, but @value{GDBN} will only display
35408 registers using the capitalization used in the description.
35409
35410 @menu
35411 * ARM Features::
35412 * i386 Features::
35413 * MIPS Features::
35414 * M68K Features::
35415 * PowerPC Features::
35416 @end menu
35417
35418
35419 @node ARM Features
35420 @subsection ARM Features
35421 @cindex target descriptions, ARM features
35422
35423 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core} feature is required for ARM targets.
35424 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp},
35425 @samp{lr}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
35426
35427 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.fpa} feature is optional. If present, it
35428 should contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f7} and @samp{fps}.
35429
35430 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.xscale.iwmmxt} feature is optional. If present,
35431 it should contain at least registers @samp{wR0} through @samp{wR15} and
35432 @samp{wCGR0} through @samp{wCGR3}. The @samp{wCID}, @samp{wCon},
35433 @samp{wCSSF}, and @samp{wCASF} registers are optional.
35434
35435 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} feature is optional. If present, it
35436 should contain at least registers @samp{d0} through @samp{d15}. If
35437 they are present, @samp{d16} through @samp{d31} should also be included.
35438 @value{GDBN} will synthesize the single-precision registers from
35439 halves of the double-precision registers.
35440
35441 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.neon} feature is optional. It does not
35442 need to contain registers; it instructs @value{GDBN} to display the
35443 VFP double-precision registers as vectors and to synthesize the
35444 quad-precision registers from pairs of double-precision registers.
35445 If this feature is present, @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} must also
35446 be present and include 32 double-precision registers.
35447
35448 @node i386 Features
35449 @subsection i386 Features
35450 @cindex target descriptions, i386 features
35451
35452 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.core} feature is required for i386/amd64
35453 targets. It should describe the following registers:
35454
35455 @itemize @minus
35456 @item
35457 @samp{eax} through @samp{edi} plus @samp{eip} for i386
35458 @item
35459 @samp{rax} through @samp{r15} plus @samp{rip} for amd64
35460 @item
35461 @samp{eflags}, @samp{cs}, @samp{ss}, @samp{ds}, @samp{es},
35462 @samp{fs}, @samp{gs}
35463 @item
35464 @samp{st0} through @samp{st7}
35465 @item
35466 @samp{fctrl}, @samp{fstat}, @samp{ftag}, @samp{fiseg}, @samp{fioff},
35467 @samp{foseg}, @samp{fooff} and @samp{fop}
35468 @end itemize
35469
35470 The register sets may be different, depending on the target.
35471
35472 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature is optional. It should
35473 describe registers:
35474
35475 @itemize @minus
35476 @item
35477 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm7} for i386
35478 @item
35479 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm15} for amd64
35480 @item
35481 @samp{mxcsr}
35482 @end itemize
35483
35484 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature is optional and requires the
35485 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature. It should
35486 describe the upper 128 bits of @sc{ymm} registers:
35487
35488 @itemize @minus
35489 @item
35490 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm7h} for i386
35491 @item
35492 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm15h} for amd64
35493 @item
35494 @end itemize
35495
35496 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.linux} feature is optional. It should
35497 describe a single register, @samp{orig_eax}.
35498
35499 @node MIPS Features
35500 @subsection MIPS Features
35501 @cindex target descriptions, MIPS features
35502
35503 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cpu} feature is required for MIPS targets.
35504 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31}, @samp{lo},
35505 @samp{hi}, and @samp{pc}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending
35506 on the target.
35507
35508 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cp0} feature is also required. It should
35509 contain at least the @samp{status}, @samp{badvaddr}, and @samp{cause}
35510 registers. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
35511
35512 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.fpu} feature is currently required, though
35513 it may be optional in a future version of @value{GDBN}. It should
35514 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31}, @samp{fcsr}, and
35515 @samp{fir}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
35516
35517 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.linux} feature is optional. It should
35518 contain a single register, @samp{restart}, which is used by the
35519 Linux kernel to control restartable syscalls.
35520
35521 @node M68K Features
35522 @subsection M68K Features
35523 @cindex target descriptions, M68K features
35524
35525 @table @code
35526 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.m68k.core}
35527 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.core}
35528 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.fido.core}
35529 One of those features must be always present.
35530 The feature that is present determines which flavor of m68k is
35531 used. The feature that is present should contain registers
35532 @samp{d0} through @samp{d7}, @samp{a0} through @samp{a5}, @samp{fp},
35533 @samp{sp}, @samp{ps} and @samp{pc}.
35534
35535 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.fp}
35536 This feature is optional. If present, it should contain registers
35537 @samp{fp0} through @samp{fp7}, @samp{fpcontrol}, @samp{fpstatus} and
35538 @samp{fpiaddr}.
35539 @end table
35540
35541 @node PowerPC Features
35542 @subsection PowerPC Features
35543 @cindex target descriptions, PowerPC features
35544
35545 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} feature is required for PowerPC
35546 targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
35547 @samp{pc}, @samp{msr}, @samp{cr}, @samp{lr}, @samp{ctr}, and
35548 @samp{xer}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
35549
35550 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.fpu} feature is optional. It should
35551 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31} and @samp{fpscr}.
35552
35553 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.altivec} feature is optional. It should
35554 contain registers @samp{vr0} through @samp{vr31}, @samp{vscr},
35555 and @samp{vrsave}.
35556
35557 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.vsx} feature is optional. It should
35558 contain registers @samp{vs0h} through @samp{vs31h}. @value{GDBN}
35559 will combine these registers with the floating point registers
35560 (@samp{f0} through @samp{f31}) and the altivec registers (@samp{vr0}
35561 through @samp{vr31}) to present the 128-bit wide registers @samp{vs0}
35562 through @samp{vs63}, the set of vector registers for POWER7.
35563
35564 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.spe} feature is optional. It should
35565 contain registers @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}, @samp{acc}, and
35566 @samp{spefscr}. SPE targets should provide 32-bit registers in
35567 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} and provide the upper halves in
35568 @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}. @value{GDBN} will combine
35569 these to present registers @samp{ev0} through @samp{ev31} to the
35570 user.
35571
35572 @node Operating System Information
35573 @appendix Operating System Information
35574 @cindex operating system information
35575
35576 @menu
35577 * Process list::
35578 @end menu
35579
35580 Users of @value{GDBN} often wish to obtain information about the state of
35581 the operating system running on the target---for example the list of
35582 processes, or the list of open files. This section describes the
35583 mechanism that makes it possible. This mechanism is similar to the
35584 target features mechanism (@pxref{Target Descriptions}), but focuses
35585 on a different aspect of target.
35586
35587 Operating system information is retrived from the target via the
35588 remote protocol, using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{qXfer osdata
35589 read}). The object name in the request should be @samp{osdata}, and
35590 the @var{annex} identifies the data to be fetched.
35591
35592 @node Process list
35593 @appendixsection Process list
35594 @cindex operating system information, process list
35595
35596 When requesting the process list, the @var{annex} field in the
35597 @samp{qXfer} request should be @samp{processes}. The returned data is
35598 an XML document. The formal syntax of this document is defined in
35599 @file{gdb/features/osdata.dtd}.
35600
35601 An example document is:
35602
35603 @smallexample
35604 <?xml version="1.0"?>
35605 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "osdata.dtd">
35606 <osdata type="processes">
35607 <item>
35608 <column name="pid">1</column>
35609 <column name="user">root</column>
35610 <column name="command">/sbin/init</column>
35611 <column name="cores">1,2,3</column>
35612 </item>
35613 </osdata>
35614 @end smallexample
35615
35616 Each item should include a column whose name is @samp{pid}. The value
35617 of that column should identify the process on the target. The
35618 @samp{user} and @samp{command} columns are optional, and will be
35619 displayed by @value{GDBN}. The @samp{cores} column, if present,
35620 should contain a comma-separated list of cores that this process
35621 is running on. Target may provide additional columns,
35622 which @value{GDBN} currently ignores.
35623
35624 @include gpl.texi
35625
35626 @node GNU Free Documentation License
35627 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
35628 @include fdl.texi
35629
35630 @node Index
35631 @unnumbered Index
35632
35633 @printindex cp
35634
35635 @tex
35636 % I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
35637 % meantime:
35638 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
35639 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
35640 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
35641 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
35642 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
35643 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
35644 \centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
35645 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
35646 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
35647 \page\colophon
35648 % Blame: doc@cygnus.com, 1991.
35649 @end tex
35650
35651 @bye