ChangeLog:
[binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright (C) 1988-1996, 1998-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c
4 @c %**start of header
5 @c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
6 @c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
7 @setfilename gdb.info
8 @c
9 @include gdb-cfg.texi
10 @c
11 @settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
12 @setchapternewpage odd
13 @c %**end of header
14
15 @iftex
16 @c @smallbook
17 @c @cropmarks
18 @end iftex
19
20 @finalout
21 @syncodeindex ky cp
22 @syncodeindex tp cp
23
24 @c readline appendices use @vindex, @findex and @ftable,
25 @c annotate.texi and gdbmi use @findex.
26 @syncodeindex vr cp
27 @syncodeindex fn cp
28
29 @c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
30 @c This is updated by GNU Press.
31 @set EDITION Tenth
32
33 @c !!set GDB edit command default editor
34 @set EDITOR /bin/ex
35
36 @c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO 4.0 OR LATER.
37
38 @c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
39 @c manuals to an info tree.
40 @dircategory Software development
41 @direntry
42 * Gdb: (gdb). The GNU debugger.
43 @end direntry
44
45 @copying
46 Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,
47 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
48 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
49
50 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
51 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
52 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
53 Invariant Sections being ``Free Software'' and ``Free Software Needs
54 Free Documentation'', with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
55 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.
56
57 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You are free to copy and modify
58 this GNU Manual. Buying copies from GNU Press supports the FSF in
59 developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
60 @end copying
61
62 @ifnottex
63 This file documents the @sc{gnu} debugger @value{GDBN}.
64
65 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, of @cite{Debugging with
66 @value{GDBN}: the @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger} for @value{GDBN}
67 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
68 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
69 @end ifset
70 Version @value{GDBVN}.
71
72 @insertcopying
73 @end ifnottex
74
75 @titlepage
76 @title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
77 @subtitle The @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger
78 @sp 1
79 @subtitle @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
80 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81 @sp 1
82 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
83 @end ifset
84 @author Richard Stallman, Roland Pesch, Stan Shebs, et al.
85 @page
86 @tex
87 {\parskip=0pt
88 \hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.)\par
89 \hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
90 \hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
91 }
92 @end tex
93
94 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
95 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
96 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
97 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA@*
98 ISBN 978-0-9831592-3-0 @*
99
100 @insertcopying
101 @end titlepage
102 @page
103
104 @ifnottex
105 @node Top, Summary, (dir), (dir)
106
107 @top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
108
109 This file describes @value{GDBN}, the @sc{gnu} symbolic debugger.
110
111 This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN}
112 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
113 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
114 @end ifset
115 Version @value{GDBVN}.
116
117 Copyright (C) 1988-2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
118
119 This edition of the GDB manual is dedicated to the memory of Fred
120 Fish. Fred was a long-standing contributor to GDB and to Free
121 software in general. We will miss him.
122
123 @menu
124 * Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
125 * Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
126
127 * Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
128 * Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
129 * Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
130 * Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
131 * Reverse Execution:: Running programs backward
132 * Process Record and Replay:: Recording inferior's execution and replaying it
133 * Stack:: Examining the stack
134 * Source:: Examining source files
135 * Data:: Examining data
136 * Optimized Code:: Debugging optimized code
137 * Macros:: Preprocessor Macros
138 * Tracepoints:: Debugging remote targets non-intrusively
139 * Overlays:: Debugging programs that use overlays
140
141 * Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
142
143 * Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
144 * Altering:: Altering execution
145 * GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
146 * Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
147 * Remote Debugging:: Debugging remote programs
148 * Configurations:: Configuration-specific information
149 * Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
150 * Extending GDB:: Extending @value{GDBN}
151 * Interpreters:: Command Interpreters
152 * TUI:: @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
153 * Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
154 * GDB/MI:: @value{GDBN}'s Machine Interface.
155 * Annotations:: @value{GDBN}'s annotation interface.
156 * JIT Interface:: Using the JIT debugging interface.
157
158 * GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
159
160 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
161 * Command Line Editing: (rluserman). Command Line Editing
162 * Using History Interactively: (history). Using History Interactively
163 @end ifset
164 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
165 * Command Line Editing:: Command Line Editing
166 * Using History Interactively:: Using History Interactively
167 @end ifclear
168 * In Memoriam:: In Memoriam
169 * Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print @value{GDBN} documentation
170 * Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
171 * Maintenance Commands:: Maintenance Commands
172 * Remote Protocol:: GDB Remote Serial Protocol
173 * Agent Expressions:: The GDB Agent Expression Mechanism
174 * Target Descriptions:: How targets can describe themselves to
175 @value{GDBN}
176 * Operating System Information:: Getting additional information from
177 the operating system
178 * Trace File Format:: GDB trace file format
179 * Index Section Format:: .gdb_index section format
180 * Copying:: GNU General Public License says
181 how you can copy and share GDB
182 * GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation
183 * Index:: Index
184 @end menu
185
186 @end ifnottex
187
188 @contents
189
190 @node Summary
191 @unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
192
193 The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
194 going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
195 program was doing at the moment it crashed.
196
197 @value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
198 these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
199
200 @itemize @bullet
201 @item
202 Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
203
204 @item
205 Make your program stop on specified conditions.
206
207 @item
208 Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
209
210 @item
211 Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
212 effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
213 @end itemize
214
215 You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C and C@t{++}.
216 For more information, see @ref{Supported Languages,,Supported Languages}.
217 For more information, see @ref{C,,C and C++}.
218
219 Support for D is partial. For information on D, see
220 @ref{D,,D}.
221
222 @cindex Modula-2
223 Support for Modula-2 is partial. For information on Modula-2, see
224 @ref{Modula-2,,Modula-2}.
225
226 Support for OpenCL C is partial. For information on OpenCL C, see
227 @ref{OpenCL C,,OpenCL C}.
228
229 @cindex Pascal
230 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
231 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
232 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
233 syntax.
234
235 @cindex Fortran
236 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, although
237 it may be necessary to refer to some variables with a trailing
238 underscore.
239
240 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Objective-C,
241 using either the Apple/NeXT or the GNU Objective-C runtime.
242
243 @menu
244 * Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
245 * Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
246 @end menu
247
248 @node Free Software
249 @unnumberedsec Free Software
250
251 @value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the @sc{gnu}
252 General Public License
253 (GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
254 program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
255 freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
256 the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
257 Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
258 Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
259
260 Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
261 you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
262 from anyone else.
263
264 @unnumberedsec Free Software Needs Free Documentation
265
266 The biggest deficiency in the free software community today is not in
267 the software---it is the lack of good free documentation that we can
268 include with the free software. Many of our most important
269 programs do not come with free reference manuals and free introductory
270 texts. Documentation is an essential part of any software package;
271 when an important free software package does not come with a free
272 manual and a free tutorial, that is a major gap. We have many such
273 gaps today.
274
275 Consider Perl, for instance. The tutorial manuals that people
276 normally use are non-free. How did this come about? Because the
277 authors of those manuals published them with restrictive terms---no
278 copying, no modification, source files not available---which exclude
279 them from the free software world.
280
281 That wasn't the first time this sort of thing happened, and it was far
282 from the last. Many times we have heard a GNU user eagerly describe a
283 manual that he is writing, his intended contribution to the community,
284 only to learn that he had ruined everything by signing a publication
285 contract to make it non-free.
286
287 Free documentation, like free software, is a matter of freedom, not
288 price. The problem with the non-free manual is not that publishers
289 charge a price for printed copies---that in itself is fine. (The Free
290 Software Foundation sells printed copies of manuals, too.) The
291 problem is the restrictions on the use of the manual. Free manuals
292 are available in source code form, and give you permission to copy and
293 modify. Non-free manuals do not allow this.
294
295 The criteria of freedom for a free manual are roughly the same as for
296 free software. Redistribution (including the normal kinds of
297 commercial redistribution) must be permitted, so that the manual can
298 accompany every copy of the program, both on-line and on paper.
299
300 Permission for modification of the technical content is crucial too.
301 When people modify the software, adding or changing features, if they
302 are conscientious they will change the manual too---so they can
303 provide accurate and clear documentation for the modified program. A
304 manual that leaves you no choice but to write a new manual to document
305 a changed version of the program is not really available to our
306 community.
307
308 Some kinds of limits on the way modification is handled are
309 acceptable. For example, requirements to preserve the original
310 author's copyright notice, the distribution terms, or the list of
311 authors, are ok. It is also no problem to require modified versions
312 to include notice that they were modified. Even entire sections that
313 may not be deleted or changed are acceptable, as long as they deal
314 with nontechnical topics (like this one). These kinds of restrictions
315 are acceptable because they don't obstruct the community's normal use
316 of the manual.
317
318 However, it must be possible to modify all the @emph{technical}
319 content of the manual, and then distribute the result in all the usual
320 media, through all the usual channels. Otherwise, the restrictions
321 obstruct the use of the manual, it is not free, and we need another
322 manual to replace it.
323
324 Please spread the word about this issue. Our community continues to
325 lose manuals to proprietary publishing. If we spread the word that
326 free software needs free reference manuals and free tutorials, perhaps
327 the next person who wants to contribute by writing documentation will
328 realize, before it is too late, that only free manuals contribute to
329 the free software community.
330
331 If you are writing documentation, please insist on publishing it under
332 the GNU Free Documentation License or another free documentation
333 license. Remember that this decision requires your approval---you
334 don't have to let the publisher decide. Some commercial publishers
335 will use a free license if you insist, but they will not propose the
336 option; it is up to you to raise the issue and say firmly that this is
337 what you want. If the publisher you are dealing with refuses, please
338 try other publishers. If you're not sure whether a proposed license
339 is free, write to @email{licensing@@gnu.org}.
340
341 You can encourage commercial publishers to sell more free, copylefted
342 manuals and tutorials by buying them, and particularly by buying
343 copies from the publishers that paid for their writing or for major
344 improvements. Meanwhile, try to avoid buying non-free documentation
345 at all. Check the distribution terms of a manual before you buy it,
346 and insist that whoever seeks your business must respect your freedom.
347 Check the history of the book, and try to reward the publishers that
348 have paid or pay the authors to work on it.
349
350 The Free Software Foundation maintains a list of free documentation
351 published by other publishers, at
352 @url{http://www.fsf.org/doc/other-free-books.html}.
353
354 @node Contributors
355 @unnumberedsec Contributors to @value{GDBN}
356
357 Richard Stallman was the original author of @value{GDBN}, and of many
358 other @sc{gnu} programs. Many others have contributed to its
359 development. This section attempts to credit major contributors. One
360 of the virtues of free software is that everyone is free to contribute
361 to it; with regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The
362 file @file{ChangeLog} in the @value{GDBN} distribution approximates a
363 blow-by-blow account.
364
365 Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
366
367 @quotation
368 @emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
369 or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
370 omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
371 @end quotation
372
373 So that they may not regard their many labors as thankless, we
374 particularly thank those who shepherded @value{GDBN} through major
375 releases:
376 Andrew Cagney (releases 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, 6.0, 5.3, 5.2, 5.1 and 5.0);
377 Jim Blandy (release 4.18);
378 Jason Molenda (release 4.17);
379 Stan Shebs (release 4.14);
380 Fred Fish (releases 4.16, 4.15, 4.13, 4.12, 4.11, 4.10, and 4.9);
381 Stu Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, and 4.4);
382 John Gilmore (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9);
383 Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4, and 3.3);
384 and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0).
385
386 Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Peter TerMaat, Chris
387 Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
388
389 Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} support
390 in @value{GDBN}, with significant additional contributions from Per
391 Bothner and Daniel Berlin. James Clark wrote the @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
392 demangler. Early work on C@t{++} was by Peter TerMaat (who also did
393 much general update work leading to release 3.0).
394
395 @value{GDBN} uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
396 object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
397 Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
398
399 David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
400 the original support for encapsulated COFF.
401
402 Brent Benson of Harris Computer Systems contributed DWARF 2 support.
403
404 Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
405 Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
406 support.
407 Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support.
408 Chris Hanson improved the HP9000 support.
409 Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support.
410 David Johnson contributed Encore Umax support.
411 Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
412 Jeff Law contributed HP PA and SOM support.
413 Keith Packard contributed NS32K support.
414 Doug Rabson contributed Acorn Risc Machine support.
415 Bob Rusk contributed Harris Nighthawk CX-UX support.
416 Chris Smith contributed Convex support (and Fortran debugging).
417 Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
418 Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support.
419 Tim Tucker contributed support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode.
420 Pace Willison contributed Intel 386 support.
421 Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry support.
422 Marko Mlinar contributed OpenRISC 1000 support.
423
424 Andreas Schwab contributed M68K @sc{gnu}/Linux support.
425
426 Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
427 libraries.
428
429 Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that @value{GDBN} and GAS agree
430 about several machine instruction sets.
431
432 Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped develop
433 remote debugging. Intel Corporation, Wind River Systems, AMD, and ARM
434 contributed remote debugging modules for the i960, VxWorks, A29K UDI,
435 and RDI targets, respectively.
436
437 Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
438 command-line editing and command history.
439
440 Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code, the
441 Modula-2 support, and contributed the Languages chapter of this manual.
442
443 Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
444 He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C@t{++} overloaded
445 symbols.
446
447 Hitachi America (now Renesas America), Ltd. sponsored the support for
448 H8/300, H8/500, and Super-H processors.
449
450 NEC sponsored the support for the v850, Vr4xxx, and Vr5xxx processors.
451
452 Mitsubishi (now Renesas) sponsored the support for D10V, D30V, and M32R/D
453 processors.
454
455 Toshiba sponsored the support for the TX39 Mips processor.
456
457 Matsushita sponsored the support for the MN10200 and MN10300 processors.
458
459 Fujitsu sponsored the support for SPARClite and FR30 processors.
460
461 Kung Hsu, Jeff Law, and Rick Sladkey added support for hardware
462 watchpoints.
463
464 Michael Snyder added support for tracepoints.
465
466 Stu Grossman wrote gdbserver.
467
468 Jim Kingdon, Peter Schauer, Ian Taylor, and Stu Grossman made
469 nearly innumerable bug fixes and cleanups throughout @value{GDBN}.
470
471 The following people at the Hewlett-Packard Company contributed
472 support for the PA-RISC 2.0 architecture, HP-UX 10.20, 10.30, and 11.0
473 (narrow mode), HP's implementation of kernel threads, HP's aC@t{++}
474 compiler, and the Text User Interface (nee Terminal User Interface):
475 Ben Krepp, Richard Title, John Bishop, Susan Macchia, Kathy Mann,
476 Satish Pai, India Paul, Steve Rehrauer, and Elena Zannoni. Kim Haase
477 provided HP-specific information in this manual.
478
479 DJ Delorie ported @value{GDBN} to MS-DOS, for the DJGPP project.
480 Robert Hoehne made significant contributions to the DJGPP port.
481
482 Cygnus Solutions has sponsored @value{GDBN} maintenance and much of its
483 development since 1991. Cygnus engineers who have worked on @value{GDBN}
484 fulltime include Mark Alexander, Jim Blandy, Per Bothner, Kevin
485 Buettner, Edith Epstein, Chris Faylor, Fred Fish, Martin Hunt, Jim
486 Ingham, John Gilmore, Stu Grossman, Kung Hsu, Jim Kingdon, John Metzler,
487 Fernando Nasser, Geoffrey Noer, Dawn Perchik, Rich Pixley, Zdenek
488 Radouch, Keith Seitz, Stan Shebs, David Taylor, and Elena Zannoni. In
489 addition, Dave Brolley, Ian Carmichael, Steve Chamberlain, Nick Clifton,
490 JT Conklin, Stan Cox, DJ Delorie, Ulrich Drepper, Frank Eigler, Doug
491 Evans, Sean Fagan, David Henkel-Wallace, Richard Henderson, Jeff
492 Holcomb, Jeff Law, Jim Lemke, Tom Lord, Bob Manson, Michael Meissner,
493 Jason Merrill, Catherine Moore, Drew Moseley, Ken Raeburn, Gavin
494 Romig-Koch, Rob Savoye, Jamie Smith, Mike Stump, Ian Taylor, Angela
495 Thomas, Michael Tiemann, Tom Tromey, Ron Unrau, Jim Wilson, and David
496 Zuhn have made contributions both large and small.
497
498 Andrew Cagney, Fernando Nasser, and Elena Zannoni, while working for
499 Cygnus Solutions, implemented the original @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
500
501 Jim Blandy added support for preprocessor macros, while working for Red
502 Hat.
503
504 Andrew Cagney designed @value{GDBN}'s architecture vector. Many
505 people including Andrew Cagney, Stephane Carrez, Randolph Chung, Nick
506 Duffek, Richard Henderson, Mark Kettenis, Grace Sainsbury, Kei
507 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Andreas Schwab, Jason
508 Thorpe, Corinna Vinschen, Ulrich Weigand, and Elena Zannoni, helped
509 with the migration of old architectures to this new framework.
510
511 Andrew Cagney completely re-designed and re-implemented @value{GDBN}'s
512 unwinder framework, this consisting of a fresh new design featuring
513 frame IDs, independent frame sniffers, and the sentinel frame. Mark
514 Kettenis implemented the @sc{dwarf 2} unwinder, Jeff Johnston the
515 libunwind unwinder, and Andrew Cagney the dummy, sentinel, tramp, and
516 trad unwinders. The architecture-specific changes, each involving a
517 complete rewrite of the architecture's frame code, were carried out by
518 Jim Blandy, Joel Brobecker, Kevin Buettner, Andrew Cagney, Stephane
519 Carrez, Randolph Chung, Orjan Friberg, Richard Henderson, Daniel
520 Jacobowitz, Jeff Johnston, Mark Kettenis, Theodore A. Roth, Kei
521 Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Corinna Vinschen, and Ulrich
522 Weigand.
523
524 Christian Zankel, Ross Morley, Bob Wilson, and Maxim Grigoriev from
525 Tensilica, Inc.@: contributed support for Xtensa processors. Others
526 who have worked on the Xtensa port of @value{GDBN} in the past include
527 Steve Tjiang, John Newlin, and Scott Foehner.
528
529 Michael Eager and staff of Xilinx, Inc., contributed support for the
530 Xilinx MicroBlaze architecture.
531
532 @node Sample Session
533 @chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
534
535 You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
536 However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
537 debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
538
539 @iftex
540 In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
541 to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
542 @end iftex
543
544 @c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
545 @c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
546
547 One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
548 processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
549 quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
550 definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
551 session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
552 then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
553 same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
554 @code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
555 procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
556
557 @smallexample
558 $ @b{cd gnu/m4}
559 $ @b{./m4}
560 @b{define(foo,0000)}
561
562 @b{foo}
563 0000
564 @b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
565
566 @b{bar}
567 0000
568 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
569
570 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
571 @b{baz}
572 @b{Ctrl-d}
573 m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
574 @end smallexample
575
576 @noindent
577 Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
578
579 @smallexample
580 $ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
581 @c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
582 @c FIXME... format to come out better.
583 @value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
584 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
585 the conditions.
586 There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
587 for details.
588
589 @value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
590 (@value{GDBP})
591 @end smallexample
592
593 @noindent
594 @value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
595 rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
596 We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
597 that examples fit in this manual.
598
599 @smallexample
600 (@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
601 @end smallexample
602
603 @noindent
604 We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
605 Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
606 @code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
607 @code{break} command.
608
609 @smallexample
610 (@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
611 Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
612 @end smallexample
613
614 @noindent
615 Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
616 control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
617 subroutine, the program runs as usual:
618
619 @smallexample
620 (@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
621 Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
622 @b{define(foo,0000)}
623
624 @b{foo}
625 0000
626 @end smallexample
627
628 @noindent
629 To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
630 suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
631 context where it stops.
632
633 @smallexample
634 @b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
635
636 Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
637 at builtin.c:879
638 879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
639 @end smallexample
640
641 @noindent
642 Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
643 the next line of the current function.
644
645 @smallexample
646 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
647 882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
648 : nil,
649 @end smallexample
650
651 @noindent
652 @code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
653 by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
654 @code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
655 subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
656
657 @smallexample
658 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
659 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
660 at input.c:530
661 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
662 @end smallexample
663
664 @noindent
665 The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
666 suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
667 shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
668 command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
669 in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
670 stack frame for each active subroutine.
671
672 @smallexample
673 (@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
674 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
675 at input.c:530
676 #1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
677 at builtin.c:882
678 #2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
679 #3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
680 at macro.c:71
681 #4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
682 #5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
683 @end smallexample
684
685 @noindent
686 We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
687 times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
688 falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
689
690 @smallexample
691 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
692 0x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
693 (@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
694 0x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
695 def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
696 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
697 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
698 : xstrdup(rq);
699 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
700 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
701 @end smallexample
702
703 @noindent
704 The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
705 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
706 and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
707 (@code{print}) to see their values.
708
709 @smallexample
710 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
711 $1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
712 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
713 $2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
714 @end smallexample
715
716 @noindent
717 @code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
718 To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
719 surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
720
721 @smallexample
722 (@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
723 533 xfree(rquote);
724 534
725 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
726 : xstrdup (lq);
727 536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
728 : xstrdup (rq);
729 537
730 538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
731 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
732 540 @}
733 541
734 542 void
735 @end smallexample
736
737 @noindent
738 Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
739 @code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
740
741 @smallexample
742 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
743 539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
744 (@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
745 540 @}
746 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
747 $3 = 9
748 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
749 $4 = 7
750 @end smallexample
751
752 @noindent
753 That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
754 @code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
755 @code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
756 the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
757 any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
758 assignments.
759
760 @smallexample
761 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
762 $5 = 7
763 (@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
764 $6 = 9
765 @end smallexample
766
767 @noindent
768 Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
769 @code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
770 executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
771 example that caused trouble initially:
772
773 @smallexample
774 (@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
775 Continuing.
776
777 @b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
778
779 baz
780 0000
781 @end smallexample
782
783 @noindent
784 Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
785 problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
786 lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
787
788 @smallexample
789 @b{Ctrl-d}
790 Program exited normally.
791 @end smallexample
792
793 @noindent
794 The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
795 indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
796 session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
797
798 @smallexample
799 (@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
800 @end smallexample
801
802 @node Invocation
803 @chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
804
805 This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
806 The essentials are:
807 @itemize @bullet
808 @item
809 type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start @value{GDBN}.
810 @item
811 type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{Ctrl-d} to exit.
812 @end itemize
813
814 @menu
815 * Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
816 * Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
817 * Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
818 * Logging Output:: How to log @value{GDBN}'s output to a file
819 @end menu
820
821 @node Invoking GDB
822 @section Invoking @value{GDBN}
823
824 Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
825 @value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
826
827 You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
828 to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
829
830 The command-line options described here are designed
831 to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
832 options may effectively be unavailable.
833
834 The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
835 specifying an executable program:
836
837 @smallexample
838 @value{GDBP} @var{program}
839 @end smallexample
840
841 @noindent
842 You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
843 specified:
844
845 @smallexample
846 @value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
847 @end smallexample
848
849 You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
850 to debug a running process:
851
852 @smallexample
853 @value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
854 @end smallexample
855
856 @noindent
857 would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
858 named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
859
860 Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
861 complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote
862 debugger attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of
863 ``process'', and there is often no way to get a core dump. @value{GDBN}
864 will warn you if it is unable to attach or to read core dumps.
865
866 You can optionally have @code{@value{GDBP}} pass any arguments after the
867 executable file to the inferior using @code{--args}. This option stops
868 option processing.
869 @smallexample
870 @value{GDBP} --args gcc -O2 -c foo.c
871 @end smallexample
872 This will cause @code{@value{GDBP}} to debug @code{gcc}, and to set
873 @code{gcc}'s command-line arguments (@pxref{Arguments}) to @samp{-O2 -c foo.c}.
874
875 You can run @code{@value{GDBP}} without printing the front material, which describes
876 @value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{-silent}:
877
878 @smallexample
879 @value{GDBP} -silent
880 @end smallexample
881
882 @noindent
883 You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
884 options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
885
886 @noindent
887 Type
888
889 @smallexample
890 @value{GDBP} -help
891 @end smallexample
892
893 @noindent
894 to display all available options and briefly describe their use
895 (@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
896
897 All options and command line arguments you give are processed
898 in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
899 @samp{-x} option is used.
900
901
902 @menu
903 * File Options:: Choosing files
904 * Mode Options:: Choosing modes
905 * Startup:: What @value{GDBN} does during startup
906 @end menu
907
908 @node File Options
909 @subsection Choosing Files
910
911 When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
912 specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
913 the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
914 @samp{-c} (or @samp{-p}) options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the
915 first argument that does not have an associated option flag as
916 equivalent to the @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the
917 second argument that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as
918 equivalent to the @samp{-c}/@samp{-p} option followed by that argument.)
919 If the second argument begins with a decimal digit, @value{GDBN} will
920 first attempt to attach to it as a process, and if that fails, attempt
921 to open it as a corefile. If you have a corefile whose name begins with
922 a digit, you can prevent @value{GDBN} from treating it as a pid by
923 prefixing it with @file{./}, e.g.@: @file{./12345}.
924
925 If @value{GDBN} has not been configured to included core file support,
926 such as for most embedded targets, then it will complain about a second
927 argument and ignore it.
928
929 Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
930 following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
931 them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
932 (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
933 than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
934
935 @c NOTE: the @cindex entries here use double dashes ON PURPOSE. This
936 @c way, both those who look for -foo and --foo in the index, will find
937 @c it.
938
939 @table @code
940 @item -symbols @var{file}
941 @itemx -s @var{file}
942 @cindex @code{--symbols}
943 @cindex @code{-s}
944 Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
945
946 @item -exec @var{file}
947 @itemx -e @var{file}
948 @cindex @code{--exec}
949 @cindex @code{-e}
950 Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when appropriate,
951 and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core dump.
952
953 @item -se @var{file}
954 @cindex @code{--se}
955 Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
956 file.
957
958 @item -core @var{file}
959 @itemx -c @var{file}
960 @cindex @code{--core}
961 @cindex @code{-c}
962 Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
963
964 @item -pid @var{number}
965 @itemx -p @var{number}
966 @cindex @code{--pid}
967 @cindex @code{-p}
968 Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command.
969
970 @item -command @var{file}
971 @itemx -x @var{file}
972 @cindex @code{--command}
973 @cindex @code{-x}
974 Execute commands from file @var{file}. The contents of this file is
975 evaluated exactly as the @code{source} command would.
976 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
977
978 @item -eval-command @var{command}
979 @itemx -ex @var{command}
980 @cindex @code{--eval-command}
981 @cindex @code{-ex}
982 Execute a single @value{GDBN} command.
983
984 This option may be used multiple times to call multiple commands. It may
985 also be interleaved with @samp{-command} as required.
986
987 @smallexample
988 @value{GDBP} -ex 'target sim' -ex 'load' \
989 -x setbreakpoints -ex 'run' a.out
990 @end smallexample
991
992 @item -directory @var{directory}
993 @itemx -d @var{directory}
994 @cindex @code{--directory}
995 @cindex @code{-d}
996 Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source and script files.
997
998 @item -r
999 @itemx -readnow
1000 @cindex @code{--readnow}
1001 @cindex @code{-r}
1002 Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
1003 the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
1004 This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
1005
1006 @end table
1007
1008 @node Mode Options
1009 @subsection Choosing Modes
1010
1011 You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
1012 batch mode or quiet mode.
1013
1014 @table @code
1015 @item -nx
1016 @itemx -n
1017 @cindex @code{--nx}
1018 @cindex @code{-n}
1019 Do not execute commands found in any initialization files. Normally,
1020 @value{GDBN} executes the commands in these files after all the command
1021 options and arguments have been processed. @xref{Command Files,,Command
1022 Files}.
1023
1024 @item -quiet
1025 @itemx -silent
1026 @itemx -q
1027 @cindex @code{--quiet}
1028 @cindex @code{--silent}
1029 @cindex @code{-q}
1030 ``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
1031 messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
1032
1033 @item -batch
1034 @cindex @code{--batch}
1035 Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
1036 command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
1037 initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
1038 nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
1039 in the command files. Batch mode also disables pagination, sets unlimited
1040 terminal width and height @pxref{Screen Size}, and acts as if @kbd{set confirm
1041 off} were in effect (@pxref{Messages/Warnings}).
1042
1043 Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for
1044 example to download and run a program on another computer; in order to
1045 make this more useful, the message
1046
1047 @smallexample
1048 Program exited normally.
1049 @end smallexample
1050
1051 @noindent
1052 (which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under
1053 @value{GDBN} control terminates) is not issued when running in batch
1054 mode.
1055
1056 @item -batch-silent
1057 @cindex @code{--batch-silent}
1058 Run in batch mode exactly like @samp{-batch}, but totally silently. All
1059 @value{GDBN} output to @code{stdout} is prevented (@code{stderr} is
1060 unaffected). This is much quieter than @samp{-silent} and would be useless
1061 for an interactive session.
1062
1063 This is particularly useful when using targets that give @samp{Loading section}
1064 messages, for example.
1065
1066 Note that targets that give their output via @value{GDBN}, as opposed to
1067 writing directly to @code{stdout}, will also be made silent.
1068
1069 @item -return-child-result
1070 @cindex @code{--return-child-result}
1071 The return code from @value{GDBN} will be the return code from the child
1072 process (the process being debugged), with the following exceptions:
1073
1074 @itemize @bullet
1075 @item
1076 @value{GDBN} exits abnormally. E.g., due to an incorrect argument or an
1077 internal error. In this case the exit code is the same as it would have been
1078 without @samp{-return-child-result}.
1079 @item
1080 The user quits with an explicit value. E.g., @samp{quit 1}.
1081 @item
1082 The child process never runs, or is not allowed to terminate, in which case
1083 the exit code will be -1.
1084 @end itemize
1085
1086 This option is useful in conjunction with @samp{-batch} or @samp{-batch-silent},
1087 when @value{GDBN} is being used as a remote program loader or simulator
1088 interface.
1089
1090 @item -nowindows
1091 @itemx -nw
1092 @cindex @code{--nowindows}
1093 @cindex @code{-nw}
1094 ``No windows''. If @value{GDBN} comes with a graphical user interface
1095 (GUI) built in, then this option tells @value{GDBN} to only use the command-line
1096 interface. If no GUI is available, this option has no effect.
1097
1098 @item -windows
1099 @itemx -w
1100 @cindex @code{--windows}
1101 @cindex @code{-w}
1102 If @value{GDBN} includes a GUI, then this option requires it to be
1103 used if possible.
1104
1105 @item -cd @var{directory}
1106 @cindex @code{--cd}
1107 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
1108 instead of the current directory.
1109
1110 @item -data-directory @var{directory}
1111 @cindex @code{--data-directory}
1112 Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its data directory.
1113 The data directory is where @value{GDBN} searches for its
1114 auxiliary files. @xref{Data Files}.
1115
1116 @item -fullname
1117 @itemx -f
1118 @cindex @code{--fullname}
1119 @cindex @code{-f}
1120 @sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a
1121 subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line
1122 number in a standard, recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is
1123 displayed (which includes each time your program stops). This
1124 recognizable format looks like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by
1125 the file name, line number and character position separated by colons,
1126 and a newline. The Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two
1127 @samp{\032} characters as a signal to display the source code for the
1128 frame.
1129
1130 @item -epoch
1131 @cindex @code{--epoch}
1132 The Epoch Emacs-@value{GDBN} interface sets this option when it runs
1133 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to modify its print
1134 routines so as to allow Epoch to display values of expressions in a
1135 separate window.
1136
1137 @item -annotate @var{level}
1138 @cindex @code{--annotate}
1139 This option sets the @dfn{annotation level} inside @value{GDBN}. Its
1140 effect is identical to using @samp{set annotate @var{level}}
1141 (@pxref{Annotations}). The annotation @var{level} controls how much
1142 information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt, values of
1143 expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0 is the
1144 normal, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of
1145 @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable for programs
1146 that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 has been deprecated.
1147
1148 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
1149 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
1150
1151 @item --args
1152 @cindex @code{--args}
1153 Change interpretation of command line so that arguments following the
1154 executable file are passed as command line arguments to the inferior.
1155 This option stops option processing.
1156
1157 @item -baud @var{bps}
1158 @itemx -b @var{bps}
1159 @cindex @code{--baud}
1160 @cindex @code{-b}
1161 Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
1162 interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
1163
1164 @item -l @var{timeout}
1165 @cindex @code{-l}
1166 Set the timeout (in seconds) of any communication used by @value{GDBN}
1167 for remote debugging.
1168
1169 @item -tty @var{device}
1170 @itemx -t @var{device}
1171 @cindex @code{--tty}
1172 @cindex @code{-t}
1173 Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
1174 @c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
1175
1176 @c resolve the situation of these eventually
1177 @item -tui
1178 @cindex @code{--tui}
1179 Activate the @dfn{Text User Interface} when starting. The Text User
1180 Interface manages several text windows on the terminal, showing
1181 source, assembly, registers and @value{GDBN} command outputs
1182 (@pxref{TUI, ,@value{GDBN} Text User Interface}). Do not use this
1183 option if you run @value{GDBN} from Emacs (@pxref{Emacs, ,
1184 Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}).
1185
1186 @c @item -xdb
1187 @c @cindex @code{--xdb}
1188 @c Run in XDB compatibility mode, allowing the use of certain XDB commands.
1189 @c For information, see the file @file{xdb_trans.html}, which is usually
1190 @c installed in the directory @code{/opt/langtools/wdb/doc} on HP-UX
1191 @c systems.
1192
1193 @item -interpreter @var{interp}
1194 @cindex @code{--interpreter}
1195 Use the interpreter @var{interp} for interface with the controlling
1196 program or device. This option is meant to be set by programs which
1197 communicate with @value{GDBN} using it as a back end.
1198 @xref{Interpreters, , Command Interpreters}.
1199
1200 @samp{--interpreter=mi} (or @samp{--interpreter=mi2}) causes
1201 @value{GDBN} to use the @dfn{@sc{gdb/mi} interface} (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,
1202 The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}) included since @value{GDBN} version 6.0. The
1203 previous @sc{gdb/mi} interface, included in @value{GDBN} version 5.3 and
1204 selected with @samp{--interpreter=mi1}, is deprecated. Earlier
1205 @sc{gdb/mi} interfaces are no longer supported.
1206
1207 @item -write
1208 @cindex @code{--write}
1209 Open the executable and core files for both reading and writing. This
1210 is equivalent to the @samp{set write on} command inside @value{GDBN}
1211 (@pxref{Patching}).
1212
1213 @item -statistics
1214 @cindex @code{--statistics}
1215 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print statistics about time and
1216 memory usage after it completes each command and returns to the prompt.
1217
1218 @item -version
1219 @cindex @code{--version}
1220 This option causes @value{GDBN} to print its version number and
1221 no-warranty blurb, and exit.
1222
1223 @end table
1224
1225 @node Startup
1226 @subsection What @value{GDBN} Does During Startup
1227 @cindex @value{GDBN} startup
1228
1229 Here's the description of what @value{GDBN} does during session startup:
1230
1231 @enumerate
1232 @item
1233 Sets up the command interpreter as specified by the command line
1234 (@pxref{Mode Options, interpreter}).
1235
1236 @item
1237 @cindex init file
1238 Reads the system-wide @dfn{init file} (if @option{--with-system-gdbinit} was
1239 used when building @value{GDBN}; @pxref{System-wide configuration,
1240 ,System-wide configuration and settings}) and executes all the commands in
1241 that file.
1242
1243 @item
1244 Reads the init file (if any) in your home directory@footnote{On
1245 DOS/Windows systems, the home directory is the one pointed to by the
1246 @code{HOME} environment variable.} and executes all the commands in
1247 that file.
1248
1249 @item
1250 Processes command line options and operands.
1251
1252 @item
1253 Reads and executes the commands from init file (if any) in the current
1254 working directory. This is only done if the current directory is
1255 different from your home directory. Thus, you can have more than one
1256 init file, one generic in your home directory, and another, specific
1257 to the program you are debugging, in the directory where you invoke
1258 @value{GDBN}.
1259
1260 @item
1261 If the command line specified a program to debug, or a process to
1262 attach to, or a core file, @value{GDBN} loads any auto-loaded
1263 scripts provided for the program or for its loaded shared libraries.
1264 @xref{Auto-loading}.
1265
1266 If you wish to disable the auto-loading during startup,
1267 you must do something like the following:
1268
1269 @smallexample
1270 $ gdb -ex "set auto-load-scripts off" -ex "file myprogram"
1271 @end smallexample
1272
1273 The following does not work because the auto-loading is turned off too late:
1274
1275 @smallexample
1276 $ gdb -ex "set auto-load-scripts off" myprogram
1277 @end smallexample
1278
1279 @item
1280 Reads command files specified by the @samp{-x} option. @xref{Command
1281 Files}, for more details about @value{GDBN} command files.
1282
1283 @item
1284 Reads the command history recorded in the @dfn{history file}.
1285 @xref{Command History}, for more details about the command history and the
1286 files where @value{GDBN} records it.
1287 @end enumerate
1288
1289 Init files use the same syntax as @dfn{command files} (@pxref{Command
1290 Files}) and are processed by @value{GDBN} in the same way. The init
1291 file in your home directory can set options (such as @samp{set
1292 complaints}) that affect subsequent processing of command line options
1293 and operands. Init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
1294 option (@pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing Modes}).
1295
1296 To display the list of init files loaded by gdb at startup, you
1297 can use @kbd{gdb --help}.
1298
1299 @cindex init file name
1300 @cindex @file{.gdbinit}
1301 @cindex @file{gdb.ini}
1302 The @value{GDBN} init files are normally called @file{.gdbinit}.
1303 The DJGPP port of @value{GDBN} uses the name @file{gdb.ini}, due to
1304 the limitations of file names imposed by DOS filesystems. The Windows
1305 ports of @value{GDBN} use the standard name, but if they find a
1306 @file{gdb.ini} file, they warn you about that and suggest to rename
1307 the file to the standard name.
1308
1309
1310 @node Quitting GDB
1311 @section Quitting @value{GDBN}
1312 @cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
1313 @cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1314
1315 @table @code
1316 @kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1317 @kindex q @r{(@code{quit})}
1318 @item quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1319 @itemx q
1320 To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated
1321 @code{q}), or type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{Ctrl-d}). If you
1322 do not supply @var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally;
1323 otherwise it will terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the
1324 error code.
1325 @end table
1326
1327 @cindex interrupt
1328 An interrupt (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1329 terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1330 returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
1331 character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
1332 until a time when it is safe.
1333
1334 If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1335 device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
1336 (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
1337
1338 @node Shell Commands
1339 @section Shell Commands
1340
1341 If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
1342 debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
1343 just use the @code{shell} command.
1344
1345 @table @code
1346 @kindex shell
1347 @kindex !
1348 @cindex shell escape
1349 @item shell @var{command-string}
1350 @itemx !@var{command-string}
1351 Invoke a standard shell to execute @var{command-string}.
1352 Note that no space is needed between @code{!} and @var{command-string}.
1353 If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
1354 shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses the default shell
1355 (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix systems, @file{COMMAND.COM} on MS-DOS, etc.).
1356 @end table
1357
1358 The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
1359 You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
1360 @value{GDBN}:
1361
1362 @table @code
1363 @kindex make
1364 @cindex calling make
1365 @item make @var{make-args}
1366 Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
1367 arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1368 @end table
1369
1370 @node Logging Output
1371 @section Logging Output
1372 @cindex logging @value{GDBN} output
1373 @cindex save @value{GDBN} output to a file
1374
1375 You may want to save the output of @value{GDBN} commands to a file.
1376 There are several commands to control @value{GDBN}'s logging.
1377
1378 @table @code
1379 @kindex set logging
1380 @item set logging on
1381 Enable logging.
1382 @item set logging off
1383 Disable logging.
1384 @cindex logging file name
1385 @item set logging file @var{file}
1386 Change the name of the current logfile. The default logfile is @file{gdb.txt}.
1387 @item set logging overwrite [on|off]
1388 By default, @value{GDBN} will append to the logfile. Set @code{overwrite} if
1389 you want @code{set logging on} to overwrite the logfile instead.
1390 @item set logging redirect [on|off]
1391 By default, @value{GDBN} output will go to both the terminal and the logfile.
1392 Set @code{redirect} if you want output to go only to the log file.
1393 @kindex show logging
1394 @item show logging
1395 Show the current values of the logging settings.
1396 @end table
1397
1398 @node Commands
1399 @chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1400
1401 You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1402 name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1403 @value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1404 key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1405 show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1406
1407 @menu
1408 * Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1409 * Completion:: Command completion
1410 * Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1411 @end menu
1412
1413 @node Command Syntax
1414 @section Command Syntax
1415
1416 A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1417 how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1418 arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1419 command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1420 step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1421 with no arguments. Some commands do not allow any arguments.
1422
1423 @cindex abbreviation
1424 @value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1425 unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1426 documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1427 abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1428 equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1429 names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1430 arguments to the @code{help} command.
1431
1432 @cindex repeating commands
1433 @kindex RET @r{(repeat last command)}
1434 A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1435 repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1436 will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
1437 repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1438 repeat. User-defined commands can disable this feature; see
1439 @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
1440
1441 The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1442 @key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1443 exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1444
1445 @value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1446 output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1447 (@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen Size}). Since it is easy to press one
1448 @key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1449 repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1450
1451 @kindex # @r{(a comment)}
1452 @cindex comment
1453 Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1454 nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1455 Files,,Command Files}).
1456
1457 @cindex repeating command sequences
1458 @kindex Ctrl-o @r{(operate-and-get-next)}
1459 The @kbd{Ctrl-o} binding is useful for repeating a complex sequence of
1460 commands. This command accepts the current line, like @key{RET}, and
1461 then fetches the next line relative to the current line from the history
1462 for editing.
1463
1464 @node Completion
1465 @section Command Completion
1466
1467 @cindex completion
1468 @cindex word completion
1469 @value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1470 only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1471 are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1472 commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1473
1474 Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1475 of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1476 word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1477 enter it). For example, if you type
1478
1479 @c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1480 @c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1481 @c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1482 @c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1483 @smallexample
1484 (@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1485 @end smallexample
1486
1487 @noindent
1488 @value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1489 the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1490
1491 @smallexample
1492 (@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1493 @end smallexample
1494
1495 @noindent
1496 You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1497 breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1498 @samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1499 were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1500 might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1501 to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1502
1503 If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1504 @key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1505 characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1506 @value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
1507 example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1508 begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1509 just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
1510 function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1511 example:
1512
1513 @smallexample
1514 (@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1515 @exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1516 make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1517 make_abs_section make_function_type
1518 make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1519 make_cleanup make_reference_type
1520 make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1521 (@value{GDBP}) b make_
1522 @end smallexample
1523
1524 @noindent
1525 After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1526 partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1527 command.
1528
1529 If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1530 can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1531 means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this either by holding down a
1532 key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1533 one) while typing @kbd{?}, or as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1534
1535 @cindex quotes in commands
1536 @cindex completion of quoted strings
1537 Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1538 parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from
1539 its notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this
1540 situation, you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in
1541 @value{GDBN} commands.
1542
1543 The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1544 name of a C@t{++} function. This is because C@t{++} allows function
1545 overloading (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished
1546 by argument type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you
1547 may need to distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name}
1548 that takes an @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version
1549 that takes a @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the
1550 word-completion facilities in this situation, type a single quote
1551 @code{'} at the beginning of the function name. This alerts
1552 @value{GDBN} that it may need to consider more information than usual
1553 when you press @key{TAB} or @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1554
1555 @smallexample
1556 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @kbd{M-?}
1557 bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
1558 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1559 @end smallexample
1560
1561 In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name requires using
1562 quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} inserts the quote for you (while
1563 completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1564 place:
1565
1566 @smallexample
1567 (@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1568 @exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1569 (@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1570 @end smallexample
1571
1572 @noindent
1573 In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
1574 you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1575 completion on an overloaded symbol.
1576
1577 For more information about overloaded functions, see @ref{C Plus Plus
1578 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}. You can use the command @code{set
1579 overload-resolution off} to disable overload resolution;
1580 see @ref{Debugging C Plus Plus, ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
1581
1582 @cindex completion of structure field names
1583 @cindex structure field name completion
1584 @cindex completion of union field names
1585 @cindex union field name completion
1586 When completing in an expression which looks up a field in a
1587 structure, @value{GDBN} also tries@footnote{The completer can be
1588 confused by certain kinds of invalid expressions. Also, it only
1589 examines the static type of the expression, not the dynamic type.} to
1590 limit completions to the field names available in the type of the
1591 left-hand-side:
1592
1593 @smallexample
1594 (@value{GDBP}) p gdb_stdout.@kbd{M-?}
1595 magic to_fputs to_rewind
1596 to_data to_isatty to_write
1597 to_delete to_put to_write_async_safe
1598 to_flush to_read
1599 @end smallexample
1600
1601 @noindent
1602 This is because the @code{gdb_stdout} is a variable of the type
1603 @code{struct ui_file} that is defined in @value{GDBN} sources as
1604 follows:
1605
1606 @smallexample
1607 struct ui_file
1608 @{
1609 int *magic;
1610 ui_file_flush_ftype *to_flush;
1611 ui_file_write_ftype *to_write;
1612 ui_file_write_async_safe_ftype *to_write_async_safe;
1613 ui_file_fputs_ftype *to_fputs;
1614 ui_file_read_ftype *to_read;
1615 ui_file_delete_ftype *to_delete;
1616 ui_file_isatty_ftype *to_isatty;
1617 ui_file_rewind_ftype *to_rewind;
1618 ui_file_put_ftype *to_put;
1619 void *to_data;
1620 @}
1621 @end smallexample
1622
1623
1624 @node Help
1625 @section Getting Help
1626 @cindex online documentation
1627 @kindex help
1628
1629 You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1630 using the command @code{help}.
1631
1632 @table @code
1633 @kindex h @r{(@code{help})}
1634 @item help
1635 @itemx h
1636 You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1637 display a short list of named classes of commands:
1638
1639 @smallexample
1640 (@value{GDBP}) help
1641 List of classes of commands:
1642
1643 aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1644 breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1645 data -- Examining data
1646 files -- Specifying and examining files
1647 internals -- Maintenance commands
1648 obscure -- Obscure features
1649 running -- Running the program
1650 stack -- Examining the stack
1651 status -- Status inquiries
1652 support -- Support facilities
1653 tracepoints -- Tracing of program execution without
1654 stopping the program
1655 user-defined -- User-defined commands
1656
1657 Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1658 commands in that class.
1659 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1660 documentation.
1661 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1662 (@value{GDBP})
1663 @end smallexample
1664 @c the above line break eliminates huge line overfull...
1665
1666 @item help @var{class}
1667 Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1668 list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1669 help display for the class @code{status}:
1670
1671 @smallexample
1672 (@value{GDBP}) help status
1673 Status inquiries.
1674
1675 List of commands:
1676
1677 @c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1678 @c to fit in smallbook page size.
1679 info -- Generic command for showing things
1680 about the program being debugged
1681 show -- Generic command for showing things
1682 about the debugger
1683
1684 Type "help" followed by command name for full
1685 documentation.
1686 Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1687 (@value{GDBP})
1688 @end smallexample
1689
1690 @item help @var{command}
1691 With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
1692 short paragraph on how to use that command.
1693
1694 @kindex apropos
1695 @item apropos @var{args}
1696 The @code{apropos} command searches through all of the @value{GDBN}
1697 commands, and their documentation, for the regular expression specified in
1698 @var{args}. It prints out all matches found. For example:
1699
1700 @smallexample
1701 apropos reload
1702 @end smallexample
1703
1704 @noindent
1705 results in:
1706
1707 @smallexample
1708 @c @group
1709 set symbol-reloading -- Set dynamic symbol table reloading
1710 multiple times in one run
1711 show symbol-reloading -- Show dynamic symbol table reloading
1712 multiple times in one run
1713 @c @end group
1714 @end smallexample
1715
1716 @kindex complete
1717 @item complete @var{args}
1718 The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1719 for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1720 command you want completed. For example:
1721
1722 @smallexample
1723 complete i
1724 @end smallexample
1725
1726 @noindent results in:
1727
1728 @smallexample
1729 @group
1730 if
1731 ignore
1732 info
1733 inspect
1734 @end group
1735 @end smallexample
1736
1737 @noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
1738 @end table
1739
1740 In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1741 and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1742 of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1743 manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1744 under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Index point to
1745 all the sub-commands. @xref{Index}.
1746
1747 @c @group
1748 @table @code
1749 @kindex info
1750 @kindex i @r{(@code{info})}
1751 @item info
1752 This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1753 program. For example, you can show the arguments passed to a function
1754 with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1755 registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1756 You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1757 @w{@code{help info}}.
1758
1759 @kindex set
1760 @item set
1761 You can assign the result of an expression to an environment variable with
1762 @code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1763 @code{set prompt $}.
1764
1765 @kindex show
1766 @item show
1767 In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1768 @value{GDBN} itself.
1769 You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1770 related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1771 system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1772 which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1773
1774 @kindex info set
1775 To display all the settable parameters and their current
1776 values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1777 @code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1778 @c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1779 @c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1780 @c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1781 @end table
1782 @c @end group
1783
1784 Here are three miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1785 exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1786
1787 @table @code
1788 @kindex show version
1789 @cindex @value{GDBN} version number
1790 @item show version
1791 Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1792 information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of
1793 @value{GDBN} are in use at your site, you may need to determine which
1794 version of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new
1795 commands are introduced, and old ones may wither away. Also, many
1796 system vendors ship variant versions of @value{GDBN}, and there are
1797 variant versions of @value{GDBN} in @sc{gnu}/Linux distributions as well.
1798 The version number is the same as the one announced when you start
1799 @value{GDBN}.
1800
1801 @kindex show copying
1802 @kindex info copying
1803 @cindex display @value{GDBN} copyright
1804 @item show copying
1805 @itemx info copying
1806 Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1807
1808 @kindex show warranty
1809 @kindex info warranty
1810 @item show warranty
1811 @itemx info warranty
1812 Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement, or a warranty,
1813 if your version of @value{GDBN} comes with one.
1814
1815 @end table
1816
1817 @node Running
1818 @chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1819
1820 When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1821 debugging information when you compile it.
1822
1823 You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1824 of your choice. If you are doing native debugging, you may redirect
1825 your program's input and output, debug an already running process, or
1826 kill a child process.
1827
1828 @menu
1829 * Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1830 * Starting:: Starting your program
1831 * Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1832 * Environment:: Your program's environment
1833
1834 * Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1835 * Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1836 * Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1837 * Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1838
1839 * Inferiors and Programs:: Debugging multiple inferiors and programs
1840 * Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1841 * Forks:: Debugging forks
1842 * Checkpoint/Restart:: Setting a @emph{bookmark} to return to later
1843 @end menu
1844
1845 @node Compilation
1846 @section Compiling for Debugging
1847
1848 In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1849 debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1850 is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1851 variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1852 and addresses in the executable code.
1853
1854 To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1855 the compiler.
1856
1857 Programs that are to be shipped to your customers are compiled with
1858 optimizations, using the @samp{-O} compiler option. However, some
1859 compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O} options
1860 together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1861 executables containing debugging information.
1862
1863 @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or
1864 without @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We
1865 recommend that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a
1866 program. You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense
1867 in pushing your luck. For more information, see @ref{Optimized Code}.
1868
1869 Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
1870 @w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
1871 format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
1872
1873 @value{GDBN} knows about preprocessor macros and can show you their
1874 expansion (@pxref{Macros}). Most compilers do not include information
1875 about preprocessor macros in the debugging information if you specify
1876 the @option{-g} flag alone. Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC},
1877 the @sc{gnu} C compiler, provides macro information if you are using
1878 the DWARF debugging format, and specify the option @option{-g3}.
1879
1880 @xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
1881 gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for more
1882 information on @value{NGCC} options affecting debug information.
1883
1884 You will have the best debugging experience if you use the latest
1885 version of the DWARF debugging format that your compiler supports.
1886 DWARF is currently the most expressive and best supported debugging
1887 format in @value{GDBN}.
1888
1889 @need 2000
1890 @node Starting
1891 @section Starting your Program
1892 @cindex starting
1893 @cindex running
1894
1895 @table @code
1896 @kindex run
1897 @kindex r @r{(@code{run})}
1898 @item run
1899 @itemx r
1900 Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}.
1901 You must first specify the program name (except on VxWorks) with an
1902 argument to @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and Out of
1903 @value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file} command
1904 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
1905
1906 @end table
1907
1908 If you are running your program in an execution environment that
1909 supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
1910 that process run your program. In some environments without processes,
1911 @code{run} jumps to the start of your program. Other targets,
1912 like @samp{remote}, are always running. If you get an error
1913 message like this one:
1914
1915 @smallexample
1916 The "remote" target does not support "run".
1917 Try "help target" or "continue".
1918 @end smallexample
1919
1920 @noindent
1921 then use @code{continue} to run your program. You may need @code{load}
1922 first (@pxref{load}).
1923
1924 The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
1925 receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
1926 information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
1927 can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
1928 your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
1929 divided into four categories:
1930
1931 @table @asis
1932 @item The @emph{arguments.}
1933 Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
1934 @code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
1935 is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
1936 (such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
1937 the arguments.
1938 In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used with the
1939 @code{SHELL} environment variable.
1940 @xref{Arguments, ,Your Program's Arguments}.
1941
1942 @item The @emph{environment.}
1943 Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
1944 use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
1945 environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
1946 your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}.
1947
1948 @item The @emph{working directory.}
1949 Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
1950 the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
1951 @xref{Working Directory, ,Your Program's Working Directory}.
1952
1953 @item The @emph{standard input and output.}
1954 Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
1955 standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
1956 in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
1957 set a different device for your program.
1958 @xref{Input/Output, ,Your Program's Input and Output}.
1959
1960 @cindex pipes
1961 @emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
1962 pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
1963 program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
1964 wrong program.
1965 @end table
1966
1967 When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
1968 immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and Continuing}, for discussion
1969 of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
1970 stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
1971 or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
1972
1973 If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
1974 time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
1975 table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
1976 your current breakpoints.
1977
1978 @table @code
1979 @kindex start
1980 @item start
1981 @cindex run to main procedure
1982 The name of the main procedure can vary from language to language.
1983 With C or C@t{++}, the main procedure name is always @code{main}, but
1984 other languages such as Ada do not require a specific name for their
1985 main procedure. The debugger provides a convenient way to start the
1986 execution of the program and to stop at the beginning of the main
1987 procedure, depending on the language used.
1988
1989 The @samp{start} command does the equivalent of setting a temporary
1990 breakpoint at the beginning of the main procedure and then invoking
1991 the @samp{run} command.
1992
1993 @cindex elaboration phase
1994 Some programs contain an @dfn{elaboration} phase where some startup code is
1995 executed before the main procedure is called. This depends on the
1996 languages used to write your program. In C@t{++}, for instance,
1997 constructors for static and global objects are executed before
1998 @code{main} is called. It is therefore possible that the debugger stops
1999 before reaching the main procedure. However, the temporary breakpoint
2000 will remain to halt execution.
2001
2002 Specify the arguments to give to your program as arguments to the
2003 @samp{start} command. These arguments will be given verbatim to the
2004 underlying @samp{run} command. Note that the same arguments will be
2005 reused if no argument is provided during subsequent calls to
2006 @samp{start} or @samp{run}.
2007
2008 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration. In
2009 these cases, using the @code{start} command would stop the execution of
2010 your program too late, as the program would have already completed the
2011 elaboration phase. Under these circumstances, insert breakpoints in your
2012 elaboration code before running your program.
2013
2014 @kindex set exec-wrapper
2015 @item set exec-wrapper @var{wrapper}
2016 @itemx show exec-wrapper
2017 @itemx unset exec-wrapper
2018 When @samp{exec-wrapper} is set, the specified wrapper is used to
2019 launch programs for debugging. @value{GDBN} starts your program
2020 with a shell command of the form @kbd{exec @var{wrapper}
2021 @var{program}}. Quoting is added to @var{program} and its
2022 arguments, but not to @var{wrapper}, so you should add quotes if
2023 appropriate for your shell. The wrapper runs until it executes
2024 your program, and then @value{GDBN} takes control.
2025
2026 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
2027 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
2028 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
2029 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
2030
2031 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
2032 the debugged program, without setting the variable in your shell's
2033 environment:
2034
2035 @smallexample
2036 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper env 'LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so'
2037 (@value{GDBP}) run
2038 @end smallexample
2039
2040 This command is available when debugging locally on most targets, excluding
2041 @sc{djgpp}, Cygwin, MS Windows, and QNX Neutrino.
2042
2043 @kindex set disable-randomization
2044 @item set disable-randomization
2045 @itemx set disable-randomization on
2046 This option (enabled by default in @value{GDBN}) will turn off the native
2047 randomization of the virtual address space of the started program. This option
2048 is useful for multiple debugging sessions to make the execution better
2049 reproducible and memory addresses reusable across debugging sessions.
2050
2051 This feature is implemented only on certain targets, including @sc{gnu}/Linux.
2052 On @sc{gnu}/Linux you can get the same behavior using
2053
2054 @smallexample
2055 (@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper setarch `uname -m` -R
2056 @end smallexample
2057
2058 @item set disable-randomization off
2059 Leave the behavior of the started executable unchanged. Some bugs rear their
2060 ugly heads only when the program is loaded at certain addresses. If your bug
2061 disappears when you run the program under @value{GDBN}, that might be because
2062 @value{GDBN} by default disables the address randomization on platforms, such
2063 as @sc{gnu}/Linux, which do that for stand-alone programs. Use @kbd{set
2064 disable-randomization off} to try to reproduce such elusive bugs.
2065
2066 On targets where it is available, virtual address space randomization
2067 protects the programs against certain kinds of security attacks. In these
2068 cases the attacker needs to know the exact location of a concrete executable
2069 code. Randomizing its location makes it impossible to inject jumps misusing
2070 a code at its expected addresses.
2071
2072 Prelinking shared libraries provides a startup performance advantage but it
2073 makes addresses in these libraries predictable for privileged processes by
2074 having just unprivileged access at the target system. Reading the shared
2075 library binary gives enough information for assembling the malicious code
2076 misusing it. Still even a prelinked shared library can get loaded at a new
2077 random address just requiring the regular relocation process during the
2078 startup. Shared libraries not already prelinked are always loaded at
2079 a randomly chosen address.
2080
2081 Position independent executables (PIE) contain position independent code
2082 similar to the shared libraries and therefore such executables get loaded at
2083 a randomly chosen address upon startup. PIE executables always load even
2084 already prelinked shared libraries at a random address. You can build such
2085 executable using @command{gcc -fPIE -pie}.
2086
2087 Heap (malloc storage), stack and custom mmap areas are always placed randomly
2088 (as long as the randomization is enabled).
2089
2090 @item show disable-randomization
2091 Show the current setting of the explicit disable of the native randomization of
2092 the virtual address space of the started program.
2093
2094 @end table
2095
2096 @node Arguments
2097 @section Your Program's Arguments
2098
2099 @cindex arguments (to your program)
2100 The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
2101 @code{run} command.
2102 They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard characters and
2103 performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program. Your
2104 @code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what shell
2105 @value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL}, @value{GDBN} uses
2106 the default shell (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix).
2107
2108 On non-Unix systems, the program is usually invoked directly by
2109 @value{GDBN}, which emulates I/O redirection via the appropriate system
2110 calls, and the wildcard characters are expanded by the startup code of
2111 the program, not by the shell.
2112
2113 @code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
2114 @code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
2115
2116 @table @code
2117 @kindex set args
2118 @item set args
2119 Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
2120 @code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
2121 with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
2122 using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
2123 it again without arguments.
2124
2125 @kindex show args
2126 @item show args
2127 Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
2128 @end table
2129
2130 @node Environment
2131 @section Your Program's Environment
2132
2133 @cindex environment (of your program)
2134 The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
2135 their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
2136 your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
2137 path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
2138 the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
2139 debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
2140 environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
2141
2142 @table @code
2143 @kindex path
2144 @item path @var{directory}
2145 Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
2146 (the search path for executables) that will be passed to your program.
2147 The value of @code{PATH} used by @value{GDBN} does not change.
2148 You may specify several directory names, separated by whitespace or by a
2149 system-dependent separator character (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on
2150 MS-DOS and MS-Windows). If @var{directory} is already in the path, it
2151 is moved to the front, so it is searched sooner.
2152
2153 You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
2154 working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
2155 use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
2156 @code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
2157 @var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
2158 @var{directory} to the search path.
2159 @c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
2160 @c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
2161
2162 @kindex show paths
2163 @item show paths
2164 Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
2165 environment variable).
2166
2167 @kindex show environment
2168 @item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
2169 Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
2170 your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
2171 print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
2172 your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
2173
2174 @kindex set environment
2175 @item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@var{value}@r{]}
2176 Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
2177 changes for your program only, not for @value{GDBN} itself. @var{value} may
2178 be any string; the values of environment variables are just strings, and
2179 any interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
2180 parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
2181 null value.
2182 @c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
2183 @c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
2184
2185 For example, this command:
2186
2187 @smallexample
2188 set env USER = foo
2189 @end smallexample
2190
2191 @noindent
2192 tells the debugged program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
2193 @samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
2194 are not actually required.)
2195
2196 @kindex unset environment
2197 @item unset environment @var{varname}
2198 Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
2199 program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
2200 @code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
2201 rather than assigning it an empty value.
2202 @end table
2203
2204 @emph{Warning:} On Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program using
2205 the shell indicated
2206 by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it exists (or
2207 @code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable names a shell
2208 that runs an initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, or
2209 @file{.bashrc} for BASH---any variables you set in that file affect
2210 your program. You may wish to move setting of environment variables to
2211 files that are only run when you sign on, such as @file{.login} or
2212 @file{.profile}.
2213
2214 @node Working Directory
2215 @section Your Program's Working Directory
2216
2217 @cindex working directory (of your program)
2218 Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
2219 working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
2220 The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
2221 from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
2222 working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
2223
2224 The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
2225 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2226 Specify Files}.
2227
2228 @table @code
2229 @kindex cd
2230 @cindex change working directory
2231 @item cd @var{directory}
2232 Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}.
2233
2234 @kindex pwd
2235 @item pwd
2236 Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
2237 @end table
2238
2239 It is generally impossible to find the current working directory of
2240 the process being debugged (since a program can change its directory
2241 during its run). If you work on a system where @value{GDBN} is
2242 configured with the @file{/proc} support, you can use the @code{info
2243 proc} command (@pxref{SVR4 Process Information}) to find out the
2244 current working directory of the debuggee.
2245
2246 @node Input/Output
2247 @section Your Program's Input and Output
2248
2249 @cindex redirection
2250 @cindex i/o
2251 @cindex terminal
2252 By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
2253 the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
2254 to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
2255 modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
2256 running your program.
2257
2258 @table @code
2259 @kindex info terminal
2260 @item info terminal
2261 Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
2262 program is using.
2263 @end table
2264
2265 You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
2266 redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
2267
2268 @smallexample
2269 run > outfile
2270 @end smallexample
2271
2272 @noindent
2273 starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
2274
2275 @kindex tty
2276 @cindex controlling terminal
2277 Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
2278 with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
2279 argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
2280 commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
2281 process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
2282
2283 @smallexample
2284 tty /dev/ttyb
2285 @end smallexample
2286
2287 @noindent
2288 directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
2289 default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
2290 that as their controlling terminal.
2291
2292 An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
2293 effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
2294 terminal.
2295
2296 When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
2297 command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
2298 for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal. @code{tty} is an alias
2299 for @code{set inferior-tty}.
2300
2301 @cindex inferior tty
2302 @cindex set inferior controlling terminal
2303 You can use the @code{show inferior-tty} command to tell @value{GDBN} to
2304 display the name of the terminal that will be used for future runs of your
2305 program.
2306
2307 @table @code
2308 @item set inferior-tty /dev/ttyb
2309 @kindex set inferior-tty
2310 Set the tty for the program being debugged to /dev/ttyb.
2311
2312 @item show inferior-tty
2313 @kindex show inferior-tty
2314 Show the current tty for the program being debugged.
2315 @end table
2316
2317 @node Attach
2318 @section Debugging an Already-running Process
2319 @kindex attach
2320 @cindex attach
2321
2322 @table @code
2323 @item attach @var{process-id}
2324 This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
2325 outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
2326 targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
2327 find out the @var{process-id} of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
2328 or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
2329
2330 @code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
2331 executing the command.
2332 @end table
2333
2334 To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
2335 which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
2336 programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
2337 also have permission to send the process a signal.
2338
2339 When you use @code{attach}, the debugger finds the program running in
2340 the process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if
2341 the program is not found) by using the source file search path
2342 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}). You can also use
2343 the @code{file} command to load the program. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2344 Specify Files}.
2345
2346 The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
2347 process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
2348 with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when
2349 you start processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you
2350 can step and continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the
2351 process continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
2352 attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
2353
2354 @table @code
2355 @kindex detach
2356 @item detach
2357 When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
2358 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
2359 the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
2360 that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
2361 are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
2362 @code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
2363 executing the command.
2364 @end table
2365
2366 If you exit @value{GDBN} while you have an attached process, you detach
2367 that process. If you use the @code{run} command, you kill that process.
2368 By default, @value{GDBN} asks for confirmation if you try to do either of these
2369 things; you can control whether or not you need to confirm by using the
2370 @code{set confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
2371 Messages}).
2372
2373 @node Kill Process
2374 @section Killing the Child Process
2375
2376 @table @code
2377 @kindex kill
2378 @item kill
2379 Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
2380 @end table
2381
2382 This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
2383 running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
2384 is running.
2385
2386 On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
2387 while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
2388 @code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
2389 outside the debugger.
2390
2391 The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
2392 relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
2393 executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
2394 next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
2395 reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
2396 breakpoint settings).
2397
2398 @node Inferiors and Programs
2399 @section Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs
2400
2401 @value{GDBN} lets you run and debug multiple programs in a single
2402 session. In addition, @value{GDBN} on some systems may let you run
2403 several programs simultaneously (otherwise you have to exit from one
2404 before starting another). In the most general case, you can have
2405 multiple threads of execution in each of multiple processes, launched
2406 from multiple executables.
2407
2408 @cindex inferior
2409 @value{GDBN} represents the state of each program execution with an
2410 object called an @dfn{inferior}. An inferior typically corresponds to
2411 a process, but is more general and applies also to targets that do not
2412 have processes. Inferiors may be created before a process runs, and
2413 may be retained after a process exits. Inferiors have unique
2414 identifiers that are different from process ids. Usually each
2415 inferior will also have its own distinct address space, although some
2416 embedded targets may have several inferiors running in different parts
2417 of a single address space. Each inferior may in turn have multiple
2418 threads running in it.
2419
2420 To find out what inferiors exist at any moment, use @w{@code{info
2421 inferiors}}:
2422
2423 @table @code
2424 @kindex info inferiors
2425 @item info inferiors
2426 Print a list of all inferiors currently being managed by @value{GDBN}.
2427
2428 @value{GDBN} displays for each inferior (in this order):
2429
2430 @enumerate
2431 @item
2432 the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2433
2434 @item
2435 the target system's inferior identifier
2436
2437 @item
2438 the name of the executable the inferior is running.
2439
2440 @end enumerate
2441
2442 @noindent
2443 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} inferior number
2444 indicates the current inferior.
2445
2446 For example,
2447 @end table
2448 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2449
2450 @smallexample
2451 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2452 Num Description Executable
2453 2 process 2307 hello
2454 * 1 process 3401 goodbye
2455 @end smallexample
2456
2457 To switch focus between inferiors, use the @code{inferior} command:
2458
2459 @table @code
2460 @kindex inferior @var{infno}
2461 @item inferior @var{infno}
2462 Make inferior number @var{infno} the current inferior. The argument
2463 @var{infno} is the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}, as shown
2464 in the first field of the @samp{info inferiors} display.
2465 @end table
2466
2467
2468 You can get multiple executables into a debugging session via the
2469 @code{add-inferior} and @w{@code{clone-inferior}} commands. On some
2470 systems @value{GDBN} can add inferiors to the debug session
2471 automatically by following calls to @code{fork} and @code{exec}. To
2472 remove inferiors from the debugging session use the
2473 @w{@code{remove-inferiors}} command.
2474
2475 @table @code
2476 @kindex add-inferior
2477 @item add-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ -exec @var{executable} ]
2478 Adds @var{n} inferiors to be run using @var{executable} as the
2479 executable. @var{n} defaults to 1. If no executable is specified,
2480 the inferiors begins empty, with no program. You can still assign or
2481 change the program assigned to the inferior at any time by using the
2482 @code{file} command with the executable name as its argument.
2483
2484 @kindex clone-inferior
2485 @item clone-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ @var{infno} ]
2486 Adds @var{n} inferiors ready to execute the same program as inferior
2487 @var{infno}. @var{n} defaults to 1. @var{infno} defaults to the
2488 number of the current inferior. This is a convenient command when you
2489 want to run another instance of the inferior you are debugging.
2490
2491 @smallexample
2492 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2493 Num Description Executable
2494 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2495 (@value{GDBP}) clone-inferior
2496 Added inferior 2.
2497 1 inferiors added.
2498 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2499 Num Description Executable
2500 2 <null> helloworld
2501 * 1 process 29964 helloworld
2502 @end smallexample
2503
2504 You can now simply switch focus to inferior 2 and run it.
2505
2506 @kindex remove-inferiors
2507 @item remove-inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2508 Removes the inferior or inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}. It is not
2509 possible to remove an inferior that is running with this command. For
2510 those, use the @code{kill} or @code{detach} command first.
2511
2512 @end table
2513
2514 To quit debugging one of the running inferiors that is not the current
2515 inferior, you can either detach from it by using the @w{@code{detach
2516 inferior}} command (allowing it to run independently), or kill it
2517 using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}} command:
2518
2519 @table @code
2520 @kindex detach inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2521 @item detach inferior @var{infno}@dots{}
2522 Detach from the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN}
2523 inferior number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry
2524 still stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors},
2525 but its Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2526
2527 @kindex kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2528 @item kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2529 Kill the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN} inferior
2530 number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry still
2531 stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors}, but its
2532 Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2533 @end table
2534
2535 After the successful completion of a command such as @code{detach},
2536 @code{detach inferiors}, @code{kill} or @code{kill inferiors}, or after
2537 a normal process exit, the inferior is still valid and listed with
2538 @code{info inferiors}, ready to be restarted.
2539
2540
2541 To be notified when inferiors are started or exit under @value{GDBN}'s
2542 control use @w{@code{set print inferior-events}}:
2543
2544 @table @code
2545 @kindex set print inferior-events
2546 @cindex print messages on inferior start and exit
2547 @item set print inferior-events
2548 @itemx set print inferior-events on
2549 @itemx set print inferior-events off
2550 The @code{set print inferior-events} command allows you to enable or
2551 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new
2552 inferiors have started or that inferiors have exited or have been
2553 detached. By default, these messages will not be printed.
2554
2555 @kindex show print inferior-events
2556 @item show print inferior-events
2557 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that
2558 inferiors have started, exited or have been detached.
2559 @end table
2560
2561 Many commands will work the same with multiple programs as with a
2562 single program: e.g., @code{print myglobal} will simply display the
2563 value of @code{myglobal} in the current inferior.
2564
2565
2566 Occasionaly, when debugging @value{GDBN} itself, it may be useful to
2567 get more info about the relationship of inferiors, programs, address
2568 spaces in a debug session. You can do that with the @w{@code{maint
2569 info program-spaces}} command.
2570
2571 @table @code
2572 @kindex maint info program-spaces
2573 @item maint info program-spaces
2574 Print a list of all program spaces currently being managed by
2575 @value{GDBN}.
2576
2577 @value{GDBN} displays for each program space (in this order):
2578
2579 @enumerate
2580 @item
2581 the program space number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2582
2583 @item
2584 the name of the executable loaded into the program space, with e.g.,
2585 the @code{file} command.
2586
2587 @end enumerate
2588
2589 @noindent
2590 An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} program space number
2591 indicates the current program space.
2592
2593 In addition, below each program space line, @value{GDBN} prints extra
2594 information that isn't suitable to display in tabular form. For
2595 example, the list of inferiors bound to the program space.
2596
2597 @smallexample
2598 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2599 Id Executable
2600 2 goodbye
2601 Bound inferiors: ID 1 (process 21561)
2602 * 1 hello
2603 @end smallexample
2604
2605 Here we can see that no inferior is running the program @code{hello},
2606 while @code{process 21561} is running the program @code{goodbye}. On
2607 some targets, it is possible that multiple inferiors are bound to the
2608 same program space. The most common example is that of debugging both
2609 the parent and child processes of a @code{vfork} call. For example,
2610
2611 @smallexample
2612 (@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2613 Id Executable
2614 * 1 vfork-test
2615 Bound inferiors: ID 2 (process 18050), ID 1 (process 18045)
2616 @end smallexample
2617
2618 Here, both inferior 2 and inferior 1 are running in the same program
2619 space as a result of inferior 1 having executed a @code{vfork} call.
2620 @end table
2621
2622 @node Threads
2623 @section Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads
2624
2625 @cindex threads of execution
2626 @cindex multiple threads
2627 @cindex switching threads
2628 In some operating systems, such as HP-UX and Solaris, a single program
2629 may have more than one @dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics
2630 of threads differ from one operating system to another, but in general
2631 the threads of a single program are akin to multiple processes---except
2632 that they share one address space (that is, they can all examine and
2633 modify the same variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own
2634 registers and execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
2635
2636 @value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
2637 programs:
2638
2639 @itemize @bullet
2640 @item automatic notification of new threads
2641 @item @samp{thread @var{threadno}}, a command to switch among threads
2642 @item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
2643 @item @samp{thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
2644 a command to apply a command to a list of threads
2645 @item thread-specific breakpoints
2646 @item @samp{set print thread-events}, which controls printing of
2647 messages on thread start and exit.
2648 @item @samp{set libthread-db-search-path @var{path}}, which lets
2649 the user specify which @code{libthread_db} to use if the default choice
2650 isn't compatible with the program.
2651 @end itemize
2652
2653 @quotation
2654 @emph{Warning:} These facilities are not yet available on every
2655 @value{GDBN} configuration where the operating system supports threads.
2656 If your @value{GDBN} does not support threads, these commands have no
2657 effect. For example, a system without thread support shows no output
2658 from @samp{info threads}, and always rejects the @code{thread} command,
2659 like this:
2660
2661 @smallexample
2662 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2663 (@value{GDBP}) thread 1
2664 Thread ID 1 not known. Use the "info threads" command to
2665 see the IDs of currently known threads.
2666 @end smallexample
2667 @c FIXME to implementors: how hard would it be to say "sorry, this GDB
2668 @c doesn't support threads"?
2669 @end quotation
2670
2671 @cindex focus of debugging
2672 @cindex current thread
2673 The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
2674 threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
2675 control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
2676 This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
2677 program information from the perspective of the current thread.
2678
2679 @cindex @code{New} @var{systag} message
2680 @cindex thread identifier (system)
2681 @c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2682 @c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2683 @c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2684 Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2685 the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2686 form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2687 whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2688 @sc{gnu}/Linux, you might see
2689
2690 @smallexample
2691 [New Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 25582)]
2692 @end smallexample
2693
2694 @noindent
2695 when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on an SGI system,
2696 the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
2697 further qualifier.
2698
2699 @c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
2700 @c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
2701 @c second---i.e.@: when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
2702 @c program?
2703 @c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
2704 @c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
2705 @c threads ab initio?
2706
2707 @cindex thread number
2708 @cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2709 For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2710 number---always a single integer---with each thread in your program.
2711
2712 @table @code
2713 @kindex info threads
2714 @item info threads @r{[}@var{id}@dots{}@r{]}
2715 Display a summary of all threads currently in your program. Optional
2716 argument @var{id}@dots{} is one or more thread ids separated by spaces, and
2717 means to print information only about the specified thread or threads.
2718 @value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2719
2720 @enumerate
2721 @item
2722 the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2723
2724 @item
2725 the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
2726
2727 @item
2728 the thread's name, if one is known. A thread can either be named by
2729 the user (see @code{thread name}, below), or, in some cases, by the
2730 program itself.
2731
2732 @item
2733 the current stack frame summary for that thread
2734 @end enumerate
2735
2736 @noindent
2737 An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2738 indicates the current thread.
2739
2740 For example,
2741 @end table
2742 @c end table here to get a little more width for example
2743
2744 @smallexample
2745 (@value{GDBP}) info threads
2746 Id Target Id Frame
2747 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2748 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2749 * 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
2750 at threadtest.c:68
2751 @end smallexample
2752
2753 On Solaris, you can display more information about user threads with a
2754 Solaris-specific command:
2755
2756 @table @code
2757 @item maint info sol-threads
2758 @kindex maint info sol-threads
2759 @cindex thread info (Solaris)
2760 Display info on Solaris user threads.
2761 @end table
2762
2763 @table @code
2764 @kindex thread @var{threadno}
2765 @item thread @var{threadno}
2766 Make thread number @var{threadno} the current thread. The command
2767 argument @var{threadno} is the internal @value{GDBN} thread number, as
2768 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display.
2769 @value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the thread
2770 you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
2771
2772 @smallexample
2773 (@value{GDBP}) thread 2
2774 [Switching to thread 2 (Thread 0xb7fdab70 (LWP 12747))]
2775 #0 some_function (ignore=0x0) at example.c:8
2776 8 printf ("hello\n");
2777 @end smallexample
2778
2779 @noindent
2780 As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
2781 @samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
2782 threads.
2783
2784 @vindex $_thread@r{, convenience variable}
2785 The debugger convenience variable @samp{$_thread} contains the number
2786 of the current thread. You may find this useful in writing breakpoint
2787 conditional expressions, command scripts, and so forth. See
2788 @xref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for general
2789 information on convenience variables.
2790
2791 @kindex thread apply
2792 @cindex apply command to several threads
2793 @item thread apply [@var{threadno} | all] @var{command}
2794 The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply the named
2795 @var{command} to one or more threads. Specify the numbers of the
2796 threads that you want affected with the command argument
2797 @var{threadno}. It can be a single thread number, one of the numbers
2798 shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display; or it
2799 could be a range of thread numbers, as in @code{2-4}. To apply a
2800 command to all threads, type @kbd{thread apply all @var{command}}.
2801
2802 @kindex thread name
2803 @cindex name a thread
2804 @item thread name [@var{name}]
2805 This command assigns a name to the current thread. If no argument is
2806 given, any existing user-specified name is removed. The thread name
2807 appears in the @samp{info threads} display.
2808
2809 On some systems, such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, @value{GDBN} is able to
2810 determine the name of the thread as given by the OS. On these
2811 systems, a name specified with @samp{thread name} will override the
2812 system-give name, and removing the user-specified name will cause
2813 @value{GDBN} to once again display the system-specified name.
2814
2815 @kindex thread find
2816 @cindex search for a thread
2817 @item thread find [@var{regexp}]
2818 Search for and display thread ids whose name or @var{systag}
2819 matches the supplied regular expression.
2820
2821 As well as being the complement to the @samp{thread name} command,
2822 this command also allows you to identify a thread by its target
2823 @var{systag}. For instance, on @sc{gnu}/Linux, the target @var{systag}
2824 is the LWP id.
2825
2826 @smallexample
2827 (@value{GDBN}) thread find 26688
2828 Thread 4 has target id 'Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688)'
2829 (@value{GDBN}) info thread 4
2830 Id Target Id Frame
2831 4 Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688) 0x00000031ca6cd372 in select ()
2832 @end smallexample
2833
2834 @kindex set print thread-events
2835 @cindex print messages on thread start and exit
2836 @item set print thread-events
2837 @itemx set print thread-events on
2838 @itemx set print thread-events off
2839 The @code{set print thread-events} command allows you to enable or
2840 disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new threads have
2841 started or that threads have exited. By default, these messages will
2842 be printed if detection of these events is supported by the target.
2843 Note that these messages cannot be disabled on all targets.
2844
2845 @kindex show print thread-events
2846 @item show print thread-events
2847 Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that threads
2848 have started and exited.
2849 @end table
2850
2851 @xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs}, for
2852 more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
2853 programs with multiple threads.
2854
2855 @xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting Watchpoints}, for information about
2856 watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
2857
2858 @table @code
2859 @kindex set libthread-db-search-path
2860 @cindex search path for @code{libthread_db}
2861 @item set libthread-db-search-path @r{[}@var{path}@r{]}
2862 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
2863 directories @value{GDBN} will use to search for @code{libthread_db}.
2864 If you omit @var{path}, @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to
2865 its default value (@code{$sdir:$pdir} on @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems).
2866 Internally, the default value comes from the @code{LIBTHREAD_DB_SEARCH_PATH}
2867 macro.
2868
2869 On @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems, @value{GDBN} uses a ``helper''
2870 @code{libthread_db} library to obtain information about threads in the
2871 inferior process. @value{GDBN} will use @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2872 to find @code{libthread_db}.
2873
2874 A special entry @samp{$sdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2875 refers to the default system directories that are
2876 normally searched for loading shared libraries.
2877
2878 A special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2879 refers to the directory from which @code{libpthread}
2880 was loaded in the inferior process.
2881
2882 For any @code{libthread_db} library @value{GDBN} finds in above directories,
2883 @value{GDBN} attempts to initialize it with the current inferior process.
2884 If this initialization fails (which could happen because of a version
2885 mismatch between @code{libthread_db} and @code{libpthread}), @value{GDBN}
2886 will unload @code{libthread_db}, and continue with the next directory.
2887 If none of @code{libthread_db} libraries initialize successfully,
2888 @value{GDBN} will issue a warning and thread debugging will be disabled.
2889
2890 Setting @code{libthread-db-search-path} is currently implemented
2891 only on some platforms.
2892
2893 @kindex show libthread-db-search-path
2894 @item show libthread-db-search-path
2895 Display current libthread_db search path.
2896
2897 @kindex set debug libthread-db
2898 @kindex show debug libthread-db
2899 @cindex debugging @code{libthread_db}
2900 @item set debug libthread-db
2901 @itemx show debug libthread-db
2902 Turns on or off display of @code{libthread_db}-related events.
2903 Use @code{1} to enable, @code{0} to disable.
2904 @end table
2905
2906 @node Forks
2907 @section Debugging Forks
2908
2909 @cindex fork, debugging programs which call
2910 @cindex multiple processes
2911 @cindex processes, multiple
2912 On most systems, @value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging
2913 programs which create additional processes using the @code{fork}
2914 function. When a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the
2915 parent process and the child process will run unimpeded. If you have
2916 set a breakpoint in any code which the child then executes, the child
2917 will get a @code{SIGTRAP} signal which (unless it catches the signal)
2918 will cause it to terminate.
2919
2920 However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
2921 which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
2922 the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
2923 only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
2924 so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
2925 on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
2926 get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
2927 @value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
2928 the child process (@pxref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
2929 the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
2930
2931 On some systems, @value{GDBN} provides support for debugging programs that
2932 create additional processes using the @code{fork} or @code{vfork} functions.
2933 Currently, the only platforms with this feature are HP-UX (11.x and later
2934 only?) and @sc{gnu}/Linux (kernel version 2.5.60 and later).
2935
2936 By default, when a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug
2937 the parent process and the child process will run unimpeded.
2938
2939 If you want to follow the child process instead of the parent process,
2940 use the command @w{@code{set follow-fork-mode}}.
2941
2942 @table @code
2943 @kindex set follow-fork-mode
2944 @item set follow-fork-mode @var{mode}
2945 Set the debugger response to a program call of @code{fork} or
2946 @code{vfork}. A call to @code{fork} or @code{vfork} creates a new
2947 process. The @var{mode} argument can be:
2948
2949 @table @code
2950 @item parent
2951 The original process is debugged after a fork. The child process runs
2952 unimpeded. This is the default.
2953
2954 @item child
2955 The new process is debugged after a fork. The parent process runs
2956 unimpeded.
2957
2958 @end table
2959
2960 @kindex show follow-fork-mode
2961 @item show follow-fork-mode
2962 Display the current debugger response to a @code{fork} or @code{vfork} call.
2963 @end table
2964
2965 @cindex debugging multiple processes
2966 On Linux, if you want to debug both the parent and child processes, use the
2967 command @w{@code{set detach-on-fork}}.
2968
2969 @table @code
2970 @kindex set detach-on-fork
2971 @item set detach-on-fork @var{mode}
2972 Tells gdb whether to detach one of the processes after a fork, or
2973 retain debugger control over them both.
2974
2975 @table @code
2976 @item on
2977 The child process (or parent process, depending on the value of
2978 @code{follow-fork-mode}) will be detached and allowed to run
2979 independently. This is the default.
2980
2981 @item off
2982 Both processes will be held under the control of @value{GDBN}.
2983 One process (child or parent, depending on the value of
2984 @code{follow-fork-mode}) is debugged as usual, while the other
2985 is held suspended.
2986
2987 @end table
2988
2989 @kindex show detach-on-fork
2990 @item show detach-on-fork
2991 Show whether detach-on-fork mode is on/off.
2992 @end table
2993
2994 If you choose to set @samp{detach-on-fork} mode off, then @value{GDBN}
2995 will retain control of all forked processes (including nested forks).
2996 You can list the forked processes under the control of @value{GDBN} by
2997 using the @w{@code{info inferiors}} command, and switch from one fork
2998 to another by using the @code{inferior} command (@pxref{Inferiors and
2999 Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs}).
3000
3001 To quit debugging one of the forked processes, you can either detach
3002 from it by using the @w{@code{detach inferiors}} command (allowing it
3003 to run independently), or kill it using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}}
3004 command. @xref{Inferiors and Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors
3005 and Programs}.
3006
3007 If you ask to debug a child process and a @code{vfork} is followed by an
3008 @code{exec}, @value{GDBN} executes the new target up to the first
3009 breakpoint in the new target. If you have a breakpoint set on
3010 @code{main} in your original program, the breakpoint will also be set on
3011 the child process's @code{main}.
3012
3013 On some systems, when a child process is spawned by @code{vfork}, you
3014 cannot debug the child or parent until an @code{exec} call completes.
3015
3016 If you issue a @code{run} command to @value{GDBN} after an @code{exec}
3017 call executes, the new target restarts. To restart the parent
3018 process, use the @code{file} command with the parent executable name
3019 as its argument. By default, after an @code{exec} call executes,
3020 @value{GDBN} discards the symbols of the previous executable image.
3021 You can change this behaviour with the @w{@code{set follow-exec-mode}}
3022 command.
3023
3024 @table @code
3025 @kindex set follow-exec-mode
3026 @item set follow-exec-mode @var{mode}
3027
3028 Set debugger response to a program call of @code{exec}. An
3029 @code{exec} call replaces the program image of a process.
3030
3031 @code{follow-exec-mode} can be:
3032
3033 @table @code
3034 @item new
3035 @value{GDBN} creates a new inferior and rebinds the process to this
3036 new inferior. The program the process was running before the
3037 @code{exec} call can be restarted afterwards by restarting the
3038 original inferior.
3039
3040 For example:
3041
3042 @smallexample
3043 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3044 (gdb) info inferior
3045 Id Description Executable
3046 * 1 <null> prog1
3047 (@value{GDBP}) run
3048 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3049 Program exited normally.
3050 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3051 Id Description Executable
3052 * 2 <null> prog2
3053 1 <null> prog1
3054 @end smallexample
3055
3056 @item same
3057 @value{GDBN} keeps the process bound to the same inferior. The new
3058 executable image replaces the previous executable loaded in the
3059 inferior. Restarting the inferior after the @code{exec} call, with
3060 e.g., the @code{run} command, restarts the executable the process was
3061 running after the @code{exec} call. This is the default mode.
3062
3063 For example:
3064
3065 @smallexample
3066 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3067 Id Description Executable
3068 * 1 <null> prog1
3069 (@value{GDBP}) run
3070 process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3071 Program exited normally.
3072 (@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3073 Id Description Executable
3074 * 1 <null> prog2
3075 @end smallexample
3076
3077 @end table
3078 @end table
3079
3080 You can use the @code{catch} command to make @value{GDBN} stop whenever
3081 a @code{fork}, @code{vfork}, or @code{exec} call is made. @xref{Set
3082 Catchpoints, ,Setting Catchpoints}.
3083
3084 @node Checkpoint/Restart
3085 @section Setting a @emph{Bookmark} to Return to Later
3086
3087 @cindex checkpoint
3088 @cindex restart
3089 @cindex bookmark
3090 @cindex snapshot of a process
3091 @cindex rewind program state
3092
3093 On certain operating systems@footnote{Currently, only
3094 @sc{gnu}/Linux.}, @value{GDBN} is able to save a @dfn{snapshot} of a
3095 program's state, called a @dfn{checkpoint}, and come back to it
3096 later.
3097
3098 Returning to a checkpoint effectively undoes everything that has
3099 happened in the program since the @code{checkpoint} was saved. This
3100 includes changes in memory, registers, and even (within some limits)
3101 system state. Effectively, it is like going back in time to the
3102 moment when the checkpoint was saved.
3103
3104 Thus, if you're stepping thru a program and you think you're
3105 getting close to the point where things go wrong, you can save
3106 a checkpoint. Then, if you accidentally go too far and miss
3107 the critical statement, instead of having to restart your program
3108 from the beginning, you can just go back to the checkpoint and
3109 start again from there.
3110
3111 This can be especially useful if it takes a lot of time or
3112 steps to reach the point where you think the bug occurs.
3113
3114 To use the @code{checkpoint}/@code{restart} method of debugging:
3115
3116 @table @code
3117 @kindex checkpoint
3118 @item checkpoint
3119 Save a snapshot of the debugged program's current execution state.
3120 The @code{checkpoint} command takes no arguments, but each checkpoint
3121 is assigned a small integer id, similar to a breakpoint id.
3122
3123 @kindex info checkpoints
3124 @item info checkpoints
3125 List the checkpoints that have been saved in the current debugging
3126 session. For each checkpoint, the following information will be
3127 listed:
3128
3129 @table @code
3130 @item Checkpoint ID
3131 @item Process ID
3132 @item Code Address
3133 @item Source line, or label
3134 @end table
3135
3136 @kindex restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3137 @item restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3138 Restore the program state that was saved as checkpoint number
3139 @var{checkpoint-id}. All program variables, registers, stack frames
3140 etc.@: will be returned to the values that they had when the checkpoint
3141 was saved. In essence, gdb will ``wind back the clock'' to the point
3142 in time when the checkpoint was saved.
3143
3144 Note that breakpoints, @value{GDBN} variables, command history etc.
3145 are not affected by restoring a checkpoint. In general, a checkpoint
3146 only restores things that reside in the program being debugged, not in
3147 the debugger.
3148
3149 @kindex delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3150 @item delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3151 Delete the previously-saved checkpoint identified by @var{checkpoint-id}.
3152
3153 @end table
3154
3155 Returning to a previously saved checkpoint will restore the user state
3156 of the program being debugged, plus a significant subset of the system
3157 (OS) state, including file pointers. It won't ``un-write'' data from
3158 a file, but it will rewind the file pointer to the previous location,
3159 so that the previously written data can be overwritten. For files
3160 opened in read mode, the pointer will also be restored so that the
3161 previously read data can be read again.
3162
3163 Of course, characters that have been sent to a printer (or other
3164 external device) cannot be ``snatched back'', and characters received
3165 from eg.@: a serial device can be removed from internal program buffers,
3166 but they cannot be ``pushed back'' into the serial pipeline, ready to
3167 be received again. Similarly, the actual contents of files that have
3168 been changed cannot be restored (at this time).
3169
3170 However, within those constraints, you actually can ``rewind'' your
3171 program to a previously saved point in time, and begin debugging it
3172 again --- and you can change the course of events so as to debug a
3173 different execution path this time.
3174
3175 @cindex checkpoints and process id
3176 Finally, there is one bit of internal program state that will be
3177 different when you return to a checkpoint --- the program's process
3178 id. Each checkpoint will have a unique process id (or @var{pid}),
3179 and each will be different from the program's original @var{pid}.
3180 If your program has saved a local copy of its process id, this could
3181 potentially pose a problem.
3182
3183 @subsection A Non-obvious Benefit of Using Checkpoints
3184
3185 On some systems such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, address space randomization
3186 is performed on new processes for security reasons. This makes it
3187 difficult or impossible to set a breakpoint, or watchpoint, on an
3188 absolute address if you have to restart the program, since the
3189 absolute location of a symbol will change from one execution to the
3190 next.
3191
3192 A checkpoint, however, is an @emph{identical} copy of a process.
3193 Therefore if you create a checkpoint at (eg.@:) the start of main,
3194 and simply return to that checkpoint instead of restarting the
3195 process, you can avoid the effects of address randomization and
3196 your symbols will all stay in the same place.
3197
3198 @node Stopping
3199 @chapter Stopping and Continuing
3200
3201 The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
3202 program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
3203 trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
3204
3205 Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons,
3206 such as a signal, a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a
3207 @value{GDBN} command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and
3208 change variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then
3209 continue execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide
3210 ample explanation of the status of your program---but you can also
3211 explicitly request this information at any time.
3212
3213 @table @code
3214 @kindex info program
3215 @item info program
3216 Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
3217 running or not, what process it is, and why it stopped.
3218 @end table
3219
3220 @menu
3221 * Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
3222 * Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
3223 * Skipping Over Functions and Files::
3224 Skipping over functions and files
3225 * Signals:: Signals
3226 * Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3227 @end menu
3228
3229 @node Breakpoints
3230 @section Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Catchpoints
3231
3232 @cindex breakpoints
3233 A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
3234 the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add conditions to
3235 control in finer detail whether your program stops. You can set
3236 breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants (@pxref{Set
3237 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}), to specify the place where your program
3238 should stop by line number, function name or exact address in the
3239 program.
3240
3241 On some systems, you can set breakpoints in shared libraries before
3242 the executable is run. There is a minor limitation on HP-UX systems:
3243 you must wait until the executable is run in order to set breakpoints
3244 in shared library routines that are not called directly by the program
3245 (for example, routines that are arguments in a @code{pthread_create}
3246 call).
3247
3248 @cindex watchpoints
3249 @cindex data breakpoints
3250 @cindex memory tracing
3251 @cindex breakpoint on memory address
3252 @cindex breakpoint on variable modification
3253 A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
3254 when the value of an expression changes. The expression may be a value
3255 of a variable, or it could involve values of one or more variables
3256 combined by operators, such as @samp{a + b}. This is sometimes called
3257 @dfn{data breakpoints}. You must use a different command to set
3258 watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting Watchpoints}), but aside
3259 from that, you can manage a watchpoint like any other breakpoint: you
3260 enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints and watchpoints using the
3261 same commands.
3262
3263 You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
3264 whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
3265 Automatic Display}.
3266
3267 @cindex catchpoints
3268 @cindex breakpoint on events
3269 A @dfn{catchpoint} is another special breakpoint that stops your program
3270 when a certain kind of event occurs, such as the throwing of a C@t{++}
3271 exception or the loading of a library. As with watchpoints, you use a
3272 different command to set a catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints, ,Setting
3273 Catchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a catchpoint like any
3274 other breakpoint. (To stop when your program receives a signal, use the
3275 @code{handle} command; see @ref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
3276
3277 @cindex breakpoint numbers
3278 @cindex numbers for breakpoints
3279 @value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint, watchpoint, or
3280 catchpoint when you create it; these numbers are successive integers
3281 starting with one. In many of the commands for controlling various
3282 features of breakpoints you use the breakpoint number to say which
3283 breakpoint you want to change. Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or
3284 @dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has no effect on your program until you
3285 enable it again.
3286
3287 @cindex breakpoint ranges
3288 @cindex ranges of breakpoints
3289 Some @value{GDBN} commands accept a range of breakpoints on which to
3290 operate. A breakpoint range is either a single breakpoint number, like
3291 @samp{5}, or two such numbers, in increasing order, separated by a
3292 hyphen, like @samp{5-7}. When a breakpoint range is given to a command,
3293 all breakpoints in that range are operated on.
3294
3295 @menu
3296 * Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
3297 * Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
3298 * Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
3299 * Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
3300 * Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
3301 * Conditions:: Break conditions
3302 * Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
3303 * Save Breakpoints:: How to save breakpoints in a file
3304 * Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
3305 * Breakpoint-related Warnings:: ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
3306 @end menu
3307
3308 @node Set Breaks
3309 @subsection Setting Breakpoints
3310
3311 @c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
3312 @c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
3313 @c
3314 @c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
3315
3316 @kindex break
3317 @kindex b @r{(@code{break})}
3318 @vindex $bpnum@r{, convenience variable}
3319 @cindex latest breakpoint
3320 Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
3321 @code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
3322 number of the breakpoint you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
3323 Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
3324 convenience variables.
3325
3326 @table @code
3327 @item break @var{location}
3328 Set a breakpoint at the given @var{location}, which can specify a
3329 function name, a line number, or an address of an instruction.
3330 (@xref{Specify Location}, for a list of all the possible ways to
3331 specify a @var{location}.) The breakpoint will stop your program just
3332 before it executes any of the code in the specified @var{location}.
3333
3334 When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
3335 C@t{++}, a function name may refer to more than one possible place to break.
3336 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}, for a discussion of
3337 that situation.
3338
3339 It is also possible to insert a breakpoint that will stop the program
3340 only if a specific thread (@pxref{Thread-Specific Breakpoints})
3341 or a specific task (@pxref{Ada Tasks}) hits that breakpoint.
3342
3343 @item break
3344 When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
3345 the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
3346 (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
3347 innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
3348 returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
3349 @code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
3350 that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
3351 @code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
3352 the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
3353 inside loops.
3354
3355 @value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
3356 least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
3357 would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
3358 breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
3359 existed when your program stopped.
3360
3361 @item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
3362 Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
3363 @var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
3364 value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
3365 @samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
3366 above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
3367 ,Break Conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
3368
3369 @kindex tbreak
3370 @item tbreak @var{args}
3371 Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the
3372 same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
3373 way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
3374 program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3375
3376 @kindex hbreak
3377 @cindex hardware breakpoints
3378 @item hbreak @var{args}
3379 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. @var{args} are the same as for the
3380 @code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
3381 breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
3382 have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
3383 debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
3384 changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
3385 provided by SPARClite DSU and most x86-based targets. These targets
3386 will generate traps when a program accesses some data or instruction
3387 address that is assigned to the debug registers. However the hardware
3388 breakpoint registers can take a limited number of breakpoints. For
3389 example, on the DSU, only two data breakpoints can be set at a time, and
3390 @value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used. Delete
3391 or disable unused hardware breakpoints before setting new ones
3392 (@pxref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}).
3393 @xref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3394 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3395 breakpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3396 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3397
3398 @kindex thbreak
3399 @item thbreak @var{args}
3400 Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args}
3401 are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
3402 the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
3403 the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
3404 first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
3405 command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
3406 may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3407 See also @ref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3408
3409 @kindex rbreak
3410 @cindex regular expression
3411 @cindex breakpoints at functions matching a regexp
3412 @cindex set breakpoints in many functions
3413 @item rbreak @var{regex}
3414 Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
3415 @var{regex}. This command sets an unconditional breakpoint on all
3416 matches, printing a list of all breakpoints it set. Once these
3417 breakpoints are set, they are treated just like the breakpoints set with
3418 the @code{break} command. You can delete them, disable them, or make
3419 them conditional the same way as any other breakpoint.
3420
3421 The syntax of the regular expression is the standard one used with tools
3422 like @file{grep}. Note that this is different from the syntax used by
3423 shells, so for instance @code{foo*} matches all functions that include
3424 an @code{fo} followed by zero or more @code{o}s. There is an implicit
3425 @code{.*} leading and trailing the regular expression you supply, so to
3426 match only functions that begin with @code{foo}, use @code{^foo}.
3427
3428 @cindex non-member C@t{++} functions, set breakpoint in
3429 When debugging C@t{++} programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
3430 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
3431 classes.
3432
3433 @cindex set breakpoints on all functions
3434 The @code{rbreak} command can be used to set breakpoints in
3435 @strong{all} the functions in a program, like this:
3436
3437 @smallexample
3438 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak .
3439 @end smallexample
3440
3441 @item rbreak @var{file}:@var{regex}
3442 If @code{rbreak} is called with a filename qualification, it limits
3443 the search for functions matching the given regular expression to the
3444 specified @var{file}. This can be used, for example, to set breakpoints on
3445 every function in a given file:
3446
3447 @smallexample
3448 (@value{GDBP}) rbreak file.c:.
3449 @end smallexample
3450
3451 The colon separating the filename qualifier from the regex may
3452 optionally be surrounded by spaces.
3453
3454 @kindex info breakpoints
3455 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
3456 @item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3457 @itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3458 Print a table of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints set and
3459 not deleted. Optional argument @var{n} means print information only
3460 about the specified breakpoint(s) (or watchpoint(s) or catchpoint(s)).
3461 For each breakpoint, following columns are printed:
3462
3463 @table @emph
3464 @item Breakpoint Numbers
3465 @item Type
3466 Breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint.
3467 @item Disposition
3468 Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
3469 @item Enabled or Disabled
3470 Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
3471 that are not enabled.
3472 @item Address
3473 Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address. For a
3474 pending breakpoint whose address is not yet known, this field will
3475 contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Such breakpoint won't fire until a shared
3476 library that has the symbol or line referred by breakpoint is loaded.
3477 See below for details. A breakpoint with several locations will
3478 have @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in this field---see below for details.
3479 @item What
3480 Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
3481 line number. For a pending breakpoint, the original string passed to
3482 the breakpoint command will be listed as it cannot be resolved until
3483 the appropriate shared library is loaded in the future.
3484 @end table
3485
3486 @noindent
3487 If a breakpoint is conditional, @code{info break} shows the condition on
3488 the line following the affected breakpoint; breakpoint commands, if any,
3489 are listed after that. A pending breakpoint is allowed to have a condition
3490 specified for it. The condition is not parsed for validity until a shared
3491 library is loaded that allows the pending breakpoint to resolve to a
3492 valid location.
3493
3494 @noindent
3495 @code{info break} with a breakpoint
3496 number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
3497 convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
3498 the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
3499 listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}).
3500
3501 @noindent
3502 @code{info break} displays a count of the number of times the breakpoint
3503 has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with the
3504 @code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
3505 hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the breakpoint
3506 was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that number. This
3507 will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
3508 @end table
3509
3510 @value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
3511 your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
3512 the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
3513 (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
3514
3515 @cindex multiple locations, breakpoints
3516 @cindex breakpoints, multiple locations
3517 It is possible that a breakpoint corresponds to several locations
3518 in your program. Examples of this situation are:
3519
3520 @itemize @bullet
3521 @item
3522 Multiple functions in the program may have the same name.
3523
3524 @item
3525 For a C@t{++} constructor, the @value{NGCC} compiler generates several
3526 instances of the function body, used in different cases.
3527
3528 @item
3529 For a C@t{++} template function, a given line in the function can
3530 correspond to any number of instantiations.
3531
3532 @item
3533 For an inlined function, a given source line can correspond to
3534 several places where that function is inlined.
3535 @end itemize
3536
3537 In all those cases, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at all
3538 the relevant locations.
3539
3540 A breakpoint with multiple locations is displayed in the breakpoint
3541 table using several rows---one header row, followed by one row for
3542 each breakpoint location. The header row has @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in the
3543 address column. The rows for individual locations contain the actual
3544 addresses for locations, and show the functions to which those
3545 locations belong. The number column for a location is of the form
3546 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number}.
3547
3548 For example:
3549
3550 @smallexample
3551 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
3552 1 breakpoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
3553 stop only if i==1
3554 breakpoint already hit 1 time
3555 1.1 y 0x080486a2 in void foo<int>() at t.cc:8
3556 1.2 y 0x080486ca in void foo<double>() at t.cc:8
3557 @end smallexample
3558
3559 Each location can be individually enabled or disabled by passing
3560 @var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number} as argument to the
3561 @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands. Note that you cannot
3562 delete the individual locations from the list, you can only delete the
3563 entire list of locations that belong to their parent breakpoint (with
3564 the @kbd{delete @var{num}} command, where @var{num} is the number of
3565 the parent breakpoint, 1 in the above example). Disabling or enabling
3566 the parent breakpoint (@pxref{Disabling}) affects all of the locations
3567 that belong to that breakpoint.
3568
3569 @cindex pending breakpoints
3570 It's quite common to have a breakpoint inside a shared library.
3571 Shared libraries can be loaded and unloaded explicitly,
3572 and possibly repeatedly, as the program is executed. To support
3573 this use case, @value{GDBN} updates breakpoint locations whenever
3574 any shared library is loaded or unloaded. Typically, you would
3575 set a breakpoint in a shared library at the beginning of your
3576 debugging session, when the library is not loaded, and when the
3577 symbols from the library are not available. When you try to set
3578 breakpoint, @value{GDBN} will ask you if you want to set
3579 a so called @dfn{pending breakpoint}---breakpoint whose address
3580 is not yet resolved.
3581
3582 After the program is run, whenever a new shared library is loaded,
3583 @value{GDBN} reevaluates all the breakpoints. When a newly loaded
3584 shared library contains the symbol or line referred to by some
3585 pending breakpoint, that breakpoint is resolved and becomes an
3586 ordinary breakpoint. When a library is unloaded, all breakpoints
3587 that refer to its symbols or source lines become pending again.
3588
3589 This logic works for breakpoints with multiple locations, too. For
3590 example, if you have a breakpoint in a C@t{++} template function, and
3591 a newly loaded shared library has an instantiation of that template,
3592 a new location is added to the list of locations for the breakpoint.
3593
3594 Except for having unresolved address, pending breakpoints do not
3595 differ from regular breakpoints. You can set conditions or commands,
3596 enable and disable them and perform other breakpoint operations.
3597
3598 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling what
3599 happens when the @samp{break} command cannot resolve breakpoint
3600 address specification to an address:
3601
3602 @kindex set breakpoint pending
3603 @kindex show breakpoint pending
3604 @table @code
3605 @item set breakpoint pending auto
3606 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} cannot find the breakpoint
3607 location, it queries you whether a pending breakpoint should be created.
3608
3609 @item set breakpoint pending on
3610 This indicates that an unrecognized breakpoint location should automatically
3611 result in a pending breakpoint being created.
3612
3613 @item set breakpoint pending off
3614 This indicates that pending breakpoints are not to be created. Any
3615 unrecognized breakpoint location results in an error. This setting does
3616 not affect any pending breakpoints previously created.
3617
3618 @item show breakpoint pending
3619 Show the current behavior setting for creating pending breakpoints.
3620 @end table
3621
3622 The settings above only affect the @code{break} command and its
3623 variants. Once breakpoint is set, it will be automatically updated
3624 as shared libraries are loaded and unloaded.
3625
3626 @cindex automatic hardware breakpoints
3627 For some targets, @value{GDBN} can automatically decide if hardware or
3628 software breakpoints should be used, depending on whether the
3629 breakpoint address is read-only or read-write. This applies to
3630 breakpoints set with the @code{break} command as well as to internal
3631 breakpoints set by commands like @code{next} and @code{finish}. For
3632 breakpoints set with @code{hbreak}, @value{GDBN} will always use hardware
3633 breakpoints.
3634
3635 You can control this automatic behaviour with the following commands::
3636
3637 @kindex set breakpoint auto-hw
3638 @kindex show breakpoint auto-hw
3639 @table @code
3640 @item set breakpoint auto-hw on
3641 This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} sets a breakpoint, it
3642 will try to use the target memory map to decide if software or hardware
3643 breakpoint must be used.
3644
3645 @item set breakpoint auto-hw off
3646 This indicates @value{GDBN} should not automatically select breakpoint
3647 type. If the target provides a memory map, @value{GDBN} will warn when
3648 trying to set software breakpoint at a read-only address.
3649 @end table
3650
3651 @value{GDBN} normally implements breakpoints by replacing the program code
3652 at the breakpoint address with a special instruction, which, when
3653 executed, given control to the debugger. By default, the program
3654 code is so modified only when the program is resumed. As soon as
3655 the program stops, @value{GDBN} restores the original instructions. This
3656 behaviour guards against leaving breakpoints inserted in the
3657 target should gdb abrubptly disconnect. However, with slow remote
3658 targets, inserting and removing breakpoint can reduce the performance.
3659 This behavior can be controlled with the following commands::
3660
3661 @kindex set breakpoint always-inserted
3662 @kindex show breakpoint always-inserted
3663 @table @code
3664 @item set breakpoint always-inserted off
3665 All breakpoints, including newly added by the user, are inserted in
3666 the target only when the target is resumed. All breakpoints are
3667 removed from the target when it stops.
3668
3669 @item set breakpoint always-inserted on
3670 Causes all breakpoints to be inserted in the target at all times. If
3671 the user adds a new breakpoint, or changes an existing breakpoint, the
3672 breakpoints in the target are updated immediately. A breakpoint is
3673 removed from the target only when breakpoint itself is removed.
3674
3675 @cindex non-stop mode, and @code{breakpoint always-inserted}
3676 @item set breakpoint always-inserted auto
3677 This is the default mode. If @value{GDBN} is controlling the inferior
3678 in non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}), gdb behaves as if
3679 @code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is on. If @value{GDBN} is
3680 controlling the inferior in all-stop mode, @value{GDBN} behaves as if
3681 @code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is off.
3682 @end table
3683
3684 @cindex negative breakpoint numbers
3685 @cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
3686 @value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for
3687 special purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C
3688 programs). These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers,
3689 starting with @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
3690 You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
3691 @samp{maint info breakpoints} (@pxref{maint info breakpoints}).
3692
3693
3694 @node Set Watchpoints
3695 @subsection Setting Watchpoints
3696
3697 @cindex setting watchpoints
3698 You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
3699 expression changes, without having to predict a particular place where
3700 this may happen. (This is sometimes called a @dfn{data breakpoint}.)
3701 The expression may be as simple as the value of a single variable, or
3702 as complex as many variables combined by operators. Examples include:
3703
3704 @itemize @bullet
3705 @item
3706 A reference to the value of a single variable.
3707
3708 @item
3709 An address cast to an appropriate data type. For example,
3710 @samp{*(int *)0x12345678} will watch a 4-byte region at the specified
3711 address (assuming an @code{int} occupies 4 bytes).
3712
3713 @item
3714 An arbitrarily complex expression, such as @samp{a*b + c/d}. The
3715 expression can use any operators valid in the program's native
3716 language (@pxref{Languages}).
3717 @end itemize
3718
3719 You can set a watchpoint on an expression even if the expression can
3720 not be evaluated yet. For instance, you can set a watchpoint on
3721 @samp{*global_ptr} before @samp{global_ptr} is initialized.
3722 @value{GDBN} will stop when your program sets @samp{global_ptr} and
3723 the expression produces a valid value. If the expression becomes
3724 valid in some other way than changing a variable (e.g.@: if the memory
3725 pointed to by @samp{*global_ptr} becomes readable as the result of a
3726 @code{malloc} call), @value{GDBN} may not stop until the next time
3727 the expression changes.
3728
3729 @cindex software watchpoints
3730 @cindex hardware watchpoints
3731 Depending on your system, watchpoints may be implemented in software or
3732 hardware. @value{GDBN} does software watchpointing by single-stepping your
3733 program and testing the variable's value each time, which is hundreds of
3734 times slower than normal execution. (But this may still be worth it, to
3735 catch errors where you have no clue what part of your program is the
3736 culprit.)
3737
3738 On some systems, such as HP-UX, PowerPC, @sc{gnu}/Linux and most other
3739 x86-based targets, @value{GDBN} includes support for hardware
3740 watchpoints, which do not slow down the running of your program.
3741
3742 @table @code
3743 @kindex watch
3744 @item watch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3745 Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when the
3746 expression @var{expr} is written into by the program and its value
3747 changes. The simplest (and the most popular) use of this command is
3748 to watch the value of a single variable:
3749
3750 @smallexample
3751 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo
3752 @end smallexample
3753
3754 If the command includes a @code{@r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}}
3755 argument, @value{GDBN} breaks only when the thread identified by
3756 @var{threadnum} changes the value of @var{expr}. If any other threads
3757 change the value of @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} will not break. Note
3758 that watchpoints restricted to a single thread in this way only work
3759 with Hardware Watchpoints.
3760
3761 Ordinarily a watchpoint respects the scope of variables in @var{expr}
3762 (see below). The @code{-location} argument tells @value{GDBN} to
3763 instead watch the memory referred to by @var{expr}. In this case,
3764 @value{GDBN} will evaluate @var{expr}, take the address of the result,
3765 and watch the memory at that address. The type of the result is used
3766 to determine the size of the watched memory. If the expression's
3767 result does not have an address, then @value{GDBN} will print an
3768 error.
3769
3770 The @code{@r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}} argument allows creation
3771 of masked watchpoints, if the current architecture supports this
3772 feature (e.g., PowerPC Embedded architecture, see @ref{PowerPC
3773 Embedded}.) A @dfn{masked watchpoint} specifies a mask in addition
3774 to an address to watch. The mask specifies that some bits of an address
3775 (the bits which are reset in the mask) should be ignored when matching
3776 the address accessed by the inferior against the watchpoint address.
3777 Thus, a masked watchpoint watches many addresses simultaneously---those
3778 addresses whose unmasked bits are identical to the unmasked bits in the
3779 watchpoint address. The @code{mask} argument implies @code{-location}.
3780 Examples:
3781
3782 @smallexample
3783 (@value{GDBP}) watch foo mask 0xffff00ff
3784 (@value{GDBP}) watch *0xdeadbeef mask 0xffffff00
3785 @end smallexample
3786
3787 @kindex rwatch
3788 @item rwatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3789 Set a watchpoint that will break when the value of @var{expr} is read
3790 by the program.
3791
3792 @kindex awatch
3793 @item awatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3794 Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{expr} is either read from
3795 or written into by the program.
3796
3797 @kindex info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3798 @item info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3799 This command prints a list of watchpoints, using the same format as
3800 @code{info break} (@pxref{Set Breaks}).
3801 @end table
3802
3803 If you watch for a change in a numerically entered address you need to
3804 dereference it, as the address itself is just a constant number which will
3805 never change. @value{GDBN} refuses to create a watchpoint that watches
3806 a never-changing value:
3807
3808 @smallexample
3809 (@value{GDBP}) watch 0x600850
3810 Cannot watch constant value 0x600850.
3811 (@value{GDBP}) watch *(int *) 0x600850
3812 Watchpoint 1: *(int *) 6293584
3813 @end smallexample
3814
3815 @value{GDBN} sets a @dfn{hardware watchpoint} if possible. Hardware
3816 watchpoints execute very quickly, and the debugger reports a change in
3817 value at the exact instruction where the change occurs. If @value{GDBN}
3818 cannot set a hardware watchpoint, it sets a software watchpoint, which
3819 executes more slowly and reports the change in value at the next
3820 @emph{statement}, not the instruction, after the change occurs.
3821
3822 @cindex use only software watchpoints
3823 You can force @value{GDBN} to use only software watchpoints with the
3824 @kbd{set can-use-hw-watchpoints 0} command. With this variable set to
3825 zero, @value{GDBN} will never try to use hardware watchpoints, even if
3826 the underlying system supports them. (Note that hardware-assisted
3827 watchpoints that were set @emph{before} setting
3828 @code{can-use-hw-watchpoints} to zero will still use the hardware
3829 mechanism of watching expression values.)
3830
3831 @table @code
3832 @item set can-use-hw-watchpoints
3833 @kindex set can-use-hw-watchpoints
3834 Set whether or not to use hardware watchpoints.
3835
3836 @item show can-use-hw-watchpoints
3837 @kindex show can-use-hw-watchpoints
3838 Show the current mode of using hardware watchpoints.
3839 @end table
3840
3841 For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3842 watchpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3843 hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3844
3845 When you issue the @code{watch} command, @value{GDBN} reports
3846
3847 @smallexample
3848 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: @var{expr}
3849 @end smallexample
3850
3851 @noindent
3852 if it was able to set a hardware watchpoint.
3853
3854 Currently, the @code{awatch} and @code{rwatch} commands can only set
3855 hardware watchpoints, because accesses to data that don't change the
3856 value of the watched expression cannot be detected without examining
3857 every instruction as it is being executed, and @value{GDBN} does not do
3858 that currently. If @value{GDBN} finds that it is unable to set a
3859 hardware breakpoint with the @code{awatch} or @code{rwatch} command, it
3860 will print a message like this:
3861
3862 @smallexample
3863 Expression cannot be implemented with read/access watchpoint.
3864 @end smallexample
3865
3866 Sometimes, @value{GDBN} cannot set a hardware watchpoint because the
3867 data type of the watched expression is wider than what a hardware
3868 watchpoint on the target machine can handle. For example, some systems
3869 can only watch regions that are up to 4 bytes wide; on such systems you
3870 cannot set hardware watchpoints for an expression that yields a
3871 double-precision floating-point number (which is typically 8 bytes
3872 wide). As a work-around, it might be possible to break the large region
3873 into a series of smaller ones and watch them with separate watchpoints.
3874
3875 If you set too many hardware watchpoints, @value{GDBN} might be unable
3876 to insert all of them when you resume the execution of your program.
3877 Since the precise number of active watchpoints is unknown until such
3878 time as the program is about to be resumed, @value{GDBN} might not be
3879 able to warn you about this when you set the watchpoints, and the
3880 warning will be printed only when the program is resumed:
3881
3882 @smallexample
3883 Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: Could not insert watchpoint
3884 @end smallexample
3885
3886 @noindent
3887 If this happens, delete or disable some of the watchpoints.
3888
3889 Watching complex expressions that reference many variables can also
3890 exhaust the resources available for hardware-assisted watchpoints.
3891 That's because @value{GDBN} needs to watch every variable in the
3892 expression with separately allocated resources.
3893
3894 If you call a function interactively using @code{print} or @code{call},
3895 any watchpoints you have set will be inactive until @value{GDBN} reaches another
3896 kind of breakpoint or the call completes.
3897
3898 @value{GDBN} automatically deletes watchpoints that watch local
3899 (automatic) variables, or expressions that involve such variables, when
3900 they go out of scope, that is, when the execution leaves the block in
3901 which these variables were defined. In particular, when the program
3902 being debugged terminates, @emph{all} local variables go out of scope,
3903 and so only watchpoints that watch global variables remain set. If you
3904 rerun the program, you will need to set all such watchpoints again. One
3905 way of doing that would be to set a code breakpoint at the entry to the
3906 @code{main} function and when it breaks, set all the watchpoints.
3907
3908 @cindex watchpoints and threads
3909 @cindex threads and watchpoints
3910 In multi-threaded programs, watchpoints will detect changes to the
3911 watched expression from every thread.
3912
3913 @quotation
3914 @emph{Warning:} In multi-threaded programs, software watchpoints
3915 have only limited usefulness. If @value{GDBN} creates a software
3916 watchpoint, it can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a
3917 single thread}. If you are confident that the expression can only
3918 change due to the current thread's activity (and if you are also
3919 confident that no other thread can become current), then you can use
3920 software watchpoints as usual. However, @value{GDBN} may not notice
3921 when a non-current thread's activity changes the expression. (Hardware
3922 watchpoints, in contrast, watch an expression in all threads.)
3923 @end quotation
3924
3925 @xref{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}.
3926
3927 @node Set Catchpoints
3928 @subsection Setting Catchpoints
3929 @cindex catchpoints, setting
3930 @cindex exception handlers
3931 @cindex event handling
3932
3933 You can use @dfn{catchpoints} to cause the debugger to stop for certain
3934 kinds of program events, such as C@t{++} exceptions or the loading of a
3935 shared library. Use the @code{catch} command to set a catchpoint.
3936
3937 @table @code
3938 @kindex catch
3939 @item catch @var{event}
3940 Stop when @var{event} occurs. @var{event} can be any of the following:
3941 @table @code
3942 @item throw
3943 @cindex stop on C@t{++} exceptions
3944 The throwing of a C@t{++} exception.
3945
3946 @item catch
3947 The catching of a C@t{++} exception.
3948
3949 @item exception
3950 @cindex Ada exception catching
3951 @cindex catch Ada exceptions
3952 An Ada exception being raised. If an exception name is specified
3953 at the end of the command (eg @code{catch exception Program_Error}),
3954 the debugger will stop only when this specific exception is raised.
3955 Otherwise, the debugger stops execution when any Ada exception is raised.
3956
3957 When inserting an exception catchpoint on a user-defined exception whose
3958 name is identical to one of the exceptions defined by the language, the
3959 fully qualified name must be used as the exception name. Otherwise,
3960 @value{GDBN} will assume that it should stop on the pre-defined exception
3961 rather than the user-defined one. For instance, assuming an exception
3962 called @code{Constraint_Error} is defined in package @code{Pck}, then
3963 the command to use to catch such exceptions is @kbd{catch exception
3964 Pck.Constraint_Error}.
3965
3966 @item exception unhandled
3967 An exception that was raised but is not handled by the program.
3968
3969 @item assert
3970 A failed Ada assertion.
3971
3972 @item exec
3973 @cindex break on fork/exec
3974 A call to @code{exec}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
3975 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
3976
3977 @item syscall
3978 @itemx syscall @r{[}@var{name} @r{|} @var{number}@r{]} @dots{}
3979 @cindex break on a system call.
3980 A call to or return from a system call, a.k.a.@: @dfn{syscall}. A
3981 syscall is a mechanism for application programs to request a service
3982 from the operating system (OS) or one of the OS system services.
3983 @value{GDBN} can catch some or all of the syscalls issued by the
3984 debuggee, and show the related information for each syscall. If no
3985 argument is specified, calls to and returns from all system calls
3986 will be caught.
3987
3988 @var{name} can be any system call name that is valid for the
3989 underlying OS. Just what syscalls are valid depends on the OS. On
3990 GNU and Unix systems, you can find the full list of valid syscall
3991 names on @file{/usr/include/asm/unistd.h}.
3992
3993 @c For MS-Windows, the syscall names and the corresponding numbers
3994 @c can be found, e.g., on this URL:
3995 @c http://www.metasploit.com/users/opcode/syscalls.html
3996 @c but we don't support Windows syscalls yet.
3997
3998 Normally, @value{GDBN} knows in advance which syscalls are valid for
3999 each OS, so you can use the @value{GDBN} command-line completion
4000 facilities (@pxref{Completion,, command completion}) to list the
4001 available choices.
4002
4003 You may also specify the system call numerically. A syscall's
4004 number is the value passed to the OS's syscall dispatcher to
4005 identify the requested service. When you specify the syscall by its
4006 name, @value{GDBN} uses its database of syscalls to convert the name
4007 into the corresponding numeric code, but using the number directly
4008 may be useful if @value{GDBN}'s database does not have the complete
4009 list of syscalls on your system (e.g., because @value{GDBN} lags
4010 behind the OS upgrades).
4011
4012 The example below illustrates how this command works if you don't provide
4013 arguments to it:
4014
4015 @smallexample
4016 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4017 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4018 (@value{GDBP}) r
4019 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4020
4021 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'close'), \
4022 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4023 (@value{GDBP}) c
4024 Continuing.
4025
4026 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'close'), \
4027 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4028 (@value{GDBP})
4029 @end smallexample
4030
4031 Here is an example of catching a system call by name:
4032
4033 @smallexample
4034 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall chroot
4035 Catchpoint 1 (syscall 'chroot' [61])
4036 (@value{GDBP}) r
4037 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4038
4039 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'chroot'), \
4040 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4041 (@value{GDBP}) c
4042 Continuing.
4043
4044 Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'chroot'), \
4045 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4046 (@value{GDBP})
4047 @end smallexample
4048
4049 An example of specifying a system call numerically. In the case
4050 below, the syscall number has a corresponding entry in the XML
4051 file, so @value{GDBN} finds its name and prints it:
4052
4053 @smallexample
4054 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4055 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 'exit_group')
4056 (@value{GDBP}) r
4057 Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4058
4059 Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'exit_group'), \
4060 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4061 (@value{GDBP}) c
4062 Continuing.
4063
4064 Program exited normally.
4065 (@value{GDBP})
4066 @end smallexample
4067
4068 However, there can be situations when there is no corresponding name
4069 in XML file for that syscall number. In this case, @value{GDBN} prints
4070 a warning message saying that it was not able to find the syscall name,
4071 but the catchpoint will be set anyway. See the example below:
4072
4073 @smallexample
4074 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 764
4075 warning: The number '764' does not represent a known syscall.
4076 Catchpoint 2 (syscall 764)
4077 (@value{GDBP})
4078 @end smallexample
4079
4080 If you configure @value{GDBN} using the @samp{--without-expat} option,
4081 it will not be able to display syscall names. Also, if your
4082 architecture does not have an XML file describing its system calls,
4083 you will not be able to see the syscall names. It is important to
4084 notice that these two features are used for accessing the syscall
4085 name database. In either case, you will see a warning like this:
4086
4087 @smallexample
4088 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4089 warning: Could not open "syscalls/i386-linux.xml"
4090 warning: Could not load the syscall XML file 'syscalls/i386-linux.xml'.
4091 GDB will not be able to display syscall names.
4092 Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4093 (@value{GDBP})
4094 @end smallexample
4095
4096 Of course, the file name will change depending on your architecture and system.
4097
4098 Still using the example above, you can also try to catch a syscall by its
4099 number. In this case, you would see something like:
4100
4101 @smallexample
4102 (@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4103 Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 252)
4104 @end smallexample
4105
4106 Again, in this case @value{GDBN} would not be able to display syscall's names.
4107
4108 @item fork
4109 A call to @code{fork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4110 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4111
4112 @item vfork
4113 A call to @code{vfork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4114 and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4115
4116 @end table
4117
4118 @item tcatch @var{event}
4119 Set a catchpoint that is enabled only for one stop. The catchpoint is
4120 automatically deleted after the first time the event is caught.
4121
4122 @end table
4123
4124 Use the @code{info break} command to list the current catchpoints.
4125
4126 There are currently some limitations to C@t{++} exception handling
4127 (@code{catch throw} and @code{catch catch}) in @value{GDBN}:
4128
4129 @itemize @bullet
4130 @item
4131 If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
4132 control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
4133 raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
4134 returns control to you and cause your program either to abort or to
4135 simply continue running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal
4136 that @value{GDBN} is listening for, or exits. This is the case even if
4137 you set a catchpoint for the exception; catchpoints on exceptions are
4138 disabled within interactive calls.
4139
4140 @item
4141 You cannot raise an exception interactively.
4142
4143 @item
4144 You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
4145 @end itemize
4146
4147 @cindex raise exceptions
4148 Sometimes @code{catch} is not the best way to debug exception handling:
4149 if you need to know exactly where an exception is raised, it is better to
4150 stop @emph{before} the exception handler is called, since that way you
4151 can see the stack before any unwinding takes place. If you set a
4152 breakpoint in an exception handler instead, it may not be easy to find
4153 out where the exception was raised.
4154
4155 To stop just before an exception handler is called, you need some
4156 knowledge of the implementation. In the case of @sc{gnu} C@t{++}, exceptions are
4157 raised by calling a library function named @code{__raise_exception}
4158 which has the following ANSI C interface:
4159
4160 @smallexample
4161 /* @var{addr} is where the exception identifier is stored.
4162 @var{id} is the exception identifier. */
4163 void __raise_exception (void **addr, void *id);
4164 @end smallexample
4165
4166 @noindent
4167 To make the debugger catch all exceptions before any stack
4168 unwinding takes place, set a breakpoint on @code{__raise_exception}
4169 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Exceptions}).
4170
4171 With a conditional breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions})
4172 that depends on the value of @var{id}, you can stop your program when
4173 a specific exception is raised. You can use multiple conditional
4174 breakpoints to stop your program when any of a number of exceptions are
4175 raised.
4176
4177
4178 @node Delete Breaks
4179 @subsection Deleting Breakpoints
4180
4181 @cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4182 @cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4183 It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint, watchpoint, or
4184 catchpoint once it has done its job and you no longer want your program
4185 to stop there. This is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A
4186 breakpoint that has been deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
4187
4188 With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
4189 where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
4190 delete individual breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints by specifying
4191 their breakpoint numbers.
4192
4193 It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
4194 automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
4195 when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
4196
4197 @table @code
4198 @kindex clear
4199 @item clear
4200 Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
4201 selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). When
4202 the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
4203 breakpoint where your program just stopped.
4204
4205 @item clear @var{location}
4206 Delete any breakpoints set at the specified @var{location}.
4207 @xref{Specify Location}, for the various forms of @var{location}; the
4208 most useful ones are listed below:
4209
4210 @table @code
4211 @item clear @var{function}
4212 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
4213 Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the named @var{function}.
4214
4215 @item clear @var{linenum}
4216 @itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
4217 Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified
4218 @var{linenum} of the specified @var{filename}.
4219 @end table
4220
4221 @cindex delete breakpoints
4222 @kindex delete
4223 @kindex d @r{(@code{delete})}
4224 @item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4225 Delete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the breakpoint
4226 ranges specified as arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all
4227 breakpoints (@value{GDBN} asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set
4228 confirm off}). You can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
4229 @end table
4230
4231 @node Disabling
4232 @subsection Disabling Breakpoints
4233
4234 @cindex enable/disable a breakpoint
4235 Rather than deleting a breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint, you might
4236 prefer to @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if
4237 it had been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so
4238 that you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
4239
4240 You disable and enable breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints with
4241 the @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying
4242 one or more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} to
4243 print a list of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints if you
4244 do not know which numbers to use.
4245
4246 Disabling and enabling a breakpoint that has multiple locations
4247 affects all of its locations.
4248
4249 A breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint can have any of four different
4250 states of enablement:
4251
4252 @itemize @bullet
4253 @item
4254 Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
4255 with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
4256 @item
4257 Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
4258 @item
4259 Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
4260 disabled.
4261 @item
4262 Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
4263 immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently. A breakpoint
4264 set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state.
4265 @end itemize
4266
4267 You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints,
4268 watchpoints, and catchpoints:
4269
4270 @table @code
4271 @kindex disable
4272 @kindex dis @r{(@code{disable})}
4273 @item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4274 Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
4275 listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
4276 options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
4277 case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
4278 @code{disable} as @code{dis}.
4279
4280 @kindex enable
4281 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4282 Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
4283 become effective once again in stopping your program.
4284
4285 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{range}@dots{}
4286 Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
4287 of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
4288
4289 @item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{range}@dots{}
4290 Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
4291 deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
4292 Breakpoints set by the @code{tbreak} command start out in this state.
4293 @end table
4294
4295 @c FIXME: I think the following ``Except for [...] @code{tbreak}'' is
4296 @c confusing: tbreak is also initially enabled.
4297 Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
4298 ,Setting Breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
4299 subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
4300 the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
4301 breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
4302 breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
4303 Stepping}.)
4304
4305 @node Conditions
4306 @subsection Break Conditions
4307 @cindex conditional breakpoints
4308 @cindex breakpoint conditions
4309
4310 @c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
4311 @c in particular for a watchpoint?
4312 The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
4313 specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
4314 breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
4315 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
4316 a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
4317 and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
4318
4319 This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
4320 situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
4321 when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
4322 by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
4323 @samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
4324
4325 Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
4326 since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
4327 it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
4328 and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
4329 one.
4330
4331 Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
4332 your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
4333 that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
4334 format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
4335 unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
4336 that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
4337 program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
4338 breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible than break
4339 conditions for the
4340 purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
4341 (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}).
4342
4343 Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
4344 @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
4345 Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
4346 with the @code{condition} command.
4347
4348 You can also use the @code{if} keyword with the @code{watch} command.
4349 The @code{catch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
4350 @code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
4351 catchpoint.
4352
4353 @table @code
4354 @kindex condition
4355 @item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
4356 Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint,
4357 watchpoint, or catchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition,
4358 breakpoint @var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of
4359 @var{expression} is true (nonzero, in C). When you use
4360 @code{condition}, @value{GDBN} checks @var{expression} immediately for
4361 syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols in it have
4362 referents in the context of your breakpoint. If @var{expression} uses
4363 symbols not referenced in the context of the breakpoint, @value{GDBN}
4364 prints an error message:
4365
4366 @smallexample
4367 No symbol "foo" in current context.
4368 @end smallexample
4369
4370 @noindent
4371 @value{GDBN} does
4372 not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
4373 command (or a command that sets a breakpoint with a condition, like
4374 @code{break if @dots{}}) is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
4375
4376 @item condition @var{bnum}
4377 Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
4378 an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
4379 @end table
4380
4381 @cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
4382 A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
4383 breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
4384 useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
4385 count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
4386 is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
4387 therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
4388 ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
4389 the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
4390 value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
4391 your program reaches it.
4392
4393 @table @code
4394 @kindex ignore
4395 @item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
4396 Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
4397 The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
4398 execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
4399 takes no action.
4400
4401 To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
4402 a count of zero.
4403
4404 When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
4405 breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
4406 @code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
4407 Stepping,,Continuing and Stepping}.
4408
4409 If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
4410 condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
4411 @value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
4412
4413 You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
4414 as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
4415 is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
4416 Variables}.
4417 @end table
4418
4419 Ignore counts apply to breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints.
4420
4421
4422 @node Break Commands
4423 @subsection Breakpoint Command Lists
4424
4425 @cindex breakpoint commands
4426 You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint) a series of
4427 commands to execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For
4428 example, you might want to print the values of certain expressions, or
4429 enable other breakpoints.
4430
4431 @table @code
4432 @kindex commands
4433 @kindex end@r{ (breakpoint commands)}
4434 @item commands @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4435 @itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
4436 @itemx end
4437 Specify a list of commands for the given breakpoints. The commands
4438 themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
4439 @code{end} to terminate the commands.
4440
4441 To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
4442 follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
4443
4444 With no argument, @code{commands} refers to the last breakpoint,
4445 watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
4446 encountered). If the most recent breakpoints were set with a single
4447 command, then the @code{commands} will apply to all the breakpoints
4448 set by that command. This applies to breakpoints set by
4449 @code{rbreak}, and also applies when a single @code{break} command
4450 creates multiple breakpoints (@pxref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous
4451 Expressions}).
4452 @end table
4453
4454 Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
4455 disabled within a @var{command-list}.
4456
4457 You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
4458 use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
4459 that resumes execution.
4460
4461 Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
4462 execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
4463 (even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
4464 another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
4465 ambiguities about which list to execute.
4466
4467 @kindex silent
4468 If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
4469 usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
4470 be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
4471 then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
4472 see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
4473 meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
4474
4475 The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
4476 print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
4477 breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for Controlled Output}.
4478
4479 For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
4480 value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
4481
4482 @smallexample
4483 break foo if x>0
4484 commands
4485 silent
4486 printf "x is %d\n",x
4487 cont
4488 end
4489 @end smallexample
4490
4491 One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
4492 you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
4493 of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
4494 erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
4495 to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
4496 so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
4497 command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
4498
4499 @smallexample
4500 break 403
4501 commands
4502 silent
4503 set x = y + 4
4504 cont
4505 end
4506 @end smallexample
4507
4508 @node Save Breakpoints
4509 @subsection How to save breakpoints to a file
4510
4511 To save breakpoint definitions to a file use the @w{@code{save
4512 breakpoints}} command.
4513
4514 @table @code
4515 @kindex save breakpoints
4516 @cindex save breakpoints to a file for future sessions
4517 @item save breakpoints [@var{filename}]
4518 This command saves all current breakpoint definitions together with
4519 their commands and ignore counts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
4520 suitable for use in a later debugging session. This includes all
4521 types of breakpoints (breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints,
4522 tracepoints). To read the saved breakpoint definitions, use the
4523 @code{source} command (@pxref{Command Files}). Note that watchpoints
4524 with expressions involving local variables may fail to be recreated
4525 because it may not be possible to access the context where the
4526 watchpoint is valid anymore. Because the saved breakpoint definitions
4527 are simply a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands that recreate the
4528 breakpoints, you can edit the file in your favorite editing program,
4529 and remove the breakpoint definitions you're not interested in, or
4530 that can no longer be recreated.
4531 @end table
4532
4533 @c @ifclear BARETARGET
4534 @node Error in Breakpoints
4535 @subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
4536
4537 If you request too many active hardware-assisted breakpoints and
4538 watchpoints, you will see this error message:
4539
4540 @c FIXME: the precise wording of this message may change; the relevant
4541 @c source change is not committed yet (Sep 3, 1999).
4542 @smallexample
4543 Stopped; cannot insert breakpoints.
4544 You may have requested too many hardware breakpoints and watchpoints.
4545 @end smallexample
4546
4547 @noindent
4548 This message is printed when you attempt to resume the program, since
4549 only then @value{GDBN} knows exactly how many hardware breakpoints and
4550 watchpoints it needs to insert.
4551
4552 When this message is printed, you need to disable or remove some of the
4553 hardware-assisted breakpoints and watchpoints, and then continue.
4554
4555 @node Breakpoint-related Warnings
4556 @subsection ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
4557 @cindex breakpoint address adjusted
4558
4559 Some processor architectures place constraints on the addresses at
4560 which breakpoints may be placed. For architectures thus constrained,
4561 @value{GDBN} will attempt to adjust the breakpoint's address to comply
4562 with the constraints dictated by the architecture.
4563
4564 One example of such an architecture is the Fujitsu FR-V. The FR-V is
4565 a VLIW architecture in which a number of RISC-like instructions may be
4566 bundled together for parallel execution. The FR-V architecture
4567 constrains the location of a breakpoint instruction within such a
4568 bundle to the instruction with the lowest address. @value{GDBN}
4569 honors this constraint by adjusting a breakpoint's address to the
4570 first in the bundle.
4571
4572 It is not uncommon for optimized code to have bundles which contain
4573 instructions from different source statements, thus it may happen that
4574 a breakpoint's address will be adjusted from one source statement to
4575 another. Since this adjustment may significantly alter @value{GDBN}'s
4576 breakpoint related behavior from what the user expects, a warning is
4577 printed when the breakpoint is first set and also when the breakpoint
4578 is hit.
4579
4580 A warning like the one below is printed when setting a breakpoint
4581 that's been subject to address adjustment:
4582
4583 @smallexample
4584 warning: Breakpoint address adjusted from 0x00010414 to 0x00010410.
4585 @end smallexample
4586
4587 Such warnings are printed both for user settable and @value{GDBN}'s
4588 internal breakpoints. If you see one of these warnings, you should
4589 verify that a breakpoint set at the adjusted address will have the
4590 desired affect. If not, the breakpoint in question may be removed and
4591 other breakpoints may be set which will have the desired behavior.
4592 E.g., it may be sufficient to place the breakpoint at a later
4593 instruction. A conditional breakpoint may also be useful in some
4594 cases to prevent the breakpoint from triggering too often.
4595
4596 @value{GDBN} will also issue a warning when stopping at one of these
4597 adjusted breakpoints:
4598
4599 @smallexample
4600 warning: Breakpoint 1 address previously adjusted from 0x00010414
4601 to 0x00010410.
4602 @end smallexample
4603
4604 When this warning is encountered, it may be too late to take remedial
4605 action except in cases where the breakpoint is hit earlier or more
4606 frequently than expected.
4607
4608 @node Continuing and Stepping
4609 @section Continuing and Stepping
4610
4611 @cindex stepping
4612 @cindex continuing
4613 @cindex resuming execution
4614 @dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
4615 completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
4616 one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
4617 line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
4618 particular command you use). Either when continuing or when stepping,
4619 your program may stop even sooner, due to a breakpoint or a signal. (If
4620 it stops due to a signal, you may want to use @code{handle}, or use
4621 @samp{signal 0} to resume execution. @xref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
4622
4623 @table @code
4624 @kindex continue
4625 @kindex c @r{(@code{continue})}
4626 @kindex fg @r{(resume foreground execution)}
4627 @item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4628 @itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4629 @itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4630 Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
4631 any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
4632 @var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
4633 ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
4634 @code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
4635
4636 The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
4637 stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
4638 @code{continue} is ignored.
4639
4640 The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} (for @dfn{foreground}, as the
4641 debugged program is deemed to be the foreground program) are provided
4642 purely for convenience, and have exactly the same behavior as
4643 @code{continue}.
4644 @end table
4645
4646 To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
4647 (@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}) to go back to the
4648 calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
4649 Different Address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
4650
4651 A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
4652 (@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Catchpoints}) at the
4653 beginning of the function or the section of your program where a problem
4654 is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that breakpoint,
4655 and then step through the suspect area, examining the variables that are
4656 interesting, until you see the problem happen.
4657
4658 @table @code
4659 @kindex step
4660 @kindex s @r{(@code{step})}
4661 @item step
4662 Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
4663 line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
4664 abbreviated @code{s}.
4665
4666 @quotation
4667 @c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
4668 @c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
4669 @c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
4670 @c distinction here.
4671 @emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
4672 within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
4673 execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
4674 debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
4675 is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
4676 without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
4677 below.
4678 @end quotation
4679
4680 The @code{step} command only stops at the first instruction of a source
4681 line. This prevents the multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
4682 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc. @code{step} continues
4683 to stop if a function that has debugging information is called within
4684 the line. In other words, @code{step} @emph{steps inside} any functions
4685 called within the line.
4686
4687 Also, the @code{step} command only enters a function if there is line
4688 number information for the function. Otherwise it acts like the
4689 @code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
4690 on MIPS machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
4691 was any debugging information about the routine.
4692
4693 @item step @var{count}
4694 Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
4695 breakpoint is reached, or a signal not related to stepping occurs before
4696 @var{count} steps, stepping stops right away.
4697
4698 @kindex next
4699 @kindex n @r{(@code{next})}
4700 @item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
4701 Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
4702 This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within
4703 the line of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when
4704 control reaches a different line of code at the original stack level
4705 that was executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command
4706 is abbreviated @code{n}.
4707
4708 An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
4709
4710
4711 @c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
4712 @c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
4713 @c
4714 @c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
4715 @c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
4716 @c function are executed without stopping.
4717
4718 The @code{next} command only stops at the first instruction of a
4719 source line. This prevents multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
4720 @code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc.
4721
4722 @kindex set step-mode
4723 @item set step-mode
4724 @cindex functions without line info, and stepping
4725 @cindex stepping into functions with no line info
4726 @itemx set step-mode on
4727 The @code{set step-mode on} command causes the @code{step} command to
4728 stop at the first instruction of a function which contains no debug line
4729 information rather than stepping over it.
4730
4731 This is useful in cases where you may be interested in inspecting the
4732 machine instructions of a function which has no symbolic info and do not
4733 want @value{GDBN} to automatically skip over this function.
4734
4735 @item set step-mode off
4736 Causes the @code{step} command to step over any functions which contains no
4737 debug information. This is the default.
4738
4739 @item show step-mode
4740 Show whether @value{GDBN} will stop in or step over functions without
4741 source line debug information.
4742
4743 @kindex finish
4744 @kindex fin @r{(@code{finish})}
4745 @item finish
4746 Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
4747 returns. Print the returned value (if any). This command can be
4748 abbreviated as @code{fin}.
4749
4750 Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
4751 ,Returning from a Function}).
4752
4753 @kindex until
4754 @kindex u @r{(@code{until})}
4755 @cindex run until specified location
4756 @item until
4757 @itemx u
4758 Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
4759 current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
4760 stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
4761 command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
4762 automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
4763 than the address of the jump.
4764
4765 This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
4766 though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
4767 exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
4768 simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
4769 through the next iteration.
4770
4771 @code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
4772 stack frame.
4773
4774 @code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
4775 of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
4776 example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
4777 (@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
4778 @code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
4779
4780 @smallexample
4781 (@value{GDBP}) f
4782 #0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
4783 206 expand_input();
4784 (@value{GDBP}) until
4785 195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
4786 @end smallexample
4787
4788 This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
4789 generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
4790 start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
4791 written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
4792 to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
4793 expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
4794 statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
4795
4796 @code{until} with no argument works by means of single
4797 instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
4798 argument.
4799
4800 @item until @var{location}
4801 @itemx u @var{location}
4802 Continue running your program until either the specified location is
4803 reached, or the current stack frame returns. @var{location} is any of
4804 the forms described in @ref{Specify Location}.
4805 This form of the command uses temporary breakpoints, and
4806 hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument. The specified
4807 location is actually reached only if it is in the current frame. This
4808 implies that @code{until} can be used to skip over recursive function
4809 invocations. For instance in the code below, if the current location is
4810 line @code{96}, issuing @code{until 99} will execute the program up to
4811 line @code{99} in the same invocation of factorial, i.e., after the inner
4812 invocations have returned.
4813
4814 @smallexample
4815 94 int factorial (int value)
4816 95 @{
4817 96 if (value > 1) @{
4818 97 value *= factorial (value - 1);
4819 98 @}
4820 99 return (value);
4821 100 @}
4822 @end smallexample
4823
4824
4825 @kindex advance @var{location}
4826 @itemx advance @var{location}
4827 Continue running the program up to the given @var{location}. An argument is
4828 required, which should be of one of the forms described in
4829 @ref{Specify Location}.
4830 Execution will also stop upon exit from the current stack
4831 frame. This command is similar to @code{until}, but @code{advance} will
4832 not skip over recursive function calls, and the target location doesn't
4833 have to be in the same frame as the current one.
4834
4835
4836 @kindex stepi
4837 @kindex si @r{(@code{stepi})}
4838 @item stepi
4839 @itemx stepi @var{arg}
4840 @itemx si
4841 Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
4842
4843 It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
4844 instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
4845 instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
4846 Display,, Automatic Display}.
4847
4848 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
4849
4850 @need 750
4851 @kindex nexti
4852 @kindex ni @r{(@code{nexti})}
4853 @item nexti
4854 @itemx nexti @var{arg}
4855 @itemx ni
4856 Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
4857 proceed until the function returns.
4858
4859 An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
4860 @end table
4861
4862 @node Skipping Over Functions and Files
4863 @section Skipping Over Functions and Files
4864 @cindex skipping over functions and files
4865
4866 The program you are debugging may contain some functions which are
4867 uninteresting to debug. The @code{skip} comand lets you tell @value{GDBN} to
4868 skip a function or all functions in a file when stepping.
4869
4870 For example, consider the following C function:
4871
4872 @smallexample
4873 101 int func()
4874 102 @{
4875 103 foo(boring());
4876 104 bar(boring());
4877 105 @}
4878 @end smallexample
4879
4880 @noindent
4881 Suppose you wish to step into the functions @code{foo} and @code{bar}, but you
4882 are not interested in stepping through @code{boring}. If you run @code{step}
4883 at line 103, you'll enter @code{boring()}, but if you run @code{next}, you'll
4884 step over both @code{foo} and @code{boring}!
4885
4886 One solution is to @code{step} into @code{boring} and use the @code{finish}
4887 command to immediately exit it. But this can become tedious if @code{boring}
4888 is called from many places.
4889
4890 A more flexible solution is to execute @kbd{skip boring}. This instructs
4891 @value{GDBN} never to step into @code{boring}. Now when you execute
4892 @code{step} at line 103, you'll step over @code{boring} and directly into
4893 @code{foo}.
4894
4895 You can also instruct @value{GDBN} to skip all functions in a file, with, for
4896 example, @code{skip file boring.c}.
4897
4898 @table @code
4899 @kindex skip function
4900 @item skip @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
4901 @itemx skip function @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
4902 After running this command, the function named by @var{linespec} or the
4903 function containing the line named by @var{linespec} will be skipped over when
4904 stepping. @xref{Specify Location}.
4905
4906 If you do not specify @var{linespec}, the function you're currently debugging
4907 will be skipped.
4908
4909 (If you have a function called @code{file} that you want to skip, use
4910 @kbd{skip function file}.)
4911
4912 @kindex skip file
4913 @item skip file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
4914 After running this command, any function whose source lives in @var{filename}
4915 will be skipped over when stepping.
4916
4917 If you do not specify @var{filename}, functions whose source lives in the file
4918 you're currently debugging will be skipped.
4919 @end table
4920
4921 Skips can be listed, deleted, disabled, and enabled, much like breakpoints.
4922 These are the commands for managing your list of skips:
4923
4924 @table @code
4925 @kindex info skip
4926 @item info skip @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4927 Print details about the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified,
4928 print a table with details about all functions and files marked for skipping.
4929 @code{info skip} prints the following information about each skip:
4930
4931 @table @emph
4932 @item Identifier
4933 A number identifying this skip.
4934 @item Type
4935 The type of this skip, either @samp{function} or @samp{file}.
4936 @item Enabled or Disabled
4937 Enabled skips are marked with @samp{y}. Disabled skips are marked with @samp{n}.
4938 @item Address
4939 For function skips, this column indicates the address in memory of the function
4940 being skipped. If you've set a function skip on a function which has not yet
4941 been loaded, this field will contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Once a shared library
4942 which has the function is loaded, @code{info skip} will show the function's
4943 address here.
4944 @item What
4945 For file skips, this field contains the filename being skipped. For functions
4946 skips, this field contains the function name and its line number in the file
4947 where it is defined.
4948 @end table
4949
4950 @kindex skip delete
4951 @item skip delete @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4952 Delete the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, delete all
4953 skips.
4954
4955 @kindex skip enable
4956 @item skip enable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4957 Enable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, enable all
4958 skips.
4959
4960 @kindex skip disable
4961 @item skip disable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4962 Disable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, disable all
4963 skips.
4964
4965 @end table
4966
4967 @node Signals
4968 @section Signals
4969 @cindex signals
4970
4971 A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
4972 operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
4973 kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
4974 signal a program gets when you type an interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c});
4975 @code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
4976 memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
4977 the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
4978 requested an alarm).
4979
4980 @cindex fatal signals
4981 Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
4982 functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
4983 errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (they kill your program immediately) if the
4984 program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
4985 @code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
4986 fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
4987
4988 @value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
4989 program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
4990 signal.
4991
4992 @cindex handling signals
4993 Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to let the non-erroneous signals like
4994 @code{SIGALRM} be silently passed to your program
4995 (so as not to interfere with their role in the program's functioning)
4996 but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
4997 You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
4998
4999 @table @code
5000 @kindex info signals
5001 @kindex info handle
5002 @item info signals
5003 @itemx info handle
5004 Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
5005 handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
5006 the defined types of signals.
5007
5008 @item info signals @var{sig}
5009 Similar, but print information only about the specified signal number.
5010
5011 @code{info handle} is an alias for @code{info signals}.
5012
5013 @kindex handle
5014 @item handle @var{signal} @r{[}@var{keywords}@dots{}@r{]}
5015 Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal}
5016 can be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the
5017 @samp{SIG} at the beginning); a list of signal numbers of the form
5018 @samp{@var{low}-@var{high}}; or the word @samp{all}, meaning all the
5019 known signals. Optional arguments @var{keywords}, described below,
5020 say what change to make.
5021 @end table
5022
5023 @c @group
5024 The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
5025 Their full names are:
5026
5027 @table @code
5028 @item nostop
5029 @value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
5030 still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
5031
5032 @item stop
5033 @value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
5034 the @code{print} keyword as well.
5035
5036 @item print
5037 @value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
5038
5039 @item noprint
5040 @value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
5041 implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
5042
5043 @item pass
5044 @itemx noignore
5045 @value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
5046 can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
5047 and not handled. @code{pass} and @code{noignore} are synonyms.
5048
5049 @item nopass
5050 @itemx ignore
5051 @value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
5052 @code{nopass} and @code{ignore} are synonyms.
5053 @end table
5054 @c @end group
5055
5056 When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible to the
5057 program until you
5058 continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
5059 effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
5060 after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
5061 command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
5062 program sees that signal when you continue.
5063
5064 The default is set to @code{nostop}, @code{noprint}, @code{pass} for
5065 non-erroneous signals such as @code{SIGALRM}, @code{SIGWINCH} and
5066 @code{SIGCHLD}, and to @code{stop}, @code{print}, @code{pass} for the
5067 erroneous signals.
5068
5069 You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
5070 seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
5071 or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
5072 due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
5073 values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
5074 execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
5075 a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
5076 you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
5077 Program a Signal}.
5078
5079 @cindex extra signal information
5080 @anchor{extra signal information}
5081
5082 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can inspect extra signal information
5083 associated with the intercepted signal, before it is actually
5084 delivered to the program being debugged. This information is exported
5085 by the convenience variable @code{$_siginfo}, and consists of data
5086 that is passed by the kernel to the signal handler at the time of the
5087 receipt of a signal. The data type of the information itself is
5088 target dependent. You can see the data type using the @code{ptype
5089 $_siginfo} command. On Unix systems, it typically corresponds to the
5090 standard @code{siginfo_t} type, as defined in the @file{signal.h}
5091 system header.
5092
5093 Here's an example, on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, printing the stray
5094 referenced address that raised a segmentation fault.
5095
5096 @smallexample
5097 @group
5098 (@value{GDBP}) continue
5099 Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
5100 0x0000000000400766 in main ()
5101 69 *(int *)p = 0;
5102 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo
5103 type = struct @{
5104 int si_signo;
5105 int si_errno;
5106 int si_code;
5107 union @{
5108 int _pad[28];
5109 struct @{...@} _kill;
5110 struct @{...@} _timer;
5111 struct @{...@} _rt;
5112 struct @{...@} _sigchld;
5113 struct @{...@} _sigfault;
5114 struct @{...@} _sigpoll;
5115 @} _sifields;
5116 @}
5117 (@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault
5118 type = struct @{
5119 void *si_addr;
5120 @}
5121 (@value{GDBP}) p $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault.si_addr
5122 $1 = (void *) 0x7ffff7ff7000
5123 @end group
5124 @end smallexample
5125
5126 Depending on target support, @code{$_siginfo} may also be writable.
5127
5128 @node Thread Stops
5129 @section Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs
5130
5131 @cindex stopped threads
5132 @cindex threads, stopped
5133
5134 @cindex continuing threads
5135 @cindex threads, continuing
5136
5137 @value{GDBN} supports debugging programs with multiple threads
5138 (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads}). There
5139 are two modes of controlling execution of your program within the
5140 debugger. In the default mode, referred to as @dfn{all-stop mode},
5141 when any thread in your program stops (for example, at a breakpoint
5142 or while being stepped), all other threads in the program are also stopped by
5143 @value{GDBN}. On some targets, @value{GDBN} also supports
5144 @dfn{non-stop mode}, in which other threads can continue to run freely while
5145 you examine the stopped thread in the debugger.
5146
5147 @menu
5148 * All-Stop Mode:: All threads stop when GDB takes control
5149 * Non-Stop Mode:: Other threads continue to execute
5150 * Background Execution:: Running your program asynchronously
5151 * Thread-Specific Breakpoints:: Controlling breakpoints
5152 * Interrupted System Calls:: GDB may interfere with system calls
5153 * Observer Mode:: GDB does not alter program behavior
5154 @end menu
5155
5156 @node All-Stop Mode
5157 @subsection All-Stop Mode
5158
5159 @cindex all-stop mode
5160
5161 In all-stop mode, whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
5162 @emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
5163 allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
5164 switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
5165 underfoot.
5166
5167 Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
5168 executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
5169 like @code{step} or @code{next}.
5170
5171 In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
5172 Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
5173 system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
5174 execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
5175 single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
5176 statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
5177 stops.
5178
5179 You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
5180 continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
5181 thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
5182 first thread completes whatever you requested.
5183
5184 @cindex automatic thread selection
5185 @cindex switching threads automatically
5186 @cindex threads, automatic switching
5187 Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
5188 signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
5189 signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
5190 message such as @samp{[Switching to Thread @var{n}]} to identify the
5191 thread.
5192
5193 On some OSes, you can modify @value{GDBN}'s default behavior by
5194 locking the OS scheduler to allow only a single thread to run.
5195
5196 @table @code
5197 @item set scheduler-locking @var{mode}
5198 @cindex scheduler locking mode
5199 @cindex lock scheduler
5200 Set the scheduler locking mode. If it is @code{off}, then there is no
5201 locking and any thread may run at any time. If @code{on}, then only the
5202 current thread may run when the inferior is resumed. The @code{step}
5203 mode optimizes for single-stepping; it prevents other threads
5204 from preempting the current thread while you are stepping, so that
5205 the focus of debugging does not change unexpectedly.
5206 Other threads only rarely (or never) get a chance to run
5207 when you step. They are more likely to run when you @samp{next} over a
5208 function call, and they are completely free to run when you use commands
5209 like @samp{continue}, @samp{until}, or @samp{finish}. However, unless another
5210 thread hits a breakpoint during its timeslice, @value{GDBN} does not change
5211 the current thread away from the thread that you are debugging.
5212
5213 @item show scheduler-locking
5214 Display the current scheduler locking mode.
5215 @end table
5216
5217 @cindex resume threads of multiple processes simultaneously
5218 By default, when you issue one of the execution commands such as
5219 @code{continue}, @code{next} or @code{step}, @value{GDBN} allows only
5220 threads of the current inferior to run. For example, if @value{GDBN}
5221 is attached to two inferiors, each with two threads, the
5222 @code{continue} command resumes only the two threads of the current
5223 inferior. This is useful, for example, when you debug a program that
5224 forks and you want to hold the parent stopped (so that, for instance,
5225 it doesn't run to exit), while you debug the child. In other
5226 situations, you may not be interested in inspecting the current state
5227 of any of the processes @value{GDBN} is attached to, and you may want
5228 to resume them all until some breakpoint is hit. In the latter case,
5229 you can instruct @value{GDBN} to allow all threads of all the
5230 inferiors to run with the @w{@code{set schedule-multiple}} command.
5231
5232 @table @code
5233 @kindex set schedule-multiple
5234 @item set schedule-multiple
5235 Set the mode for allowing threads of multiple processes to be resumed
5236 when an execution command is issued. When @code{on}, all threads of
5237 all processes are allowed to run. When @code{off}, only the threads
5238 of the current process are resumed. The default is @code{off}. The
5239 @code{scheduler-locking} mode takes precedence when set to @code{on},
5240 or while you are stepping and set to @code{step}.
5241
5242 @item show schedule-multiple
5243 Display the current mode for resuming the execution of threads of
5244 multiple processes.
5245 @end table
5246
5247 @node Non-Stop Mode
5248 @subsection Non-Stop Mode
5249
5250 @cindex non-stop mode
5251
5252 @c This section is really only a place-holder, and needs to be expanded
5253 @c with more details.
5254
5255 For some multi-threaded targets, @value{GDBN} supports an optional
5256 mode of operation in which you can examine stopped program threads in
5257 the debugger while other threads continue to execute freely. This
5258 minimizes intrusion when debugging live systems, such as programs
5259 where some threads have real-time constraints or must continue to
5260 respond to external events. This is referred to as @dfn{non-stop} mode.
5261
5262 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops to report a debugging event,
5263 @emph{only} that thread is stopped; @value{GDBN} does not stop other
5264 threads as well, in contrast to the all-stop mode behavior. Additionally,
5265 execution commands such as @code{continue} and @code{step} apply by default
5266 only to the current thread in non-stop mode, rather than all threads as
5267 in all-stop mode. This allows you to control threads explicitly in
5268 ways that are not possible in all-stop mode --- for example, stepping
5269 one thread while allowing others to run freely, stepping
5270 one thread while holding all others stopped, or stepping several threads
5271 independently and simultaneously.
5272
5273 To enter non-stop mode, use this sequence of commands before you run
5274 or attach to your program:
5275
5276 @smallexample
5277 # Enable the async interface.
5278 set target-async 1
5279
5280 # If using the CLI, pagination breaks non-stop.
5281 set pagination off
5282
5283 # Finally, turn it on!
5284 set non-stop on
5285 @end smallexample
5286
5287 You can use these commands to manipulate the non-stop mode setting:
5288
5289 @table @code
5290 @kindex set non-stop
5291 @item set non-stop on
5292 Enable selection of non-stop mode.
5293 @item set non-stop off
5294 Disable selection of non-stop mode.
5295 @kindex show non-stop
5296 @item show non-stop
5297 Show the current non-stop enablement setting.
5298 @end table
5299
5300 Note these commands only reflect whether non-stop mode is enabled,
5301 not whether the currently-executing program is being run in non-stop mode.
5302 In particular, the @code{set non-stop} preference is only consulted when
5303 @value{GDBN} starts or connects to the target program, and it is generally
5304 not possible to switch modes once debugging has started. Furthermore,
5305 since not all targets support non-stop mode, even when you have enabled
5306 non-stop mode, @value{GDBN} may still fall back to all-stop operation by
5307 default.
5308
5309 In non-stop mode, all execution commands apply only to the current thread
5310 by default. That is, @code{continue} only continues one thread.
5311 To continue all threads, issue @code{continue -a} or @code{c -a}.
5312
5313 You can use @value{GDBN}'s background execution commands
5314 (@pxref{Background Execution}) to run some threads in the background
5315 while you continue to examine or step others from @value{GDBN}.
5316 The MI execution commands (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}) are
5317 always executed asynchronously in non-stop mode.
5318
5319 Suspending execution is done with the @code{interrupt} command when
5320 running in the background, or @kbd{Ctrl-c} during foreground execution.
5321 In all-stop mode, this stops the whole process;
5322 but in non-stop mode the interrupt applies only to the current thread.
5323 To stop the whole program, use @code{interrupt -a}.
5324
5325 Other execution commands do not currently support the @code{-a} option.
5326
5327 In non-stop mode, when a thread stops, @value{GDBN} doesn't automatically make
5328 that thread current, as it does in all-stop mode. This is because the
5329 thread stop notifications are asynchronous with respect to @value{GDBN}'s
5330 command interpreter, and it would be confusing if @value{GDBN} unexpectedly
5331 changed to a different thread just as you entered a command to operate on the
5332 previously current thread.
5333
5334 @node Background Execution
5335 @subsection Background Execution
5336
5337 @cindex foreground execution
5338 @cindex background execution
5339 @cindex asynchronous execution
5340 @cindex execution, foreground, background and asynchronous
5341
5342 @value{GDBN}'s execution commands have two variants: the normal
5343 foreground (synchronous) behavior, and a background
5344 (asynchronous) behavior. In foreground execution, @value{GDBN} waits for
5345 the program to report that some thread has stopped before prompting for
5346 another command. In background execution, @value{GDBN} immediately gives
5347 a command prompt so that you can issue other commands while your program runs.
5348
5349 You need to explicitly enable asynchronous mode before you can use
5350 background execution commands. You can use these commands to
5351 manipulate the asynchronous mode setting:
5352
5353 @table @code
5354 @kindex set target-async
5355 @item set target-async on
5356 Enable asynchronous mode.
5357 @item set target-async off
5358 Disable asynchronous mode.
5359 @kindex show target-async
5360 @item show target-async
5361 Show the current target-async setting.
5362 @end table
5363
5364 If the target doesn't support async mode, @value{GDBN} issues an error
5365 message if you attempt to use the background execution commands.
5366
5367 To specify background execution, add a @code{&} to the command. For example,
5368 the background form of the @code{continue} command is @code{continue&}, or
5369 just @code{c&}. The execution commands that accept background execution
5370 are:
5371
5372 @table @code
5373 @kindex run&
5374 @item run
5375 @xref{Starting, , Starting your Program}.
5376
5377 @item attach
5378 @kindex attach&
5379 @xref{Attach, , Debugging an Already-running Process}.
5380
5381 @item step
5382 @kindex step&
5383 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, step}.
5384
5385 @item stepi
5386 @kindex stepi&
5387 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, stepi}.
5388
5389 @item next
5390 @kindex next&
5391 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, next}.
5392
5393 @item nexti
5394 @kindex nexti&
5395 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, nexti}.
5396
5397 @item continue
5398 @kindex continue&
5399 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, continue}.
5400
5401 @item finish
5402 @kindex finish&
5403 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, finish}.
5404
5405 @item until
5406 @kindex until&
5407 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, until}.
5408
5409 @end table
5410
5411 Background execution is especially useful in conjunction with non-stop
5412 mode for debugging programs with multiple threads; see @ref{Non-Stop Mode}.
5413 However, you can also use these commands in the normal all-stop mode with
5414 the restriction that you cannot issue another execution command until the
5415 previous one finishes. Examples of commands that are valid in all-stop
5416 mode while the program is running include @code{help} and @code{info break}.
5417
5418 You can interrupt your program while it is running in the background by
5419 using the @code{interrupt} command.
5420
5421 @table @code
5422 @kindex interrupt
5423 @item interrupt
5424 @itemx interrupt -a
5425
5426 Suspend execution of the running program. In all-stop mode,
5427 @code{interrupt} stops the whole process, but in non-stop mode, it stops
5428 only the current thread. To stop the whole program in non-stop mode,
5429 use @code{interrupt -a}.
5430 @end table
5431
5432 @node Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5433 @subsection Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5434
5435 When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
5436 Programs with Multiple Threads}), you can choose whether to set
5437 breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
5438
5439 @table @code
5440 @cindex breakpoints and threads
5441 @cindex thread breakpoints
5442 @kindex break @dots{} thread @var{threadno}
5443 @item break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno}
5444 @itemx break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno} if @dots{}
5445 @var{linespec} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
5446 writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always to
5447 specify some source line.
5448
5449 Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{threadno}} with a breakpoint command
5450 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
5451 particular thread reaches this breakpoint. @var{threadno} is one of the
5452 numeric thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
5453 column of the @samp{info threads} display.
5454
5455 If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{threadno}} when you set a
5456 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
5457 program.
5458
5459 You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
5460 well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{threadno}} before or
5461 after the breakpoint condition, like this:
5462
5463 @smallexample
5464 (@value{GDBP}) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
5465 @end smallexample
5466
5467 @end table
5468
5469 @node Interrupted System Calls
5470 @subsection Interrupted System Calls
5471
5472 @cindex thread breakpoints and system calls
5473 @cindex system calls and thread breakpoints
5474 @cindex premature return from system calls
5475 There is an unfortunate side effect when using @value{GDBN} to debug
5476 multi-threaded programs. If one thread stops for a
5477 breakpoint, or for some other reason, and another thread is blocked in a
5478 system call, then the system call may return prematurely. This is a
5479 consequence of the interaction between multiple threads and the signals
5480 that @value{GDBN} uses to implement breakpoints and other events that
5481 stop execution.
5482
5483 To handle this problem, your program should check the return value of
5484 each system call and react appropriately. This is good programming
5485 style anyways.
5486
5487 For example, do not write code like this:
5488
5489 @smallexample
5490 sleep (10);
5491 @end smallexample
5492
5493 The call to @code{sleep} will return early if a different thread stops
5494 at a breakpoint or for some other reason.
5495
5496 Instead, write this:
5497
5498 @smallexample
5499 int unslept = 10;
5500 while (unslept > 0)
5501 unslept = sleep (unslept);
5502 @end smallexample
5503
5504 A system call is allowed to return early, so the system is still
5505 conforming to its specification. But @value{GDBN} does cause your
5506 multi-threaded program to behave differently than it would without
5507 @value{GDBN}.
5508
5509 Also, @value{GDBN} uses internal breakpoints in the thread library to
5510 monitor certain events such as thread creation and thread destruction.
5511 When such an event happens, a system call in another thread may return
5512 prematurely, even though your program does not appear to stop.
5513
5514 @node Observer Mode
5515 @subsection Observer Mode
5516
5517 If you want to build on non-stop mode and observe program behavior
5518 without any chance of disruption by @value{GDBN}, you can set
5519 variables to disable all of the debugger's attempts to modify state,
5520 whether by writing memory, inserting breakpoints, etc. These operate
5521 at a low level, intercepting operations from all commands.
5522
5523 When all of these are set to @code{off}, then @value{GDBN} is said to
5524 be @dfn{observer mode}. As a convenience, the variable
5525 @code{observer} can be set to disable these, plus enable non-stop
5526 mode.
5527
5528 Note that @value{GDBN} will not prevent you from making nonsensical
5529 combinations of these settings. For instance, if you have enabled
5530 @code{may-insert-breakpoints} but disabled @code{may-write-memory},
5531 then breakpoints that work by writing trap instructions into the code
5532 stream will still not be able to be placed.
5533
5534 @table @code
5535
5536 @kindex observer
5537 @item set observer on
5538 @itemx set observer off
5539 When set to @code{on}, this disables all the permission variables
5540 below (except for @code{insert-fast-tracepoints}), plus enables
5541 non-stop debugging. Setting this to @code{off} switches back to
5542 normal debugging, though remaining in non-stop mode.
5543
5544 @item show observer
5545 Show whether observer mode is on or off.
5546
5547 @kindex may-write-registers
5548 @item set may-write-registers on
5549 @itemx set may-write-registers off
5550 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the values of
5551 registers, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}, or the
5552 @code{jump} command. It defaults to @code{on}.
5553
5554 @item show may-write-registers
5555 Show the current permission to write registers.
5556
5557 @kindex may-write-memory
5558 @item set may-write-memory on
5559 @itemx set may-write-memory off
5560 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the contents
5561 of memory, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}. It
5562 defaults to @code{on}.
5563
5564 @item show may-write-memory
5565 Show the current permission to write memory.
5566
5567 @kindex may-insert-breakpoints
5568 @item set may-insert-breakpoints on
5569 @itemx set may-insert-breakpoints off
5570 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert breakpoints.
5571 This affects all breakpoints, including internal breakpoints defined
5572 by @value{GDBN}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5573
5574 @item show may-insert-breakpoints
5575 Show the current permission to insert breakpoints.
5576
5577 @kindex may-insert-tracepoints
5578 @item set may-insert-tracepoints on
5579 @itemx set may-insert-tracepoints off
5580 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert (regular)
5581 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
5582 non-fast tracepoints, fast tracepoints being under the control of
5583 @code{may-insert-fast-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5584
5585 @item show may-insert-tracepoints
5586 Show the current permission to insert tracepoints.
5587
5588 @kindex may-insert-fast-tracepoints
5589 @item set may-insert-fast-tracepoints on
5590 @itemx set may-insert-fast-tracepoints off
5591 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert fast
5592 tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
5593 fast tracepoints, regular (non-fast) tracepoints being under the
5594 control of @code{may-insert-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5595
5596 @item show may-insert-fast-tracepoints
5597 Show the current permission to insert fast tracepoints.
5598
5599 @kindex may-interrupt
5600 @item set may-interrupt on
5601 @itemx set may-interrupt off
5602 This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to interrupt or stop
5603 program execution. When this variable is @code{off}, the
5604 @code{interrupt} command will have no effect, nor will
5605 @kbd{Ctrl-c}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5606
5607 @item show may-interrupt
5608 Show the current permission to interrupt or stop the program.
5609
5610 @end table
5611
5612 @node Reverse Execution
5613 @chapter Running programs backward
5614 @cindex reverse execution
5615 @cindex running programs backward
5616
5617 When you are debugging a program, it is not unusual to realize that
5618 you have gone too far, and some event of interest has already happened.
5619 If the target environment supports it, @value{GDBN} can allow you to
5620 ``rewind'' the program by running it backward.
5621
5622 A target environment that supports reverse execution should be able
5623 to ``undo'' the changes in machine state that have taken place as the
5624 program was executing normally. Variables, registers etc.@: should
5625 revert to their previous values. Obviously this requires a great
5626 deal of sophistication on the part of the target environment; not
5627 all target environments can support reverse execution.
5628
5629 When a program is executed in reverse, the instructions that
5630 have most recently been executed are ``un-executed'', in reverse
5631 order. The program counter runs backward, following the previous
5632 thread of execution in reverse. As each instruction is ``un-executed'',
5633 the values of memory and/or registers that were changed by that
5634 instruction are reverted to their previous states. After executing
5635 a piece of source code in reverse, all side effects of that code
5636 should be ``undone'', and all variables should be returned to their
5637 prior values@footnote{
5638 Note that some side effects are easier to undo than others. For instance,
5639 memory and registers are relatively easy, but device I/O is hard. Some
5640 targets may be able undo things like device I/O, and some may not.
5641
5642 The contract between @value{GDBN} and the reverse executing target
5643 requires only that the target do something reasonable when
5644 @value{GDBN} tells it to execute backwards, and then report the
5645 results back to @value{GDBN}. Whatever the target reports back to
5646 @value{GDBN}, @value{GDBN} will report back to the user. @value{GDBN}
5647 assumes that the memory and registers that the target reports are in a
5648 consistant state, but @value{GDBN} accepts whatever it is given.
5649 }.
5650
5651 If you are debugging in a target environment that supports
5652 reverse execution, @value{GDBN} provides the following commands.
5653
5654 @table @code
5655 @kindex reverse-continue
5656 @kindex rc @r{(@code{reverse-continue})}
5657 @item reverse-continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5658 @itemx rc @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5659 Beginning at the point where your program last stopped, start executing
5660 in reverse. Reverse execution will stop for breakpoints and synchronous
5661 exceptions (signals), just like normal execution. Behavior of
5662 asynchronous signals depends on the target environment.
5663
5664 @kindex reverse-step
5665 @kindex rs @r{(@code{step})}
5666 @item reverse-step @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5667 Run the program backward until control reaches the start of a
5668 different source line; then stop it, and return control to @value{GDBN}.
5669
5670 Like the @code{step} command, @code{reverse-step} will only stop
5671 at the beginning of a source line. It ``un-executes'' the previously
5672 executed source line. If the previous source line included calls to
5673 debuggable functions, @code{reverse-step} will step (backward) into
5674 the called function, stopping at the beginning of the @emph{last}
5675 statement in the called function (typically a return statement).
5676
5677 Also, as with the @code{step} command, if non-debuggable functions are
5678 called, @code{reverse-step} will run thru them backward without stopping.
5679
5680 @kindex reverse-stepi
5681 @kindex rsi @r{(@code{reverse-stepi})}
5682 @item reverse-stepi @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5683 Reverse-execute one machine instruction. Note that the instruction
5684 to be reverse-executed is @emph{not} the one pointed to by the program
5685 counter, but the instruction executed prior to that one. For instance,
5686 if the last instruction was a jump, @code{reverse-stepi} will take you
5687 back from the destination of the jump to the jump instruction itself.
5688
5689 @kindex reverse-next
5690 @kindex rn @r{(@code{reverse-next})}
5691 @item reverse-next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5692 Run backward to the beginning of the previous line executed in
5693 the current (innermost) stack frame. If the line contains function
5694 calls, they will be ``un-executed'' without stopping. Starting from
5695 the first line of a function, @code{reverse-next} will take you back
5696 to the caller of that function, @emph{before} the function was called,
5697 just as the normal @code{next} command would take you from the last
5698 line of a function back to its return to its caller
5699 @footnote{Unless the code is too heavily optimized.}.
5700
5701 @kindex reverse-nexti
5702 @kindex rni @r{(@code{reverse-nexti})}
5703 @item reverse-nexti @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5704 Like @code{nexti}, @code{reverse-nexti} executes a single instruction
5705 in reverse, except that called functions are ``un-executed'' atomically.
5706 That is, if the previously executed instruction was a return from
5707 another function, @code{reverse-nexti} will continue to execute
5708 in reverse until the call to that function (from the current stack
5709 frame) is reached.
5710
5711 @kindex reverse-finish
5712 @item reverse-finish
5713 Just as the @code{finish} command takes you to the point where the
5714 current function returns, @code{reverse-finish} takes you to the point
5715 where it was called. Instead of ending up at the end of the current
5716 function invocation, you end up at the beginning.
5717
5718 @kindex set exec-direction
5719 @item set exec-direction
5720 Set the direction of target execution.
5721 @itemx set exec-direction reverse
5722 @cindex execute forward or backward in time
5723 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in reverse, until the
5724 exec-direction mode is changed to ``forward''. Affected commands include
5725 @code{step, stepi, next, nexti, continue, and finish}. The @code{return}
5726 command cannot be used in reverse mode.
5727 @item set exec-direction forward
5728 @value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in the normal fashion.
5729 This is the default.
5730 @end table
5731
5732
5733 @node Process Record and Replay
5734 @chapter Recording Inferior's Execution and Replaying It
5735 @cindex process record and replay
5736 @cindex recording inferior's execution and replaying it
5737
5738 On some platforms, @value{GDBN} provides a special @dfn{process record
5739 and replay} target that can record a log of the process execution, and
5740 replay it later with both forward and reverse execution commands.
5741
5742 @cindex replay mode
5743 When this target is in use, if the execution log includes the record
5744 for the next instruction, @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{replay
5745 mode}. In the replay mode, the inferior does not really execute code
5746 instructions. Instead, all the events that normally happen during
5747 code execution are taken from the execution log. While code is not
5748 really executed in replay mode, the values of registers (including the
5749 program counter register) and the memory of the inferior are still
5750 changed as they normally would. Their contents are taken from the
5751 execution log.
5752
5753 @cindex record mode
5754 If the record for the next instruction is not in the execution log,
5755 @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{record mode}. In this mode, the
5756 inferior executes normally, and @value{GDBN} records the execution log
5757 for future replay.
5758
5759 The process record and replay target supports reverse execution
5760 (@pxref{Reverse Execution}), even if the platform on which the
5761 inferior runs does not. However, the reverse execution is limited in
5762 this case by the range of the instructions recorded in the execution
5763 log. In other words, reverse execution on platforms that don't
5764 support it directly can only be done in the replay mode.
5765
5766 When debugging in the reverse direction, @value{GDBN} will work in
5767 replay mode as long as the execution log includes the record for the
5768 previous instruction; otherwise, it will work in record mode, if the
5769 platform supports reverse execution, or stop if not.
5770
5771 For architecture environments that support process record and replay,
5772 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands:
5773
5774 @table @code
5775 @kindex target record
5776 @kindex record
5777 @kindex rec
5778 @item target record
5779 This command starts the process record and replay target. The process
5780 record and replay target can only debug a process that is already
5781 running. Therefore, you need first to start the process with the
5782 @kbd{run} or @kbd{start} commands, and then start the recording with
5783 the @kbd{target record} command.
5784
5785 Both @code{record} and @code{rec} are aliases of @code{target record}.
5786
5787 @cindex displaced stepping, and process record and replay
5788 Displaced stepping (@pxref{Maintenance Commands,, displaced stepping})
5789 will be automatically disabled when process record and replay target
5790 is started. That's because the process record and replay target
5791 doesn't support displaced stepping.
5792
5793 @cindex non-stop mode, and process record and replay
5794 @cindex asynchronous execution, and process record and replay
5795 If the inferior is in the non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) or in
5796 the asynchronous execution mode (@pxref{Background Execution}), the
5797 process record and replay target cannot be started because it doesn't
5798 support these two modes.
5799
5800 @kindex record stop
5801 @kindex rec s
5802 @item record stop
5803 Stop the process record and replay target. When process record and
5804 replay target stops, the entire execution log will be deleted and the
5805 inferior will either be terminated, or will remain in its final state.
5806
5807 When you stop the process record and replay target in record mode (at
5808 the end of the execution log), the inferior will be stopped at the
5809 next instruction that would have been recorded. In other words, if
5810 you record for a while and then stop recording, the inferior process
5811 will be left in the same state as if the recording never happened.
5812
5813 On the other hand, if the process record and replay target is stopped
5814 while in replay mode (that is, not at the end of the execution log,
5815 but at some earlier point), the inferior process will become ``live''
5816 at that earlier state, and it will then be possible to continue the
5817 usual ``live'' debugging of the process from that state.
5818
5819 When the inferior process exits, or @value{GDBN} detaches from it,
5820 process record and replay target will automatically stop itself.
5821
5822 @kindex record save
5823 @item record save @var{filename}
5824 Save the execution log to a file @file{@var{filename}}.
5825 Default filename is @file{gdb_record.@var{process_id}}, where
5826 @var{process_id} is the process ID of the inferior.
5827
5828 @kindex record restore
5829 @item record restore @var{filename}
5830 Restore the execution log from a file @file{@var{filename}}.
5831 File must have been created with @code{record save}.
5832
5833 @kindex set record insn-number-max
5834 @item set record insn-number-max @var{limit}
5835 Set the limit of instructions to be recorded. Default value is 200000.
5836
5837 If @var{limit} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will start
5838 deleting instructions from the log once the number of the record
5839 instructions becomes greater than @var{limit}. For every new recorded
5840 instruction, @value{GDBN} will delete the earliest recorded
5841 instruction to keep the number of recorded instructions at the limit.
5842 (Since deleting recorded instructions loses information, @value{GDBN}
5843 lets you control what happens when the limit is reached, by means of
5844 the @code{stop-at-limit} option, described below.)
5845
5846 If @var{limit} is zero, @value{GDBN} will never delete recorded
5847 instructions from the execution log. The number of recorded
5848 instructions is unlimited in this case.
5849
5850 @kindex show record insn-number-max
5851 @item show record insn-number-max
5852 Show the limit of instructions to be recorded.
5853
5854 @kindex set record stop-at-limit
5855 @item set record stop-at-limit
5856 Control the behavior when the number of recorded instructions reaches
5857 the limit. If ON (the default), @value{GDBN} will stop when the limit
5858 is reached for the first time and ask you whether you want to stop the
5859 inferior or continue running it and recording the execution log. If
5860 you decide to continue recording, each new recorded instruction will
5861 cause the oldest one to be deleted.
5862
5863 If this option is OFF, @value{GDBN} will automatically delete the
5864 oldest record to make room for each new one, without asking.
5865
5866 @kindex show record stop-at-limit
5867 @item show record stop-at-limit
5868 Show the current setting of @code{stop-at-limit}.
5869
5870 @kindex set record memory-query
5871 @item set record memory-query
5872 Control the behavior when @value{GDBN} is unable to record memory
5873 changes caused by an instruction. If ON, @value{GDBN} will query
5874 whether to stop the inferior in that case.
5875
5876 If this option is OFF (the default), @value{GDBN} will automatically
5877 ignore the effect of such instructions on memory. Later, when
5878 @value{GDBN} replays this execution log, it will mark the log of this
5879 instruction as not accessible, and it will not affect the replay
5880 results.
5881
5882 @kindex show record memory-query
5883 @item show record memory-query
5884 Show the current setting of @code{memory-query}.
5885
5886 @kindex info record
5887 @item info record
5888 Show various statistics about the state of process record and its
5889 in-memory execution log buffer, including:
5890
5891 @itemize @bullet
5892 @item
5893 Whether in record mode or replay mode.
5894 @item
5895 Lowest recorded instruction number (counting from when the current execution log started recording instructions).
5896 @item
5897 Highest recorded instruction number.
5898 @item
5899 Current instruction about to be replayed (if in replay mode).
5900 @item
5901 Number of instructions contained in the execution log.
5902 @item
5903 Maximum number of instructions that may be contained in the execution log.
5904 @end itemize
5905
5906 @kindex record delete
5907 @kindex rec del
5908 @item record delete
5909 When record target runs in replay mode (``in the past''), delete the
5910 subsequent execution log and begin to record a new execution log starting
5911 from the current address. This means you will abandon the previously
5912 recorded ``future'' and begin recording a new ``future''.
5913 @end table
5914
5915
5916 @node Stack
5917 @chapter Examining the Stack
5918
5919 When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
5920 stopped and how it got there.
5921
5922 @cindex call stack
5923 Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
5924 is generated.
5925 That information includes the location of the call in your program,
5926 the arguments of the call,
5927 and the local variables of the function being called.
5928 The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
5929 The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
5930 stack}.
5931
5932 When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
5933 stack allow you to see all of this information.
5934
5935 @cindex selected frame
5936 One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
5937 @value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
5938 particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
5939 your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
5940 special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
5941 interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
5942
5943 When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
5944 currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
5945 @code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}).
5946
5947 @menu
5948 * Frames:: Stack frames
5949 * Backtrace:: Backtraces
5950 * Selection:: Selecting a frame
5951 * Frame Info:: Information on a frame
5952
5953 @end menu
5954
5955 @node Frames
5956 @section Stack Frames
5957
5958 @cindex frame, definition
5959 @cindex stack frame
5960 The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
5961 frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
5962 with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
5963 to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
5964 which the function is executing.
5965
5966 @cindex initial frame
5967 @cindex outermost frame
5968 @cindex innermost frame
5969 When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
5970 function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
5971 @dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
5972 made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
5973 is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
5974 the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
5975 actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
5976 recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
5977
5978 @cindex frame pointer
5979 Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
5980 stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
5981 kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
5982 address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
5983 in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register}
5984 (@pxref{Registers, $fp}) while execution is going on in that frame.
5985
5986 @cindex frame number
5987 @value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
5988 zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
5989 and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
5990 they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
5991 frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
5992
5993 @c The -fomit-frame-pointer below perennially causes hbox overflow
5994 @c underflow problems.
5995 @cindex frameless execution
5996 Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
5997 without stack frames. (For example, the @value{NGCC} option
5998 @smallexample
5999 @samp{-fomit-frame-pointer}
6000 @end smallexample
6001 generates functions without a frame.)
6002 This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
6003 the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
6004 with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
6005 has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
6006 it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
6007 correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
6008 no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
6009
6010 @table @code
6011 @kindex frame@r{, command}
6012 @cindex current stack frame
6013 @item frame @var{args}
6014 The @code{frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame to another,
6015 and to print the stack frame you select. @var{args} may be either the
6016 address of the frame or the stack frame number. Without an argument,
6017 @code{frame} prints the current stack frame.
6018
6019 @kindex select-frame
6020 @cindex selecting frame silently
6021 @item select-frame
6022 The @code{select-frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame
6023 to another without printing the frame. This is the silent version of
6024 @code{frame}.
6025 @end table
6026
6027 @node Backtrace
6028 @section Backtraces
6029
6030 @cindex traceback
6031 @cindex call stack traces
6032 A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
6033 line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
6034 frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
6035 stack.
6036
6037 @table @code
6038 @kindex backtrace
6039 @kindex bt @r{(@code{backtrace})}
6040 @item backtrace
6041 @itemx bt
6042 Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
6043 frames in the stack.
6044
6045 You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
6046 character, normally @kbd{Ctrl-c}.
6047
6048 @item backtrace @var{n}
6049 @itemx bt @var{n}
6050 Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
6051
6052 @item backtrace -@var{n}
6053 @itemx bt -@var{n}
6054 Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
6055
6056 @item backtrace full
6057 @itemx bt full
6058 @itemx bt full @var{n}
6059 @itemx bt full -@var{n}
6060 Print the values of the local variables also. @var{n} specifies the
6061 number of frames to print, as described above.
6062 @end table
6063
6064 @kindex where
6065 @kindex info stack
6066 The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
6067 are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
6068
6069 @cindex multiple threads, backtrace
6070 In a multi-threaded program, @value{GDBN} by default shows the
6071 backtrace only for the current thread. To display the backtrace for
6072 several or all of the threads, use the command @code{thread apply}
6073 (@pxref{Threads, thread apply}). For example, if you type @kbd{thread
6074 apply all backtrace}, @value{GDBN} will display the backtrace for all
6075 the threads; this is handy when you debug a core dump of a
6076 multi-threaded program.
6077
6078 Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
6079 The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
6080 print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
6081 line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
6082 counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
6083 line number.
6084
6085 Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
6086 @samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
6087
6088 @smallexample
6089 @group
6090 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
6091 at builtin.c:993
6092 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600, data=...) at macro.c:242
6093 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
6094 at macro.c:71
6095 (More stack frames follow...)
6096 @end group
6097 @end smallexample
6098
6099 @noindent
6100 The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
6101 value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
6102 code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
6103
6104 @noindent
6105 The value of parameter @code{data} in frame 1 has been replaced by
6106 @code{@dots{}}. By default, @value{GDBN} prints the value of a parameter
6107 only if it is a scalar (integer, pointer, enumeration, etc). See command
6108 @kbd{set print frame-arguments} in @ref{Print Settings} for more details
6109 on how to configure the way function parameter values are printed.
6110
6111 @cindex optimized out, in backtrace
6112 @cindex function call arguments, optimized out
6113 If your program was compiled with optimizations, some compilers will
6114 optimize away arguments passed to functions if those arguments are
6115 never used after the call. Such optimizations generate code that
6116 passes arguments through registers, but doesn't store those arguments
6117 in the stack frame. @value{GDBN} has no way of displaying such
6118 arguments in stack frames other than the innermost one. Here's what
6119 such a backtrace might look like:
6120
6121 @smallexample
6122 @group
6123 #0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
6124 at builtin.c:993
6125 #1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=<optimized out>) at macro.c:242
6126 #2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=<optimized out>, td=0xf7fffb08)
6127 at macro.c:71
6128 (More stack frames follow...)
6129 @end group
6130 @end smallexample
6131
6132 @noindent
6133 The values of arguments that were not saved in their stack frames are
6134 shown as @samp{<optimized out>}.
6135
6136 If you need to display the values of such optimized-out arguments,
6137 either deduce that from other variables whose values depend on the one
6138 you are interested in, or recompile without optimizations.
6139
6140 @cindex backtrace beyond @code{main} function
6141 @cindex program entry point
6142 @cindex startup code, and backtrace
6143 Most programs have a standard user entry point---a place where system
6144 libraries and startup code transition into user code. For C this is
6145 @code{main}@footnote{
6146 Note that embedded programs (the so-called ``free-standing''
6147 environment) are not required to have a @code{main} function as the
6148 entry point. They could even have multiple entry points.}.
6149 When @value{GDBN} finds the entry function in a backtrace
6150 it will terminate the backtrace, to avoid tracing into highly
6151 system-specific (and generally uninteresting) code.
6152
6153 If you need to examine the startup code, or limit the number of levels
6154 in a backtrace, you can change this behavior:
6155
6156 @table @code
6157 @item set backtrace past-main
6158 @itemx set backtrace past-main on
6159 @kindex set backtrace
6160 Backtraces will continue past the user entry point.
6161
6162 @item set backtrace past-main off
6163 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the user entry point. This is the
6164 default.
6165
6166 @item show backtrace past-main
6167 @kindex show backtrace
6168 Display the current user entry point backtrace policy.
6169
6170 @item set backtrace past-entry
6171 @itemx set backtrace past-entry on
6172 Backtraces will continue past the internal entry point of an application.
6173 This entry point is encoded by the linker when the application is built,
6174 and is likely before the user entry point @code{main} (or equivalent) is called.
6175
6176 @item set backtrace past-entry off
6177 Backtraces will stop when they encounter the internal entry point of an
6178 application. This is the default.
6179
6180 @item show backtrace past-entry
6181 Display the current internal entry point backtrace policy.
6182
6183 @item set backtrace limit @var{n}
6184 @itemx set backtrace limit 0
6185 @cindex backtrace limit
6186 Limit the backtrace to @var{n} levels. A value of zero means
6187 unlimited.
6188
6189 @item show backtrace limit
6190 Display the current limit on backtrace levels.
6191 @end table
6192
6193 @node Selection
6194 @section Selecting a Frame
6195
6196 Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
6197 whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
6198 selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
6199 of the stack frame just selected.
6200
6201 @table @code
6202 @kindex frame@r{, selecting}
6203 @kindex f @r{(@code{frame})}
6204 @item frame @var{n}
6205 @itemx f @var{n}
6206 Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
6207 (currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
6208 innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
6209 @code{main}.
6210
6211 @item frame @var{addr}
6212 @itemx f @var{addr}
6213 Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
6214 chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
6215 impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
6216 addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
6217 switches between them.
6218
6219 On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
6220 select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
6221
6222 On the MIPS and Alpha architecture, it needs two addresses: a stack
6223 pointer and a program counter.
6224
6225 On the 29k architecture, it needs three addresses: a register stack
6226 pointer, a program counter, and a memory stack pointer.
6227
6228 @kindex up
6229 @item up @var{n}
6230 Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
6231 advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames
6232 that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one.
6233
6234 @kindex down
6235 @kindex do @r{(@code{down})}
6236 @item down @var{n}
6237 Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
6238 advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames
6239 that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may
6240 abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
6241 @end table
6242
6243 All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
6244 frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
6245 arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
6246 frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
6247
6248 @need 1000
6249 For example:
6250
6251 @smallexample
6252 @group
6253 (@value{GDBP}) up
6254 #1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
6255 at env.c:10
6256 10 read_input_file (argv[i]);
6257 @end group
6258 @end smallexample
6259
6260 After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
6261 prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
6262 You can also edit the program at the point of execution with your favorite
6263 editing program by typing @code{edit}.
6264 @xref{List, ,Printing Source Lines},
6265 for details.
6266
6267 @table @code
6268 @kindex down-silently
6269 @kindex up-silently
6270 @item up-silently @var{n}
6271 @itemx down-silently @var{n}
6272 These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
6273 respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
6274 causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
6275 in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
6276 distracting.
6277 @end table
6278
6279 @node Frame Info
6280 @section Information About a Frame
6281
6282 There are several other commands to print information about the selected
6283 stack frame.
6284
6285 @table @code
6286 @item frame
6287 @itemx f
6288 When used without any argument, this command does not change which
6289 frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
6290 selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
6291 argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
6292 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6293
6294 @kindex info frame
6295 @kindex info f @r{(@code{info frame})}
6296 @item info frame
6297 @itemx info f
6298 This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
6299 including:
6300
6301 @itemize @bullet
6302 @item
6303 the address of the frame
6304 @item
6305 the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
6306 @item
6307 the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
6308 @item
6309 the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
6310 @item
6311 the address of the frame's arguments
6312 @item
6313 the address of the frame's local variables
6314 @item
6315 the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
6316 @item
6317 which registers were saved in the frame
6318 @end itemize
6319
6320 @noindent The verbose description is useful when
6321 something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
6322 the usual conventions.
6323
6324 @item info frame @var{addr}
6325 @itemx info f @var{addr}
6326 Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
6327 selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
6328 command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
6329 architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
6330 @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6331
6332 @kindex info args
6333 @item info args
6334 Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
6335
6336 @item info locals
6337 @kindex info locals
6338 Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
6339 line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
6340 accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
6341
6342 @end table
6343
6344
6345 @node Source
6346 @chapter Examining Source Files
6347
6348 @value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
6349 information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
6350 used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
6351 the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
6352 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
6353 execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
6354 source files by explicit command.
6355
6356 If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may
6357 prefer to use Emacs facilities to view source; see @ref{Emacs, ,Using
6358 @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
6359
6360 @menu
6361 * List:: Printing source lines
6362 * Specify Location:: How to specify code locations
6363 * Edit:: Editing source files
6364 * Search:: Searching source files
6365 * Source Path:: Specifying source directories
6366 * Machine Code:: Source and machine code
6367 @end menu
6368
6369 @node List
6370 @section Printing Source Lines
6371
6372 @kindex list
6373 @kindex l @r{(@code{list})}
6374 To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
6375 (abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
6376 There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to
6377 print; see @ref{Specify Location}, for the full list.
6378
6379 Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
6380
6381 @table @code
6382 @item list @var{linenum}
6383 Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
6384 current source file.
6385
6386 @item list @var{function}
6387 Print lines centered around the beginning of function
6388 @var{function}.
6389
6390 @item list
6391 Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
6392 @code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
6393 printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
6394 as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
6395 Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
6396
6397 @item list -
6398 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
6399 @end table
6400
6401 @cindex @code{list}, how many lines to display
6402 By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
6403 the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
6404
6405 @table @code
6406 @kindex set listsize
6407 @item set listsize @var{count}
6408 Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
6409 the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
6410
6411 @kindex show listsize
6412 @item show listsize
6413 Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
6414 @end table
6415
6416 Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
6417 so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
6418 than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
6419 argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
6420 each repetition moves up in the source file.
6421
6422 In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
6423 @dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
6424 of writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always
6425 to specify some source line.
6426
6427 Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
6428
6429 @table @code
6430 @item list @var{linespec}
6431 Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
6432
6433 @item list @var{first},@var{last}
6434 Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
6435 linespecs. When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, and the
6436 source file of the second linespec is omitted, this refers to
6437 the same source file as the first linespec.
6438
6439 @item list ,@var{last}
6440 Print lines ending with @var{last}.
6441
6442 @item list @var{first},
6443 Print lines starting with @var{first}.
6444
6445 @item list +
6446 Print lines just after the lines last printed.
6447
6448 @item list -
6449 Print lines just before the lines last printed.
6450
6451 @item list
6452 As described in the preceding table.
6453 @end table
6454
6455 @node Specify Location
6456 @section Specifying a Location
6457 @cindex specifying location
6458 @cindex linespec
6459
6460 Several @value{GDBN} commands accept arguments that specify a location
6461 of your program's code. Since @value{GDBN} is a source-level
6462 debugger, a location usually specifies some line in the source code;
6463 for that reason, locations are also known as @dfn{linespecs}.
6464
6465 Here are all the different ways of specifying a code location that
6466 @value{GDBN} understands:
6467
6468 @table @code
6469 @item @var{linenum}
6470 Specifies the line number @var{linenum} of the current source file.
6471
6472 @item -@var{offset}
6473 @itemx +@var{offset}
6474 Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before or after the @dfn{current
6475 line}. For the @code{list} command, the current line is the last one
6476 printed; for the breakpoint commands, this is the line at which
6477 execution stopped in the currently selected @dfn{stack frame}
6478 (@pxref{Frames, ,Frames}, for a description of stack frames.) When
6479 used as the second of the two linespecs in a @code{list} command,
6480 this specifies the line @var{offset} lines up or down from the first
6481 linespec.
6482
6483 @item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
6484 Specifies the line @var{linenum} in the source file @var{filename}.
6485 If @var{filename} is a relative file name, then it will match any
6486 source file name with the same trailing components. For example, if
6487 @var{filename} is @samp{gcc/expr.c}, then it will match source file
6488 name of @file{/build/trunk/gcc/expr.c}, but not
6489 @file{/build/trunk/libcpp/expr.c} or @file{/build/trunk/gcc/x-expr.c}.
6490
6491 @item @var{function}
6492 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
6493 For example, in C, this is the line with the open brace.
6494
6495 @item @var{function}:@var{label}
6496 Specifies the line where @var{label} appears in @var{function}.
6497
6498 @item @var{filename}:@var{function}
6499 Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}
6500 in the file @var{filename}. You only need the file name with a
6501 function name to avoid ambiguity when there are identically named
6502 functions in different source files.
6503
6504 @item @var{label}
6505 Specifies the line at which the label named @var{label} appears.
6506 @value{GDBN} searches for the label in the function corresponding to
6507 the currently selected stack frame. If there is no current selected
6508 stack frame (for instance, if the inferior is not running), then
6509 @value{GDBN} will not search for a label.
6510
6511 @item *@var{address}
6512 Specifies the program address @var{address}. For line-oriented
6513 commands, such as @code{list} and @code{edit}, this specifies a source
6514 line that contains @var{address}. For @code{break} and other
6515 breakpoint oriented commands, this can be used to set breakpoints in
6516 parts of your program which do not have debugging information or
6517 source files.
6518
6519 Here @var{address} may be any expression valid in the current working
6520 language (@pxref{Languages, working language}) that specifies a code
6521 address. In addition, as a convenience, @value{GDBN} extends the
6522 semantics of expressions used in locations to cover the situations
6523 that frequently happen during debugging. Here are the various forms
6524 of @var{address}:
6525
6526 @table @code
6527 @item @var{expression}
6528 Any expression valid in the current working language.
6529
6530 @item @var{funcaddr}
6531 An address of a function or procedure derived from its name. In C,
6532 C@t{++}, Java, Objective-C, Fortran, minimal, and assembly, this is
6533 simply the function's name @var{function} (and actually a special case
6534 of a valid expression). In Pascal and Modula-2, this is
6535 @code{&@var{function}}. In Ada, this is @code{@var{function}'Address}
6536 (although the Pascal form also works).
6537
6538 This form specifies the address of the function's first instruction,
6539 before the stack frame and arguments have been set up.
6540
6541 @item '@var{filename}'::@var{funcaddr}
6542 Like @var{funcaddr} above, but also specifies the name of the source
6543 file explicitly. This is useful if the name of the function does not
6544 specify the function unambiguously, e.g., if there are several
6545 functions with identical names in different source files.
6546 @end table
6547
6548 @end table
6549
6550
6551 @node Edit
6552 @section Editing Source Files
6553 @cindex editing source files
6554
6555 @kindex edit
6556 @kindex e @r{(@code{edit})}
6557 To edit the lines in a source file, use the @code{edit} command.
6558 The editing program of your choice
6559 is invoked with the current line set to
6560 the active line in the program.
6561 Alternatively, there are several ways to specify what part of the file you
6562 want to print if you want to see other parts of the program:
6563
6564 @table @code
6565 @item edit @var{location}
6566 Edit the source file specified by @code{location}. Editing starts at
6567 that @var{location}, e.g., at the specified source line of the
6568 specified file. @xref{Specify Location}, for all the possible forms
6569 of the @var{location} argument; here are the forms of the @code{edit}
6570 command most commonly used:
6571
6572 @table @code
6573 @item edit @var{number}
6574 Edit the current source file with @var{number} as the active line number.
6575
6576 @item edit @var{function}
6577 Edit the file containing @var{function} at the beginning of its definition.
6578 @end table
6579
6580 @end table
6581
6582 @subsection Choosing your Editor
6583 You can customize @value{GDBN} to use any editor you want
6584 @footnote{
6585 The only restriction is that your editor (say @code{ex}), recognizes the
6586 following command-line syntax:
6587 @smallexample
6588 ex +@var{number} file
6589 @end smallexample
6590 The optional numeric value +@var{number} specifies the number of the line in
6591 the file where to start editing.}.
6592 By default, it is @file{@value{EDITOR}}, but you can change this
6593 by setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} before using
6594 @value{GDBN}. For example, to configure @value{GDBN} to use the
6595 @code{vi} editor, you could use these commands with the @code{sh} shell:
6596 @smallexample
6597 EDITOR=/usr/bin/vi
6598 export EDITOR
6599 gdb @dots{}
6600 @end smallexample
6601 or in the @code{csh} shell,
6602 @smallexample
6603 setenv EDITOR /usr/bin/vi
6604 gdb @dots{}
6605 @end smallexample
6606
6607 @node Search
6608 @section Searching Source Files
6609 @cindex searching source files
6610
6611 There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
6612 regular expression.
6613
6614 @table @code
6615 @kindex search
6616 @kindex forward-search
6617 @item forward-search @var{regexp}
6618 @itemx search @var{regexp}
6619 The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
6620 starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
6621 @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
6622 synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
6623 @code{fo}.
6624
6625 @kindex reverse-search
6626 @item reverse-search @var{regexp}
6627 The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
6628 with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
6629 for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
6630 this command as @code{rev}.
6631 @end table
6632
6633 @node Source Path
6634 @section Specifying Source Directories
6635
6636 @cindex source path
6637 @cindex directories for source files
6638 Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
6639 files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
6640 the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
6641 session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
6642 this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
6643 it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
6644 in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name.
6645
6646 For example, suppose an executable references the file
6647 @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}, and our source path is
6648 @file{/mnt/cross}. The file is first looked up literally; if this
6649 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} is tried; if this
6650 fails, @file{/mnt/cross/foo.c} is opened; if this fails, an error
6651 message is printed. @value{GDBN} does not look up the parts of the
6652 source file name, such as @file{/mnt/cross/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}.
6653 Likewise, the subdirectories of the source path are not searched: if
6654 the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the binary refers to
6655 @file{foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would not find it under
6656 @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib}.
6657
6658 Plain file names, relative file names with leading directories, file
6659 names containing dots, etc.@: are all treated as described above; for
6660 instance, if the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the source file
6661 is recorded as @file{../lib/foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would first try
6662 @file{../lib/foo.c}, then @file{/mnt/cross/../lib/foo.c}, and after
6663 that---@file{/mnt/cross/foo.c}.
6664
6665 Note that the executable search path is @emph{not} used to locate the
6666 source files.
6667
6668 Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
6669 any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
6670 each line is in the file.
6671
6672 @kindex directory
6673 @kindex dir
6674 When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path includes only @samp{cdir}
6675 and @samp{cwd}, in that order.
6676 To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
6677
6678 The search path is used to find both program source files and @value{GDBN}
6679 script files (read using the @samp{-command} option and @samp{source} command).
6680
6681 In addition to the source path, @value{GDBN} provides a set of commands
6682 that manage a list of source path substitution rules. A @dfn{substitution
6683 rule} specifies how to rewrite source directories stored in the program's
6684 debug information in case the sources were moved to a different
6685 directory between compilation and debugging. A rule is made of
6686 two strings, the first specifying what needs to be rewritten in
6687 the path, and the second specifying how it should be rewritten.
6688 In @ref{set substitute-path}, we name these two parts @var{from} and
6689 @var{to} respectively. @value{GDBN} does a simple string replacement
6690 of @var{from} with @var{to} at the start of the directory part of the
6691 source file name, and uses that result instead of the original file
6692 name to look up the sources.
6693
6694 Using the previous example, suppose the @file{foo-1.0} tree has been
6695 moved from @file{/usr/src} to @file{/mnt/cross}, then you can tell
6696 @value{GDBN} to replace @file{/usr/src} in all source path names with
6697 @file{/mnt/cross}. The first lookup will then be
6698 @file{/mnt/cross/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} in place of the original location
6699 of @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}. To define a source path
6700 substitution rule, use the @code{set substitute-path} command
6701 (@pxref{set substitute-path}).
6702
6703 To avoid unexpected substitution results, a rule is applied only if the
6704 @var{from} part of the directory name ends at a directory separator.
6705 For instance, a rule substituting @file{/usr/source} into
6706 @file{/mnt/cross} will be applied to @file{/usr/source/foo-1.0} but
6707 not to @file{/usr/sourceware/foo-2.0}. And because the substitution
6708 is applied only at the beginning of the directory name, this rule will
6709 not be applied to @file{/root/usr/source/baz.c} either.
6710
6711 In many cases, you can achieve the same result using the @code{directory}
6712 command. However, @code{set substitute-path} can be more efficient in
6713 the case where the sources are organized in a complex tree with multiple
6714 subdirectories. With the @code{directory} command, you need to add each
6715 subdirectory of your project. If you moved the entire tree while
6716 preserving its internal organization, then @code{set substitute-path}
6717 allows you to direct the debugger to all the sources with one single
6718 command.
6719
6720 @code{set substitute-path} is also more than just a shortcut command.
6721 The source path is only used if the file at the original location no
6722 longer exists. On the other hand, @code{set substitute-path} modifies
6723 the debugger behavior to look at the rewritten location instead. So, if
6724 for any reason a source file that is not relevant to your executable is
6725 located at the original location, a substitution rule is the only
6726 method available to point @value{GDBN} at the new location.
6727
6728 @cindex @samp{--with-relocated-sources}
6729 @cindex default source path substitution
6730 You can configure a default source path substitution rule by
6731 configuring @value{GDBN} with the
6732 @samp{--with-relocated-sources=@var{dir}} option. The @var{dir}
6733 should be the name of a directory under @value{GDBN}'s configured
6734 prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or @samp{--exec-prefix}), and
6735 directory names in debug information under @var{dir} will be adjusted
6736 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
6737 location. This is useful if @value{GDBN}, libraries or executables
6738 with debug information and corresponding source code are being moved
6739 together.
6740
6741 @table @code
6742 @item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
6743 @item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
6744 Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
6745 directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:}
6746 (@samp{;} on MS-DOS and MS-Windows, where @samp{:} usually appears as
6747 part of absolute file names) or
6748 whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
6749 path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
6750
6751 @kindex cdir
6752 @kindex cwd
6753 @vindex $cdir@r{, convenience variable}
6754 @vindex $cwd@r{, convenience variable}
6755 @cindex compilation directory
6756 @cindex current directory
6757 @cindex working directory
6758 @cindex directory, current
6759 @cindex directory, compilation
6760 You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
6761 directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
6762 working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
6763 tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
6764 session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
6765 directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
6766
6767 @item directory
6768 Reset the source path to its default value (@samp{$cdir:$cwd} on Unix systems). This requires confirmation.
6769
6770 @c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
6771 @c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
6772
6773 @item set directories @var{path-list}
6774 @kindex set directories
6775 Set the source path to @var{path-list}.
6776 @samp{$cdir:$cwd} are added if missing.
6777
6778 @item show directories
6779 @kindex show directories
6780 Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
6781
6782 @anchor{set substitute-path}
6783 @item set substitute-path @var{from} @var{to}
6784 @kindex set substitute-path
6785 Define a source path substitution rule, and add it at the end of the
6786 current list of existing substitution rules. If a rule with the same
6787 @var{from} was already defined, then the old rule is also deleted.
6788
6789 For example, if the file @file{/foo/bar/baz.c} was moved to
6790 @file{/mnt/cross/baz.c}, then the command
6791
6792 @smallexample
6793 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/cross
6794 @end smallexample
6795
6796 @noindent
6797 will tell @value{GDBN} to replace @samp{/usr/src} with
6798 @samp{/mnt/cross}, which will allow @value{GDBN} to find the file
6799 @file{baz.c} even though it was moved.
6800
6801 In the case when more than one substitution rule have been defined,
6802 the rules are evaluated one by one in the order where they have been
6803 defined. The first one matching, if any, is selected to perform
6804 the substitution.
6805
6806 For instance, if we had entered the following commands:
6807
6808 @smallexample
6809 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src/include /mnt/include
6810 (@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/src
6811 @end smallexample
6812
6813 @noindent
6814 @value{GDBN} would then rewrite @file{/usr/src/include/defs.h} into
6815 @file{/mnt/include/defs.h} by using the first rule. However, it would
6816 use the second rule to rewrite @file{/usr/src/lib/foo.c} into
6817 @file{/mnt/src/lib/foo.c}.
6818
6819
6820 @item unset substitute-path [path]
6821 @kindex unset substitute-path
6822 If a path is specified, search the current list of substitution rules
6823 for a rule that would rewrite that path. Delete that rule if found.
6824 A warning is emitted by the debugger if no rule could be found.
6825
6826 If no path is specified, then all substitution rules are deleted.
6827
6828 @item show substitute-path [path]
6829 @kindex show substitute-path
6830 If a path is specified, then print the source path substitution rule
6831 which would rewrite that path, if any.
6832
6833 If no path is specified, then print all existing source path substitution
6834 rules.
6835
6836 @end table
6837
6838 If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
6839 interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
6840 versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
6841
6842 @enumerate
6843 @item
6844 Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to its default value.
6845
6846 @item
6847 Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
6848 directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
6849 directories in one command.
6850 @end enumerate
6851
6852 @node Machine Code
6853 @section Source and Machine Code
6854 @cindex source line and its code address
6855
6856 You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
6857 addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
6858 a range of addresses as machine instructions. You can use the command
6859 @code{set disassemble-next-line} to set whether to disassemble next
6860 source line when execution stops. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
6861 mode, the @code{info line} command causes the arrow to point to the
6862 line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
6863 well as hex.
6864
6865 @table @code
6866 @kindex info line
6867 @item info line @var{linespec}
6868 Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
6869 source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
6870 the ways documented in @ref{Specify Location}.
6871 @end table
6872
6873 For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
6874 the object code for the first line of function
6875 @code{m4_changequote}:
6876
6877 @c FIXME: I think this example should also show the addresses in
6878 @c symbolic form, as they usually would be displayed.
6879 @smallexample
6880 (@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changequote
6881 Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
6882 @end smallexample
6883
6884 @noindent
6885 @cindex code address and its source line
6886 We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
6887 @var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
6888 @smallexample
6889 (@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
6890 Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
6891 @end smallexample
6892
6893 @cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
6894 @cindex @code{x} command, default address
6895 @kindex x@r{(examine), and} info line
6896 After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
6897 is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
6898 sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
6899 ,Examining Memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
6900 convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
6901 Variables}).
6902
6903 @table @code
6904 @kindex disassemble
6905 @cindex assembly instructions
6906 @cindex instructions, assembly
6907 @cindex machine instructions
6908 @cindex listing machine instructions
6909 @item disassemble
6910 @itemx disassemble /m
6911 @itemx disassemble /r
6912 This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
6913 instructions. It can also print mixed source+disassembly by specifying
6914 the @code{/m} modifier and print the raw instructions in hex as well as
6915 in symbolic form by specifying the @code{/r}.
6916 The default memory range is the function surrounding the
6917 program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
6918 command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
6919 surrounding this value. When two arguments are given, they should
6920 be separated by a comma, possibly surrounded by whitespace. The
6921 arguments specify a range of addresses to dump, in one of two forms:
6922
6923 @table @code
6924 @item @var{start},@var{end}
6925 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to @var{end} (exclusive)
6926 @item @var{start},+@var{length}
6927 the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to
6928 @code{@var{start}+@var{length}} (exclusive).
6929 @end table
6930
6931 @noindent
6932 When 2 arguments are specified, the name of the function is also
6933 printed (since there could be several functions in the given range).
6934
6935 The argument(s) can be any expression yielding a numeric value, such as
6936 @samp{0x32c4}, @samp{&main+10} or @samp{$pc - 8}.
6937
6938 If the range of memory being disassembled contains current program counter,
6939 the instruction at that location is shown with a @code{=>} marker.
6940 @end table
6941
6942 The following example shows the disassembly of a range of addresses of
6943 HP PA-RISC 2.0 code:
6944
6945 @smallexample
6946 (@value{GDBP}) disas 0x32c4, 0x32e4
6947 Dump of assembler code from 0x32c4 to 0x32e4:
6948 0x32c4 <main+204>: addil 0,dp
6949 0x32c8 <main+208>: ldw 0x22c(sr0,r1),r26
6950 0x32cc <main+212>: ldil 0x3000,r31
6951 0x32d0 <main+216>: ble 0x3f8(sr4,r31)
6952 0x32d4 <main+220>: ldo 0(r31),rp
6953 0x32d8 <main+224>: addil -0x800,dp
6954 0x32dc <main+228>: ldo 0x588(r1),r26
6955 0x32e0 <main+232>: ldil 0x3000,r31
6956 End of assembler dump.
6957 @end smallexample
6958
6959 Here is an example showing mixed source+assembly for Intel x86, when the
6960 program is stopped just after function prologue:
6961
6962 @smallexample
6963 (@value{GDBP}) disas /m main
6964 Dump of assembler code for function main:
6965 5 @{
6966 0x08048330 <+0>: push %ebp
6967 0x08048331 <+1>: mov %esp,%ebp
6968 0x08048333 <+3>: sub $0x8,%esp
6969 0x08048336 <+6>: and $0xfffffff0,%esp
6970 0x08048339 <+9>: sub $0x10,%esp
6971
6972 6 printf ("Hello.\n");
6973 => 0x0804833c <+12>: movl $0x8048440,(%esp)
6974 0x08048343 <+19>: call 0x8048284 <puts@@plt>
6975
6976 7 return 0;
6977 8 @}
6978 0x08048348 <+24>: mov $0x0,%eax
6979 0x0804834d <+29>: leave
6980 0x0804834e <+30>: ret
6981
6982 End of assembler dump.
6983 @end smallexample
6984
6985 Here is another example showing raw instructions in hex for AMD x86-64,
6986
6987 @smallexample
6988 (gdb) disas /r 0x400281,+10
6989 Dump of assembler code from 0x400281 to 0x40028b:
6990 0x0000000000400281: 38 36 cmp %dh,(%rsi)
6991 0x0000000000400283: 2d 36 34 2e 73 sub $0x732e3436,%eax
6992 0x0000000000400288: 6f outsl %ds:(%rsi),(%dx)
6993 0x0000000000400289: 2e 32 00 xor %cs:(%rax),%al
6994 End of assembler dump.
6995 @end smallexample
6996
6997 Some architectures have more than one commonly-used set of instruction
6998 mnemonics or other syntax.
6999
7000 For programs that were dynamically linked and use shared libraries,
7001 instructions that call functions or branch to locations in the shared
7002 libraries might show a seemingly bogus location---it's actually a
7003 location of the relocation table. On some architectures, @value{GDBN}
7004 might be able to resolve these to actual function names.
7005
7006 @table @code
7007 @kindex set disassembly-flavor
7008 @cindex Intel disassembly flavor
7009 @cindex AT&T disassembly flavor
7010 @item set disassembly-flavor @var{instruction-set}
7011 Select the instruction set to use when disassembling the
7012 program via the @code{disassemble} or @code{x/i} commands.
7013
7014 Currently this command is only defined for the Intel x86 family. You
7015 can set @var{instruction-set} to either @code{intel} or @code{att}.
7016 The default is @code{att}, the AT&T flavor used by default by Unix
7017 assemblers for x86-based targets.
7018
7019 @kindex show disassembly-flavor
7020 @item show disassembly-flavor
7021 Show the current setting of the disassembly flavor.
7022 @end table
7023
7024 @table @code
7025 @kindex set disassemble-next-line
7026 @kindex show disassemble-next-line
7027 @item set disassemble-next-line
7028 @itemx show disassemble-next-line
7029 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will disassemble the next source
7030 line or instruction when execution stops. If ON, @value{GDBN} will
7031 display disassembly of the next source line when execution of the
7032 program being debugged stops. This is @emph{in addition} to
7033 displaying the source line itself, which @value{GDBN} always does if
7034 possible. If the next source line cannot be displayed for some reason
7035 (e.g., if @value{GDBN} cannot find the source file, or there's no line
7036 info in the debug info), @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of the
7037 next @emph{instruction} instead of showing the next source line. If
7038 AUTO, @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of next instruction only
7039 if the source line cannot be displayed. This setting causes
7040 @value{GDBN} to display some feedback when you step through a function
7041 with no line info or whose source file is unavailable. The default is
7042 OFF, which means never display the disassembly of the next line or
7043 instruction.
7044 @end table
7045
7046
7047 @node Data
7048 @chapter Examining Data
7049
7050 @cindex printing data
7051 @cindex examining data
7052 @kindex print
7053 @kindex inspect
7054 @c "inspect" is not quite a synonym if you are using Epoch, which we do not
7055 @c document because it is nonstandard... Under Epoch it displays in a
7056 @c different window or something like that.
7057 The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
7058 command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}. It
7059 evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
7060 program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with
7061 Different Languages}). It may also print the expression using a
7062 Python-based pretty-printer (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
7063
7064 @table @code
7065 @item print @var{expr}
7066 @itemx print /@var{f} @var{expr}
7067 @var{expr} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
7068 value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
7069 you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
7070 @var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
7071 Formats}.
7072
7073 @item print
7074 @itemx print /@var{f}
7075 @cindex reprint the last value
7076 If you omit @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
7077 @dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value History}). This allows you to
7078 conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
7079 @end table
7080
7081 A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
7082 It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
7083 specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
7084
7085 If you are interested in information about types, or about how the
7086 fields of a struct or a class are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
7087 command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol
7088 Table}.
7089
7090 @menu
7091 * Expressions:: Expressions
7092 * Ambiguous Expressions:: Ambiguous Expressions
7093 * Variables:: Program variables
7094 * Arrays:: Artificial arrays
7095 * Output Formats:: Output formats
7096 * Memory:: Examining memory
7097 * Auto Display:: Automatic display
7098 * Print Settings:: Print settings
7099 * Pretty Printing:: Python pretty printing
7100 * Value History:: Value history
7101 * Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
7102 * Registers:: Registers
7103 * Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
7104 * Vector Unit:: Vector Unit
7105 * OS Information:: Auxiliary data provided by operating system
7106 * Memory Region Attributes:: Memory region attributes
7107 * Dump/Restore Files:: Copy between memory and a file
7108 * Core File Generation:: Cause a program dump its core
7109 * Character Sets:: Debugging programs that use a different
7110 character set than GDB does
7111 * Caching Remote Data:: Data caching for remote targets
7112 * Searching Memory:: Searching memory for a sequence of bytes
7113 @end menu
7114
7115 @node Expressions
7116 @section Expressions
7117
7118 @cindex expressions
7119 @code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
7120 compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
7121 by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
7122 @value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls,
7123 casts, and string constants. It also includes preprocessor macros, if
7124 you compiled your program to include this information; see
7125 @ref{Compilation}.
7126
7127 @cindex arrays in expressions
7128 @value{GDBN} supports array constants in expressions input by
7129 the user. The syntax is @{@var{element}, @var{element}@dots{}@}. For example,
7130 you can use the command @code{print @{1, 2, 3@}} to create an array
7131 of three integers. If you pass an array to a function or assign it
7132 to a program variable, @value{GDBN} copies the array to memory that
7133 is @code{malloc}ed in the target program.
7134
7135 Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
7136 this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
7137 Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
7138 languages.
7139
7140 In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
7141 expressions regardless of your programming language.
7142
7143 @cindex casts, in expressions
7144 Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
7145 useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
7146 at that address in memory.
7147 @c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
7148
7149 @value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
7150 to programming languages:
7151
7152 @table @code
7153 @item @@
7154 @samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
7155 @xref{Arrays, ,Artificial Arrays}, for more information.
7156
7157 @item ::
7158 @samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
7159 function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program Variables}.
7160
7161 @cindex @{@var{type}@}
7162 @cindex type casting memory
7163 @cindex memory, viewing as typed object
7164 @cindex casts, to view memory
7165 @item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
7166 Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
7167 memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or
7168 pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in
7169 a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is
7170 normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
7171 @end table
7172
7173 @node Ambiguous Expressions
7174 @section Ambiguous Expressions
7175 @cindex ambiguous expressions
7176
7177 Expressions can sometimes contain some ambiguous elements. For instance,
7178 some programming languages (notably Ada, C@t{++} and Objective-C) permit
7179 a single function name to be defined several times, for application in
7180 different contexts. This is called @dfn{overloading}. Another example
7181 involving Ada is generics. A @dfn{generic package} is similar to C@t{++}
7182 templates and is typically instantiated several times, resulting in
7183 the same function name being defined in different contexts.
7184
7185 In some cases and depending on the language, it is possible to adjust
7186 the expression to remove the ambiguity. For instance in C@t{++}, you
7187 can specify the signature of the function you want to break on, as in
7188 @kbd{break @var{function}(@var{types})}. In Ada, using the fully
7189 qualified name of your function often makes the expression unambiguous
7190 as well.
7191
7192 When an ambiguity that needs to be resolved is detected, the debugger
7193 has the capability to display a menu of numbered choices for each
7194 possibility, and then waits for the selection with the prompt @samp{>}.
7195 The first option is always @samp{[0] cancel}, and typing @kbd{0 @key{RET}}
7196 aborts the current command. If the command in which the expression was
7197 used allows more than one choice to be selected, the next option in the
7198 menu is @samp{[1] all}, and typing @kbd{1 @key{RET}} selects all possible
7199 choices.
7200
7201 For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
7202 breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
7203 We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
7204
7205 @c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
7206 @smallexample
7207 @group
7208 (@value{GDBP}) b String::after
7209 [0] cancel
7210 [1] all
7211 [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
7212 [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
7213 [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
7214 [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
7215 [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
7216 [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
7217 > 2 4 6
7218 Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
7219 Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
7220 Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
7221 Multiple breakpoints were set.
7222 Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
7223 breakpoints.
7224 (@value{GDBP})
7225 @end group
7226 @end smallexample
7227
7228 @table @code
7229 @kindex set multiple-symbols
7230 @item set multiple-symbols @var{mode}
7231 @cindex multiple-symbols menu
7232
7233 This option allows you to adjust the debugger behavior when an expression
7234 is ambiguous.
7235
7236 By default, @var{mode} is set to @code{all}. If the command with which
7237 the expression is used allows more than one choice, then @value{GDBN}
7238 automatically selects all possible choices. For instance, inserting
7239 a breakpoint on a function using an ambiguous name results in a breakpoint
7240 inserted on each possible match. However, if a unique choice must be made,
7241 then @value{GDBN} uses the menu to help you disambiguate the expression.
7242 For instance, printing the address of an overloaded function will result
7243 in the use of the menu.
7244
7245 When @var{mode} is set to @code{ask}, the debugger always uses the menu
7246 when an ambiguity is detected.
7247
7248 Finally, when @var{mode} is set to @code{cancel}, the debugger reports
7249 an error due to the ambiguity and the command is aborted.
7250
7251 @kindex show multiple-symbols
7252 @item show multiple-symbols
7253 Show the current value of the @code{multiple-symbols} setting.
7254 @end table
7255
7256 @node Variables
7257 @section Program Variables
7258
7259 The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
7260 in your program.
7261
7262 Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
7263 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}); they must be either:
7264
7265 @itemize @bullet
7266 @item
7267 global (or file-static)
7268 @end itemize
7269
7270 @noindent or
7271
7272 @itemize @bullet
7273 @item
7274 visible according to the scope rules of the
7275 programming language from the point of execution in that frame
7276 @end itemize
7277
7278 @noindent This means that in the function
7279
7280 @smallexample
7281 foo (a)
7282 int a;
7283 @{
7284 bar (a);
7285 @{
7286 int b = test ();
7287 bar (b);
7288 @}
7289 @}
7290 @end smallexample
7291
7292 @noindent
7293 you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
7294 executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
7295 examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
7296 the block where @code{b} is declared.
7297
7298 @cindex variable name conflict
7299 There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
7300 scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
7301 in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
7302 function with the same name (in different source files). If that
7303 happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
7304 you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file by
7305 using the colon-colon (@code{::}) notation:
7306
7307 @cindex colon-colon, context for variables/functions
7308 @ifnotinfo
7309 @c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
7310 @cindex @code{::}, context for variables/functions
7311 @end ifnotinfo
7312 @smallexample
7313 @var{file}::@var{variable}
7314 @var{function}::@var{variable}
7315 @end smallexample
7316
7317 @noindent
7318 Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
7319 static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
7320 make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
7321 to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
7322
7323 @smallexample
7324 (@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
7325 @end smallexample
7326
7327 The @code{::} notation is normally used for referring to
7328 static variables, since you typically disambiguate uses of local variables
7329 in functions by selecting the appropriate frame and using the
7330 simple name of the variable. However, you may also use this notation
7331 to refer to local variables in frames enclosing the selected frame:
7332
7333 @smallexample
7334 void
7335 foo (int a)
7336 @{
7337 if (a < 10)
7338 bar (a);
7339 else
7340 process (a); /* Stop here */
7341 @}
7342
7343 int
7344 bar (int a)
7345 @{
7346 foo (a + 5);
7347 @}
7348 @end smallexample
7349
7350 @noindent
7351 For example, if there is a breakpoint at the commented line,
7352 here is what you might see
7353 when the program stops after executing the call @code{bar(0)}:
7354
7355 @smallexample
7356 (@value{GDBP}) p a
7357 $1 = 10
7358 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
7359 $2 = 5
7360 (@value{GDBP}) up 2
7361 #2 0x080483d0 in foo (a=5) at foobar.c:12
7362 (@value{GDBP}) p a
7363 $3 = 5
7364 (@value{GDBP}) p bar::a
7365 $4 = 0
7366 @end smallexample
7367
7368 @cindex C@t{++} scope resolution
7369 These uses of @samp{::} are very rarely in conflict with the very similar
7370 use of the same notation in C@t{++}. @value{GDBN} also supports use of the C@t{++}
7371 scope resolution operator in @value{GDBN} expressions.
7372 @c FIXME: Um, so what happens in one of those rare cases where it's in
7373 @c conflict?? --mew
7374
7375 @cindex wrong values
7376 @cindex variable values, wrong
7377 @cindex function entry/exit, wrong values of variables
7378 @cindex optimized code, wrong values of variables
7379 @quotation
7380 @emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
7381 wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
7382 scope, and just before exit.
7383 @end quotation
7384 You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
7385 This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
7386 set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
7387 stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
7388 values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
7389 also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
7390 after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
7391 variable definitions may be gone.
7392
7393 This may also happen when the compiler does significant optimizations.
7394 To be sure of always seeing accurate values, turn off all optimization
7395 when compiling.
7396
7397 @cindex ``No symbol "foo" in current context''
7398 Another possible effect of compiler optimizations is to optimize
7399 unused variables out of existence, or assign variables to registers (as
7400 opposed to memory addresses). Depending on the support for such cases
7401 offered by the debug info format used by the compiler, @value{GDBN}
7402 might not be able to display values for such local variables. If that
7403 happens, @value{GDBN} will print a message like this:
7404
7405 @smallexample
7406 No symbol "foo" in current context.
7407 @end smallexample
7408
7409 To solve such problems, either recompile without optimizations, or use a
7410 different debug info format, if the compiler supports several such
7411 formats. @xref{Compilation}, for more information on choosing compiler
7412 options. @xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug
7413 info formats that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
7414
7415 If you ask to print an object whose contents are unknown to
7416 @value{GDBN}, e.g., because its data type is not completely specified
7417 by the debug information, @value{GDBN} will say @samp{<incomplete
7418 type>}. @xref{Symbols, incomplete type}, for more about this.
7419
7420 If you append @kbd{@@entry} string to a function parameter name you get its
7421 value at the time the function got called. If the value is not available an
7422 error message is printed. Entry values are available only with some compilers.
7423 Entry values are normally also printed at the function parameter list according
7424 to @ref{set print entry-values}.
7425
7426 @smallexample
7427 Breakpoint 1, d (i=30) at gdb.base/entry-value.c:29
7428 29 i++;
7429 (gdb) next
7430 30 e (i);
7431 (gdb) print i
7432 $1 = 31
7433 (gdb) print i@@entry
7434 $2 = 30
7435 @end smallexample
7436
7437 Strings are identified as arrays of @code{char} values without specified
7438 signedness. Arrays of either @code{signed char} or @code{unsigned char} get
7439 printed as arrays of 1 byte sized integers. @code{-fsigned-char} or
7440 @code{-funsigned-char} @value{NGCC} options have no effect as @value{GDBN}
7441 defines literal string type @code{"char"} as @code{char} without a sign.
7442 For program code
7443
7444 @smallexample
7445 char var0[] = "A";
7446 signed char var1[] = "A";
7447 @end smallexample
7448
7449 You get during debugging
7450 @smallexample
7451 (gdb) print var0
7452 $1 = "A"
7453 (gdb) print var1
7454 $2 = @{65 'A', 0 '\0'@}
7455 @end smallexample
7456
7457 @node Arrays
7458 @section Artificial Arrays
7459
7460 @cindex artificial array
7461 @cindex arrays
7462 @kindex @@@r{, referencing memory as an array}
7463 It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
7464 same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
7465 dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
7466 program.
7467
7468 You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
7469 @dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
7470 operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
7471 and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
7472 of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
7473 the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
7474 argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
7475 following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
7476 example. If a program says
7477
7478 @smallexample
7479 int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
7480 @end smallexample
7481
7482 @noindent
7483 you can print the contents of @code{array} with
7484
7485 @smallexample
7486 p *array@@len
7487 @end smallexample
7488
7489 The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
7490 with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
7491 subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
7492 Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
7493 (@pxref{Value History, ,Value History}), after printing one out.
7494
7495 Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
7496 This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
7497 The value need not be in memory:
7498 @smallexample
7499 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
7500 $1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
7501 @end smallexample
7502
7503 As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
7504 @samp{(@var{type}[])@var{value}}) @value{GDBN} calculates the size to fill
7505 the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
7506 @smallexample
7507 (@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
7508 $2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
7509 @end smallexample
7510
7511 Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
7512 moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
7513 actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
7514 of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
7515 to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
7516 Variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
7517 interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
7518 instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
7519 structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
7520 in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
7521
7522 @smallexample
7523 set $i = 0
7524 p dtab[$i++]->fv
7525 @key{RET}
7526 @key{RET}
7527 @dots{}
7528 @end smallexample
7529
7530 @node Output Formats
7531 @section Output Formats
7532
7533 @cindex formatted output
7534 @cindex output formats
7535 By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
7536 this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
7537 in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
7538 at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
7539 these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
7540
7541 The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
7542 already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
7543 @code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
7544 letters supported are:
7545
7546 @table @code
7547 @item x
7548 Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
7549 hexadecimal.
7550
7551 @item d
7552 Print as integer in signed decimal.
7553
7554 @item u
7555 Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
7556
7557 @item o
7558 Print as integer in octal.
7559
7560 @item t
7561 Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
7562 @footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
7563 used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
7564 see @ref{Memory,,Examining Memory}.}
7565
7566 @item a
7567 @cindex unknown address, locating
7568 @cindex locate address
7569 Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
7570 the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
7571 where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
7572
7573 @smallexample
7574 (@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
7575 $3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
7576 @end smallexample
7577
7578 @noindent
7579 The command @code{info symbol 0x54320} yields similar results.
7580 @xref{Symbols, info symbol}.
7581
7582 @item c
7583 Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant. This
7584 prints both the numerical value and its character representation. The
7585 character representation is replaced with the octal escape @samp{\nnn}
7586 for characters outside the 7-bit @sc{ascii} range.
7587
7588 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays @code{char},
7589 @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} data as character
7590 constants. Single-byte members of vectors are displayed as integer
7591 data.
7592
7593 @item f
7594 Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
7595 using typical floating point syntax.
7596
7597 @item s
7598 @cindex printing strings
7599 @cindex printing byte arrays
7600 Regard as a string, if possible. With this format, pointers to single-byte
7601 data are displayed as null-terminated strings and arrays of single-byte data
7602 are displayed as fixed-length strings. Other values are displayed in their
7603 natural types.
7604
7605 Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays pointers to and arrays of
7606 @code{char}, @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} as
7607 strings. Single-byte members of a vector are displayed as an integer
7608 array.
7609
7610 @item r
7611 @cindex raw printing
7612 Print using the @samp{raw} formatting. By default, @value{GDBN} will
7613 use a Python-based pretty-printer, if one is available (@pxref{Pretty
7614 Printing}). This typically results in a higher-level display of the
7615 value's contents. The @samp{r} format bypasses any Python
7616 pretty-printer which might exist.
7617 @end table
7618
7619 For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
7620
7621 @smallexample
7622 p/x $pc
7623 @end smallexample
7624
7625 @noindent
7626 Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
7627 names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
7628
7629 To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
7630 you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
7631 expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
7632
7633 @node Memory
7634 @section Examining Memory
7635
7636 You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
7637 any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
7638
7639 @cindex examining memory
7640 @table @code
7641 @kindex x @r{(examine memory)}
7642 @item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
7643 @itemx x @var{addr}
7644 @itemx x
7645 Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
7646 @end table
7647
7648 @var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
7649 much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
7650 expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
7651 If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
7652 Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
7653
7654 @table @r
7655 @item @var{n}, the repeat count
7656 The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
7657 how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
7658 @c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
7659 @c 4.1.2.
7660
7661 @item @var{f}, the display format
7662 The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print}
7663 (@samp{x}, @samp{d}, @samp{u}, @samp{o}, @samp{t}, @samp{a}, @samp{c},
7664 @samp{f}, @samp{s}), and in addition @samp{i} (for machine instructions).
7665 The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially. The default changes
7666 each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
7667
7668 @item @var{u}, the unit size
7669 The unit size is any of
7670
7671 @table @code
7672 @item b
7673 Bytes.
7674 @item h
7675 Halfwords (two bytes).
7676 @item w
7677 Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
7678 @item g
7679 Giant words (eight bytes).
7680 @end table
7681
7682 Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
7683 default unit the next time you use @code{x}. For the @samp{i} format,
7684 the unit size is ignored and is normally not written. For the @samp{s} format,
7685 the unit size defaults to @samp{b}, unless it is explicitly given.
7686 Use @kbd{x /hs} to display 16-bit char strings and @kbd{x /ws} to display
7687 32-bit strings. The next use of @kbd{x /s} will again display 8-bit strings.
7688 Note that the results depend on the programming language of the
7689 current compilation unit. If the language is C, the @samp{s}
7690 modifier will use the UTF-16 encoding while @samp{w} will use
7691 UTF-32. The encoding is set by the programming language and cannot
7692 be altered.
7693
7694 @item @var{addr}, starting display address
7695 @var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
7696 memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
7697 it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
7698 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
7699 @var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
7700 other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
7701 the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
7702 starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
7703 a value from memory).
7704 @end table
7705
7706 For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
7707 (@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
7708 starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
7709 words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
7710 @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
7711
7712 Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
7713 letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
7714 unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
7715 specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
7716 (However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
7717
7718 Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
7719 and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
7720 @samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
7721 including any operands. For convenience, especially when used with
7722 the @code{display} command, the @samp{i} format also prints branch delay
7723 slot instructions, if any, beyond the count specified, which immediately
7724 follow the last instruction that is within the count. The command
7725 @code{disassemble} gives an alternative way of inspecting machine
7726 instructions; see @ref{Machine Code,,Source and Machine Code}.
7727
7728 All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
7729 easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
7730 you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
7731 instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
7732 with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
7733 the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
7734 for successive uses of @code{x}.
7735
7736 When examining machine instructions, the instruction at current program
7737 counter is shown with a @code{=>} marker. For example:
7738
7739 @smallexample
7740 (@value{GDBP}) x/5i $pc-6
7741 0x804837f <main+11>: mov %esp,%ebp
7742 0x8048381 <main+13>: push %ecx
7743 0x8048382 <main+14>: sub $0x4,%esp
7744 => 0x8048385 <main+17>: movl $0x8048460,(%esp)
7745 0x804838c <main+24>: call 0x80482d4 <puts@@plt>
7746 @end smallexample
7747
7748 @cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
7749 The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
7750 in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
7751 would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
7752 subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
7753 @code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
7754 examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
7755 @code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
7756 the convenience variable @code{$__}.
7757
7758 If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
7759 are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
7760 address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
7761
7762 @cindex remote memory comparison
7763 @cindex verify remote memory image
7764 When you are debugging a program running on a remote target machine
7765 (@pxref{Remote Debugging}), you may wish to verify the program's image in the
7766 remote machine's memory against the executable file you downloaded to
7767 the target. The @code{compare-sections} command is provided for such
7768 situations.
7769
7770 @table @code
7771 @kindex compare-sections
7772 @item compare-sections @r{[}@var{section-name}@r{]}
7773 Compare the data of a loadable section @var{section-name} in the
7774 executable file of the program being debugged with the same section in
7775 the remote machine's memory, and report any mismatches. With no
7776 arguments, compares all loadable sections. This command's
7777 availability depends on the target's support for the @code{"qCRC"}
7778 remote request.
7779 @end table
7780
7781 @node Auto Display
7782 @section Automatic Display
7783 @cindex automatic display
7784 @cindex display of expressions
7785
7786 If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
7787 (to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
7788 display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
7789 Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
7790 to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
7791 The automatic display looks like this:
7792
7793 @smallexample
7794 2: foo = 38
7795 3: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
7796 @end smallexample
7797
7798 @noindent
7799 This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
7800 displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
7801 specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
7802 whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending your format
7803 specification---it uses @code{x} if you specify either the @samp{i}
7804 or @samp{s} format, or a unit size; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
7805
7806 @table @code
7807 @kindex display
7808 @item display @var{expr}
7809 Add the expression @var{expr} to the list of expressions to display
7810 each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
7811
7812 @code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
7813
7814 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{expr}
7815 For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
7816 count, add the expression @var{expr} to the auto-display list but
7817 arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
7818 @xref{Output Formats,,Output Formats}.
7819
7820 @item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
7821 For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
7822 number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
7823 be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
7824 doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
7825 @end table
7826
7827 For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
7828 instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
7829 is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
7830
7831 @table @code
7832 @kindex delete display
7833 @kindex undisplay
7834 @item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
7835 @itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7836 Remove items from the list of expressions to display. Specify the
7837 numbers of the displays that you want affected with the command
7838 argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one of the
7839 numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display} display;
7840 or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
7841
7842 @code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
7843 (Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
7844
7845 @kindex disable display
7846 @item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7847 Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
7848 item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
7849 enabled again later. Specify the numbers of the displays that you
7850 want affected with the command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a
7851 single display number, one of the numbers shown in the first field of
7852 the @samp{info display} display; or it could be a range of display
7853 numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
7854
7855 @kindex enable display
7856 @item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7857 Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
7858 again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
7859 Specify the numbers of the displays that you want affected with the
7860 command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one
7861 of the numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display}
7862 display; or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
7863
7864 @item display
7865 Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
7866 done when your program stops.
7867
7868 @kindex info display
7869 @item info display
7870 Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
7871 automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
7872 values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
7873 It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
7874 because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
7875 @end table
7876
7877 @cindex display disabled out of scope
7878 If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
7879 sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
7880 expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
7881 variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
7882 @code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
7883 @code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
7884 continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
7885 there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
7886 automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
7887 is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
7888
7889 @node Print Settings
7890 @section Print Settings
7891
7892 @cindex format options
7893 @cindex print settings
7894 @value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
7895 and symbols are printed.
7896
7897 @noindent
7898 These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
7899
7900 @table @code
7901 @kindex set print
7902 @item set print address
7903 @itemx set print address on
7904 @cindex print/don't print memory addresses
7905 @value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
7906 traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
7907 even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
7908 is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
7909 @code{set print address on}:
7910
7911 @smallexample
7912 @group
7913 (@value{GDBP}) f
7914 #0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
7915 at input.c:530
7916 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
7917 @end group
7918 @end smallexample
7919
7920 @item set print address off
7921 Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
7922 this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
7923
7924 @smallexample
7925 @group
7926 (@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
7927 (@value{GDBP}) f
7928 #0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
7929 530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
7930 @end group
7931 @end smallexample
7932
7933 You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
7934 dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
7935 @code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
7936 all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
7937
7938 @kindex show print
7939 @item show print address
7940 Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
7941 @end table
7942
7943 When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
7944 closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
7945 identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
7946 source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
7947 @code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
7948 you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
7949 it prints a symbolic address:
7950
7951 @table @code
7952 @item set print symbol-filename on
7953 @cindex source file and line of a symbol
7954 @cindex symbol, source file and line
7955 Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
7956 symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
7957
7958 @item set print symbol-filename off
7959 Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
7960 default.
7961
7962 @item show print symbol-filename
7963 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
7964 line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
7965 @end table
7966
7967 Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
7968 numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
7969 number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
7970
7971 Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
7972 printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
7973
7974 @table @code
7975 @item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
7976 @cindex maximum value for offset of closest symbol
7977 Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
7978 offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
7979 @var{max-offset}. The default is 0, which tells @value{GDBN}
7980 to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes it.
7981
7982 @item show print max-symbolic-offset
7983 Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
7984 symbolic address.
7985 @end table
7986
7987 @cindex wild pointer, interpreting
7988 @cindex pointer, finding referent
7989 If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
7990 @samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
7991 and source file location of the variable where it points, using
7992 @samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
7993 For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
7994 at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
7995
7996 @smallexample
7997 (@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
7998 (@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
7999 $4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
8000 @end smallexample
8001
8002 @quotation
8003 @emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
8004 does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
8005 the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
8006 @end quotation
8007
8008 Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
8009
8010 @table @code
8011 @item set print array
8012 @itemx set print array on
8013 @cindex pretty print arrays
8014 Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
8015 but uses more space. The default is off.
8016
8017 @item set print array off
8018 Return to compressed format for arrays.
8019
8020 @item show print array
8021 Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
8022 arrays.
8023
8024 @cindex print array indexes
8025 @item set print array-indexes
8026 @itemx set print array-indexes on
8027 Print the index of each element when displaying arrays. May be more
8028 convenient to locate a given element in the array or quickly find the
8029 index of a given element in that printed array. The default is off.
8030
8031 @item set print array-indexes off
8032 Stop printing element indexes when displaying arrays.
8033
8034 @item show print array-indexes
8035 Show whether the index of each element is printed when displaying
8036 arrays.
8037
8038 @item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
8039 @cindex number of array elements to print
8040 @cindex limit on number of printed array elements
8041 Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
8042 If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
8043 printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
8044 This limit also applies to the display of strings.
8045 When @value{GDBN} starts, this limit is set to 200.
8046 Setting @var{number-of-elements} to zero means that the printing is unlimited.
8047
8048 @item show print elements
8049 Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
8050 If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
8051
8052 @item set print frame-arguments @var{value}
8053 @kindex set print frame-arguments
8054 @cindex printing frame argument values
8055 @cindex print all frame argument values
8056 @cindex print frame argument values for scalars only
8057 @cindex do not print frame argument values
8058 This command allows to control how the values of arguments are printed
8059 when the debugger prints a frame (@pxref{Frames}). The possible
8060 values are:
8061
8062 @table @code
8063 @item all
8064 The values of all arguments are printed.
8065
8066 @item scalars
8067 Print the value of an argument only if it is a scalar. The value of more
8068 complex arguments such as arrays, structures, unions, etc, is replaced
8069 by @code{@dots{}}. This is the default. Here is an example where
8070 only scalar arguments are shown:
8071
8072 @smallexample
8073 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=3, s=@dots{}, ss=0xbf8d508c, u=@dots{}, e=green)
8074 at frame-args.c:23
8075 @end smallexample
8076
8077 @item none
8078 None of the argument values are printed. Instead, the value of each argument
8079 is replaced by @code{@dots{}}. In this case, the example above now becomes:
8080
8081 @smallexample
8082 #1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=@dots{}, s=@dots{}, ss=@dots{}, u=@dots{}, e=@dots{})
8083 at frame-args.c:23
8084 @end smallexample
8085 @end table
8086
8087 By default, only scalar arguments are printed. This command can be used
8088 to configure the debugger to print the value of all arguments, regardless
8089 of their type. However, it is often advantageous to not print the value
8090 of more complex parameters. For instance, it reduces the amount of
8091 information printed in each frame, making the backtrace more readable.
8092 Also, it improves performance when displaying Ada frames, because
8093 the computation of large arguments can sometimes be CPU-intensive,
8094 especially in large applications. Setting @code{print frame-arguments}
8095 to @code{scalars} (the default) or @code{none} avoids this computation,
8096 thus speeding up the display of each Ada frame.
8097
8098 @item show print frame-arguments
8099 Show how the value of arguments should be displayed when printing a frame.
8100
8101 @anchor{set print entry-values}
8102 @item set print entry-values @var{value}
8103 @kindex set print entry-values
8104 Set printing of frame argument values at function entry. In some cases
8105 @value{GDBN} can determine the value of function argument which was passed by
8106 the function caller, even if the value was modified inside the called function
8107 and therefore is different. With optimized code, the current value could be
8108 unavailable, but the entry value may still be known.
8109
8110 The default value is @code{default} (see below for its description). Older
8111 @value{GDBN} behaved as with the setting @code{no}. Compilers not supporting
8112 this feature will behave in the @code{default} setting the same way as with the
8113 @code{no} setting.
8114
8115 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
8116 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
8117 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
8118 this information.
8119
8120 The @var{value} parameter can be one of the following:
8121
8122 @table @code
8123 @item no
8124 Print only actual parameter values, never print values from function entry
8125 point.
8126 @smallexample
8127 #0 equal (val=5)
8128 #0 different (val=6)
8129 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>)
8130 #0 born (val=10)
8131 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8132 @end smallexample
8133
8134 @item only
8135 Print only parameter values from function entry point. The actual parameter
8136 values are never printed.
8137 @smallexample
8138 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
8139 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
8140 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8141 #0 born (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8142 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8143 @end smallexample
8144
8145 @item preferred
8146 Print only parameter values from function entry point. If value from function
8147 entry point is not known while the actual value is known, print the actual
8148 value for such parameter.
8149 @smallexample
8150 #0 equal (val@@entry=5)
8151 #0 different (val@@entry=5)
8152 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8153 #0 born (val=10)
8154 #0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8155 @end smallexample
8156
8157 @item if-needed
8158 Print actual parameter values. If actual parameter value is not known while
8159 value from function entry point is known, print the entry point value for such
8160 parameter.
8161 @smallexample
8162 #0 equal (val=5)
8163 #0 different (val=6)
8164 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8165 #0 born (val=10)
8166 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8167 @end smallexample
8168
8169 @item both
8170 Always print both the actual parameter value and its value from function entry
8171 point, even if values of one or both are not available due to compiler
8172 optimizations.
8173 @smallexample
8174 #0 equal (val=5, val@@entry=5)
8175 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
8176 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
8177 #0 born (val=10, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8178 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8179 @end smallexample
8180
8181 @item compact
8182 Print the actual parameter value if it is known and also its value from
8183 function entry point if it is known. If neither is known, print for the actual
8184 value @code{<optimized out>}. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and if both
8185 values are known and identical, print the shortened
8186 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
8187 @smallexample
8188 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
8189 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
8190 #0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8191 #0 born (val=10)
8192 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8193 @end smallexample
8194
8195 @item default
8196 Always print the actual parameter value. Print also its value from function
8197 entry point, but only if it is known. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and
8198 if both values are known and identical, print the shortened
8199 @code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
8200 @smallexample
8201 #0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
8202 #0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
8203 #0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
8204 #0 born (val=10)
8205 #0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8206 @end smallexample
8207 @end table
8208
8209 For analysis messages on possible failures of frame argument values at function
8210 entry resolution see @ref{set debug entry-values}.
8211
8212 @item show print entry-values
8213 Show the method being used for printing of frame argument values at function
8214 entry.
8215
8216 @item set print repeats
8217 @cindex repeated array elements
8218 Set the threshold for suppressing display of repeated array
8219 elements. When the number of consecutive identical elements of an
8220 array exceeds the threshold, @value{GDBN} prints the string
8221 @code{"<repeats @var{n} times>"}, where @var{n} is the number of
8222 identical repetitions, instead of displaying the identical elements
8223 themselves. Setting the threshold to zero will cause all elements to
8224 be individually printed. The default threshold is 10.
8225
8226 @item show print repeats
8227 Display the current threshold for printing repeated identical
8228 elements.
8229
8230 @item set print null-stop
8231 @cindex @sc{null} elements in arrays
8232 Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
8233 @sc{null} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
8234 contain only short strings.
8235 The default is off.
8236
8237 @item show print null-stop
8238 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops printing an array on the first
8239 @sc{null} character.
8240
8241 @item set print pretty on
8242 @cindex print structures in indented form
8243 @cindex indentation in structure display
8244 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
8245 per line, like this:
8246
8247 @smallexample
8248 @group
8249 $1 = @{
8250 next = 0x0,
8251 flags = @{
8252 sweet = 1,
8253 sour = 1
8254 @},
8255 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
8256 @}
8257 @end group
8258 @end smallexample
8259
8260 @item set print pretty off
8261 Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
8262
8263 @smallexample
8264 @group
8265 $1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
8266 meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
8267 @end group
8268 @end smallexample
8269
8270 @noindent
8271 This is the default format.
8272
8273 @item show print pretty
8274 Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
8275
8276 @item set print sevenbit-strings on
8277 @cindex eight-bit characters in strings
8278 @cindex octal escapes in strings
8279 Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
8280 @value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
8281 character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
8282 best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
8283 high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
8284
8285 @item set print sevenbit-strings off
8286 Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
8287 international character sets, and is the default.
8288
8289 @item show print sevenbit-strings
8290 Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
8291
8292 @item set print union on
8293 @cindex unions in structures, printing
8294 Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures
8295 and other unions. This is the default setting.
8296
8297 @item set print union off
8298 Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in
8299 structures and other unions. @value{GDBN} will print @code{"@{...@}"}
8300 instead.
8301
8302 @item show print union
8303 Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
8304 structures and other unions.
8305
8306 For example, given the declarations
8307
8308 @smallexample
8309 typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
8310 typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
8311 typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
8312 Bug_forms;
8313
8314 struct thing @{
8315 Species it;
8316 union @{
8317 Tree_forms tree;
8318 Bug_forms bug;
8319 @} form;
8320 @};
8321
8322 struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
8323 @end smallexample
8324
8325 @noindent
8326 with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
8327
8328 @smallexample
8329 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
8330 @end smallexample
8331
8332 @noindent
8333 and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
8334
8335 @smallexample
8336 $1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
8337 @end smallexample
8338
8339 @noindent
8340 @code{set print union} affects programs written in C-like languages
8341 and in Pascal.
8342 @end table
8343
8344 @need 1000
8345 @noindent
8346 These settings are of interest when debugging C@t{++} programs:
8347
8348 @table @code
8349 @cindex demangling C@t{++} names
8350 @item set print demangle
8351 @itemx set print demangle on
8352 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than in the encoded
8353 (``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
8354 linkage. The default is on.
8355
8356 @item show print demangle
8357 Show whether C@t{++} names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
8358
8359 @item set print asm-demangle
8360 @itemx set print asm-demangle on
8361 Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
8362 in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
8363 The default is off.
8364
8365 @item show print asm-demangle
8366 Show whether C@t{++} names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
8367 or demangled form.
8368
8369 @cindex C@t{++} symbol decoding style
8370 @cindex symbol decoding style, C@t{++}
8371 @kindex set demangle-style
8372 @item set demangle-style @var{style}
8373 Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
8374 represent C@t{++} names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
8375
8376 @table @code
8377 @item auto
8378 Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
8379
8380 @item gnu
8381 Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
8382 This is the default.
8383
8384 @item hp
8385 Decode based on the HP ANSI C@t{++} (@code{aCC}) encoding algorithm.
8386
8387 @item lucid
8388 Decode based on the Lucid C@t{++} compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
8389
8390 @item arm
8391 Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C@t{++} Annotated Reference Manual}.
8392 @strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
8393 debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
8394 require further enhancement to permit that.
8395
8396 @end table
8397 If you omit @var{style}, you will see a list of possible formats.
8398
8399 @item show demangle-style
8400 Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C@t{++} symbols.
8401
8402 @item set print object
8403 @itemx set print object on
8404 @cindex derived type of an object, printing
8405 @cindex display derived types
8406 When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
8407 (derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
8408 the virtual function table. Note that the virtual function table is
8409 required---this feature can only work for objects that have run-time
8410 type identification; a single virtual method in the object's declared
8411 type is sufficient.
8412
8413 @item set print object off
8414 Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
8415 virtual function table. This is the default setting.
8416
8417 @item show print object
8418 Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
8419
8420 @item set print static-members
8421 @itemx set print static-members on
8422 @cindex static members of C@t{++} objects
8423 Print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object. The default is on.
8424
8425 @item set print static-members off
8426 Do not print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object.
8427
8428 @item show print static-members
8429 Show whether C@t{++} static members are printed or not.
8430
8431 @item set print pascal_static-members
8432 @itemx set print pascal_static-members on
8433 @cindex static members of Pascal objects
8434 @cindex Pascal objects, static members display
8435 Print static members when displaying a Pascal object. The default is on.
8436
8437 @item set print pascal_static-members off
8438 Do not print static members when displaying a Pascal object.
8439
8440 @item show print pascal_static-members
8441 Show whether Pascal static members are printed or not.
8442
8443 @c These don't work with HP ANSI C++ yet.
8444 @item set print vtbl
8445 @itemx set print vtbl on
8446 @cindex pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables
8447 @cindex virtual functions (C@t{++}) display
8448 @cindex VTBL display
8449 Pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables. The default is off.
8450 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
8451 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
8452
8453 @item set print vtbl off
8454 Do not pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables.
8455
8456 @item show print vtbl
8457 Show whether C@t{++} virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
8458 @end table
8459
8460 @node Pretty Printing
8461 @section Pretty Printing
8462
8463 @value{GDBN} provides a mechanism to allow pretty-printing of values using
8464 Python code. It greatly simplifies the display of complex objects. This
8465 mechanism works for both MI and the CLI.
8466
8467 @menu
8468 * Pretty-Printer Introduction:: Introduction to pretty-printers
8469 * Pretty-Printer Example:: An example pretty-printer
8470 * Pretty-Printer Commands:: Pretty-printer commands
8471 @end menu
8472
8473 @node Pretty-Printer Introduction
8474 @subsection Pretty-Printer Introduction
8475
8476 When @value{GDBN} prints a value, it first sees if there is a pretty-printer
8477 registered for the value. If there is then @value{GDBN} invokes the
8478 pretty-printer to print the value. Otherwise the value is printed normally.
8479
8480 Pretty-printers are normally named. This makes them easy to manage.
8481 The @samp{info pretty-printer} command will list all the installed
8482 pretty-printers with their names.
8483 If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
8484 @dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
8485 Each such subprinter has its own name.
8486 The format of the name is @var{printer-name};@var{subprinter-name}.
8487
8488 Pretty-printers are installed by @dfn{registering} them with @value{GDBN}.
8489 Typically they are automatically loaded and registered when the corresponding
8490 debug information is loaded, thus making them available without having to
8491 do anything special.
8492
8493 There are three places where a pretty-printer can be registered.
8494
8495 @itemize @bullet
8496 @item
8497 Pretty-printers registered globally are available when debugging
8498 all inferiors.
8499
8500 @item
8501 Pretty-printers registered with a program space are available only
8502 when debugging that program.
8503 @xref{Progspaces In Python}, for more details on program spaces in Python.
8504
8505 @item
8506 Pretty-printers registered with an objfile are loaded and unloaded
8507 with the corresponding objfile (e.g., shared library).
8508 @xref{Objfiles In Python}, for more details on objfiles in Python.
8509 @end itemize
8510
8511 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for further information on how
8512 pretty-printers are selected,
8513
8514 @xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for implementing pretty printers
8515 for new types.
8516
8517 @node Pretty-Printer Example
8518 @subsection Pretty-Printer Example
8519
8520 Here is how a C@t{++} @code{std::string} looks without a pretty-printer:
8521
8522 @smallexample
8523 (@value{GDBP}) print s
8524 $1 = @{
8525 static npos = 4294967295,
8526 _M_dataplus = @{
8527 <std::allocator<char>> = @{
8528 <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<char>> = @{
8529 <No data fields>@}, <No data fields>
8530 @},
8531 members of std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>,
8532 std::allocator<char> >::_Alloc_hider:
8533 _M_p = 0x804a014 "abcd"
8534 @}
8535 @}
8536 @end smallexample
8537
8538 With a pretty-printer for @code{std::string} only the contents are printed:
8539
8540 @smallexample
8541 (@value{GDBP}) print s
8542 $2 = "abcd"
8543 @end smallexample
8544
8545 @node Pretty-Printer Commands
8546 @subsection Pretty-Printer Commands
8547 @cindex pretty-printer commands
8548
8549 @table @code
8550 @kindex info pretty-printer
8551 @item info pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
8552 Print the list of installed pretty-printers.
8553 This includes disabled pretty-printers, which are marked as such.
8554
8555 @var{object-regexp} is a regular expression matching the objects
8556 whose pretty-printers to list.
8557 Objects can be @code{global}, the program space's file
8558 (@pxref{Progspaces In Python}),
8559 and the object files within that program space (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}).
8560 @xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for details on how @value{GDBN}
8561 looks up a printer from these three objects.
8562
8563 @var{name-regexp} is a regular expression matching the name of the printers
8564 to list.
8565
8566 @kindex disable pretty-printer
8567 @item disable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
8568 Disable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
8569 A disabled pretty-printer is not forgotten, it may be enabled again later.
8570
8571 @kindex enable pretty-printer
8572 @item enable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
8573 Enable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
8574 @end table
8575
8576 Example:
8577
8578 Suppose we have three pretty-printers installed: one from library1.so
8579 named @code{foo} that prints objects of type @code{foo}, and
8580 another from library2.so named @code{bar} that prints two types of objects,
8581 @code{bar1} and @code{bar2}.
8582
8583 @smallexample
8584 (gdb) info pretty-printer
8585 library1.so:
8586 foo
8587 library2.so:
8588 bar
8589 bar1
8590 bar2
8591 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
8592 library2.so:
8593 bar
8594 bar1
8595 bar2
8596 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library1
8597 1 printer disabled
8598 2 of 3 printers enabled
8599 (gdb) info pretty-printer
8600 library1.so:
8601 foo [disabled]
8602 library2.so:
8603 bar
8604 bar1
8605 bar2
8606 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar:bar1
8607 1 printer disabled
8608 1 of 3 printers enabled
8609 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
8610 library1.so:
8611 foo [disabled]
8612 library2.so:
8613 bar
8614 bar1 [disabled]
8615 bar2
8616 (gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar
8617 1 printer disabled
8618 0 of 3 printers enabled
8619 (gdb) info pretty-printer library2
8620 library1.so:
8621 foo [disabled]
8622 library2.so:
8623 bar [disabled]
8624 bar1 [disabled]
8625 bar2
8626 @end smallexample
8627
8628 Note that for @code{bar} the entire printer can be disabled,
8629 as can each individual subprinter.
8630
8631 @node Value History
8632 @section Value History
8633
8634 @cindex value history
8635 @cindex history of values printed by @value{GDBN}
8636 Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
8637 @dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
8638 Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
8639 (for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
8640 When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
8641 since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
8642 symbol table.
8643
8644 @cindex @code{$}
8645 @cindex @code{$$}
8646 @cindex history number
8647 The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
8648 refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
8649 @code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
8650 printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
8651 history number.
8652
8653 To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
8654 history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
8655 remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
8656 the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
8657 @code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
8658 is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
8659 @code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
8660
8661 For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
8662 want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
8663
8664 @smallexample
8665 p *$
8666 @end smallexample
8667
8668 If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
8669 to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
8670
8671 @smallexample
8672 p *$.next
8673 @end smallexample
8674
8675 @noindent
8676 You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
8677 command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
8678
8679 Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
8680 @code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
8681
8682 @smallexample
8683 print x
8684 set x=5
8685 @end smallexample
8686
8687 @noindent
8688 then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
8689 remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
8690
8691 @table @code
8692 @kindex show values
8693 @item show values
8694 Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
8695 This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
8696 values} does not change the history.
8697
8698 @item show values @var{n}
8699 Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
8700
8701 @item show values +
8702 Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
8703 values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
8704 @end table
8705
8706 Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
8707 same effect as @samp{show values +}.
8708
8709 @node Convenience Vars
8710 @section Convenience Variables
8711
8712 @cindex convenience variables
8713 @cindex user-defined variables
8714 @value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
8715 @value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
8716 exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
8717 setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
8718 of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
8719
8720 Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
8721 @samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
8722 the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
8723 (Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
8724 by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value History}.)
8725
8726 You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
8727 expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
8728 For example:
8729
8730 @smallexample
8731 set $foo = *object_ptr
8732 @end smallexample
8733
8734 @noindent
8735 would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
8736 @code{object_ptr}.
8737
8738 Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
8739 value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
8740 value with another assignment at any time.
8741
8742 Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
8743 variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
8744 that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
8745 variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
8746
8747 @table @code
8748 @kindex show convenience
8749 @cindex show all user variables
8750 @item show convenience
8751 Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values.
8752 Abbreviated @code{show conv}.
8753
8754 @kindex init-if-undefined
8755 @cindex convenience variables, initializing
8756 @item init-if-undefined $@var{variable} = @var{expression}
8757 Set a convenience variable if it has not already been set. This is useful
8758 for user-defined commands that keep some state. It is similar, in concept,
8759 to using local static variables with initializers in C (except that
8760 convenience variables are global). It can also be used to allow users to
8761 override default values used in a command script.
8762
8763 If the variable is already defined then the expression is not evaluated so
8764 any side-effects do not occur.
8765 @end table
8766
8767 One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
8768 incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
8769 a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
8770
8771 @smallexample
8772 set $i = 0
8773 print bar[$i++]->contents
8774 @end smallexample
8775
8776 @noindent
8777 Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
8778
8779 Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
8780 values likely to be useful.
8781
8782 @table @code
8783 @vindex $_@r{, convenience variable}
8784 @item $_
8785 The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
8786 the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}). Other
8787 commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
8788 set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
8789 and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
8790 except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
8791 to the type of @code{$__}.
8792
8793 @vindex $__@r{, convenience variable}
8794 @item $__
8795 The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
8796 to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
8797 to match the format in which the data was printed.
8798
8799 @item $_exitcode
8800 @vindex $_exitcode@r{, convenience variable}
8801 The variable @code{$_exitcode} is automatically set to the exit code when
8802 the program being debugged terminates.
8803
8804 @item $_sdata
8805 @vindex $_sdata@r{, inspect, convenience variable}
8806 The variable @code{$_sdata} contains extra collected static tracepoint
8807 data. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}. Note that
8808 @code{$_sdata} could be empty, if not inspecting a trace buffer, or
8809 if extra static tracepoint data has not been collected.
8810
8811 @item $_siginfo
8812 @vindex $_siginfo@r{, convenience variable}
8813 The variable @code{$_siginfo} contains extra signal information
8814 (@pxref{extra signal information}). Note that @code{$_siginfo}
8815 could be empty, if the application has not yet received any signals.
8816 For example, it will be empty before you execute the @code{run} command.
8817
8818 @item $_tlb
8819 @vindex $_tlb@r{, convenience variable}
8820 The variable @code{$_tlb} is automatically set when debugging
8821 applications running on MS-Windows in native mode or connected to
8822 gdbserver that supports the @code{qGetTIBAddr} request.
8823 @xref{General Query Packets}.
8824 This variable contains the address of the thread information block.
8825
8826 @end table
8827
8828 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
8829 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
8830 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
8831
8832 @cindex convenience functions
8833 @value{GDBN} also supplies some @dfn{convenience functions}. These
8834 have a syntax similar to convenience variables. A convenience
8835 function can be used in an expression just like an ordinary function;
8836 however, a convenience function is implemented internally to
8837 @value{GDBN}.
8838
8839 @table @code
8840 @item help function
8841 @kindex help function
8842 @cindex show all convenience functions
8843 Print a list of all convenience functions.
8844 @end table
8845
8846 @node Registers
8847 @section Registers
8848
8849 @cindex registers
8850 You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
8851 with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
8852 for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
8853 your machine.
8854
8855 @table @code
8856 @kindex info registers
8857 @item info registers
8858 Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
8859 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
8860
8861 @kindex info all-registers
8862 @cindex floating point registers
8863 @item info all-registers
8864 Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
8865 and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
8866
8867 @item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
8868 Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
8869 As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
8870 the selected stack frame. @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
8871 the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
8872 @end table
8873
8874 @cindex stack pointer register
8875 @cindex program counter register
8876 @cindex process status register
8877 @cindex frame pointer register
8878 @cindex standard registers
8879 @value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
8880 expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
8881 architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
8882 @code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
8883 the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
8884 pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
8885 register that contains the processor status. For example,
8886 you could print the program counter in hex with
8887
8888 @smallexample
8889 p/x $pc
8890 @end smallexample
8891
8892 @noindent
8893 or print the instruction to be executed next with
8894
8895 @smallexample
8896 x/i $pc
8897 @end smallexample
8898
8899 @noindent
8900 or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
8901 one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
8902 memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
8903 stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
8904 stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
8905 regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
8906 see @ref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}.} with
8907
8908 @smallexample
8909 set $sp += 4
8910 @end smallexample
8911
8912 Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
8913 your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
8914 so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
8915 shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
8916 registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
8917 can also refer to it as @code{$ps}; and on x86-based machines @code{$ps}
8918 is an alias for the @sc{eflags} register.
8919
8920 @value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
8921 integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
8922 special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
8923 registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
8924 to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
8925 (although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
8926 @samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
8927
8928 Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
8929 means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
8930 the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
8931 sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
8932 coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
8933 programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
8934 cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
8935 that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
8936 prints the data in both formats.
8937
8938 @cindex SSE registers (x86)
8939 @cindex MMX registers (x86)
8940 Some machines have special registers whose contents can be interpreted
8941 in several different ways. For example, modern x86-based machines
8942 have SSE and MMX registers that can hold several values packed
8943 together in several different formats. @value{GDBN} refers to such
8944 registers in @code{struct} notation:
8945
8946 @smallexample
8947 (@value{GDBP}) print $xmm1
8948 $1 = @{
8949 v4_float = @{0, 3.43859137e-038, 1.54142831e-044, 1.821688e-044@},
8950 v2_double = @{9.92129282474342e-303, 2.7585945287983262e-313@},
8951 v16_int8 = "\000\000\000\000\3706;\001\v\000\000\000\r\000\000",
8952 v8_int16 = @{0, 0, 14072, 315, 11, 0, 13, 0@},
8953 v4_int32 = @{0, 20657912, 11, 13@},
8954 v2_int64 = @{88725056443645952, 55834574859@},
8955 uint128 = 0x0000000d0000000b013b36f800000000
8956 @}
8957 @end smallexample
8958
8959 @noindent
8960 To set values of such registers, you need to tell @value{GDBN} which
8961 view of the register you wish to change, as if you were assigning
8962 value to a @code{struct} member:
8963
8964 @smallexample
8965 (@value{GDBP}) set $xmm1.uint128 = 0x000000000000000000000000FFFFFFFF
8966 @end smallexample
8967
8968 Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
8969 (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). This means that you get the
8970 value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
8971 were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
8972 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
8973 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
8974
8975 However, @value{GDBN} must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
8976 code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if
8977 @value{GDBN} is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack
8978 frame makes no difference.
8979
8980 @node Floating Point Hardware
8981 @section Floating Point Hardware
8982 @cindex floating point
8983
8984 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
8985 you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
8986
8987 @table @code
8988 @kindex info float
8989 @item info float
8990 Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
8991 point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
8992 floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
8993 the ARM and x86 machines.
8994 @end table
8995
8996 @node Vector Unit
8997 @section Vector Unit
8998 @cindex vector unit
8999
9000 Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give you
9001 more information about the status of the vector unit.
9002
9003 @table @code
9004 @kindex info vector
9005 @item info vector
9006 Display information about the vector unit. The exact contents and
9007 layout vary depending on the hardware.
9008 @end table
9009
9010 @node OS Information
9011 @section Operating System Auxiliary Information
9012 @cindex OS information
9013
9014 @value{GDBN} provides interfaces to useful OS facilities that can help
9015 you debug your program.
9016
9017 @cindex @code{ptrace} system call
9018 @cindex @code{struct user} contents
9019 When @value{GDBN} runs on a @dfn{Posix system} (such as GNU or Unix
9020 machines), it interfaces with the inferior via the @code{ptrace}
9021 system call. The operating system creates a special sata structure,
9022 called @code{struct user}, for this interface. You can use the
9023 command @code{info udot} to display the contents of this data
9024 structure.
9025
9026 @table @code
9027 @item info udot
9028 @kindex info udot
9029 Display the contents of the @code{struct user} maintained by the OS
9030 kernel for the program being debugged. @value{GDBN} displays the
9031 contents of @code{struct user} as a list of hex numbers, similar to
9032 the @code{examine} command.
9033 @end table
9034
9035 @cindex auxiliary vector
9036 @cindex vector, auxiliary
9037 Some operating systems supply an @dfn{auxiliary vector} to programs at
9038 startup. This is akin to the arguments and environment that you
9039 specify for a program, but contains a system-dependent variety of
9040 binary values that tell system libraries important details about the
9041 hardware, operating system, and process. Each value's purpose is
9042 identified by an integer tag; the meanings are well-known but system-specific.
9043 Depending on the configuration and operating system facilities,
9044 @value{GDBN} may be able to show you this information. For remote
9045 targets, this functionality may further depend on the remote stub's
9046 support of the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet, see
9047 @ref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}.
9048
9049 @table @code
9050 @kindex info auxv
9051 @item info auxv
9052 Display the auxiliary vector of the inferior, which can be either a
9053 live process or a core dump file. @value{GDBN} prints each tag value
9054 numerically, and also shows names and text descriptions for recognized
9055 tags. Some values in the vector are numbers, some bit masks, and some
9056 pointers to strings or other data. @value{GDBN} displays each value in the
9057 most appropriate form for a recognized tag, and in hexadecimal for
9058 an unrecognized tag.
9059 @end table
9060
9061 On some targets, @value{GDBN} can access operating-system-specific information
9062 and display it to user, without interpretation. For remote targets,
9063 this functionality depends on the remote stub's support of the
9064 @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet, see @ref{qXfer osdata read}.
9065
9066 @table @code
9067 @kindex info os
9068 @item info os
9069 List the types of OS information available for the target. If the
9070 target does not return a list of possible types, this command will
9071 report an error.
9072
9073 @kindex info os processes
9074 @item info os processes
9075 Display the list of processes on the target. For each process,
9076 @value{GDBN} prints the process identifier, the name of the user, and
9077 the command corresponding to the process.
9078 @end table
9079
9080 @node Memory Region Attributes
9081 @section Memory Region Attributes
9082 @cindex memory region attributes
9083
9084 @dfn{Memory region attributes} allow you to describe special handling
9085 required by regions of your target's memory. @value{GDBN} uses
9086 attributes to determine whether to allow certain types of memory
9087 accesses; whether to use specific width accesses; and whether to cache
9088 target memory. By default the description of memory regions is
9089 fetched from the target (if the current target supports this), but the
9090 user can override the fetched regions.
9091
9092 Defined memory regions can be individually enabled and disabled. When a
9093 memory region is disabled, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when
9094 accessing memory in that region. Similarly, if no memory regions have
9095 been defined, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when accessing
9096 all memory.
9097
9098 When a memory region is defined, it is given a number to identify it;
9099 to enable, disable, or remove a memory region, you specify that number.
9100
9101 @table @code
9102 @kindex mem
9103 @item mem @var{lower} @var{upper} @var{attributes}@dots{}
9104 Define a memory region bounded by @var{lower} and @var{upper} with
9105 attributes @var{attributes}@dots{}, and add it to the list of regions
9106 monitored by @value{GDBN}. Note that @var{upper} == 0 is a special
9107 case: it is treated as the target's maximum memory address.
9108 (0xffff on 16 bit targets, 0xffffffff on 32 bit targets, etc.)
9109
9110 @item mem auto
9111 Discard any user changes to the memory regions and use target-supplied
9112 regions, if available, or no regions if the target does not support.
9113
9114 @kindex delete mem
9115 @item delete mem @var{nums}@dots{}
9116 Remove memory regions @var{nums}@dots{} from the list of regions
9117 monitored by @value{GDBN}.
9118
9119 @kindex disable mem
9120 @item disable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
9121 Disable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
9122 A disabled memory region is not forgotten.
9123 It may be enabled again later.
9124
9125 @kindex enable mem
9126 @item enable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
9127 Enable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
9128
9129 @kindex info mem
9130 @item info mem
9131 Print a table of all defined memory regions, with the following columns
9132 for each region:
9133
9134 @table @emph
9135 @item Memory Region Number
9136 @item Enabled or Disabled.
9137 Enabled memory regions are marked with @samp{y}.
9138 Disabled memory regions are marked with @samp{n}.
9139
9140 @item Lo Address
9141 The address defining the inclusive lower bound of the memory region.
9142
9143 @item Hi Address
9144 The address defining the exclusive upper bound of the memory region.
9145
9146 @item Attributes
9147 The list of attributes set for this memory region.
9148 @end table
9149 @end table
9150
9151
9152 @subsection Attributes
9153
9154 @subsubsection Memory Access Mode
9155 The access mode attributes set whether @value{GDBN} may make read or
9156 write accesses to a memory region.
9157
9158 While these attributes prevent @value{GDBN} from performing invalid
9159 memory accesses, they do nothing to prevent the target system, I/O DMA,
9160 etc.@: from accessing memory.
9161
9162 @table @code
9163 @item ro
9164 Memory is read only.
9165 @item wo
9166 Memory is write only.
9167 @item rw
9168 Memory is read/write. This is the default.
9169 @end table
9170
9171 @subsubsection Memory Access Size
9172 The access size attribute tells @value{GDBN} to use specific sized
9173 accesses in the memory region. Often memory mapped device registers
9174 require specific sized accesses. If no access size attribute is
9175 specified, @value{GDBN} may use accesses of any size.
9176
9177 @table @code
9178 @item 8
9179 Use 8 bit memory accesses.
9180 @item 16
9181 Use 16 bit memory accesses.
9182 @item 32
9183 Use 32 bit memory accesses.
9184 @item 64
9185 Use 64 bit memory accesses.
9186 @end table
9187
9188 @c @subsubsection Hardware/Software Breakpoints
9189 @c The hardware/software breakpoint attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
9190 @c will use hardware or software breakpoints for the internal breakpoints
9191 @c used by the step, next, finish, until, etc. commands.
9192 @c
9193 @c @table @code
9194 @c @item hwbreak
9195 @c Always use hardware breakpoints
9196 @c @item swbreak (default)
9197 @c @end table
9198
9199 @subsubsection Data Cache
9200 The data cache attributes set whether @value{GDBN} will cache target
9201 memory. While this generally improves performance by reducing debug
9202 protocol overhead, it can lead to incorrect results because @value{GDBN}
9203 does not know about volatile variables or memory mapped device
9204 registers.
9205
9206 @table @code
9207 @item cache
9208 Enable @value{GDBN} to cache target memory.
9209 @item nocache
9210 Disable @value{GDBN} from caching target memory. This is the default.
9211 @end table
9212
9213 @subsection Memory Access Checking
9214 @value{GDBN} can be instructed to refuse accesses to memory that is
9215 not explicitly described. This can be useful if accessing such
9216 regions has undesired effects for a specific target, or to provide
9217 better error checking. The following commands control this behaviour.
9218
9219 @table @code
9220 @kindex set mem inaccessible-by-default
9221 @item set mem inaccessible-by-default [on|off]
9222 If @code{on} is specified, make @value{GDBN} treat memory not
9223 explicitly described by the memory ranges as non-existent and refuse accesses
9224 to such memory. The checks are only performed if there's at least one
9225 memory range defined. If @code{off} is specified, make @value{GDBN}
9226 treat the memory not explicitly described by the memory ranges as RAM.
9227 The default value is @code{on}.
9228 @kindex show mem inaccessible-by-default
9229 @item show mem inaccessible-by-default
9230 Show the current handling of accesses to unknown memory.
9231 @end table
9232
9233
9234 @c @subsubsection Memory Write Verification
9235 @c The memory write verification attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
9236 @c will re-reads data after each write to verify the write was successful.
9237 @c
9238 @c @table @code
9239 @c @item verify
9240 @c @item noverify (default)
9241 @c @end table
9242
9243 @node Dump/Restore Files
9244 @section Copy Between Memory and a File
9245 @cindex dump/restore files
9246 @cindex append data to a file
9247 @cindex dump data to a file
9248 @cindex restore data from a file
9249
9250 You can use the commands @code{dump}, @code{append}, and
9251 @code{restore} to copy data between target memory and a file. The
9252 @code{dump} and @code{append} commands write data to a file, and the
9253 @code{restore} command reads data from a file back into the inferior's
9254 memory. Files may be in binary, Motorola S-record, Intel hex, or
9255 Tektronix Hex format; however, @value{GDBN} can only append to binary
9256 files.
9257
9258 @table @code
9259
9260 @kindex dump
9261 @item dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
9262 @itemx dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
9263 Dump the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
9264 or the value of @var{expr}, to @var{filename} in the given format.
9265
9266 The @var{format} parameter may be any one of:
9267 @table @code
9268 @item binary
9269 Raw binary form.
9270 @item ihex
9271 Intel hex format.
9272 @item srec
9273 Motorola S-record format.
9274 @item tekhex
9275 Tektronix Hex format.
9276 @end table
9277
9278 @value{GDBN} uses the same definitions of these formats as the
9279 @sc{gnu} binary utilities, like @samp{objdump} and @samp{objcopy}. If
9280 @var{format} is omitted, @value{GDBN} dumps the data in raw binary
9281 form.
9282
9283 @kindex append
9284 @item append @r{[}binary@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
9285 @itemx append @r{[}binary@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
9286 Append the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
9287 or the value of @var{expr}, to the file @var{filename}, in raw binary form.
9288 (@value{GDBN} can only append data to files in raw binary form.)
9289
9290 @kindex restore
9291 @item restore @var{filename} @r{[}binary@r{]} @var{bias} @var{start} @var{end}
9292 Restore the contents of file @var{filename} into memory. The
9293 @code{restore} command can automatically recognize any known @sc{bfd}
9294 file format, except for raw binary. To restore a raw binary file you
9295 must specify the optional keyword @code{binary} after the filename.
9296
9297 If @var{bias} is non-zero, its value will be added to the addresses
9298 contained in the file. Binary files always start at address zero, so
9299 they will be restored at address @var{bias}. Other bfd files have
9300 a built-in location; they will be restored at offset @var{bias}
9301 from that location.
9302
9303 If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are non-zero, then only data between
9304 file offset @var{start} and file offset @var{end} will be restored.
9305 These offsets are relative to the addresses in the file, before
9306 the @var{bias} argument is applied.
9307
9308 @end table
9309
9310 @node Core File Generation
9311 @section How to Produce a Core File from Your Program
9312 @cindex dump core from inferior
9313
9314 A @dfn{core file} or @dfn{core dump} is a file that records the memory
9315 image of a running process and its process status (register values
9316 etc.). Its primary use is post-mortem debugging of a program that
9317 crashed while it ran outside a debugger. A program that crashes
9318 automatically produces a core file, unless this feature is disabled by
9319 the user. @xref{Files}, for information on invoking @value{GDBN} in
9320 the post-mortem debugging mode.
9321
9322 Occasionally, you may wish to produce a core file of the program you
9323 are debugging in order to preserve a snapshot of its state.
9324 @value{GDBN} has a special command for that.
9325
9326 @table @code
9327 @kindex gcore
9328 @kindex generate-core-file
9329 @item generate-core-file [@var{file}]
9330 @itemx gcore [@var{file}]
9331 Produce a core dump of the inferior process. The optional argument
9332 @var{file} specifies the file name where to put the core dump. If not
9333 specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}}, where
9334 @var{pid} is the inferior process ID.
9335
9336 Note that this command is implemented only for some systems (as of
9337 this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, Unixware, and S390).
9338 @end table
9339
9340 @node Character Sets
9341 @section Character Sets
9342 @cindex character sets
9343 @cindex charset
9344 @cindex translating between character sets
9345 @cindex host character set
9346 @cindex target character set
9347
9348 If the program you are debugging uses a different character set to
9349 represent characters and strings than the one @value{GDBN} uses itself,
9350 @value{GDBN} can automatically translate between the character sets for
9351 you. The character set @value{GDBN} uses we call the @dfn{host
9352 character set}; the one the inferior program uses we call the
9353 @dfn{target character set}.
9354
9355 For example, if you are running @value{GDBN} on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, which
9356 uses the ISO Latin 1 character set, but you are using @value{GDBN}'s
9357 remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Debugging}) to debug a program
9358 running on an IBM mainframe, which uses the @sc{ebcdic} character set,
9359 then the host character set is Latin-1, and the target character set is
9360 @sc{ebcdic}. If you give @value{GDBN} the command @code{set
9361 target-charset EBCDIC-US}, then @value{GDBN} translates between
9362 @sc{ebcdic} and Latin 1 as you print character or string values, or use
9363 character and string literals in expressions.
9364
9365 @value{GDBN} has no way to automatically recognize which character set
9366 the inferior program uses; you must tell it, using the @code{set
9367 target-charset} command, described below.
9368
9369 Here are the commands for controlling @value{GDBN}'s character set
9370 support:
9371
9372 @table @code
9373 @item set target-charset @var{charset}
9374 @kindex set target-charset
9375 Set the current target character set to @var{charset}. To display the
9376 list of supported target character sets, type
9377 @kbd{@w{set target-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
9378
9379 @item set host-charset @var{charset}
9380 @kindex set host-charset
9381 Set the current host character set to @var{charset}.
9382
9383 By default, @value{GDBN} uses a host character set appropriate to the
9384 system it is running on; you can override that default using the
9385 @code{set host-charset} command. On some systems, @value{GDBN} cannot
9386 automatically determine the appropriate host character set. In this
9387 case, @value{GDBN} uses @samp{UTF-8}.
9388
9389 @value{GDBN} can only use certain character sets as its host character
9390 set. If you type @kbd{@w{set host-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
9391 @value{GDBN} will list the host character sets it supports.
9392
9393 @item set charset @var{charset}
9394 @kindex set charset
9395 Set the current host and target character sets to @var{charset}. As
9396 above, if you type @kbd{@w{set charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
9397 @value{GDBN} will list the names of the character sets that can be used
9398 for both host and target.
9399
9400 @item show charset
9401 @kindex show charset
9402 Show the names of the current host and target character sets.
9403
9404 @item show host-charset
9405 @kindex show host-charset
9406 Show the name of the current host character set.
9407
9408 @item show target-charset
9409 @kindex show target-charset
9410 Show the name of the current target character set.
9411
9412 @item set target-wide-charset @var{charset}
9413 @kindex set target-wide-charset
9414 Set the current target's wide character set to @var{charset}. This is
9415 the character set used by the target's @code{wchar_t} type. To
9416 display the list of supported wide character sets, type
9417 @kbd{@w{set target-wide-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
9418
9419 @item show target-wide-charset
9420 @kindex show target-wide-charset
9421 Show the name of the current target's wide character set.
9422 @end table
9423
9424 Here is an example of @value{GDBN}'s character set support in action.
9425 Assume that the following source code has been placed in the file
9426 @file{charset-test.c}:
9427
9428 @smallexample
9429 #include <stdio.h>
9430
9431 char ascii_hello[]
9432 = @{72, 101, 108, 108, 111, 44, 32, 119,
9433 111, 114, 108, 100, 33, 10, 0@};
9434 char ibm1047_hello[]
9435 = @{200, 133, 147, 147, 150, 107, 64, 166,
9436 150, 153, 147, 132, 90, 37, 0@};
9437
9438 main ()
9439 @{
9440 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
9441 @}
9442 @end smallexample
9443
9444 In this program, @code{ascii_hello} and @code{ibm1047_hello} are arrays
9445 containing the string @samp{Hello, world!} followed by a newline,
9446 encoded in the @sc{ascii} and @sc{ibm1047} character sets.
9447
9448 We compile the program, and invoke the debugger on it:
9449
9450 @smallexample
9451 $ gcc -g charset-test.c -o charset-test
9452 $ gdb -nw charset-test
9453 GNU gdb 2001-12-19-cvs
9454 Copyright 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
9455 @dots{}
9456 (@value{GDBP})
9457 @end smallexample
9458
9459 We can use the @code{show charset} command to see what character sets
9460 @value{GDBN} is currently using to interpret and display characters and
9461 strings:
9462
9463 @smallexample
9464 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
9465 The current host and target character set is `ISO-8859-1'.
9466 (@value{GDBP})
9467 @end smallexample
9468
9469 For the sake of printing this manual, let's use @sc{ascii} as our
9470 initial character set:
9471 @smallexample
9472 (@value{GDBP}) set charset ASCII
9473 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
9474 The current host and target character set is `ASCII'.
9475 (@value{GDBP})
9476 @end smallexample
9477
9478 Let's assume that @sc{ascii} is indeed the correct character set for our
9479 host system --- in other words, let's assume that if @value{GDBN} prints
9480 characters using the @sc{ascii} character set, our terminal will display
9481 them properly. Since our current target character set is also
9482 @sc{ascii}, the contents of @code{ascii_hello} print legibly:
9483
9484 @smallexample
9485 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
9486 $1 = 0x401698 "Hello, world!\n"
9487 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
9488 $2 = 72 'H'
9489 (@value{GDBP})
9490 @end smallexample
9491
9492 @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and string
9493 literals you use in expressions:
9494
9495 @smallexample
9496 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
9497 $3 = 43 '+'
9498 (@value{GDBP})
9499 @end smallexample
9500
9501 The @sc{ascii} character set uses the number 43 to encode the @samp{+}
9502 character.
9503
9504 @value{GDBN} relies on the user to tell it which character set the
9505 target program uses. If we print @code{ibm1047_hello} while our target
9506 character set is still @sc{ascii}, we get jibberish:
9507
9508 @smallexample
9509 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
9510 $4 = 0x4016a8 "\310\205\223\223\226k@@\246\226\231\223\204Z%"
9511 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
9512 $5 = 200 '\310'
9513 (@value{GDBP})
9514 @end smallexample
9515
9516 If we invoke the @code{set target-charset} followed by @key{TAB}@key{TAB},
9517 @value{GDBN} tells us the character sets it supports:
9518
9519 @smallexample
9520 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
9521 ASCII EBCDIC-US IBM1047 ISO-8859-1
9522 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
9523 @end smallexample
9524
9525 We can select @sc{ibm1047} as our target character set, and examine the
9526 program's strings again. Now the @sc{ascii} string is wrong, but
9527 @value{GDBN} translates the contents of @code{ibm1047_hello} from the
9528 target character set, @sc{ibm1047}, to the host character set,
9529 @sc{ascii}, and they display correctly:
9530
9531 @smallexample
9532 (@value{GDBP}) set target-charset IBM1047
9533 (@value{GDBP}) show charset
9534 The current host character set is `ASCII'.
9535 The current target character set is `IBM1047'.
9536 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
9537 $6 = 0x401698 "\110\145%%?\054\040\167?\162%\144\041\012"
9538 (@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
9539 $7 = 72 '\110'
9540 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
9541 $8 = 0x4016a8 "Hello, world!\n"
9542 (@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
9543 $9 = 200 'H'
9544 (@value{GDBP})
9545 @end smallexample
9546
9547 As above, @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and
9548 string literals you use in expressions:
9549
9550 @smallexample
9551 (@value{GDBP}) print '+'
9552 $10 = 78 '+'
9553 (@value{GDBP})
9554 @end smallexample
9555
9556 The @sc{ibm1047} character set uses the number 78 to encode the @samp{+}
9557 character.
9558
9559 @node Caching Remote Data
9560 @section Caching Data of Remote Targets
9561 @cindex caching data of remote targets
9562
9563 @value{GDBN} caches data exchanged between the debugger and a
9564 remote target (@pxref{Remote Debugging}). Such caching generally improves
9565 performance, because it reduces the overhead of the remote protocol by
9566 bundling memory reads and writes into large chunks. Unfortunately, simply
9567 caching everything would lead to incorrect results, since @value{GDBN}
9568 does not necessarily know anything about volatile values, memory-mapped I/O
9569 addresses, etc. Furthermore, in non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode})
9570 memory can be changed @emph{while} a gdb command is executing.
9571 Therefore, by default, @value{GDBN} only caches data
9572 known to be on the stack@footnote{In non-stop mode, it is moderately
9573 rare for a running thread to modify the stack of a stopped thread
9574 in a way that would interfere with a backtrace, and caching of
9575 stack reads provides a significant speed up of remote backtraces.}.
9576 Other regions of memory can be explicitly marked as
9577 cacheable; see @pxref{Memory Region Attributes}.
9578
9579 @table @code
9580 @kindex set remotecache
9581 @item set remotecache on
9582 @itemx set remotecache off
9583 This option no longer does anything; it exists for compatibility
9584 with old scripts.
9585
9586 @kindex show remotecache
9587 @item show remotecache
9588 Show the current state of the obsolete remotecache flag.
9589
9590 @kindex set stack-cache
9591 @item set stack-cache on
9592 @itemx set stack-cache off
9593 Enable or disable caching of stack accesses. When @code{ON}, use
9594 caching. By default, this option is @code{ON}.
9595
9596 @kindex show stack-cache
9597 @item show stack-cache
9598 Show the current state of data caching for memory accesses.
9599
9600 @kindex info dcache
9601 @item info dcache @r{[}line@r{]}
9602 Print the information about the data cache performance. The
9603 information displayed includes the dcache width and depth, and for
9604 each cache line, its number, address, and how many times it was
9605 referenced. This command is useful for debugging the data cache
9606 operation.
9607
9608 If a line number is specified, the contents of that line will be
9609 printed in hex.
9610
9611 @item set dcache size @var{size}
9612 @cindex dcache size
9613 @kindex set dcache size
9614 Set maximum number of entries in dcache (dcache depth above).
9615
9616 @item set dcache line-size @var{line-size}
9617 @cindex dcache line-size
9618 @kindex set dcache line-size
9619 Set number of bytes each dcache entry caches (dcache width above).
9620 Must be a power of 2.
9621
9622 @item show dcache size
9623 @kindex show dcache size
9624 Show maximum number of dcache entries. See also @ref{Caching Remote Data, info dcache}.
9625
9626 @item show dcache line-size
9627 @kindex show dcache line-size
9628 Show default size of dcache lines. See also @ref{Caching Remote Data, info dcache}.
9629
9630 @end table
9631
9632 @node Searching Memory
9633 @section Search Memory
9634 @cindex searching memory
9635
9636 Memory can be searched for a particular sequence of bytes with the
9637 @code{find} command.
9638
9639 @table @code
9640 @kindex find
9641 @item find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, +@var{len}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
9642 @itemx find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, @var{end_addr}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
9643 Search memory for the sequence of bytes specified by @var{val1}, @var{val2},
9644 etc. The search begins at address @var{start_addr} and continues for either
9645 @var{len} bytes or through to @var{end_addr} inclusive.
9646 @end table
9647
9648 @var{s} and @var{n} are optional parameters.
9649 They may be specified in either order, apart or together.
9650
9651 @table @r
9652 @item @var{s}, search query size
9653 The size of each search query value.
9654
9655 @table @code
9656 @item b
9657 bytes
9658 @item h
9659 halfwords (two bytes)
9660 @item w
9661 words (four bytes)
9662 @item g
9663 giant words (eight bytes)
9664 @end table
9665
9666 All values are interpreted in the current language.
9667 This means, for example, that if the current source language is C/C@t{++}
9668 then searching for the string ``hello'' includes the trailing '\0'.
9669
9670 If the value size is not specified, it is taken from the
9671 value's type in the current language.
9672 This is useful when one wants to specify the search
9673 pattern as a mixture of types.
9674 Note that this means, for example, that in the case of C-like languages
9675 a search for an untyped 0x42 will search for @samp{(int) 0x42}
9676 which is typically four bytes.
9677
9678 @item @var{n}, maximum number of finds
9679 The maximum number of matches to print. The default is to print all finds.
9680 @end table
9681
9682 You can use strings as search values. Quote them with double-quotes
9683 (@code{"}).
9684 The string value is copied into the search pattern byte by byte,
9685 regardless of the endianness of the target and the size specification.
9686
9687 The address of each match found is printed as well as a count of the
9688 number of matches found.
9689
9690 The address of the last value found is stored in convenience variable
9691 @samp{$_}.
9692 A count of the number of matches is stored in @samp{$numfound}.
9693
9694 For example, if stopped at the @code{printf} in this function:
9695
9696 @smallexample
9697 void
9698 hello ()
9699 @{
9700 static char hello[] = "hello-hello";
9701 static struct @{ char c; short s; int i; @}
9702 __attribute__ ((packed)) mixed
9703 = @{ 'c', 0x1234, 0x87654321 @};
9704 printf ("%s\n", hello);
9705 @}
9706 @end smallexample
9707
9708 @noindent
9709 you get during debugging:
9710
9711 @smallexample
9712 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), "hello"
9713 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
9714 1 pattern found
9715 (gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o'
9716 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
9717 0x804956d <hello.1620+6>
9718 2 patterns found
9719 (gdb) find /b1 &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 0x65, 'l'
9720 0x8049567 <hello.1620>
9721 1 pattern found
9722 (gdb) find &mixed, +sizeof(mixed), (char) 'c', (short) 0x1234, (int) 0x87654321
9723 0x8049560 <mixed.1625>
9724 1 pattern found
9725 (gdb) print $numfound
9726 $1 = 1
9727 (gdb) print $_
9728 $2 = (void *) 0x8049560
9729 @end smallexample
9730
9731 @node Optimized Code
9732 @chapter Debugging Optimized Code
9733 @cindex optimized code, debugging
9734 @cindex debugging optimized code
9735
9736 Almost all compilers support optimization. With optimization
9737 disabled, the compiler generates assembly code that corresponds
9738 directly to your source code, in a simplistic way. As the compiler
9739 applies more powerful optimizations, the generated assembly code
9740 diverges from your original source code. With help from debugging
9741 information generated by the compiler, @value{GDBN} can map from
9742 the running program back to constructs from your original source.
9743
9744 @value{GDBN} is more accurate with optimization disabled. If you
9745 can recompile without optimization, it is easier to follow the
9746 progress of your program during debugging. But, there are many cases
9747 where you may need to debug an optimized version.
9748
9749 When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
9750 optimizer has rearranged your code; the debugger shows you what is
9751 really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
9752 exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
9753 variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
9754 variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
9755
9756 Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
9757 @samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
9758 doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
9759 please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
9760 @xref{Variables}, for more information about debugging optimized code.
9761
9762 @menu
9763 * Inline Functions:: How @value{GDBN} presents inlining
9764 * Tail Call Frames:: @value{GDBN} analysis of jumps to functions
9765 @end menu
9766
9767 @node Inline Functions
9768 @section Inline Functions
9769 @cindex inline functions, debugging
9770
9771 @dfn{Inlining} is an optimization that inserts a copy of the function
9772 body directly at each call site, instead of jumping to a shared
9773 routine. @value{GDBN} displays inlined functions just like
9774 non-inlined functions. They appear in backtraces. You can view their
9775 arguments and local variables, step into them with @code{step}, skip
9776 them with @code{next}, and escape from them with @code{finish}.
9777 You can check whether a function was inlined by using the
9778 @code{info frame} command.
9779
9780 For @value{GDBN} to support inlined functions, the compiler must
9781 record information about inlining in the debug information ---
9782 @value{NGCC} using the @sc{dwarf 2} format does this, and several
9783 other compilers do also. @value{GDBN} only supports inlined functions
9784 when using @sc{dwarf 2}. Versions of @value{NGCC} before 4.1
9785 do not emit two required attributes (@samp{DW_AT_call_file} and
9786 @samp{DW_AT_call_line}); @value{GDBN} does not display inlined
9787 function calls with earlier versions of @value{NGCC}. It instead
9788 displays the arguments and local variables of inlined functions as
9789 local variables in the caller.
9790
9791 The body of an inlined function is directly included at its call site;
9792 unlike a non-inlined function, there are no instructions devoted to
9793 the call. @value{GDBN} still pretends that the call site and the
9794 start of the inlined function are different instructions. Stepping to
9795 the call site shows the call site, and then stepping again shows
9796 the first line of the inlined function, even though no additional
9797 instructions are executed.
9798
9799 This makes source-level debugging much clearer; you can see both the
9800 context of the call and then the effect of the call. Only stepping by
9801 a single instruction using @code{stepi} or @code{nexti} does not do
9802 this; single instruction steps always show the inlined body.
9803
9804 There are some ways that @value{GDBN} does not pretend that inlined
9805 function calls are the same as normal calls:
9806
9807 @itemize @bullet
9808 @item
9809 You cannot set breakpoints on inlined functions. @value{GDBN}
9810 either reports that there is no symbol with that name, or else sets the
9811 breakpoint only on non-inlined copies of the function. This limitation
9812 will be removed in a future version of @value{GDBN}; until then,
9813 set a breakpoint by line number on the first line of the inlined
9814 function instead.
9815
9816 @item
9817 Setting breakpoints at the call site of an inlined function may not
9818 work, because the call site does not contain any code. @value{GDBN}
9819 may incorrectly move the breakpoint to the next line of the enclosing
9820 function, after the call. This limitation will be removed in a future
9821 version of @value{GDBN}; until then, set a breakpoint on an earlier line
9822 or inside the inlined function instead.
9823
9824 @item
9825 @value{GDBN} cannot locate the return value of inlined calls after
9826 using the @code{finish} command. This is a limitation of compiler-generated
9827 debugging information; after @code{finish}, you can step to the next line
9828 and print a variable where your program stored the return value.
9829
9830 @end itemize
9831
9832 @node Tail Call Frames
9833 @section Tail Call Frames
9834 @cindex tail call frames, debugging
9835
9836 Function @code{B} can call function @code{C} in its very last statement. In
9837 unoptimized compilation the call of @code{C} is immediately followed by return
9838 instruction at the end of @code{B} code. Optimizing compiler may replace the
9839 call and return in function @code{B} into one jump to function @code{C}
9840 instead. Such use of a jump instruction is called @dfn{tail call}.
9841
9842 During execution of function @code{C}, there will be no indication in the
9843 function call stack frames that it was tail-called from @code{B}. If function
9844 @code{A} regularly calls function @code{B} which tail-calls function @code{C},
9845 then @value{GDBN} will see @code{A} as the caller of @code{C}. However, in
9846 some cases @value{GDBN} can determine that @code{C} was tail-called from
9847 @code{B}, and it will then create fictitious call frame for that, with the
9848 return address set up as if @code{B} called @code{C} normally.
9849
9850 This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
9851 the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
9852 @value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
9853 this information.
9854
9855 @kbd{info frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info}) will indicate the tail call frame
9856 kind by text @code{tail call frame} such as in this sample @value{GDBN} output:
9857
9858 @smallexample
9859 (gdb) x/i $pc - 2
9860 0x40066b <b(int, double)+11>: jmp 0x400640 <c(int, double)>
9861 (gdb) info frame
9862 Stack level 1, frame at 0x7fffffffda30:
9863 rip = 0x40066d in b (amd64-entry-value.cc:59); saved rip 0x4004c5
9864 tail call frame, caller of frame at 0x7fffffffda30
9865 source language c++.
9866 Arglist at unknown address.
9867 Locals at unknown address, Previous frame's sp is 0x7fffffffda30
9868 @end smallexample
9869
9870 The detection of all the possible code path executions can find them ambiguous.
9871 There is no execution history stored (possible @ref{Reverse Execution} is never
9872 used for this purpose) and the last known caller could have reached the known
9873 callee by multiple different jump sequences. In such case @value{GDBN} still
9874 tries to show at least all the unambiguous top tail callers and all the
9875 unambiguous bottom tail calees, if any.
9876
9877 @table @code
9878 @anchor{set debug entry-values}
9879 @item set debug entry-values
9880 @kindex set debug entry-values
9881 When set to on, enables printing of analysis messages for both frame argument
9882 values at function entry and tail calls. It will show all the possible valid
9883 tail calls code paths it has considered. It will also print the intersection
9884 of them with the final unambiguous (possibly partial or even empty) code path
9885 result.
9886
9887 @item show debug entry-values
9888 @kindex show debug entry-values
9889 Show the current state of analysis messages printing for both frame argument
9890 values at function entry and tail calls.
9891 @end table
9892
9893 The analysis messages for tail calls can for example show why the virtual tail
9894 call frame for function @code{c} has not been recognized (due to the indirect
9895 reference by variable @code{x}):
9896
9897 @smallexample
9898 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void);
9899 void (*x) (void) = c;
9900 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
9901 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ a (); @}
9902 int main (void) @{ x (); return 0; @}
9903
9904 Breakpoint 1, DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving cannot find
9905 DW_TAG_GNU_call_site 0x40039a in main
9906 a () at t.c:3
9907 3 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
9908 (gdb) bt
9909 #0 a () at t.c:3
9910 #1 0x000000000040039a in main () at t.c:5
9911 @end smallexample
9912
9913 Another possibility is an ambiguous virtual tail call frames resolution:
9914
9915 @smallexample
9916 int i;
9917 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) f (void) @{ i++; @}
9918 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) e (void) @{ f (); @}
9919 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) d (void) @{ f (); @}
9920 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ d (); @}
9921 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (void)
9922 @{ if (i) c (); else e (); @}
9923 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ b (); @}
9924 int main (void) @{ a (); return 0; @}
9925
9926 tailcall: initial: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004ce(b) 0x4004b2(c) 0x4004a2(d)
9927 tailcall: compare: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004cc(b) 0x400492(e)
9928 tailcall: reduced: 0x4004d2(a) |
9929 (gdb) bt
9930 #0 f () at t.c:2
9931 #1 0x00000000004004d2 in a () at t.c:8
9932 #2 0x0000000000400395 in main () at t.c:9
9933 @end smallexample
9934
9935 @set CALLSEQ1A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}c@value{ARROW}d@value{ARROW}f}
9936 @set CALLSEQ2A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}e@value{ARROW}f}
9937
9938 @c Convert CALLSEQ#A to CALLSEQ#B depending on HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK.
9939 @ifset HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
9940 @set ARROW @click{}
9941 @set CALLSEQ1B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ1A}}
9942 @set CALLSEQ2B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ2A}}
9943 @end ifset
9944 @ifclear HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
9945 @set ARROW ->
9946 @set CALLSEQ1B @value{CALLSEQ1A}
9947 @set CALLSEQ2B @value{CALLSEQ2A}
9948 @end ifclear
9949
9950 Frames #0 and #2 are real, #1 is a virtual tail call frame.
9951 The code can have possible execution paths @value{CALLSEQ1B} or
9952 @value{CALLSEQ2B}, @value{GDBN} cannot find which one from the inferior state.
9953
9954 @code{initial:} state shows some random possible calling sequence @value{GDBN}
9955 has found. It then finds another possible calling sequcen - that one is
9956 prefixed by @code{compare:}. The non-ambiguous intersection of these two is
9957 printed as the @code{reduced:} calling sequence. That one could have many
9958 futher @code{compare:} and @code{reduced:} statements as long as there remain
9959 any non-ambiguous sequence entries.
9960
9961 For the frame of function @code{b} in both cases there are different possible
9962 @code{$pc} values (@code{0x4004cc} or @code{0x4004ce}), therefore this frame is
9963 also ambigous. The only non-ambiguous frame is the one for function @code{a},
9964 therefore this one is displayed to the user while the ambiguous frames are
9965 omitted.
9966
9967 There can be also reasons why printing of frame argument values at function
9968 entry may fail:
9969
9970 @smallexample
9971 int v;
9972 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (int i) @{ v++; @}
9973 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i);
9974 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (int i) @{ a (i); @}
9975 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i)
9976 @{ if (i) b (i - 1); else c (0); @}
9977 int main (void) @{ a (5); return 0; @}
9978
9979 (gdb) bt
9980 #0 c (i=i@@entry=0) at t.c:2
9981 #1 0x0000000000400428 in a (DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving has found
9982 function "a" at 0x400420 can call itself via tail calls
9983 i=<optimized out>) at t.c:6
9984 #2 0x000000000040036e in main () at t.c:7
9985 @end smallexample
9986
9987 @value{GDBN} cannot find out from the inferior state if and how many times did
9988 function @code{a} call itself (via function @code{b}) as these calls would be
9989 tail calls. Such tail calls would modify thue @code{i} variable, therefore
9990 @value{GDBN} cannot be sure the value it knows would be right - @value{GDBN}
9991 prints @code{<optimized out>} instead.
9992
9993 @node Macros
9994 @chapter C Preprocessor Macros
9995
9996 Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, provide a way to define and invoke
9997 ``preprocessor macros'' which expand into strings of tokens.
9998 @value{GDBN} can evaluate expressions containing macro invocations, show
9999 the result of macro expansion, and show a macro's definition, including
10000 where it was defined.
10001
10002 You may need to compile your program specially to provide @value{GDBN}
10003 with information about preprocessor macros. Most compilers do not
10004 include macros in their debugging information, even when you compile
10005 with the @option{-g} flag. @xref{Compilation}.
10006
10007 A program may define a macro at one point, remove that definition later,
10008 and then provide a different definition after that. Thus, at different
10009 points in the program, a macro may have different definitions, or have
10010 no definition at all. If there is a current stack frame, @value{GDBN}
10011 uses the macros in scope at that frame's source code line. Otherwise,
10012 @value{GDBN} uses the macros in scope at the current listing location;
10013 see @ref{List}.
10014
10015 Whenever @value{GDBN} evaluates an expression, it always expands any
10016 macro invocations present in the expression. @value{GDBN} also provides
10017 the following commands for working with macros explicitly.
10018
10019 @table @code
10020
10021 @kindex macro expand
10022 @cindex macro expansion, showing the results of preprocessor
10023 @cindex preprocessor macro expansion, showing the results of
10024 @cindex expanding preprocessor macros
10025 @item macro expand @var{expression}
10026 @itemx macro exp @var{expression}
10027 Show the results of expanding all preprocessor macro invocations in
10028 @var{expression}. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does
10029 not parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression;
10030 it can be any string of tokens.
10031
10032 @kindex macro exp1
10033 @item macro expand-once @var{expression}
10034 @itemx macro exp1 @var{expression}
10035 @cindex expand macro once
10036 @i{(This command is not yet implemented.)} Show the results of
10037 expanding those preprocessor macro invocations that appear explicitly in
10038 @var{expression}. Macro invocations appearing in that expansion are
10039 left unchanged. This command allows you to see the effect of a
10040 particular macro more clearly, without being confused by further
10041 expansions. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does not
10042 parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression; it
10043 can be any string of tokens.
10044
10045 @kindex info macro
10046 @cindex macro definition, showing
10047 @cindex definition of a macro, showing
10048 @cindex macros, from debug info
10049 @item info macro [-a|-all] [--] @var{macro}
10050 Show the current definition or all definitions of the named @var{macro},
10051 and describe the source location or compiler command-line where that
10052 definition was established. The optional double dash is to signify the end of
10053 argument processing and the beginning of @var{macro} for non C-like macros where
10054 the macro may begin with a hyphen.
10055
10056 @kindex info macros
10057 @item info macros @var{linespec}
10058 Show all macro definitions that are in effect at the location specified
10059 by @var{linespec}, and describe the source location or compiler
10060 command-line where those definitions were established.
10061
10062 @kindex macro define
10063 @cindex user-defined macros
10064 @cindex defining macros interactively
10065 @cindex macros, user-defined
10066 @item macro define @var{macro} @var{replacement-list}
10067 @itemx macro define @var{macro}(@var{arglist}) @var{replacement-list}
10068 Introduce a definition for a preprocessor macro named @var{macro},
10069 invocations of which are replaced by the tokens given in
10070 @var{replacement-list}. The first form of this command defines an
10071 ``object-like'' macro, which takes no arguments; the second form
10072 defines a ``function-like'' macro, which takes the arguments given in
10073 @var{arglist}.
10074
10075 A definition introduced by this command is in scope in every
10076 expression evaluated in @value{GDBN}, until it is removed with the
10077 @code{macro undef} command, described below. The definition overrides
10078 all definitions for @var{macro} present in the program being debugged,
10079 as well as any previous user-supplied definition.
10080
10081 @kindex macro undef
10082 @item macro undef @var{macro}
10083 Remove any user-supplied definition for the macro named @var{macro}.
10084 This command only affects definitions provided with the @code{macro
10085 define} command, described above; it cannot remove definitions present
10086 in the program being debugged.
10087
10088 @kindex macro list
10089 @item macro list
10090 List all the macros defined using the @code{macro define} command.
10091 @end table
10092
10093 @cindex macros, example of debugging with
10094 Here is a transcript showing the above commands in action. First, we
10095 show our source files:
10096
10097 @smallexample
10098 $ cat sample.c
10099 #include <stdio.h>
10100 #include "sample.h"
10101
10102 #define M 42
10103 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
10104
10105 main ()
10106 @{
10107 #define N 28
10108 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
10109 #undef N
10110 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
10111 #define N 1729
10112 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
10113 @}
10114 $ cat sample.h
10115 #define Q <
10116 $
10117 @end smallexample
10118
10119 Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
10120 @value{NGCC}. We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2}@footnote{This is the
10121 minimum. Recent versions of @value{NGCC} support @option{-gdwarf-3}
10122 and @option{-gdwarf-4}; we recommend always choosing the most recent
10123 version of DWARF.} @emph{and} @option{-g3} flags to ensure the compiler
10124 includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
10125 information.
10126
10127 @smallexample
10128 $ gcc -gdwarf-2 -g3 sample.c -o sample
10129 $
10130 @end smallexample
10131
10132 Now, we start @value{GDBN} on our sample program:
10133
10134 @smallexample
10135 $ gdb -nw sample
10136 GNU gdb 2002-05-06-cvs
10137 Copyright 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
10138 GDB is free software, @dots{}
10139 (@value{GDBP})
10140 @end smallexample
10141
10142 We can expand macros and examine their definitions, even when the
10143 program is not running. @value{GDBN} uses the current listing position
10144 to decide which macro definitions are in scope:
10145
10146 @smallexample
10147 (@value{GDBP}) list main
10148 3
10149 4 #define M 42
10150 5 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
10151 6
10152 7 main ()
10153 8 @{
10154 9 #define N 28
10155 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
10156 11 #undef N
10157 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
10158 (@value{GDBP}) info macro ADD
10159 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:5
10160 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
10161 (@value{GDBP}) info macro Q
10162 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.h:1
10163 included at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:2
10164 #define Q <
10165 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand ADD(1)
10166 expands to: (42 + 1)
10167 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand-once ADD(1)
10168 expands to: once (M + 1)
10169 (@value{GDBP})
10170 @end smallexample
10171
10172 In the example above, note that @code{macro expand-once} expands only
10173 the macro invocation explicit in the original text --- the invocation of
10174 @code{ADD} --- but does not expand the invocation of the macro @code{M},
10175 which was introduced by @code{ADD}.
10176
10177 Once the program is running, @value{GDBN} uses the macro definitions in
10178 force at the source line of the current stack frame:
10179
10180 @smallexample
10181 (@value{GDBP}) break main
10182 Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048370: file sample.c, line 10.
10183 (@value{GDBP}) run
10184 Starting program: /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample
10185
10186 Breakpoint 1, main () at sample.c:10
10187 10 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
10188 (@value{GDBP})
10189 @end smallexample
10190
10191 At line 10, the definition of the macro @code{N} at line 9 is in force:
10192
10193 @smallexample
10194 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
10195 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:9
10196 #define N 28
10197 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
10198 expands to: 28 < 42
10199 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
10200 $1 = 1
10201 (@value{GDBP})
10202 @end smallexample
10203
10204 As we step over directives that remove @code{N}'s definition, and then
10205 give it a new definition, @value{GDBN} finds the definition (or lack
10206 thereof) in force at each point:
10207
10208 @smallexample
10209 (@value{GDBP}) next
10210 Hello, world!
10211 12 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
10212 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
10213 The symbol `N' has no definition as a C/C++ preprocessor macro
10214 at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:12
10215 (@value{GDBP}) next
10216 We're so creative.
10217 14 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
10218 (@value{GDBP}) info macro N
10219 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:13
10220 #define N 1729
10221 (@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
10222 expands to: 1729 < 42
10223 (@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
10224 $2 = 0
10225 (@value{GDBP})
10226 @end smallexample
10227
10228 In addition to source files, macros can be defined on the compilation command
10229 line using the @option{-D@var{name}=@var{value}} syntax. For macros defined in
10230 such a way, @value{GDBN} displays the location of their definition as line zero
10231 of the source file submitted to the compiler.
10232
10233 @smallexample
10234 (@value{GDBP}) info macro __STDC__
10235 Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:0
10236 -D__STDC__=1
10237 (@value{GDBP})
10238 @end smallexample
10239
10240
10241 @node Tracepoints
10242 @chapter Tracepoints
10243 @c This chapter is based on the documentation written by Michael
10244 @c Snyder, David Taylor, Jim Blandy, and Elena Zannoni.
10245
10246 @cindex tracepoints
10247 In some applications, it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt
10248 the program's execution long enough for the developer to learn
10249 anything helpful about its behavior. If the program's correctness
10250 depends on its real-time behavior, delays introduced by a debugger
10251 might cause the program to change its behavior drastically, or perhaps
10252 fail, even when the code itself is correct. It is useful to be able
10253 to observe the program's behavior without interrupting it.
10254
10255 Using @value{GDBN}'s @code{trace} and @code{collect} commands, you can
10256 specify locations in the program, called @dfn{tracepoints}, and
10257 arbitrary expressions to evaluate when those tracepoints are reached.
10258 Later, using the @code{tfind} command, you can examine the values
10259 those expressions had when the program hit the tracepoints. The
10260 expressions may also denote objects in memory---structures or arrays,
10261 for example---whose values @value{GDBN} should record; while visiting
10262 a particular tracepoint, you may inspect those objects as if they were
10263 in memory at that moment. However, because @value{GDBN} records these
10264 values without interacting with you, it can do so quickly and
10265 unobtrusively, hopefully not disturbing the program's behavior.
10266
10267 The tracepoint facility is currently available only for remote
10268 targets. @xref{Targets}. In addition, your remote target must know
10269 how to collect trace data. This functionality is implemented in the
10270 remote stub; however, none of the stubs distributed with @value{GDBN}
10271 support tracepoints as of this writing. The format of the remote
10272 packets used to implement tracepoints are described in @ref{Tracepoint
10273 Packets}.
10274
10275 It is also possible to get trace data from a file, in a manner reminiscent
10276 of corefiles; you specify the filename, and use @code{tfind} to search
10277 through the file. @xref{Trace Files}, for more details.
10278
10279 This chapter describes the tracepoint commands and features.
10280
10281 @menu
10282 * Set Tracepoints::
10283 * Analyze Collected Data::
10284 * Tracepoint Variables::
10285 * Trace Files::
10286 @end menu
10287
10288 @node Set Tracepoints
10289 @section Commands to Set Tracepoints
10290
10291 Before running such a @dfn{trace experiment}, an arbitrary number of
10292 tracepoints can be set. A tracepoint is actually a special type of
10293 breakpoint (@pxref{Set Breaks}), so you can manipulate it using
10294 standard breakpoint commands. For instance, as with breakpoints,
10295 tracepoint numbers are successive integers starting from one, and many
10296 of the commands associated with tracepoints take the tracepoint number
10297 as their argument, to identify which tracepoint to work on.
10298
10299 For each tracepoint, you can specify, in advance, some arbitrary set
10300 of data that you want the target to collect in the trace buffer when
10301 it hits that tracepoint. The collected data can include registers,
10302 local variables, or global data. Later, you can use @value{GDBN}
10303 commands to examine the values these data had at the time the
10304 tracepoint was hit.
10305
10306 Tracepoints do not support every breakpoint feature. Ignore counts on
10307 tracepoints have no effect, and tracepoints cannot run @value{GDBN}
10308 commands when they are hit. Tracepoints may not be thread-specific
10309 either.
10310
10311 @cindex fast tracepoints
10312 Some targets may support @dfn{fast tracepoints}, which are inserted in
10313 a different way (such as with a jump instead of a trap), that is
10314 faster but possibly restricted in where they may be installed.
10315
10316 @cindex static tracepoints
10317 @cindex markers, static tracepoints
10318 @cindex probing markers, static tracepoints
10319 Regular and fast tracepoints are dynamic tracing facilities, meaning
10320 that they can be used to insert tracepoints at (almost) any location
10321 in the target. Some targets may also support controlling @dfn{static
10322 tracepoints} from @value{GDBN}. With static tracing, a set of
10323 instrumentation points, also known as @dfn{markers}, are embedded in
10324 the target program, and can be activated or deactivated by name or
10325 address. These are usually placed at locations which facilitate
10326 investigating what the target is actually doing. @value{GDBN}'s
10327 support for static tracing includes being able to list instrumentation
10328 points, and attach them with @value{GDBN} defined high level
10329 tracepoints that expose the whole range of convenience of
10330 @value{GDBN}'s tracepoints support. Namely, support for collecting
10331 registers values and values of global or local (to the instrumentation
10332 point) variables; tracepoint conditions and trace state variables.
10333 The act of installing a @value{GDBN} static tracepoint on an
10334 instrumentation point, or marker, is referred to as @dfn{probing} a
10335 static tracepoint marker.
10336
10337 @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints on some target systems.
10338 @xref{Server,,Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}}.
10339
10340 This section describes commands to set tracepoints and associated
10341 conditions and actions.
10342
10343 @menu
10344 * Create and Delete Tracepoints::
10345 * Enable and Disable Tracepoints::
10346 * Tracepoint Passcounts::
10347 * Tracepoint Conditions::
10348 * Trace State Variables::
10349 * Tracepoint Actions::
10350 * Listing Tracepoints::
10351 * Listing Static Tracepoint Markers::
10352 * Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments::
10353 * Tracepoint Restrictions::
10354 @end menu
10355
10356 @node Create and Delete Tracepoints
10357 @subsection Create and Delete Tracepoints
10358
10359 @table @code
10360 @cindex set tracepoint
10361 @kindex trace
10362 @item trace @var{location}
10363 The @code{trace} command is very similar to the @code{break} command.
10364 Its argument @var{location} can be a source line, a function name, or
10365 an address in the target program. @xref{Specify Location}. The
10366 @code{trace} command defines a tracepoint, which is a point in the
10367 target program where the debugger will briefly stop, collect some
10368 data, and then allow the program to continue. Setting a tracepoint or
10369 changing its actions takes effect immediately if the remote stub
10370 supports the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature (@pxref{install tracepoint
10371 in tracing}).
10372 If remote stub doesn't support the @samp{InstallInTrace} feature, all
10373 these changes don't take effect until the next @code{tstart}
10374 command, and once a trace experiment is running, further changes will
10375 not have any effect until the next trace experiment starts. In addition,
10376 @value{GDBN} supports @dfn{pending tracepoints}---tracepoints whose
10377 address is not yet resolved. (This is similar to pending breakpoints.)
10378 Pending tracepoints are not downloaded to the target and not installed
10379 until they are resolved. The resolution of pending tracepoints requires
10380 @value{GDBN} support---when debugging with the remote target, and
10381 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the remote stub (@pxref{disconnected
10382 tracing}), pending tracepoints can not be resolved (and downloaded to
10383 the remote stub) while @value{GDBN} is disconnected.
10384
10385 Here are some examples of using the @code{trace} command:
10386
10387 @smallexample
10388 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo.c:121} // a source file and line number
10389
10390 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace +2} // 2 lines forward
10391
10392 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace my_function} // first source line of function
10393
10394 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *my_function} // EXACT start address of function
10395
10396 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *0x2117c4} // an address
10397 @end smallexample
10398
10399 @noindent
10400 You can abbreviate @code{trace} as @code{tr}.
10401
10402 @item trace @var{location} if @var{cond}
10403 Set a tracepoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
10404 @var{cond} each time the tracepoint is reached, and collect data only
10405 if the value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
10406 @xref{Tracepoint Conditions, ,Tracepoint Conditions}, for more
10407 information on tracepoint conditions.
10408
10409 @item ftrace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
10410 @cindex set fast tracepoint
10411 @cindex fast tracepoints, setting
10412 @kindex ftrace
10413 The @code{ftrace} command sets a fast tracepoint. For targets that
10414 support them, fast tracepoints will use a more efficient but possibly
10415 less general technique to trigger data collection, such as a jump
10416 instruction instead of a trap, or some sort of hardware support. It
10417 may not be possible to create a fast tracepoint at the desired
10418 location, in which case the command will exit with an explanatory
10419 message.
10420
10421 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{ftrace} exactly as for
10422 @code{trace}.
10423
10424 On 32-bit x86-architecture systems, fast tracepoints normally need to
10425 be placed at an instruction that is 5 bytes or longer, but can be
10426 placed at 4-byte instructions if the low 64K of memory of the target
10427 program is available to install trampolines. Some Unix-type systems,
10428 such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, exclude low addresses from the program's
10429 address space; but for instance with the Linux kernel it is possible
10430 to let @value{GDBN} use this area by doing a @command{sysctl} command
10431 to set the @code{mmap_min_addr} kernel parameter, as in
10432
10433 @example
10434 sudo sysctl -w vm.mmap_min_addr=32768
10435 @end example
10436
10437 @noindent
10438 which sets the low address to 32K, which leaves plenty of room for
10439 trampolines. The minimum address should be set to a page boundary.
10440
10441 @item strace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
10442 @cindex set static tracepoint
10443 @cindex static tracepoints, setting
10444 @cindex probe static tracepoint marker
10445 @kindex strace
10446 The @code{strace} command sets a static tracepoint. For targets that
10447 support it, setting a static tracepoint probes a static
10448 instrumentation point, or marker, found at @var{location}. It may not
10449 be possible to set a static tracepoint at the desired location, in
10450 which case the command will exit with an explanatory message.
10451
10452 @value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{strace} exactly as for
10453 @code{trace}, with the addition that the user can also specify
10454 @code{-m @var{marker}} as @var{location}. This probes the marker
10455 identified by the @var{marker} string identifier. This identifier
10456 depends on the static tracepoint backend library your program is
10457 using. You can find all the marker identifiers in the @samp{ID} field
10458 of the @code{info static-tracepoint-markers} command output.
10459 @xref{Listing Static Tracepoint Markers,,Listing Static Tracepoint
10460 Markers}. For example, in the following small program using the UST
10461 tracing engine:
10462
10463 @smallexample
10464 main ()
10465 @{
10466 trace_mark(ust, bar33, "str %s", "FOOBAZ");
10467 @}
10468 @end smallexample
10469
10470 @noindent
10471 the marker id is composed of joining the first two arguments to the
10472 @code{trace_mark} call with a slash, which translates to:
10473
10474 @smallexample
10475 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
10476 Cnt Enb ID Address What
10477 1 n ust/bar33 0x0000000000400ddc in main at stexample.c:22
10478 Data: "str %s"
10479 [etc...]
10480 @end smallexample
10481
10482 @noindent
10483 so you may probe the marker above with:
10484
10485 @smallexample
10486 (@value{GDBP}) strace -m ust/bar33
10487 @end smallexample
10488
10489 Static tracepoints accept an extra collect action --- @code{collect
10490 $_sdata}. This collects arbitrary user data passed in the probe point
10491 call to the tracing library. In the UST example above, you'll see
10492 that the third argument to @code{trace_mark} is a printf-like format
10493 string. The user data is then the result of running that formating
10494 string against the following arguments. Note that @code{info
10495 static-tracepoint-markers} command output lists that format string in
10496 the @samp{Data:} field.
10497
10498 You can inspect this data when analyzing the trace buffer, by printing
10499 the $_sdata variable like any other variable available to
10500 @value{GDBN}. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}.
10501
10502 @vindex $tpnum
10503 @cindex last tracepoint number
10504 @cindex recent tracepoint number
10505 @cindex tracepoint number
10506 The convenience variable @code{$tpnum} records the tracepoint number
10507 of the most recently set tracepoint.
10508
10509 @kindex delete tracepoint
10510 @cindex tracepoint deletion
10511 @item delete tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10512 Permanently delete one or more tracepoints. With no argument, the
10513 default is to delete all tracepoints. Note that the regular
10514 @code{delete} command can remove tracepoints also.
10515
10516 Examples:
10517
10518 @smallexample
10519 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace 1 2 3} // remove three tracepoints
10520
10521 (@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace} // remove all tracepoints
10522 @end smallexample
10523
10524 @noindent
10525 You can abbreviate this command as @code{del tr}.
10526 @end table
10527
10528 @node Enable and Disable Tracepoints
10529 @subsection Enable and Disable Tracepoints
10530
10531 These commands are deprecated; they are equivalent to plain @code{disable} and @code{enable}.
10532
10533 @table @code
10534 @kindex disable tracepoint
10535 @item disable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10536 Disable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints if no argument
10537 @var{num} is given. A disabled tracepoint will have no effect during
10538 a trace experiment, but it is not forgotten. You can re-enable
10539 a disabled tracepoint using the @code{enable tracepoint} command.
10540 If the command is issued during a trace experiment and the debug target
10541 has support for disabling tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the
10542 change will be effective immediately. Otherwise, it will be applied to the
10543 next trace experiment.
10544
10545 @kindex enable tracepoint
10546 @item enable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10547 Enable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints. If this command is
10548 issued during a trace experiment and the debug target supports enabling
10549 tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the enabled tracepoints will
10550 become effective immediately. Otherwise, they will become effective the
10551 next time a trace experiment is run.
10552 @end table
10553
10554 @node Tracepoint Passcounts
10555 @subsection Tracepoint Passcounts
10556
10557 @table @code
10558 @kindex passcount
10559 @cindex tracepoint pass count
10560 @item passcount @r{[}@var{n} @r{[}@var{num}@r{]]}
10561 Set the @dfn{passcount} of a tracepoint. The passcount is a way to
10562 automatically stop a trace experiment. If a tracepoint's passcount is
10563 @var{n}, then the trace experiment will be automatically stopped on
10564 the @var{n}'th time that tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number
10565 @var{num} is not specified, the @code{passcount} command sets the
10566 passcount of the most recently defined tracepoint. If no passcount is
10567 given, the trace experiment will run until stopped explicitly by the
10568 user.
10569
10570 Examples:
10571
10572 @smallexample
10573 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 5 2} // Stop on the 5th execution of
10574 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// tracepoint 2}
10575
10576 (@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 12} // Stop on the 12th execution of the
10577 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// most recently defined tracepoint.}
10578 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
10579 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 3}
10580 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace bar}
10581 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 2}
10582 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace baz}
10583 (@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 1} // Stop tracing when foo has been
10584 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// executed 3 times OR when bar has}
10585 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// been executed 2 times}
10586 @exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// OR when baz has been executed 1 time.}
10587 @end smallexample
10588 @end table
10589
10590 @node Tracepoint Conditions
10591 @subsection Tracepoint Conditions
10592 @cindex conditional tracepoints
10593 @cindex tracepoint conditions
10594
10595 The simplest sort of tracepoint collects data every time your program
10596 reaches a specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for
10597 a tracepoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
10598 programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A
10599 tracepoint with a condition evaluates the expression each time your
10600 program reaches it, and data collection happens only if the condition
10601 is true.
10602
10603 Tracepoint conditions can be specified when a tracepoint is set, by
10604 using @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{trace} command.
10605 @xref{Create and Delete Tracepoints, ,Setting Tracepoints}. They can
10606 also be set or changed at any time with the @code{condition} command,
10607 just as with breakpoints.
10608
10609 Unlike breakpoint conditions, @value{GDBN} does not actually evaluate
10610 the conditional expression itself. Instead, @value{GDBN} encodes the
10611 expression into an agent expression (@pxref{Agent Expressions})
10612 suitable for execution on the target, independently of @value{GDBN}.
10613 Global variables become raw memory locations, locals become stack
10614 accesses, and so forth.
10615
10616 For instance, suppose you have a function that is usually called
10617 frequently, but should not be called after an error has occurred. You
10618 could use the following tracepoint command to collect data about calls
10619 of that function that happen while the error code is propagating
10620 through the program; an unconditional tracepoint could end up
10621 collecting thousands of useless trace frames that you would have to
10622 search through.
10623
10624 @smallexample
10625 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{trace normal_operation if errcode > 0}
10626 @end smallexample
10627
10628 @node Trace State Variables
10629 @subsection Trace State Variables
10630 @cindex trace state variables
10631
10632 A @dfn{trace state variable} is a special type of variable that is
10633 created and managed by target-side code. The syntax is the same as
10634 that for GDB's convenience variables (a string prefixed with ``$''),
10635 but they are stored on the target. They must be created explicitly,
10636 using a @code{tvariable} command. They are always 64-bit signed
10637 integers.
10638
10639 Trace state variables are remembered by @value{GDBN}, and downloaded
10640 to the target along with tracepoint information when the trace
10641 experiment starts. There are no intrinsic limits on the number of
10642 trace state variables, beyond memory limitations of the target.
10643
10644 @cindex convenience variables, and trace state variables
10645 Although trace state variables are managed by the target, you can use
10646 them in print commands and expressions as if they were convenience
10647 variables; @value{GDBN} will get the current value from the target
10648 while the trace experiment is running. Trace state variables share
10649 the same namespace as other ``$'' variables, which means that you
10650 cannot have trace state variables with names like @code{$23} or
10651 @code{$pc}, nor can you have a trace state variable and a convenience
10652 variable with the same name.
10653
10654 @table @code
10655
10656 @item tvariable $@var{name} [ = @var{expression} ]
10657 @kindex tvariable
10658 The @code{tvariable} command creates a new trace state variable named
10659 @code{$@var{name}}, and optionally gives it an initial value of
10660 @var{expression}. @var{expression} is evaluated when this command is
10661 entered; the result will be converted to an integer if possible,
10662 otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error. A subsequent
10663 @code{tvariable} command specifying the same name does not create a
10664 variable, but instead assigns the supplied initial value to the
10665 existing variable of that name, overwriting any previous initial
10666 value. The default initial value is 0.
10667
10668 @item info tvariables
10669 @kindex info tvariables
10670 List all the trace state variables along with their initial values.
10671 Their current values may also be displayed, if the trace experiment is
10672 currently running.
10673
10674 @item delete tvariable @r{[} $@var{name} @dots{} @r{]}
10675 @kindex delete tvariable
10676 Delete the given trace state variables, or all of them if no arguments
10677 are specified.
10678
10679 @end table
10680
10681 @node Tracepoint Actions
10682 @subsection Tracepoint Action Lists
10683
10684 @table @code
10685 @kindex actions
10686 @cindex tracepoint actions
10687 @item actions @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10688 This command will prompt for a list of actions to be taken when the
10689 tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number @var{num} is not
10690 specified, this command sets the actions for the one that was most
10691 recently defined (so that you can define a tracepoint and then say
10692 @code{actions} without bothering about its number). You specify the
10693 actions themselves on the following lines, one action at a time, and
10694 terminate the actions list with a line containing just @code{end}. So
10695 far, the only defined actions are @code{collect}, @code{teval}, and
10696 @code{while-stepping}.
10697
10698 @code{actions} is actually equivalent to @code{commands} (@pxref{Break
10699 Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}), except that only the defined
10700 actions are allowed; any other @value{GDBN} command is rejected.
10701
10702 @cindex remove actions from a tracepoint
10703 To remove all actions from a tracepoint, type @samp{actions @var{num}}
10704 and follow it immediately with @samp{end}.
10705
10706 @smallexample
10707 (@value{GDBP}) @b{collect @var{data}} // collect some data
10708
10709 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while-stepping 5} // single-step 5 times, collect data
10710
10711 (@value{GDBP}) @b{end} // signals the end of actions.
10712 @end smallexample
10713
10714 In the following example, the action list begins with @code{collect}
10715 commands indicating the things to be collected when the tracepoint is
10716 hit. Then, in order to single-step and collect additional data
10717 following the tracepoint, a @code{while-stepping} command is used,
10718 followed by the list of things to be collected after each step in a
10719 sequence of single steps. The @code{while-stepping} command is
10720 terminated by its own separate @code{end} command. Lastly, the action
10721 list is terminated by an @code{end} command.
10722
10723 @smallexample
10724 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
10725 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
10726 Enter actions for tracepoint 1, one per line:
10727 > collect bar,baz
10728 > collect $regs
10729 > while-stepping 12
10730 > collect $pc, arr[i]
10731 > end
10732 end
10733 @end smallexample
10734
10735 @kindex collect @r{(tracepoints)}
10736 @item collect@r{[}/@var{mods}@r{]} @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10737 Collect values of the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit.
10738 This command accepts a comma-separated list of any valid expressions.
10739 In addition to global, static, or local variables, the following
10740 special arguments are supported:
10741
10742 @table @code
10743 @item $regs
10744 Collect all registers.
10745
10746 @item $args
10747 Collect all function arguments.
10748
10749 @item $locals
10750 Collect all local variables.
10751
10752 @item $_ret
10753 Collect the return address. This is helpful if you want to see more
10754 of a backtrace.
10755
10756 @item $_sdata
10757 @vindex $_sdata@r{, collect}
10758 Collect static tracepoint marker specific data. Only available for
10759 static tracepoints. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action
10760 Lists}. On the UST static tracepoints library backend, an
10761 instrumentation point resembles a @code{printf} function call. The
10762 tracing library is able to collect user specified data formatted to a
10763 character string using the format provided by the programmer that
10764 instrumented the program. Other backends have similar mechanisms.
10765 Here's an example of a UST marker call:
10766
10767 @smallexample
10768 const char master_name[] = "$your_name";
10769 trace_mark(channel1, marker1, "hello %s", master_name)
10770 @end smallexample
10771
10772 In this case, collecting @code{$_sdata} collects the string
10773 @samp{hello $yourname}. When analyzing the trace buffer, you can
10774 inspect @samp{$_sdata} like any other variable available to
10775 @value{GDBN}.
10776 @end table
10777
10778 You can give several consecutive @code{collect} commands, each one
10779 with a single argument, or one @code{collect} command with several
10780 arguments separated by commas; the effect is the same.
10781
10782 The optional @var{mods} changes the usual handling of the arguments.
10783 @code{s} requests that pointers to chars be handled as strings, in
10784 particular collecting the contents of the memory being pointed at, up
10785 to the first zero. The upper bound is by default the value of the
10786 @code{print elements} variable; if @code{s} is followed by a decimal
10787 number, that is the upper bound instead. So for instance
10788 @samp{collect/s25 mystr} collects as many as 25 characters at
10789 @samp{mystr}.
10790
10791 The command @code{info scope} (@pxref{Symbols, info scope}) is
10792 particularly useful for figuring out what data to collect.
10793
10794 @kindex teval @r{(tracepoints)}
10795 @item teval @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10796 Evaluate the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit. This
10797 command accepts a comma-separated list of expressions. The results
10798 are discarded, so this is mainly useful for assigning values to trace
10799 state variables (@pxref{Trace State Variables}) without adding those
10800 values to the trace buffer, as would be the case if the @code{collect}
10801 action were used.
10802
10803 @kindex while-stepping @r{(tracepoints)}
10804 @item while-stepping @var{n}
10805 Perform @var{n} single-step instruction traces after the tracepoint,
10806 collecting new data after each step. The @code{while-stepping}
10807 command is followed by the list of what to collect while stepping
10808 (followed by its own @code{end} command):
10809
10810 @smallexample
10811 > while-stepping 12
10812 > collect $regs, myglobal
10813 > end
10814 >
10815 @end smallexample
10816
10817 @noindent
10818 Note that @code{$pc} is not automatically collected by
10819 @code{while-stepping}; you need to explicitly collect that register if
10820 you need it. You may abbreviate @code{while-stepping} as @code{ws} or
10821 @code{stepping}.
10822
10823 @item set default-collect @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10824 @kindex set default-collect
10825 @cindex default collection action
10826 This variable is a list of expressions to collect at each tracepoint
10827 hit. It is effectively an additional @code{collect} action prepended
10828 to every tracepoint action list. The expressions are parsed
10829 individually for each tracepoint, so for instance a variable named
10830 @code{xyz} may be interpreted as a global for one tracepoint, and a
10831 local for another, as appropriate to the tracepoint's location.
10832
10833 @item show default-collect
10834 @kindex show default-collect
10835 Show the list of expressions that are collected by default at each
10836 tracepoint hit.
10837
10838 @end table
10839
10840 @node Listing Tracepoints
10841 @subsection Listing Tracepoints
10842
10843 @table @code
10844 @kindex info tracepoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
10845 @kindex info tp @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
10846 @cindex information about tracepoints
10847 @item info tracepoints @r{[}@var{num}@dots{}@r{]}
10848 Display information about the tracepoint @var{num}. If you don't
10849 specify a tracepoint number, displays information about all the
10850 tracepoints defined so far. The format is similar to that used for
10851 @code{info breakpoints}; in fact, @code{info tracepoints} is the same
10852 command, simply restricting itself to tracepoints.
10853
10854 A tracepoint's listing may include additional information specific to
10855 tracing:
10856
10857 @itemize @bullet
10858 @item
10859 its passcount as given by the @code{passcount @var{n}} command
10860 @end itemize
10861
10862 @smallexample
10863 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info trace}
10864 Num Type Disp Enb Address What
10865 1 tracepoint keep y 0x0804ab57 in foo() at main.cxx:7
10866 while-stepping 20
10867 collect globfoo, $regs
10868 end
10869 collect globfoo2
10870 end
10871 pass count 1200
10872 (@value{GDBP})
10873 @end smallexample
10874
10875 @noindent
10876 This command can be abbreviated @code{info tp}.
10877 @end table
10878
10879 @node Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
10880 @subsection Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
10881
10882 @table @code
10883 @kindex info static-tracepoint-markers
10884 @cindex information about static tracepoint markers
10885 @item info static-tracepoint-markers
10886 Display information about all static tracepoint markers defined in the
10887 program.
10888
10889 For each marker, the following columns are printed:
10890
10891 @table @emph
10892 @item Count
10893 An incrementing counter, output to help readability. This is not a
10894 stable identifier.
10895 @item ID
10896 The marker ID, as reported by the target.
10897 @item Enabled or Disabled
10898 Probed markers are tagged with @samp{y}. @samp{n} identifies marks
10899 that are not enabled.
10900 @item Address
10901 Where the marker is in your program, as a memory address.
10902 @item What
10903 Where the marker is in the source for your program, as a file and line
10904 number. If the debug information included in the program does not
10905 allow @value{GDBN} to locate the source of the marker, this column
10906 will be left blank.
10907 @end table
10908
10909 @noindent
10910 In addition, the following information may be printed for each marker:
10911
10912 @table @emph
10913 @item Data
10914 User data passed to the tracing library by the marker call. In the
10915 UST backend, this is the format string passed as argument to the
10916 marker call.
10917 @item Static tracepoints probing the marker
10918 The list of static tracepoints attached to the marker.
10919 @end table
10920
10921 @smallexample
10922 (@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
10923 Cnt ID Enb Address What
10924 1 ust/bar2 y 0x0000000000400e1a in main at stexample.c:25
10925 Data: number1 %d number2 %d
10926 Probed by static tracepoints: #2
10927 2 ust/bar33 n 0x0000000000400c87 in main at stexample.c:24
10928 Data: str %s
10929 (@value{GDBP})
10930 @end smallexample
10931 @end table
10932
10933 @node Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
10934 @subsection Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
10935
10936 @table @code
10937 @kindex tstart [ @var{notes} ]
10938 @cindex start a new trace experiment
10939 @cindex collected data discarded
10940 @item tstart
10941 This command starts the trace experiment, and begins collecting data.
10942 It has the side effect of discarding all the data collected in the
10943 trace buffer during the previous trace experiment. If any arguments
10944 are supplied, they are taken as a note and stored with the trace
10945 experiment's state. The notes may be arbitrary text, and are
10946 especially useful with disconnected tracing in a multi-user context;
10947 the notes can explain what the trace is doing, supply user contact
10948 information, and so forth.
10949
10950 @kindex tstop [ @var{notes} ]
10951 @cindex stop a running trace experiment
10952 @item tstop
10953 This command stops the trace experiment. If any arguments are
10954 supplied, they are recorded with the experiment as a note. This is
10955 useful if you are stopping a trace started by someone else, for
10956 instance if the trace is interfering with the system's behavior and
10957 needs to be stopped quickly.
10958
10959 @strong{Note}: a trace experiment and data collection may stop
10960 automatically if any tracepoint's passcount is reached
10961 (@pxref{Tracepoint Passcounts}), or if the trace buffer becomes full.
10962
10963 @kindex tstatus
10964 @cindex status of trace data collection
10965 @cindex trace experiment, status of
10966 @item tstatus
10967 This command displays the status of the current trace data
10968 collection.
10969 @end table
10970
10971 Here is an example of the commands we described so far:
10972
10973 @smallexample
10974 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace gdb_c_test}
10975 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
10976 Enter actions for tracepoint #1, one per line.
10977 > collect $regs,$locals,$args
10978 > while-stepping 11
10979 > collect $regs
10980 > end
10981 > end
10982 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
10983 [time passes @dots{}]
10984 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstop}
10985 @end smallexample
10986
10987 @anchor{disconnected tracing}
10988 @cindex disconnected tracing
10989 You can choose to continue running the trace experiment even if
10990 @value{GDBN} disconnects from the target, voluntarily or
10991 involuntarily. For commands such as @code{detach}, the debugger will
10992 ask what you want to do with the trace. But for unexpected
10993 terminations (@value{GDBN} crash, network outage), it would be
10994 unfortunate to lose hard-won trace data, so the variable
10995 @code{disconnected-tracing} lets you decide whether the trace should
10996 continue running without @value{GDBN}.
10997
10998 @table @code
10999 @item set disconnected-tracing on
11000 @itemx set disconnected-tracing off
11001 @kindex set disconnected-tracing
11002 Choose whether a tracing run should continue to run if @value{GDBN}
11003 has disconnected from the target. Note that @code{detach} or
11004 @code{quit} will ask you directly what to do about a running trace no
11005 matter what this variable's setting, so the variable is mainly useful
11006 for handling unexpected situations, such as loss of the network.
11007
11008 @item show disconnected-tracing
11009 @kindex show disconnected-tracing
11010 Show the current choice for disconnected tracing.
11011
11012 @end table
11013
11014 When you reconnect to the target, the trace experiment may or may not
11015 still be running; it might have filled the trace buffer in the
11016 meantime, or stopped for one of the other reasons. If it is running,
11017 it will continue after reconnection.
11018
11019 Upon reconnection, the target will upload information about the
11020 tracepoints in effect. @value{GDBN} will then compare that
11021 information to the set of tracepoints currently defined, and attempt
11022 to match them up, allowing for the possibility that the numbers may
11023 have changed due to creation and deletion in the meantime. If one of
11024 the target's tracepoints does not match any in @value{GDBN}, the
11025 debugger will create a new tracepoint, so that you have a number with
11026 which to specify that tracepoint. This matching-up process is
11027 necessarily heuristic, and it may result in useless tracepoints being
11028 created; you may simply delete them if they are of no use.
11029
11030 @cindex circular trace buffer
11031 If your target agent supports a @dfn{circular trace buffer}, then you
11032 can run a trace experiment indefinitely without filling the trace
11033 buffer; when space runs out, the agent deletes already-collected trace
11034 frames, oldest first, until there is enough room to continue
11035 collecting. This is especially useful if your tracepoints are being
11036 hit too often, and your trace gets terminated prematurely because the
11037 buffer is full. To ask for a circular trace buffer, simply set
11038 @samp{circular-trace-buffer} to on. You can set this at any time,
11039 including during tracing; if the agent can do it, it will change
11040 buffer handling on the fly, otherwise it will not take effect until
11041 the next run.
11042
11043 @table @code
11044 @item set circular-trace-buffer on
11045 @itemx set circular-trace-buffer off
11046 @kindex set circular-trace-buffer
11047 Choose whether a tracing run should use a linear or circular buffer
11048 for trace data. A linear buffer will not lose any trace data, but may
11049 fill up prematurely, while a circular buffer will discard old trace
11050 data, but it will have always room for the latest tracepoint hits.
11051
11052 @item show circular-trace-buffer
11053 @kindex show circular-trace-buffer
11054 Show the current choice for the trace buffer. Note that this may not
11055 match the agent's current buffer handling, nor is it guaranteed to
11056 match the setting that might have been in effect during a past run,
11057 for instance if you are looking at frames from a trace file.
11058
11059 @end table
11060
11061 @table @code
11062 @item set trace-user @var{text}
11063 @kindex set trace-user
11064
11065 @item show trace-user
11066 @kindex show trace-user
11067
11068 @item set trace-notes @var{text}
11069 @kindex set trace-notes
11070 Set the trace run's notes.
11071
11072 @item show trace-notes
11073 @kindex show trace-notes
11074 Show the trace run's notes.
11075
11076 @item set trace-stop-notes @var{text}
11077 @kindex set trace-stop-notes
11078 Set the trace run's stop notes. The handling of the note is as for
11079 @code{tstop} arguments; the set command is convenient way to fix a
11080 stop note that is mistaken or incomplete.
11081
11082 @item show trace-stop-notes
11083 @kindex show trace-stop-notes
11084 Show the trace run's stop notes.
11085
11086 @end table
11087
11088 @node Tracepoint Restrictions
11089 @subsection Tracepoint Restrictions
11090
11091 @cindex tracepoint restrictions
11092 There are a number of restrictions on the use of tracepoints. As
11093 described above, tracepoint data gathering occurs on the target
11094 without interaction from @value{GDBN}. Thus the full capabilities of
11095 the debugger are not available during data gathering, and then at data
11096 examination time, you will be limited by only having what was
11097 collected. The following items describe some common problems, but it
11098 is not exhaustive, and you may run into additional difficulties not
11099 mentioned here.
11100
11101 @itemize @bullet
11102
11103 @item
11104 Tracepoint expressions are intended to gather objects (lvalues). Thus
11105 the full flexibility of GDB's expression evaluator is not available.
11106 You cannot call functions, cast objects to aggregate types, access
11107 convenience variables or modify values (except by assignment to trace
11108 state variables). Some language features may implicitly call
11109 functions (for instance Objective-C fields with accessors), and therefore
11110 cannot be collected either.
11111
11112 @item
11113 Collection of local variables, either individually or in bulk with
11114 @code{$locals} or @code{$args}, during @code{while-stepping} may
11115 behave erratically. The stepping action may enter a new scope (for
11116 instance by stepping into a function), or the location of the variable
11117 may change (for instance it is loaded into a register). The
11118 tracepoint data recorded uses the location information for the
11119 variables that is correct for the tracepoint location. When the
11120 tracepoint is created, it is not possible, in general, to determine
11121 where the steps of a @code{while-stepping} sequence will advance the
11122 program---particularly if a conditional branch is stepped.
11123
11124 @item
11125 Collection of an incompletely-initialized or partially-destroyed object
11126 may result in something that @value{GDBN} cannot display, or displays
11127 in a misleading way.
11128
11129 @item
11130 When @value{GDBN} displays a pointer to character it automatically
11131 dereferences the pointer to also display characters of the string
11132 being pointed to. However, collecting the pointer during tracing does
11133 not automatically collect the string. You need to explicitly
11134 dereference the pointer and provide size information if you want to
11135 collect not only the pointer, but the memory pointed to. For example,
11136 @code{*ptr@@50} can be used to collect the 50 element array pointed to
11137 by @code{ptr}.
11138
11139 @item
11140 It is not possible to collect a complete stack backtrace at a
11141 tracepoint. Instead, you may collect the registers and a few hundred
11142 bytes from the stack pointer with something like @code{*(unsigned char *)$esp@@300}
11143 (adjust to use the name of the actual stack pointer register on your
11144 target architecture, and the amount of stack you wish to capture).
11145 Then the @code{backtrace} command will show a partial backtrace when
11146 using a trace frame. The number of stack frames that can be examined
11147 depends on the sizes of the frames in the collected stack. Note that
11148 if you ask for a block so large that it goes past the bottom of the
11149 stack, the target agent may report an error trying to read from an
11150 invalid address.
11151
11152 @item
11153 If you do not collect registers at a tracepoint, @value{GDBN} can
11154 infer that the value of @code{$pc} must be the same as the address of
11155 the tracepoint and use that when you are looking at a trace frame
11156 for that tracepoint. However, this cannot work if the tracepoint has
11157 multiple locations (for instance if it was set in a function that was
11158 inlined), or if it has a @code{while-stepping} loop. In those cases
11159 @value{GDBN} will warn you that it can't infer @code{$pc}, and default
11160 it to zero.
11161
11162 @end itemize
11163
11164 @node Analyze Collected Data
11165 @section Using the Collected Data
11166
11167 After the tracepoint experiment ends, you use @value{GDBN} commands
11168 for examining the trace data. The basic idea is that each tracepoint
11169 collects a trace @dfn{snapshot} every time it is hit and another
11170 snapshot every time it single-steps. All these snapshots are
11171 consecutively numbered from zero and go into a buffer, and you can
11172 examine them later. The way you examine them is to @dfn{focus} on a
11173 specific trace snapshot. When the remote stub is focused on a trace
11174 snapshot, it will respond to all @value{GDBN} requests for memory and
11175 registers by reading from the buffer which belongs to that snapshot,
11176 rather than from @emph{real} memory or registers of the program being
11177 debugged. This means that @strong{all} @value{GDBN} commands
11178 (@code{print}, @code{info registers}, @code{backtrace}, etc.) will
11179 behave as if we were currently debugging the program state as it was
11180 when the tracepoint occurred. Any requests for data that are not in
11181 the buffer will fail.
11182
11183 @menu
11184 * tfind:: How to select a trace snapshot
11185 * tdump:: How to display all data for a snapshot
11186 * save tracepoints:: How to save tracepoints for a future run
11187 @end menu
11188
11189 @node tfind
11190 @subsection @code{tfind @var{n}}
11191
11192 @kindex tfind
11193 @cindex select trace snapshot
11194 @cindex find trace snapshot
11195 The basic command for selecting a trace snapshot from the buffer is
11196 @code{tfind @var{n}}, which finds trace snapshot number @var{n},
11197 counting from zero. If no argument @var{n} is given, the next
11198 snapshot is selected.
11199
11200 Here are the various forms of using the @code{tfind} command.
11201
11202 @table @code
11203 @item tfind start
11204 Find the first snapshot in the buffer. This is a synonym for
11205 @code{tfind 0} (since 0 is the number of the first snapshot).
11206
11207 @item tfind none
11208 Stop debugging trace snapshots, resume @emph{live} debugging.
11209
11210 @item tfind end
11211 Same as @samp{tfind none}.
11212
11213 @item tfind
11214 No argument means find the next trace snapshot.
11215
11216 @item tfind -
11217 Find the previous trace snapshot before the current one. This permits
11218 retracing earlier steps.
11219
11220 @item tfind tracepoint @var{num}
11221 Find the next snapshot associated with tracepoint @var{num}. Search
11222 proceeds forward from the last examined trace snapshot. If no
11223 argument @var{num} is given, it means find the next snapshot collected
11224 for the same tracepoint as the current snapshot.
11225
11226 @item tfind pc @var{addr}
11227 Find the next snapshot associated with the value @var{addr} of the
11228 program counter. Search proceeds forward from the last examined trace
11229 snapshot. If no argument @var{addr} is given, it means find the next
11230 snapshot with the same value of PC as the current snapshot.
11231
11232 @item tfind outside @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
11233 Find the next snapshot whose PC is outside the given range of
11234 addresses (exclusive).
11235
11236 @item tfind range @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
11237 Find the next snapshot whose PC is between @var{addr1} and
11238 @var{addr2} (inclusive).
11239
11240 @item tfind line @r{[}@var{file}:@r{]}@var{n}
11241 Find the next snapshot associated with the source line @var{n}. If
11242 the optional argument @var{file} is given, refer to line @var{n} in
11243 that source file. Search proceeds forward from the last examined
11244 trace snapshot. If no argument @var{n} is given, it means find the
11245 next line other than the one currently being examined; thus saying
11246 @code{tfind line} repeatedly can appear to have the same effect as
11247 stepping from line to line in a @emph{live} debugging session.
11248 @end table
11249
11250 The default arguments for the @code{tfind} commands are specifically
11251 designed to make it easy to scan through the trace buffer. For
11252 instance, @code{tfind} with no argument selects the next trace
11253 snapshot, and @code{tfind -} with no argument selects the previous
11254 trace snapshot. So, by giving one @code{tfind} command, and then
11255 simply hitting @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine all the trace
11256 snapshots in order. Or, by saying @code{tfind -} and then hitting
11257 @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine the snapshots in reverse order.
11258 The @code{tfind line} command with no argument selects the snapshot
11259 for the next source line executed. The @code{tfind pc} command with
11260 no argument selects the next snapshot with the same program counter
11261 (PC) as the current frame. The @code{tfind tracepoint} command with
11262 no argument selects the next trace snapshot collected by the same
11263 tracepoint as the current one.
11264
11265 In addition to letting you scan through the trace buffer manually,
11266 these commands make it easy to construct @value{GDBN} scripts that
11267 scan through the trace buffer and print out whatever collected data
11268 you are interested in. Thus, if we want to examine the PC, FP, and SP
11269 registers from each trace frame in the buffer, we can say this:
11270
11271 @smallexample
11272 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
11273 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
11274 > printf "Frame %d, PC = %08X, SP = %08X, FP = %08X\n", \
11275 $trace_frame, $pc, $sp, $fp
11276 > tfind
11277 > end
11278
11279 Frame 0, PC = 0020DC64, SP = 0030BF3C, FP = 0030BF44
11280 Frame 1, PC = 0020DC6C, SP = 0030BF38, FP = 0030BF44
11281 Frame 2, PC = 0020DC70, SP = 0030BF34, FP = 0030BF44
11282 Frame 3, PC = 0020DC74, SP = 0030BF30, FP = 0030BF44
11283 Frame 4, PC = 0020DC78, SP = 0030BF2C, FP = 0030BF44
11284 Frame 5, PC = 0020DC7C, SP = 0030BF28, FP = 0030BF44
11285 Frame 6, PC = 0020DC80, SP = 0030BF24, FP = 0030BF44
11286 Frame 7, PC = 0020DC84, SP = 0030BF20, FP = 0030BF44
11287 Frame 8, PC = 0020DC88, SP = 0030BF1C, FP = 0030BF44
11288 Frame 9, PC = 0020DC8E, SP = 0030BF18, FP = 0030BF44
11289 Frame 10, PC = 00203F6C, SP = 0030BE3C, FP = 0030BF14
11290 @end smallexample
11291
11292 Or, if we want to examine the variable @code{X} at each source line in
11293 the buffer:
11294
11295 @smallexample
11296 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
11297 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
11298 > printf "Frame %d, X == %d\n", $trace_frame, X
11299 > tfind line
11300 > end
11301
11302 Frame 0, X = 1
11303 Frame 7, X = 2
11304 Frame 13, X = 255
11305 @end smallexample
11306
11307 @node tdump
11308 @subsection @code{tdump}
11309 @kindex tdump
11310 @cindex dump all data collected at tracepoint
11311 @cindex tracepoint data, display
11312
11313 This command takes no arguments. It prints all the data collected at
11314 the current trace snapshot.
11315
11316 @smallexample
11317 (@value{GDBP}) @b{trace 444}
11318 (@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
11319 Enter actions for tracepoint #2, one per line:
11320 > collect $regs, $locals, $args, gdb_long_test
11321 > end
11322
11323 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
11324
11325 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind line 444}
11326 #0 gdb_test (p1=0x11, p2=0x22, p3=0x33, p4=0x44, p5=0x55, p6=0x66)
11327 at gdb_test.c:444
11328 444 printp( "%s: arguments = 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X\n", )
11329
11330 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tdump}
11331 Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 1:
11332 d0 0xc4aa0085 -995491707
11333 d1 0x18 24
11334 d2 0x80 128
11335 d3 0x33 51
11336 d4 0x71aea3d 119204413
11337 d5 0x22 34
11338 d6 0xe0 224
11339 d7 0x380035 3670069
11340 a0 0x19e24a 1696330
11341 a1 0x3000668 50333288
11342 a2 0x100 256
11343 a3 0x322000 3284992
11344 a4 0x3000698 50333336
11345 a5 0x1ad3cc 1758156
11346 fp 0x30bf3c 0x30bf3c
11347 sp 0x30bf34 0x30bf34
11348 ps 0x0 0
11349 pc 0x20b2c8 0x20b2c8
11350 fpcontrol 0x0 0
11351 fpstatus 0x0 0
11352 fpiaddr 0x0 0
11353 p = 0x20e5b4 "gdb-test"
11354 p1 = (void *) 0x11
11355 p2 = (void *) 0x22
11356 p3 = (void *) 0x33
11357 p4 = (void *) 0x44
11358 p5 = (void *) 0x55
11359 p6 = (void *) 0x66
11360 gdb_long_test = 17 '\021'
11361
11362 (@value{GDBP})
11363 @end smallexample
11364
11365 @code{tdump} works by scanning the tracepoint's current collection
11366 actions and printing the value of each expression listed. So
11367 @code{tdump} can fail, if after a run, you change the tracepoint's
11368 actions to mention variables that were not collected during the run.
11369
11370 Also, for tracepoints with @code{while-stepping} loops, @code{tdump}
11371 uses the collected value of @code{$pc} to distinguish between trace
11372 frames that were collected at the tracepoint hit, and frames that were
11373 collected while stepping. This allows it to correctly choose whether
11374 to display the basic list of collections, or the collections from the
11375 body of the while-stepping loop. However, if @code{$pc} was not collected,
11376 then @code{tdump} will always attempt to dump using the basic collection
11377 list, and may fail if a while-stepping frame does not include all the
11378 same data that is collected at the tracepoint hit.
11379 @c This is getting pretty arcane, example would be good.
11380
11381 @node save tracepoints
11382 @subsection @code{save tracepoints @var{filename}}
11383 @kindex save tracepoints
11384 @kindex save-tracepoints
11385 @cindex save tracepoints for future sessions
11386
11387 This command saves all current tracepoint definitions together with
11388 their actions and passcounts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
11389 suitable for use in a later debugging session. To read the saved
11390 tracepoint definitions, use the @code{source} command (@pxref{Command
11391 Files}). The @w{@code{save-tracepoints}} command is a deprecated
11392 alias for @w{@code{save tracepoints}}
11393
11394 @node Tracepoint Variables
11395 @section Convenience Variables for Tracepoints
11396 @cindex tracepoint variables
11397 @cindex convenience variables for tracepoints
11398
11399 @table @code
11400 @vindex $trace_frame
11401 @item (int) $trace_frame
11402 The current trace snapshot (a.k.a.@: @dfn{frame}) number, or -1 if no
11403 snapshot is selected.
11404
11405 @vindex $tracepoint
11406 @item (int) $tracepoint
11407 The tracepoint for the current trace snapshot.
11408
11409 @vindex $trace_line
11410 @item (int) $trace_line
11411 The line number for the current trace snapshot.
11412
11413 @vindex $trace_file
11414 @item (char []) $trace_file
11415 The source file for the current trace snapshot.
11416
11417 @vindex $trace_func
11418 @item (char []) $trace_func
11419 The name of the function containing @code{$tracepoint}.
11420 @end table
11421
11422 Note: @code{$trace_file} is not suitable for use in @code{printf},
11423 use @code{output} instead.
11424
11425 Here's a simple example of using these convenience variables for
11426 stepping through all the trace snapshots and printing some of their
11427 data. Note that these are not the same as trace state variables,
11428 which are managed by the target.
11429
11430 @smallexample
11431 (@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
11432
11433 (@value{GDBP}) @b{while $trace_frame != -1}
11434 > output $trace_file
11435 > printf ", line %d (tracepoint #%d)\n", $trace_line, $tracepoint
11436 > tfind
11437 > end
11438 @end smallexample
11439
11440 @node Trace Files
11441 @section Using Trace Files
11442 @cindex trace files
11443
11444 In some situations, the target running a trace experiment may no
11445 longer be available; perhaps it crashed, or the hardware was needed
11446 for a different activity. To handle these cases, you can arrange to
11447 dump the trace data into a file, and later use that file as a source
11448 of trace data, via the @code{target tfile} command.
11449
11450 @table @code
11451
11452 @kindex tsave
11453 @item tsave [ -r ] @var{filename}
11454 Save the trace data to @var{filename}. By default, this command
11455 assumes that @var{filename} refers to the host filesystem, so if
11456 necessary @value{GDBN} will copy raw trace data up from the target and
11457 then save it. If the target supports it, you can also supply the
11458 optional argument @code{-r} (``remote'') to direct the target to save
11459 the data directly into @var{filename} in its own filesystem, which may be
11460 more efficient if the trace buffer is very large. (Note, however, that
11461 @code{target tfile} can only read from files accessible to the host.)
11462
11463 @kindex target tfile
11464 @kindex tfile
11465 @item target tfile @var{filename}
11466 Use the file named @var{filename} as a source of trace data. Commands
11467 that examine data work as they do with a live target, but it is not
11468 possible to run any new trace experiments. @code{tstatus} will report
11469 the state of the trace run at the moment the data was saved, as well
11470 as the current trace frame you are examining. @var{filename} must be
11471 on a filesystem accessible to the host.
11472
11473 @end table
11474
11475 @node Overlays
11476 @chapter Debugging Programs That Use Overlays
11477 @cindex overlays
11478
11479 If your program is too large to fit completely in your target system's
11480 memory, you can sometimes use @dfn{overlays} to work around this
11481 problem. @value{GDBN} provides some support for debugging programs that
11482 use overlays.
11483
11484 @menu
11485 * How Overlays Work:: A general explanation of overlays.
11486 * Overlay Commands:: Managing overlays in @value{GDBN}.
11487 * Automatic Overlay Debugging:: @value{GDBN} can find out which overlays are
11488 mapped by asking the inferior.
11489 * Overlay Sample Program:: A sample program using overlays.
11490 @end menu
11491
11492 @node How Overlays Work
11493 @section How Overlays Work
11494 @cindex mapped overlays
11495 @cindex unmapped overlays
11496 @cindex load address, overlay's
11497 @cindex mapped address
11498 @cindex overlay area
11499
11500 Suppose you have a computer whose instruction address space is only 64
11501 kilobytes long, but which has much more memory which can be accessed by
11502 other means: special instructions, segment registers, or memory
11503 management hardware, for example. Suppose further that you want to
11504 adapt a program which is larger than 64 kilobytes to run on this system.
11505
11506 One solution is to identify modules of your program which are relatively
11507 independent, and need not call each other directly; call these modules
11508 @dfn{overlays}. Separate the overlays from the main program, and place
11509 their machine code in the larger memory. Place your main program in
11510 instruction memory, but leave at least enough space there to hold the
11511 largest overlay as well.
11512
11513 Now, to call a function located in an overlay, you must first copy that
11514 overlay's machine code from the large memory into the space set aside
11515 for it in the instruction memory, and then jump to its entry point
11516 there.
11517
11518 @c NB: In the below the mapped area's size is greater or equal to the
11519 @c size of all overlays. This is intentional to remind the developer
11520 @c that overlays don't necessarily need to be the same size.
11521
11522 @smallexample
11523 @group
11524 Data Instruction Larger
11525 Address Space Address Space Address Space
11526 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
11527 | | | | | |
11528 +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+<-- overlay 1
11529 | program | | main | .----| overlay 1 | load address
11530 | variables | | program | | +-----------+
11531 | and heap | | | | | |
11532 +-----------+ | | | +-----------+<-- overlay 2
11533 | | +-----------+ | | | load address
11534 +-----------+ | | | .-| overlay 2 |
11535 | | | | | |
11536 mapped --->+-----------+ | | +-----------+
11537 address | | | | | |
11538 | overlay | <-' | | |
11539 | area | <---' +-----------+<-- overlay 3
11540 | | <---. | | load address
11541 +-----------+ `--| overlay 3 |
11542 | | | |
11543 +-----------+ | |
11544 +-----------+
11545 | |
11546 +-----------+
11547
11548 @anchor{A code overlay}A code overlay
11549 @end group
11550 @end smallexample
11551
11552 The diagram (@pxref{A code overlay}) shows a system with separate data
11553 and instruction address spaces. To map an overlay, the program copies
11554 its code from the larger address space to the instruction address space.
11555 Since the overlays shown here all use the same mapped address, only one
11556 may be mapped at a time. For a system with a single address space for
11557 data and instructions, the diagram would be similar, except that the
11558 program variables and heap would share an address space with the main
11559 program and the overlay area.
11560
11561 An overlay loaded into instruction memory and ready for use is called a
11562 @dfn{mapped} overlay; its @dfn{mapped address} is its address in the
11563 instruction memory. An overlay not present (or only partially present)
11564 in instruction memory is called @dfn{unmapped}; its @dfn{load address}
11565 is its address in the larger memory. The mapped address is also called
11566 the @dfn{virtual memory address}, or @dfn{VMA}; the load address is also
11567 called the @dfn{load memory address}, or @dfn{LMA}.
11568
11569 Unfortunately, overlays are not a completely transparent way to adapt a
11570 program to limited instruction memory. They introduce a new set of
11571 global constraints you must keep in mind as you design your program:
11572
11573 @itemize @bullet
11574
11575 @item
11576 Before calling or returning to a function in an overlay, your program
11577 must make sure that overlay is actually mapped. Otherwise, the call or
11578 return will transfer control to the right address, but in the wrong
11579 overlay, and your program will probably crash.
11580
11581 @item
11582 If the process of mapping an overlay is expensive on your system, you
11583 will need to choose your overlays carefully to minimize their effect on
11584 your program's performance.
11585
11586 @item
11587 The executable file you load onto your system must contain each
11588 overlay's instructions, appearing at the overlay's load address, not its
11589 mapped address. However, each overlay's instructions must be relocated
11590 and its symbols defined as if the overlay were at its mapped address.
11591 You can use GNU linker scripts to specify different load and relocation
11592 addresses for pieces of your program; see @ref{Overlay Description,,,
11593 ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}.
11594
11595 @item
11596 The procedure for loading executable files onto your system must be able
11597 to load their contents into the larger address space as well as the
11598 instruction and data spaces.
11599
11600 @end itemize
11601
11602 The overlay system described above is rather simple, and could be
11603 improved in many ways:
11604
11605 @itemize @bullet
11606
11607 @item
11608 If your system has suitable bank switch registers or memory management
11609 hardware, you could use those facilities to make an overlay's load area
11610 contents simply appear at their mapped address in instruction space.
11611 This would probably be faster than copying the overlay to its mapped
11612 area in the usual way.
11613
11614 @item
11615 If your overlays are small enough, you could set aside more than one
11616 overlay area, and have more than one overlay mapped at a time.
11617
11618 @item
11619 You can use overlays to manage data, as well as instructions. In
11620 general, data overlays are even less transparent to your design than
11621 code overlays: whereas code overlays only require care when you call or
11622 return to functions, data overlays require care every time you access
11623 the data. Also, if you change the contents of a data overlay, you
11624 must copy its contents back out to its load address before you can copy a
11625 different data overlay into the same mapped area.
11626
11627 @end itemize
11628
11629
11630 @node Overlay Commands
11631 @section Overlay Commands
11632
11633 To use @value{GDBN}'s overlay support, each overlay in your program must
11634 correspond to a separate section of the executable file. The section's
11635 virtual memory address and load memory address must be the overlay's
11636 mapped and load addresses. Identifying overlays with sections allows
11637 @value{GDBN} to determine the appropriate address of a function or
11638 variable, depending on whether the overlay is mapped or not.
11639
11640 @value{GDBN}'s overlay commands all start with the word @code{overlay};
11641 you can abbreviate this as @code{ov} or @code{ovly}. The commands are:
11642
11643 @table @code
11644 @item overlay off
11645 @kindex overlay
11646 Disable @value{GDBN}'s overlay support. When overlay support is
11647 disabled, @value{GDBN} assumes that all functions and variables are
11648 always present at their mapped addresses. By default, @value{GDBN}'s
11649 overlay support is disabled.
11650
11651 @item overlay manual
11652 @cindex manual overlay debugging
11653 Enable @dfn{manual} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
11654 relies on you to tell it which overlays are mapped, and which are not,
11655 using the @code{overlay map-overlay} and @code{overlay unmap-overlay}
11656 commands described below.
11657
11658 @item overlay map-overlay @var{overlay}
11659 @itemx overlay map @var{overlay}
11660 @cindex map an overlay
11661 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is now mapped; @var{overlay} must
11662 be the name of the object file section containing the overlay. When an
11663 overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the overlay's
11664 functions and variables at their mapped addresses. @value{GDBN} assumes
11665 that any other overlays whose mapped ranges overlap that of
11666 @var{overlay} are now unmapped.
11667
11668 @item overlay unmap-overlay @var{overlay}
11669 @itemx overlay unmap @var{overlay}
11670 @cindex unmap an overlay
11671 Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is no longer mapped; @var{overlay}
11672 must be the name of the object file section containing the overlay.
11673 When an overlay is unmapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the
11674 overlay's functions and variables at their load addresses.
11675
11676 @item overlay auto
11677 Enable @dfn{automatic} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
11678 consults a data structure the overlay manager maintains in the inferior
11679 to see which overlays are mapped. For details, see @ref{Automatic
11680 Overlay Debugging}.
11681
11682 @item overlay load-target
11683 @itemx overlay load
11684 @cindex reloading the overlay table
11685 Re-read the overlay table from the inferior. Normally, @value{GDBN}
11686 re-reads the table @value{GDBN} automatically each time the inferior
11687 stops, so this command should only be necessary if you have changed the
11688 overlay mapping yourself using @value{GDBN}. This command is only
11689 useful when using automatic overlay debugging.
11690
11691 @item overlay list-overlays
11692 @itemx overlay list
11693 @cindex listing mapped overlays
11694 Display a list of the overlays currently mapped, along with their mapped
11695 addresses, load addresses, and sizes.
11696
11697 @end table
11698
11699 Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a code address, it includes the name
11700 of the function the address falls in:
11701
11702 @smallexample
11703 (@value{GDBP}) print main
11704 $3 = @{int ()@} 0x11a0 <main>
11705 @end smallexample
11706 @noindent
11707 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} recognizes code in
11708 unmapped overlays, and prints the names of unmapped functions with
11709 asterisks around them. For example, if @code{foo} is a function in an
11710 unmapped overlay, @value{GDBN} prints it this way:
11711
11712 @smallexample
11713 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
11714 No sections are mapped.
11715 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
11716 $5 = @{int (int)@} 0x100000 <*foo*>
11717 @end smallexample
11718 @noindent
11719 When @code{foo}'s overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} prints the function's
11720 name normally:
11721
11722 @smallexample
11723 (@value{GDBP}) overlay list
11724 Section .ov.foo.text, loaded at 0x100000 - 0x100034,
11725 mapped at 0x1016 - 0x104a
11726 (@value{GDBP}) print foo
11727 $6 = @{int (int)@} 0x1016 <foo>
11728 @end smallexample
11729
11730 When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} can find the correct
11731 address for functions and variables in an overlay, whether or not the
11732 overlay is mapped. This allows most @value{GDBN} commands, like
11733 @code{break} and @code{disassemble}, to work normally, even on unmapped
11734 code. However, @value{GDBN}'s breakpoint support has some limitations:
11735
11736 @itemize @bullet
11737 @item
11738 @cindex breakpoints in overlays
11739 @cindex overlays, setting breakpoints in
11740 You can set breakpoints in functions in unmapped overlays, as long as
11741 @value{GDBN} can write to the overlay at its load address.
11742 @item
11743 @value{GDBN} can not set hardware or simulator-based breakpoints in
11744 unmapped overlays. However, if you set a breakpoint at the end of your
11745 overlay manager (and tell @value{GDBN} which overlays are now mapped, if
11746 you are using manual overlay management), @value{GDBN} will re-set its
11747 breakpoints properly.
11748 @end itemize
11749
11750
11751 @node Automatic Overlay Debugging
11752 @section Automatic Overlay Debugging
11753 @cindex automatic overlay debugging
11754
11755 @value{GDBN} can automatically track which overlays are mapped and which
11756 are not, given some simple co-operation from the overlay manager in the
11757 inferior. If you enable automatic overlay debugging with the
11758 @code{overlay auto} command (@pxref{Overlay Commands}), @value{GDBN}
11759 looks in the inferior's memory for certain variables describing the
11760 current state of the overlays.
11761
11762 Here are the variables your overlay manager must define to support
11763 @value{GDBN}'s automatic overlay debugging:
11764
11765 @table @asis
11766
11767 @item @code{_ovly_table}:
11768 This variable must be an array of the following structures:
11769
11770 @smallexample
11771 struct
11772 @{
11773 /* The overlay's mapped address. */
11774 unsigned long vma;
11775
11776 /* The size of the overlay, in bytes. */
11777 unsigned long size;
11778
11779 /* The overlay's load address. */
11780 unsigned long lma;
11781
11782 /* Non-zero if the overlay is currently mapped;
11783 zero otherwise. */
11784 unsigned long mapped;
11785 @}
11786 @end smallexample
11787
11788 @item @code{_novlys}:
11789 This variable must be a four-byte signed integer, holding the total
11790 number of elements in @code{_ovly_table}.
11791
11792 @end table
11793
11794 To decide whether a particular overlay is mapped or not, @value{GDBN}
11795 looks for an entry in @w{@code{_ovly_table}} whose @code{vma} and
11796 @code{lma} members equal the VMA and LMA of the overlay's section in the
11797 executable file. When @value{GDBN} finds a matching entry, it consults
11798 the entry's @code{mapped} member to determine whether the overlay is
11799 currently mapped.
11800
11801 In addition, your overlay manager may define a function called
11802 @code{_ovly_debug_event}. If this function is defined, @value{GDBN}
11803 will silently set a breakpoint there. If the overlay manager then
11804 calls this function whenever it has changed the overlay table, this
11805 will enable @value{GDBN} to accurately keep track of which overlays
11806 are in program memory, and update any breakpoints that may be set
11807 in overlays. This will allow breakpoints to work even if the
11808 overlays are kept in ROM or other non-writable memory while they
11809 are not being executed.
11810
11811 @node Overlay Sample Program
11812 @section Overlay Sample Program
11813 @cindex overlay example program
11814
11815 When linking a program which uses overlays, you must place the overlays
11816 at their load addresses, while relocating them to run at their mapped
11817 addresses. To do this, you must write a linker script (@pxref{Overlay
11818 Description,,, ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}). Unfortunately,
11819 since linker scripts are specific to a particular host system, target
11820 architecture, and target memory layout, this manual cannot provide
11821 portable sample code demonstrating @value{GDBN}'s overlay support.
11822
11823 However, the @value{GDBN} source distribution does contain an overlaid
11824 program, with linker scripts for a few systems, as part of its test
11825 suite. The program consists of the following files from
11826 @file{gdb/testsuite/gdb.base}:
11827
11828 @table @file
11829 @item overlays.c
11830 The main program file.
11831 @item ovlymgr.c
11832 A simple overlay manager, used by @file{overlays.c}.
11833 @item foo.c
11834 @itemx bar.c
11835 @itemx baz.c
11836 @itemx grbx.c
11837 Overlay modules, loaded and used by @file{overlays.c}.
11838 @item d10v.ld
11839 @itemx m32r.ld
11840 Linker scripts for linking the test program on the @code{d10v-elf}
11841 and @code{m32r-elf} targets.
11842 @end table
11843
11844 You can build the test program using the @code{d10v-elf} GCC
11845 cross-compiler like this:
11846
11847 @smallexample
11848 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c overlays.c
11849 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c ovlymgr.c
11850 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c foo.c
11851 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c bar.c
11852 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c baz.c
11853 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c grbx.c
11854 $ d10v-elf-gcc -g overlays.o ovlymgr.o foo.o bar.o \
11855 baz.o grbx.o -Wl,-Td10v.ld -o overlays
11856 @end smallexample
11857
11858 The build process is identical for any other architecture, except that
11859 you must substitute the appropriate compiler and linker script for the
11860 target system for @code{d10v-elf-gcc} and @code{d10v.ld}.
11861
11862
11863 @node Languages
11864 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
11865 @cindex languages
11866
11867 Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
11868 rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
11869 dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
11870 Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
11871 represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
11872 @samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
11873
11874 @cindex working language
11875 Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
11876 allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
11877 native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
11878 consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
11879 language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
11880 language}.
11881
11882 @menu
11883 * Setting:: Switching between source languages
11884 * Show:: Displaying the language
11885 * Checks:: Type and range checks
11886 * Supported Languages:: Supported languages
11887 * Unsupported Languages:: Unsupported languages
11888 @end menu
11889
11890 @node Setting
11891 @section Switching Between Source Languages
11892
11893 There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
11894 set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
11895 @code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
11896 defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
11897 used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
11898 are printed, etc.
11899
11900 In addition to the working language, every source file that
11901 @value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
11902 file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
11903 source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
11904 language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
11905 controls whether C@t{++} names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
11906 show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
11907 set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}, but you can
11908 set the language associated with a filename extension. @xref{Show, ,
11909 Displaying the Language}.
11910
11911 This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
11912 as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
11913 another language. In that case, make the
11914 program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
11915 @value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
11916 program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
11917
11918 @menu
11919 * Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
11920 * Manually:: Setting the working language manually
11921 * Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
11922 @end menu
11923
11924 @node Filenames
11925 @subsection List of Filename Extensions and Languages
11926
11927 If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
11928 @value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
11929
11930 @table @file
11931 @item .ada
11932 @itemx .ads
11933 @itemx .adb
11934 @itemx .a
11935 Ada source file.
11936
11937 @item .c
11938 C source file
11939
11940 @item .C
11941 @itemx .cc
11942 @itemx .cp
11943 @itemx .cpp
11944 @itemx .cxx
11945 @itemx .c++
11946 C@t{++} source file
11947
11948 @item .d
11949 D source file
11950
11951 @item .m
11952 Objective-C source file
11953
11954 @item .f
11955 @itemx .F
11956 Fortran source file
11957
11958 @item .mod
11959 Modula-2 source file
11960
11961 @item .s
11962 @itemx .S
11963 Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
11964 @value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
11965 @end table
11966
11967 In addition, you may set the language associated with a filename
11968 extension. @xref{Show, , Displaying the Language}.
11969
11970 @node Manually
11971 @subsection Setting the Working Language
11972
11973 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
11974 expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
11975 your program.
11976
11977 @kindex set language
11978 If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
11979 command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
11980 a language, such as
11981 @code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
11982 For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
11983
11984 Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
11985 language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
11986 to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
11987 source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
11988 languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
11989 source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
11990 command such as:
11991
11992 @smallexample
11993 print a = b + c
11994 @end smallexample
11995
11996 @noindent
11997 might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
11998 @code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
11999 printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
12000 @code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
12001
12002 @node Automatically
12003 @subsection Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language
12004
12005 To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
12006 @samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
12007 then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
12008 frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
12009 working language to the language recorded for the function in that
12010 frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
12011 or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
12012 does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
12013 not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
12014
12015 This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
12016 entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
12017 written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
12018 a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
12019 case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
12020
12021 @node Show
12022 @section Displaying the Language
12023
12024 The following commands help you find out which language is the
12025 working language, and also what language source files were written in.
12026
12027 @table @code
12028 @item show language
12029 @kindex show language
12030 Display the current working language. This is the
12031 language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
12032 build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
12033
12034 @item info frame
12035 @kindex info frame@r{, show the source language}
12036 Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
12037 working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
12038 @xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}, to identify the other
12039 information listed here.
12040
12041 @item info source
12042 @kindex info source@r{, show the source language}
12043 Display the source language of this source file.
12044 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
12045 information listed here.
12046 @end table
12047
12048 In unusual circumstances, you may have source files with extensions
12049 not in the standard list. You can then set the extension associated
12050 with a language explicitly:
12051
12052 @table @code
12053 @item set extension-language @var{ext} @var{language}
12054 @kindex set extension-language
12055 Tell @value{GDBN} that source files with extension @var{ext} are to be
12056 assumed as written in the source language @var{language}.
12057
12058 @item info extensions
12059 @kindex info extensions
12060 List all the filename extensions and the associated languages.
12061 @end table
12062
12063 @node Checks
12064 @section Type and Range Checking
12065
12066 @quotation
12067 @emph{Warning:} In this release, the @value{GDBN} commands for type and range
12068 checking are included, but they do not yet have any effect. This
12069 section documents the intended facilities.
12070 @end quotation
12071 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range code added
12072
12073 Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
12074 errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
12075 checking the type of arguments to functions and operators, and making
12076 sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
12077 these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
12078 by eliminating type mismatches, and providing active checks for range
12079 errors when your program is running.
12080
12081 @value{GDBN} can check for conditions like the above if you wish.
12082 Although @value{GDBN} does not check the statements in your program,
12083 it can check expressions entered directly into @value{GDBN} for
12084 evaluation via the @code{print} command, for example. As with the
12085 working language, @value{GDBN} can also decide whether or not to check
12086 automatically based on your program's source language.
12087 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default
12088 settings of supported languages.
12089
12090 @menu
12091 * Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
12092 * Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
12093 @end menu
12094
12095 @cindex type checking
12096 @cindex checks, type
12097 @node Type Checking
12098 @subsection An Overview of Type Checking
12099
12100 Some languages, such as Modula-2, are strongly typed, meaning that the
12101 arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
12102 otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
12103 errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
12104
12105 @smallexample
12106 1 + 2 @result{} 3
12107 @exdent but
12108 @error{} 1 + 2.3
12109 @end smallexample
12110
12111 The second example fails because the @code{CARDINAL} 1 is not
12112 type-compatible with the @code{REAL} 2.3.
12113
12114 For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell the
12115 @value{GDBN} type checker to skip checking;
12116 to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
12117 or to only issue warnings when type mismatches occur,
12118 but evaluate the expression anyway. When you choose the last of
12119 these, @value{GDBN} evaluates expressions like the second example above, but
12120 also issues a warning.
12121
12122 Even if you turn type checking off, there may be other reasons
12123 related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
12124 For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
12125 a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
12126 with the language in use, and usually arise from expressions, such as
12127 the one described above, which make little sense to evaluate anyway.
12128
12129 Each language defines to what degree it is strict about type. For
12130 instance, both Modula-2 and C require the arguments to arithmetical
12131 operators to be numbers. In C, enumerated types and pointers can be
12132 represented as numbers, so that they are valid arguments to mathematical
12133 operators. @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for further
12134 details on specific languages.
12135
12136 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the type checker:
12137
12138 @kindex set check type
12139 @kindex show check type
12140 @table @code
12141 @item set check type auto
12142 Set type checking on or off based on the current working language.
12143 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
12144 each language.
12145
12146 @item set check type on
12147 @itemx set check type off
12148 Set type checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
12149 current working language. Issue a warning if the setting does not
12150 match the language default. If any type mismatches occur in
12151 evaluating an expression while type checking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
12152 message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
12153
12154 @item set check type warn
12155 Cause the type checker to issue warnings, but to always attempt to
12156 evaluate the expression. Evaluating the expression may still
12157 be impossible for other reasons. For example, @value{GDBN} cannot add
12158 numbers and structures.
12159
12160 @item show type
12161 Show the current setting of the type checker, and whether or not @value{GDBN}
12162 is setting it automatically.
12163 @end table
12164
12165 @cindex range checking
12166 @cindex checks, range
12167 @node Range Checking
12168 @subsection An Overview of Range Checking
12169
12170 In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
12171 bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
12172 checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
12173 computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
12174 not exceed the bounds of the array.
12175
12176 For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
12177 @value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
12178 always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
12179 warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
12180
12181 A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
12182 array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
12183 of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
12184 error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
12185 result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
12186 the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
12187
12188 @smallexample
12189 @var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
12190 @end smallexample
12191
12192 This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
12193 specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Supported Languages, ,
12194 Supported Languages}, for further details on specific languages.
12195
12196 @value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
12197
12198 @kindex set check range
12199 @kindex show check range
12200 @table @code
12201 @item set check range auto
12202 Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
12203 @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
12204 each language.
12205
12206 @item set check range on
12207 @itemx set check range off
12208 Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
12209 current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
12210 match the language default. If a range error occurs and range checking is on,
12211 then a message is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
12212
12213 @item set check range warn
12214 Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
12215 but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
12216 expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
12217 memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
12218 systems).
12219
12220 @item show range
12221 Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
12222 being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
12223 @end table
12224
12225 @node Supported Languages
12226 @section Supported Languages
12227
12228 @value{GDBN} supports C, C@t{++}, D, Objective-C, Fortran, Java, OpenCL C, Pascal,
12229 assembly, Modula-2, and Ada.
12230 @c This is false ...
12231 Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
12232 language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
12233 and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
12234 ,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
12235 language.
12236
12237 The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
12238 supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
12239 tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
12240 @value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
12241 formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
12242 books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
12243 language reference or tutorial.
12244
12245 @menu
12246 * C:: C and C@t{++}
12247 * D:: D
12248 * Objective-C:: Objective-C
12249 * OpenCL C:: OpenCL C
12250 * Fortran:: Fortran
12251 * Pascal:: Pascal
12252 * Modula-2:: Modula-2
12253 * Ada:: Ada
12254 @end menu
12255
12256 @node C
12257 @subsection C and C@t{++}
12258
12259 @cindex C and C@t{++}
12260 @cindex expressions in C or C@t{++}
12261
12262 Since C and C@t{++} are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
12263 to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
12264 together.
12265
12266 @cindex C@t{++}
12267 @cindex @code{g++}, @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler
12268 @cindex @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
12269 The C@t{++} debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the C@t{++}
12270 compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C@t{++} code
12271 effectively, you must compile your C@t{++} programs with a supported
12272 C@t{++} compiler, such as @sc{gnu} @code{g++}, or the HP ANSI C@t{++}
12273 compiler (@code{aCC}).
12274
12275 @menu
12276 * C Operators:: C and C@t{++} operators
12277 * C Constants:: C and C@t{++} constants
12278 * C Plus Plus Expressions:: C@t{++} expressions
12279 * C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C@t{++}
12280 * C Checks:: C and C@t{++} type and range checks
12281 * Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
12282 * Debugging C Plus Plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C@t{++}
12283 * Decimal Floating Point:: Numbers in Decimal Floating Point format
12284 @end menu
12285
12286 @node C Operators
12287 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Operators
12288
12289 @cindex C and C@t{++} operators
12290
12291 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
12292 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
12293 often defined on groups of types.
12294
12295 For the purposes of C and C@t{++}, the following definitions hold:
12296
12297 @itemize @bullet
12298
12299 @item
12300 @emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
12301 specifiers; @code{char}; @code{enum}; and, for C@t{++}, @code{bool}.
12302
12303 @item
12304 @emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float}, @code{double}, and
12305 @code{long double} (if supported by the target platform).
12306
12307 @item
12308 @emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type} *)}.
12309
12310 @item
12311 @emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
12312
12313 @end itemize
12314
12315 @noindent
12316 The following operators are supported. They are listed here
12317 in order of increasing precedence:
12318
12319 @table @code
12320 @item ,
12321 The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
12322 are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
12323 expression being the last expression evaluated.
12324
12325 @item =
12326 Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
12327 assigned. Defined on scalar types.
12328
12329 @item @var{op}=
12330 Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
12331 and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
12332 @w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precedence.
12333 @var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
12334 @code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
12335
12336 @item ?:
12337 The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
12338 of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. @var{a} should be of an
12339 integral type.
12340
12341 @item ||
12342 Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
12343
12344 @item &&
12345 Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
12346
12347 @item |
12348 Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
12349
12350 @item ^
12351 Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
12352
12353 @item &
12354 Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
12355
12356 @item ==@r{, }!=
12357 Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
12358 expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
12359
12360 @item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
12361 Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
12362 Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
12363 and non-zero for true.
12364
12365 @item <<@r{, }>>
12366 left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
12367
12368 @item @@
12369 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
12370
12371 @item +@r{, }-
12372 Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
12373 pointer types.
12374
12375 @item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
12376 Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
12377 defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
12378 integral types.
12379
12380 @item ++@r{, }--
12381 Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
12382 operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
12383 when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
12384 operation takes place.
12385
12386 @item *
12387 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
12388 @code{++}.
12389
12390 @item &
12391 Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
12392
12393 For debugging C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
12394 allowed in the C@t{++} language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
12395 to examine the address
12396 where a C@t{++} reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
12397 stored.
12398
12399 @item -
12400 Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
12401 precedence as @code{++}.
12402
12403 @item !
12404 Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
12405 @code{++}.
12406
12407 @item ~
12408 Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
12409 @code{++}.
12410
12411
12412 @item .@r{, }->
12413 Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
12414 @value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
12415 pointer based on the stored type information.
12416 Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
12417
12418 @item .*@r{, }->*
12419 Dereferences of pointers to members.
12420
12421 @item []
12422 Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
12423 @code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
12424
12425 @item ()
12426 Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
12427
12428 @item ::
12429 C@t{++} scope resolution operator. Defined on @code{struct}, @code{union},
12430 and @code{class} types.
12431
12432 @item ::
12433 Doubled colons also represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator
12434 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). Same precedence as @code{::},
12435 above.
12436 @end table
12437
12438 If an operator is redefined in the user code, @value{GDBN} usually
12439 attempts to invoke the redefined version instead of using the operator's
12440 predefined meaning.
12441
12442 @node C Constants
12443 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Constants
12444
12445 @cindex C and C@t{++} constants
12446
12447 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C@t{++} in the
12448 following ways:
12449
12450 @itemize @bullet
12451 @item
12452 Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
12453 specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e.@: zero), and hexadecimal constants
12454 by a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
12455 @samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
12456 @code{long} value.
12457
12458 @item
12459 Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
12460 point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
12461 exponent. An exponent is of the form:
12462 @samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
12463 sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
12464 A floating-point constant may also end with a letter @samp{f} or
12465 @samp{F}, specifying that the constant should be treated as being of
12466 the @code{float} (as opposed to the default @code{double}) type; or with
12467 a letter @samp{l} or @samp{L}, which specifies a @code{long double}
12468 constant.
12469
12470 @item
12471 Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
12472 integral equivalents.
12473
12474 @item
12475 Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
12476 (@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
12477 (usually its @sc{ascii} value). Within quotes, the single character may
12478 be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
12479 the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
12480 of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
12481 @samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
12482 @samp{\n} for newline.
12483
12484 Wide character constants can be written by prefixing a character
12485 constant with @samp{L}, as in C. For example, @samp{L'x'} is the wide
12486 form of @samp{x}. The target wide character set is used when
12487 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
12488
12489 @item
12490 String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded by
12491 double quotes (@code{"}). Any valid character constant (as described
12492 above) may appear. Double quotes within the string must be preceded by
12493 a backslash, so for instance @samp{"a\"b'c"} is a string of five
12494 characters.
12495
12496 Wide string constants can be written by prefixing a string constant
12497 with @samp{L}, as in C. The target wide character set is used when
12498 computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
12499
12500 @item
12501 Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
12502 to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
12503
12504 @item
12505 Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
12506 and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
12507 integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
12508 and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
12509 @end itemize
12510
12511 @node C Plus Plus Expressions
12512 @subsubsection C@t{++} Expressions
12513
12514 @cindex expressions in C@t{++}
12515 @value{GDBN} expression handling can interpret most C@t{++} expressions.
12516
12517 @cindex debugging C@t{++} programs
12518 @cindex C@t{++} compilers
12519 @cindex debug formats and C@t{++}
12520 @cindex @value{NGCC} and C@t{++}
12521 @quotation
12522 @emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use
12523 the proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently,
12524 @value{GDBN} works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled
12525 with the most recent version of @value{NGCC} possible. The DWARF
12526 debugging format is preferred; @value{NGCC} defaults to this on most
12527 popular platforms. Other compilers and/or debug formats are likely to
12528 work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug C@t{++}
12529 code. @xref{Compilation}.
12530 @end quotation
12531
12532 @enumerate
12533
12534 @cindex member functions
12535 @item
12536 Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
12537
12538 @smallexample
12539 count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
12540 @end smallexample
12541
12542 @vindex this@r{, inside C@t{++} member functions}
12543 @cindex namespace in C@t{++}
12544 @item
12545 While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
12546 expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
12547 that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
12548 pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}. @code{using}
12549 declarations in the current scope are also respected by @value{GDBN}.
12550
12551 @cindex call overloaded functions
12552 @cindex overloaded functions, calling
12553 @cindex type conversions in C@t{++}
12554 @item
12555 You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
12556 call to the right definition, with some restrictions. @value{GDBN} does not
12557 perform overload resolution involving user-defined type conversions,
12558 calls to constructors, or instantiations of templates that do not exist
12559 in the program. It also cannot handle ellipsis argument lists or
12560 default arguments.
12561
12562 It does perform integral conversions and promotions, floating-point
12563 promotions, arithmetic conversions, pointer conversions, conversions of
12564 class objects to base classes, and standard conversions such as those of
12565 functions or arrays to pointers; it requires an exact match on the
12566 number of function arguments.
12567
12568 Overload resolution is always performed, unless you have specified
12569 @code{set overload-resolution off}. @xref{Debugging C Plus Plus,
12570 ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
12571
12572 You must specify @code{set overload-resolution off} in order to use an
12573 explicit function signature to call an overloaded function, as in
12574 @smallexample
12575 p 'foo(char,int)'('x', 13)
12576 @end smallexample
12577
12578 The @value{GDBN} command-completion facility can simplify this;
12579 see @ref{Completion, ,Command Completion}.
12580
12581 @cindex reference declarations
12582 @item
12583 @value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C@t{++} references; you can use
12584 them in expressions just as you do in C@t{++} source---they are automatically
12585 dereferenced.
12586
12587 In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
12588 reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
12589 avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
12590 The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
12591 you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
12592
12593 @item
12594 @value{GDBN} supports the C@t{++} name resolution operator @code{::}---your
12595 expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
12596 one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
12597 necessary, for example in an expression like
12598 @samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
12599 resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C@t{++}
12600 debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program Variables}).
12601
12602 @item
12603 @value{GDBN} performs argument-dependent lookup, following the C@t{++}
12604 specification.
12605 @end enumerate
12606
12607 @node C Defaults
12608 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Defaults
12609
12610 @cindex C and C@t{++} defaults
12611
12612 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set type and range checking automatically, they
12613 both default to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
12614 C or C@t{++}. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
12615 selects the working language.
12616
12617 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it
12618 recognizes source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or
12619 @file{.cc}, etc, and when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of
12620 these files, it sets the working language to C or C@t{++}.
12621 @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language},
12622 for further details.
12623
12624 @c Type checking is (a) primarily motivated by Modula-2, and (b)
12625 @c unimplemented. If (b) changes, it might make sense to let this node
12626 @c appear even if Mod-2 does not, but meanwhile ignore it. roland 16jul93.
12627
12628 @node C Checks
12629 @subsubsection C and C@t{++} Type and Range Checks
12630
12631 @cindex C and C@t{++} checks
12632
12633 By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C@t{++} expressions, type checking
12634 is not used. However, if you turn type checking on, @value{GDBN}
12635 considers two variables type equivalent if:
12636
12637 @itemize @bullet
12638 @item
12639 The two variables are structured and have the same structure, union, or
12640 enumerated tag.
12641
12642 @item
12643 The two variables have the same type name, or types that have been
12644 declared equivalent through @code{typedef}.
12645
12646 @ignore
12647 @c leaving this out because neither J Gilmore nor R Pesch understand it.
12648 @c FIXME--beers?
12649 @item
12650 The two @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} variables are
12651 declared in the same declaration. (Note: this may not be true for all C
12652 compilers.)
12653 @end ignore
12654 @end itemize
12655
12656 Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
12657 indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
12658 that is not itself an array.
12659
12660 @node Debugging C
12661 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
12662
12663 The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
12664 the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
12665 inside a @code{struct} or @code{class} is also printed. Otherwise, it
12666 appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
12667
12668 The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
12669 with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
12670 ,Expressions}.
12671
12672 @node Debugging C Plus Plus
12673 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}
12674
12675 @cindex commands for C@t{++}
12676
12677 Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C@t{++}, and some are
12678 designed specifically for use with C@t{++}. Here is a summary:
12679
12680 @table @code
12681 @cindex break in overloaded functions
12682 @item @r{breakpoint menus}
12683 When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
12684 @value{GDBN} has the capability to display a menu of possible breakpoint
12685 locations to help you specify which function definition you want.
12686 @xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}.
12687
12688 @cindex overloading in C@t{++}
12689 @item rbreak @var{regex}
12690 Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
12691 breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
12692 classes.
12693 @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
12694
12695 @cindex C@t{++} exception handling
12696 @item catch throw
12697 @itemx catch catch
12698 Debug C@t{++} exception handling using these commands. @xref{Set
12699 Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
12700
12701 @cindex inheritance
12702 @item ptype @var{typename}
12703 Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
12704 @var{typename}.
12705 @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
12706
12707 @cindex C@t{++} symbol display
12708 @item set print demangle
12709 @itemx show print demangle
12710 @itemx set print asm-demangle
12711 @itemx show print asm-demangle
12712 Control whether C@t{++} symbols display in their source form, both when
12713 displaying code as C@t{++} source and when displaying disassemblies.
12714 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
12715
12716 @item set print object
12717 @itemx show print object
12718 Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
12719 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
12720
12721 @item set print vtbl
12722 @itemx show print vtbl
12723 Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
12724 @xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
12725 (The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
12726 ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
12727
12728 @kindex set overload-resolution
12729 @cindex overloaded functions, overload resolution
12730 @item set overload-resolution on
12731 Enable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. The default
12732 is on. For overloaded functions, @value{GDBN} evaluates the arguments
12733 and searches for a function whose signature matches the argument types,
12734 using the standard C@t{++} conversion rules (see @ref{C Plus Plus
12735 Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}, for details).
12736 If it cannot find a match, it emits a message.
12737
12738 @item set overload-resolution off
12739 Disable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. For
12740 overloaded functions that are not class member functions, @value{GDBN}
12741 chooses the first function of the specified name that it finds in the
12742 symbol table, whether or not its arguments are of the correct type. For
12743 overloaded functions that are class member functions, @value{GDBN}
12744 searches for a function whose signature @emph{exactly} matches the
12745 argument types.
12746
12747 @kindex show overload-resolution
12748 @item show overload-resolution
12749 Show the current setting of overload resolution.
12750
12751 @item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
12752 You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
12753 the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C@t{++}: type
12754 @code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
12755 also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
12756 available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
12757 @xref{Completion,, Command Completion}, for details on how to do this.
12758 @end table
12759
12760 @node Decimal Floating Point
12761 @subsubsection Decimal Floating Point format
12762 @cindex decimal floating point format
12763
12764 @value{GDBN} can examine, set and perform computations with numbers in
12765 decimal floating point format, which in the C language correspond to the
12766 @code{_Decimal32}, @code{_Decimal64} and @code{_Decimal128} types as
12767 specified by the extension to support decimal floating-point arithmetic.
12768
12769 There are two encodings in use, depending on the architecture: BID (Binary
12770 Integer Decimal) for x86 and x86-64, and DPD (Densely Packed Decimal) for
12771 PowerPC. @value{GDBN} will use the appropriate encoding for the configured
12772 target.
12773
12774 Because of a limitation in @file{libdecnumber}, the library used by @value{GDBN}
12775 to manipulate decimal floating point numbers, it is not possible to convert
12776 (using a cast, for example) integers wider than 32-bit to decimal float.
12777
12778 In addition, in order to imitate @value{GDBN}'s behaviour with binary floating
12779 point computations, error checking in decimal float operations ignores
12780 underflow, overflow and divide by zero exceptions.
12781
12782 In the PowerPC architecture, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers
12783 to inspect @code{_Decimal128} values stored in floating point registers.
12784 See @ref{PowerPC,,PowerPC} for more details.
12785
12786 @node D
12787 @subsection D
12788
12789 @cindex D
12790 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in D and compiled with
12791 GDC, LDC or DMD compilers. Currently @value{GDBN} supports only one D
12792 specific feature --- dynamic arrays.
12793
12794 @node Objective-C
12795 @subsection Objective-C
12796
12797 @cindex Objective-C
12798 This section provides information about some commands and command
12799 options that are useful for debugging Objective-C code. See also
12800 @ref{Symbols, info classes}, and @ref{Symbols, info selectors}, for a
12801 few more commands specific to Objective-C support.
12802
12803 @menu
12804 * Method Names in Commands::
12805 * The Print Command with Objective-C::
12806 @end menu
12807
12808 @node Method Names in Commands
12809 @subsubsection Method Names in Commands
12810
12811 The following commands have been extended to accept Objective-C method
12812 names as line specifications:
12813
12814 @kindex clear@r{, and Objective-C}
12815 @kindex break@r{, and Objective-C}
12816 @kindex info line@r{, and Objective-C}
12817 @kindex jump@r{, and Objective-C}
12818 @kindex list@r{, and Objective-C}
12819 @itemize
12820 @item @code{clear}
12821 @item @code{break}
12822 @item @code{info line}
12823 @item @code{jump}
12824 @item @code{list}
12825 @end itemize
12826
12827 A fully qualified Objective-C method name is specified as
12828
12829 @smallexample
12830 -[@var{Class} @var{methodName}]
12831 @end smallexample
12832
12833 where the minus sign is used to indicate an instance method and a
12834 plus sign (not shown) is used to indicate a class method. The class
12835 name @var{Class} and method name @var{methodName} are enclosed in
12836 brackets, similar to the way messages are specified in Objective-C
12837 source code. For example, to set a breakpoint at the @code{create}
12838 instance method of class @code{Fruit} in the program currently being
12839 debugged, enter:
12840
12841 @smallexample
12842 break -[Fruit create]
12843 @end smallexample
12844
12845 To list ten program lines around the @code{initialize} class method,
12846 enter:
12847
12848 @smallexample
12849 list +[NSText initialize]
12850 @end smallexample
12851
12852 In the current version of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus sign is
12853 required. In future versions of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus
12854 sign will be optional, but you can use it to narrow the search. It
12855 is also possible to specify just a method name:
12856
12857 @smallexample
12858 break create
12859 @end smallexample
12860
12861 You must specify the complete method name, including any colons. If
12862 your program's source files contain more than one @code{create} method,
12863 you'll be presented with a numbered list of classes that implement that
12864 method. Indicate your choice by number, or type @samp{0} to exit if
12865 none apply.
12866
12867 As another example, to clear a breakpoint established at the
12868 @code{makeKeyAndOrderFront:} method of the @code{NSWindow} class, enter:
12869
12870 @smallexample
12871 clear -[NSWindow makeKeyAndOrderFront:]
12872 @end smallexample
12873
12874 @node The Print Command with Objective-C
12875 @subsubsection The Print Command With Objective-C
12876 @cindex Objective-C, print objects
12877 @kindex print-object
12878 @kindex po @r{(@code{print-object})}
12879
12880 The print command has also been extended to accept methods. For example:
12881
12882 @smallexample
12883 print -[@var{object} hash]
12884 @end smallexample
12885
12886 @cindex print an Objective-C object description
12887 @cindex @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, and printing Objective-C objects
12888 @noindent
12889 will tell @value{GDBN} to send the @code{hash} message to @var{object}
12890 and print the result. Also, an additional command has been added,
12891 @code{print-object} or @code{po} for short, which is meant to print
12892 the description of an object. However, this command may only work
12893 with certain Objective-C libraries that have a particular hook
12894 function, @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, defined.
12895
12896 @node OpenCL C
12897 @subsection OpenCL C
12898
12899 @cindex OpenCL C
12900 This section provides information about @value{GDBN}s OpenCL C support.
12901
12902 @menu
12903 * OpenCL C Datatypes::
12904 * OpenCL C Expressions::
12905 * OpenCL C Operators::
12906 @end menu
12907
12908 @node OpenCL C Datatypes
12909 @subsubsection OpenCL C Datatypes
12910
12911 @cindex OpenCL C Datatypes
12912 @value{GDBN} supports the builtin scalar and vector datatypes specified
12913 by OpenCL 1.1. In addition the half- and double-precision floating point
12914 data types of the @code{cl_khr_fp16} and @code{cl_khr_fp64} OpenCL
12915 extensions are also known to @value{GDBN}.
12916
12917 @node OpenCL C Expressions
12918 @subsubsection OpenCL C Expressions
12919
12920 @cindex OpenCL C Expressions
12921 @value{GDBN} supports accesses to vector components including the access as
12922 lvalue where possible. Since OpenCL C is based on C99 most C expressions
12923 supported by @value{GDBN} can be used as well.
12924
12925 @node OpenCL C Operators
12926 @subsubsection OpenCL C Operators
12927
12928 @cindex OpenCL C Operators
12929 @value{GDBN} supports the operators specified by OpenCL 1.1 for scalar and
12930 vector data types.
12931
12932 @node Fortran
12933 @subsection Fortran
12934 @cindex Fortran-specific support in @value{GDBN}
12935
12936 @value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, but it
12937 currently supports only the features of Fortran 77 language.
12938
12939 @cindex trailing underscore, in Fortran symbols
12940 Some Fortran compilers (@sc{gnu} Fortran 77 and Fortran 95 compilers
12941 among them) append an underscore to the names of variables and
12942 functions. When you debug programs compiled by those compilers, you
12943 will need to refer to variables and functions with a trailing
12944 underscore.
12945
12946 @menu
12947 * Fortran Operators:: Fortran operators and expressions
12948 * Fortran Defaults:: Default settings for Fortran
12949 * Special Fortran Commands:: Special @value{GDBN} commands for Fortran
12950 @end menu
12951
12952 @node Fortran Operators
12953 @subsubsection Fortran Operators and Expressions
12954
12955 @cindex Fortran operators and expressions
12956
12957 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
12958 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on characters or other non-
12959 arithmetic types. Operators are often defined on groups of types.
12960
12961 @table @code
12962 @item **
12963 The exponentiation operator. It raises the first operand to the power
12964 of the second one.
12965
12966 @item :
12967 The range operator. Normally used in the form of array(low:high) to
12968 represent a section of array.
12969
12970 @item %
12971 The access component operator. Normally used to access elements in derived
12972 types. Also suitable for unions. As unions aren't part of regular Fortran,
12973 this can only happen when accessing a register that uses a gdbarch-defined
12974 union type.
12975 @end table
12976
12977 @node Fortran Defaults
12978 @subsubsection Fortran Defaults
12979
12980 @cindex Fortran Defaults
12981
12982 Fortran symbols are usually case-insensitive, so @value{GDBN} by
12983 default uses case-insensitive matches for Fortran symbols. You can
12984 change that with the @samp{set case-insensitive} command, see
12985 @ref{Symbols}, for the details.
12986
12987 @node Special Fortran Commands
12988 @subsubsection Special Fortran Commands
12989
12990 @cindex Special Fortran commands
12991
12992 @value{GDBN} has some commands to support Fortran-specific features,
12993 such as displaying common blocks.
12994
12995 @table @code
12996 @cindex @code{COMMON} blocks, Fortran
12997 @kindex info common
12998 @item info common @r{[}@var{common-name}@r{]}
12999 This command prints the values contained in the Fortran @code{COMMON}
13000 block whose name is @var{common-name}. With no argument, the names of
13001 all @code{COMMON} blocks visible at the current program location are
13002 printed.
13003 @end table
13004
13005 @node Pascal
13006 @subsection Pascal
13007
13008 @cindex Pascal support in @value{GDBN}, limitations
13009 Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
13010 nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
13011 entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
13012 syntax.
13013
13014 The Pascal-specific command @code{set print pascal_static-members}
13015 controls whether static members of Pascal objects are displayed.
13016 @xref{Print Settings, pascal_static-members}.
13017
13018 @node Modula-2
13019 @subsection Modula-2
13020
13021 @cindex Modula-2, @value{GDBN} support
13022
13023 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
13024 output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
13025 developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
13026 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
13027 to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
13028 table.
13029
13030 @cindex expressions in Modula-2
13031 @menu
13032 * M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
13033 * Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
13034 * M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
13035 * M2 Types:: Modula-2 types
13036 * M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
13037 * Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
13038 * M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
13039 * M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
13040 * GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
13041 @end menu
13042
13043 @node M2 Operators
13044 @subsubsection Operators
13045 @cindex Modula-2 operators
13046
13047 Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
13048 @code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
13049 often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
13050 following definitions hold:
13051
13052 @itemize @bullet
13053
13054 @item
13055 @emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
13056 their subranges.
13057
13058 @item
13059 @emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
13060
13061 @item
13062 @emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
13063
13064 @item
13065 @emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
13066 @var{type}}.
13067
13068 @item
13069 @emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
13070
13071 @item
13072 @emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
13073
13074 @item
13075 @emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
13076 @end itemize
13077
13078 @noindent
13079 The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
13080 increasing precedence:
13081
13082 @table @code
13083 @item ,
13084 Function argument or array index separator.
13085
13086 @item :=
13087 Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
13088 @var{value}.
13089
13090 @item <@r{, }>
13091 Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
13092 types.
13093
13094 @item <=@r{, }>=
13095 Less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
13096 on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
13097 set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
13098
13099 @item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
13100 Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
13101 Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
13102 available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
13103 comment character.
13104
13105 @item IN
13106 Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
13107 Same precedence as @code{<}.
13108
13109 @item OR
13110 Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
13111
13112 @item AND@r{, }&
13113 Boolean conjunction. Defined on boolean types.
13114
13115 @item @@
13116 The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
13117
13118 @item +@r{, }-
13119 Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
13120 and difference on set types.
13121
13122 @item *
13123 Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
13124 on set types.
13125
13126 @item /
13127 Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
13128 types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
13129
13130 @item DIV@r{, }MOD
13131 Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
13132 precedence as @code{*}.
13133
13134 @item -
13135 Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
13136
13137 @item ^
13138 Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
13139
13140 @item NOT
13141 Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
13142 @code{^}.
13143
13144 @item .
13145 @code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
13146 precedence as @code{^}.
13147
13148 @item []
13149 Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
13150
13151 @item ()
13152 Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
13153 as @code{^}.
13154
13155 @item ::@r{, }.
13156 @value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
13157 @end table
13158
13159 @quotation
13160 @emph{Warning:} Set expressions and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
13161 treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
13162 @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
13163 @code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
13164 @end quotation
13165
13166
13167 @node Built-In Func/Proc
13168 @subsubsection Built-in Functions and Procedures
13169 @cindex Modula-2 built-ins
13170
13171 Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
13172 In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
13173
13174 @table @var
13175
13176 @item a
13177 represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
13178
13179 @item c
13180 represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
13181
13182 @item i
13183 represents a variable or constant of integral type.
13184
13185 @item m
13186 represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
13187 same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
13188 be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
13189
13190 @item n
13191 represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
13192
13193 @item r
13194 represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
13195
13196 @item t
13197 represents a type.
13198
13199 @item v
13200 represents a variable.
13201
13202 @item x
13203 represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
13204 explanation of the function for details.
13205 @end table
13206
13207 All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
13208
13209 @table @code
13210 @item ABS(@var{n})
13211 Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
13212
13213 @item CAP(@var{c})
13214 If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
13215 equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument.
13216
13217 @item CHR(@var{i})
13218 Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
13219
13220 @item DEC(@var{v})
13221 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
13222
13223 @item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
13224 Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
13225 new value.
13226
13227 @item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
13228 Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
13229 set.
13230
13231 @item FLOAT(@var{i})
13232 Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
13233
13234 @item HIGH(@var{a})
13235 Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
13236
13237 @item INC(@var{v})
13238 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
13239
13240 @item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
13241 Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
13242 new value.
13243
13244 @item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
13245 Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
13246 there. Returns the new set.
13247
13248 @item MAX(@var{t})
13249 Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
13250
13251 @item MIN(@var{t})
13252 Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
13253
13254 @item ODD(@var{i})
13255 Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
13256
13257 @item ORD(@var{x})
13258 Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
13259 value of a character is its @sc{ascii} value (on machines supporting the
13260 @sc{ascii} character set). @var{x} must be of an ordered type, which include
13261 integral, character and enumerated types.
13262
13263 @item SIZE(@var{x})
13264 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
13265
13266 @item TRUNC(@var{r})
13267 Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
13268
13269 @item TSIZE(@var{x})
13270 Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
13271
13272 @item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
13273 Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
13274 @end table
13275
13276 @quotation
13277 @emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
13278 @value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
13279 an error.
13280 @end quotation
13281
13282 @cindex Modula-2 constants
13283 @node M2 Constants
13284 @subsubsection Constants
13285
13286 @value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
13287 ways:
13288
13289 @itemize @bullet
13290
13291 @item
13292 Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
13293 expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
13294 rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
13295 trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
13296
13297 @item
13298 Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
13299 decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
13300 then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
13301 @samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
13302 digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
13303 digits.
13304
13305 @item
13306 Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
13307 like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
13308 also be expressed by their ordinal value (their @sc{ascii} value, usually)
13309 followed by a @samp{C}.
13310
13311 @item
13312 String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
13313 pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
13314 Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
13315 Constants, ,C and C@t{++} Constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
13316 sequences.
13317
13318 @item
13319 Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
13320
13321 @item
13322 Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
13323 @code{FALSE}.
13324
13325 @item
13326 Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
13327
13328 @item
13329 Set constants are not yet supported.
13330 @end itemize
13331
13332 @node M2 Types
13333 @subsubsection Modula-2 Types
13334 @cindex Modula-2 types
13335
13336 Currently @value{GDBN} can print the following data types in Modula-2
13337 syntax: array types, record types, set types, pointer types, procedure
13338 types, enumerated types, subrange types and base types. You can also
13339 print the contents of variables declared using these type.
13340 This section gives a number of simple source code examples together with
13341 sample @value{GDBN} sessions.
13342
13343 The first example contains the following section of code:
13344
13345 @smallexample
13346 VAR
13347 s: SET OF CHAR ;
13348 r: [20..40] ;
13349 @end smallexample
13350
13351 @noindent
13352 and you can request @value{GDBN} to interrogate the type and value of
13353 @code{r} and @code{s}.
13354
13355 @smallexample
13356 (@value{GDBP}) print s
13357 @{'A'..'C', 'Z'@}
13358 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13359 SET OF CHAR
13360 (@value{GDBP}) print r
13361 21
13362 (@value{GDBP}) ptype r
13363 [20..40]
13364 @end smallexample
13365
13366 @noindent
13367 Likewise if your source code declares @code{s} as:
13368
13369 @smallexample
13370 VAR
13371 s: SET ['A'..'Z'] ;
13372 @end smallexample
13373
13374 @noindent
13375 then you may query the type of @code{s} by:
13376
13377 @smallexample
13378 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13379 type = SET ['A'..'Z']
13380 @end smallexample
13381
13382 @noindent
13383 Note that at present you cannot interactively manipulate set
13384 expressions using the debugger.
13385
13386 The following example shows how you might declare an array in Modula-2
13387 and how you can interact with @value{GDBN} to print its type and contents:
13388
13389 @smallexample
13390 VAR
13391 s: ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR ;
13392 @end smallexample
13393
13394 @smallexample
13395 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13396 ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR
13397 @end smallexample
13398
13399 Note that the array handling is not yet complete and although the type
13400 is printed correctly, expression handling still assumes that all
13401 arrays have a lower bound of zero and not @code{-10} as in the example
13402 above.
13403
13404 Here are some more type related Modula-2 examples:
13405
13406 @smallexample
13407 TYPE
13408 colour = (blue, red, yellow, green) ;
13409 t = [blue..yellow] ;
13410 VAR
13411 s: t ;
13412 BEGIN
13413 s := blue ;
13414 @end smallexample
13415
13416 @noindent
13417 The @value{GDBN} interaction shows how you can query the data type
13418 and value of a variable.
13419
13420 @smallexample
13421 (@value{GDBP}) print s
13422 $1 = blue
13423 (@value{GDBP}) ptype t
13424 type = [blue..yellow]
13425 @end smallexample
13426
13427 @noindent
13428 In this example a Modula-2 array is declared and its contents
13429 displayed. Observe that the contents are written in the same way as
13430 their @code{C} counterparts.
13431
13432 @smallexample
13433 VAR
13434 s: ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
13435 BEGIN
13436 s[1] := 1 ;
13437 @end smallexample
13438
13439 @smallexample
13440 (@value{GDBP}) print s
13441 $1 = @{1, 0, 0, 0, 0@}
13442 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13443 type = ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
13444 @end smallexample
13445
13446 The Modula-2 language interface to @value{GDBN} also understands
13447 pointer types as shown in this example:
13448
13449 @smallexample
13450 VAR
13451 s: POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
13452 BEGIN
13453 NEW(s) ;
13454 s^[1] := 1 ;
13455 @end smallexample
13456
13457 @noindent
13458 and you can request that @value{GDBN} describes the type of @code{s}.
13459
13460 @smallexample
13461 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13462 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
13463 @end smallexample
13464
13465 @value{GDBN} handles compound types as we can see in this example.
13466 Here we combine array types, record types, pointer types and subrange
13467 types:
13468
13469 @smallexample
13470 TYPE
13471 foo = RECORD
13472 f1: CARDINAL ;
13473 f2: CHAR ;
13474 f3: myarray ;
13475 END ;
13476
13477 myarray = ARRAY myrange OF CARDINAL ;
13478 myrange = [-2..2] ;
13479 VAR
13480 s: POINTER TO ARRAY myrange OF foo ;
13481 @end smallexample
13482
13483 @noindent
13484 and you can ask @value{GDBN} to describe the type of @code{s} as shown
13485 below.
13486
13487 @smallexample
13488 (@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13489 type = POINTER TO ARRAY [-2..2] OF foo = RECORD
13490 f1 : CARDINAL;
13491 f2 : CHAR;
13492 f3 : ARRAY [-2..2] OF CARDINAL;
13493 END
13494 @end smallexample
13495
13496 @node M2 Defaults
13497 @subsubsection Modula-2 Defaults
13498 @cindex Modula-2 defaults
13499
13500 If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
13501 both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
13502 Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
13503 selected the working language.
13504
13505 If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
13506 code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
13507 working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN}
13508 Infer the Source Language}, for further details.
13509
13510 @node Deviations
13511 @subsubsection Deviations from Standard Modula-2
13512 @cindex Modula-2, deviations from
13513
13514 A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
13515 This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
13516
13517 @itemize @bullet
13518 @item
13519 Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
13520 integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
13521 debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
13522 pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
13523 through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
13524 returned a pointer.)
13525
13526 @item
13527 C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
13528 non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
13529 escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
13530 printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
13531
13532 @item
13533 The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
13534 argument.
13535
13536 @item
13537 All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
13538 @end itemize
13539
13540 @node M2 Checks
13541 @subsubsection Modula-2 Type and Range Checks
13542 @cindex Modula-2 checks
13543
13544 @quotation
13545 @emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
13546 range checking.
13547 @end quotation
13548 @c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
13549
13550 @value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
13551
13552 @itemize @bullet
13553 @item
13554 They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
13555 @var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
13556
13557 @item
13558 They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
13559 @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
13560 @end itemize
13561
13562 As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
13563 whose types are not equivalent is an error.
13564
13565 Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
13566 index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
13567
13568 @node M2 Scope
13569 @subsubsection The Scope Operators @code{::} and @code{.}
13570 @cindex scope
13571 @cindex @code{.}, Modula-2 scope operator
13572 @cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
13573 @ifinfo
13574 @vindex colon-colon@r{, in Modula-2}
13575 @c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
13576 @end ifinfo
13577 @ifnotinfo
13578 @vindex ::@r{, in Modula-2}
13579 @end ifnotinfo
13580
13581 There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
13582 (@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
13583 similar syntax:
13584
13585 @smallexample
13586
13587 @var{module} . @var{id}
13588 @var{scope} :: @var{id}
13589 @end smallexample
13590
13591 @noindent
13592 where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
13593 @var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
13594 identifier within your program, except another module.
13595
13596 Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
13597 specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
13598 found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
13599 enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
13600
13601 Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
13602 the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
13603 definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
13604 an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
13605 module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
13606 @var{module}.
13607
13608 @node GDB/M2
13609 @subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
13610
13611 Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
13612 Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
13613 specifically to C and C@t{++}: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
13614 @samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
13615 apply to C@t{++}, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
13616 analogue in Modula-2.
13617
13618 The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
13619 with any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
13620 intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
13621 created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C@t{++}. However, because an
13622 address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
13623 @samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful.
13624
13625 @cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
13626 In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
13627 interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
13628
13629 @node Ada
13630 @subsection Ada
13631 @cindex Ada
13632
13633 The extensions made to @value{GDBN} for Ada only support
13634 output from the @sc{gnu} Ada (GNAT) compiler.
13635 Other Ada compilers are not currently supported, and
13636 attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
13637 to be difficult.
13638
13639
13640 @cindex expressions in Ada
13641 @menu
13642 * Ada Mode Intro:: General remarks on the Ada syntax
13643 and semantics supported by Ada mode
13644 in @value{GDBN}.
13645 * Omissions from Ada:: Restrictions on the Ada expression syntax.
13646 * Additions to Ada:: Extensions of the Ada expression syntax.
13647 * Stopping Before Main Program:: Debugging the program during elaboration.
13648 * Ada Tasks:: Listing and setting breakpoints in tasks.
13649 * Ada Tasks and Core Files:: Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
13650 * Ravenscar Profile:: Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar
13651 Profile
13652 * Ada Glitches:: Known peculiarities of Ada mode.
13653 @end menu
13654
13655 @node Ada Mode Intro
13656 @subsubsection Introduction
13657 @cindex Ada mode, general
13658
13659 The Ada mode of @value{GDBN} supports a fairly large subset of Ada expression
13660 syntax, with some extensions.
13661 The philosophy behind the design of this subset is
13662
13663 @itemize @bullet
13664 @item
13665 That @value{GDBN} should provide basic literals and access to operations for
13666 arithmetic, dereferencing, field selection, indexing, and subprogram calls,
13667 leaving more sophisticated computations to subprograms written into the
13668 program (which therefore may be called from @value{GDBN}).
13669
13670 @item
13671 That type safety and strict adherence to Ada language restrictions
13672 are not particularly important to the @value{GDBN} user.
13673
13674 @item
13675 That brevity is important to the @value{GDBN} user.
13676 @end itemize
13677
13678 Thus, for brevity, the debugger acts as if all names declared in
13679 user-written packages are directly visible, even if they are not visible
13680 according to Ada rules, thus making it unnecessary to fully qualify most
13681 names with their packages, regardless of context. Where this causes
13682 ambiguity, @value{GDBN} asks the user's intent.
13683
13684 The debugger will start in Ada mode if it detects an Ada main program.
13685 As for other languages, it will enter Ada mode when stopped in a program that
13686 was translated from an Ada source file.
13687
13688 While in Ada mode, you may use `@t{--}' for comments. This is useful
13689 mostly for documenting command files. The standard @value{GDBN} comment
13690 (@samp{#}) still works at the beginning of a line in Ada mode, but not in the
13691 middle (to allow based literals).
13692
13693 The debugger supports limited overloading. Given a subprogram call in which
13694 the function symbol has multiple definitions, it will use the number of
13695 actual parameters and some information about their types to attempt to narrow
13696 the set of definitions. It also makes very limited use of context, preferring
13697 procedures to functions in the context of the @code{call} command, and
13698 functions to procedures elsewhere.
13699
13700 @node Omissions from Ada
13701 @subsubsection Omissions from Ada
13702 @cindex Ada, omissions from
13703
13704 Here are the notable omissions from the subset:
13705
13706 @itemize @bullet
13707 @item
13708 Only a subset of the attributes are supported:
13709
13710 @itemize @minus
13711 @item
13712 @t{'First}, @t{'Last}, and @t{'Length}
13713 on array objects (not on types and subtypes).
13714
13715 @item
13716 @t{'Min} and @t{'Max}.
13717
13718 @item
13719 @t{'Pos} and @t{'Val}.
13720
13721 @item
13722 @t{'Tag}.
13723
13724 @item
13725 @t{'Range} on array objects (not subtypes), but only as the right
13726 operand of the membership (@code{in}) operator.
13727
13728 @item
13729 @t{'Access}, @t{'Unchecked_Access}, and
13730 @t{'Unrestricted_Access} (a GNAT extension).
13731
13732 @item
13733 @t{'Address}.
13734 @end itemize
13735
13736 @item
13737 The names in
13738 @code{Characters.Latin_1} are not available and
13739 concatenation is not implemented. Thus, escape characters in strings are
13740 not currently available.
13741
13742 @item
13743 Equality tests (@samp{=} and @samp{/=}) on arrays test for bitwise
13744 equality of representations. They will generally work correctly
13745 for strings and arrays whose elements have integer or enumeration types.
13746 They may not work correctly for arrays whose element
13747 types have user-defined equality, for arrays of real values
13748 (in particular, IEEE-conformant floating point, because of negative
13749 zeroes and NaNs), and for arrays whose elements contain unused bits with
13750 indeterminate values.
13751
13752 @item
13753 The other component-by-component array operations (@code{and}, @code{or},
13754 @code{xor}, @code{not}, and relational tests other than equality)
13755 are not implemented.
13756
13757 @item
13758 @cindex array aggregates (Ada)
13759 @cindex record aggregates (Ada)
13760 @cindex aggregates (Ada)
13761 There is limited support for array and record aggregates. They are
13762 permitted only on the right sides of assignments, as in these examples:
13763
13764 @smallexample
13765 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
13766 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, others => 0)
13767 (@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (0|4 => 1, 1..3 => 2, 5 => 6)
13768 (@value{GDBP}) set A_2D_Array := ((1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9))
13769 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (1, "Peter", True);
13770 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (Name => "Peter", Id => 1, Alive => True)
13771 @end smallexample
13772
13773 Changing a
13774 discriminant's value by assigning an aggregate has an
13775 undefined effect if that discriminant is used within the record.
13776 However, you can first modify discriminants by directly assigning to
13777 them (which normally would not be allowed in Ada), and then performing an
13778 aggregate assignment. For example, given a variable @code{A_Rec}
13779 declared to have a type such as:
13780
13781 @smallexample
13782 type Rec (Len : Small_Integer := 0) is record
13783 Id : Integer;
13784 Vals : IntArray (1 .. Len);
13785 end record;
13786 @end smallexample
13787
13788 you can assign a value with a different size of @code{Vals} with two
13789 assignments:
13790
13791 @smallexample
13792 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec.Len := 4
13793 (@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec := (Id => 42, Vals => (1, 2, 3, 4))
13794 @end smallexample
13795
13796 As this example also illustrates, @value{GDBN} is very loose about the usual
13797 rules concerning aggregates. You may leave out some of the
13798 components of an array or record aggregate (such as the @code{Len}
13799 component in the assignment to @code{A_Rec} above); they will retain their
13800 original values upon assignment. You may freely use dynamic values as
13801 indices in component associations. You may even use overlapping or
13802 redundant component associations, although which component values are
13803 assigned in such cases is not defined.
13804
13805 @item
13806 Calls to dispatching subprograms are not implemented.
13807
13808 @item
13809 The overloading algorithm is much more limited (i.e., less selective)
13810 than that of real Ada. It makes only limited use of the context in
13811 which a subexpression appears to resolve its meaning, and it is much
13812 looser in its rules for allowing type matches. As a result, some
13813 function calls will be ambiguous, and the user will be asked to choose
13814 the proper resolution.
13815
13816 @item
13817 The @code{new} operator is not implemented.
13818
13819 @item
13820 Entry calls are not implemented.
13821
13822 @item
13823 Aside from printing, arithmetic operations on the native VAX floating-point
13824 formats are not supported.
13825
13826 @item
13827 It is not possible to slice a packed array.
13828
13829 @item
13830 The names @code{True} and @code{False}, when not part of a qualified name,
13831 are interpreted as if implicitly prefixed by @code{Standard}, regardless of
13832 context.
13833 Should your program
13834 redefine these names in a package or procedure (at best a dubious practice),
13835 you will have to use fully qualified names to access their new definitions.
13836 @end itemize
13837
13838 @node Additions to Ada
13839 @subsubsection Additions to Ada
13840 @cindex Ada, deviations from
13841
13842 As it does for other languages, @value{GDBN} makes certain generic
13843 extensions to Ada (@pxref{Expressions}):
13844
13845 @itemize @bullet
13846 @item
13847 If the expression @var{E} is a variable residing in memory (typically
13848 a local variable or array element) and @var{N} is a positive integer,
13849 then @code{@var{E}@@@var{N}} displays the values of @var{E} and the
13850 @var{N}-1 adjacent variables following it in memory as an array. In
13851 Ada, this operator is generally not necessary, since its prime use is
13852 in displaying parts of an array, and slicing will usually do this in
13853 Ada. However, there are occasional uses when debugging programs in
13854 which certain debugging information has been optimized away.
13855
13856 @item
13857 @code{@var{B}::@var{var}} means ``the variable named @var{var} that
13858 appears in function or file @var{B}.'' When @var{B} is a file name,
13859 you must typically surround it in single quotes.
13860
13861 @item
13862 The expression @code{@{@var{type}@} @var{addr}} means ``the variable of type
13863 @var{type} that appears at address @var{addr}.''
13864
13865 @item
13866 A name starting with @samp{$} is a convenience variable
13867 (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) or a machine register (@pxref{Registers}).
13868 @end itemize
13869
13870 In addition, @value{GDBN} provides a few other shortcuts and outright
13871 additions specific to Ada:
13872
13873 @itemize @bullet
13874 @item
13875 The assignment statement is allowed as an expression, returning
13876 its right-hand operand as its value. Thus, you may enter
13877
13878 @smallexample
13879 (@value{GDBP}) set x := y + 3
13880 (@value{GDBP}) print A(tmp := y + 1)
13881 @end smallexample
13882
13883 @item
13884 The semicolon is allowed as an ``operator,'' returning as its value
13885 the value of its right-hand operand.
13886 This allows, for example,
13887 complex conditional breaks:
13888
13889 @smallexample
13890 (@value{GDBP}) break f
13891 (@value{GDBP}) condition 1 (report(i); k += 1; A(k) > 100)
13892 @end smallexample
13893
13894 @item
13895 Rather than use catenation and symbolic character names to introduce special
13896 characters into strings, one may instead use a special bracket notation,
13897 which is also used to print strings. A sequence of characters of the form
13898 @samp{["@var{XX}"]} within a string or character literal denotes the
13899 (single) character whose numeric encoding is @var{XX} in hexadecimal. The
13900 sequence of characters @samp{["""]} also denotes a single quotation mark
13901 in strings. For example,
13902 @smallexample
13903 "One line.["0a"]Next line.["0a"]"
13904 @end smallexample
13905 @noindent
13906 contains an ASCII newline character (@code{Ada.Characters.Latin_1.LF})
13907 after each period.
13908
13909 @item
13910 The subtype used as a prefix for the attributes @t{'Pos}, @t{'Min}, and
13911 @t{'Max} is optional (and is ignored in any case). For example, it is valid
13912 to write
13913
13914 @smallexample
13915 (@value{GDBP}) print 'max(x, y)
13916 @end smallexample
13917
13918 @item
13919 When printing arrays, @value{GDBN} uses positional notation when the
13920 array has a lower bound of 1, and uses a modified named notation otherwise.
13921 For example, a one-dimensional array of three integers with a lower bound
13922 of 3 might print as
13923
13924 @smallexample
13925 (3 => 10, 17, 1)
13926 @end smallexample
13927
13928 @noindent
13929 That is, in contrast to valid Ada, only the first component has a @code{=>}
13930 clause.
13931
13932 @item
13933 You may abbreviate attributes in expressions with any unique,
13934 multi-character subsequence of
13935 their names (an exact match gets preference).
13936 For example, you may use @t{a'len}, @t{a'gth}, or @t{a'lh}
13937 in place of @t{a'length}.
13938
13939 @item
13940 @cindex quoting Ada internal identifiers
13941 Since Ada is case-insensitive, the debugger normally maps identifiers you type
13942 to lower case. The GNAT compiler uses upper-case characters for
13943 some of its internal identifiers, which are normally of no interest to users.
13944 For the rare occasions when you actually have to look at them,
13945 enclose them in angle brackets to avoid the lower-case mapping.
13946 For example,
13947 @smallexample
13948 (@value{GDBP}) print <JMPBUF_SAVE>[0]
13949 @end smallexample
13950
13951 @item
13952 Printing an object of class-wide type or dereferencing an
13953 access-to-class-wide value will display all the components of the object's
13954 specific type (as indicated by its run-time tag). Likewise, component
13955 selection on such a value will operate on the specific type of the
13956 object.
13957
13958 @end itemize
13959
13960 @node Stopping Before Main Program
13961 @subsubsection Stopping at the Very Beginning
13962
13963 @cindex breakpointing Ada elaboration code
13964 It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration, and
13965 before reaching the main procedure.
13966 As defined in the Ada Reference
13967 Manual, the elaboration code is invoked from a procedure called
13968 @code{adainit}. To run your program up to the beginning of
13969 elaboration, simply use the following two commands:
13970 @code{tbreak adainit} and @code{run}.
13971
13972 @node Ada Tasks
13973 @subsubsection Extensions for Ada Tasks
13974 @cindex Ada, tasking
13975
13976 Support for Ada tasks is analogous to that for threads (@pxref{Threads}).
13977 @value{GDBN} provides the following task-related commands:
13978
13979 @table @code
13980 @kindex info tasks
13981 @item info tasks
13982 This command shows a list of current Ada tasks, as in the following example:
13983
13984
13985 @smallexample
13986 @iftex
13987 @leftskip=0.5cm
13988 @end iftex
13989 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13990 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13991 1 8088000 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13992 2 80a4000 1 15 Accept Statement b
13993 3 809a800 1 15 Child Activation Wait a
13994 * 4 80ae800 3 15 Runnable c
13995
13996 @end smallexample
13997
13998 @noindent
13999 In this listing, the asterisk before the last task indicates it to be the
14000 task currently being inspected.
14001
14002 @table @asis
14003 @item ID
14004 Represents @value{GDBN}'s internal task number.
14005
14006 @item TID
14007 The Ada task ID.
14008
14009 @item P-ID
14010 The parent's task ID (@value{GDBN}'s internal task number).
14011
14012 @item Pri
14013 The base priority of the task.
14014
14015 @item State
14016 Current state of the task.
14017
14018 @table @code
14019 @item Unactivated
14020 The task has been created but has not been activated. It cannot be
14021 executing.
14022
14023 @item Runnable
14024 The task is not blocked for any reason known to Ada. (It may be waiting
14025 for a mutex, though.) It is conceptually "executing" in normal mode.
14026
14027 @item Terminated
14028 The task is terminated, in the sense of ARM 9.3 (5). Any dependents
14029 that were waiting on terminate alternatives have been awakened and have
14030 terminated themselves.
14031
14032 @item Child Activation Wait
14033 The task is waiting for created tasks to complete activation.
14034
14035 @item Accept Statement
14036 The task is waiting on an accept or selective wait statement.
14037
14038 @item Waiting on entry call
14039 The task is waiting on an entry call.
14040
14041 @item Async Select Wait
14042 The task is waiting to start the abortable part of an asynchronous
14043 select statement.
14044
14045 @item Delay Sleep
14046 The task is waiting on a select statement with only a delay
14047 alternative open.
14048
14049 @item Child Termination Wait
14050 The task is sleeping having completed a master within itself, and is
14051 waiting for the tasks dependent on that master to become terminated or
14052 waiting on a terminate Phase.
14053
14054 @item Wait Child in Term Alt
14055 The task is sleeping waiting for tasks on terminate alternatives to
14056 finish terminating.
14057
14058 @item Accepting RV with @var{taskno}
14059 The task is accepting a rendez-vous with the task @var{taskno}.
14060 @end table
14061
14062 @item Name
14063 Name of the task in the program.
14064
14065 @end table
14066
14067 @kindex info task @var{taskno}
14068 @item info task @var{taskno}
14069 This command shows detailled informations on the specified task, as in
14070 the following example:
14071 @smallexample
14072 @iftex
14073 @leftskip=0.5cm
14074 @end iftex
14075 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14076 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14077 1 8077880 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14078 * 2 807c468 1 15 Runnable task_1
14079 (@value{GDBP}) info task 2
14080 Ada Task: 0x807c468
14081 Name: task_1
14082 Thread: 0x807f378
14083 Parent: 1 (main_task)
14084 Base Priority: 15
14085 State: Runnable
14086 @end smallexample
14087
14088 @item task
14089 @kindex task@r{ (Ada)}
14090 @cindex current Ada task ID
14091 This command prints the ID of the current task.
14092
14093 @smallexample
14094 @iftex
14095 @leftskip=0.5cm
14096 @end iftex
14097 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14098 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14099 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14100 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
14101 (@value{GDBP}) task
14102 [Current task is 2]
14103 @end smallexample
14104
14105 @item task @var{taskno}
14106 @cindex Ada task switching
14107 This command is like the @code{thread @var{threadno}}
14108 command (@pxref{Threads}). It switches the context of debugging
14109 from the current task to the given task.
14110
14111 @smallexample
14112 @iftex
14113 @leftskip=0.5cm
14114 @end iftex
14115 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14116 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14117 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14118 * 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
14119 (@value{GDBP}) task 1
14120 [Switching to task 1]
14121 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
14122 (@value{GDBP}) bt
14123 #0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
14124 #1 0x8056714 in system.os_interface.pthread_cond_wait ()
14125 #2 0x805cb63 in system.task_primitives.operations.sleep ()
14126 #3 0x806153e in system.tasking.stages.activate_tasks ()
14127 #4 0x804aacc in un () at un.adb:5
14128 @end smallexample
14129
14130 @item break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno}
14131 @itemx break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno} if @dots{}
14132 @cindex breakpoints and tasks, in Ada
14133 @cindex task breakpoints, in Ada
14134 @kindex break @dots{} task @var{taskno}@r{ (Ada)}
14135 These commands are like the @code{break @dots{} thread @dots{}}
14136 command (@pxref{Thread Stops}).
14137 @var{linespec} specifies source lines, as described
14138 in @ref{Specify Location}.
14139
14140 Use the qualifier @samp{task @var{taskno}} with a breakpoint command
14141 to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
14142 particular Ada task reaches this breakpoint. @var{taskno} is one of the
14143 numeric task identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
14144 column of the @samp{info tasks} display.
14145
14146 If you do not specify @samp{task @var{taskno}} when you set a
14147 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} tasks of your
14148 program.
14149
14150 You can use the @code{task} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
14151 well; in this case, place @samp{task @var{taskno}} before the
14152 breakpoint condition (before the @code{if}).
14153
14154 For example,
14155
14156 @smallexample
14157 @iftex
14158 @leftskip=0.5cm
14159 @end iftex
14160 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14161 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14162 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14163 2 140045060 1 15 Accept/Select Wait t2
14164 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
14165 * 4 140056040 1 15 Runnable t3
14166 (@value{GDBP}) b 15 task 2
14167 Breakpoint 5 at 0x120044cb0: file test_task_debug.adb, line 15.
14168 (@value{GDBP}) cont
14169 Continuing.
14170 task # 1 running
14171 task # 2 running
14172
14173 Breakpoint 5, test_task_debug () at test_task_debug.adb:15
14174 15 flush;
14175 (@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14176 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14177 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14178 * 2 140045060 1 15 Runnable t2
14179 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
14180 4 140056040 1 15 Delay Sleep t3
14181 @end smallexample
14182 @end table
14183
14184 @node Ada Tasks and Core Files
14185 @subsubsection Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
14186 @cindex Ada tasking and core file debugging
14187
14188 When inspecting a core file, as opposed to debugging a live program,
14189 tasking support may be limited or even unavailable, depending on
14190 the platform being used.
14191 For instance, on x86-linux, the list of tasks is available, but task
14192 switching is not supported. On Tru64, however, task switching will work
14193 as usual.
14194
14195 On certain platforms, including Tru64, the debugger needs to perform some
14196 memory writes in order to provide Ada tasking support. When inspecting
14197 a core file, this means that the core file must be opened with read-write
14198 privileges, using the command @samp{"set write on"} (@pxref{Patching}).
14199 Under these circumstances, you should make a backup copy of the core
14200 file before inspecting it with @value{GDBN}.
14201
14202 @node Ravenscar Profile
14203 @subsubsection Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar Profile
14204 @cindex Ravenscar Profile
14205
14206 The @dfn{Ravenscar Profile} is a subset of the Ada tasking features,
14207 specifically designed for systems with safety-critical real-time
14208 requirements.
14209
14210 @table @code
14211 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching on
14212 @cindex task switching with program using Ravenscar Profile
14213 @item set ravenscar task-switching on
14214 Allows task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
14215 Profile. This is the default.
14216
14217 @kindex set ravenscar task-switching off
14218 @item set ravenscar task-switching off
14219 Turn off task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
14220 Profile. This is mostly intended to disable the code that adds support
14221 for the Ravenscar Profile, in case a bug in either @value{GDBN} or in
14222 the Ravenscar runtime is preventing @value{GDBN} from working properly.
14223 To be effective, this command should be run before the program is started.
14224
14225 @kindex show ravenscar task-switching
14226 @item show ravenscar task-switching
14227 Show whether it is possible to switch from task to task in a program
14228 using the Ravenscar Profile.
14229
14230 @end table
14231
14232 @node Ada Glitches
14233 @subsubsection Known Peculiarities of Ada Mode
14234 @cindex Ada, problems
14235
14236 Besides the omissions listed previously (@pxref{Omissions from Ada}),
14237 we know of several problems with and limitations of Ada mode in
14238 @value{GDBN},
14239 some of which will be fixed with planned future releases of the debugger
14240 and the GNU Ada compiler.
14241
14242 @itemize @bullet
14243 @item
14244 Static constants that the compiler chooses not to materialize as objects in
14245 storage are invisible to the debugger.
14246
14247 @item
14248 Named parameter associations in function argument lists are ignored (the
14249 argument lists are treated as positional).
14250
14251 @item
14252 Many useful library packages are currently invisible to the debugger.
14253
14254 @item
14255 Fixed-point arithmetic, conversions, input, and output is carried out using
14256 floating-point arithmetic, and may give results that only approximate those on
14257 the host machine.
14258
14259 @item
14260 The GNAT compiler never generates the prefix @code{Standard} for any of
14261 the standard symbols defined by the Ada language. @value{GDBN} knows about
14262 this: it will strip the prefix from names when you use it, and will never
14263 look for a name you have so qualified among local symbols, nor match against
14264 symbols in other packages or subprograms. If you have
14265 defined entities anywhere in your program other than parameters and
14266 local variables whose simple names match names in @code{Standard},
14267 GNAT's lack of qualification here can cause confusion. When this happens,
14268 you can usually resolve the confusion
14269 by qualifying the problematic names with package
14270 @code{Standard} explicitly.
14271 @end itemize
14272
14273 Older versions of the compiler sometimes generate erroneous debugging
14274 information, resulting in the debugger incorrectly printing the value
14275 of affected entities. In some cases, the debugger is able to work
14276 around an issue automatically. In other cases, the debugger is able
14277 to work around the issue, but the work-around has to be specifically
14278 enabled.
14279
14280 @kindex set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
14281 @kindex show ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
14282 @table @code
14283
14284 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS on
14285 Configure GDB to strictly follow the GNAT encoding when computing the
14286 value of Ada entities, particularly when @code{PAD} and @code{PAD___XVS}
14287 types are involved (see @code{ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources for
14288 a complete description of the encoding used by the GNAT compiler).
14289 This is the default.
14290
14291 @item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS off
14292 This is related to the encoding using by the GNAT compiler. If @value{GDBN}
14293 sometimes prints the wrong value for certain entities, changing @code{ada
14294 trust-PAD-over-XVS} to @code{off} activates a work-around which may fix
14295 the issue. It is always safe to set @code{ada trust-PAD-over-XVS} to
14296 @code{off}, but this incurs a slight performance penalty, so it is
14297 recommended to leave this setting to @code{on} unless necessary.
14298
14299 @end table
14300
14301 @node Unsupported Languages
14302 @section Unsupported Languages
14303
14304 @cindex unsupported languages
14305 @cindex minimal language
14306 In addition to the other fully-supported programming languages,
14307 @value{GDBN} also provides a pseudo-language, called @code{minimal}.
14308 It does not represent a real programming language, but provides a set
14309 of capabilities close to what the C or assembly languages provide.
14310 This should allow most simple operations to be performed while debugging
14311 an application that uses a language currently not supported by @value{GDBN}.
14312
14313 If the language is set to @code{auto}, @value{GDBN} will automatically
14314 select this language if the current frame corresponds to an unsupported
14315 language.
14316
14317 @node Symbols
14318 @chapter Examining the Symbol Table
14319
14320 The commands described in this chapter allow you to inquire about the
14321 symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
14322 program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
14323 does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
14324 program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
14325 (@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing Files}), or by one of the
14326 file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
14327
14328 @cindex symbol names
14329 @cindex names of symbols
14330 @cindex quoting names
14331 Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
14332 characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
14333 most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
14334 source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program Variables}). File names
14335 are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
14336 ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
14337 @samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
14338 @samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
14339
14340 @smallexample
14341 p 'foo.c'::x
14342 @end smallexample
14343
14344 @noindent
14345 looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
14346
14347 @table @code
14348 @cindex case-insensitive symbol names
14349 @cindex case sensitivity in symbol names
14350 @kindex set case-sensitive
14351 @item set case-sensitive on
14352 @itemx set case-sensitive off
14353 @itemx set case-sensitive auto
14354 Normally, when @value{GDBN} looks up symbols, it matches their names
14355 with case sensitivity determined by the current source language.
14356 Occasionally, you may wish to control that. The command @code{set
14357 case-sensitive} lets you do that by specifying @code{on} for
14358 case-sensitive matches or @code{off} for case-insensitive ones. If
14359 you specify @code{auto}, case sensitivity is reset to the default
14360 suitable for the source language. The default is case-sensitive
14361 matches for all languages except for Fortran, for which the default is
14362 case-insensitive matches.
14363
14364 @kindex show case-sensitive
14365 @item show case-sensitive
14366 This command shows the current setting of case sensitivity for symbols
14367 lookups.
14368
14369 @kindex info address
14370 @cindex address of a symbol
14371 @item info address @var{symbol}
14372 Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
14373 variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
14374 local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
14375 is always stored.
14376
14377 Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
14378 at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
14379 the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
14380
14381 @kindex info symbol
14382 @cindex symbol from address
14383 @cindex closest symbol and offset for an address
14384 @item info symbol @var{addr}
14385 Print the name of a symbol which is stored at the address @var{addr}.
14386 If no symbol is stored exactly at @var{addr}, @value{GDBN} prints the
14387 nearest symbol and an offset from it:
14388
14389 @smallexample
14390 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x54320
14391 _initialize_vx + 396 in section .text
14392 @end smallexample
14393
14394 @noindent
14395 This is the opposite of the @code{info address} command. You can use
14396 it to find out the name of a variable or a function given its address.
14397
14398 For dynamically linked executables, the name of executable or shared
14399 library containing the symbol is also printed:
14400
14401 @smallexample
14402 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x400225
14403 _start + 5 in section .text of /tmp/a.out
14404 (@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x2aaaac2811cf
14405 __read_nocancel + 6 in section .text of /usr/lib64/libc.so.6
14406 @end smallexample
14407
14408 @kindex whatis
14409 @item whatis [@var{arg}]
14410 Print the data type of @var{arg}, which can be either an expression
14411 or a name of a data type. With no argument, print the data type of
14412 @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
14413
14414 If @var{arg} is an expression (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), it
14415 is not actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
14416 assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
14417
14418 If @var{arg} is a variable or an expression, @code{whatis} prints its
14419 literal type as it is used in the source code. If the type was
14420 defined using a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will @emph{not} print
14421 the data type underlying the @code{typedef}. If the type of the
14422 variable or the expression is a compound data type, such as
14423 @code{struct} or @code{class}, @code{whatis} never prints their
14424 fields or methods. It just prints the @code{struct}/@code{class}
14425 name (a.k.a.@: its @dfn{tag}). If you want to see the members of
14426 such a compound data type, use @code{ptype}.
14427
14428 If @var{arg} is a type name that was defined using @code{typedef},
14429 @code{whatis} @dfn{unrolls} only one level of that @code{typedef}.
14430 Unrolling means that @code{whatis} will show the underlying type used
14431 in the @code{typedef} declaration of @var{arg}. However, if that
14432 underlying type is also a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will not
14433 unroll it.
14434
14435 For C code, the type names may also have the form @samp{class
14436 @var{class-name}}, @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union
14437 @var{union-tag}} or @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
14438
14439 @kindex ptype
14440 @item ptype [@var{arg}]
14441 @code{ptype} accepts the same arguments as @code{whatis}, but prints a
14442 detailed description of the type, instead of just the name of the type.
14443 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
14444
14445 Contrary to @code{whatis}, @code{ptype} always unrolls any
14446 @code{typedef}s in its argument declaration, whether the argument is
14447 a variable, expression, or a data type. This means that @code{ptype}
14448 of a variable or an expression will not print literally its type as
14449 present in the source code---use @code{whatis} for that. @code{typedef}s at
14450 the pointer or reference targets are also unrolled. Only @code{typedef}s of
14451 fields, methods and inner @code{class typedef}s of @code{struct}s,
14452 @code{class}es and @code{union}s are not unrolled even with @code{ptype}.
14453
14454 For example, for this variable declaration:
14455
14456 @smallexample
14457 typedef double real_t;
14458 struct complex @{ real_t real; double imag; @};
14459 typedef struct complex complex_t;
14460 complex_t var;
14461 real_t *real_pointer_var;
14462 @end smallexample
14463
14464 @noindent
14465 the two commands give this output:
14466
14467 @smallexample
14468 @group
14469 (@value{GDBP}) whatis var
14470 type = complex_t
14471 (@value{GDBP}) ptype var
14472 type = struct complex @{
14473 real_t real;
14474 double imag;
14475 @}
14476 (@value{GDBP}) whatis complex_t
14477 type = struct complex
14478 (@value{GDBP}) whatis struct complex
14479 type = struct complex
14480 (@value{GDBP}) ptype struct complex
14481 type = struct complex @{
14482 real_t real;
14483 double imag;
14484 @}
14485 (@value{GDBP}) whatis real_pointer_var
14486 type = real_t *
14487 (@value{GDBP}) ptype real_pointer_var
14488 type = double *
14489 @end group
14490 @end smallexample
14491
14492 @noindent
14493 As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
14494 the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
14495
14496 @cindex incomplete type
14497 Sometimes, programs use opaque data types or incomplete specifications
14498 of complex data structure. If the debug information included in the
14499 program does not allow @value{GDBN} to display a full declaration of
14500 the data type, it will say @samp{<incomplete type>}. For example,
14501 given these declarations:
14502
14503 @smallexample
14504 struct foo;
14505 struct foo *fooptr;
14506 @end smallexample
14507
14508 @noindent
14509 but no definition for @code{struct foo} itself, @value{GDBN} will say:
14510
14511 @smallexample
14512 (@value{GDBP}) ptype foo
14513 $1 = <incomplete type>
14514 @end smallexample
14515
14516 @noindent
14517 ``Incomplete type'' is C terminology for data types that are not
14518 completely specified.
14519
14520 @kindex info types
14521 @item info types @var{regexp}
14522 @itemx info types
14523 Print a brief description of all types whose names match the regular
14524 expression @var{regexp} (or all types in your program, if you supply
14525 no argument). Each complete typename is matched as though it were a
14526 complete line; thus, @samp{i type value} gives information on all
14527 types in your program whose names include the string @code{value}, but
14528 @samp{i type ^value$} gives information only on types whose complete
14529 name is @code{value}.
14530
14531 This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
14532 @code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
14533 lists all source files where a type is defined.
14534
14535 @kindex info scope
14536 @cindex local variables
14537 @item info scope @var{location}
14538 List all the variables local to a particular scope. This command
14539 accepts a @var{location} argument---a function name, a source line, or
14540 an address preceded by a @samp{*}, and prints all the variables local
14541 to the scope defined by that location. (@xref{Specify Location}, for
14542 details about supported forms of @var{location}.) For example:
14543
14544 @smallexample
14545 (@value{GDBP}) @b{info scope command_line_handler}
14546 Scope for command_line_handler:
14547 Symbol rl is an argument at stack/frame offset 8, length 4.
14548 Symbol linebuffer is in static storage at address 0x150a18, length 4.
14549 Symbol linelength is in static storage at address 0x150a1c, length 4.
14550 Symbol p is a local variable in register $esi, length 4.
14551 Symbol p1 is a local variable in register $ebx, length 4.
14552 Symbol nline is a local variable in register $edx, length 4.
14553 Symbol repeat is a local variable at frame offset -8, length 4.
14554 @end smallexample
14555
14556 @noindent
14557 This command is especially useful for determining what data to collect
14558 during a @dfn{trace experiment}, see @ref{Tracepoint Actions,
14559 collect}.
14560
14561 @kindex info source
14562 @item info source
14563 Show information about the current source file---that is, the source file for
14564 the function containing the current point of execution:
14565 @itemize @bullet
14566 @item
14567 the name of the source file, and the directory containing it,
14568 @item
14569 the directory it was compiled in,
14570 @item
14571 its length, in lines,
14572 @item
14573 which programming language it is written in,
14574 @item
14575 whether the executable includes debugging information for that file, and
14576 if so, what format the information is in (e.g., STABS, Dwarf 2, etc.), and
14577 @item
14578 whether the debugging information includes information about
14579 preprocessor macros.
14580 @end itemize
14581
14582
14583 @kindex info sources
14584 @item info sources
14585 Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
14586 debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
14587 have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
14588
14589 @kindex info functions
14590 @item info functions
14591 Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
14592
14593 @item info functions @var{regexp}
14594 Print the names and data types of all defined functions
14595 whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
14596 Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
14597 include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
14598 start with @code{step}. If a function name contains characters
14599 that conflict with the regular expression language (e.g.@:
14600 @samp{operator*()}), they may be quoted with a backslash.
14601
14602 @kindex info variables
14603 @item info variables
14604 Print the names and data types of all variables that are defined
14605 outside of functions (i.e.@: excluding local variables).
14606
14607 @item info variables @var{regexp}
14608 Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
14609 variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
14610 @var{regexp}.
14611
14612 @kindex info classes
14613 @cindex Objective-C, classes and selectors
14614 @item info classes
14615 @itemx info classes @var{regexp}
14616 Display all Objective-C classes in your program, or
14617 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
14618 expression.
14619
14620 @kindex info selectors
14621 @item info selectors
14622 @itemx info selectors @var{regexp}
14623 Display all Objective-C selectors in your program, or
14624 (with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
14625 expression.
14626
14627 @ignore
14628 This was never implemented.
14629 @kindex info methods
14630 @item info methods
14631 @itemx info methods @var{regexp}
14632 The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
14633 methods within C@t{++} program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
14634 specific set of methods found in the various C@t{++} classes. Many
14635 C@t{++} classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
14636 from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
14637 @code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
14638 which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
14639 @end ignore
14640
14641 @cindex reloading symbols
14642 Some systems allow individual object files that make up your program to
14643 be replaced without stopping and restarting your program. For example,
14644 in VxWorks you can simply recompile a defective object file and keep on
14645 running. If you are running on one of these systems, you can allow
14646 @value{GDBN} to reload the symbols for automatically relinked modules:
14647
14648 @table @code
14649 @kindex set symbol-reloading
14650 @item set symbol-reloading on
14651 Replace symbol definitions for the corresponding source file when an
14652 object file with a particular name is seen again.
14653
14654 @item set symbol-reloading off
14655 Do not replace symbol definitions when encountering object files of the
14656 same name more than once. This is the default state; if you are not
14657 running on a system that permits automatic relinking of modules, you
14658 should leave @code{symbol-reloading} off, since otherwise @value{GDBN}
14659 may discard symbols when linking large programs, that may contain
14660 several modules (from different directories or libraries) with the same
14661 name.
14662
14663 @kindex show symbol-reloading
14664 @item show symbol-reloading
14665 Show the current @code{on} or @code{off} setting.
14666 @end table
14667
14668 @cindex opaque data types
14669 @kindex set opaque-type-resolution
14670 @item set opaque-type-resolution on
14671 Tell @value{GDBN} to resolve opaque types. An opaque type is a type
14672 declared as a pointer to a @code{struct}, @code{class}, or
14673 @code{union}---for example, @code{struct MyType *}---that is used in one
14674 source file although the full declaration of @code{struct MyType} is in
14675 another source file. The default is on.
14676
14677 A change in the setting of this subcommand will not take effect until
14678 the next time symbols for a file are loaded.
14679
14680 @item set opaque-type-resolution off
14681 Tell @value{GDBN} not to resolve opaque types. In this case, the type
14682 is printed as follows:
14683 @smallexample
14684 @{<no data fields>@}
14685 @end smallexample
14686
14687 @kindex show opaque-type-resolution
14688 @item show opaque-type-resolution
14689 Show whether opaque types are resolved or not.
14690
14691 @kindex maint print symbols
14692 @cindex symbol dump
14693 @kindex maint print psymbols
14694 @cindex partial symbol dump
14695 @item maint print symbols @var{filename}
14696 @itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
14697 @itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
14698 Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
14699 These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
14700 symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
14701 symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
14702 collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
14703 only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
14704 command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
14705 use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
14706 symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
14707 files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
14708 @samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
14709 required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
14710 @xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}, for a discussion of how
14711 @value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
14712
14713 @kindex maint info symtabs
14714 @kindex maint info psymtabs
14715 @cindex listing @value{GDBN}'s internal symbol tables
14716 @cindex symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
14717 @cindex full symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
14718 @cindex partial symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
14719 @item maint info symtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
14720 @itemx maint info psymtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
14721
14722 List the @code{struct symtab} or @code{struct partial_symtab}
14723 structures whose names match @var{regexp}. If @var{regexp} is not
14724 given, list them all. The output includes expressions which you can
14725 copy into a @value{GDBN} debugging this one to examine a particular
14726 structure in more detail. For example:
14727
14728 @smallexample
14729 (@value{GDBP}) maint info psymtabs dwarf2read
14730 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
14731 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
14732 @{ psymtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
14733 ((struct partial_symtab *) 0x8474b10)
14734 readin no
14735 fullname (null)
14736 text addresses 0x814d3c8 -- 0x8158074
14737 globals (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x8507a08 @@ 9)
14738 statics (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x40e95b78 @@ 2882)
14739 dependencies (none)
14740 @}
14741 @}
14742 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
14743 (@value{GDBP})
14744 @end smallexample
14745 @noindent
14746 We see that there is one partial symbol table whose filename contains
14747 the string @samp{dwarf2read}, belonging to the @samp{gdb} executable;
14748 and we see that @value{GDBN} has not read in any symtabs yet at all.
14749 If we set a breakpoint on a function, that will cause @value{GDBN} to
14750 read the symtab for the compilation unit containing that function:
14751
14752 @smallexample
14753 (@value{GDBP}) break dwarf2_psymtab_to_symtab
14754 Breakpoint 1 at 0x814e5da: file /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c,
14755 line 1574.
14756 (@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
14757 @{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
14758 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
14759 @{ symtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
14760 ((struct symtab *) 0x86c1f38)
14761 dirname (null)
14762 fullname (null)
14763 blockvector ((struct blockvector *) 0x86c1bd0) (primary)
14764 linetable ((struct linetable *) 0x8370fa0)
14765 debugformat DWARF 2
14766 @}
14767 @}
14768 (@value{GDBP})
14769 @end smallexample
14770 @end table
14771
14772
14773 @node Altering
14774 @chapter Altering Execution
14775
14776 Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
14777 find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
14778 correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
14779 experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
14780 program.
14781
14782 For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
14783 locations, give your program a signal, restart it at a different
14784 address, or even return prematurely from a function.
14785
14786 @menu
14787 * Assignment:: Assignment to variables
14788 * Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
14789 * Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
14790 * Returning:: Returning from a function
14791 * Calling:: Calling your program's functions
14792 * Patching:: Patching your program
14793 @end menu
14794
14795 @node Assignment
14796 @section Assignment to Variables
14797
14798 @cindex assignment
14799 @cindex setting variables
14800 To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
14801 @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
14802
14803 @smallexample
14804 print x=4
14805 @end smallexample
14806
14807 @noindent
14808 stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
14809 value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
14810 @xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
14811 information on operators in supported languages.
14812
14813 @kindex set variable
14814 @cindex variables, setting
14815 If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
14816 @code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
14817 really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
14818 not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
14819 ,Value History}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
14820
14821 If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
14822 appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
14823 variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
14824 to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if your
14825 program has a variable @code{width}, you get an error if you try to set
14826 a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, because @value{GDBN} has the
14827 command @code{set width}:
14828
14829 @smallexample
14830 (@value{GDBP}) whatis width
14831 type = double
14832 (@value{GDBP}) p width
14833 $4 = 13
14834 (@value{GDBP}) set width=47
14835 Invalid syntax in expression.
14836 @end smallexample
14837
14838 @noindent
14839 The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
14840 order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
14841
14842 @smallexample
14843 (@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
14844 @end smallexample
14845
14846 Because the @code{set} command has many subcommands that can conflict
14847 with the names of program variables, it is a good idea to use the
14848 @code{set variable} command instead of just @code{set}. For example, if
14849 your program has a variable @code{g}, you run into problems if you try
14850 to set a new value with just @samp{set g=4}, because @value{GDBN} has
14851 the command @code{set gnutarget}, abbreviated @code{set g}:
14852
14853 @smallexample
14854 @group
14855 (@value{GDBP}) whatis g
14856 type = double
14857 (@value{GDBP}) p g
14858 $1 = 1
14859 (@value{GDBP}) set g=4
14860 (@value{GDBP}) p g
14861 $2 = 1
14862 (@value{GDBP}) r
14863 The program being debugged has been started already.
14864 Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
14865 Starting program: /home/smith/cc_progs/a.out
14866 "/home/smith/cc_progs/a.out": can't open to read symbols:
14867 Invalid bfd target.
14868 (@value{GDBP}) show g
14869 The current BFD target is "=4".
14870 @end group
14871 @end smallexample
14872
14873 @noindent
14874 The program variable @code{g} did not change, and you silently set the
14875 @code{gnutarget} to an invalid value. In order to set the variable
14876 @code{g}, use
14877
14878 @smallexample
14879 (@value{GDBP}) set var g=4
14880 @end smallexample
14881
14882 @value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
14883 freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
14884 and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
14885 same length or shorter.
14886 @comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
14887 @comment /doc@cygnus.com 18dec1990
14888
14889 To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
14890 construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
14891 (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
14892 to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
14893 and representation in memory), and
14894
14895 @smallexample
14896 set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
14897 @end smallexample
14898
14899 @noindent
14900 stores the value 4 into that memory location.
14901
14902 @node Jumping
14903 @section Continuing at a Different Address
14904
14905 Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
14906 it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
14907 an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
14908
14909 @table @code
14910 @kindex jump
14911 @item jump @var{linespec}
14912 @itemx jump @var{location}
14913 Resume execution at line @var{linespec} or at address given by
14914 @var{location}. Execution stops again immediately if there is a
14915 breakpoint there. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
14916 different forms of @var{linespec} and @var{location}. It is common
14917 practice to use the @code{tbreak} command in conjunction with
14918 @code{jump}. @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
14919
14920 The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
14921 the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
14922 register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
14923 a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
14924 be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
14925 of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
14926 confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
14927 executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
14928 well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
14929 @end table
14930
14931 @c Doesn't work on HP-UX; have to set $pcoqh and $pcoqt.
14932 On many systems, you can get much the same effect as the @code{jump}
14933 command by storing a new value into the register @code{$pc}. The
14934 difference is that this does not start your program running; it only
14935 changes the address of where it @emph{will} run when you continue. For
14936 example,
14937
14938 @smallexample
14939 set $pc = 0x485
14940 @end smallexample
14941
14942 @noindent
14943 makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
14944 address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
14945 @xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}.
14946
14947 The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back
14948 up---perhaps with more breakpoints set---over a portion of a program
14949 that has already executed, in order to examine its execution in more
14950 detail.
14951
14952 @c @group
14953 @node Signaling
14954 @section Giving your Program a Signal
14955 @cindex deliver a signal to a program
14956
14957 @table @code
14958 @kindex signal
14959 @item signal @var{signal}
14960 Resume execution where your program stopped, but immediately give it the
14961 signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
14962 signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
14963 SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
14964
14965 Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
14966 giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
14967 a signal and would ordinary see the signal when resumed with the
14968 @code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
14969 signal.
14970
14971 @code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
14972 after executing the command.
14973 @end table
14974 @c @end group
14975
14976 Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
14977 @code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
14978 causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
14979 the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
14980 passes the signal directly to your program.
14981
14982
14983 @node Returning
14984 @section Returning from a Function
14985
14986 @table @code
14987 @cindex returning from a function
14988 @kindex return
14989 @item return
14990 @itemx return @var{expression}
14991 You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
14992 command. If you give an
14993 @var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
14994 value.
14995 @end table
14996
14997 When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
14998 (and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
14999 discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
15000 be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
15001
15002 This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
15003 Frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
15004 innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
15005 specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
15006 of functions.
15007
15008 The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
15009 program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
15010 returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
15011 and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}) resumes execution until the
15012 selected stack frame returns naturally.
15013
15014 @value{GDBN} needs to know how the @var{expression} argument should be set for
15015 the inferior. The concrete registers assignment depends on the OS ABI and the
15016 type being returned by the selected stack frame. For example it is common for
15017 OS ABI to return floating point values in FPU registers while integer values in
15018 CPU registers. Still some ABIs return even floating point values in CPU
15019 registers. Larger integer widths (such as @code{long long int}) also have
15020 specific placement rules. @value{GDBN} already knows the OS ABI from its
15021 current target so it needs to find out also the type being returned to make the
15022 assignment into the right register(s).
15023
15024 Normally, the selected stack frame has debug info. @value{GDBN} will always
15025 use the debug info instead of the implicit type of @var{expression} when the
15026 debug info is available. For example, if you type @kbd{return -1}, and the
15027 function in the current stack frame is declared to return a @code{long long
15028 int}, @value{GDBN} transparently converts the implicit @code{int} value of -1
15029 into a @code{long long int}:
15030
15031 @smallexample
15032 Breakpoint 1, func () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:29
15033 29 return 31;
15034 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
15035 Make func return now? (y or n) y
15036 #0 0x004004f6 in main () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:43
15037 43 printf ("result=%lld\n", func ());
15038 (@value{GDBP})
15039 @end smallexample
15040
15041 However, if the selected stack frame does not have a debug info, e.g., if the
15042 function was compiled without debug info, @value{GDBN} has to find out the type
15043 to return from user. Specifying a different type by mistake may set the value
15044 in different inferior registers than the caller code expects. For example,
15045 typing @kbd{return -1} with its implicit type @code{int} would set only a part
15046 of a @code{long long int} result for a debug info less function (on 32-bit
15047 architectures). Therefore the user is required to specify the return type by
15048 an appropriate cast explicitly:
15049
15050 @smallexample
15051 Breakpoint 2, 0x0040050b in func ()
15052 (@value{GDBP}) return -1
15053 Return value type not available for selected stack frame.
15054 Please use an explicit cast of the value to return.
15055 (@value{GDBP}) return (long long int) -1
15056 Make selected stack frame return now? (y or n) y
15057 #0 0x00400526 in main ()
15058 (@value{GDBP})
15059 @end smallexample
15060
15061 @node Calling
15062 @section Calling Program Functions
15063
15064 @table @code
15065 @cindex calling functions
15066 @cindex inferior functions, calling
15067 @item print @var{expr}
15068 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} and display the resulting value.
15069 @var{expr} may include calls to functions in the program being
15070 debugged.
15071
15072 @kindex call
15073 @item call @var{expr}
15074 Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
15075 returned values.
15076
15077 You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
15078 execute a function from your program that does not return anything
15079 (a.k.a.@: @dfn{a void function}), but without cluttering the output
15080 with @code{void} returned values that @value{GDBN} will otherwise
15081 print. If the result is not void, it is printed and saved in the
15082 value history.
15083 @end table
15084
15085 It is possible for the function you call via the @code{print} or
15086 @code{call} command to generate a signal (e.g., if there's a bug in
15087 the function, or if you passed it incorrect arguments). What happens
15088 in that case is controlled by the @code{set unwindonsignal} command.
15089
15090 Similarly, with a C@t{++} program it is possible for the function you
15091 call via the @code{print} or @code{call} command to generate an
15092 exception that is not handled due to the constraints of the dummy
15093 frame. In this case, any exception that is raised in the frame, but has
15094 an out-of-frame exception handler will not be found. GDB builds a
15095 dummy-frame for the inferior function call, and the unwinder cannot
15096 seek for exception handlers outside of this dummy-frame. What happens
15097 in that case is controlled by the
15098 @code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception} command.
15099
15100 @table @code
15101 @item set unwindonsignal
15102 @kindex set unwindonsignal
15103 @cindex unwind stack in called functions
15104 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding
15105 Set unwinding of the stack if a signal is received while in a function
15106 that @value{GDBN} called in the program being debugged. If set to on,
15107 @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack it created for the call and restores
15108 the context to what it was before the call. If set to off (the
15109 default), @value{GDBN} stops in the frame where the signal was
15110 received.
15111
15112 @item show unwindonsignal
15113 @kindex show unwindonsignal
15114 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
15115 @value{GDBN}.
15116
15117 @item set unwind-on-terminating-exception
15118 @kindex set unwind-on-terminating-exception
15119 @cindex unwind stack in called functions with unhandled exceptions
15120 @cindex call dummy stack unwinding on unhandled exception.
15121 Set unwinding of the stack if a C@t{++} exception is raised, but left
15122 unhandled while in a function that @value{GDBN} called in the program being
15123 debugged. If set to on (the default), @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack
15124 it created for the call and restores the context to what it was before
15125 the call. If set to off, @value{GDBN} the exception is delivered to
15126 the default C@t{++} exception handler and the inferior terminated.
15127
15128 @item show unwind-on-terminating-exception
15129 @kindex show unwind-on-terminating-exception
15130 Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
15131 @value{GDBN}.
15132
15133 @end table
15134
15135 @cindex weak alias functions
15136 Sometimes, a function you wish to call is actually a @dfn{weak alias}
15137 for another function. In such case, @value{GDBN} might not pick up
15138 the type information, including the types of the function arguments,
15139 which causes @value{GDBN} to call the inferior function incorrectly.
15140 As a result, the called function will function erroneously and may
15141 even crash. A solution to that is to use the name of the aliased
15142 function instead.
15143
15144 @node Patching
15145 @section Patching Programs
15146
15147 @cindex patching binaries
15148 @cindex writing into executables
15149 @cindex writing into corefiles
15150
15151 By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's
15152 executable code (or the corefile) read-only. This prevents accidental
15153 alterations to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally
15154 patching your program's binary.
15155
15156 If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
15157 explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
15158 want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
15159 repairs.
15160
15161 @table @code
15162 @kindex set write
15163 @item set write on
15164 @itemx set write off
15165 If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable and
15166 core files for both reading and writing; if you specify @kbd{set write
15167 off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
15168
15169 If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
15170 @code{exec-file} or @code{core-file} command) after changing @code{set
15171 write}, for your new setting to take effect.
15172
15173 @item show write
15174 @kindex show write
15175 Display whether executable files and core files are opened for writing
15176 as well as reading.
15177 @end table
15178
15179 @node GDB Files
15180 @chapter @value{GDBN} Files
15181
15182 @value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged,
15183 both in order to read its symbol table and in order to start your
15184 program. To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell
15185 @value{GDBN} the name of the core dump file.
15186
15187 @menu
15188 * Files:: Commands to specify files
15189 * Separate Debug Files:: Debugging information in separate files
15190 * Index Files:: Index files speed up GDB
15191 * Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
15192 * Data Files:: GDB data files
15193 @end menu
15194
15195 @node Files
15196 @section Commands to Specify Files
15197
15198 @cindex symbol table
15199 @cindex core dump file
15200
15201 You may want to specify executable and core dump file names. The usual
15202 way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
15203 @value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, , Getting In and
15204 Out of @value{GDBN}}).
15205
15206 Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
15207 @value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to
15208 specify a file you want to use. Or you are debugging a remote target
15209 via @code{gdbserver} (@pxref{Server, file, Using the @code{gdbserver}
15210 Program}). In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands to specify
15211 new files are useful.
15212
15213 @table @code
15214 @cindex executable file
15215 @kindex file
15216 @item file @var{filename}
15217 Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
15218 symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
15219 executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
15220 directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
15221 @value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
15222 directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
15223 to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
15224 and your program, using the @code{path} command.
15225
15226 @cindex unlinked object files
15227 @cindex patching object files
15228 You can load unlinked object @file{.o} files into @value{GDBN} using
15229 the @code{file} command. You will not be able to ``run'' an object
15230 file, but you can disassemble functions and inspect variables. Also,
15231 if the underlying BFD functionality supports it, you could use
15232 @kbd{gdb -write} to patch object files using this technique. Note
15233 that @value{GDBN} can neither interpret nor modify relocations in this
15234 case, so branches and some initialized variables will appear to go to
15235 the wrong place. But this feature is still handy from time to time.
15236
15237 @item file
15238 @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
15239 has on both executable file and the symbol table.
15240
15241 @kindex exec-file
15242 @item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
15243 Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
15244 in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
15245 if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
15246 discard information on the executable file.
15247
15248 @kindex symbol-file
15249 @item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
15250 Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
15251 searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
15252 table and program to run from the same file.
15253
15254 @code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
15255 program's symbol table.
15256
15257 The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents of
15258 some breakpoints and auto-display expressions. This is because they may
15259 contain pointers to the internal data recording symbols and data types,
15260 which are part of the old symbol table data being discarded inside
15261 @value{GDBN}.
15262
15263 @code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
15264 executing it once.
15265
15266 When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
15267 understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
15268 generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
15269 other compilers that adhere to the local conventions.
15270 Best results are usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example,
15271 using @code{@value{NGCC}} you can generate debugging information for
15272 optimized code.
15273
15274 For most kinds of object files, with the exception of old SVR3 systems
15275 using COFF, the @code{symbol-file} command does not normally read the
15276 symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans the symbol table
15277 quickly to find which source files and which symbols are present. The
15278 details are read later, one source file at a time, as they are needed.
15279
15280 The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN}
15281 start up faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for
15282 occasional pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source
15283 file are being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these
15284 pauses into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional
15285 Warnings and Messages}.)
15286
15287 We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
15288 symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
15289 symbol table data in full right away. Note that ``stabs-in-COFF''
15290 still does the two-stage strategy, since the debug info is actually
15291 in stabs format.
15292
15293 @kindex readnow
15294 @cindex reading symbols immediately
15295 @cindex symbols, reading immediately
15296 @item symbol-file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
15297 @itemx file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
15298 You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
15299 tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
15300 load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
15301 entire symbol table available.
15302
15303 @c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
15304 @c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
15305 @c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
15306 @c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
15307 @c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
15308 @c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
15309 @c files.
15310
15311 @kindex core-file
15312 @item core-file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
15313 @itemx core
15314 Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
15315 of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
15316 address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
15317 executable file itself for other parts.
15318
15319 @code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
15320 to be used.
15321
15322 Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
15323 under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you
15324 wish to debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which
15325 the program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
15326 (@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the Child Process}).
15327
15328 @kindex add-symbol-file
15329 @cindex dynamic linking
15330 @item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
15331 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]}
15332 @itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} -s @var{section} @var{address} @dots{}
15333 The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table
15334 information from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command
15335 when @var{filename} has been dynamically loaded (by some other means)
15336 into the program that is running. @var{address} should be the memory
15337 address at which the file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure
15338 this out for itself. You can additionally specify an arbitrary number
15339 of @samp{-s @var{section} @var{address}} pairs, to give an explicit
15340 section name and base address for that section. You can specify any
15341 @var{address} as an expression.
15342
15343 The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
15344 originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
15345 @code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data
15346 thus read keeps adding to the old. To discard all old symbol data
15347 instead, use the @code{symbol-file} command without any arguments.
15348
15349 @cindex relocatable object files, reading symbols from
15350 @cindex object files, relocatable, reading symbols from
15351 @cindex reading symbols from relocatable object files
15352 @cindex symbols, reading from relocatable object files
15353 @cindex @file{.o} files, reading symbols from
15354 Although @var{filename} is typically a shared library file, an
15355 executable file, or some other object file which has been fully
15356 relocated for loading into a process, you can also load symbolic
15357 information from relocatable @file{.o} files, as long as:
15358
15359 @itemize @bullet
15360 @item
15361 the file's symbolic information refers only to linker symbols defined in
15362 that file, not to symbols defined by other object files,
15363 @item
15364 every section the file's symbolic information refers to has actually
15365 been loaded into the inferior, as it appears in the file, and
15366 @item
15367 you can determine the address at which every section was loaded, and
15368 provide these to the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
15369 @end itemize
15370
15371 @noindent
15372 Some embedded operating systems, like Sun Chorus and VxWorks, can load
15373 relocatable files into an already running program; such systems
15374 typically make the requirements above easy to meet. However, it's
15375 important to recognize that many native systems use complex link
15376 procedures (@code{.linkonce} section factoring and C@t{++} constructor table
15377 assembly, for example) that make the requirements difficult to meet. In
15378 general, one cannot assume that using @code{add-symbol-file} to read a
15379 relocatable object file's symbolic information will have the same effect
15380 as linking the relocatable object file into the program in the normal
15381 way.
15382
15383 @code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
15384
15385 @kindex add-symbol-file-from-memory
15386 @cindex @code{syscall DSO}
15387 @cindex load symbols from memory
15388 @item add-symbol-file-from-memory @var{address}
15389 Load symbols from the given @var{address} in a dynamically loaded
15390 object file whose image is mapped directly into the inferior's memory.
15391 For example, the Linux kernel maps a @code{syscall DSO} into each
15392 process's address space; this DSO provides kernel-specific code for
15393 some system calls. The argument can be any expression whose
15394 evaluation yields the address of the file's shared object file header.
15395 For this command to work, you must have used @code{symbol-file} or
15396 @code{exec-file} commands in advance.
15397
15398 @kindex add-shared-symbol-files
15399 @kindex assf
15400 @item add-shared-symbol-files @var{library-file}
15401 @itemx assf @var{library-file}
15402 The @code{add-shared-symbol-files} command can currently be used only
15403 in the Cygwin build of @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows OS, where it is an
15404 alias for the @code{dll-symbols} command (@pxref{Cygwin Native}).
15405 @value{GDBN} automatically looks for shared libraries, however if
15406 @value{GDBN} does not find yours, you can invoke
15407 @code{add-shared-symbol-files}. It takes one argument: the shared
15408 library's file name. @code{assf} is a shorthand alias for
15409 @code{add-shared-symbol-files}.
15410
15411 @kindex section
15412 @item section @var{section} @var{addr}
15413 The @code{section} command changes the base address of the named
15414 @var{section} of the exec file to @var{addr}. This can be used if the
15415 exec file does not contain section addresses, (such as in the
15416 @code{a.out} format), or when the addresses specified in the file
15417 itself are wrong. Each section must be changed separately. The
15418 @code{info files} command, described below, lists all the sections and
15419 their addresses.
15420
15421 @kindex info files
15422 @kindex info target
15423 @item info files
15424 @itemx info target
15425 @code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print the
15426 current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
15427 including the names of the executable and core dump files currently in
15428 use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were loaded. The
15429 command @code{help target} lists all possible targets rather than
15430 current ones.
15431
15432 @kindex maint info sections
15433 @item maint info sections
15434 Another command that can give you extra information about program sections
15435 is @code{maint info sections}. In addition to the section information
15436 displayed by @code{info files}, this command displays the flags and file
15437 offset of each section in the executable and core dump files. In addition,
15438 @code{maint info sections} provides the following command options (which
15439 may be arbitrarily combined):
15440
15441 @table @code
15442 @item ALLOBJ
15443 Display sections for all loaded object files, including shared libraries.
15444 @item @var{sections}
15445 Display info only for named @var{sections}.
15446 @item @var{section-flags}
15447 Display info only for sections for which @var{section-flags} are true.
15448 The section flags that @value{GDBN} currently knows about are:
15449 @table @code
15450 @item ALLOC
15451 Section will have space allocated in the process when loaded.
15452 Set for all sections except those containing debug information.
15453 @item LOAD
15454 Section will be loaded from the file into the child process memory.
15455 Set for pre-initialized code and data, clear for @code{.bss} sections.
15456 @item RELOC
15457 Section needs to be relocated before loading.
15458 @item READONLY
15459 Section cannot be modified by the child process.
15460 @item CODE
15461 Section contains executable code only.
15462 @item DATA
15463 Section contains data only (no executable code).
15464 @item ROM
15465 Section will reside in ROM.
15466 @item CONSTRUCTOR
15467 Section contains data for constructor/destructor lists.
15468 @item HAS_CONTENTS
15469 Section is not empty.
15470 @item NEVER_LOAD
15471 An instruction to the linker to not output the section.
15472 @item COFF_SHARED_LIBRARY
15473 A notification to the linker that the section contains
15474 COFF shared library information.
15475 @item IS_COMMON
15476 Section contains common symbols.
15477 @end table
15478 @end table
15479 @kindex set trust-readonly-sections
15480 @cindex read-only sections
15481 @item set trust-readonly-sections on
15482 Tell @value{GDBN} that readonly sections in your object file
15483 really are read-only (i.e.@: that their contents will not change).
15484 In that case, @value{GDBN} can fetch values from these sections
15485 out of the object file, rather than from the target program.
15486 For some targets (notably embedded ones), this can be a significant
15487 enhancement to debugging performance.
15488
15489 The default is off.
15490
15491 @item set trust-readonly-sections off
15492 Tell @value{GDBN} not to trust readonly sections. This means that
15493 the contents of the section might change while the program is running,
15494 and must therefore be fetched from the target when needed.
15495
15496 @item show trust-readonly-sections
15497 Show the current setting of trusting readonly sections.
15498 @end table
15499
15500 All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
15501 as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
15502 name and remembers it that way.
15503
15504 @cindex shared libraries
15505 @anchor{Shared Libraries}
15506 @value{GDBN} supports @sc{gnu}/Linux, MS-Windows, HP-UX, SunOS, SVr4, Irix,
15507 and IBM RS/6000 AIX shared libraries.
15508
15509 On MS-Windows @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support
15510 shared libraries. @xref{Expat}.
15511
15512 @value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
15513 when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
15514 (Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
15515 references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
15516 debugging a core file).
15517
15518 On HP-UX, if the program loads a library explicitly, @value{GDBN}
15519 automatically loads the symbols at the time of the @code{shl_load} call.
15520
15521 @c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
15522 @c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
15523 @c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
15524
15525 There are times, however, when you may wish to not automatically load
15526 symbol definitions from shared libraries, such as when they are
15527 particularly large or there are many of them.
15528
15529 To control the automatic loading of shared library symbols, use the
15530 commands:
15531
15532 @table @code
15533 @kindex set auto-solib-add
15534 @item set auto-solib-add @var{mode}
15535 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, symbols from all shared object libraries
15536 will be loaded automatically when the inferior begins execution, you
15537 attach to an independently started inferior, or when the dynamic linker
15538 informs @value{GDBN} that a new library has been loaded. If @var{mode}
15539 is @code{off}, symbols must be loaded manually, using the
15540 @code{sharedlibrary} command. The default value is @code{on}.
15541
15542 @cindex memory used for symbol tables
15543 If your program uses lots of shared libraries with debug info that
15544 takes large amounts of memory, you can decrease the @value{GDBN}
15545 memory footprint by preventing it from automatically loading the
15546 symbols from shared libraries. To that end, type @kbd{set
15547 auto-solib-add off} before running the inferior, then load each
15548 library whose debug symbols you do need with @kbd{sharedlibrary
15549 @var{regexp}}, where @var{regexp} is a regular expression that matches
15550 the libraries whose symbols you want to be loaded.
15551
15552 @kindex show auto-solib-add
15553 @item show auto-solib-add
15554 Display the current autoloading mode.
15555 @end table
15556
15557 @cindex load shared library
15558 To explicitly load shared library symbols, use the @code{sharedlibrary}
15559 command:
15560
15561 @table @code
15562 @kindex info sharedlibrary
15563 @kindex info share
15564 @item info share @var{regex}
15565 @itemx info sharedlibrary @var{regex}
15566 Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded
15567 that match @var{regex}. If @var{regex} is omitted then print
15568 all shared libraries that are loaded.
15569
15570 @kindex sharedlibrary
15571 @kindex share
15572 @item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
15573 @itemx share @var{regex}
15574 Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
15575 Unix regular expression.
15576 As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
15577 required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
15578 @var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
15579 loaded.
15580
15581 @item nosharedlibrary
15582 @kindex nosharedlibrary
15583 @cindex unload symbols from shared libraries
15584 Unload all shared object library symbols. This discards all symbols
15585 that have been loaded from all shared libraries. Symbols from shared
15586 libraries that were loaded by explicit user requests are not
15587 discarded.
15588 @end table
15589
15590 Sometimes you may wish that @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control
15591 when any of shared library events happen. Use the @code{set
15592 stop-on-solib-events} command for this:
15593
15594 @table @code
15595 @item set stop-on-solib-events
15596 @kindex set stop-on-solib-events
15597 This command controls whether @value{GDBN} should give you control
15598 when the dynamic linker notifies it about some shared library event.
15599 The most common event of interest is loading or unloading of a new
15600 shared library.
15601
15602 @item show stop-on-solib-events
15603 @kindex show stop-on-solib-events
15604 Show whether @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control when shared
15605 library events happen.
15606 @end table
15607
15608 Shared libraries are also supported in many cross or remote debugging
15609 configurations. @value{GDBN} needs to have access to the target's libraries;
15610 this can be accomplished either by providing copies of the libraries
15611 on the host system, or by asking @value{GDBN} to automatically retrieve the
15612 libraries from the target. If copies of the target libraries are
15613 provided, they need to be the same as the target libraries, although the
15614 copies on the target can be stripped as long as the copies on the host are
15615 not.
15616
15617 @cindex where to look for shared libraries
15618 For remote debugging, you need to tell @value{GDBN} where the target
15619 libraries are, so that it can load the correct copies---otherwise, it
15620 may try to load the host's libraries. @value{GDBN} has two variables
15621 to specify the search directories for target libraries.
15622
15623 @table @code
15624 @cindex prefix for shared library file names
15625 @cindex system root, alternate
15626 @kindex set solib-absolute-prefix
15627 @kindex set sysroot
15628 @item set sysroot @var{path}
15629 Use @var{path} as the system root for the program being debugged. Any
15630 absolute shared library paths will be prefixed with @var{path}; many
15631 runtime loaders store the absolute paths to the shared library in the
15632 target program's memory. If you use @code{set sysroot} to find shared
15633 libraries, they need to be laid out in the same way that they are on
15634 the target, with e.g.@: a @file{/lib} and @file{/usr/lib} hierarchy
15635 under @var{path}.
15636
15637 If @var{path} starts with the sequence @file{remote:}, @value{GDBN} will
15638 retrieve the target libraries from the remote system. This is only
15639 supported when using a remote target that supports the @code{remote get}
15640 command (@pxref{File Transfer,,Sending files to a remote system}).
15641 The part of @var{path} following the initial @file{remote:}
15642 (if present) is used as system root prefix on the remote file system.
15643 @footnote{If you want to specify a local system root using a directory
15644 that happens to be named @file{remote:}, you need to use some equivalent
15645 variant of the name like @file{./remote:}.}
15646
15647 For targets with an MS-DOS based filesystem, such as MS-Windows and
15648 SymbianOS, @value{GDBN} tries prefixing a few variants of the target
15649 absolute file name with @var{path}. But first, on Unix hosts,
15650 @value{GDBN} converts all backslash directory separators into forward
15651 slashes, because the backslash is not a directory separator on Unix:
15652
15653 @smallexample
15654 c:\foo\bar.dll @result{} c:/foo/bar.dll
15655 @end smallexample
15656
15657 Then, @value{GDBN} attempts prefixing the target file name with
15658 @var{path}, and looks for the resulting file name in the host file
15659 system:
15660
15661 @smallexample
15662 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c:/foo/bar.dll
15663 @end smallexample
15664
15665 If that does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries removing
15666 the @samp{:} character from the drive spec, both for convenience, and,
15667 for the case of the host file system not supporting file names with
15668 colons:
15669
15670 @smallexample
15671 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c/foo/bar.dll
15672 @end smallexample
15673
15674 This makes it possible to have a system root that mirrors a target
15675 with more than one drive. E.g., you may want to setup your local
15676 copies of the target system shared libraries like so (note @samp{c} vs
15677 @samp{z}):
15678
15679 @smallexample
15680 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/foo.dll}
15681 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/bar.dll}
15682 @file{/path/to/sysroot/z/sys/bin/bar.dll}
15683 @end smallexample
15684
15685 @noindent
15686 and point the system root at @file{/path/to/sysroot}, so that
15687 @value{GDBN} can find the correct copies of both
15688 @file{c:\sys\bin\foo.dll}, and @file{z:\sys\bin\bar.dll}.
15689
15690 If that still does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries
15691 removing the whole drive spec from the target file name:
15692
15693 @smallexample
15694 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/foo/bar.dll
15695 @end smallexample
15696
15697 This last lookup makes it possible to not care about the drive name,
15698 if you don't want or need to.
15699
15700 The @code{set solib-absolute-prefix} command is an alias for @code{set
15701 sysroot}.
15702
15703 @cindex default system root
15704 @cindex @samp{--with-sysroot}
15705 You can set the default system root by using the configure-time
15706 @samp{--with-sysroot} option. If the system root is inside
15707 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
15708 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default system root will be updated
15709 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
15710 location.
15711
15712 @kindex show sysroot
15713 @item show sysroot
15714 Display the current shared library prefix.
15715
15716 @kindex set solib-search-path
15717 @item set solib-search-path @var{path}
15718 If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
15719 directories to search for shared libraries. @samp{solib-search-path}
15720 is used after @samp{sysroot} fails to locate the library, or if the
15721 path to the library is relative instead of absolute. If you want to
15722 use @samp{solib-search-path} instead of @samp{sysroot}, be sure to set
15723 @samp{sysroot} to a nonexistent directory to prevent @value{GDBN} from
15724 finding your host's libraries. @samp{sysroot} is preferred; setting
15725 it to a nonexistent directory may interfere with automatic loading
15726 of shared library symbols.
15727
15728 @kindex show solib-search-path
15729 @item show solib-search-path
15730 Display the current shared library search path.
15731
15732 @cindex DOS file-name semantics of file names.
15733 @kindex set target-file-system-kind (unix|dos-based|auto)
15734 @kindex show target-file-system-kind
15735 @item set target-file-system-kind @var{kind}
15736 Set assumed file system kind for target reported file names.
15737
15738 Shared library file names as reported by the target system may not
15739 make sense as is on the system @value{GDBN} is running on. For
15740 example, when remote debugging a target that has MS-DOS based file
15741 system semantics, from a Unix host, the target may be reporting to
15742 @value{GDBN} a list of loaded shared libraries with file names such as
15743 @file{c:\Windows\kernel32.dll}. On Unix hosts, there's no concept of
15744 drive letters, so the @samp{c:\} prefix is not normally understood as
15745 indicating an absolute file name, and neither is the backslash
15746 normally considered a directory separator character. In that case,
15747 the native file system would interpret this whole absolute file name
15748 as a relative file name with no directory components. This would make
15749 it impossible to point @value{GDBN} at a copy of the remote target's
15750 shared libraries on the host using @code{set sysroot}, and impractical
15751 with @code{set solib-search-path}. Setting
15752 @code{target-file-system-kind} to @code{dos-based} tells @value{GDBN}
15753 to interpret such file names similarly to how the target would, and to
15754 map them to file names valid on @value{GDBN}'s native file system
15755 semantics. The value of @var{kind} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition
15756 to one of the supported file system kinds. In that case, @value{GDBN}
15757 tries to determine the appropriate file system variant based on the
15758 current target's operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the
15759 Current ABI}). The supported file system settings are:
15760
15761 @table @code
15762 @item unix
15763 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is of Unix
15764 kind. Only file names starting the forward slash (@samp{/}) character
15765 are considered absolute, and the directory separator character is also
15766 the forward slash.
15767
15768 @item dos-based
15769 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is DOS based.
15770 File names starting with either a forward slash, or a drive letter
15771 followed by a colon (e.g., @samp{c:}), are considered absolute, and
15772 both the slash (@samp{/}) and the backslash (@samp{\\}) characters are
15773 considered directory separators.
15774
15775 @item auto
15776 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the file system kind associated with the
15777 target operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
15778 This is the default.
15779 @end table
15780 @end table
15781
15782 @cindex file name canonicalization
15783 @cindex base name differences
15784 When processing file names provided by the user, @value{GDBN}
15785 frequently needs to compare them to the file names recorded in the
15786 program's debug info. Normally, @value{GDBN} compares just the
15787 @dfn{base names} of the files as strings, which is reasonably fast
15788 even for very large programs. (The base name of a file is the last
15789 portion of its name, after stripping all the leading directories.)
15790 This shortcut in comparison is based upon the assumption that files
15791 cannot have more than one base name. This is usually true, but
15792 references to files that use symlinks or similar filesystem
15793 facilities violate that assumption. If your program records files
15794 using such facilities, or if you provide file names to @value{GDBN}
15795 using symlinks etc., you can set @code{basenames-may-differ} to
15796 @code{true} to instruct @value{GDBN} to completely canonicalize each
15797 pair of file names it needs to compare. This will make file-name
15798 comparisons accurate, but at a price of a significant slowdown.
15799
15800 @table @code
15801 @item set basenames-may-differ
15802 @kindex set basenames-may-differ
15803 Set whether a source file may have multiple base names.
15804
15805 @item show basenames-may-differ
15806 @kindex show basenames-may-differ
15807 Show whether a source file may have multiple base names.
15808 @end table
15809
15810 @node Separate Debug Files
15811 @section Debugging Information in Separate Files
15812 @cindex separate debugging information files
15813 @cindex debugging information in separate files
15814 @cindex @file{.debug} subdirectories
15815 @cindex debugging information directory, global
15816 @cindex global debugging information directory
15817 @cindex build ID, and separate debugging files
15818 @cindex @file{.build-id} directory
15819
15820 @value{GDBN} allows you to put a program's debugging information in a
15821 file separate from the executable itself, in a way that allows
15822 @value{GDBN} to find and load the debugging information automatically.
15823 Since debugging information can be very large---sometimes larger
15824 than the executable code itself---some systems distribute debugging
15825 information for their executables in separate files, which users can
15826 install only when they need to debug a problem.
15827
15828 @value{GDBN} supports two ways of specifying the separate debug info
15829 file:
15830
15831 @itemize @bullet
15832 @item
15833 The executable contains a @dfn{debug link} that specifies the name of
15834 the separate debug info file. The separate debug file's name is
15835 usually @file{@var{executable}.debug}, where @var{executable} is the
15836 name of the corresponding executable file without leading directories
15837 (e.g., @file{ls.debug} for @file{/usr/bin/ls}). In addition, the
15838 debug link specifies a 32-bit @dfn{Cyclic Redundancy Check} (CRC)
15839 checksum for the debug file, which @value{GDBN} uses to validate that
15840 the executable and the debug file came from the same build.
15841
15842 @item
15843 The executable contains a @dfn{build ID}, a unique bit string that is
15844 also present in the corresponding debug info file. (This is supported
15845 only on some operating systems, notably those which use the ELF format
15846 for binary files and the @sc{gnu} Binutils.) For more details about
15847 this feature, see the description of the @option{--build-id}
15848 command-line option in @ref{Options, , Command Line Options, ld.info,
15849 The GNU Linker}. The debug info file's name is not specified
15850 explicitly by the build ID, but can be computed from the build ID, see
15851 below.
15852 @end itemize
15853
15854 Depending on the way the debug info file is specified, @value{GDBN}
15855 uses two different methods of looking for the debug file:
15856
15857 @itemize @bullet
15858 @item
15859 For the ``debug link'' method, @value{GDBN} looks up the named file in
15860 the directory of the executable file, then in a subdirectory of that
15861 directory named @file{.debug}, and finally under the global debug
15862 directory, in a subdirectory whose name is identical to the leading
15863 directories of the executable's absolute file name.
15864
15865 @item
15866 For the ``build ID'' method, @value{GDBN} looks in the
15867 @file{.build-id} subdirectory of the global debug directory for a file
15868 named @file{@var{nn}/@var{nnnnnnnn}.debug}, where @var{nn} are the
15869 first 2 hex characters of the build ID bit string, and @var{nnnnnnnn}
15870 are the rest of the bit string. (Real build ID strings are 32 or more
15871 hex characters, not 10.)
15872 @end itemize
15873
15874 So, for example, suppose you ask @value{GDBN} to debug
15875 @file{/usr/bin/ls}, which has a debug link that specifies the
15876 file @file{ls.debug}, and a build ID whose value in hex is
15877 @code{abcdef1234}. If the global debug directory is
15878 @file{/usr/lib/debug}, then @value{GDBN} will look for the following
15879 debug information files, in the indicated order:
15880
15881 @itemize @minus
15882 @item
15883 @file{/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/ab/cdef1234.debug}
15884 @item
15885 @file{/usr/bin/ls.debug}
15886 @item
15887 @file{/usr/bin/.debug/ls.debug}
15888 @item
15889 @file{/usr/lib/debug/usr/bin/ls.debug}.
15890 @end itemize
15891
15892 You can set the global debugging info directory's name, and view the
15893 name @value{GDBN} is currently using.
15894
15895 @table @code
15896
15897 @kindex set debug-file-directory
15898 @item set debug-file-directory @var{directories}
15899 Set the directories which @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
15900 information files to @var{directory}. Multiple directory components can be set
15901 concatenating them by a directory separator.
15902
15903 @kindex show debug-file-directory
15904 @item show debug-file-directory
15905 Show the directories @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
15906 information files.
15907
15908 @end table
15909
15910 @cindex @code{.gnu_debuglink} sections
15911 @cindex debug link sections
15912 A debug link is a special section of the executable file named
15913 @code{.gnu_debuglink}. The section must contain:
15914
15915 @itemize
15916 @item
15917 A filename, with any leading directory components removed, followed by
15918 a zero byte,
15919 @item
15920 zero to three bytes of padding, as needed to reach the next four-byte
15921 boundary within the section, and
15922 @item
15923 a four-byte CRC checksum, stored in the same endianness used for the
15924 executable file itself. The checksum is computed on the debugging
15925 information file's full contents by the function given below, passing
15926 zero as the @var{crc} argument.
15927 @end itemize
15928
15929 Any executable file format can carry a debug link, as long as it can
15930 contain a section named @code{.gnu_debuglink} with the contents
15931 described above.
15932
15933 @cindex @code{.note.gnu.build-id} sections
15934 @cindex build ID sections
15935 The build ID is a special section in the executable file (and in other
15936 ELF binary files that @value{GDBN} may consider). This section is
15937 often named @code{.note.gnu.build-id}, but that name is not mandatory.
15938 It contains unique identification for the built files---the ID remains
15939 the same across multiple builds of the same build tree. The default
15940 algorithm SHA1 produces 160 bits (40 hexadecimal characters) of the
15941 content for the build ID string. The same section with an identical
15942 value is present in the original built binary with symbols, in its
15943 stripped variant, and in the separate debugging information file.
15944
15945 The debugging information file itself should be an ordinary
15946 executable, containing a full set of linker symbols, sections, and
15947 debugging information. The sections of the debugging information file
15948 should have the same names, addresses, and sizes as the original file,
15949 but they need not contain any data---much like a @code{.bss} section
15950 in an ordinary executable.
15951
15952 The @sc{gnu} binary utilities (Binutils) package includes the
15953 @samp{objcopy} utility that can produce
15954 the separated executable / debugging information file pairs using the
15955 following commands:
15956
15957 @smallexample
15958 @kbd{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.debug}
15959 @kbd{strip -g foo}
15960 @end smallexample
15961
15962 @noindent
15963 These commands remove the debugging
15964 information from the executable file @file{foo} and place it in the file
15965 @file{foo.debug}. You can use the first, second or both methods to link the
15966 two files:
15967
15968 @itemize @bullet
15969 @item
15970 The debug link method needs the following additional command to also leave
15971 behind a debug link in @file{foo}:
15972
15973 @smallexample
15974 @kbd{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug foo}
15975 @end smallexample
15976
15977 Ulrich Drepper's @file{elfutils} package, starting with version 0.53, contains
15978 a version of the @code{strip} command such that the command @kbd{strip foo -f
15979 foo.debug} has the same functionality as the two @code{objcopy} commands and
15980 the @code{ln -s} command above, together.
15981
15982 @item
15983 Build ID gets embedded into the main executable using @code{ld --build-id} or
15984 the @value{NGCC} counterpart @code{gcc -Wl,--build-id}. Build ID support plus
15985 compatibility fixes for debug files separation are present in @sc{gnu} binary
15986 utilities (Binutils) package since version 2.18.
15987 @end itemize
15988
15989 @noindent
15990
15991 @cindex CRC algorithm definition
15992 The CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink} is the CRC-32 defined in
15993 IEEE 802.3 using the polynomial:
15994
15995 @c TexInfo requires naked braces for multi-digit exponents for Tex
15996 @c output, but this causes HTML output to barf. HTML has to be set using
15997 @c raw commands. So we end up having to specify this equation in 2
15998 @c different ways!
15999 @ifhtml
16000 @display
16001 @html
16002 <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>
16003 + <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
16004 @end html
16005 @end display
16006 @end ifhtml
16007 @ifnothtml
16008 @display
16009 @math{x^{32} + x^{26} + x^{23} + x^{22} + x^{16} + x^{12} + x^{11}}
16010 @math{+ x^{10} + x^8 + x^7 + x^5 + x^4 + x^2 + x + 1}
16011 @end display
16012 @end ifnothtml
16013
16014 The function is computed byte at a time, taking the least
16015 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern
16016 @code{0xffffffff} is used, to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC and
16017 the final result is inverted to ensure trailing zeros also affect the
16018 CRC.
16019
16020 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC polynomial as used in handling the
16021 @dfn{Remote Serial Protocol} @code{qCRC} packet (@pxref{Remote Protocol,
16022 , @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol}). However in the
16023 case of the Remote Serial Protocol, the CRC is computed @emph{most}
16024 significant bit first, and the result is not inverted, so trailing
16025 zeros have no effect on the CRC value.
16026
16027 To complete the description, we show below the code of the function
16028 which produces the CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink}. Inverting the
16029 initially supplied @code{crc} argument means that an initial call to
16030 this function passing in zero will start computing the CRC using
16031 @code{0xffffffff}.
16032
16033 @kindex gnu_debuglink_crc32
16034 @smallexample
16035 unsigned long
16036 gnu_debuglink_crc32 (unsigned long crc,
16037 unsigned char *buf, size_t len)
16038 @{
16039 static const unsigned long crc32_table[256] =
16040 @{
16041 0x00000000, 0x77073096, 0xee0e612c, 0x990951ba, 0x076dc419,
16042 0x706af48f, 0xe963a535, 0x9e6495a3, 0x0edb8832, 0x79dcb8a4,
16043 0xe0d5e91e, 0x97d2d988, 0x09b64c2b, 0x7eb17cbd, 0xe7b82d07,
16044 0x90bf1d91, 0x1db71064, 0x6ab020f2, 0xf3b97148, 0x84be41de,
16045 0x1adad47d, 0x6ddde4eb, 0xf4d4b551, 0x83d385c7, 0x136c9856,
16046 0x646ba8c0, 0xfd62f97a, 0x8a65c9ec, 0x14015c4f, 0x63066cd9,
16047 0xfa0f3d63, 0x8d080df5, 0x3b6e20c8, 0x4c69105e, 0xd56041e4,
16048 0xa2677172, 0x3c03e4d1, 0x4b04d447, 0xd20d85fd, 0xa50ab56b,
16049 0x35b5a8fa, 0x42b2986c, 0xdbbbc9d6, 0xacbcf940, 0x32d86ce3,
16050 0x45df5c75, 0xdcd60dcf, 0xabd13d59, 0x26d930ac, 0x51de003a,
16051 0xc8d75180, 0xbfd06116, 0x21b4f4b5, 0x56b3c423, 0xcfba9599,
16052 0xb8bda50f, 0x2802b89e, 0x5f058808, 0xc60cd9b2, 0xb10be924,
16053 0x2f6f7c87, 0x58684c11, 0xc1611dab, 0xb6662d3d, 0x76dc4190,
16054 0x01db7106, 0x98d220bc, 0xefd5102a, 0x71b18589, 0x06b6b51f,
16055 0x9fbfe4a5, 0xe8b8d433, 0x7807c9a2, 0x0f00f934, 0x9609a88e,
16056 0xe10e9818, 0x7f6a0dbb, 0x086d3d2d, 0x91646c97, 0xe6635c01,
16057 0x6b6b51f4, 0x1c6c6162, 0x856530d8, 0xf262004e, 0x6c0695ed,
16058 0x1b01a57b, 0x8208f4c1, 0xf50fc457, 0x65b0d9c6, 0x12b7e950,
16059 0x8bbeb8ea, 0xfcb9887c, 0x62dd1ddf, 0x15da2d49, 0x8cd37cf3,
16060 0xfbd44c65, 0x4db26158, 0x3ab551ce, 0xa3bc0074, 0xd4bb30e2,
16061 0x4adfa541, 0x3dd895d7, 0xa4d1c46d, 0xd3d6f4fb, 0x4369e96a,
16062 0x346ed9fc, 0xad678846, 0xda60b8d0, 0x44042d73, 0x33031de5,
16063 0xaa0a4c5f, 0xdd0d7cc9, 0x5005713c, 0x270241aa, 0xbe0b1010,
16064 0xc90c2086, 0x5768b525, 0x206f85b3, 0xb966d409, 0xce61e49f,
16065 0x5edef90e, 0x29d9c998, 0xb0d09822, 0xc7d7a8b4, 0x59b33d17,
16066 0x2eb40d81, 0xb7bd5c3b, 0xc0ba6cad, 0xedb88320, 0x9abfb3b6,
16067 0x03b6e20c, 0x74b1d29a, 0xead54739, 0x9dd277af, 0x04db2615,
16068 0x73dc1683, 0xe3630b12, 0x94643b84, 0x0d6d6a3e, 0x7a6a5aa8,
16069 0xe40ecf0b, 0x9309ff9d, 0x0a00ae27, 0x7d079eb1, 0xf00f9344,
16070 0x8708a3d2, 0x1e01f268, 0x6906c2fe, 0xf762575d, 0x806567cb,
16071 0x196c3671, 0x6e6b06e7, 0xfed41b76, 0x89d32be0, 0x10da7a5a,
16072 0x67dd4acc, 0xf9b9df6f, 0x8ebeeff9, 0x17b7be43, 0x60b08ed5,
16073 0xd6d6a3e8, 0xa1d1937e, 0x38d8c2c4, 0x4fdff252, 0xd1bb67f1,
16074 0xa6bc5767, 0x3fb506dd, 0x48b2364b, 0xd80d2bda, 0xaf0a1b4c,
16075 0x36034af6, 0x41047a60, 0xdf60efc3, 0xa867df55, 0x316e8eef,
16076 0x4669be79, 0xcb61b38c, 0xbc66831a, 0x256fd2a0, 0x5268e236,
16077 0xcc0c7795, 0xbb0b4703, 0x220216b9, 0x5505262f, 0xc5ba3bbe,
16078 0xb2bd0b28, 0x2bb45a92, 0x5cb36a04, 0xc2d7ffa7, 0xb5d0cf31,
16079 0x2cd99e8b, 0x5bdeae1d, 0x9b64c2b0, 0xec63f226, 0x756aa39c,
16080 0x026d930a, 0x9c0906a9, 0xeb0e363f, 0x72076785, 0x05005713,
16081 0x95bf4a82, 0xe2b87a14, 0x7bb12bae, 0x0cb61b38, 0x92d28e9b,
16082 0xe5d5be0d, 0x7cdcefb7, 0x0bdbdf21, 0x86d3d2d4, 0xf1d4e242,
16083 0x68ddb3f8, 0x1fda836e, 0x81be16cd, 0xf6b9265b, 0x6fb077e1,
16084 0x18b74777, 0x88085ae6, 0xff0f6a70, 0x66063bca, 0x11010b5c,
16085 0x8f659eff, 0xf862ae69, 0x616bffd3, 0x166ccf45, 0xa00ae278,
16086 0xd70dd2ee, 0x4e048354, 0x3903b3c2, 0xa7672661, 0xd06016f7,
16087 0x4969474d, 0x3e6e77db, 0xaed16a4a, 0xd9d65adc, 0x40df0b66,
16088 0x37d83bf0, 0xa9bcae53, 0xdebb9ec5, 0x47b2cf7f, 0x30b5ffe9,
16089 0xbdbdf21c, 0xcabac28a, 0x53b39330, 0x24b4a3a6, 0xbad03605,
16090 0xcdd70693, 0x54de5729, 0x23d967bf, 0xb3667a2e, 0xc4614ab8,
16091 0x5d681b02, 0x2a6f2b94, 0xb40bbe37, 0xc30c8ea1, 0x5a05df1b,
16092 0x2d02ef8d
16093 @};
16094 unsigned char *end;
16095
16096 crc = ~crc & 0xffffffff;
16097 for (end = buf + len; buf < end; ++buf)
16098 crc = crc32_table[(crc ^ *buf) & 0xff] ^ (crc >> 8);
16099 return ~crc & 0xffffffff;
16100 @}
16101 @end smallexample
16102
16103 @noindent
16104 This computation does not apply to the ``build ID'' method.
16105
16106
16107 @node Index Files
16108 @section Index Files Speed Up @value{GDBN}
16109 @cindex index files
16110 @cindex @samp{.gdb_index} section
16111
16112 When @value{GDBN} finds a symbol file, it scans the symbols in the
16113 file in order to construct an internal symbol table. This lets most
16114 @value{GDBN} operations work quickly---at the cost of a delay early
16115 on. For large programs, this delay can be quite lengthy, so
16116 @value{GDBN} provides a way to build an index, which speeds up
16117 startup.
16118
16119 The index is stored as a section in the symbol file. @value{GDBN} can
16120 write the index to a file, then you can put it into the symbol file
16121 using @command{objcopy}.
16122
16123 To create an index file, use the @code{save gdb-index} command:
16124
16125 @table @code
16126 @item save gdb-index @var{directory}
16127 @kindex save gdb-index
16128 Create an index file for each symbol file currently known by
16129 @value{GDBN}. Each file is named after its corresponding symbol file,
16130 with @samp{.gdb-index} appended, and is written into the given
16131 @var{directory}.
16132 @end table
16133
16134 Once you have created an index file you can merge it into your symbol
16135 file, here named @file{symfile}, using @command{objcopy}:
16136
16137 @smallexample
16138 $ objcopy --add-section .gdb_index=symfile.gdb-index \
16139 --set-section-flags .gdb_index=readonly symfile symfile
16140 @end smallexample
16141
16142 There are currently some limitation on indices. They only work when
16143 for DWARF debugging information, not stabs. And, they do not
16144 currently work for programs using Ada.
16145
16146 @node Symbol Errors
16147 @section Errors Reading Symbol Files
16148
16149 While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
16150 such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
16151 output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
16152 they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
16153 debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
16154 about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
16155 only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
16156 times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
16157 to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
16158 complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
16159 Messages}).
16160
16161 The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
16162
16163 @table @code
16164 @item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
16165
16166 The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
16167 (such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
16168 error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
16169 in its outer scope blocks.
16170
16171 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
16172 the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
16173 may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
16174 function.
16175
16176 @item block at @var{address} out of order
16177
16178 The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
16179 order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
16180 do so.
16181
16182 @value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
16183 locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
16184 can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
16185 @code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
16186 Messages}.)
16187
16188 @item bad block start address patched
16189
16190 The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
16191 smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
16192 to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
16193
16194 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
16195 starting on the previous source line.
16196
16197 @item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
16198
16199 @cindex foo
16200 Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
16201 larger than the size of the string table.
16202
16203 @value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
16204 name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
16205 with this name.
16206
16207 @item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
16208
16209 The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does
16210 not yet know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the
16211 uncomprehended information, in hexadecimal.
16212
16213 @value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information.
16214 This usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
16215 are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
16216 debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint
16217 on @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab}
16218 and examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
16219
16220 @item stub type has NULL name
16221
16222 @value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for a struct or class.
16223
16224 @item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
16225 The symbol information for a C@t{++} member function is missing some
16226 information that recent versions of the compiler should have output for
16227 it.
16228
16229 @item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
16230
16231 @value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
16232
16233 @end table
16234
16235 @node Data Files
16236 @section GDB Data Files
16237
16238 @cindex prefix for data files
16239 @value{GDBN} will sometimes read an auxiliary data file. These files
16240 are kept in a directory known as the @dfn{data directory}.
16241
16242 You can set the data directory's name, and view the name @value{GDBN}
16243 is currently using.
16244
16245 @table @code
16246 @kindex set data-directory
16247 @item set data-directory @var{directory}
16248 Set the directory which @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files
16249 to @var{directory}.
16250
16251 @kindex show data-directory
16252 @item show data-directory
16253 Show the directory @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files.
16254 @end table
16255
16256 @cindex default data directory
16257 @cindex @samp{--with-gdb-datadir}
16258 You can set the default data directory by using the configure-time
16259 @samp{--with-gdb-datadir} option. If the data directory is inside
16260 @value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
16261 @samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default data directory will be updated
16262 automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
16263 location.
16264
16265 The data directory may also be specified with the
16266 @code{--data-directory} command line option.
16267 @xref{Mode Options}.
16268
16269 @node Targets
16270 @chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
16271
16272 @cindex debugging target
16273 A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
16274
16275 Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program;
16276 in that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when
16277 you use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
16278 flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
16279 host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
16280 realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you can use the @code{target}
16281 command to specify one of the target types configured for @value{GDBN}
16282 (@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for Managing Targets}).
16283
16284 @cindex target architecture
16285 It is possible to build @value{GDBN} for several different @dfn{target
16286 architectures}. When @value{GDBN} is built like that, you can choose
16287 one of the available architectures with the @kbd{set architecture}
16288 command.
16289
16290 @table @code
16291 @kindex set architecture
16292 @kindex show architecture
16293 @item set architecture @var{arch}
16294 This command sets the current target architecture to @var{arch}. The
16295 value of @var{arch} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition to one of the
16296 supported architectures.
16297
16298 @item show architecture
16299 Show the current target architecture.
16300
16301 @item set processor
16302 @itemx processor
16303 @kindex set processor
16304 @kindex show processor
16305 These are alias commands for, respectively, @code{set architecture}
16306 and @code{show architecture}.
16307 @end table
16308
16309 @menu
16310 * Active Targets:: Active targets
16311 * Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
16312 * Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
16313 @end menu
16314
16315 @node Active Targets
16316 @section Active Targets
16317
16318 @cindex stacking targets
16319 @cindex active targets
16320 @cindex multiple targets
16321
16322 There are multiple classes of targets such as: processes, executable files or
16323 recording sessions. Core files belong to the process class, making core file
16324 and process mutually exclusive. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} can work concurrently
16325 on multiple active targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for
16326 example) start a process and inspect its activity, while still having access to
16327 the executable file after the process finishes. Or if you start process
16328 recording (@pxref{Reverse Execution}) and @code{reverse-step} there, you are
16329 presented a virtual layer of the recording target, while the process target
16330 remains stopped at the chronologically last point of the process execution.
16331
16332 Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a new core
16333 file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}). To
16334 specify as a target a process that is already running, use the @code{attach}
16335 command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
16336
16337 @node Target Commands
16338 @section Commands for Managing Targets
16339
16340 @table @code
16341 @item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
16342 Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target machine or
16343 process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging
16344 facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the type or
16345 protocol of the target machine.
16346
16347 Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
16348 typically include things like device names or host names to connect
16349 with, process numbers, and baud rates.
16350
16351 The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
16352 after executing the command.
16353
16354 @kindex help target
16355 @item help target
16356 Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
16357 currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
16358 (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
16359
16360 @item help target @var{name}
16361 Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
16362 select it.
16363
16364 @kindex set gnutarget
16365 @item set gnutarget @var{args}
16366 @value{GDBN} uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
16367 knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
16368 a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file; however, you can specify the file format
16369 with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
16370 with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
16371
16372 @quotation
16373 @emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
16374 you must know the actual BFD name.
16375 @end quotation
16376
16377 @noindent
16378 @xref{Files, , Commands to Specify Files}.
16379
16380 @kindex show gnutarget
16381 @item show gnutarget
16382 Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
16383 @code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
16384 @value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically,
16385 and @code{show gnutarget} displays @samp{The current BDF target is "auto"}.
16386 @end table
16387
16388 @cindex common targets
16389 Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
16390 configuration):
16391
16392 @table @code
16393 @kindex target
16394 @item target exec @var{program}
16395 @cindex executable file target
16396 An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
16397 @samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
16398
16399 @item target core @var{filename}
16400 @cindex core dump file target
16401 A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
16402 @samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
16403
16404 @item target remote @var{medium}
16405 @cindex remote target
16406 A remote system connected to @value{GDBN} via a serial line or network
16407 connection. This command tells @value{GDBN} to use its own remote
16408 protocol over @var{medium} for debugging. @xref{Remote Debugging}.
16409
16410 For example, if you have a board connected to @file{/dev/ttya} on the
16411 machine running @value{GDBN}, you could say:
16412
16413 @smallexample
16414 target remote /dev/ttya
16415 @end smallexample
16416
16417 @code{target remote} supports the @code{load} command. This is only
16418 useful if you have some other way of getting the stub to the target
16419 system, and you can put it somewhere in memory where it won't get
16420 clobbered by the download.
16421
16422 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
16423 @cindex built-in simulator target
16424 Builtin CPU simulator. @value{GDBN} includes simulators for most architectures.
16425 In general,
16426 @smallexample
16427 target sim
16428 load
16429 run
16430 @end smallexample
16431 @noindent
16432 works; however, you cannot assume that a specific memory map, device
16433 drivers, or even basic I/O is available, although some simulators do
16434 provide these. For info about any processor-specific simulator details,
16435 see the appropriate section in @ref{Embedded Processors, ,Embedded
16436 Processors}.
16437
16438 @end table
16439
16440 Some configurations may include these targets as well:
16441
16442 @table @code
16443
16444 @item target nrom @var{dev}
16445 @cindex NetROM ROM emulator target
16446 NetROM ROM emulator. This target only supports downloading.
16447
16448 @end table
16449
16450 Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
16451 your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
16452
16453 Many remote targets require you to download the executable's code once
16454 you've successfully established a connection. You may wish to control
16455 various aspects of this process.
16456
16457 @table @code
16458
16459 @item set hash
16460 @kindex set hash@r{, for remote monitors}
16461 @cindex hash mark while downloading
16462 This command controls whether a hash mark @samp{#} is displayed while
16463 downloading a file to the remote monitor. If on, a hash mark is
16464 displayed after each S-record is successfully downloaded to the
16465 monitor.
16466
16467 @item show hash
16468 @kindex show hash@r{, for remote monitors}
16469 Show the current status of displaying the hash mark.
16470
16471 @item set debug monitor
16472 @kindex set debug monitor
16473 @cindex display remote monitor communications
16474 Enable or disable display of communications messages between
16475 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
16476
16477 @item show debug monitor
16478 @kindex show debug monitor
16479 Show the current status of displaying communications between
16480 @value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
16481 @end table
16482
16483 @table @code
16484
16485 @kindex load @var{filename}
16486 @item load @var{filename}
16487 @anchor{load}
16488 Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
16489 @value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
16490 is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
16491 on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
16492 @code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
16493 the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
16494
16495 If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
16496 execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
16497 target is @dots{}}''
16498
16499 The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
16500 For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
16501 link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
16502 specifies a fixed address.
16503 @c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
16504
16505 Depending on the remote side capabilities, @value{GDBN} may be able to
16506 load programs into flash memory.
16507
16508 @code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
16509 @end table
16510
16511 @node Byte Order
16512 @section Choosing Target Byte Order
16513
16514 @cindex choosing target byte order
16515 @cindex target byte order
16516
16517 Some types of processors, such as the MIPS, PowerPC, and Renesas SH,
16518 offer the ability to run either big-endian or little-endian byte
16519 orders. Usually the executable or symbol will include a bit to
16520 designate the endian-ness, and you will not need to worry about
16521 which to use. However, you may still find it useful to adjust
16522 @value{GDBN}'s idea of processor endian-ness manually.
16523
16524 @table @code
16525 @kindex set endian
16526 @item set endian big
16527 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is big-endian.
16528
16529 @item set endian little
16530 Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is little-endian.
16531
16532 @item set endian auto
16533 Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the
16534 executable.
16535
16536 @item show endian
16537 Display @value{GDBN}'s current idea of the target byte order.
16538
16539 @end table
16540
16541 Note that these commands merely adjust interpretation of symbolic
16542 data on the host, and that they have absolutely no effect on the
16543 target system.
16544
16545
16546 @node Remote Debugging
16547 @chapter Debugging Remote Programs
16548 @cindex remote debugging
16549
16550 If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
16551 @value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
16552 For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
16553 or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
16554 powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
16555
16556 Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
16557 to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
16558 @value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
16559 but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
16560 write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
16561 communicate with @value{GDBN}.
16562
16563 Other remote targets may be available in your
16564 configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
16565
16566 @menu
16567 * Connecting:: Connecting to a remote target
16568 * File Transfer:: Sending files to a remote system
16569 * Server:: Using the gdbserver program
16570 * Remote Configuration:: Remote configuration
16571 * Remote Stub:: Implementing a remote stub
16572 @end menu
16573
16574 @node Connecting
16575 @section Connecting to a Remote Target
16576
16577 On the @value{GDBN} host machine, you will need an unstripped copy of
16578 your program, since @value{GDBN} needs symbol and debugging information.
16579 Start up @value{GDBN} as usual, using the name of the local copy of your
16580 program as the first argument.
16581
16582 @cindex @code{target remote}
16583 @value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, or
16584 over an @acronym{IP} network using @acronym{TCP} or @acronym{UDP}. In
16585 each case, @value{GDBN} uses the same protocol for debugging your
16586 program; only the medium carrying the debugging packets varies. The
16587 @code{target remote} command establishes a connection to the target.
16588 Its arguments indicate which medium to use:
16589
16590 @table @code
16591
16592 @item target remote @var{serial-device}
16593 @cindex serial line, @code{target remote}
16594 Use @var{serial-device} to communicate with the target. For example,
16595 to use a serial line connected to the device named @file{/dev/ttyb}:
16596
16597 @smallexample
16598 target remote /dev/ttyb
16599 @end smallexample
16600
16601 If you're using a serial line, you may want to give @value{GDBN} the
16602 @w{@samp{--baud}} option, or use the @code{set remotebaud} command
16603 (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remotebaud}) before the
16604 @code{target} command.
16605
16606 @item target remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
16607 @itemx target remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
16608 @cindex @acronym{TCP} port, @code{target remote}
16609 Debug using a @acronym{TCP} connection to @var{port} on @var{host}.
16610 The @var{host} may be either a host name or a numeric @acronym{IP}
16611 address; @var{port} must be a decimal number. The @var{host} could be
16612 the target machine itself, if it is directly connected to the net, or
16613 it might be a terminal server which in turn has a serial line to the
16614 target.
16615
16616 For example, to connect to port 2828 on a terminal server named
16617 @code{manyfarms}:
16618
16619 @smallexample
16620 target remote manyfarms:2828
16621 @end smallexample
16622
16623 If your remote target is actually running on the same machine as your
16624 debugger session (e.g.@: a simulator for your target running on the
16625 same host), you can omit the hostname. For example, to connect to
16626 port 1234 on your local machine:
16627
16628 @smallexample
16629 target remote :1234
16630 @end smallexample
16631 @noindent
16632
16633 Note that the colon is still required here.
16634
16635 @item target remote @code{udp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
16636 @cindex @acronym{UDP} port, @code{target remote}
16637 Debug using @acronym{UDP} packets to @var{port} on @var{host}. For example, to
16638 connect to @acronym{UDP} port 2828 on a terminal server named @code{manyfarms}:
16639
16640 @smallexample
16641 target remote udp:manyfarms:2828
16642 @end smallexample
16643
16644 When using a @acronym{UDP} connection for remote debugging, you should
16645 keep in mind that the `U' stands for ``Unreliable''. @acronym{UDP}
16646 can silently drop packets on busy or unreliable networks, which will
16647 cause havoc with your debugging session.
16648
16649 @item target remote | @var{command}
16650 @cindex pipe, @code{target remote} to
16651 Run @var{command} in the background and communicate with it using a
16652 pipe. The @var{command} is a shell command, to be parsed and expanded
16653 by the system's command shell, @code{/bin/sh}; it should expect remote
16654 protocol packets on its standard input, and send replies on its
16655 standard output. You could use this to run a stand-alone simulator
16656 that speaks the remote debugging protocol, to make net connections
16657 using programs like @code{ssh}, or for other similar tricks.
16658
16659 If @var{command} closes its standard output (perhaps by exiting),
16660 @value{GDBN} will try to send it a @code{SIGTERM} signal. (If the
16661 program has already exited, this will have no effect.)
16662
16663 @end table
16664
16665 Once the connection has been established, you can use all the usual
16666 commands to examine and change data. The remote program is already
16667 running; you can use @kbd{step} and @kbd{continue}, and you do not
16668 need to use @kbd{run}.
16669
16670 @cindex interrupting remote programs
16671 @cindex remote programs, interrupting
16672 Whenever @value{GDBN} is waiting for the remote program, if you type the
16673 interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}), @value{GDBN} attempts to stop the
16674 program. This may or may not succeed, depending in part on the hardware
16675 and the serial drivers the remote system uses. If you type the
16676 interrupt character once again, @value{GDBN} displays this prompt:
16677
16678 @smallexample
16679 Interrupted while waiting for the program.
16680 Give up (and stop debugging it)? (y or n)
16681 @end smallexample
16682
16683 If you type @kbd{y}, @value{GDBN} abandons the remote debugging session.
16684 (If you decide you want to try again later, you can use @samp{target
16685 remote} again to connect once more.) If you type @kbd{n}, @value{GDBN}
16686 goes back to waiting.
16687
16688 @table @code
16689 @kindex detach (remote)
16690 @item detach
16691 When you have finished debugging the remote program, you can use the
16692 @code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control.
16693 Detaching from the target normally resumes its execution, but the results
16694 will depend on your particular remote stub. After the @code{detach}
16695 command, @value{GDBN} is free to connect to another target.
16696
16697 @kindex disconnect
16698 @item disconnect
16699 The @code{disconnect} command behaves like @code{detach}, except that
16700 the target is generally not resumed. It will wait for @value{GDBN}
16701 (this instance or another one) to connect and continue debugging. After
16702 the @code{disconnect} command, @value{GDBN} is again free to connect to
16703 another target.
16704
16705 @cindex send command to remote monitor
16706 @cindex extend @value{GDBN} for remote targets
16707 @cindex add new commands for external monitor
16708 @kindex monitor
16709 @item monitor @var{cmd}
16710 This command allows you to send arbitrary commands directly to the
16711 remote monitor. Since @value{GDBN} doesn't care about the commands it
16712 sends like this, this command is the way to extend @value{GDBN}---you
16713 can add new commands that only the external monitor will understand
16714 and implement.
16715 @end table
16716
16717 @node File Transfer
16718 @section Sending files to a remote system
16719 @cindex remote target, file transfer
16720 @cindex file transfer
16721 @cindex sending files to remote systems
16722
16723 Some remote targets offer the ability to transfer files over the same
16724 connection used to communicate with @value{GDBN}. This is convenient
16725 for targets accessible through other means, e.g.@: @sc{gnu}/Linux systems
16726 running @code{gdbserver} over a network interface. For other targets,
16727 e.g.@: embedded devices with only a single serial port, this may be
16728 the only way to upload or download files.
16729
16730 Not all remote targets support these commands.
16731
16732 @table @code
16733 @kindex remote put
16734 @item remote put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
16735 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
16736 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
16737
16738 @kindex remote get
16739 @item remote get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
16740 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
16741 on the host system.
16742
16743 @kindex remote delete
16744 @item remote delete @var{targetfile}
16745 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
16746
16747 @end table
16748
16749 @node Server
16750 @section Using the @code{gdbserver} Program
16751
16752 @kindex gdbserver
16753 @cindex remote connection without stubs
16754 @code{gdbserver} is a control program for Unix-like systems, which
16755 allows you to connect your program with a remote @value{GDBN} via
16756 @code{target remote}---but without linking in the usual debugging stub.
16757
16758 @code{gdbserver} is not a complete replacement for the debugging stubs,
16759 because it requires essentially the same operating-system facilities
16760 that @value{GDBN} itself does. In fact, a system that can run
16761 @code{gdbserver} to connect to a remote @value{GDBN} could also run
16762 @value{GDBN} locally! @code{gdbserver} is sometimes useful nevertheless,
16763 because it is a much smaller program than @value{GDBN} itself. It is
16764 also easier to port than all of @value{GDBN}, so you may be able to get
16765 started more quickly on a new system by using @code{gdbserver}.
16766 Finally, if you develop code for real-time systems, you may find that
16767 the tradeoffs involved in real-time operation make it more convenient to
16768 do as much development work as possible on another system, for example
16769 by cross-compiling. You can use @code{gdbserver} to make a similar
16770 choice for debugging.
16771
16772 @value{GDBN} and @code{gdbserver} communicate via either a serial line
16773 or a TCP connection, using the standard @value{GDBN} remote serial
16774 protocol.
16775
16776 @quotation
16777 @emph{Warning:} @code{gdbserver} does not have any built-in security.
16778 Do not run @code{gdbserver} connected to any public network; a
16779 @value{GDBN} connection to @code{gdbserver} provides access to the
16780 target system with the same privileges as the user running
16781 @code{gdbserver}.
16782 @end quotation
16783
16784 @subsection Running @code{gdbserver}
16785 @cindex arguments, to @code{gdbserver}
16786 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, command-line arguments
16787
16788 Run @code{gdbserver} on the target system. You need a copy of the
16789 program you want to debug, including any libraries it requires.
16790 @code{gdbserver} does not need your program's symbol table, so you can
16791 strip the program if necessary to save space. @value{GDBN} on the host
16792 system does all the symbol handling.
16793
16794 To use the server, you must tell it how to communicate with @value{GDBN};
16795 the name of your program; and the arguments for your program. The usual
16796 syntax is:
16797
16798 @smallexample
16799 target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [ @var{args} @dots{} ]
16800 @end smallexample
16801
16802 @var{comm} is either a device name (to use a serial line), or a TCP
16803 hostname and portnumber, or @code{-} or @code{stdio} to use
16804 stdin/stdout of @code{gdbserver}.
16805 For example, to debug Emacs with the argument
16806 @samp{foo.txt} and communicate with @value{GDBN} over the serial port
16807 @file{/dev/com1}:
16808
16809 @smallexample
16810 target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
16811 @end smallexample
16812
16813 @code{gdbserver} waits passively for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate
16814 with it.
16815
16816 To use a TCP connection instead of a serial line:
16817
16818 @smallexample
16819 target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
16820 @end smallexample
16821
16822 The only difference from the previous example is the first argument,
16823 specifying that you are communicating with the host @value{GDBN} via
16824 TCP. The @samp{host:2345} argument means that @code{gdbserver} is to
16825 expect a TCP connection from machine @samp{host} to local TCP port 2345.
16826 (Currently, the @samp{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number
16827 you want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any
16828 TCP ports already in use on the target system (for example, @code{23} is
16829 reserved for @code{telnet}).@footnote{If you choose a port number that
16830 conflicts with another service, @code{gdbserver} prints an error message
16831 and exits.} You must use the same port number with the host @value{GDBN}
16832 @code{target remote} command.
16833
16834 The @code{stdio} connection is useful when starting @code{gdbserver}
16835 with ssh:
16836
16837 @smallexample
16838 (gdb) target remote | ssh -T hostname gdbserver - hello
16839 @end smallexample
16840
16841 The @samp{-T} option to ssh is provided because we don't need a remote pty,
16842 and we don't want escape-character handling. Ssh does this by default when
16843 a command is provided, the flag is provided to make it explicit.
16844 You could elide it if you want to.
16845
16846 Programs started with stdio-connected gdbserver have @file{/dev/null} for
16847 @code{stdin}, and @code{stdout},@code{stderr} are sent back to gdb for
16848 display through a pipe connected to gdbserver.
16849 Both @code{stdout} and @code{stderr} use the same pipe.
16850
16851 @subsubsection Attaching to a Running Program
16852 @cindex attach to a program, @code{gdbserver}
16853 @cindex @option{--attach}, @code{gdbserver} option
16854
16855 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
16856 This is accomplished via the @code{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
16857
16858 @smallexample
16859 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
16860 @end smallexample
16861
16862 @var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't necessary
16863 to point @code{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
16864
16865 @pindex pidof
16866 You can debug processes by name instead of process ID if your target has the
16867 @code{pidof} utility:
16868
16869 @smallexample
16870 target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} `pidof @var{program}`
16871 @end smallexample
16872
16873 In case more than one copy of @var{program} is running, or @var{program}
16874 has multiple threads, most versions of @code{pidof} support the
16875 @code{-s} option to only return the first process ID.
16876
16877 @subsubsection Multi-Process Mode for @code{gdbserver}
16878 @cindex @code{gdbserver}, multiple processes
16879 @cindex multiple processes with @code{gdbserver}
16880
16881 When you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target remote},
16882 @code{gdbserver} debugs the specified program only once. When the
16883 program exits, or you detach from it, @value{GDBN} closes the connection
16884 and @code{gdbserver} exits.
16885
16886 If you connect using @kbd{target extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver}
16887 enters multi-process mode. When the debugged program exits, or you
16888 detach from it, @value{GDBN} stays connected to @code{gdbserver} even
16889 though no program is running. The @code{run} and @code{attach}
16890 commands instruct @code{gdbserver} to run or attach to a new program.
16891 The @code{run} command uses @code{set remote exec-file} (@pxref{set
16892 remote exec-file}) to select the program to run. Command line
16893 arguments are supported, except for wildcard expansion and I/O
16894 redirection (@pxref{Arguments}).
16895
16896 @cindex @option{--multi}, @code{gdbserver} option
16897 To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
16898 or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
16899 Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
16900 the program you want to debug.
16901
16902 In multi-process mode @code{gdbserver} does not automatically exit unless you
16903 use the option @option{--once}. You can terminate it by using
16904 @code{monitor exit} (@pxref{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}). Note that the
16905 conditions under which @code{gdbserver} terminates depend on how @value{GDBN}
16906 connects to it (@kbd{target remote} or @kbd{target extended-remote}). The
16907 @option{--multi} option to @code{gdbserver} has no influence on that.
16908
16909 @subsubsection TCP port allocation lifecycle of @code{gdbserver}
16910
16911 This section applies only when @code{gdbserver} is run to listen on a TCP port.
16912
16913 @code{gdbserver} normally terminates after all of its debugged processes have
16914 terminated in @kbd{target remote} mode. On the other hand, for @kbd{target
16915 extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver} stays running even with no processes left.
16916 @value{GDBN} normally terminates the spawned debugged process on its exit,
16917 which normally also terminates @code{gdbserver} in the @kbd{target remote}
16918 mode. Therefore, when the connection drops unexpectedly, and @value{GDBN}
16919 cannot ask @code{gdbserver} to kill its debugged processes, @code{gdbserver}
16920 stays running even in the @kbd{target remote} mode.
16921
16922 When @code{gdbserver} stays running, @value{GDBN} can connect to it again later.
16923 Such reconnecting is useful for features like @ref{disconnected tracing}. For
16924 completeness, at most one @value{GDBN} can be connected at a time.
16925
16926 @cindex @option{--once}, @code{gdbserver} option
16927 By default, @code{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
16928 additional connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
16929 with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
16930 connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session. This
16931 means no further connections to @code{gdbserver} will be possible after the
16932 first one. It also means @code{gdbserver} will terminate after the first
16933 connection with remote @value{GDBN} has closed, even for unexpectedly closed
16934 connections and even in the @kbd{target extended-remote} mode. The
16935 @option{--once} option allows reusing the same port number for connecting to
16936 multiple instances of @code{gdbserver} running on the same host, since each
16937 instance closes its port after the first connection.
16938
16939 @subsubsection Other Command-Line Arguments for @code{gdbserver}
16940
16941 @cindex @option{--debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
16942 The @option{--debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display extra
16943 status information about the debugging process.
16944 @cindex @option{--remote-debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
16945 The @option{--remote-debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display
16946 remote protocol debug output. These options are intended for
16947 @code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to the developers.
16948
16949 @cindex @option{--wrapper}, @code{gdbserver} option
16950 The @option{--wrapper} option specifies a wrapper to launch programs
16951 for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
16952 wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
16953 @kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
16954
16955 @code{gdbserver} runs the specified wrapper program with a combined
16956 command line including the wrapper arguments, then the name of the
16957 program to debug, then any arguments to the program. The wrapper
16958 runs until it executes your program, and then @value{GDBN} gains control.
16959
16960 You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
16961 its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
16962 this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
16963 with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
16964
16965 For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
16966 the debugged program, without setting the variable in @code{gdbserver}'s
16967 environment:
16968
16969 @smallexample
16970 $ gdbserver --wrapper env LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so -- :2222 ./testprog
16971 @end smallexample
16972
16973 @subsection Connecting to @code{gdbserver}
16974
16975 Run @value{GDBN} on the host system.
16976
16977 First make sure you have the necessary symbol files. Load symbols for
16978 your application using the @code{file} command before you connect. Use
16979 @code{set sysroot} to locate target libraries (unless your @value{GDBN}
16980 was compiled with the correct sysroot using @code{--with-sysroot}).
16981
16982 The symbol file and target libraries must exactly match the executable
16983 and libraries on the target, with one exception: the files on the host
16984 system should not be stripped, even if the files on the target system
16985 are. Mismatched or missing files will lead to confusing results
16986 during debugging. On @sc{gnu}/Linux targets, mismatched or missing
16987 files may also prevent @code{gdbserver} from debugging multi-threaded
16988 programs.
16989
16990 Connect to your target (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
16991 For TCP connections, you must start up @code{gdbserver} prior to using
16992 the @code{target remote} command. Otherwise you may get an error whose
16993 text depends on the host system, but which usually looks something like
16994 @samp{Connection refused}. Don't use the @code{load}
16995 command in @value{GDBN} when using @code{gdbserver}, since the program is
16996 already on the target.
16997
16998 @subsection Monitor Commands for @code{gdbserver}
16999 @cindex monitor commands, for @code{gdbserver}
17000 @anchor{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}
17001
17002 During a @value{GDBN} session using @code{gdbserver}, you can use the
17003 @code{monitor} command to send special requests to @code{gdbserver}.
17004 Here are the available commands.
17005
17006 @table @code
17007 @item monitor help
17008 List the available monitor commands.
17009
17010 @item monitor set debug 0
17011 @itemx monitor set debug 1
17012 Disable or enable general debugging messages.
17013
17014 @item monitor set remote-debug 0
17015 @itemx monitor set remote-debug 1
17016 Disable or enable specific debugging messages associated with the remote
17017 protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}).
17018
17019 @item monitor set libthread-db-search-path [PATH]
17020 @cindex gdbserver, search path for @code{libthread_db}
17021 When this command is issued, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
17022 directories to search for @code{libthread_db} (@pxref{Threads,,set
17023 libthread-db-search-path}). If you omit @var{path},
17024 @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to its default value.
17025
17026 The special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path} is
17027 not supported in @code{gdbserver}.
17028
17029 @item monitor exit
17030 Tell gdbserver to exit immediately. This command should be followed by
17031 @code{disconnect} to close the debugging session. @code{gdbserver} will
17032 detach from any attached processes and kill any processes it created.
17033 Use @code{monitor exit} to terminate @code{gdbserver} at the end
17034 of a multi-process mode debug session.
17035
17036 @end table
17037
17038 @subsection Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
17039 @cindex tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
17040
17041 On some targets, @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints, fast
17042 tracepoints and static tracepoints.
17043
17044 For fast or static tracepoints to work, a special library called the
17045 @dfn{in-process agent} (IPA), must be loaded in the inferior process.
17046 This library is built and distributed as an integral part of
17047 @code{gdbserver}. In addition, support for static tracepoints
17048 requires building the in-process agent library with static tracepoints
17049 support. At present, the UST (LTTng Userspace Tracer,
17050 @url{http://lttng.org/ust}) tracing engine is supported. This support
17051 is automatically available if UST development headers are found in the
17052 standard include path when @code{gdbserver} is built, or if
17053 @code{gdbserver} was explicitly configured using @option{--with-ust}
17054 to point at such headers. You can explicitly disable the support
17055 using @option{--with-ust=no}.
17056
17057 There are several ways to load the in-process agent in your program:
17058
17059 @table @code
17060 @item Specifying it as dependency at link time
17061
17062 You can link your program dynamically with the in-process agent
17063 library. On most systems, this is accomplished by adding
17064 @code{-linproctrace} to the link command.
17065
17066 @item Using the system's preloading mechanisms
17067
17068 You can force loading the in-process agent at startup time by using
17069 your system's support for preloading shared libraries. Many Unixes
17070 support the concept of preloading user defined libraries. In most
17071 cases, you do that by specifying @code{LD_PRELOAD=libinproctrace.so}
17072 in the environment. See also the description of @code{gdbserver}'s
17073 @option{--wrapper} command line option.
17074
17075 @item Using @value{GDBN} to force loading the agent at run time
17076
17077 On some systems, you can force the inferior to load a shared library,
17078 by calling a dynamic loader function in the inferior that takes care
17079 of dynamically looking up and loading a shared library. On most Unix
17080 systems, the function is @code{dlopen}. You'll use the @code{call}
17081 command for that. For example:
17082
17083 @smallexample
17084 (@value{GDBP}) call dlopen ("libinproctrace.so", ...)
17085 @end smallexample
17086
17087 Note that on most Unix systems, for the @code{dlopen} function to be
17088 available, the program needs to be linked with @code{-ldl}.
17089 @end table
17090
17091 On systems that have a userspace dynamic loader, like most Unix
17092 systems, when you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target
17093 remote}, you'll find that the program is stopped at the dynamic
17094 loader's entry point, and no shared library has been loaded in the
17095 program's address space yet, including the in-process agent. In that
17096 case, before being able to use any of the fast or static tracepoints
17097 features, you need to let the loader run and load the shared
17098 libraries. The simplest way to do that is to run the program to the
17099 main procedure. E.g., if debugging a C or C@t{++} program, start
17100 @code{gdbserver} like so:
17101
17102 @smallexample
17103 $ gdbserver :9999 myprogram
17104 @end smallexample
17105
17106 Start GDB and connect to @code{gdbserver} like so, and run to main:
17107
17108 @smallexample
17109 $ gdb myprogram
17110 (@value{GDBP}) target remote myhost:9999
17111 0x00007f215893ba60 in ?? () from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
17112 (@value{GDBP}) b main
17113 (@value{GDBP}) continue
17114 @end smallexample
17115
17116 The in-process tracing agent library should now be loaded into the
17117 process; you can confirm it with the @code{info sharedlibrary}
17118 command, which will list @file{libinproctrace.so} as loaded in the
17119 process. You are now ready to install fast tracepoints, list static
17120 tracepoint markers, probe static tracepoints markers, and start
17121 tracing.
17122
17123 @node Remote Configuration
17124 @section Remote Configuration
17125
17126 @kindex set remote
17127 @kindex show remote
17128 This section documents the configuration options available when
17129 debugging remote programs. For the options related to the File I/O
17130 extensions of the remote protocol, see @ref{system,
17131 system-call-allowed}.
17132
17133 @table @code
17134 @item set remoteaddresssize @var{bits}
17135 @cindex address size for remote targets
17136 @cindex bits in remote address
17137 Set the maximum size of address in a memory packet to the specified
17138 number of bits. @value{GDBN} will mask off the address bits above
17139 that number, when it passes addresses to the remote target. The
17140 default value is the number of bits in the target's address.
17141
17142 @item show remoteaddresssize
17143 Show the current value of remote address size in bits.
17144
17145 @item set remotebaud @var{n}
17146 @cindex baud rate for remote targets
17147 Set the baud rate for the remote serial I/O to @var{n} baud. The
17148 value is used to set the speed of the serial port used for debugging
17149 remote targets.
17150
17151 @item show remotebaud
17152 Show the current speed of the remote connection.
17153
17154 @item set remotebreak
17155 @cindex interrupt remote programs
17156 @cindex BREAK signal instead of Ctrl-C
17157 @anchor{set remotebreak}
17158 If set to on, @value{GDBN} sends a @code{BREAK} signal to the remote
17159 when you type @kbd{Ctrl-c} to interrupt the program running
17160 on the remote. If set to off, @value{GDBN} sends the @samp{Ctrl-C}
17161 character instead. The default is off, since most remote systems
17162 expect to see @samp{Ctrl-C} as the interrupt signal.
17163
17164 @item show remotebreak
17165 Show whether @value{GDBN} sends @code{BREAK} or @samp{Ctrl-C} to
17166 interrupt the remote program.
17167
17168 @item set remoteflow on
17169 @itemx set remoteflow off
17170 @kindex set remoteflow
17171 Enable or disable hardware flow control (@code{RTS}/@code{CTS})
17172 on the serial port used to communicate to the remote target.
17173
17174 @item show remoteflow
17175 @kindex show remoteflow
17176 Show the current setting of hardware flow control.
17177
17178 @item set remotelogbase @var{base}
17179 Set the base (a.k.a.@: radix) of logging serial protocol
17180 communications to @var{base}. Supported values of @var{base} are:
17181 @code{ascii}, @code{octal}, and @code{hex}. The default is
17182 @code{ascii}.
17183
17184 @item show remotelogbase
17185 Show the current setting of the radix for logging remote serial
17186 protocol.
17187
17188 @item set remotelogfile @var{file}
17189 @cindex record serial communications on file
17190 Record remote serial communications on the named @var{file}. The
17191 default is not to record at all.
17192
17193 @item show remotelogfile.
17194 Show the current setting of the file name on which to record the
17195 serial communications.
17196
17197 @item set remotetimeout @var{num}
17198 @cindex timeout for serial communications
17199 @cindex remote timeout
17200 Set the timeout limit to wait for the remote target to respond to
17201 @var{num} seconds. The default is 2 seconds.
17202
17203 @item show remotetimeout
17204 Show the current number of seconds to wait for the remote target
17205 responses.
17206
17207 @cindex limit hardware breakpoints and watchpoints
17208 @cindex remote target, limit break- and watchpoints
17209 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}
17210 @anchor{set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit}
17211 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit @var{limit}
17212 @itemx set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit @var{limit}
17213 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} remote hardware breakpoint or
17214 watchpoints. A limit of -1, the default, is treated as unlimited.
17215
17216 @cindex limit hardware watchpoints length
17217 @cindex remote target, limit watchpoints length
17218 @anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit}
17219 @item set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit @var{limit}
17220 Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} bytes for the maximum length of
17221 a remote hardware watchpoint. A limit of -1, the default, is treated
17222 as unlimited.
17223
17224 @item show remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit
17225 Show the current limit (in bytes) of the maximum length of
17226 a remote hardware watchpoint.
17227
17228 @item set remote exec-file @var{filename}
17229 @itemx show remote exec-file
17230 @anchor{set remote exec-file}
17231 @cindex executable file, for remote target
17232 Select the file used for @code{run} with @code{target
17233 extended-remote}. This should be set to a filename valid on the
17234 target system. If it is not set, the target will use a default
17235 filename (e.g.@: the last program run).
17236
17237 @item set remote interrupt-sequence
17238 @cindex interrupt remote programs
17239 @cindex select Ctrl-C, BREAK or BREAK-g
17240 Allow the user to select one of @samp{Ctrl-C}, a @code{BREAK} or
17241 @samp{BREAK-g} as the
17242 sequence to the remote target in order to interrupt the execution.
17243 @samp{Ctrl-C} is a default. Some system prefers @code{BREAK} which
17244 is high level of serial line for some certain time.
17245 Linux kernel prefers @samp{BREAK-g}, a.k.a Magic SysRq g.
17246 It is @code{BREAK} signal followed by character @code{g}.
17247
17248 @item show interrupt-sequence
17249 Show which of @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or @code{BREAK-g}
17250 is sent by @value{GDBN} to interrupt the remote program.
17251 @code{BREAK-g} is BREAK signal followed by @code{g} and
17252 also known as Magic SysRq g.
17253
17254 @item set remote interrupt-on-connect
17255 @cindex send interrupt-sequence on start
17256 Specify whether interrupt-sequence is sent to remote target when
17257 @value{GDBN} connects to it. This is mostly needed when you debug
17258 Linux kernel. Linux kernel expects @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g}
17259 which is known as Magic SysRq g in order to connect @value{GDBN}.
17260
17261 @item show interrupt-on-connect
17262 Show whether interrupt-sequence is sent
17263 to remote target when @value{GDBN} connects to it.
17264
17265 @kindex set tcp
17266 @kindex show tcp
17267 @item set tcp auto-retry on
17268 @cindex auto-retry, for remote TCP target
17269 Enable auto-retry for remote TCP connections. This is useful if the remote
17270 debugging agent is launched in parallel with @value{GDBN}; there is a race
17271 condition because the agent may not become ready to accept the connection
17272 before @value{GDBN} attempts to connect. When auto-retry is
17273 enabled, if the initial attempt to connect fails, @value{GDBN} reattempts
17274 to establish the connection using the timeout specified by
17275 @code{set tcp connect-timeout}.
17276
17277 @item set tcp auto-retry off
17278 Do not auto-retry failed TCP connections.
17279
17280 @item show tcp auto-retry
17281 Show the current auto-retry setting.
17282
17283 @item set tcp connect-timeout @var{seconds}
17284 @cindex connection timeout, for remote TCP target
17285 @cindex timeout, for remote target connection
17286 Set the timeout for establishing a TCP connection to the remote target to
17287 @var{seconds}. The timeout affects both polling to retry failed connections
17288 (enabled by @code{set tcp auto-retry on}) and waiting for connections
17289 that are merely slow to complete, and represents an approximate cumulative
17290 value.
17291
17292 @item show tcp connect-timeout
17293 Show the current connection timeout setting.
17294 @end table
17295
17296 @cindex remote packets, enabling and disabling
17297 The @value{GDBN} remote protocol autodetects the packets supported by
17298 your debugging stub. If you need to override the autodetection, you
17299 can use these commands to enable or disable individual packets. Each
17300 packet can be set to @samp{on} (the remote target supports this
17301 packet), @samp{off} (the remote target does not support this packet),
17302 or @samp{auto} (detect remote target support for this packet). They
17303 all default to @samp{auto}. For more information about each packet,
17304 see @ref{Remote Protocol}.
17305
17306 During normal use, you should not have to use any of these commands.
17307 If you do, that may be a bug in your remote debugging stub, or a bug
17308 in @value{GDBN}. You may want to report the problem to the
17309 @value{GDBN} developers.
17310
17311 For each packet @var{name}, the command to enable or disable the
17312 packet is @code{set remote @var{name}-packet}. The available settings
17313 are:
17314
17315 @multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.32 0.25
17316 @item Command Name
17317 @tab Remote Packet
17318 @tab Related Features
17319
17320 @item @code{fetch-register}
17321 @tab @code{p}
17322 @tab @code{info registers}
17323
17324 @item @code{set-register}
17325 @tab @code{P}
17326 @tab @code{set}
17327
17328 @item @code{binary-download}
17329 @tab @code{X}
17330 @tab @code{load}, @code{set}
17331
17332 @item @code{read-aux-vector}
17333 @tab @code{qXfer:auxv:read}
17334 @tab @code{info auxv}
17335
17336 @item @code{symbol-lookup}
17337 @tab @code{qSymbol}
17338 @tab Detecting multiple threads
17339
17340 @item @code{attach}
17341 @tab @code{vAttach}
17342 @tab @code{attach}
17343
17344 @item @code{verbose-resume}
17345 @tab @code{vCont}
17346 @tab Stepping or resuming multiple threads
17347
17348 @item @code{run}
17349 @tab @code{vRun}
17350 @tab @code{run}
17351
17352 @item @code{software-breakpoint}
17353 @tab @code{Z0}
17354 @tab @code{break}
17355
17356 @item @code{hardware-breakpoint}
17357 @tab @code{Z1}
17358 @tab @code{hbreak}
17359
17360 @item @code{write-watchpoint}
17361 @tab @code{Z2}
17362 @tab @code{watch}
17363
17364 @item @code{read-watchpoint}
17365 @tab @code{Z3}
17366 @tab @code{rwatch}
17367
17368 @item @code{access-watchpoint}
17369 @tab @code{Z4}
17370 @tab @code{awatch}
17371
17372 @item @code{target-features}
17373 @tab @code{qXfer:features:read}
17374 @tab @code{set architecture}
17375
17376 @item @code{library-info}
17377 @tab @code{qXfer:libraries:read}
17378 @tab @code{info sharedlibrary}
17379
17380 @item @code{memory-map}
17381 @tab @code{qXfer:memory-map:read}
17382 @tab @code{info mem}
17383
17384 @item @code{read-sdata-object}
17385 @tab @code{qXfer:sdata:read}
17386 @tab @code{print $_sdata}
17387
17388 @item @code{read-spu-object}
17389 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:read}
17390 @tab @code{info spu}
17391
17392 @item @code{write-spu-object}
17393 @tab @code{qXfer:spu:write}
17394 @tab @code{info spu}
17395
17396 @item @code{read-siginfo-object}
17397 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:read}
17398 @tab @code{print $_siginfo}
17399
17400 @item @code{write-siginfo-object}
17401 @tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:write}
17402 @tab @code{set $_siginfo}
17403
17404 @item @code{threads}
17405 @tab @code{qXfer:threads:read}
17406 @tab @code{info threads}
17407
17408 @item @code{get-thread-local-@*storage-address}
17409 @tab @code{qGetTLSAddr}
17410 @tab Displaying @code{__thread} variables
17411
17412 @item @code{get-thread-information-block-address}
17413 @tab @code{qGetTIBAddr}
17414 @tab Display MS-Windows Thread Information Block.
17415
17416 @item @code{search-memory}
17417 @tab @code{qSearch:memory}
17418 @tab @code{find}
17419
17420 @item @code{supported-packets}
17421 @tab @code{qSupported}
17422 @tab Remote communications parameters
17423
17424 @item @code{pass-signals}
17425 @tab @code{QPassSignals}
17426 @tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
17427
17428 @item @code{hostio-close-packet}
17429 @tab @code{vFile:close}
17430 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17431
17432 @item @code{hostio-open-packet}
17433 @tab @code{vFile:open}
17434 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17435
17436 @item @code{hostio-pread-packet}
17437 @tab @code{vFile:pread}
17438 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17439
17440 @item @code{hostio-pwrite-packet}
17441 @tab @code{vFile:pwrite}
17442 @tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17443
17444 @item @code{hostio-unlink-packet}
17445 @tab @code{vFile:unlink}
17446 @tab @code{remote delete}
17447
17448 @item @code{hostio-readlink-packet}
17449 @tab @code{vFile:readlink}
17450 @tab Host I/O
17451
17452 @item @code{noack-packet}
17453 @tab @code{QStartNoAckMode}
17454 @tab Packet acknowledgment
17455
17456 @item @code{osdata}
17457 @tab @code{qXfer:osdata:read}
17458 @tab @code{info os}
17459
17460 @item @code{query-attached}
17461 @tab @code{qAttached}
17462 @tab Querying remote process attach state.
17463
17464 @item @code{traceframe-info}
17465 @tab @code{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
17466 @tab Traceframe info
17467
17468 @item @code{install-in-trace}
17469 @tab @code{InstallInTrace}
17470 @tab Install tracepoint in tracing
17471
17472 @item @code{disable-randomization}
17473 @tab @code{QDisableRandomization}
17474 @tab @code{set disable-randomization}
17475 @end multitable
17476
17477 @node Remote Stub
17478 @section Implementing a Remote Stub
17479
17480 @cindex debugging stub, example
17481 @cindex remote stub, example
17482 @cindex stub example, remote debugging
17483 The stub files provided with @value{GDBN} implement the target side of the
17484 communication protocol, and the @value{GDBN} side is implemented in the
17485 @value{GDBN} source file @file{remote.c}. Normally, you can simply allow
17486 these subroutines to communicate, and ignore the details. (If you're
17487 implementing your own stub file, you can still ignore the details: start
17488 with one of the existing stub files. @file{sparc-stub.c} is the best
17489 organized, and therefore the easiest to read.)
17490
17491 @cindex remote serial debugging, overview
17492 To debug a program running on another machine (the debugging
17493 @dfn{target} machine), you must first arrange for all the usual
17494 prerequisites for the program to run by itself. For example, for a C
17495 program, you need:
17496
17497 @enumerate
17498 @item
17499 A startup routine to set up the C runtime environment; these usually
17500 have a name like @file{crt0}. The startup routine may be supplied by
17501 your hardware supplier, or you may have to write your own.
17502
17503 @item
17504 A C subroutine library to support your program's
17505 subroutine calls, notably managing input and output.
17506
17507 @item
17508 A way of getting your program to the other machine---for example, a
17509 download program. These are often supplied by the hardware
17510 manufacturer, but you may have to write your own from hardware
17511 documentation.
17512 @end enumerate
17513
17514 The next step is to arrange for your program to use a serial port to
17515 communicate with the machine where @value{GDBN} is running (the @dfn{host}
17516 machine). In general terms, the scheme looks like this:
17517
17518 @table @emph
17519 @item On the host,
17520 @value{GDBN} already understands how to use this protocol; when everything
17521 else is set up, you can simply use the @samp{target remote} command
17522 (@pxref{Targets,,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
17523
17524 @item On the target,
17525 you must link with your program a few special-purpose subroutines that
17526 implement the @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol. The file containing these
17527 subroutines is called a @dfn{debugging stub}.
17528
17529 On certain remote targets, you can use an auxiliary program
17530 @code{gdbserver} instead of linking a stub into your program.
17531 @xref{Server,,Using the @code{gdbserver} Program}, for details.
17532 @end table
17533
17534 The debugging stub is specific to the architecture of the remote
17535 machine; for example, use @file{sparc-stub.c} to debug programs on
17536 @sc{sparc} boards.
17537
17538 @cindex remote serial stub list
17539 These working remote stubs are distributed with @value{GDBN}:
17540
17541 @table @code
17542
17543 @item i386-stub.c
17544 @cindex @file{i386-stub.c}
17545 @cindex Intel
17546 @cindex i386
17547 For Intel 386 and compatible architectures.
17548
17549 @item m68k-stub.c
17550 @cindex @file{m68k-stub.c}
17551 @cindex Motorola 680x0
17552 @cindex m680x0
17553 For Motorola 680x0 architectures.
17554
17555 @item sh-stub.c
17556 @cindex @file{sh-stub.c}
17557 @cindex Renesas
17558 @cindex SH
17559 For Renesas SH architectures.
17560
17561 @item sparc-stub.c
17562 @cindex @file{sparc-stub.c}
17563 @cindex Sparc
17564 For @sc{sparc} architectures.
17565
17566 @item sparcl-stub.c
17567 @cindex @file{sparcl-stub.c}
17568 @cindex Fujitsu
17569 @cindex SparcLite
17570 For Fujitsu @sc{sparclite} architectures.
17571
17572 @end table
17573
17574 The @file{README} file in the @value{GDBN} distribution may list other
17575 recently added stubs.
17576
17577 @menu
17578 * Stub Contents:: What the stub can do for you
17579 * Bootstrapping:: What you must do for the stub
17580 * Debug Session:: Putting it all together
17581 @end menu
17582
17583 @node Stub Contents
17584 @subsection What the Stub Can Do for You
17585
17586 @cindex remote serial stub
17587 The debugging stub for your architecture supplies these three
17588 subroutines:
17589
17590 @table @code
17591 @item set_debug_traps
17592 @findex set_debug_traps
17593 @cindex remote serial stub, initialization
17594 This routine arranges for @code{handle_exception} to run when your
17595 program stops. You must call this subroutine explicitly in your
17596 program's startup code.
17597
17598 @item handle_exception
17599 @findex handle_exception
17600 @cindex remote serial stub, main routine
17601 This is the central workhorse, but your program never calls it
17602 explicitly---the setup code arranges for @code{handle_exception} to
17603 run when a trap is triggered.
17604
17605 @code{handle_exception} takes control when your program stops during
17606 execution (for example, on a breakpoint), and mediates communications
17607 with @value{GDBN} on the host machine. This is where the communications
17608 protocol is implemented; @code{handle_exception} acts as the @value{GDBN}
17609 representative on the target machine. It begins by sending summary
17610 information on the state of your program, then continues to execute,
17611 retrieving and transmitting any information @value{GDBN} needs, until you
17612 execute a @value{GDBN} command that makes your program resume; at that point,
17613 @code{handle_exception} returns control to your own code on the target
17614 machine.
17615
17616 @item breakpoint
17617 @cindex @code{breakpoint} subroutine, remote
17618 Use this auxiliary subroutine to make your program contain a
17619 breakpoint. Depending on the particular situation, this may be the only
17620 way for @value{GDBN} to get control. For instance, if your target
17621 machine has some sort of interrupt button, you won't need to call this;
17622 pressing the interrupt button transfers control to
17623 @code{handle_exception}---in effect, to @value{GDBN}. On some machines,
17624 simply receiving characters on the serial port may also trigger a trap;
17625 again, in that situation, you don't need to call @code{breakpoint} from
17626 your own program---simply running @samp{target remote} from the host
17627 @value{GDBN} session gets control.
17628
17629 Call @code{breakpoint} if none of these is true, or if you simply want
17630 to make certain your program stops at a predetermined point for the
17631 start of your debugging session.
17632 @end table
17633
17634 @node Bootstrapping
17635 @subsection What You Must Do for the Stub
17636
17637 @cindex remote stub, support routines
17638 The debugging stubs that come with @value{GDBN} are set up for a particular
17639 chip architecture, but they have no information about the rest of your
17640 debugging target machine.
17641
17642 First of all you need to tell the stub how to communicate with the
17643 serial port.
17644
17645 @table @code
17646 @item int getDebugChar()
17647 @findex getDebugChar
17648 Write this subroutine to read a single character from the serial port.
17649 It may be identical to @code{getchar} for your target system; a
17650 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
17651
17652 @item void putDebugChar(int)
17653 @findex putDebugChar
17654 Write this subroutine to write a single character to the serial port.
17655 It may be identical to @code{putchar} for your target system; a
17656 different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
17657 @end table
17658
17659 @cindex control C, and remote debugging
17660 @cindex interrupting remote targets
17661 If you want @value{GDBN} to be able to stop your program while it is
17662 running, you need to use an interrupt-driven serial driver, and arrange
17663 for it to stop when it receives a @code{^C} (@samp{\003}, the control-C
17664 character). That is the character which @value{GDBN} uses to tell the
17665 remote system to stop.
17666
17667 Getting the debugging target to return the proper status to @value{GDBN}
17668 probably requires changes to the standard stub; one quick and dirty way
17669 is to just execute a breakpoint instruction (the ``dirty'' part is that
17670 @value{GDBN} reports a @code{SIGTRAP} instead of a @code{SIGINT}).
17671
17672 Other routines you need to supply are:
17673
17674 @table @code
17675 @item void exceptionHandler (int @var{exception_number}, void *@var{exception_address})
17676 @findex exceptionHandler
17677 Write this function to install @var{exception_address} in the exception
17678 handling tables. You need to do this because the stub does not have any
17679 way of knowing what the exception handling tables on your target system
17680 are like (for example, the processor's table might be in @sc{rom},
17681 containing entries which point to a table in @sc{ram}).
17682 @var{exception_number} is the exception number which should be changed;
17683 its meaning is architecture-dependent (for example, different numbers
17684 might represent divide by zero, misaligned access, etc). When this
17685 exception occurs, control should be transferred directly to
17686 @var{exception_address}, and the processor state (stack, registers,
17687 and so on) should be just as it is when a processor exception occurs. So if
17688 you want to use a jump instruction to reach @var{exception_address}, it
17689 should be a simple jump, not a jump to subroutine.
17690
17691 For the 386, @var{exception_address} should be installed as an interrupt
17692 gate so that interrupts are masked while the handler runs. The gate
17693 should be at privilege level 0 (the most privileged level). The
17694 @sc{sparc} and 68k stubs are able to mask interrupts themselves without
17695 help from @code{exceptionHandler}.
17696
17697 @item void flush_i_cache()
17698 @findex flush_i_cache
17699 On @sc{sparc} and @sc{sparclite} only, write this subroutine to flush the
17700 instruction cache, if any, on your target machine. If there is no
17701 instruction cache, this subroutine may be a no-op.
17702
17703 On target machines that have instruction caches, @value{GDBN} requires this
17704 function to make certain that the state of your program is stable.
17705 @end table
17706
17707 @noindent
17708 You must also make sure this library routine is available:
17709
17710 @table @code
17711 @item void *memset(void *, int, int)
17712 @findex memset
17713 This is the standard library function @code{memset} that sets an area of
17714 memory to a known value. If you have one of the free versions of
17715 @code{libc.a}, @code{memset} can be found there; otherwise, you must
17716 either obtain it from your hardware manufacturer, or write your own.
17717 @end table
17718
17719 If you do not use the GNU C compiler, you may need other standard
17720 library subroutines as well; this varies from one stub to another,
17721 but in general the stubs are likely to use any of the common library
17722 subroutines which @code{@value{NGCC}} generates as inline code.
17723
17724
17725 @node Debug Session
17726 @subsection Putting it All Together
17727
17728 @cindex remote serial debugging summary
17729 In summary, when your program is ready to debug, you must follow these
17730 steps.
17731
17732 @enumerate
17733 @item
17734 Make sure you have defined the supporting low-level routines
17735 (@pxref{Bootstrapping,,What You Must Do for the Stub}):
17736 @display
17737 @code{getDebugChar}, @code{putDebugChar},
17738 @code{flush_i_cache}, @code{memset}, @code{exceptionHandler}.
17739 @end display
17740
17741 @item
17742 Insert these lines in your program's startup code, before the main
17743 procedure is called:
17744
17745 @smallexample
17746 set_debug_traps();
17747 breakpoint();
17748 @end smallexample
17749
17750 On some machines, when a breakpoint trap is raised, the hardware
17751 automatically makes the PC point to the instruction after the
17752 breakpoint. If your machine doesn't do that, you may need to adjust
17753 @code{handle_exception} to arrange for it to return to the instruction
17754 after the breakpoint on this first invocation, so that your program
17755 doesn't keep hitting the initial breakpoint instead of making
17756 progress.
17757
17758 @item
17759 For the 680x0 stub only, you need to provide a variable called
17760 @code{exceptionHook}. Normally you just use:
17761
17762 @smallexample
17763 void (*exceptionHook)() = 0;
17764 @end smallexample
17765
17766 @noindent
17767 but if before calling @code{set_debug_traps}, you set it to point to a
17768 function in your program, that function is called when
17769 @code{@value{GDBN}} continues after stopping on a trap (for example, bus
17770 error). The function indicated by @code{exceptionHook} is called with
17771 one parameter: an @code{int} which is the exception number.
17772
17773 @item
17774 Compile and link together: your program, the @value{GDBN} debugging stub for
17775 your target architecture, and the supporting subroutines.
17776
17777 @item
17778 Make sure you have a serial connection between your target machine and
17779 the @value{GDBN} host, and identify the serial port on the host.
17780
17781 @item
17782 @c The "remote" target now provides a `load' command, so we should
17783 @c document that. FIXME.
17784 Download your program to your target machine (or get it there by
17785 whatever means the manufacturer provides), and start it.
17786
17787 @item
17788 Start @value{GDBN} on the host, and connect to the target
17789 (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
17790
17791 @end enumerate
17792
17793 @node Configurations
17794 @chapter Configuration-Specific Information
17795
17796 While nearly all @value{GDBN} commands are available for all native and
17797 cross versions of the debugger, there are some exceptions. This chapter
17798 describes things that are only available in certain configurations.
17799
17800 There are three major categories of configurations: native
17801 configurations, where the host and target are the same, embedded
17802 operating system configurations, which are usually the same for several
17803 different processor architectures, and bare embedded processors, which
17804 are quite different from each other.
17805
17806 @menu
17807 * Native::
17808 * Embedded OS::
17809 * Embedded Processors::
17810 * Architectures::
17811 @end menu
17812
17813 @node Native
17814 @section Native
17815
17816 This section describes details specific to particular native
17817 configurations.
17818
17819 @menu
17820 * HP-UX:: HP-UX
17821 * BSD libkvm Interface:: Debugging BSD kernel memory images
17822 * SVR4 Process Information:: SVR4 process information
17823 * DJGPP Native:: Features specific to the DJGPP port
17824 * Cygwin Native:: Features specific to the Cygwin port
17825 * Hurd Native:: Features specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd
17826 * Neutrino:: Features specific to QNX Neutrino
17827 * Darwin:: Features specific to Darwin
17828 @end menu
17829
17830 @node HP-UX
17831 @subsection HP-UX
17832
17833 On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
17834 begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
17835 name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
17836
17837
17838 @node BSD libkvm Interface
17839 @subsection BSD libkvm Interface
17840
17841 @cindex libkvm
17842 @cindex kernel memory image
17843 @cindex kernel crash dump
17844
17845 BSD-derived systems (FreeBSD/NetBSD/OpenBSD) have a kernel memory
17846 interface that provides a uniform interface for accessing kernel virtual
17847 memory images, including live systems and crash dumps. @value{GDBN}
17848 uses this interface to allow you to debug live kernels and kernel crash
17849 dumps on many native BSD configurations. This is implemented as a
17850 special @code{kvm} debugging target. For debugging a live system, load
17851 the currently running kernel into @value{GDBN} and connect to the
17852 @code{kvm} target:
17853
17854 @smallexample
17855 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm}
17856 @end smallexample
17857
17858 For debugging crash dumps, provide the file name of the crash dump as an
17859 argument:
17860
17861 @smallexample
17862 (@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm /var/crash/bsd.0}
17863 @end smallexample
17864
17865 Once connected to the @code{kvm} target, the following commands are
17866 available:
17867
17868 @table @code
17869 @kindex kvm
17870 @item kvm pcb
17871 Set current context from the @dfn{Process Control Block} (PCB) address.
17872
17873 @item kvm proc
17874 Set current context from proc address. This command isn't available on
17875 modern FreeBSD systems.
17876 @end table
17877
17878 @node SVR4 Process Information
17879 @subsection SVR4 Process Information
17880 @cindex /proc
17881 @cindex examine process image
17882 @cindex process info via @file{/proc}
17883
17884 Many versions of SVR4 and compatible systems provide a facility called
17885 @samp{/proc} that can be used to examine the image of a running
17886 process using file-system subroutines. If @value{GDBN} is configured
17887 for an operating system with this facility, the command @code{info
17888 proc} is available to report information about the process running
17889 your program, or about any process running on your system. @code{info
17890 proc} works only on SVR4 systems that include the @code{procfs} code.
17891 This includes, as of this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, OSF/1 (Digital
17892 Unix), Solaris, Irix, and Unixware, but not HP-UX, for example.
17893
17894 @table @code
17895 @kindex info proc
17896 @cindex process ID
17897 @item info proc
17898 @itemx info proc @var{process-id}
17899 Summarize available information about any running process. If a
17900 process ID is specified by @var{process-id}, display information about
17901 that process; otherwise display information about the program being
17902 debugged. The summary includes the debugged process ID, the command
17903 line used to invoke it, its current working directory, and its
17904 executable file's absolute file name.
17905
17906 On some systems, @var{process-id} can be of the form
17907 @samp{[@var{pid}]/@var{tid}} which specifies a certain thread ID
17908 within a process. If the optional @var{pid} part is missing, it means
17909 a thread from the process being debugged (the leading @samp{/} still
17910 needs to be present, or else @value{GDBN} will interpret the number as
17911 a process ID rather than a thread ID).
17912
17913 @item info proc mappings
17914 @cindex memory address space mappings
17915 Report the memory address space ranges accessible in the program, with
17916 information on whether the process has read, write, or execute access
17917 rights to each range. On @sc{gnu}/Linux systems, each memory range
17918 includes the object file which is mapped to that range, instead of the
17919 memory access rights to that range.
17920
17921 @item info proc stat
17922 @itemx info proc status
17923 @cindex process detailed status information
17924 These subcommands are specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux systems. They show
17925 the process-related information, including the user ID and group ID;
17926 how many threads are there in the process; its virtual memory usage;
17927 the signals that are pending, blocked, and ignored; its TTY; its
17928 consumption of system and user time; its stack size; its @samp{nice}
17929 value; etc. For more information, see the @samp{proc} man page
17930 (type @kbd{man 5 proc} from your shell prompt).
17931
17932 @item info proc all
17933 Show all the information about the process described under all of the
17934 above @code{info proc} subcommands.
17935
17936 @ignore
17937 @comment These sub-options of 'info proc' were not included when
17938 @comment procfs.c was re-written. Keep their descriptions around
17939 @comment against the day when someone finds the time to put them back in.
17940 @kindex info proc times
17941 @item info proc times
17942 Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
17943 its children.
17944
17945 @kindex info proc id
17946 @item info proc id
17947 Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
17948 the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
17949 @end ignore
17950
17951 @item set procfs-trace
17952 @kindex set procfs-trace
17953 @cindex @code{procfs} API calls
17954 This command enables and disables tracing of @code{procfs} API calls.
17955
17956 @item show procfs-trace
17957 @kindex show procfs-trace
17958 Show the current state of @code{procfs} API call tracing.
17959
17960 @item set procfs-file @var{file}
17961 @kindex set procfs-file
17962 Tell @value{GDBN} to write @code{procfs} API trace to the named
17963 @var{file}. @value{GDBN} appends the trace info to the previous
17964 contents of the file. The default is to display the trace on the
17965 standard output.
17966
17967 @item show procfs-file
17968 @kindex show procfs-file
17969 Show the file to which @code{procfs} API trace is written.
17970
17971 @item proc-trace-entry
17972 @itemx proc-trace-exit
17973 @itemx proc-untrace-entry
17974 @itemx proc-untrace-exit
17975 @kindex proc-trace-entry
17976 @kindex proc-trace-exit
17977 @kindex proc-untrace-entry
17978 @kindex proc-untrace-exit
17979 These commands enable and disable tracing of entries into and exits
17980 from the @code{syscall} interface.
17981
17982 @item info pidlist
17983 @kindex info pidlist
17984 @cindex process list, QNX Neutrino
17985 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all the
17986 processes and all the threads within each process.
17987
17988 @item info meminfo
17989 @kindex info meminfo
17990 @cindex mapinfo list, QNX Neutrino
17991 For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all mapinfos.
17992 @end table
17993
17994 @node DJGPP Native
17995 @subsection Features for Debugging @sc{djgpp} Programs
17996 @cindex @sc{djgpp} debugging
17997 @cindex native @sc{djgpp} debugging
17998 @cindex MS-DOS-specific commands
17999
18000 @cindex DPMI
18001 @sc{djgpp} is a port of the @sc{gnu} development tools to MS-DOS and
18002 MS-Windows. @sc{djgpp} programs are 32-bit protected-mode programs
18003 that use the @dfn{DPMI} (DOS Protected-Mode Interface) API to run on
18004 top of real-mode DOS systems and their emulations.
18005
18006 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of @sc{djgpp} programs, and
18007 defines a few commands specific to the @sc{djgpp} port. This
18008 subsection describes those commands.
18009
18010 @table @code
18011 @kindex info dos
18012 @item info dos
18013 This is a prefix of @sc{djgpp}-specific commands which print
18014 information about the target system and important OS structures.
18015
18016 @kindex sysinfo
18017 @cindex MS-DOS system info
18018 @cindex free memory information (MS-DOS)
18019 @item info dos sysinfo
18020 This command displays assorted information about the underlying
18021 platform: the CPU type and features, the OS version and flavor, the
18022 DPMI version, and the available conventional and DPMI memory.
18023
18024 @cindex GDT
18025 @cindex LDT
18026 @cindex IDT
18027 @cindex segment descriptor tables
18028 @cindex descriptor tables display
18029 @item info dos gdt
18030 @itemx info dos ldt
18031 @itemx info dos idt
18032 These 3 commands display entries from, respectively, Global, Local,
18033 and Interrupt Descriptor Tables (GDT, LDT, and IDT). The descriptor
18034 tables are data structures which store a descriptor for each segment
18035 that is currently in use. The segment's selector is an index into a
18036 descriptor table; the table entry for that index holds the
18037 descriptor's base address and limit, and its attributes and access
18038 rights.
18039
18040 A typical @sc{djgpp} program uses 3 segments: a code segment, a data
18041 segment (used for both data and the stack), and a DOS segment (which
18042 allows access to DOS/BIOS data structures and absolute addresses in
18043 conventional memory). However, the DPMI host will usually define
18044 additional segments in order to support the DPMI environment.
18045
18046 @cindex garbled pointers
18047 These commands allow to display entries from the descriptor tables.
18048 Without an argument, all entries from the specified table are
18049 displayed. An argument, which should be an integer expression, means
18050 display a single entry whose index is given by the argument. For
18051 example, here's a convenient way to display information about the
18052 debugged program's data segment:
18053
18054 @smallexample
18055 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos ldt $ds}
18056 @exdent @code{0x13f: base=0x11970000 limit=0x0009ffff 32-Bit Data (Read/Write, Exp-up)}
18057 @end smallexample
18058
18059 @noindent
18060 This comes in handy when you want to see whether a pointer is outside
18061 the data segment's limit (i.e.@: @dfn{garbled}).
18062
18063 @cindex page tables display (MS-DOS)
18064 @item info dos pde
18065 @itemx info dos pte
18066 These two commands display entries from, respectively, the Page
18067 Directory and the Page Tables. Page Directories and Page Tables are
18068 data structures which control how virtual memory addresses are mapped
18069 into physical addresses. A Page Table includes an entry for every
18070 page of memory that is mapped into the program's address space; there
18071 may be several Page Tables, each one holding up to 4096 entries. A
18072 Page Directory has up to 4096 entries, one each for every Page Table
18073 that is currently in use.
18074
18075 Without an argument, @kbd{info dos pde} displays the entire Page
18076 Directory, and @kbd{info dos pte} displays all the entries in all of
18077 the Page Tables. An argument, an integer expression, given to the
18078 @kbd{info dos pde} command means display only that entry from the Page
18079 Directory table. An argument given to the @kbd{info dos pte} command
18080 means display entries from a single Page Table, the one pointed to by
18081 the specified entry in the Page Directory.
18082
18083 @cindex direct memory access (DMA) on MS-DOS
18084 These commands are useful when your program uses @dfn{DMA} (Direct
18085 Memory Access), which needs physical addresses to program the DMA
18086 controller.
18087
18088 These commands are supported only with some DPMI servers.
18089
18090 @cindex physical address from linear address
18091 @item info dos address-pte @var{addr}
18092 This command displays the Page Table entry for a specified linear
18093 address. The argument @var{addr} is a linear address which should
18094 already have the appropriate segment's base address added to it,
18095 because this command accepts addresses which may belong to @emph{any}
18096 segment. For example, here's how to display the Page Table entry for
18097 the page where a variable @code{i} is stored:
18098
18099 @smallexample
18100 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte __djgpp_base_address + (char *)&i}
18101 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x11a00d30:}
18102 @exdent @code{Base=0x02698000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0xd30}
18103 @end smallexample
18104
18105 @noindent
18106 This says that @code{i} is stored at offset @code{0xd30} from the page
18107 whose physical base address is @code{0x02698000}, and shows all the
18108 attributes of that page.
18109
18110 Note that you must cast the addresses of variables to a @code{char *},
18111 since otherwise the value of @code{__djgpp_base_address}, the base
18112 address of all variables and functions in a @sc{djgpp} program, will
18113 be added using the rules of C pointer arithmetics: if @code{i} is
18114 declared an @code{int}, @value{GDBN} will add 4 times the value of
18115 @code{__djgpp_base_address} to the address of @code{i}.
18116
18117 Here's another example, it displays the Page Table entry for the
18118 transfer buffer:
18119
18120 @smallexample
18121 @exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte *((unsigned *)&_go32_info_block + 3)}
18122 @exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x29110:}
18123 @exdent @code{Base=0x00029000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0x110}
18124 @end smallexample
18125
18126 @noindent
18127 (The @code{+ 3} offset is because the transfer buffer's address is the
18128 3rd member of the @code{_go32_info_block} structure.) The output
18129 clearly shows that this DPMI server maps the addresses in conventional
18130 memory 1:1, i.e.@: the physical (@code{0x00029000} + @code{0x110}) and
18131 linear (@code{0x29110}) addresses are identical.
18132
18133 This command is supported only with some DPMI servers.
18134 @end table
18135
18136 @cindex DOS serial data link, remote debugging
18137 In addition to native debugging, the DJGPP port supports remote
18138 debugging via a serial data link. The following commands are specific
18139 to remote serial debugging in the DJGPP port of @value{GDBN}.
18140
18141 @table @code
18142 @kindex set com1base
18143 @kindex set com1irq
18144 @kindex set com2base
18145 @kindex set com2irq
18146 @kindex set com3base
18147 @kindex set com3irq
18148 @kindex set com4base
18149 @kindex set com4irq
18150 @item set com1base @var{addr}
18151 This command sets the base I/O port address of the @file{COM1} serial
18152 port.
18153
18154 @item set com1irq @var{irq}
18155 This command sets the @dfn{Interrupt Request} (@code{IRQ}) line to use
18156 for the @file{COM1} serial port.
18157
18158 There are similar commands @samp{set com2base}, @samp{set com3irq},
18159 etc.@: for setting the port address and the @code{IRQ} lines for the
18160 other 3 COM ports.
18161
18162 @kindex show com1base
18163 @kindex show com1irq
18164 @kindex show com2base
18165 @kindex show com2irq
18166 @kindex show com3base
18167 @kindex show com3irq
18168 @kindex show com4base
18169 @kindex show com4irq
18170 The related commands @samp{show com1base}, @samp{show com1irq} etc.@:
18171 display the current settings of the base address and the @code{IRQ}
18172 lines used by the COM ports.
18173
18174 @item info serial
18175 @kindex info serial
18176 @cindex DOS serial port status
18177 This command prints the status of the 4 DOS serial ports. For each
18178 port, it prints whether it's active or not, its I/O base address and
18179 IRQ number, whether it uses a 16550-style FIFO, its baudrate, and the
18180 counts of various errors encountered so far.
18181 @end table
18182
18183
18184 @node Cygwin Native
18185 @subsection Features for Debugging MS Windows PE Executables
18186 @cindex MS Windows debugging
18187 @cindex native Cygwin debugging
18188 @cindex Cygwin-specific commands
18189
18190 @value{GDBN} supports native debugging of MS Windows programs, including
18191 DLLs with and without symbolic debugging information.
18192
18193 @cindex Ctrl-BREAK, MS-Windows
18194 @cindex interrupt debuggee on MS-Windows
18195 MS-Windows programs that call @code{SetConsoleMode} to switch off the
18196 special meaning of the @samp{Ctrl-C} keystroke cannot be interrupted
18197 by typing @kbd{C-c}. For this reason, @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows
18198 supports @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} as an alternative interrupt key
18199 sequence, which can be used to interrupt the debuggee even if it
18200 ignores @kbd{C-c}.
18201
18202 There are various additional Cygwin-specific commands, described in
18203 this section. Working with DLLs that have no debugging symbols is
18204 described in @ref{Non-debug DLL Symbols}.
18205
18206 @table @code
18207 @kindex info w32
18208 @item info w32
18209 This is a prefix of MS Windows-specific commands which print
18210 information about the target system and important OS structures.
18211
18212 @item info w32 selector
18213 This command displays information returned by
18214 the Win32 API @code{GetThreadSelectorEntry} function.
18215 It takes an optional argument that is evaluated to
18216 a long value to give the information about this given selector.
18217 Without argument, this command displays information
18218 about the six segment registers.
18219
18220 @item info w32 thread-information-block
18221 This command displays thread specific information stored in the
18222 Thread Information Block (readable on the X86 CPU family using @code{$fs}
18223 selector for 32-bit programs and @code{$gs} for 64-bit programs).
18224
18225 @kindex info dll
18226 @item info dll
18227 This is a Cygwin-specific alias of @code{info shared}.
18228
18229 @kindex dll-symbols
18230 @item dll-symbols
18231 This command loads symbols from a dll similarly to
18232 add-sym command but without the need to specify a base address.
18233
18234 @kindex set cygwin-exceptions
18235 @cindex debugging the Cygwin DLL
18236 @cindex Cygwin DLL, debugging
18237 @item set cygwin-exceptions @var{mode}
18238 If @var{mode} is @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that
18239 happen inside the Cygwin DLL. If @var{mode} is @code{off},
18240 @value{GDBN} will delay recognition of exceptions, and may ignore some
18241 exceptions which seem to be caused by internal Cygwin DLL
18242 ``bookkeeping''. This option is meant primarily for debugging the
18243 Cygwin DLL itself; the default value is @code{off} to avoid annoying
18244 @value{GDBN} users with false @code{SIGSEGV} signals.
18245
18246 @kindex show cygwin-exceptions
18247 @item show cygwin-exceptions
18248 Displays whether @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that happen
18249 inside the Cygwin DLL itself.
18250
18251 @kindex set new-console
18252 @item set new-console @var{mode}
18253 If @var{mode} is @code{on} the debuggee will
18254 be started in a new console on next start.
18255 If @var{mode} is @code{off}, the debuggee will
18256 be started in the same console as the debugger.
18257
18258 @kindex show new-console
18259 @item show new-console
18260 Displays whether a new console is used
18261 when the debuggee is started.
18262
18263 @kindex set new-group
18264 @item set new-group @var{mode}
18265 This boolean value controls whether the debuggee should
18266 start a new group or stay in the same group as the debugger.
18267 This affects the way the Windows OS handles
18268 @samp{Ctrl-C}.
18269
18270 @kindex show new-group
18271 @item show new-group
18272 Displays current value of new-group boolean.
18273
18274 @kindex set debugevents
18275 @item set debugevents
18276 This boolean value adds debug output concerning kernel events related
18277 to the debuggee seen by the debugger. This includes events that
18278 signal thread and process creation and exit, DLL loading and
18279 unloading, console interrupts, and debugging messages produced by the
18280 Windows @code{OutputDebugString} API call.
18281
18282 @kindex set debugexec
18283 @item set debugexec
18284 This boolean value adds debug output concerning execute events
18285 (such as resume thread) seen by the debugger.
18286
18287 @kindex set debugexceptions
18288 @item set debugexceptions
18289 This boolean value adds debug output concerning exceptions in the
18290 debuggee seen by the debugger.
18291
18292 @kindex set debugmemory
18293 @item set debugmemory
18294 This boolean value adds debug output concerning debuggee memory reads
18295 and writes by the debugger.
18296
18297 @kindex set shell
18298 @item set shell
18299 This boolean values specifies whether the debuggee is called
18300 via a shell or directly (default value is on).
18301
18302 @kindex show shell
18303 @item show shell
18304 Displays if the debuggee will be started with a shell.
18305
18306 @end table
18307
18308 @menu
18309 * Non-debug DLL Symbols:: Support for DLLs without debugging symbols
18310 @end menu
18311
18312 @node Non-debug DLL Symbols
18313 @subsubsection Support for DLLs without Debugging Symbols
18314 @cindex DLLs with no debugging symbols
18315 @cindex Minimal symbols and DLLs
18316
18317 Very often on windows, some of the DLLs that your program relies on do
18318 not include symbolic debugging information (for example,
18319 @file{kernel32.dll}). When @value{GDBN} doesn't recognize any debugging
18320 symbols in a DLL, it relies on the minimal amount of symbolic
18321 information contained in the DLL's export table. This section
18322 describes working with such symbols, known internally to @value{GDBN} as
18323 ``minimal symbols''.
18324
18325 Note that before the debugged program has started execution, no DLLs
18326 will have been loaded. The easiest way around this problem is simply to
18327 start the program --- either by setting a breakpoint or letting the
18328 program run once to completion. It is also possible to force
18329 @value{GDBN} to load a particular DLL before starting the executable ---
18330 see the shared library information in @ref{Files}, or the
18331 @code{dll-symbols} command in @ref{Cygwin Native}. Currently,
18332 explicitly loading symbols from a DLL with no debugging information will
18333 cause the symbol names to be duplicated in @value{GDBN}'s lookup table,
18334 which may adversely affect symbol lookup performance.
18335
18336 @subsubsection DLL Name Prefixes
18337
18338 In keeping with the naming conventions used by the Microsoft debugging
18339 tools, DLL export symbols are made available with a prefix based on the
18340 DLL name, for instance @code{KERNEL32!CreateFileA}. The plain name is
18341 also entered into the symbol table, so @code{CreateFileA} is often
18342 sufficient. In some cases there will be name clashes within a program
18343 (particularly if the executable itself includes full debugging symbols)
18344 necessitating the use of the fully qualified name when referring to the
18345 contents of the DLL. Use single-quotes around the name to avoid the
18346 exclamation mark (``!'') being interpreted as a language operator.
18347
18348 Note that the internal name of the DLL may be all upper-case, even
18349 though the file name of the DLL is lower-case, or vice-versa. Since
18350 symbols within @value{GDBN} are @emph{case-sensitive} this may cause
18351 some confusion. If in doubt, try the @code{info functions} and
18352 @code{info variables} commands or even @code{maint print msymbols}
18353 (@pxref{Symbols}). Here's an example:
18354
18355 @smallexample
18356 (@value{GDBP}) info function CreateFileA
18357 All functions matching regular expression "CreateFileA":
18358
18359 Non-debugging symbols:
18360 0x77e885f4 CreateFileA
18361 0x77e885f4 KERNEL32!CreateFileA
18362 @end smallexample
18363
18364 @smallexample
18365 (@value{GDBP}) info function !
18366 All functions matching regular expression "!":
18367
18368 Non-debugging symbols:
18369 0x6100114c cygwin1!__assert
18370 0x61004034 cygwin1!_dll_crt0@@0
18371 0x61004240 cygwin1!dll_crt0(per_process *)
18372 [etc...]
18373 @end smallexample
18374
18375 @subsubsection Working with Minimal Symbols
18376
18377 Symbols extracted from a DLL's export table do not contain very much
18378 type information. All that @value{GDBN} can do is guess whether a symbol
18379 refers to a function or variable depending on the linker section that
18380 contains the symbol. Also note that the actual contents of the memory
18381 contained in a DLL are not available unless the program is running. This
18382 means that you cannot examine the contents of a variable or disassemble
18383 a function within a DLL without a running program.
18384
18385 Variables are generally treated as pointers and dereferenced
18386 automatically. For this reason, it is often necessary to prefix a
18387 variable name with the address-of operator (``&'') and provide explicit
18388 type information in the command. Here's an example of the type of
18389 problem:
18390
18391 @smallexample
18392 (@value{GDBP}) print 'cygwin1!__argv'
18393 $1 = 268572168
18394 @end smallexample
18395
18396 @smallexample
18397 (@value{GDBP}) x 'cygwin1!__argv'
18398 0x10021610: "\230y\""
18399 @end smallexample
18400
18401 And two possible solutions:
18402
18403 @smallexample
18404 (@value{GDBP}) print ((char **)'cygwin1!__argv')[0]
18405 $2 = 0x22fd98 "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
18406 @end smallexample
18407
18408 @smallexample
18409 (@value{GDBP}) x/2x &'cygwin1!__argv'
18410 0x610c0aa8 <cygwin1!__argv>: 0x10021608 0x00000000
18411 (@value{GDBP}) x/x 0x10021608
18412 0x10021608: 0x0022fd98
18413 (@value{GDBP}) x/s 0x0022fd98
18414 0x22fd98: "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
18415 @end smallexample
18416
18417 Setting a break point within a DLL is possible even before the program
18418 starts execution. However, under these circumstances, @value{GDBN} can't
18419 examine the initial instructions of the function in order to skip the
18420 function's frame set-up code. You can work around this by using ``*&''
18421 to set the breakpoint at a raw memory address:
18422
18423 @smallexample
18424 (@value{GDBP}) break *&'python22!PyOS_Readline'
18425 Breakpoint 1 at 0x1e04eff0
18426 @end smallexample
18427
18428 The author of these extensions is not entirely convinced that setting a
18429 break point within a shared DLL like @file{kernel32.dll} is completely
18430 safe.
18431
18432 @node Hurd Native
18433 @subsection Commands Specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd Systems
18434 @cindex @sc{gnu} Hurd debugging
18435
18436 This subsection describes @value{GDBN} commands specific to the
18437 @sc{gnu} Hurd native debugging.
18438
18439 @table @code
18440 @item set signals
18441 @itemx set sigs
18442 @kindex set signals@r{, Hurd command}
18443 @kindex set sigs@r{, Hurd command}
18444 This command toggles the state of inferior signal interception by
18445 @value{GDBN}. Mach exceptions, such as breakpoint traps, are not
18446 affected by this command. @code{sigs} is a shorthand alias for
18447 @code{signals}.
18448
18449 @item show signals
18450 @itemx show sigs
18451 @kindex show signals@r{, Hurd command}
18452 @kindex show sigs@r{, Hurd command}
18453 Show the current state of intercepting inferior's signals.
18454
18455 @item set signal-thread
18456 @itemx set sigthread
18457 @kindex set signal-thread
18458 @kindex set sigthread
18459 This command tells @value{GDBN} which thread is the @code{libc} signal
18460 thread. That thread is run when a signal is delivered to a running
18461 process. @code{set sigthread} is the shorthand alias of @code{set
18462 signal-thread}.
18463
18464 @item show signal-thread
18465 @itemx show sigthread
18466 @kindex show signal-thread
18467 @kindex show sigthread
18468 These two commands show which thread will run when the inferior is
18469 delivered a signal.
18470
18471 @item set stopped
18472 @kindex set stopped@r{, Hurd command}
18473 This commands tells @value{GDBN} that the inferior process is stopped,
18474 as with the @code{SIGSTOP} signal. The stopped process can be
18475 continued by delivering a signal to it.
18476
18477 @item show stopped
18478 @kindex show stopped@r{, Hurd command}
18479 This command shows whether @value{GDBN} thinks the debuggee is
18480 stopped.
18481
18482 @item set exceptions
18483 @kindex set exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
18484 Use this command to turn off trapping of exceptions in the inferior.
18485 When exception trapping is off, neither breakpoints nor
18486 single-stepping will work. To restore the default, set exception
18487 trapping on.
18488
18489 @item show exceptions
18490 @kindex show exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
18491 Show the current state of trapping exceptions in the inferior.
18492
18493 @item set task pause
18494 @kindex set task@r{, Hurd commands}
18495 @cindex task attributes (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
18496 @cindex pause current task (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
18497 This command toggles task suspension when @value{GDBN} has control.
18498 Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the task is suspended
18499 whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to off will take
18500 effect the next time the inferior is continued. If this option is set
18501 to off, you can use @code{set thread default pause on} or @code{set
18502 thread pause on} (see below) to pause individual threads.
18503
18504 @item show task pause
18505 @kindex show task@r{, Hurd commands}
18506 Show the current state of task suspension.
18507
18508 @item set task detach-suspend-count
18509 @cindex task suspend count
18510 @cindex detach from task, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18511 This command sets the suspend count the task will be left with when
18512 @value{GDBN} detaches from it.
18513
18514 @item show task detach-suspend-count
18515 Show the suspend count the task will be left with when detaching.
18516
18517 @item set task exception-port
18518 @itemx set task excp
18519 @cindex task exception port, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18520 This command sets the task exception port to which @value{GDBN} will
18521 forward exceptions. The argument should be the value of the @dfn{send
18522 rights} of the task. @code{set task excp} is a shorthand alias.
18523
18524 @item set noninvasive
18525 @cindex noninvasive task options
18526 This command switches @value{GDBN} to a mode that is the least
18527 invasive as far as interfering with the inferior is concerned. This
18528 is the same as using @code{set task pause}, @code{set exceptions}, and
18529 @code{set signals} to values opposite to the defaults.
18530
18531 @item info send-rights
18532 @itemx info receive-rights
18533 @itemx info port-rights
18534 @itemx info port-sets
18535 @itemx info dead-names
18536 @itemx info ports
18537 @itemx info psets
18538 @cindex send rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18539 @cindex receive rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18540 @cindex port rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18541 @cindex port sets, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18542 @cindex dead names, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18543 These commands display information about, respectively, send rights,
18544 receive rights, port rights, port sets, and dead names of a task.
18545 There are also shorthand aliases: @code{info ports} for @code{info
18546 port-rights} and @code{info psets} for @code{info port-sets}.
18547
18548 @item set thread pause
18549 @kindex set thread@r{, Hurd command}
18550 @cindex thread properties, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18551 @cindex pause current thread (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
18552 This command toggles current thread suspension when @value{GDBN} has
18553 control. Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the current
18554 thread is suspended whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to
18555 off will take effect the next time the inferior is continued.
18556 Normally, this command has no effect, since when @value{GDBN} has
18557 control, the whole task is suspended. However, if you used @code{set
18558 task pause off} (see above), this command comes in handy to suspend
18559 only the current thread.
18560
18561 @item show thread pause
18562 @kindex show thread@r{, Hurd command}
18563 This command shows the state of current thread suspension.
18564
18565 @item set thread run
18566 This command sets whether the current thread is allowed to run.
18567
18568 @item show thread run
18569 Show whether the current thread is allowed to run.
18570
18571 @item set thread detach-suspend-count
18572 @cindex thread suspend count, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18573 @cindex detach from thread, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18574 This command sets the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on a
18575 thread when detaching. This number is relative to the suspend count
18576 found by @value{GDBN} when it notices the thread; use @code{set thread
18577 takeover-suspend-count} to force it to an absolute value.
18578
18579 @item show thread detach-suspend-count
18580 Show the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on the thread when
18581 detaching.
18582
18583 @item set thread exception-port
18584 @itemx set thread excp
18585 Set the thread exception port to which to forward exceptions. This
18586 overrides the port set by @code{set task exception-port} (see above).
18587 @code{set thread excp} is the shorthand alias.
18588
18589 @item set thread takeover-suspend-count
18590 Normally, @value{GDBN}'s thread suspend counts are relative to the
18591 value @value{GDBN} finds when it notices each thread. This command
18592 changes the suspend counts to be absolute instead.
18593
18594 @item set thread default
18595 @itemx show thread default
18596 @cindex thread default settings, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18597 Each of the above @code{set thread} commands has a @code{set thread
18598 default} counterpart (e.g., @code{set thread default pause}, @code{set
18599 thread default exception-port}, etc.). The @code{thread default}
18600 variety of commands sets the default thread properties for all
18601 threads; you can then change the properties of individual threads with
18602 the non-default commands.
18603 @end table
18604
18605
18606 @node Neutrino
18607 @subsection QNX Neutrino
18608 @cindex QNX Neutrino
18609
18610 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the QNX
18611 Neutrino target:
18612
18613 @table @code
18614 @item set debug nto-debug
18615 @kindex set debug nto-debug
18616 When set to on, enables debugging messages specific to the QNX
18617 Neutrino support.
18618
18619 @item show debug nto-debug
18620 @kindex show debug nto-debug
18621 Show the current state of QNX Neutrino messages.
18622 @end table
18623
18624 @node Darwin
18625 @subsection Darwin
18626 @cindex Darwin
18627
18628 @value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the Darwin target:
18629
18630 @table @code
18631 @item set debug darwin @var{num}
18632 @kindex set debug darwin
18633 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages specific to
18634 the Darwin support. Higher values produce more verbose output.
18635
18636 @item show debug darwin
18637 @kindex show debug darwin
18638 Show the current state of Darwin messages.
18639
18640 @item set debug mach-o @var{num}
18641 @kindex set debug mach-o
18642 When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages while
18643 @value{GDBN} is reading Darwin object files. (@dfn{Mach-O} is the
18644 file format used on Darwin for object and executable files.) Higher
18645 values produce more verbose output. This is a command to diagnose
18646 problems internal to @value{GDBN} and should not be needed in normal
18647 usage.
18648
18649 @item show debug mach-o
18650 @kindex show debug mach-o
18651 Show the current state of Mach-O file messages.
18652
18653 @item set mach-exceptions on
18654 @itemx set mach-exceptions off
18655 @kindex set mach-exceptions
18656 On Darwin, faults are first reported as a Mach exception and are then
18657 mapped to a Posix signal. Use this command to turn on trapping of
18658 Mach exceptions in the inferior. This might be sometimes useful to
18659 better understand the cause of a fault. The default is off.
18660
18661 @item show mach-exceptions
18662 @kindex show mach-exceptions
18663 Show the current state of exceptions trapping.
18664 @end table
18665
18666
18667 @node Embedded OS
18668 @section Embedded Operating Systems
18669
18670 This section describes configurations involving the debugging of
18671 embedded operating systems that are available for several different
18672 architectures.
18673
18674 @menu
18675 * VxWorks:: Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
18676 @end menu
18677
18678 @value{GDBN} includes the ability to debug programs running on
18679 various real-time operating systems.
18680
18681 @node VxWorks
18682 @subsection Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
18683
18684 @cindex VxWorks
18685
18686 @table @code
18687
18688 @kindex target vxworks
18689 @item target vxworks @var{machinename}
18690 A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename}
18691 is the target system's machine name or IP address.
18692
18693 @end table
18694
18695 On VxWorks, @code{load} links @var{filename} dynamically on the
18696 current target system as well as adding its symbols in @value{GDBN}.
18697
18698 @value{GDBN} enables developers to spawn and debug tasks running on networked
18699 VxWorks targets from a Unix host. Already-running tasks spawned from
18700 the VxWorks shell can also be debugged. @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
18701 both the Unix host and on the VxWorks target. The program
18702 @code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host. (It may be
18703 installed with the name @code{vxgdb}, to distinguish it from a
18704 @value{GDBN} for debugging programs on the host itself.)
18705
18706 @table @code
18707 @item VxWorks-timeout @var{args}
18708 @kindex vxworks-timeout
18709 All VxWorks-based targets now support the option @code{vxworks-timeout}.
18710 This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
18711 seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses to rpc's. You might use this if
18712 your VxWorks target is a slow software simulator or is on the far side
18713 of a thin network line.
18714 @end table
18715
18716 The following information on connecting to VxWorks was current when
18717 this manual was produced; newer releases of VxWorks may use revised
18718 procedures.
18719
18720 @findex INCLUDE_RDB
18721 To use @value{GDBN} with VxWorks, you must rebuild your VxWorks kernel
18722 to include the remote debugging interface routines in the VxWorks
18723 library @file{rdb.a}. To do this, define @code{INCLUDE_RDB} in the
18724 VxWorks configuration file @file{configAll.h} and rebuild your VxWorks
18725 kernel. The resulting kernel contains @file{rdb.a}, and spawns the
18726 source debugging task @code{tRdbTask} when VxWorks is booted. For more
18727 information on configuring and remaking VxWorks, see the manufacturer's
18728 manual.
18729 @c VxWorks, see the @cite{VxWorks Programmer's Guide}.
18730
18731 Once you have included @file{rdb.a} in your VxWorks system image and set
18732 your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
18733 run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}} (or
18734 @code{vxgdb}, depending on your installation).
18735
18736 @value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
18737
18738 @smallexample
18739 (vxgdb)
18740 @end smallexample
18741
18742 @menu
18743 * VxWorks Connection:: Connecting to VxWorks
18744 * VxWorks Download:: VxWorks download
18745 * VxWorks Attach:: Running tasks
18746 @end menu
18747
18748 @node VxWorks Connection
18749 @subsubsection Connecting to VxWorks
18750
18751 The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a VxWorks target on the
18752 network. To connect to a target whose host name is ``@code{tt}'', type:
18753
18754 @smallexample
18755 (vxgdb) target vxworks tt
18756 @end smallexample
18757
18758 @need 750
18759 @value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
18760
18761 @smallexample
18762 Attaching remote machine across net...
18763 Connected to tt.
18764 @end smallexample
18765
18766 @need 1000
18767 @value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol tables of any object modules
18768 loaded into the VxWorks target since it was last booted. @value{GDBN} locates
18769 these files by searching the directories listed in the command search
18770 path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}); if it fails
18771 to find an object file, it displays a message such as:
18772
18773 @smallexample
18774 prog.o: No such file or directory.
18775 @end smallexample
18776
18777 When this happens, add the appropriate directory to the search path with
18778 the @value{GDBN} command @code{path}, and execute the @code{target}
18779 command again.
18780
18781 @node VxWorks Download
18782 @subsubsection VxWorks Download
18783
18784 @cindex download to VxWorks
18785 If you have connected to the VxWorks target and you want to debug an
18786 object that has not yet been loaded, you can use the @value{GDBN}
18787 @code{load} command to download a file from Unix to VxWorks
18788 incrementally. The object file given as an argument to the @code{load}
18789 command is actually opened twice: first by the VxWorks target in order
18790 to download the code, then by @value{GDBN} in order to read the symbol
18791 table. This can lead to problems if the current working directories on
18792 the two systems differ. If both systems have NFS mounted the same
18793 filesystems, you can avoid these problems by using absolute paths.
18794 Otherwise, it is simplest to set the working directory on both systems
18795 to the directory in which the object file resides, and then to reference
18796 the file by its name, without any path. For instance, a program
18797 @file{prog.o} may reside in @file{@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb} in VxWorks
18798 and in @file{@var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb} on the host. To load this
18799 program, type this on VxWorks:
18800
18801 @smallexample
18802 -> cd "@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb"
18803 @end smallexample
18804
18805 @noindent
18806 Then, in @value{GDBN}, type:
18807
18808 @smallexample
18809 (vxgdb) cd @var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb
18810 (vxgdb) load prog.o
18811 @end smallexample
18812
18813 @value{GDBN} displays a response similar to this:
18814
18815 @smallexample
18816 Reading symbol data from wherever/vw/demo/rdb/prog.o... done.
18817 @end smallexample
18818
18819 You can also use the @code{load} command to reload an object module
18820 after editing and recompiling the corresponding source file. Note that
18821 this makes @value{GDBN} delete all currently-defined breakpoints,
18822 auto-displays, and convenience variables, and to clear the value
18823 history. (This is necessary in order to preserve the integrity of
18824 debugger's data structures that reference the target system's symbol
18825 table.)
18826
18827 @node VxWorks Attach
18828 @subsubsection Running Tasks
18829
18830 @cindex running VxWorks tasks
18831 You can also attach to an existing task using the @code{attach} command as
18832 follows:
18833
18834 @smallexample
18835 (vxgdb) attach @var{task}
18836 @end smallexample
18837
18838 @noindent
18839 where @var{task} is the VxWorks hexadecimal task ID. The task can be running
18840 or suspended when you attach to it. Running tasks are suspended at
18841 the time of attachment.
18842
18843 @node Embedded Processors
18844 @section Embedded Processors
18845
18846 This section goes into details specific to particular embedded
18847 configurations.
18848
18849 @cindex send command to simulator
18850 Whenever a specific embedded processor has a simulator, @value{GDBN}
18851 allows to send an arbitrary command to the simulator.
18852
18853 @table @code
18854 @item sim @var{command}
18855 @kindex sim@r{, a command}
18856 Send an arbitrary @var{command} string to the simulator. Consult the
18857 documentation for the specific simulator in use for information about
18858 acceptable commands.
18859 @end table
18860
18861
18862 @menu
18863 * ARM:: ARM RDI
18864 * M32R/D:: Renesas M32R/D
18865 * M68K:: Motorola M68K
18866 * MicroBlaze:: Xilinx MicroBlaze
18867 * MIPS Embedded:: MIPS Embedded
18868 * OpenRISC 1000:: OpenRisc 1000
18869 * PA:: HP PA Embedded
18870 * PowerPC Embedded:: PowerPC Embedded
18871 * Sparclet:: Tsqware Sparclet
18872 * Sparclite:: Fujitsu Sparclite
18873 * Z8000:: Zilog Z8000
18874 * AVR:: Atmel AVR
18875 * CRIS:: CRIS
18876 * Super-H:: Renesas Super-H
18877 @end menu
18878
18879 @node ARM
18880 @subsection ARM
18881 @cindex ARM RDI
18882
18883 @table @code
18884 @kindex target rdi
18885 @item target rdi @var{dev}
18886 ARM Angel monitor, via RDI library interface to ADP protocol. You may
18887 use this target to communicate with both boards running the Angel
18888 monitor, or with the EmbeddedICE JTAG debug device.
18889
18890 @kindex target rdp
18891 @item target rdp @var{dev}
18892 ARM Demon monitor.
18893
18894 @end table
18895
18896 @value{GDBN} provides the following ARM-specific commands:
18897
18898 @table @code
18899 @item set arm disassembler
18900 @kindex set arm
18901 This commands selects from a list of disassembly styles. The
18902 @code{"std"} style is the standard style.
18903
18904 @item show arm disassembler
18905 @kindex show arm
18906 Show the current disassembly style.
18907
18908 @item set arm apcs32
18909 @cindex ARM 32-bit mode
18910 This command toggles ARM operation mode between 32-bit and 26-bit.
18911
18912 @item show arm apcs32
18913 Display the current usage of the ARM 32-bit mode.
18914
18915 @item set arm fpu @var{fputype}
18916 This command sets the ARM floating-point unit (FPU) type. The
18917 argument @var{fputype} can be one of these:
18918
18919 @table @code
18920 @item auto
18921 Determine the FPU type by querying the OS ABI.
18922 @item softfpa
18923 Software FPU, with mixed-endian doubles on little-endian ARM
18924 processors.
18925 @item fpa
18926 GCC-compiled FPA co-processor.
18927 @item softvfp
18928 Software FPU with pure-endian doubles.
18929 @item vfp
18930 VFP co-processor.
18931 @end table
18932
18933 @item show arm fpu
18934 Show the current type of the FPU.
18935
18936 @item set arm abi
18937 This command forces @value{GDBN} to use the specified ABI.
18938
18939 @item show arm abi
18940 Show the currently used ABI.
18941
18942 @item set arm fallback-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
18943 @value{GDBN} uses the symbol table, when available, to determine
18944 whether instructions are ARM or Thumb. This command controls
18945 @value{GDBN}'s default behavior when the symbol table is not
18946 available. The default is @samp{auto}, which causes @value{GDBN} to
18947 use the current execution mode (from the @code{T} bit in the @code{CPSR}
18948 register).
18949
18950 @item show arm fallback-mode
18951 Show the current fallback instruction mode.
18952
18953 @item set arm force-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
18954 This command overrides use of the symbol table to determine whether
18955 instructions are ARM or Thumb. The default is @samp{auto}, which
18956 causes @value{GDBN} to use the symbol table and then the setting
18957 of @samp{set arm fallback-mode}.
18958
18959 @item show arm force-mode
18960 Show the current forced instruction mode.
18961
18962 @item set debug arm
18963 Toggle whether to display ARM-specific debugging messages from the ARM
18964 target support subsystem.
18965
18966 @item show debug arm
18967 Show whether ARM-specific debugging messages are enabled.
18968 @end table
18969
18970 The following commands are available when an ARM target is debugged
18971 using the RDI interface:
18972
18973 @table @code
18974 @item rdilogfile @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
18975 @kindex rdilogfile
18976 @cindex ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) logging
18977 Set the filename for the ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) packet log.
18978 With an argument, sets the log file to the specified @var{file}. With
18979 no argument, show the current log file name. The default log file is
18980 @file{rdi.log}.
18981
18982 @item rdilogenable @r{[}@var{arg}@r{]}
18983 @kindex rdilogenable
18984 Control logging of ADP packets. With an argument of 1 or @code{"yes"}
18985 enables logging, with an argument 0 or @code{"no"} disables it. With
18986 no arguments displays the current setting. When logging is enabled,
18987 ADP packets exchanged between @value{GDBN} and the RDI target device
18988 are logged to a file.
18989
18990 @item set rdiromatzero
18991 @kindex set rdiromatzero
18992 @cindex ROM at zero address, RDI
18993 Tell @value{GDBN} whether the target has ROM at address 0. If on,
18994 vector catching is disabled, so that zero address can be used. If off
18995 (the default), vector catching is enabled. For this command to take
18996 effect, it needs to be invoked prior to the @code{target rdi} command.
18997
18998 @item show rdiromatzero
18999 @kindex show rdiromatzero
19000 Show the current setting of ROM at zero address.
19001
19002 @item set rdiheartbeat
19003 @kindex set rdiheartbeat
19004 @cindex RDI heartbeat
19005 Enable or disable RDI heartbeat packets. It is not recommended to
19006 turn on this option, since it confuses ARM and EPI JTAG interface, as
19007 well as the Angel monitor.
19008
19009 @item show rdiheartbeat
19010 @kindex show rdiheartbeat
19011 Show the setting of RDI heartbeat packets.
19012 @end table
19013
19014 @table @code
19015 @item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
19016 The @value{GDBN} ARM simulator accepts the following optional arguments.
19017
19018 @table @code
19019 @item --swi-support=@var{type}
19020 Tell the simulator which SWI interfaces to support.
19021 @var{type} may be a comma separated list of the following values.
19022 The default value is @code{all}.
19023
19024 @table @code
19025 @item none
19026 @item demon
19027 @item angel
19028 @item redboot
19029 @item all
19030 @end table
19031 @end table
19032 @end table
19033
19034 @node M32R/D
19035 @subsection Renesas M32R/D and M32R/SDI
19036
19037 @table @code
19038 @kindex target m32r
19039 @item target m32r @var{dev}
19040 Renesas M32R/D ROM monitor.
19041
19042 @kindex target m32rsdi
19043 @item target m32rsdi @var{dev}
19044 Renesas M32R SDI server, connected via parallel port to the board.
19045 @end table
19046
19047 The following @value{GDBN} commands are specific to the M32R monitor:
19048
19049 @table @code
19050 @item set download-path @var{path}
19051 @kindex set download-path
19052 @cindex find downloadable @sc{srec} files (M32R)
19053 Set the default path for finding downloadable @sc{srec} files.
19054
19055 @item show download-path
19056 @kindex show download-path
19057 Show the default path for downloadable @sc{srec} files.
19058
19059 @item set board-address @var{addr}
19060 @kindex set board-address
19061 @cindex M32-EVA target board address
19062 Set the IP address for the M32R-EVA target board.
19063
19064 @item show board-address
19065 @kindex show board-address
19066 Show the current IP address of the target board.
19067
19068 @item set server-address @var{addr}
19069 @kindex set server-address
19070 @cindex download server address (M32R)
19071 Set the IP address for the download server, which is the @value{GDBN}'s
19072 host machine.
19073
19074 @item show server-address
19075 @kindex show server-address
19076 Display the IP address of the download server.
19077
19078 @item upload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
19079 @kindex upload@r{, M32R}
19080 Upload the specified @sc{srec} @var{file} via the monitor's Ethernet
19081 upload capability. If no @var{file} argument is given, the current
19082 executable file is uploaded.
19083
19084 @item tload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
19085 @kindex tload@r{, M32R}
19086 Test the @code{upload} command.
19087 @end table
19088
19089 The following commands are available for M32R/SDI:
19090
19091 @table @code
19092 @item sdireset
19093 @kindex sdireset
19094 @cindex reset SDI connection, M32R
19095 This command resets the SDI connection.
19096
19097 @item sdistatus
19098 @kindex sdistatus
19099 This command shows the SDI connection status.
19100
19101 @item debug_chaos
19102 @kindex debug_chaos
19103 @cindex M32R/Chaos debugging
19104 Instructs the remote that M32R/Chaos debugging is to be used.
19105
19106 @item use_debug_dma
19107 @kindex use_debug_dma
19108 Instructs the remote to use the DEBUG_DMA method of accessing memory.
19109
19110 @item use_mon_code
19111 @kindex use_mon_code
19112 Instructs the remote to use the MON_CODE method of accessing memory.
19113
19114 @item use_ib_break
19115 @kindex use_ib_break
19116 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by IB break.
19117
19118 @item use_dbt_break
19119 @kindex use_dbt_break
19120 Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by DBT.
19121 @end table
19122
19123 @node M68K
19124 @subsection M68k
19125
19126 The Motorola m68k configuration includes ColdFire support, and a
19127 target command for the following ROM monitor.
19128
19129 @table @code
19130
19131 @kindex target dbug
19132 @item target dbug @var{dev}
19133 dBUG ROM monitor for Motorola ColdFire.
19134
19135 @end table
19136
19137 @node MicroBlaze
19138 @subsection MicroBlaze
19139 @cindex Xilinx MicroBlaze
19140 @cindex XMD, Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger
19141
19142 The MicroBlaze is a soft-core processor supported on various Xilinx
19143 FPGAs, such as Spartan or Virtex series. Boards with these processors
19144 usually have JTAG ports which connect to a host system running the Xilinx
19145 Embedded Development Kit (EDK) or Software Development Kit (SDK).
19146 This host system is used to download the configuration bitstream to
19147 the target FPGA. The Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger (XMD) program
19148 communicates with the target board using the JTAG interface and
19149 presents a @code{gdbserver} interface to the board. By default
19150 @code{xmd} uses port @code{1234}. (While it is possible to change
19151 this default port, it requires the use of undocumented @code{xmd}
19152 commands. Contact Xilinx support if you need to do this.)
19153
19154 Use these GDB commands to connect to the MicroBlaze target processor.
19155
19156 @table @code
19157 @item target remote :1234
19158 Use this command to connect to the target if you are running @value{GDBN}
19159 on the same system as @code{xmd}.
19160
19161 @item target remote @var{xmd-host}:1234
19162 Use this command to connect to the target if it is connected to @code{xmd}
19163 running on a different system named @var{xmd-host}.
19164
19165 @item load
19166 Use this command to download a program to the MicroBlaze target.
19167
19168 @item set debug microblaze @var{n}
19169 Enable MicroBlaze-specific debugging messages if non-zero.
19170
19171 @item show debug microblaze @var{n}
19172 Show MicroBlaze-specific debugging level.
19173 @end table
19174
19175 @node MIPS Embedded
19176 @subsection MIPS Embedded
19177
19178 @cindex MIPS boards
19179 @value{GDBN} can use the MIPS remote debugging protocol to talk to a
19180 MIPS board attached to a serial line. This is available when
19181 you configure @value{GDBN} with @samp{--target=mips-idt-ecoff}.
19182
19183 @need 1000
19184 Use these @value{GDBN} commands to specify the connection to your target board:
19185
19186 @table @code
19187 @item target mips @var{port}
19188 @kindex target mips @var{port}
19189 To run a program on the board, start up @code{@value{GDBP}} with the
19190 name of your program as the argument. To connect to the board, use the
19191 command @samp{target mips @var{port}}, where @var{port} is the name of
19192 the serial port connected to the board. If the program has not already
19193 been downloaded to the board, you may use the @code{load} command to
19194 download it. You can then use all the usual @value{GDBN} commands.
19195
19196 For example, this sequence connects to the target board through a serial
19197 port, and loads and runs a program called @var{prog} through the
19198 debugger:
19199
19200 @smallexample
19201 host$ @value{GDBP} @var{prog}
19202 @value{GDBN} is free software and @dots{}
19203 (@value{GDBP}) target mips /dev/ttyb
19204 (@value{GDBP}) load @var{prog}
19205 (@value{GDBP}) run
19206 @end smallexample
19207
19208 @item target mips @var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}
19209 On some @value{GDBN} host configurations, you can specify a TCP
19210 connection (for instance, to a serial line managed by a terminal
19211 concentrator) instead of a serial port, using the syntax
19212 @samp{@var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}}.
19213
19214 @item target pmon @var{port}
19215 @kindex target pmon @var{port}
19216 PMON ROM monitor.
19217
19218 @item target ddb @var{port}
19219 @kindex target ddb @var{port}
19220 NEC's DDB variant of PMON for Vr4300.
19221
19222 @item target lsi @var{port}
19223 @kindex target lsi @var{port}
19224 LSI variant of PMON.
19225
19226 @kindex target r3900
19227 @item target r3900 @var{dev}
19228 Densan DVE-R3900 ROM monitor for Toshiba R3900 Mips.
19229
19230 @kindex target array
19231 @item target array @var{dev}
19232 Array Tech LSI33K RAID controller board.
19233
19234 @end table
19235
19236
19237 @noindent
19238 @value{GDBN} also supports these special commands for MIPS targets:
19239
19240 @table @code
19241 @item set mipsfpu double
19242 @itemx set mipsfpu single
19243 @itemx set mipsfpu none
19244 @itemx set mipsfpu auto
19245 @itemx show mipsfpu
19246 @kindex set mipsfpu
19247 @kindex show mipsfpu
19248 @cindex MIPS remote floating point
19249 @cindex floating point, MIPS remote
19250 If your target board does not support the MIPS floating point
19251 coprocessor, you should use the command @samp{set mipsfpu none} (if you
19252 need this, you may wish to put the command in your @value{GDBN} init
19253 file). This tells @value{GDBN} how to find the return value of
19254 functions which return floating point values. It also allows
19255 @value{GDBN} to avoid saving the floating point registers when calling
19256 functions on the board. If you are using a floating point coprocessor
19257 with only single precision floating point support, as on the @sc{r4650}
19258 processor, use the command @samp{set mipsfpu single}. The default
19259 double precision floating point coprocessor may be selected using
19260 @samp{set mipsfpu double}.
19261
19262 In previous versions the only choices were double precision or no
19263 floating point, so @samp{set mipsfpu on} will select double precision
19264 and @samp{set mipsfpu off} will select no floating point.
19265
19266 As usual, you can inquire about the @code{mipsfpu} variable with
19267 @samp{show mipsfpu}.
19268
19269 @item set timeout @var{seconds}
19270 @itemx set retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}
19271 @itemx show timeout
19272 @itemx show retransmit-timeout
19273 @cindex @code{timeout}, MIPS protocol
19274 @cindex @code{retransmit-timeout}, MIPS protocol
19275 @kindex set timeout
19276 @kindex show timeout
19277 @kindex set retransmit-timeout
19278 @kindex show retransmit-timeout
19279 You can control the timeout used while waiting for a packet, in the MIPS
19280 remote protocol, with the @code{set timeout @var{seconds}} command. The
19281 default is 5 seconds. Similarly, you can control the timeout used while
19282 waiting for an acknowledgment of a packet with the @code{set
19283 retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}} command. The default is 3 seconds.
19284 You can inspect both values with @code{show timeout} and @code{show
19285 retransmit-timeout}. (These commands are @emph{only} available when
19286 @value{GDBN} is configured for @samp{--target=mips-idt-ecoff}.)
19287
19288 The timeout set by @code{set timeout} does not apply when @value{GDBN}
19289 is waiting for your program to stop. In that case, @value{GDBN} waits
19290 forever because it has no way of knowing how long the program is going
19291 to run before stopping.
19292
19293 @item set syn-garbage-limit @var{num}
19294 @kindex set syn-garbage-limit@r{, MIPS remote}
19295 @cindex synchronize with remote MIPS target
19296 Limit the maximum number of characters @value{GDBN} should ignore when
19297 it tries to synchronize with the remote target. The default is 10
19298 characters. Setting the limit to -1 means there's no limit.
19299
19300 @item show syn-garbage-limit
19301 @kindex show syn-garbage-limit@r{, MIPS remote}
19302 Show the current limit on the number of characters to ignore when
19303 trying to synchronize with the remote system.
19304
19305 @item set monitor-prompt @var{prompt}
19306 @kindex set monitor-prompt@r{, MIPS remote}
19307 @cindex remote monitor prompt
19308 Tell @value{GDBN} to expect the specified @var{prompt} string from the
19309 remote monitor. The default depends on the target:
19310 @table @asis
19311 @item pmon target
19312 @samp{PMON}
19313 @item ddb target
19314 @samp{NEC010}
19315 @item lsi target
19316 @samp{PMON>}
19317 @end table
19318
19319 @item show monitor-prompt
19320 @kindex show monitor-prompt@r{, MIPS remote}
19321 Show the current strings @value{GDBN} expects as the prompt from the
19322 remote monitor.
19323
19324 @item set monitor-warnings
19325 @kindex set monitor-warnings@r{, MIPS remote}
19326 Enable or disable monitor warnings about hardware breakpoints. This
19327 has effect only for the @code{lsi} target. When on, @value{GDBN} will
19328 display warning messages whose codes are returned by the @code{lsi}
19329 PMON monitor for breakpoint commands.
19330
19331 @item show monitor-warnings
19332 @kindex show monitor-warnings@r{, MIPS remote}
19333 Show the current setting of printing monitor warnings.
19334
19335 @item pmon @var{command}
19336 @kindex pmon@r{, MIPS remote}
19337 @cindex send PMON command
19338 This command allows sending an arbitrary @var{command} string to the
19339 monitor. The monitor must be in debug mode for this to work.
19340 @end table
19341
19342 @node OpenRISC 1000
19343 @subsection OpenRISC 1000
19344 @cindex OpenRISC 1000
19345
19346 @cindex or1k boards
19347 See OR1k Architecture document (@uref{www.opencores.org}) for more information
19348 about platform and commands.
19349
19350 @table @code
19351
19352 @kindex target jtag
19353 @item target jtag jtag://@var{host}:@var{port}
19354
19355 Connects to remote JTAG server.
19356 JTAG remote server can be either an or1ksim or JTAG server,
19357 connected via parallel port to the board.
19358
19359 Example: @code{target jtag jtag://localhost:9999}
19360
19361 @kindex or1ksim
19362 @item or1ksim @var{command}
19363 If connected to @code{or1ksim} OpenRISC 1000 Architectural
19364 Simulator, proprietary commands can be executed.
19365
19366 @kindex info or1k spr
19367 @item info or1k spr
19368 Displays spr groups.
19369
19370 @item info or1k spr @var{group}
19371 @itemx info or1k spr @var{groupno}
19372 Displays register names in selected group.
19373
19374 @item info or1k spr @var{group} @var{register}
19375 @itemx info or1k spr @var{register}
19376 @itemx info or1k spr @var{groupno} @var{registerno}
19377 @itemx info or1k spr @var{registerno}
19378 Shows information about specified spr register.
19379
19380 @kindex spr
19381 @item spr @var{group} @var{register} @var{value}
19382 @itemx spr @var{register @var{value}}
19383 @itemx spr @var{groupno} @var{registerno @var{value}}
19384 @itemx spr @var{registerno @var{value}}
19385 Writes @var{value} to specified spr register.
19386 @end table
19387
19388 Some implementations of OpenRISC 1000 Architecture also have hardware trace.
19389 It is very similar to @value{GDBN} trace, except it does not interfere with normal
19390 program execution and is thus much faster. Hardware breakpoints/watchpoint
19391 triggers can be set using:
19392 @table @code
19393 @item $LEA/$LDATA
19394 Load effective address/data
19395 @item $SEA/$SDATA
19396 Store effective address/data
19397 @item $AEA/$ADATA
19398 Access effective address ($SEA or $LEA) or data ($SDATA/$LDATA)
19399 @item $FETCH
19400 Fetch data
19401 @end table
19402
19403 When triggered, it can capture low level data, like: @code{PC}, @code{LSEA},
19404 @code{LDATA}, @code{SDATA}, @code{READSPR}, @code{WRITESPR}, @code{INSTR}.
19405
19406 @code{htrace} commands:
19407 @cindex OpenRISC 1000 htrace
19408 @table @code
19409 @kindex hwatch
19410 @item hwatch @var{conditional}
19411 Set hardware watchpoint on combination of Load/Store Effective Address(es)
19412 or Data. For example:
19413
19414 @code{hwatch ($LEA == my_var) && ($LDATA < 50) || ($SEA == my_var) && ($SDATA >= 50)}
19415
19416 @code{hwatch ($LEA == my_var) && ($LDATA < 50) || ($SEA == my_var) && ($SDATA >= 50)}
19417
19418 @kindex htrace
19419 @item htrace info
19420 Display information about current HW trace configuration.
19421
19422 @item htrace trigger @var{conditional}
19423 Set starting criteria for HW trace.
19424
19425 @item htrace qualifier @var{conditional}
19426 Set acquisition qualifier for HW trace.
19427
19428 @item htrace stop @var{conditional}
19429 Set HW trace stopping criteria.
19430
19431 @item htrace record [@var{data}]*
19432 Selects the data to be recorded, when qualifier is met and HW trace was
19433 triggered.
19434
19435 @item htrace enable
19436 @itemx htrace disable
19437 Enables/disables the HW trace.
19438
19439 @item htrace rewind [@var{filename}]
19440 Clears currently recorded trace data.
19441
19442 If filename is specified, new trace file is made and any newly collected data
19443 will be written there.
19444
19445 @item htrace print [@var{start} [@var{len}]]
19446 Prints trace buffer, using current record configuration.
19447
19448 @item htrace mode continuous
19449 Set continuous trace mode.
19450
19451 @item htrace mode suspend
19452 Set suspend trace mode.
19453
19454 @end table
19455
19456 @node PowerPC Embedded
19457 @subsection PowerPC Embedded
19458
19459 @cindex DVC register
19460 @value{GDBN} supports using the DVC (Data Value Compare) register to
19461 implement in hardware simple hardware watchpoint conditions of the form:
19462
19463 @smallexample
19464 (@value{GDBP}) watch @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} \
19465 if @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} == @var{CONSTANT EXPRESSION}
19466 @end smallexample
19467
19468 The DVC register will be automatically used when @value{GDBN} detects
19469 such pattern in a condition expression, and the created watchpoint uses one
19470 debug register (either the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on and the
19471 variable is scalar, or the variable has a length of one byte). This feature
19472 is available in native @value{GDBN} running on a Linux kernel version 2.6.34
19473 or newer.
19474
19475 When running on PowerPC embedded processors, @value{GDBN} automatically uses
19476 ranged hardware watchpoints, unless the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on,
19477 in which case watchpoints using only one debug register are created when
19478 watching variables of scalar types.
19479
19480 You can create an artificial array to watch an arbitrary memory
19481 region using one of the following commands (@pxref{Expressions}):
19482
19483 @smallexample
19484 (@value{GDBP}) watch *((char *) @var{address})@@@var{length}
19485 (@value{GDBP}) watch @{char[@var{length}]@} @var{address}
19486 @end smallexample
19487
19488 PowerPC embedded processors support masked watchpoints. See the discussion
19489 about the @code{mask} argument in @ref{Set Watchpoints}.
19490
19491 @cindex ranged breakpoint
19492 PowerPC embedded processors support hardware accelerated
19493 @dfn{ranged breakpoints}. A ranged breakpoint stops execution of
19494 the inferior whenever it executes an instruction at any address within
19495 the range it specifies. To set a ranged breakpoint in @value{GDBN},
19496 use the @code{break-range} command.
19497
19498 @value{GDBN} provides the following PowerPC-specific commands:
19499
19500 @table @code
19501 @kindex break-range
19502 @item break-range @var{start-location}, @var{end-location}
19503 Set a breakpoint for an address range.
19504 @var{start-location} and @var{end-location} can specify a function name,
19505 a line number, an offset of lines from the current line or from the start
19506 location, or an address of an instruction (see @ref{Specify Location},
19507 for a list of all the possible ways to specify a @var{location}.)
19508 The breakpoint will stop execution of the inferior whenever it
19509 executes an instruction at any address within the specified range,
19510 (including @var{start-location} and @var{end-location}.)
19511
19512 @kindex set powerpc
19513 @item set powerpc soft-float
19514 @itemx show powerpc soft-float
19515 Force @value{GDBN} to use (or not use) a software floating point calling
19516 convention. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention based
19517 on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
19518
19519 @item set powerpc vector-abi
19520 @itemx show powerpc vector-abi
19521 Force @value{GDBN} to use the specified calling convention for vector
19522 arguments and return values. The valid options are @samp{auto};
19523 @samp{generic}, to avoid vector registers even if they are present;
19524 @samp{altivec}, to use AltiVec registers; and @samp{spe} to use SPE
19525 registers. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention
19526 based on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
19527
19528 @item set powerpc exact-watchpoints
19529 @itemx show powerpc exact-watchpoints
19530 Allow @value{GDBN} to use only one debug register when watching a variable
19531 of scalar type, thus assuming that the variable is accessed through the
19532 address of its first byte.
19533
19534 @kindex target dink32
19535 @item target dink32 @var{dev}
19536 DINK32 ROM monitor.
19537
19538 @kindex target ppcbug
19539 @item target ppcbug @var{dev}
19540 @kindex target ppcbug1
19541 @item target ppcbug1 @var{dev}
19542 PPCBUG ROM monitor for PowerPC.
19543
19544 @kindex target sds
19545 @item target sds @var{dev}
19546 SDS monitor, running on a PowerPC board (such as Motorola's ADS).
19547 @end table
19548
19549 @cindex SDS protocol
19550 The following commands specific to the SDS protocol are supported
19551 by @value{GDBN}:
19552
19553 @table @code
19554 @item set sdstimeout @var{nsec}
19555 @kindex set sdstimeout
19556 Set the timeout for SDS protocol reads to be @var{nsec} seconds. The
19557 default is 2 seconds.
19558
19559 @item show sdstimeout
19560 @kindex show sdstimeout
19561 Show the current value of the SDS timeout.
19562
19563 @item sds @var{command}
19564 @kindex sds@r{, a command}
19565 Send the specified @var{command} string to the SDS monitor.
19566 @end table
19567
19568
19569 @node PA
19570 @subsection HP PA Embedded
19571
19572 @table @code
19573
19574 @kindex target op50n
19575 @item target op50n @var{dev}
19576 OP50N monitor, running on an OKI HPPA board.
19577
19578 @kindex target w89k
19579 @item target w89k @var{dev}
19580 W89K monitor, running on a Winbond HPPA board.
19581
19582 @end table
19583
19584 @node Sparclet
19585 @subsection Tsqware Sparclet
19586
19587 @cindex Sparclet
19588
19589 @value{GDBN} enables developers to debug tasks running on
19590 Sparclet targets from a Unix host.
19591 @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
19592 both the Unix host and on the Sparclet target. The program
19593 @code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host.
19594
19595 @table @code
19596 @item remotetimeout @var{args}
19597 @kindex remotetimeout
19598 @value{GDBN} supports the option @code{remotetimeout}.
19599 This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
19600 seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses.
19601 @end table
19602
19603 @cindex compiling, on Sparclet
19604 When compiling for debugging, include the options @samp{-g} to get debug
19605 information and @samp{-Ttext} to relocate the program to where you wish to
19606 load it on the target. You may also want to add the options @samp{-n} or
19607 @samp{-N} in order to reduce the size of the sections. Example:
19608
19609 @smallexample
19610 sparclet-aout-gcc prog.c -Ttext 0x12010000 -g -o prog -N
19611 @end smallexample
19612
19613 You can use @code{objdump} to verify that the addresses are what you intended:
19614
19615 @smallexample
19616 sparclet-aout-objdump --headers --syms prog
19617 @end smallexample
19618
19619 @cindex running, on Sparclet
19620 Once you have set
19621 your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
19622 run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}}
19623 (or @code{sparclet-aout-gdb}, depending on your installation).
19624
19625 @value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
19626
19627 @smallexample
19628 (gdbslet)
19629 @end smallexample
19630
19631 @menu
19632 * Sparclet File:: Setting the file to debug
19633 * Sparclet Connection:: Connecting to Sparclet
19634 * Sparclet Download:: Sparclet download
19635 * Sparclet Execution:: Running and debugging
19636 @end menu
19637
19638 @node Sparclet File
19639 @subsubsection Setting File to Debug
19640
19641 The @value{GDBN} command @code{file} lets you choose with program to debug.
19642
19643 @smallexample
19644 (gdbslet) file prog
19645 @end smallexample
19646
19647 @need 1000
19648 @value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol table of @file{prog}.
19649 @value{GDBN} locates
19650 the file by searching the directories listed in the command search
19651 path.
19652 If the file was compiled with debug information (option @samp{-g}), source
19653 files will be searched as well.
19654 @value{GDBN} locates
19655 the source files by searching the directories listed in the directory search
19656 path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}).
19657 If it fails
19658 to find a file, it displays a message such as:
19659
19660 @smallexample
19661 prog: No such file or directory.
19662 @end smallexample
19663
19664 When this happens, add the appropriate directories to the search paths with
19665 the @value{GDBN} commands @code{path} and @code{dir}, and execute the
19666 @code{target} command again.
19667
19668 @node Sparclet Connection
19669 @subsubsection Connecting to Sparclet
19670
19671 The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a Sparclet target.
19672 To connect to a target on serial port ``@code{ttya}'', type:
19673
19674 @smallexample
19675 (gdbslet) target sparclet /dev/ttya
19676 Remote target sparclet connected to /dev/ttya
19677 main () at ../prog.c:3
19678 @end smallexample
19679
19680 @need 750
19681 @value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
19682
19683 @smallexample
19684 Connected to ttya.
19685 @end smallexample
19686
19687 @node Sparclet Download
19688 @subsubsection Sparclet Download
19689
19690 @cindex download to Sparclet
19691 Once connected to the Sparclet target,
19692 you can use the @value{GDBN}
19693 @code{load} command to download the file from the host to the target.
19694 The file name and load offset should be given as arguments to the @code{load}
19695 command.
19696 Since the file format is aout, the program must be loaded to the starting
19697 address. You can use @code{objdump} to find out what this value is. The load
19698 offset is an offset which is added to the VMA (virtual memory address)
19699 of each of the file's sections.
19700 For instance, if the program
19701 @file{prog} was linked to text address 0x1201000, with data at 0x12010160
19702 and bss at 0x12010170, in @value{GDBN}, type:
19703
19704 @smallexample
19705 (gdbslet) load prog 0x12010000
19706 Loading section .text, size 0xdb0 vma 0x12010000
19707 @end smallexample
19708
19709 If the code is loaded at a different address then what the program was linked
19710 to, you may need to use the @code{section} and @code{add-symbol-file} commands
19711 to tell @value{GDBN} where to map the symbol table.
19712
19713 @node Sparclet Execution
19714 @subsubsection Running and Debugging
19715
19716 @cindex running and debugging Sparclet programs
19717 You can now begin debugging the task using @value{GDBN}'s execution control
19718 commands, @code{b}, @code{step}, @code{run}, etc. See the @value{GDBN}
19719 manual for the list of commands.
19720
19721 @smallexample
19722 (gdbslet) b main
19723 Breakpoint 1 at 0x12010000: file prog.c, line 3.
19724 (gdbslet) run
19725 Starting program: prog
19726 Breakpoint 1, main (argc=1, argv=0xeffff21c) at prog.c:3
19727 3 char *symarg = 0;
19728 (gdbslet) step
19729 4 char *execarg = "hello!";
19730 (gdbslet)
19731 @end smallexample
19732
19733 @node Sparclite
19734 @subsection Fujitsu Sparclite
19735
19736 @table @code
19737
19738 @kindex target sparclite
19739 @item target sparclite @var{dev}
19740 Fujitsu sparclite boards, used only for the purpose of loading.
19741 You must use an additional command to debug the program.
19742 For example: target remote @var{dev} using @value{GDBN} standard
19743 remote protocol.
19744
19745 @end table
19746
19747 @node Z8000
19748 @subsection Zilog Z8000
19749
19750 @cindex Z8000
19751 @cindex simulator, Z8000
19752 @cindex Zilog Z8000 simulator
19753
19754 When configured for debugging Zilog Z8000 targets, @value{GDBN} includes
19755 a Z8000 simulator.
19756
19757 For the Z8000 family, @samp{target sim} simulates either the Z8002 (the
19758 unsegmented variant of the Z8000 architecture) or the Z8001 (the
19759 segmented variant). The simulator recognizes which architecture is
19760 appropriate by inspecting the object code.
19761
19762 @table @code
19763 @item target sim @var{args}
19764 @kindex sim
19765 @kindex target sim@r{, with Z8000}
19766 Debug programs on a simulated CPU. If the simulator supports setup
19767 options, specify them via @var{args}.
19768 @end table
19769
19770 @noindent
19771 After specifying this target, you can debug programs for the simulated
19772 CPU in the same style as programs for your host computer; use the
19773 @code{file} command to load a new program image, the @code{run} command
19774 to run your program, and so on.
19775
19776 As well as making available all the usual machine registers
19777 (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}), the Z8000 simulator provides three
19778 additional items of information as specially named registers:
19779
19780 @table @code
19781
19782 @item cycles
19783 Counts clock-ticks in the simulator.
19784
19785 @item insts
19786 Counts instructions run in the simulator.
19787
19788 @item time
19789 Execution time in 60ths of a second.
19790
19791 @end table
19792
19793 You can refer to these values in @value{GDBN} expressions with the usual
19794 conventions; for example, @w{@samp{b fputc if $cycles>5000}} sets a
19795 conditional breakpoint that suspends only after at least 5000
19796 simulated clock ticks.
19797
19798 @node AVR
19799 @subsection Atmel AVR
19800 @cindex AVR
19801
19802 When configured for debugging the Atmel AVR, @value{GDBN} supports the
19803 following AVR-specific commands:
19804
19805 @table @code
19806 @item info io_registers
19807 @kindex info io_registers@r{, AVR}
19808 @cindex I/O registers (Atmel AVR)
19809 This command displays information about the AVR I/O registers. For
19810 each register, @value{GDBN} prints its number and value.
19811 @end table
19812
19813 @node CRIS
19814 @subsection CRIS
19815 @cindex CRIS
19816
19817 When configured for debugging CRIS, @value{GDBN} provides the
19818 following CRIS-specific commands:
19819
19820 @table @code
19821 @item set cris-version @var{ver}
19822 @cindex CRIS version
19823 Set the current CRIS version to @var{ver}, either @samp{10} or @samp{32}.
19824 The CRIS version affects register names and sizes. This command is useful in
19825 case autodetection of the CRIS version fails.
19826
19827 @item show cris-version
19828 Show the current CRIS version.
19829
19830 @item set cris-dwarf2-cfi
19831 @cindex DWARF-2 CFI and CRIS
19832 Set the usage of DWARF-2 CFI for CRIS debugging. The default is @samp{on}.
19833 Change to @samp{off} when using @code{gcc-cris} whose version is below
19834 @code{R59}.
19835
19836 @item show cris-dwarf2-cfi
19837 Show the current state of using DWARF-2 CFI.
19838
19839 @item set cris-mode @var{mode}
19840 @cindex CRIS mode
19841 Set the current CRIS mode to @var{mode}. It should only be changed when
19842 debugging in guru mode, in which case it should be set to
19843 @samp{guru} (the default is @samp{normal}).
19844
19845 @item show cris-mode
19846 Show the current CRIS mode.
19847 @end table
19848
19849 @node Super-H
19850 @subsection Renesas Super-H
19851 @cindex Super-H
19852
19853 For the Renesas Super-H processor, @value{GDBN} provides these
19854 commands:
19855
19856 @table @code
19857 @item regs
19858 @kindex regs@r{, Super-H}
19859 Show the values of all Super-H registers.
19860
19861 @item set sh calling-convention @var{convention}
19862 @kindex set sh calling-convention
19863 Set the calling-convention used when calling functions from @value{GDBN}.
19864 Allowed values are @samp{gcc}, which is the default setting, and @samp{renesas}.
19865 With the @samp{gcc} setting, functions are called using the @value{NGCC} calling
19866 convention. If the DWARF-2 information of the called function specifies
19867 that the function follows the Renesas calling convention, the function
19868 is called using the Renesas calling convention. If the calling convention
19869 is set to @samp{renesas}, the Renesas calling convention is always used,
19870 regardless of the DWARF-2 information. This can be used to override the
19871 default of @samp{gcc} if debug information is missing, or the compiler
19872 does not emit the DWARF-2 calling convention entry for a function.
19873
19874 @item show sh calling-convention
19875 @kindex show sh calling-convention
19876 Show the current calling convention setting.
19877
19878 @end table
19879
19880
19881 @node Architectures
19882 @section Architectures
19883
19884 This section describes characteristics of architectures that affect
19885 all uses of @value{GDBN} with the architecture, both native and cross.
19886
19887 @menu
19888 * i386::
19889 * A29K::
19890 * Alpha::
19891 * MIPS::
19892 * HPPA:: HP PA architecture
19893 * SPU:: Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
19894 * PowerPC::
19895 @end menu
19896
19897 @node i386
19898 @subsection x86 Architecture-specific Issues
19899
19900 @table @code
19901 @item set struct-convention @var{mode}
19902 @kindex set struct-convention
19903 @cindex struct return convention
19904 @cindex struct/union returned in registers
19905 Set the convention used by the inferior to return @code{struct}s and
19906 @code{union}s from functions to @var{mode}. Possible values of
19907 @var{mode} are @code{"pcc"}, @code{"reg"}, and @code{"default"} (the
19908 default). @code{"default"} or @code{"pcc"} means that @code{struct}s
19909 are returned on the stack, while @code{"reg"} means that a
19910 @code{struct} or a @code{union} whose size is 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes will
19911 be returned in a register.
19912
19913 @item show struct-convention
19914 @kindex show struct-convention
19915 Show the current setting of the convention to return @code{struct}s
19916 from functions.
19917 @end table
19918
19919 @node A29K
19920 @subsection A29K
19921
19922 @table @code
19923
19924 @kindex set rstack_high_address
19925 @cindex AMD 29K register stack
19926 @cindex register stack, AMD29K
19927 @item set rstack_high_address @var{address}
19928 On AMD 29000 family processors, registers are saved in a separate
19929 @dfn{register stack}. There is no way for @value{GDBN} to determine the
19930 extent of this stack. Normally, @value{GDBN} just assumes that the
19931 stack is ``large enough''. This may result in @value{GDBN} referencing
19932 memory locations that do not exist. If necessary, you can get around
19933 this problem by specifying the ending address of the register stack with
19934 the @code{set rstack_high_address} command. The argument should be an
19935 address, which you probably want to precede with @samp{0x} to specify in
19936 hexadecimal.
19937
19938 @kindex show rstack_high_address
19939 @item show rstack_high_address
19940 Display the current limit of the register stack, on AMD 29000 family
19941 processors.
19942
19943 @end table
19944
19945 @node Alpha
19946 @subsection Alpha
19947
19948 See the following section.
19949
19950 @node MIPS
19951 @subsection MIPS
19952
19953 @cindex stack on Alpha
19954 @cindex stack on MIPS
19955 @cindex Alpha stack
19956 @cindex MIPS stack
19957 Alpha- and MIPS-based computers use an unusual stack frame, which
19958 sometimes requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to
19959 find the beginning of a function.
19960
19961 @cindex response time, MIPS debugging
19962 To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
19963 @value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
19964 you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
19965 commands:
19966
19967 @table @code
19968 @cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (Alpha, MIPS)
19969 @item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
19970 Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its
19971 search for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the
19972 default) means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the
19973 larger the limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search
19974 and therefore the longer it takes to run. You should only need to use
19975 this command when debugging a stripped executable.
19976
19977 @item show heuristic-fence-post
19978 Display the current limit.
19979 @end table
19980
19981 @noindent
19982 These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
19983 for debugging programs on Alpha or MIPS processors.
19984
19985 Several MIPS-specific commands are available when debugging MIPS
19986 programs:
19987
19988 @table @code
19989 @item set mips abi @var{arg}
19990 @kindex set mips abi
19991 @cindex set ABI for MIPS
19992 Tell @value{GDBN} which MIPS ABI is used by the inferior. Possible
19993 values of @var{arg} are:
19994
19995 @table @samp
19996 @item auto
19997 The default ABI associated with the current binary (this is the
19998 default).
19999 @item o32
20000 @item o64
20001 @item n32
20002 @item n64
20003 @item eabi32
20004 @item eabi64
20005 @end table
20006
20007 @item show mips abi
20008 @kindex show mips abi
20009 Show the MIPS ABI used by @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
20010
20011 @item set mipsfpu
20012 @itemx show mipsfpu
20013 @xref{MIPS Embedded, set mipsfpu}.
20014
20015 @item set mips mask-address @var{arg}
20016 @kindex set mips mask-address
20017 @cindex MIPS addresses, masking
20018 This command determines whether the most-significant 32 bits of 64-bit
20019 MIPS addresses are masked off. The argument @var{arg} can be
20020 @samp{on}, @samp{off}, or @samp{auto}. The latter is the default
20021 setting, which lets @value{GDBN} determine the correct value.
20022
20023 @item show mips mask-address
20024 @kindex show mips mask-address
20025 Show whether the upper 32 bits of MIPS addresses are masked off or
20026 not.
20027
20028 @item set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
20029 @kindex set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
20030 This command controls compatibility with 64-bit MIPS targets that
20031 transfer data in 32-bit quantities. If you have an old MIPS 64 target
20032 that transfers 32 bits for some registers, like @sc{sr} and @sc{fsr},
20033 and 64 bits for other registers, set this option to @samp{on}.
20034
20035 @item show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
20036 @kindex show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
20037 Show the current setting of compatibility with older MIPS 64 targets.
20038
20039 @item set debug mips
20040 @kindex set debug mips
20041 This command turns on and off debugging messages for the MIPS-specific
20042 target code in @value{GDBN}.
20043
20044 @item show debug mips
20045 @kindex show debug mips
20046 Show the current setting of MIPS debugging messages.
20047 @end table
20048
20049
20050 @node HPPA
20051 @subsection HPPA
20052 @cindex HPPA support
20053
20054 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the HP PA architecture, it provides the
20055 following special commands:
20056
20057 @table @code
20058 @item set debug hppa
20059 @kindex set debug hppa
20060 This command determines whether HPPA architecture-specific debugging
20061 messages are to be displayed.
20062
20063 @item show debug hppa
20064 Show whether HPPA debugging messages are displayed.
20065
20066 @item maint print unwind @var{address}
20067 @kindex maint print unwind@r{, HPPA}
20068 This command displays the contents of the unwind table entry at the
20069 given @var{address}.
20070
20071 @end table
20072
20073
20074 @node SPU
20075 @subsection Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
20076 @cindex Cell Broadband Engine
20077 @cindex SPU
20078
20079 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture,
20080 it provides the following special commands:
20081
20082 @table @code
20083 @item info spu event
20084 @kindex info spu
20085 Display SPU event facility status. Shows current event mask
20086 and pending event status.
20087
20088 @item info spu signal
20089 Display SPU signal notification facility status. Shows pending
20090 signal-control word and signal notification mode of both signal
20091 notification channels.
20092
20093 @item info spu mailbox
20094 Display SPU mailbox facility status. Shows all pending entries,
20095 in order of processing, in each of the SPU Write Outbound,
20096 SPU Write Outbound Interrupt, and SPU Read Inbound mailboxes.
20097
20098 @item info spu dma
20099 Display MFC DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
20100 DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
20101 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
20102
20103 @item info spu proxydma
20104 Display MFC Proxy-DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
20105 Proxy-DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
20106 and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
20107
20108 @end table
20109
20110 When @value{GDBN} is debugging a combined PowerPC/SPU application
20111 on the Cell Broadband Engine, it provides in addition the following
20112 special commands:
20113
20114 @table @code
20115 @item set spu stop-on-load @var{arg}
20116 @kindex set spu
20117 Set whether to stop for new SPE threads. When set to @code{on}, @value{GDBN}
20118 will give control to the user when a new SPE thread enters its @code{main}
20119 function. The default is @code{off}.
20120
20121 @item show spu stop-on-load
20122 @kindex show spu
20123 Show whether to stop for new SPE threads.
20124
20125 @item set spu auto-flush-cache @var{arg}
20126 Set whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache. When set to
20127 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will automatically cause the SPE software-managed
20128 cache to be flushed whenever SPE execution stops. This provides a consistent
20129 view of PowerPC memory that is accessed via the cache. If an application
20130 does not use the software-managed cache, this option has no effect.
20131
20132 @item show spu auto-flush-cache
20133 Show whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache.
20134
20135 @end table
20136
20137 @node PowerPC
20138 @subsection PowerPC
20139 @cindex PowerPC architecture
20140
20141 When @value{GDBN} is debugging the PowerPC architecture, it provides a set of
20142 pseudo-registers to enable inspection of 128-bit wide Decimal Floating Point
20143 numbers stored in the floating point registers. These values must be stored
20144 in two consecutive registers, always starting at an even register like
20145 @code{f0} or @code{f2}.
20146
20147 The pseudo-registers go from @code{$dl0} through @code{$dl15}, and are formed
20148 by joining the even/odd register pairs @code{f0} and @code{f1} for @code{$dl0},
20149 @code{f2} and @code{f3} for @code{$dl1} and so on.
20150
20151 For POWER7 processors, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers, the 64-bit
20152 wide Extended Floating Point Registers (@samp{f32} through @samp{f63}).
20153
20154
20155 @node Controlling GDB
20156 @chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
20157
20158 You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using the
20159 @code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
20160 data, see @ref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}. Other settings are
20161 described here.
20162
20163 @menu
20164 * Prompt:: Prompt
20165 * Editing:: Command editing
20166 * Command History:: Command history
20167 * Screen Size:: Screen size
20168 * Numbers:: Numbers
20169 * ABI:: Configuring the current ABI
20170 * Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
20171 * Debugging Output:: Optional messages about internal happenings
20172 * Other Misc Settings:: Other Miscellaneous Settings
20173 @end menu
20174
20175 @node Prompt
20176 @section Prompt
20177
20178 @cindex prompt
20179
20180 @value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
20181 called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
20182 can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
20183 instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
20184 the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
20185 which one you are talking to.
20186
20187 @emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} does not add a space for you after the
20188 prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
20189 or a prompt that does not.
20190
20191 @table @code
20192 @kindex set prompt
20193 @item set prompt @var{newprompt}
20194 Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
20195
20196 @kindex show prompt
20197 @item show prompt
20198 Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
20199 @end table
20200
20201 Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled have
20202 prompt extensions. The commands for interacting with these extensions
20203 are:
20204
20205 @table @code
20206 @kindex set extended-prompt
20207 @item set extended-prompt @var{prompt}
20208 Set an extended prompt that allows for substitutions.
20209 @xref{gdb.prompt}, for a list of escape sequences that can be used for
20210 substitution. Any escape sequences specified as part of the prompt
20211 string are replaced with the corresponding strings each time the prompt
20212 is displayed.
20213
20214 For example:
20215
20216 @smallexample
20217 set extended-prompt Current working directory: \w (gdb)
20218 @end smallexample
20219
20220 Note that when an extended-prompt is set, it takes control of the
20221 @var{prompt_hook} hook. @xref{prompt_hook}, for further information.
20222
20223 @kindex show extended-prompt
20224 @item show extended-prompt
20225 Prints the extended prompt. Any escape sequences specified as part of
20226 the prompt string with @code{set extended-prompt}, are replaced with the
20227 corresponding strings each time the prompt is displayed.
20228 @end table
20229
20230 @node Editing
20231 @section Command Editing
20232 @cindex readline
20233 @cindex command line editing
20234
20235 @value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{Readline} interface. This
20236 @sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
20237 command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
20238 or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
20239 substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
20240 debugging sessions.
20241
20242 You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
20243 command @code{set}.
20244
20245 @table @code
20246 @kindex set editing
20247 @cindex editing
20248 @item set editing
20249 @itemx set editing on
20250 Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
20251
20252 @item set editing off
20253 Disable command line editing.
20254
20255 @kindex show editing
20256 @item show editing
20257 Show whether command line editing is enabled.
20258 @end table
20259
20260 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
20261 @xref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library},
20262 @end ifset
20263 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
20264 @xref{Command Line Editing},
20265 @end ifclear
20266 for more details about the Readline
20267 interface. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs or @code{vi} are
20268 encouraged to read that chapter.
20269
20270 @node Command History
20271 @section Command History
20272 @cindex command history
20273
20274 @value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
20275 debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
20276 happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
20277 history facility.
20278
20279 @value{GDBN} uses the @sc{gnu} History library, a part of the Readline
20280 package, to provide the history facility.
20281 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
20282 @xref{Using History Interactively, , , history, GNU History Library},
20283 @end ifset
20284 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
20285 @xref{Using History Interactively},
20286 @end ifclear
20287 for the detailed description of the History library.
20288
20289 To issue a command to @value{GDBN} without affecting certain aspects of
20290 the state which is seen by users, prefix it with @samp{server }
20291 (@pxref{Server Prefix}). This
20292 means that this command will not affect the command history, nor will it
20293 affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which command to repeat if @key{RET} is
20294 pressed on a line by itself.
20295
20296 @cindex @code{server}, command prefix
20297 The server prefix does not affect the recording of values into the value
20298 history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
20299 use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
20300
20301 Here is the description of @value{GDBN} commands related to command
20302 history.
20303
20304 @table @code
20305 @cindex history substitution
20306 @cindex history file
20307 @kindex set history filename
20308 @cindex @env{GDBHISTFILE}, environment variable
20309 @item set history filename @var{fname}
20310 Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
20311 This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
20312 list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
20313 exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
20314 the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
20315 to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
20316 @file{./.gdb_history} (@file{./_gdb_history} on MS-DOS) if this variable
20317 is not set.
20318
20319 @cindex save command history
20320 @kindex set history save
20321 @item set history save
20322 @itemx set history save on
20323 Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
20324 @code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
20325
20326 @item set history save off
20327 Stop recording command history in a file.
20328
20329 @cindex history size
20330 @kindex set history size
20331 @cindex @env{HISTSIZE}, environment variable
20332 @item set history size @var{size}
20333 Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
20334 This defaults to the value of the environment variable
20335 @code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set.
20336 @end table
20337
20338 History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
20339 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
20340 @xref{Event Designators, , , history, GNU History Library},
20341 @end ifset
20342 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
20343 @xref{Event Designators},
20344 @end ifclear
20345 for more details.
20346
20347 @cindex history expansion, turn on/off
20348 Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
20349 is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
20350 @code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
20351 follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
20352 a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
20353 history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
20354 @kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
20355
20356 The commands to control history expansion are:
20357
20358 @table @code
20359 @item set history expansion on
20360 @itemx set history expansion
20361 @kindex set history expansion
20362 Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
20363
20364 @item set history expansion off
20365 Disable history expansion.
20366
20367 @c @group
20368 @kindex show history
20369 @item show history
20370 @itemx show history filename
20371 @itemx show history save
20372 @itemx show history size
20373 @itemx show history expansion
20374 These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
20375 @code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
20376 @c @end group
20377 @end table
20378
20379 @table @code
20380 @kindex show commands
20381 @cindex show last commands
20382 @cindex display command history
20383 @item show commands
20384 Display the last ten commands in the command history.
20385
20386 @item show commands @var{n}
20387 Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
20388
20389 @item show commands +
20390 Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
20391 @end table
20392
20393 @node Screen Size
20394 @section Screen Size
20395 @cindex size of screen
20396 @cindex pauses in output
20397
20398 Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
20399 information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
20400 @value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
20401 output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
20402 to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
20403 determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
20404 printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
20405 rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
20406
20407 Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the terminal
20408 driver software. For example, on Unix @value{GDBN} uses the termcap data base
20409 together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
20410 @code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
20411 you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
20412 width} commands:
20413
20414 @table @code
20415 @kindex set height
20416 @kindex set width
20417 @kindex show width
20418 @kindex show height
20419 @item set height @var{lpp}
20420 @itemx show height
20421 @itemx set width @var{cpl}
20422 @itemx show width
20423 These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
20424 a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
20425 commands display the current settings.
20426
20427 If you specify a height of zero lines, @value{GDBN} does not pause during
20428 output no matter how long the output is. This is useful if output is to a
20429 file or to an editor buffer.
20430
20431 Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN}
20432 from wrapping its output.
20433
20434 @item set pagination on
20435 @itemx set pagination off
20436 @kindex set pagination
20437 Turn the output pagination on or off; the default is on. Turning
20438 pagination off is the alternative to @code{set height 0}. Note that
20439 running @value{GDBN} with the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode
20440 Options, -batch}) also automatically disables pagination.
20441
20442 @item show pagination
20443 @kindex show pagination
20444 Show the current pagination mode.
20445 @end table
20446
20447 @node Numbers
20448 @section Numbers
20449 @cindex number representation
20450 @cindex entering numbers
20451
20452 You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in
20453 @value{GDBN} by the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with
20454 @samp{0}, decimal numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers
20455 begin with @samp{0x}. Numbers that neither begin with @samp{0} or
20456 @samp{0x}, nor end with a @samp{.} are, by default, entered in base
20457 10; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
20458 format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
20459 both input and output with the commands described below.
20460
20461 @table @code
20462 @kindex set input-radix
20463 @item set input-radix @var{base}
20464 Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
20465 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
20466 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix; for
20467 example, any of
20468
20469 @smallexample
20470 set input-radix 012
20471 set input-radix 10.
20472 set input-radix 0xa
20473 @end smallexample
20474
20475 @noindent
20476 sets the input base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set input-radix 10}
20477 leaves the input radix unchanged, no matter what it was, since
20478 @samp{10}, being without any leading or trailing signs of its base, is
20479 interpreted in the current radix. Thus, if the current radix is 16,
20480 @samp{10} is interpreted in hex, i.e.@: as 16 decimal, which doesn't
20481 change the radix.
20482
20483 @kindex set output-radix
20484 @item set output-radix @var{base}
20485 Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
20486 for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
20487 specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix.
20488
20489 @kindex show input-radix
20490 @item show input-radix
20491 Display the current default base for numeric input.
20492
20493 @kindex show output-radix
20494 @item show output-radix
20495 Display the current default base for numeric display.
20496
20497 @item set radix @r{[}@var{base}@r{]}
20498 @itemx show radix
20499 @kindex set radix
20500 @kindex show radix
20501 These commands set and show the default base for both input and output
20502 of numbers. @code{set radix} sets the radix of input and output to
20503 the same base; without an argument, it resets the radix back to its
20504 default value of 10.
20505
20506 @end table
20507
20508 @node ABI
20509 @section Configuring the Current ABI
20510
20511 @value{GDBN} can determine the @dfn{ABI} (Application Binary Interface) of your
20512 application automatically. However, sometimes you need to override its
20513 conclusions. Use these commands to manage @value{GDBN}'s view of the
20514 current ABI.
20515
20516 @cindex OS ABI
20517 @kindex set osabi
20518 @kindex show osabi
20519
20520 One @value{GDBN} configuration can debug binaries for multiple operating
20521 system targets, either via remote debugging or native emulation.
20522 @value{GDBN} will autodetect the @dfn{OS ABI} (Operating System ABI) in use,
20523 but you can override its conclusion using the @code{set osabi} command.
20524 One example where this is useful is in debugging of binaries which use
20525 an alternate C library (e.g.@: @sc{uClibc} for @sc{gnu}/Linux) which does
20526 not have the same identifying marks that the standard C library for your
20527 platform provides.
20528
20529 @table @code
20530 @item show osabi
20531 Show the OS ABI currently in use.
20532
20533 @item set osabi
20534 With no argument, show the list of registered available OS ABI's.
20535
20536 @item set osabi @var{abi}
20537 Set the current OS ABI to @var{abi}.
20538 @end table
20539
20540 @cindex float promotion
20541
20542 Generally, the way that an argument of type @code{float} is passed to a
20543 function depends on whether the function is prototyped. For a prototyped
20544 (i.e.@: ANSI/ISO style) function, @code{float} arguments are passed unchanged,
20545 according to the architecture's convention for @code{float}. For unprototyped
20546 (i.e.@: K&R style) functions, @code{float} arguments are first promoted to type
20547 @code{double} and then passed.
20548
20549 Unfortunately, some forms of debug information do not reliably indicate whether
20550 a function is prototyped. If @value{GDBN} calls a function that is not marked
20551 as prototyped, it consults @kbd{set coerce-float-to-double}.
20552
20553 @table @code
20554 @kindex set coerce-float-to-double
20555 @item set coerce-float-to-double
20556 @itemx set coerce-float-to-double on
20557 Arguments of type @code{float} will be promoted to @code{double} when passed
20558 to an unprototyped function. This is the default setting.
20559
20560 @item set coerce-float-to-double off
20561 Arguments of type @code{float} will be passed directly to unprototyped
20562 functions.
20563
20564 @kindex show coerce-float-to-double
20565 @item show coerce-float-to-double
20566 Show the current setting of promoting @code{float} to @code{double}.
20567 @end table
20568
20569 @kindex set cp-abi
20570 @kindex show cp-abi
20571 @value{GDBN} needs to know the ABI used for your program's C@t{++}
20572 objects. The correct C@t{++} ABI depends on which C@t{++} compiler was
20573 used to build your application. @value{GDBN} only fully supports
20574 programs with a single C@t{++} ABI; if your program contains code using
20575 multiple C@t{++} ABI's or if @value{GDBN} can not identify your
20576 program's ABI correctly, you can tell @value{GDBN} which ABI to use.
20577 Currently supported ABI's include ``gnu-v2'', for @code{g++} versions
20578 before 3.0, ``gnu-v3'', for @code{g++} versions 3.0 and later, and
20579 ``hpaCC'' for the HP ANSI C@t{++} compiler. Other C@t{++} compilers may
20580 use the ``gnu-v2'' or ``gnu-v3'' ABI's as well. The default setting is
20581 ``auto''.
20582
20583 @table @code
20584 @item show cp-abi
20585 Show the C@t{++} ABI currently in use.
20586
20587 @item set cp-abi
20588 With no argument, show the list of supported C@t{++} ABI's.
20589
20590 @item set cp-abi @var{abi}
20591 @itemx set cp-abi auto
20592 Set the current C@t{++} ABI to @var{abi}, or return to automatic detection.
20593 @end table
20594
20595 @node Messages/Warnings
20596 @section Optional Warnings and Messages
20597
20598 @cindex verbose operation
20599 @cindex optional warnings
20600 By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are
20601 running on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose}
20602 command. This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy
20603 internal operation, so you will not think it has crashed.
20604
20605 Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
20606 which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
20607 see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
20608
20609 @table @code
20610 @kindex set verbose
20611 @item set verbose on
20612 Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
20613
20614 @item set verbose off
20615 Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
20616
20617 @kindex show verbose
20618 @item show verbose
20619 Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
20620 @end table
20621
20622 By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an
20623 object file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may
20624 find this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors Reading
20625 Symbol Files}).
20626
20627 @table @code
20628
20629 @kindex set complaints
20630 @item set complaints @var{limit}
20631 Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of
20632 unusual symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set
20633 @var{limit} to zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number
20634 to prevent complaints from being suppressed.
20635
20636 @kindex show complaints
20637 @item show complaints
20638 Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
20639
20640 @end table
20641
20642 @anchor{confirmation requests}
20643 By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
20644 lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
20645 you try to run a program which is already running:
20646
20647 @smallexample
20648 (@value{GDBP}) run
20649 The program being debugged has been started already.
20650 Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
20651 @end smallexample
20652
20653 If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
20654 commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
20655
20656 @table @code
20657
20658 @kindex set confirm
20659 @cindex flinching
20660 @cindex confirmation
20661 @cindex stupid questions
20662 @item set confirm off
20663 Disables confirmation requests. Note that running @value{GDBN} with
20664 the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode Options, -batch}) also
20665 automatically disables confirmation requests.
20666
20667 @item set confirm on
20668 Enables confirmation requests (the default).
20669
20670 @kindex show confirm
20671 @item show confirm
20672 Displays state of confirmation requests.
20673
20674 @end table
20675
20676 @cindex command tracing
20677 If you need to debug user-defined commands or sourced files you may find it
20678 useful to enable @dfn{command tracing}. In this mode each command will be
20679 printed as it is executed, prefixed with one or more @samp{+} symbols, the
20680 quantity denoting the call depth of each command.
20681
20682 @table @code
20683 @kindex set trace-commands
20684 @cindex command scripts, debugging
20685 @item set trace-commands on
20686 Enable command tracing.
20687 @item set trace-commands off
20688 Disable command tracing.
20689 @item show trace-commands
20690 Display the current state of command tracing.
20691 @end table
20692
20693 @node Debugging Output
20694 @section Optional Messages about Internal Happenings
20695 @cindex optional debugging messages
20696
20697 @value{GDBN} has commands that enable optional debugging messages from
20698 various @value{GDBN} subsystems; normally these commands are of
20699 interest to @value{GDBN} maintainers, or when reporting a bug. This
20700 section documents those commands.
20701
20702 @table @code
20703 @kindex set exec-done-display
20704 @item set exec-done-display
20705 Turns on or off the notification of asynchronous commands'
20706 completion. When on, @value{GDBN} will print a message when an
20707 asynchronous command finishes its execution. The default is off.
20708 @kindex show exec-done-display
20709 @item show exec-done-display
20710 Displays the current setting of asynchronous command completion
20711 notification.
20712 @kindex set debug
20713 @cindex gdbarch debugging info
20714 @cindex architecture debugging info
20715 @item set debug arch
20716 Turns on or off display of gdbarch debugging info. The default is off
20717 @kindex show debug
20718 @item show debug arch
20719 Displays the current state of displaying gdbarch debugging info.
20720 @item set debug aix-thread
20721 @cindex AIX threads
20722 Display debugging messages about inner workings of the AIX thread
20723 module.
20724 @item show debug aix-thread
20725 Show the current state of AIX thread debugging info display.
20726 @item set debug check-physname
20727 @cindex physname
20728 Check the results of the ``physname'' computation. When reading DWARF
20729 debugging information for C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} attempts to compute
20730 each entity's name. @value{GDBN} can do this computation in two
20731 different ways, depending on exactly what information is present.
20732 When enabled, this setting causes @value{GDBN} to compute the names
20733 both ways and display any discrepancies.
20734 @item show debug check-physname
20735 Show the current state of ``physname'' checking.
20736 @item set debug dwarf2-die
20737 @cindex DWARF2 DIEs
20738 Dump DWARF2 DIEs after they are read in.
20739 The value is the number of nesting levels to print.
20740 A value of zero turns off the display.
20741 @item show debug dwarf2-die
20742 Show the current state of DWARF2 DIE debugging.
20743 @item set debug displaced
20744 @cindex displaced stepping debugging info
20745 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for the
20746 displaced stepping support. The default is off.
20747 @item show debug displaced
20748 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} debugging info
20749 related to displaced stepping.
20750 @item set debug event
20751 @cindex event debugging info
20752 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} event debugging info. The
20753 default is off.
20754 @item show debug event
20755 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} event debugging
20756 info.
20757 @item set debug expression
20758 @cindex expression debugging info
20759 Turns on or off display of debugging info about @value{GDBN}
20760 expression parsing. The default is off.
20761 @item show debug expression
20762 Displays the current state of displaying debugging info about
20763 @value{GDBN} expression parsing.
20764 @item set debug frame
20765 @cindex frame debugging info
20766 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} frame debugging info. The
20767 default is off.
20768 @item show debug frame
20769 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} frame debugging
20770 info.
20771 @item set debug gnu-nat
20772 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug messages
20773 Turns on or off debugging messages from the @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug support.
20774 @item show debug gnu-nat
20775 Show the current state of @sc{gnu}/Hurd debugging messages.
20776 @item set debug infrun
20777 @cindex inferior debugging info
20778 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for running the inferior.
20779 The default is off. @file{infrun.c} contains GDB's runtime state machine used
20780 for implementing operations such as single-stepping the inferior.
20781 @item show debug infrun
20782 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} inferior debugging.
20783 @item set debug jit
20784 @cindex just-in-time compilation, debugging messages
20785 Turns on or off debugging messages from JIT debug support.
20786 @item show debug jit
20787 Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} JIT debugging.
20788 @item set debug lin-lwp
20789 @cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux LWP debug messages
20790 @cindex Linux lightweight processes
20791 Turns on or off debugging messages from the Linux LWP debug support.
20792 @item show debug lin-lwp
20793 Show the current state of Linux LWP debugging messages.
20794 @item set debug observer
20795 @cindex observer debugging info
20796 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} observer debugging. This
20797 includes info such as the notification of observable events.
20798 @item show debug observer
20799 Displays the current state of observer debugging.
20800 @item set debug overload
20801 @cindex C@t{++} overload debugging info
20802 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload debugging
20803 info. This includes info such as ranking of functions, etc. The default
20804 is off.
20805 @item show debug overload
20806 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload
20807 debugging info.
20808 @cindex expression parser, debugging info
20809 @cindex debug expression parser
20810 @item set debug parser
20811 Turns on or off the display of expression parser debugging output.
20812 Internally, this sets the @code{yydebug} variable in the expression
20813 parser. @xref{Tracing, , Tracing Your Parser, bison, Bison}, for
20814 details. The default is off.
20815 @item show debug parser
20816 Show the current state of expression parser debugging.
20817 @cindex packets, reporting on stdout
20818 @cindex serial connections, debugging
20819 @cindex debug remote protocol
20820 @cindex remote protocol debugging
20821 @cindex display remote packets
20822 @item set debug remote
20823 Turns on or off display of reports on all packets sent back and forth across
20824 the serial line to the remote machine. The info is printed on the
20825 @value{GDBN} standard output stream. The default is off.
20826 @item show debug remote
20827 Displays the state of display of remote packets.
20828 @item set debug serial
20829 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} serial debugging info. The
20830 default is off.
20831 @item show debug serial
20832 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} serial debugging
20833 info.
20834 @item set debug solib-frv
20835 @cindex FR-V shared-library debugging
20836 Turns on or off debugging messages for FR-V shared-library code.
20837 @item show debug solib-frv
20838 Display the current state of FR-V shared-library code debugging
20839 messages.
20840 @item set debug target
20841 @cindex target debugging info
20842 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} target debugging info. This info
20843 includes what is going on at the target level of GDB, as it happens. The
20844 default is 0. Set it to 1 to track events, and to 2 to also track the
20845 value of large memory transfers. Changes to this flag do not take effect
20846 until the next time you connect to a target or use the @code{run} command.
20847 @item show debug target
20848 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} target debugging
20849 info.
20850 @item set debug timestamp
20851 @cindex timestampping debugging info
20852 Turns on or off display of timestamps with @value{GDBN} debugging info.
20853 When enabled, seconds and microseconds are displayed before each debugging
20854 message.
20855 @item show debug timestamp
20856 Displays the current state of displaying timestamps with @value{GDBN}
20857 debugging info.
20858 @item set debugvarobj
20859 @cindex variable object debugging info
20860 Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} variable object debugging
20861 info. The default is off.
20862 @item show debugvarobj
20863 Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} variable object
20864 debugging info.
20865 @item set debug xml
20866 @cindex XML parser debugging
20867 Turns on or off debugging messages for built-in XML parsers.
20868 @item show debug xml
20869 Displays the current state of XML debugging messages.
20870 @end table
20871
20872 @node Other Misc Settings
20873 @section Other Miscellaneous Settings
20874 @cindex miscellaneous settings
20875
20876 @table @code
20877 @kindex set interactive-mode
20878 @item set interactive-mode
20879 If @code{on}, forces @value{GDBN} to assume that GDB was started
20880 in a terminal. In practice, this means that @value{GDBN} should wait
20881 for the user to answer queries generated by commands entered at
20882 the command prompt. If @code{off}, forces @value{GDBN} to operate
20883 in the opposite mode, and it uses the default answers to all queries.
20884 If @code{auto} (the default), @value{GDBN} tries to determine whether
20885 its standard input is a terminal, and works in interactive-mode if it
20886 is, non-interactively otherwise.
20887
20888 In the vast majority of cases, the debugger should be able to guess
20889 correctly which mode should be used. But this setting can be useful
20890 in certain specific cases, such as running a MinGW @value{GDBN}
20891 inside a cygwin window.
20892
20893 @kindex show interactive-mode
20894 @item show interactive-mode
20895 Displays whether the debugger is operating in interactive mode or not.
20896 @end table
20897
20898 @node Extending GDB
20899 @chapter Extending @value{GDBN}
20900 @cindex extending GDB
20901
20902 @value{GDBN} provides three mechanisms for extension. The first is based
20903 on composition of @value{GDBN} commands, the second is based on the
20904 Python scripting language, and the third is for defining new aliases of
20905 existing commands.
20906
20907 To facilitate the use of the first two extensions, @value{GDBN} is capable
20908 of evaluating the contents of a file. When doing so, @value{GDBN}
20909 can recognize which scripting language is being used by looking at
20910 the filename extension. Files with an unrecognized filename extension
20911 are always treated as a @value{GDBN} Command Files.
20912 @xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
20913
20914 You can control how @value{GDBN} evaluates these files with the following
20915 setting:
20916
20917 @table @code
20918 @kindex set script-extension
20919 @kindex show script-extension
20920 @item set script-extension off
20921 All scripts are always evaluated as @value{GDBN} Command Files.
20922
20923 @item set script-extension soft
20924 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
20925 extension. If this scripting language is supported, @value{GDBN}
20926 evaluates the script using that language. Otherwise, it evaluates
20927 the file as a @value{GDBN} Command File.
20928
20929 @item set script-extension strict
20930 The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
20931 extension, and evaluates the script using that language. If the
20932 language is not supported, then the evaluation fails.
20933
20934 @item show script-extension
20935 Display the current value of the @code{script-extension} option.
20936
20937 @end table
20938
20939 @menu
20940 * Sequences:: Canned Sequences of Commands
20941 * Python:: Scripting @value{GDBN} using Python
20942 * Aliases:: Creating new spellings of existing commands
20943 @end menu
20944
20945 @node Sequences
20946 @section Canned Sequences of Commands
20947
20948 Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
20949 Command Lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of
20950 commands for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command
20951 files.
20952
20953 @menu
20954 * Define:: How to define your own commands
20955 * Hooks:: Hooks for user-defined commands
20956 * Command Files:: How to write scripts of commands to be stored in a file
20957 * Output:: Commands for controlled output
20958 @end menu
20959
20960 @node Define
20961 @subsection User-defined Commands
20962
20963 @cindex user-defined command
20964 @cindex arguments, to user-defined commands
20965 A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to
20966 which you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the
20967 @code{define} command. User commands may accept up to 10 arguments
20968 separated by whitespace. Arguments are accessed within the user command
20969 via @code{$arg0@dots{}$arg9}. A trivial example:
20970
20971 @smallexample
20972 define adder
20973 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
20974 end
20975 @end smallexample
20976
20977 @noindent
20978 To execute the command use:
20979
20980 @smallexample
20981 adder 1 2 3
20982 @end smallexample
20983
20984 @noindent
20985 This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
20986 its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
20987 reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
20988 functions calls.
20989
20990 @cindex argument count in user-defined commands
20991 @cindex how many arguments (user-defined commands)
20992 In addition, @code{$argc} may be used to find out how many arguments have
20993 been passed. This expands to a number in the range 0@dots{}10.
20994
20995 @smallexample
20996 define adder
20997 if $argc == 2
20998 print $arg0 + $arg1
20999 end
21000 if $argc == 3
21001 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
21002 end
21003 end
21004 @end smallexample
21005
21006 @table @code
21007
21008 @kindex define
21009 @item define @var{commandname}
21010 Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
21011 by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
21012 @var{commandname} may be a bare command name consisting of letters,
21013 numbers, dashes, and underscores. It may also start with any predefined
21014 prefix command. For example, @samp{define target my-target} creates
21015 a user-defined @samp{target my-target} command.
21016
21017 The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
21018 which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
21019 commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
21020
21021 @kindex document
21022 @kindex end@r{ (user-defined commands)}
21023 @item document @var{commandname}
21024 Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
21025 accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
21026 defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
21027 reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
21028 After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
21029 @var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
21030
21031 You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
21032 documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
21033 does not change the documentation.
21034
21035 @kindex dont-repeat
21036 @cindex don't repeat command
21037 @item dont-repeat
21038 Used inside a user-defined command, this tells @value{GDBN} that this
21039 command should not be repeated when the user hits @key{RET}
21040 (@pxref{Command Syntax, repeat last command}).
21041
21042 @kindex help user-defined
21043 @item help user-defined
21044 List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the documentation
21045 (if any) for each.
21046
21047 @kindex show user
21048 @item show user
21049 @itemx show user @var{commandname}
21050 Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but
21051 not its documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
21052 definitions for all user-defined commands.
21053
21054 @cindex infinite recursion in user-defined commands
21055 @kindex show max-user-call-depth
21056 @kindex set max-user-call-depth
21057 @item show max-user-call-depth
21058 @itemx set max-user-call-depth
21059 The value of @code{max-user-call-depth} controls how many recursion
21060 levels are allowed in user-defined commands before @value{GDBN} suspects an
21061 infinite recursion and aborts the command.
21062 @end table
21063
21064 In addition to the above commands, user-defined commands frequently
21065 use control flow commands, described in @ref{Command Files}.
21066
21067 When user-defined commands are executed, the
21068 commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
21069 stops execution of the user-defined command.
21070
21071 If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
21072 without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
21073 commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
21074 messages when used in a user-defined command.
21075
21076 @node Hooks
21077 @subsection User-defined Command Hooks
21078 @cindex command hooks
21079 @cindex hooks, for commands
21080 @cindex hooks, pre-command
21081
21082 @kindex hook
21083 You may define @dfn{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
21084 command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
21085 command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
21086 before that command.
21087
21088 @cindex hooks, post-command
21089 @kindex hookpost
21090 A hook may also be defined which is run after the command you executed.
21091 Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined command
21092 @samp{hookpost-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments) after
21093 that command. Post-execution hooks may exist simultaneously with
21094 pre-execution hooks, for the same command.
21095
21096 It is valid for a hook to call the command which it hooks. If this
21097 occurs, the hook is not re-executed, thereby avoiding infinite recursion.
21098
21099 @c It would be nice if hookpost could be passed a parameter indicating
21100 @c if the command it hooks executed properly or not. FIXME!
21101
21102 @kindex stop@r{, a pseudo-command}
21103 In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
21104 (@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
21105 execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
21106 displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
21107
21108 For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
21109 single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
21110 you could define:
21111
21112 @smallexample
21113 define hook-stop
21114 handle SIGALRM nopass
21115 end
21116
21117 define hook-run
21118 handle SIGALRM pass
21119 end
21120
21121 define hook-continue
21122 handle SIGALRM pass
21123 end
21124 @end smallexample
21125
21126 As a further example, to hook at the beginning and end of the @code{echo}
21127 command, and to add extra text to the beginning and end of the message,
21128 you could define:
21129
21130 @smallexample
21131 define hook-echo
21132 echo <<<---
21133 end
21134
21135 define hookpost-echo
21136 echo --->>>\n
21137 end
21138
21139 (@value{GDBP}) echo Hello World
21140 <<<---Hello World--->>>
21141 (@value{GDBP})
21142
21143 @end smallexample
21144
21145 You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
21146 not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
21147 name, e.g.@: @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
21148 @c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
21149 @c or not?
21150 You can hook a multi-word command by adding @code{hook-} or
21151 @code{hookpost-} to the last word of the command, e.g.@:
21152 @samp{define target hook-remote} to add a hook to @samp{target remote}.
21153
21154 If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
21155 @value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
21156 (before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
21157
21158 If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
21159 get a warning from the @code{define} command.
21160
21161 @node Command Files
21162 @subsection Command Files
21163
21164 @cindex command files
21165 @cindex scripting commands
21166 A command file for @value{GDBN} is a text file made of lines that are
21167 @value{GDBN} commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may
21168 also be included. An empty line in a command file does nothing; it
21169 does not mean to repeat the last command, as it would from the
21170 terminal.
21171
21172 You can request the execution of a command file with the @code{source}
21173 command. Note that the @code{source} command is also used to evaluate
21174 scripts that are not Command Files. The exact behavior can be configured
21175 using the @code{script-extension} setting.
21176 @xref{Extending GDB,, Extending GDB}.
21177
21178 @table @code
21179 @kindex source
21180 @cindex execute commands from a file
21181 @item source [-s] [-v] @var{filename}
21182 Execute the command file @var{filename}.
21183 @end table
21184
21185 The lines in a command file are generally executed sequentially,
21186 unless the order of execution is changed by one of the
21187 @emph{flow-control commands} described below. The commands are not
21188 printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates
21189 execution of the command file and control is returned to the console.
21190
21191 @value{GDBN} first searches for @var{filename} in the current directory.
21192 If the file is not found there, and @var{filename} does not specify a
21193 directory, then @value{GDBN} also looks for the file on the source search path
21194 (specified with the @samp{directory} command);
21195 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched because the compilation directory
21196 is not relevant to scripts.
21197
21198 If @code{-s} is specified, then @value{GDBN} searches for @var{filename}
21199 on the search path even if @var{filename} specifies a directory.
21200 The search is done by appending @var{filename} to each element of the
21201 search path. So, for example, if @var{filename} is @file{mylib/myscript}
21202 and the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
21203 look for the script @file{/home/user/mylib/myscript}.
21204 The search is also done if @var{filename} is an absolute path.
21205 For example, if @var{filename} is @file{/tmp/myscript} and
21206 the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
21207 look for the script @file{/home/user/tmp/myscript}.
21208 For DOS-like systems, if @var{filename} contains a drive specification,
21209 it is stripped before concatenation. For example, if @var{filename} is
21210 @file{d:myscript} and the search path contains @file{c:/tmp} then @value{GDBN}
21211 will look for the script @file{c:/tmp/myscript}.
21212
21213 If @code{-v}, for verbose mode, is given then @value{GDBN} displays
21214 each command as it is executed. The option must be given before
21215 @var{filename}, and is interpreted as part of the filename anywhere else.
21216
21217 Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
21218 without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
21219 normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
21220 when called from command files.
21221
21222 @value{GDBN} also accepts command input from standard input. In this
21223 mode, normal output goes to standard output and error output goes to
21224 standard error. Errors in a command file supplied on standard input do
21225 not terminate execution of the command file---execution continues with
21226 the next command.
21227
21228 @smallexample
21229 gdb < cmds > log 2>&1
21230 @end smallexample
21231
21232 (The syntax above will vary depending on the shell used.) This example
21233 will execute commands from the file @file{cmds}. All output and errors
21234 would be directed to @file{log}.
21235
21236 Since commands stored on command files tend to be more general than
21237 commands typed interactively, they frequently need to deal with
21238 complicated situations, such as different or unexpected values of
21239 variables and symbols, changes in how the program being debugged is
21240 built, etc. @value{GDBN} provides a set of flow-control commands to
21241 deal with these complexities. Using these commands, you can write
21242 complex scripts that loop over data structures, execute commands
21243 conditionally, etc.
21244
21245 @table @code
21246 @kindex if
21247 @kindex else
21248 @item if
21249 @itemx else
21250 This command allows to include in your script conditionally executed
21251 commands. The @code{if} command takes a single argument, which is an
21252 expression to evaluate. It is followed by a series of commands that
21253 are executed only if the expression is true (its value is nonzero).
21254 There can then optionally be an @code{else} line, followed by a series
21255 of commands that are only executed if the expression was false. The
21256 end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
21257
21258 @kindex while
21259 @item while
21260 This command allows to write loops. Its syntax is similar to
21261 @code{if}: the command takes a single argument, which is an expression
21262 to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to execute, one per
21263 line, terminated by an @code{end}. These commands are called the
21264 @dfn{body} of the loop. The commands in the body of @code{while} are
21265 executed repeatedly as long as the expression evaluates to true.
21266
21267 @kindex loop_break
21268 @item loop_break
21269 This command exits the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included.
21270 Execution of the script continues after that @code{while}s @code{end}
21271 line.
21272
21273 @kindex loop_continue
21274 @item loop_continue
21275 This command skips the execution of the rest of the body of commands
21276 in the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included. Execution
21277 branches to the beginning of the @code{while} loop, where it evaluates
21278 the controlling expression.
21279
21280 @kindex end@r{ (if/else/while commands)}
21281 @item end
21282 Terminate the block of commands that are the body of @code{if},
21283 @code{else}, or @code{while} flow-control commands.
21284 @end table
21285
21286
21287 @node Output
21288 @subsection Commands for Controlled Output
21289
21290 During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
21291 @value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
21292 explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
21293 describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
21294 want.
21295
21296 @table @code
21297 @kindex echo
21298 @item echo @var{text}
21299 @c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
21300 @c because it is not in ANSI.
21301 Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
21302 @var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
21303 newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
21304 In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
21305 by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
21306 string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
21307 trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
21308 To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
21309 @samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
21310
21311 A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
21312 the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
21313
21314 @smallexample
21315 echo This is some text\n\
21316 which is continued\n\
21317 onto several lines.\n
21318 @end smallexample
21319
21320 produces the same output as
21321
21322 @smallexample
21323 echo This is some text\n
21324 echo which is continued\n
21325 echo onto several lines.\n
21326 @end smallexample
21327
21328 @kindex output
21329 @item output @var{expression}
21330 Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
21331 newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
21332 value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
21333 on expressions.
21334
21335 @item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
21336 Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
21337 the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
21338 Formats}, for more information.
21339
21340 @kindex printf
21341 @item printf @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
21342 Print the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
21343 the string @var{template}. To print several values, make
21344 @var{expressions} be a comma-separated list of individual expressions,
21345 which may be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as
21346 specified by @var{template}, exactly as a C program would do by
21347 executing the code below:
21348
21349 @smallexample
21350 printf (@var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
21351 @end smallexample
21352
21353 As in @code{C} @code{printf}, ordinary characters in @var{template}
21354 are printed verbatim, while @dfn{conversion specification} introduced
21355 by the @samp{%} character cause subsequent @var{expressions} to be
21356 evaluated, their values converted and formatted according to type and
21357 style information encoded in the conversion specifications, and then
21358 printed.
21359
21360 For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
21361
21362 @smallexample
21363 printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
21364 @end smallexample
21365
21366 @code{printf} supports all the standard @code{C} conversion
21367 specifications, including the flags and modifiers between the @samp{%}
21368 character and the conversion letter, with the following exceptions:
21369
21370 @itemize @bullet
21371 @item
21372 The argument-ordering modifiers, such as @samp{2$}, are not supported.
21373
21374 @item
21375 The modifier @samp{*} is not supported for specifying precision or
21376 width.
21377
21378 @item
21379 The @samp{'} flag (for separation of digits into groups according to
21380 @code{LC_NUMERIC'}) is not supported.
21381
21382 @item
21383 The type modifiers @samp{hh}, @samp{j}, @samp{t}, and @samp{z} are not
21384 supported.
21385
21386 @item
21387 The conversion letter @samp{n} (as in @samp{%n}) is not supported.
21388
21389 @item
21390 The conversion letters @samp{a} and @samp{A} are not supported.
21391 @end itemize
21392
21393 @noindent
21394 Note that the @samp{ll} type modifier is supported only if the
21395 underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} supports
21396 the @code{long long int} type, and the @samp{L} type modifier is
21397 supported only if @code{long double} type is available.
21398
21399 As in @code{C}, @code{printf} supports simple backslash-escape
21400 sequences, such as @code{\n}, @samp{\t}, @samp{\\}, @samp{\"},
21401 @samp{\a}, and @samp{\f}, that consist of backslash followed by a
21402 single character. Octal and hexadecimal escape sequences are not
21403 supported.
21404
21405 Additionally, @code{printf} supports conversion specifications for DFP
21406 (@dfn{Decimal Floating Point}) types using the following length modifiers
21407 together with a floating point specifier.
21408 letters:
21409
21410 @itemize @bullet
21411 @item
21412 @samp{H} for printing @code{Decimal32} types.
21413
21414 @item
21415 @samp{D} for printing @code{Decimal64} types.
21416
21417 @item
21418 @samp{DD} for printing @code{Decimal128} types.
21419 @end itemize
21420
21421 If the underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} has
21422 support for the three length modifiers for DFP types, other modifiers
21423 such as width and precision will also be available for @value{GDBN} to use.
21424
21425 In case there is no such @code{C} support, no additional modifiers will be
21426 available and the value will be printed in the standard way.
21427
21428 Here's an example of printing DFP types using the above conversion letters:
21429 @smallexample
21430 printf "D32: %Hf - D64: %Df - D128: %DDf\n",1.2345df,1.2E10dd,1.2E1dl
21431 @end smallexample
21432
21433 @kindex eval
21434 @item eval @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
21435 Convert the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
21436 the string @var{template} to a command line, and call it.
21437
21438 @end table
21439
21440 @node Python
21441 @section Scripting @value{GDBN} using Python
21442 @cindex python scripting
21443 @cindex scripting with python
21444
21445 You can script @value{GDBN} using the @uref{http://www.python.org/,
21446 Python programming language}. This feature is available only if
21447 @value{GDBN} was configured using @option{--with-python}.
21448
21449 @cindex python directory
21450 Python scripts used by @value{GDBN} should be installed in
21451 @file{@var{data-directory}/python}, where @var{data-directory} is
21452 the data directory as determined at @value{GDBN} startup (@pxref{Data Files}).
21453 This directory, known as the @dfn{python directory},
21454 is automatically added to the Python Search Path in order to allow
21455 the Python interpreter to locate all scripts installed at this location.
21456
21457 Additionally, @value{GDBN} commands and convenience functions which
21458 are written in Python and are located in the
21459 @file{@var{data-directory}/python/gdb/command} or
21460 @file{@var{data-directory}/python/gdb/function} directories are
21461 automatically imported when @value{GDBN} starts.
21462
21463 @menu
21464 * Python Commands:: Accessing Python from @value{GDBN}.
21465 * Python API:: Accessing @value{GDBN} from Python.
21466 * Auto-loading:: Automatically loading Python code.
21467 * Python modules:: Python modules provided by @value{GDBN}.
21468 @end menu
21469
21470 @node Python Commands
21471 @subsection Python Commands
21472 @cindex python commands
21473 @cindex commands to access python
21474
21475 @value{GDBN} provides one command for accessing the Python interpreter,
21476 and one related setting:
21477
21478 @table @code
21479 @kindex python
21480 @item python @r{[}@var{code}@r{]}
21481 The @code{python} command can be used to evaluate Python code.
21482
21483 If given an argument, the @code{python} command will evaluate the
21484 argument as a Python command. For example:
21485
21486 @smallexample
21487 (@value{GDBP}) python print 23
21488 23
21489 @end smallexample
21490
21491 If you do not provide an argument to @code{python}, it will act as a
21492 multi-line command, like @code{define}. In this case, the Python
21493 script is made up of subsequent command lines, given after the
21494 @code{python} command. This command list is terminated using a line
21495 containing @code{end}. For example:
21496
21497 @smallexample
21498 (@value{GDBP}) python
21499 Type python script
21500 End with a line saying just "end".
21501 >print 23
21502 >end
21503 23
21504 @end smallexample
21505
21506 @kindex set python print-stack
21507 @item set python print-stack
21508 By default, @value{GDBN} will print only the message component of a
21509 Python exception when an error occurs in a Python script. This can be
21510 controlled using @code{set python print-stack}: if @code{full}, then
21511 full Python stack printing is enabled; if @code{none}, then Python stack
21512 and message printing is disabled; if @code{message}, the default, only
21513 the message component of the error is printed.
21514 @end table
21515
21516 It is also possible to execute a Python script from the @value{GDBN}
21517 interpreter:
21518
21519 @table @code
21520 @item source @file{script-name}
21521 The script name must end with @samp{.py} and @value{GDBN} must be configured
21522 to recognize the script language based on filename extension using
21523 the @code{script-extension} setting. @xref{Extending GDB, ,Extending GDB}.
21524
21525 @item python execfile ("script-name")
21526 This method is based on the @code{execfile} Python built-in function,
21527 and thus is always available.
21528 @end table
21529
21530 @node Python API
21531 @subsection Python API
21532 @cindex python api
21533 @cindex programming in python
21534
21535 @cindex python stdout
21536 @cindex python pagination
21537 At startup, @value{GDBN} overrides Python's @code{sys.stdout} and
21538 @code{sys.stderr} to print using @value{GDBN}'s output-paging streams.
21539 A Python program which outputs to one of these streams may have its
21540 output interrupted by the user (@pxref{Screen Size}). In this
21541 situation, a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception is thrown.
21542
21543 @menu
21544 * Basic Python:: Basic Python Functions.
21545 * Exception Handling:: How Python exceptions are translated.
21546 * Values From Inferior:: Python representation of values.
21547 * Types In Python:: Python representation of types.
21548 * Pretty Printing API:: Pretty-printing values.
21549 * Selecting Pretty-Printers:: How GDB chooses a pretty-printer.
21550 * Writing a Pretty-Printer:: Writing a Pretty-Printer.
21551 * Inferiors In Python:: Python representation of inferiors (processes)
21552 * Events In Python:: Listening for events from @value{GDBN}.
21553 * Threads In Python:: Accessing inferior threads from Python.
21554 * Commands In Python:: Implementing new commands in Python.
21555 * Parameters In Python:: Adding new @value{GDBN} parameters.
21556 * Functions In Python:: Writing new convenience functions.
21557 * Progspaces In Python:: Program spaces.
21558 * Objfiles In Python:: Object files.
21559 * Frames In Python:: Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
21560 * Blocks In Python:: Accessing frame blocks from Python.
21561 * Symbols In Python:: Python representation of symbols.
21562 * Symbol Tables In Python:: Python representation of symbol tables.
21563 * Lazy Strings In Python:: Python representation of lazy strings.
21564 * Breakpoints In Python:: Manipulating breakpoints using Python.
21565 * Finish Breakpoints in Python:: Setting Breakpoints on function return
21566 using Python.
21567 @end menu
21568
21569 @node Basic Python
21570 @subsubsection Basic Python
21571
21572 @cindex python functions
21573 @cindex python module
21574 @cindex gdb module
21575 @value{GDBN} introduces a new Python module, named @code{gdb}. All
21576 methods and classes added by @value{GDBN} are placed in this module.
21577 @value{GDBN} automatically @code{import}s the @code{gdb} module for
21578 use in all scripts evaluated by the @code{python} command.
21579
21580 @findex gdb.PYTHONDIR
21581 @defvar gdb.PYTHONDIR
21582 A string containing the python directory (@pxref{Python}).
21583 @end defvar
21584
21585 @findex gdb.execute
21586 @defun gdb.execute (command @r{[}, from_tty @r{[}, to_string@r{]]})
21587 Evaluate @var{command}, a string, as a @value{GDBN} CLI command.
21588 If a GDB exception happens while @var{command} runs, it is
21589 translated as described in @ref{Exception Handling,,Exception Handling}.
21590
21591 @var{from_tty} specifies whether @value{GDBN} ought to consider this
21592 command as having originated from the user invoking it interactively.
21593 It must be a boolean value. If omitted, it defaults to @code{False}.
21594
21595 By default, any output produced by @var{command} is sent to
21596 @value{GDBN}'s standard output. If the @var{to_string} parameter is
21597 @code{True}, then output will be collected by @code{gdb.execute} and
21598 returned as a string. The default is @code{False}, in which case the
21599 return value is @code{None}. If @var{to_string} is @code{True}, the
21600 @value{GDBN} virtual terminal will be temporarily set to unlimited width
21601 and height, and its pagination will be disabled; @pxref{Screen Size}.
21602 @end defun
21603
21604 @findex gdb.breakpoints
21605 @defun gdb.breakpoints ()
21606 Return a sequence holding all of @value{GDBN}'s breakpoints.
21607 @xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for more information.
21608 @end defun
21609
21610 @findex gdb.parameter
21611 @defun gdb.parameter (parameter)
21612 Return the value of a @value{GDBN} parameter. @var{parameter} is a
21613 string naming the parameter to look up; @var{parameter} may contain
21614 spaces if the parameter has a multi-part name. For example,
21615 @samp{print object} is a valid parameter name.
21616
21617 If the named parameter does not exist, this function throws a
21618 @code{gdb.error} (@pxref{Exception Handling}). Otherwise, the
21619 parameter's value is converted to a Python value of the appropriate
21620 type, and returned.
21621 @end defun
21622
21623 @findex gdb.history
21624 @defun gdb.history (number)
21625 Return a value from @value{GDBN}'s value history (@pxref{Value
21626 History}). @var{number} indicates which history element to return.
21627 If @var{number} is negative, then @value{GDBN} will take its absolute value
21628 and count backward from the last element (i.e., the most recent element) to
21629 find the value to return. If @var{number} is zero, then @value{GDBN} will
21630 return the most recent element. If the element specified by @var{number}
21631 doesn't exist in the value history, a @code{gdb.error} exception will be
21632 raised.
21633
21634 If no exception is raised, the return value is always an instance of
21635 @code{gdb.Value} (@pxref{Values From Inferior}).
21636 @end defun
21637
21638 @findex gdb.parse_and_eval
21639 @defun gdb.parse_and_eval (expression)
21640 Parse @var{expression} as an expression in the current language,
21641 evaluate it, and return the result as a @code{gdb.Value}.
21642 @var{expression} must be a string.
21643
21644 This function can be useful when implementing a new command
21645 (@pxref{Commands In Python}), as it provides a way to parse the
21646 command's argument as an expression. It is also useful simply to
21647 compute values, for example, it is the only way to get the value of a
21648 convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) as a @code{gdb.Value}.
21649 @end defun
21650
21651 @findex gdb.post_event
21652 @defun gdb.post_event (event)
21653 Put @var{event}, a callable object taking no arguments, into
21654 @value{GDBN}'s internal event queue. This callable will be invoked at
21655 some later point, during @value{GDBN}'s event processing. Events
21656 posted using @code{post_event} will be run in the order in which they
21657 were posted; however, there is no way to know when they will be
21658 processed relative to other events inside @value{GDBN}.
21659
21660 @value{GDBN} is not thread-safe. If your Python program uses multiple
21661 threads, you must be careful to only call @value{GDBN}-specific
21662 functions in the main @value{GDBN} thread. @code{post_event} ensures
21663 this. For example:
21664
21665 @smallexample
21666 (@value{GDBP}) python
21667 >import threading
21668 >
21669 >class Writer():
21670 > def __init__(self, message):
21671 > self.message = message;
21672 > def __call__(self):
21673 > gdb.write(self.message)
21674 >
21675 >class MyThread1 (threading.Thread):
21676 > def run (self):
21677 > gdb.post_event(Writer("Hello "))
21678 >
21679 >class MyThread2 (threading.Thread):
21680 > def run (self):
21681 > gdb.post_event(Writer("World\n"))
21682 >
21683 >MyThread1().start()
21684 >MyThread2().start()
21685 >end
21686 (@value{GDBP}) Hello World
21687 @end smallexample
21688 @end defun
21689
21690 @findex gdb.write
21691 @defun gdb.write (string @r{[}, stream{]})
21692 Print a string to @value{GDBN}'s paginated output stream. The
21693 optional @var{stream} determines the stream to print to. The default
21694 stream is @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream. Possible stream
21695 values are:
21696
21697 @table @code
21698 @findex STDOUT
21699 @findex gdb.STDOUT
21700 @item gdb.STDOUT
21701 @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream.
21702
21703 @findex STDERR
21704 @findex gdb.STDERR
21705 @item gdb.STDERR
21706 @value{GDBN}'s standard error stream.
21707
21708 @findex STDLOG
21709 @findex gdb.STDLOG
21710 @item gdb.STDLOG
21711 @value{GDBN}'s log stream (@pxref{Logging Output}).
21712 @end table
21713
21714 Writing to @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically
21715 call this function and will automatically direct the output to the
21716 relevant stream.
21717 @end defun
21718
21719 @findex gdb.flush
21720 @defun gdb.flush ()
21721 Flush the buffer of a @value{GDBN} paginated stream so that the
21722 contents are displayed immediately. @value{GDBN} will flush the
21723 contents of a stream automatically when it encounters a newline in the
21724 buffer. The optional @var{stream} determines the stream to flush. The
21725 default stream is @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream. Possible
21726 stream values are:
21727
21728 @table @code
21729 @findex STDOUT
21730 @findex gdb.STDOUT
21731 @item gdb.STDOUT
21732 @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream.
21733
21734 @findex STDERR
21735 @findex gdb.STDERR
21736 @item gdb.STDERR
21737 @value{GDBN}'s standard error stream.
21738
21739 @findex STDLOG
21740 @findex gdb.STDLOG
21741 @item gdb.STDLOG
21742 @value{GDBN}'s log stream (@pxref{Logging Output}).
21743
21744 @end table
21745
21746 Flushing @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically
21747 call this function for the relevant stream.
21748 @end defun
21749
21750 @findex gdb.target_charset
21751 @defun gdb.target_charset ()
21752 Return the name of the current target character set (@pxref{Character
21753 Sets}). This differs from @code{gdb.parameter('target-charset')} in
21754 that @samp{auto} is never returned.
21755 @end defun
21756
21757 @findex gdb.target_wide_charset
21758 @defun gdb.target_wide_charset ()
21759 Return the name of the current target wide character set
21760 (@pxref{Character Sets}). This differs from
21761 @code{gdb.parameter('target-wide-charset')} in that @samp{auto} is
21762 never returned.
21763 @end defun
21764
21765 @findex gdb.solib_name
21766 @defun gdb.solib_name (address)
21767 Return the name of the shared library holding the given @var{address}
21768 as a string, or @code{None}.
21769 @end defun
21770
21771 @findex gdb.decode_line
21772 @defun gdb.decode_line @r{[}expression@r{]}
21773 Return locations of the line specified by @var{expression}, or of the
21774 current line if no argument was given. This function returns a Python
21775 tuple containing two elements. The first element contains a string
21776 holding any unparsed section of @var{expression} (or @code{None} if
21777 the expression has been fully parsed). The second element contains
21778 either @code{None} or another tuple that contains all the locations
21779 that match the expression represented as @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line}
21780 objects (@pxref{Symbol Tables In Python}). If @var{expression} is
21781 provided, it is decoded the way that @value{GDBN}'s inbuilt
21782 @code{break} or @code{edit} commands do (@pxref{Specify Location}).
21783 @end defun
21784
21785 @defun gdb.prompt_hook (current_prompt)
21786 @anchor{prompt_hook}
21787
21788 If @var{prompt_hook} is callable, @value{GDBN} will call the method
21789 assigned to this operation before a prompt is displayed by
21790 @value{GDBN}.
21791
21792 The parameter @code{current_prompt} contains the current @value{GDBN}
21793 prompt. This method must return a Python string, or @code{None}. If
21794 a string is returned, the @value{GDBN} prompt will be set to that
21795 string. If @code{None} is returned, @value{GDBN} will continue to use
21796 the current prompt.
21797
21798 Some prompts cannot be substituted in @value{GDBN}. Secondary prompts
21799 such as those used by readline for command input, and annotation
21800 related prompts are prohibited from being changed.
21801 @end defun
21802
21803 @node Exception Handling
21804 @subsubsection Exception Handling
21805 @cindex python exceptions
21806 @cindex exceptions, python
21807
21808 When executing the @code{python} command, Python exceptions
21809 uncaught within the Python code are translated to calls to
21810 @value{GDBN} error-reporting mechanism. If the command that called
21811 @code{python} does not handle the error, @value{GDBN} will
21812 terminate it and print an error message containing the Python
21813 exception name, the associated value, and the Python call stack
21814 backtrace at the point where the exception was raised. Example:
21815
21816 @smallexample
21817 (@value{GDBP}) python print foo
21818 Traceback (most recent call last):
21819 File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
21820 NameError: name 'foo' is not defined
21821 @end smallexample
21822
21823 @value{GDBN} errors that happen in @value{GDBN} commands invoked by
21824 Python code are converted to Python exceptions. The type of the
21825 Python exception depends on the error.
21826
21827 @ftable @code
21828 @item gdb.error
21829 This is the base class for most exceptions generated by @value{GDBN}.
21830 It is derived from @code{RuntimeError}, for compatibility with earlier
21831 versions of @value{GDBN}.
21832
21833 If an error occurring in @value{GDBN} does not fit into some more
21834 specific category, then the generated exception will have this type.
21835
21836 @item gdb.MemoryError
21837 This is a subclass of @code{gdb.error} which is thrown when an
21838 operation tried to access invalid memory in the inferior.
21839
21840 @item KeyboardInterrupt
21841 User interrupt (via @kbd{C-c} or by typing @kbd{q} at a pagination
21842 prompt) is translated to a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception.
21843 @end ftable
21844
21845 In all cases, your exception handler will see the @value{GDBN} error
21846 message as its value and the Python call stack backtrace at the Python
21847 statement closest to where the @value{GDBN} error occured as the
21848 traceback.
21849
21850 @findex gdb.GdbError
21851 When implementing @value{GDBN} commands in Python via @code{gdb.Command},
21852 it is useful to be able to throw an exception that doesn't cause a
21853 traceback to be printed. For example, the user may have invoked the
21854 command incorrectly. Use the @code{gdb.GdbError} exception
21855 to handle this case. Example:
21856
21857 @smallexample
21858 (gdb) python
21859 >class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
21860 > """Greet the whole world."""
21861 > def __init__ (self):
21862 > super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)
21863 > def invoke (self, args, from_tty):
21864 > argv = gdb.string_to_argv (args)
21865 > if len (argv) != 0:
21866 > raise gdb.GdbError ("hello-world takes no arguments")
21867 > print "Hello, World!"
21868 >HelloWorld ()
21869 >end
21870 (gdb) hello-world 42
21871 hello-world takes no arguments
21872 @end smallexample
21873
21874 @node Values From Inferior
21875 @subsubsection Values From Inferior
21876 @cindex values from inferior, with Python
21877 @cindex python, working with values from inferior
21878
21879 @cindex @code{gdb.Value}
21880 @value{GDBN} provides values it obtains from the inferior program in
21881 an object of type @code{gdb.Value}. @value{GDBN} uses this object
21882 for its internal bookkeeping of the inferior's values, and for
21883 fetching values when necessary.
21884
21885 Inferior values that are simple scalars can be used directly in
21886 Python expressions that are valid for the value's data type. Here's
21887 an example for an integer or floating-point value @code{some_val}:
21888
21889 @smallexample
21890 bar = some_val + 2
21891 @end smallexample
21892
21893 @noindent
21894 As result of this, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object
21895 whose values are of the same type as those of @code{some_val}.
21896
21897 Inferior values that are structures or instances of some class can
21898 be accessed using the Python @dfn{dictionary syntax}. For example, if
21899 @code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance holding a structure, you
21900 can access its @code{foo} element with:
21901
21902 @smallexample
21903 bar = some_val['foo']
21904 @end smallexample
21905
21906 Again, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object.
21907
21908 A @code{gdb.Value} that represents a function can be executed via
21909 inferior function call. Any arguments provided to the call must match
21910 the function's prototype, and must be provided in the order specified
21911 by that prototype.
21912
21913 For example, @code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance
21914 representing a function that takes two integers as arguments. To
21915 execute this function, call it like so:
21916
21917 @smallexample
21918 result = some_val (10,20)
21919 @end smallexample
21920
21921 Any values returned from a function call will be stored as a
21922 @code{gdb.Value}.
21923
21924 The following attributes are provided:
21925
21926 @table @code
21927 @defvar Value.address
21928 If this object is addressable, this read-only attribute holds a
21929 @code{gdb.Value} object representing the address. Otherwise,
21930 this attribute holds @code{None}.
21931 @end defvar
21932
21933 @cindex optimized out value in Python
21934 @defvar Value.is_optimized_out
21935 This read-only boolean attribute is true if the compiler optimized out
21936 this value, thus it is not available for fetching from the inferior.
21937 @end defvar
21938
21939 @defvar Value.type
21940 The type of this @code{gdb.Value}. The value of this attribute is a
21941 @code{gdb.Type} object (@pxref{Types In Python}).
21942 @end defvar
21943
21944 @defvar Value.dynamic_type
21945 The dynamic type of this @code{gdb.Value}. This uses C@t{++} run-time
21946 type information (@acronym{RTTI}) to determine the dynamic type of the
21947 value. If this value is of class type, it will return the class in
21948 which the value is embedded, if any. If this value is of pointer or
21949 reference to a class type, it will compute the dynamic type of the
21950 referenced object, and return a pointer or reference to that type,
21951 respectively. In all other cases, it will return the value's static
21952 type.
21953
21954 Note that this feature will only work when debugging a C@t{++} program
21955 that includes @acronym{RTTI} for the object in question. Otherwise,
21956 it will just return the static type of the value as in @kbd{ptype foo}
21957 (@pxref{Symbols, ptype}).
21958 @end defvar
21959
21960 @defvar Value.is_lazy
21961 The value of this read-only boolean attribute is @code{True} if this
21962 @code{gdb.Value} has not yet been fetched from the inferior.
21963 @value{GDBN} does not fetch values until necessary, for efficiency.
21964 For example:
21965
21966 @smallexample
21967 myval = gdb.parse_and_eval ('somevar')
21968 @end smallexample
21969
21970 The value of @code{somevar} is not fetched at this time. It will be
21971 fetched when the value is needed, or when the @code{fetch_lazy}
21972 method is invoked.
21973 @end defvar
21974 @end table
21975
21976 The following methods are provided:
21977
21978 @table @code
21979 @defun Value.__init__ (@var{val})
21980 Many Python values can be converted directly to a @code{gdb.Value} via
21981 this object initializer. Specifically:
21982
21983 @table @asis
21984 @item Python boolean
21985 A Python boolean is converted to the boolean type from the current
21986 language.
21987
21988 @item Python integer
21989 A Python integer is converted to the C @code{long} type for the
21990 current architecture.
21991
21992 @item Python long
21993 A Python long is converted to the C @code{long long} type for the
21994 current architecture.
21995
21996 @item Python float
21997 A Python float is converted to the C @code{double} type for the
21998 current architecture.
21999
22000 @item Python string
22001 A Python string is converted to a target string, using the current
22002 target encoding.
22003
22004 @item @code{gdb.Value}
22005 If @code{val} is a @code{gdb.Value}, then a copy of the value is made.
22006
22007 @item @code{gdb.LazyString}
22008 If @code{val} is a @code{gdb.LazyString} (@pxref{Lazy Strings In
22009 Python}), then the lazy string's @code{value} method is called, and
22010 its result is used.
22011 @end table
22012 @end defun
22013
22014 @defun Value.cast (type)
22015 Return a new instance of @code{gdb.Value} that is the result of
22016 casting this instance to the type described by @var{type}, which must
22017 be a @code{gdb.Type} object. If the cast cannot be performed for some
22018 reason, this method throws an exception.
22019 @end defun
22020
22021 @defun Value.dereference ()
22022 For pointer data types, this method returns a new @code{gdb.Value} object
22023 whose contents is the object pointed to by the pointer. For example, if
22024 @code{foo} is a C pointer to an @code{int}, declared in your C program as
22025
22026 @smallexample
22027 int *foo;
22028 @end smallexample
22029
22030 @noindent
22031 then you can use the corresponding @code{gdb.Value} to access what
22032 @code{foo} points to like this:
22033
22034 @smallexample
22035 bar = foo.dereference ()
22036 @end smallexample
22037
22038 The result @code{bar} will be a @code{gdb.Value} object holding the
22039 value pointed to by @code{foo}.
22040 @end defun
22041
22042 @defun Value.dynamic_cast (type)
22043 Like @code{Value.cast}, but works as if the C@t{++} @code{dynamic_cast}
22044 operator were used. Consult a C@t{++} reference for details.
22045 @end defun
22046
22047 @defun Value.reinterpret_cast (type)
22048 Like @code{Value.cast}, but works as if the C@t{++} @code{reinterpret_cast}
22049 operator were used. Consult a C@t{++} reference for details.
22050 @end defun
22051
22052 @defun Value.string (@r{[}encoding@r{[}, errors@r{[}, length@r{]]]})
22053 If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
22054 converts the contents to a Python string. Otherwise, this method will
22055 throw an exception.
22056
22057 Strings are recognized in a language-specific way; whether a given
22058 @code{gdb.Value} represents a string is determined by the current
22059 language.
22060
22061 For C-like languages, a value is a string if it is a pointer to or an
22062 array of characters or ints. The string is assumed to be terminated
22063 by a zero of the appropriate width. However if the optional length
22064 argument is given, the string will be converted to that given length,
22065 ignoring any embedded zeros that the string may contain.
22066
22067 If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
22068 naming the encoding of the string in the @code{gdb.Value}, such as
22069 @code{"ascii"}, @code{"iso-8859-6"} or @code{"utf-8"}. It accepts
22070 the same encodings as the corresponding argument to Python's
22071 @code{string.decode} method, and the Python codec machinery will be used
22072 to convert the string. If @var{encoding} is not given, or if
22073 @var{encoding} is the empty string, then either the @code{target-charset}
22074 (@pxref{Character Sets}) will be used, or a language-specific encoding
22075 will be used, if the current language is able to supply one.
22076
22077 The optional @var{errors} argument is the same as the corresponding
22078 argument to Python's @code{string.decode} method.
22079
22080 If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
22081 fetched and converted to the given length.
22082 @end defun
22083
22084 @defun Value.lazy_string (@r{[}encoding @r{[}, length@r{]]})
22085 If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
22086 converts the contents to a @code{gdb.LazyString} (@pxref{Lazy Strings
22087 In Python}). Otherwise, this method will throw an exception.
22088
22089 If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
22090 naming the encoding of the @code{gdb.LazyString}. Some examples are:
22091 @samp{ascii}, @samp{iso-8859-6} or @samp{utf-8}. If the
22092 @var{encoding} argument is an encoding that @value{GDBN} does
22093 recognize, @value{GDBN} will raise an error.
22094
22095 When a lazy string is printed, the @value{GDBN} encoding machinery is
22096 used to convert the string during printing. If the optional
22097 @var{encoding} argument is not provided, or is an empty string,
22098 @value{GDBN} will automatically select the encoding most suitable for
22099 the string type. For further information on encoding in @value{GDBN}
22100 please see @ref{Character Sets}.
22101
22102 If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
22103 fetched and encoded to the length of characters specified. If
22104 the @var{length} argument is not provided, the string will be fetched
22105 and encoded until a null of appropriate width is found.
22106 @end defun
22107
22108 @defun Value.fetch_lazy ()
22109 If the @code{gdb.Value} object is currently a lazy value
22110 (@code{gdb.Value.is_lazy} is @code{True}), then the value is
22111 fetched from the inferior. Any errors that occur in the process
22112 will produce a Python exception.
22113
22114 If the @code{gdb.Value} object is not a lazy value, this method
22115 has no effect.
22116
22117 This method does not return a value.
22118 @end defun
22119
22120 @end table
22121
22122 @node Types In Python
22123 @subsubsection Types In Python
22124 @cindex types in Python
22125 @cindex Python, working with types
22126
22127 @tindex gdb.Type
22128 @value{GDBN} represents types from the inferior using the class
22129 @code{gdb.Type}.
22130
22131 The following type-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
22132 module:
22133
22134 @findex gdb.lookup_type
22135 @defun gdb.lookup_type (name @r{[}, block@r{]})
22136 This function looks up a type by name. @var{name} is the name of the
22137 type to look up. It must be a string.
22138
22139 If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
22140 Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
22141
22142 Ordinarily, this function will return an instance of @code{gdb.Type}.
22143 If the named type cannot be found, it will throw an exception.
22144 @end defun
22145
22146 If the type is a structure or class type, or an enum type, the fields
22147 of that type can be accessed using the Python @dfn{dictionary syntax}.
22148 For example, if @code{some_type} is a @code{gdb.Type} instance holding
22149 a structure type, you can access its @code{foo} field with:
22150
22151 @smallexample
22152 bar = some_type['foo']
22153 @end smallexample
22154
22155 @code{bar} will be a @code{gdb.Field} object; see below under the
22156 description of the @code{Type.fields} method for a description of the
22157 @code{gdb.Field} class.
22158
22159 An instance of @code{Type} has the following attributes:
22160
22161 @table @code
22162 @defvar Type.code
22163 The type code for this type. The type code will be one of the
22164 @code{TYPE_CODE_} constants defined below.
22165 @end defvar
22166
22167 @defvar Type.sizeof
22168 The size of this type, in target @code{char} units. Usually, a
22169 target's @code{char} type will be an 8-bit byte. However, on some
22170 unusual platforms, this type may have a different size.
22171 @end defvar
22172
22173 @defvar Type.tag
22174 The tag name for this type. The tag name is the name after
22175 @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} in C and C@t{++}; not all
22176 languages have this concept. If this type has no tag name, then
22177 @code{None} is returned.
22178 @end defvar
22179 @end table
22180
22181 The following methods are provided:
22182
22183 @table @code
22184 @defun Type.fields ()
22185 For structure and union types, this method returns the fields. Range
22186 types have two fields, the minimum and maximum values. Enum types
22187 have one field per enum constant. Function and method types have one
22188 field per parameter. The base types of C@t{++} classes are also
22189 represented as fields. If the type has no fields, or does not fit
22190 into one of these categories, an empty sequence will be returned.
22191
22192 Each field is a @code{gdb.Field} object, with some pre-defined attributes:
22193 @table @code
22194 @item bitpos
22195 This attribute is not available for @code{static} fields (as in
22196 C@t{++} or Java). For non-@code{static} fields, the value is the bit
22197 position of the field. For @code{enum} fields, the value is the
22198 enumeration member's integer representation.
22199
22200 @item name
22201 The name of the field, or @code{None} for anonymous fields.
22202
22203 @item artificial
22204 This is @code{True} if the field is artificial, usually meaning that
22205 it was provided by the compiler and not the user. This attribute is
22206 always provided, and is @code{False} if the field is not artificial.
22207
22208 @item is_base_class
22209 This is @code{True} if the field represents a base class of a C@t{++}
22210 structure. This attribute is always provided, and is @code{False}
22211 if the field is not a base class of the type that is the argument of
22212 @code{fields}, or if that type was not a C@t{++} class.
22213
22214 @item bitsize
22215 If the field is packed, or is a bitfield, then this will have a
22216 non-zero value, which is the size of the field in bits. Otherwise,
22217 this will be zero; in this case the field's size is given by its type.
22218
22219 @item type
22220 The type of the field. This is usually an instance of @code{Type},
22221 but it can be @code{None} in some situations.
22222 @end table
22223 @end defun
22224
22225 @defun Type.array (@var{n1} @r{[}, @var{n2}@r{]})
22226 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents an array of this
22227 type. If one argument is given, it is the inclusive upper bound of
22228 the array; in this case the lower bound is zero. If two arguments are
22229 given, the first argument is the lower bound of the array, and the
22230 second argument is the upper bound of the array. An array's length
22231 must not be negative, but the bounds can be.
22232 @end defun
22233
22234 @defun Type.const ()
22235 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
22236 @code{const}-qualified variant of this type.
22237 @end defun
22238
22239 @defun Type.volatile ()
22240 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
22241 @code{volatile}-qualified variant of this type.
22242 @end defun
22243
22244 @defun Type.unqualified ()
22245 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents an unqualified
22246 variant of this type. That is, the result is neither @code{const} nor
22247 @code{volatile}.
22248 @end defun
22249
22250 @defun Type.range ()
22251 Return a Python @code{Tuple} object that contains two elements: the
22252 low bound of the argument type and the high bound of that type. If
22253 the type does not have a range, @value{GDBN} will raise a
22254 @code{gdb.error} exception (@pxref{Exception Handling}).
22255 @end defun
22256
22257 @defun Type.reference ()
22258 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a reference to this
22259 type.
22260 @end defun
22261
22262 @defun Type.pointer ()
22263 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a pointer to this
22264 type.
22265 @end defun
22266
22267 @defun Type.strip_typedefs ()
22268 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} that represents the real type,
22269 after removing all layers of typedefs.
22270 @end defun
22271
22272 @defun Type.target ()
22273 Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents the target type
22274 of this type.
22275
22276 For a pointer type, the target type is the type of the pointed-to
22277 object. For an array type (meaning C-like arrays), the target type is
22278 the type of the elements of the array. For a function or method type,
22279 the target type is the type of the return value. For a complex type,
22280 the target type is the type of the elements. For a typedef, the
22281 target type is the aliased type.
22282
22283 If the type does not have a target, this method will throw an
22284 exception.
22285 @end defun
22286
22287 @defun Type.template_argument (n @r{[}, block@r{]})
22288 If this @code{gdb.Type} is an instantiation of a template, this will
22289 return a new @code{gdb.Type} which represents the type of the
22290 @var{n}th template argument.
22291
22292 If this @code{gdb.Type} is not a template type, this will throw an
22293 exception. Ordinarily, only C@t{++} code will have template types.
22294
22295 If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
22296 Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
22297 @end defun
22298 @end table
22299
22300
22301 Each type has a code, which indicates what category this type falls
22302 into. The available type categories are represented by constants
22303 defined in the @code{gdb} module:
22304
22305 @table @code
22306 @findex TYPE_CODE_PTR
22307 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_PTR
22308 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_PTR
22309 The type is a pointer.
22310
22311 @findex TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
22312 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
22313 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
22314 The type is an array.
22315
22316 @findex TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
22317 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
22318 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
22319 The type is a structure.
22320
22321 @findex TYPE_CODE_UNION
22322 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_UNION
22323 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_UNION
22324 The type is a union.
22325
22326 @findex TYPE_CODE_ENUM
22327 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ENUM
22328 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ENUM
22329 The type is an enum.
22330
22331 @findex TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
22332 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
22333 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
22334 A bit flags type, used for things such as status registers.
22335
22336 @findex TYPE_CODE_FUNC
22337 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FUNC
22338 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FUNC
22339 The type is a function.
22340
22341 @findex TYPE_CODE_INT
22342 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INT
22343 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_INT
22344 The type is an integer type.
22345
22346 @findex TYPE_CODE_FLT
22347 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLT
22348 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLT
22349 A floating point type.
22350
22351 @findex TYPE_CODE_VOID
22352 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_VOID
22353 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_VOID
22354 The special type @code{void}.
22355
22356 @findex TYPE_CODE_SET
22357 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_SET
22358 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_SET
22359 A Pascal set type.
22360
22361 @findex TYPE_CODE_RANGE
22362 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_RANGE
22363 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_RANGE
22364 A range type, that is, an integer type with bounds.
22365
22366 @findex TYPE_CODE_STRING
22367 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRING
22368 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRING
22369 A string type. Note that this is only used for certain languages with
22370 language-defined string types; C strings are not represented this way.
22371
22372 @findex TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
22373 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
22374 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
22375 A string of bits.
22376
22377 @findex TYPE_CODE_ERROR
22378 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ERROR
22379 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ERROR
22380 An unknown or erroneous type.
22381
22382 @findex TYPE_CODE_METHOD
22383 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHOD
22384 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHOD
22385 A method type, as found in C@t{++} or Java.
22386
22387 @findex TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
22388 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
22389 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
22390 A pointer-to-member-function.
22391
22392 @findex TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
22393 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
22394 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
22395 A pointer-to-member.
22396
22397 @findex TYPE_CODE_REF
22398 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_REF
22399 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_REF
22400 A reference type.
22401
22402 @findex TYPE_CODE_CHAR
22403 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_CHAR
22404 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_CHAR
22405 A character type.
22406
22407 @findex TYPE_CODE_BOOL
22408 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BOOL
22409 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_BOOL
22410 A boolean type.
22411
22412 @findex TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
22413 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
22414 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
22415 A complex float type.
22416
22417 @findex TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
22418 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
22419 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
22420 A typedef to some other type.
22421
22422 @findex TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
22423 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
22424 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
22425 A C@t{++} namespace.
22426
22427 @findex TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
22428 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
22429 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
22430 A decimal floating point type.
22431
22432 @findex TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
22433 @findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
22434 @item gdb.TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
22435 A function internal to @value{GDBN}. This is the type used to represent
22436 convenience functions.
22437 @end table
22438
22439 Further support for types is provided in the @code{gdb.types}
22440 Python module (@pxref{gdb.types}).
22441
22442 @node Pretty Printing API
22443 @subsubsection Pretty Printing API
22444
22445 An example output is provided (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
22446
22447 A pretty-printer is just an object that holds a value and implements a
22448 specific interface, defined here.
22449
22450 @defun pretty_printer.children (self)
22451 @value{GDBN} will call this method on a pretty-printer to compute the
22452 children of the pretty-printer's value.
22453
22454 This method must return an object conforming to the Python iterator
22455 protocol. Each item returned by the iterator must be a tuple holding
22456 two elements. The first element is the ``name'' of the child; the
22457 second element is the child's value. The value can be any Python
22458 object which is convertible to a @value{GDBN} value.
22459
22460 This method is optional. If it does not exist, @value{GDBN} will act
22461 as though the value has no children.
22462 @end defun
22463
22464 @defun pretty_printer.display_hint (self)
22465 The CLI may call this method and use its result to change the
22466 formatting of a value. The result will also be supplied to an MI
22467 consumer as a @samp{displayhint} attribute of the variable being
22468 printed.
22469
22470 This method is optional. If it does exist, this method must return a
22471 string.
22472
22473 Some display hints are predefined by @value{GDBN}:
22474
22475 @table @samp
22476 @item array
22477 Indicate that the object being printed is ``array-like''. The CLI
22478 uses this to respect parameters such as @code{set print elements} and
22479 @code{set print array}.
22480
22481 @item map
22482 Indicate that the object being printed is ``map-like'', and that the
22483 children of this value can be assumed to alternate between keys and
22484 values.
22485
22486 @item string
22487 Indicate that the object being printed is ``string-like''. If the
22488 printer's @code{to_string} method returns a Python string of some
22489 kind, then @value{GDBN} will call its internal language-specific
22490 string-printing function to format the string. For the CLI this means
22491 adding quotation marks, possibly escaping some characters, respecting
22492 @code{set print elements}, and the like.
22493 @end table
22494 @end defun
22495
22496 @defun pretty_printer.to_string (self)
22497 @value{GDBN} will call this method to display the string
22498 representation of the value passed to the object's constructor.
22499
22500 When printing from the CLI, if the @code{to_string} method exists,
22501 then @value{GDBN} will prepend its result to the values returned by
22502 @code{children}. Exactly how this formatting is done is dependent on
22503 the display hint, and may change as more hints are added. Also,
22504 depending on the print settings (@pxref{Print Settings}), the CLI may
22505 print just the result of @code{to_string} in a stack trace, omitting
22506 the result of @code{children}.
22507
22508 If this method returns a string, it is printed verbatim.
22509
22510 Otherwise, if this method returns an instance of @code{gdb.Value},
22511 then @value{GDBN} prints this value. This may result in a call to
22512 another pretty-printer.
22513
22514 If instead the method returns a Python value which is convertible to a
22515 @code{gdb.Value}, then @value{GDBN} performs the conversion and prints
22516 the resulting value. Again, this may result in a call to another
22517 pretty-printer. Python scalars (integers, floats, and booleans) and
22518 strings are convertible to @code{gdb.Value}; other types are not.
22519
22520 Finally, if this method returns @code{None} then no further operations
22521 are peformed in this method and nothing is printed.
22522
22523 If the result is not one of these types, an exception is raised.
22524 @end defun
22525
22526 @value{GDBN} provides a function which can be used to look up the
22527 default pretty-printer for a @code{gdb.Value}:
22528
22529 @findex gdb.default_visualizer
22530 @defun gdb.default_visualizer (value)
22531 This function takes a @code{gdb.Value} object as an argument. If a
22532 pretty-printer for this value exists, then it is returned. If no such
22533 printer exists, then this returns @code{None}.
22534 @end defun
22535
22536 @node Selecting Pretty-Printers
22537 @subsubsection Selecting Pretty-Printers
22538
22539 The Python list @code{gdb.pretty_printers} contains an array of
22540 functions or callable objects that have been registered via addition
22541 as a pretty-printer. Printers in this list are called @code{global}
22542 printers, they're available when debugging all inferiors.
22543 Each @code{gdb.Progspace} contains a @code{pretty_printers} attribute.
22544 Each @code{gdb.Objfile} also contains a @code{pretty_printers}
22545 attribute.
22546
22547 Each function on these lists is passed a single @code{gdb.Value}
22548 argument and should return a pretty-printer object conforming to the
22549 interface definition above (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}). If a function
22550 cannot create a pretty-printer for the value, it should return
22551 @code{None}.
22552
22553 @value{GDBN} first checks the @code{pretty_printers} attribute of each
22554 @code{gdb.Objfile} in the current program space and iteratively calls
22555 each enabled lookup routine in the list for that @code{gdb.Objfile}
22556 until it receives a pretty-printer object.
22557 If no pretty-printer is found in the objfile lists, @value{GDBN} then
22558 searches the pretty-printer list of the current program space,
22559 calling each enabled function until an object is returned.
22560 After these lists have been exhausted, it tries the global
22561 @code{gdb.pretty_printers} list, again calling each enabled function until an
22562 object is returned.
22563
22564 The order in which the objfiles are searched is not specified. For a
22565 given list, functions are always invoked from the head of the list,
22566 and iterated over sequentially until the end of the list, or a printer
22567 object is returned.
22568
22569 For various reasons a pretty-printer may not work.
22570 For example, the underlying data structure may have changed and
22571 the pretty-printer is out of date.
22572
22573 The consequences of a broken pretty-printer are severe enough that
22574 @value{GDBN} provides support for enabling and disabling individual
22575 printers. For example, if @code{print frame-arguments} is on,
22576 a backtrace can become highly illegible if any argument is printed
22577 with a broken printer.
22578
22579 Pretty-printers are enabled and disabled by attaching an @code{enabled}
22580 attribute to the registered function or callable object. If this attribute
22581 is present and its value is @code{False}, the printer is disabled, otherwise
22582 the printer is enabled.
22583
22584 @node Writing a Pretty-Printer
22585 @subsubsection Writing a Pretty-Printer
22586 @cindex writing a pretty-printer
22587
22588 A pretty-printer consists of two parts: a lookup function to detect
22589 if the type is supported, and the printer itself.
22590
22591 Here is an example showing how a @code{std::string} printer might be
22592 written. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for details on the API this class
22593 must provide.
22594
22595 @smallexample
22596 class StdStringPrinter(object):
22597 "Print a std::string"
22598
22599 def __init__(self, val):
22600 self.val = val
22601
22602 def to_string(self):
22603 return self.val['_M_dataplus']['_M_p']
22604
22605 def display_hint(self):
22606 return 'string'
22607 @end smallexample
22608
22609 And here is an example showing how a lookup function for the printer
22610 example above might be written.
22611
22612 @smallexample
22613 def str_lookup_function(val):
22614 lookup_tag = val.type.tag
22615 if lookup_tag == None:
22616 return None
22617 regex = re.compile("^std::basic_string<char,.*>$")
22618 if regex.match(lookup_tag):
22619 return StdStringPrinter(val)
22620 return None
22621 @end smallexample
22622
22623 The example lookup function extracts the value's type, and attempts to
22624 match it to a type that it can pretty-print. If it is a type the
22625 printer can pretty-print, it will return a printer object. If not, it
22626 returns @code{None}.
22627
22628 We recommend that you put your core pretty-printers into a Python
22629 package. If your pretty-printers are for use with a library, we
22630 further recommend embedding a version number into the package name.
22631 This practice will enable @value{GDBN} to load multiple versions of
22632 your pretty-printers at the same time, because they will have
22633 different names.
22634
22635 You should write auto-loaded code (@pxref{Auto-loading}) such that it
22636 can be evaluated multiple times without changing its meaning. An
22637 ideal auto-load file will consist solely of @code{import}s of your
22638 printer modules, followed by a call to a register pretty-printers with
22639 the current objfile.
22640
22641 Taken as a whole, this approach will scale nicely to multiple
22642 inferiors, each potentially using a different library version.
22643 Embedding a version number in the Python package name will ensure that
22644 @value{GDBN} is able to load both sets of printers simultaneously.
22645 Then, because the search for pretty-printers is done by objfile, and
22646 because your auto-loaded code took care to register your library's
22647 printers with a specific objfile, @value{GDBN} will find the correct
22648 printers for the specific version of the library used by each
22649 inferior.
22650
22651 To continue the @code{std::string} example (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}),
22652 this code might appear in @code{gdb.libstdcxx.v6}:
22653
22654 @smallexample
22655 def register_printers(objfile):
22656 objfile.pretty_printers.append(str_lookup_function)
22657 @end smallexample
22658
22659 @noindent
22660 And then the corresponding contents of the auto-load file would be:
22661
22662 @smallexample
22663 import gdb.libstdcxx.v6
22664 gdb.libstdcxx.v6.register_printers(gdb.current_objfile())
22665 @end smallexample
22666
22667 The previous example illustrates a basic pretty-printer.
22668 There are a few things that can be improved on.
22669 The printer doesn't have a name, making it hard to identify in a
22670 list of installed printers. The lookup function has a name, but
22671 lookup functions can have arbitrary, even identical, names.
22672
22673 Second, the printer only handles one type, whereas a library typically has
22674 several types. One could install a lookup function for each desired type
22675 in the library, but one could also have a single lookup function recognize
22676 several types. The latter is the conventional way this is handled.
22677 If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
22678 @dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
22679
22680 The @code{gdb.printing} module provides a formal way of solving these
22681 problems (@pxref{gdb.printing}).
22682 Here is another example that handles multiple types.
22683
22684 These are the types we are going to pretty-print:
22685
22686 @smallexample
22687 struct foo @{ int a, b; @};
22688 struct bar @{ struct foo x, y; @};
22689 @end smallexample
22690
22691 Here are the printers:
22692
22693 @smallexample
22694 class fooPrinter:
22695 """Print a foo object."""
22696
22697 def __init__(self, val):
22698 self.val = val
22699
22700 def to_string(self):
22701 return ("a=<" + str(self.val["a"]) +
22702 "> b=<" + str(self.val["b"]) + ">")
22703
22704 class barPrinter:
22705 """Print a bar object."""
22706
22707 def __init__(self, val):
22708 self.val = val
22709
22710 def to_string(self):
22711 return ("x=<" + str(self.val["x"]) +
22712 "> y=<" + str(self.val["y"]) + ">")
22713 @end smallexample
22714
22715 This example doesn't need a lookup function, that is handled by the
22716 @code{gdb.printing} module. Instead a function is provided to build up
22717 the object that handles the lookup.
22718
22719 @smallexample
22720 import gdb.printing
22721
22722 def build_pretty_printer():
22723 pp = gdb.printing.RegexpCollectionPrettyPrinter(
22724 "my_library")
22725 pp.add_printer('foo', '^foo$', fooPrinter)
22726 pp.add_printer('bar', '^bar$', barPrinter)
22727 return pp
22728 @end smallexample
22729
22730 And here is the autoload support:
22731
22732 @smallexample
22733 import gdb.printing
22734 import my_library
22735 gdb.printing.register_pretty_printer(
22736 gdb.current_objfile(),
22737 my_library.build_pretty_printer())
22738 @end smallexample
22739
22740 Finally, when this printer is loaded into @value{GDBN}, here is the
22741 corresponding output of @samp{info pretty-printer}:
22742
22743 @smallexample
22744 (gdb) info pretty-printer
22745 my_library.so:
22746 my_library
22747 foo
22748 bar
22749 @end smallexample
22750
22751 @node Inferiors In Python
22752 @subsubsection Inferiors In Python
22753 @cindex inferiors in Python
22754
22755 @findex gdb.Inferior
22756 Programs which are being run under @value{GDBN} are called inferiors
22757 (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). Python scripts can access
22758 information about and manipulate inferiors controlled by @value{GDBN}
22759 via objects of the @code{gdb.Inferior} class.
22760
22761 The following inferior-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
22762 module:
22763
22764 @defun gdb.inferiors ()
22765 Return a tuple containing all inferior objects.
22766 @end defun
22767
22768 @defun gdb.selected_inferior ()
22769 Return an object representing the current inferior.
22770 @end defun
22771
22772 A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following attributes:
22773
22774 @table @code
22775 @defvar Inferior.num
22776 ID of inferior, as assigned by GDB.
22777 @end defvar
22778
22779 @defvar Inferior.pid
22780 Process ID of the inferior, as assigned by the underlying operating
22781 system.
22782 @end defvar
22783
22784 @defvar Inferior.was_attached
22785 Boolean signaling whether the inferior was created using `attach', or
22786 started by @value{GDBN} itself.
22787 @end defvar
22788 @end table
22789
22790 A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following methods:
22791
22792 @table @code
22793 @defun Inferior.is_valid ()
22794 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Inferior} object is valid,
22795 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Inferior} object will become invalid
22796 if the inferior no longer exists within @value{GDBN}. All other
22797 @code{gdb.Inferior} methods will throw an exception if it is invalid
22798 at the time the method is called.
22799 @end defun
22800
22801 @defun Inferior.threads ()
22802 This method returns a tuple holding all the threads which are valid
22803 when it is called. If there are no valid threads, the method will
22804 return an empty tuple.
22805 @end defun
22806
22807 @findex gdb.read_memory
22808 @defun Inferior.read_memory (address, length)
22809 Read @var{length} bytes of memory from the inferior, starting at
22810 @var{address}. Returns a buffer object, which behaves much like an array
22811 or a string. It can be modified and given to the @code{gdb.write_memory}
22812 function.
22813 @end defun
22814
22815 @findex gdb.write_memory
22816 @defun Inferior.write_memory (address, buffer @r{[}, length@r{]})
22817 Write the contents of @var{buffer} to the inferior, starting at
22818 @var{address}. The @var{buffer} parameter must be a Python object
22819 which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
22820 object returned from @code{gdb.read_memory}. If given, @var{length}
22821 determines the number of bytes from @var{buffer} to be written.
22822 @end defun
22823
22824 @findex gdb.search_memory
22825 @defun Inferior.search_memory (address, length, pattern)
22826 Search a region of the inferior memory starting at @var{address} with
22827 the given @var{length} using the search pattern supplied in
22828 @var{pattern}. The @var{pattern} parameter must be a Python object
22829 which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
22830 object returned from @code{gdb.read_memory}. Returns a Python @code{Long}
22831 containing the address where the pattern was found, or @code{None} if
22832 the pattern could not be found.
22833 @end defun
22834 @end table
22835
22836 @node Events In Python
22837 @subsubsection Events In Python
22838 @cindex inferior events in Python
22839
22840 @value{GDBN} provides a general event facility so that Python code can be
22841 notified of various state changes, particularly changes that occur in
22842 the inferior.
22843
22844 An @dfn{event} is just an object that describes some state change. The
22845 type of the object and its attributes will vary depending on the details
22846 of the change. All the existing events are described below.
22847
22848 In order to be notified of an event, you must register an event handler
22849 with an @dfn{event registry}. An event registry is an object in the
22850 @code{gdb.events} module which dispatches particular events. A registry
22851 provides methods to register and unregister event handlers:
22852
22853 @table @code
22854 @defun EventRegistry.connect (object)
22855 Add the given callable @var{object} to the registry. This object will be
22856 called when an event corresponding to this registry occurs.
22857 @end defun
22858
22859 @defun EventRegistry.disconnect (object)
22860 Remove the given @var{object} from the registry. Once removed, the object
22861 will no longer receive notifications of events.
22862 @end defun
22863 @end table
22864
22865 Here is an example:
22866
22867 @smallexample
22868 def exit_handler (event):
22869 print "event type: exit"
22870 print "exit code: %d" % (event.exit_code)
22871
22872 gdb.events.exited.connect (exit_handler)
22873 @end smallexample
22874
22875 In the above example we connect our handler @code{exit_handler} to the
22876 registry @code{events.exited}. Once connected, @code{exit_handler} gets
22877 called when the inferior exits. The argument @dfn{event} in this example is
22878 of type @code{gdb.ExitedEvent}. As you can see in the example the
22879 @code{ExitedEvent} object has an attribute which indicates the exit code of
22880 the inferior.
22881
22882 The following is a listing of the event registries that are available and
22883 details of the events they emit:
22884
22885 @table @code
22886
22887 @item events.cont
22888 Emits @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
22889
22890 Some events can be thread specific when @value{GDBN} is running in non-stop
22891 mode. When represented in Python, these events all extend
22892 @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}. Note, this event is not emitted directly; instead,
22893 events which are emitted by this or other modules might extend this event.
22894 Examples of these events are @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} and
22895 @code{gdb.ContinueEvent}.
22896
22897 @table @code
22898 @defvar ThreadEvent.inferior_thread
22899 In non-stop mode this attribute will be set to the specific thread which was
22900 involved in the emitted event. Otherwise, it will be set to @code{None}.
22901 @end defvar
22902 @end table
22903
22904 Emits @code{gdb.ContinueEvent} which extends @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
22905
22906 This event indicates that the inferior has been continued after a stop. For
22907 inherited attribute refer to @code{gdb.ThreadEvent} above.
22908
22909 @item events.exited
22910 Emits @code{events.ExitedEvent} which indicates that the inferior has exited.
22911 @code{events.ExitedEvent} has two attributes:
22912 @table @code
22913 @defvar ExitedEvent.exit_code
22914 An integer representing the exit code, if available, which the inferior
22915 has returned. (The exit code could be unavailable if, for example,
22916 @value{GDBN} detaches from the inferior.) If the exit code is unavailable,
22917 the attribute does not exist.
22918 @end defvar
22919 @defvar ExitedEvent inferior
22920 A reference to the inferior which triggered the @code{exited} event.
22921 @end defvar
22922 @end table
22923
22924 @item events.stop
22925 Emits @code{gdb.StopEvent} which extends @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
22926
22927 Indicates that the inferior has stopped. All events emitted by this registry
22928 extend StopEvent. As a child of @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}, @code{gdb.StopEvent}
22929 will indicate the stopped thread when @value{GDBN} is running in non-stop
22930 mode. Refer to @code{gdb.ThreadEvent} above for more details.
22931
22932 Emits @code{gdb.SignalEvent} which extends @code{gdb.StopEvent}.
22933
22934 This event indicates that the inferior or one of its threads has received as
22935 signal. @code{gdb.SignalEvent} has the following attributes:
22936
22937 @table @code
22938 @defvar SignalEvent.stop_signal
22939 A string representing the signal received by the inferior. A list of possible
22940 signal values can be obtained by running the command @code{info signals} in
22941 the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
22942 @end defvar
22943 @end table
22944
22945 Also emits @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} which extends @code{gdb.StopEvent}.
22946
22947 @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} event indicates that one or more breakpoints have
22948 been hit, and has the following attributes:
22949
22950 @table @code
22951 @defvar BreakpointEvent.breakpoints
22952 A sequence containing references to all the breakpoints (type
22953 @code{gdb.Breakpoint}) that were hit.
22954 @xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for details of the @code{gdb.Breakpoint} object.
22955 @end defvar
22956 @defvar BreakpointEvent.breakpoint
22957 A reference to the first breakpoint that was hit.
22958 This function is maintained for backward compatibility and is now deprecated
22959 in favor of the @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent.breakpoints} attribute.
22960 @end defvar
22961 @end table
22962
22963 @item events.new_objfile
22964 Emits @code{gdb.NewObjFileEvent} which indicates that a new object file has
22965 been loaded by @value{GDBN}. @code{gdb.NewObjFileEvent} has one attribute:
22966
22967 @table @code
22968 @defvar NewObjFileEvent.new_objfile
22969 A reference to the object file (@code{gdb.Objfile}) which has been loaded.
22970 @xref{Objfiles In Python}, for details of the @code{gdb.Objfile} object.
22971 @end defvar
22972 @end table
22973
22974 @end table
22975
22976 @node Threads In Python
22977 @subsubsection Threads In Python
22978 @cindex threads in python
22979
22980 @findex gdb.InferiorThread
22981 Python scripts can access information about, and manipulate inferior threads
22982 controlled by @value{GDBN}, via objects of the @code{gdb.InferiorThread} class.
22983
22984 The following thread-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
22985 module:
22986
22987 @findex gdb.selected_thread
22988 @defun gdb.selected_thread ()
22989 This function returns the thread object for the selected thread. If there
22990 is no selected thread, this will return @code{None}.
22991 @end defun
22992
22993 A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following attributes:
22994
22995 @table @code
22996 @defvar InferiorThread.name
22997 The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using
22998 @code{thread name}, then this returns that name. Otherwise, if an
22999 OS-supplied name is available, then it is returned. Otherwise, this
23000 returns @code{None}.
23001
23002 This attribute can be assigned to. The new value must be a string
23003 object, which sets the new name, or @code{None}, which removes any
23004 user-specified thread name.
23005 @end defvar
23006
23007 @defvar InferiorThread.num
23008 ID of the thread, as assigned by GDB.
23009 @end defvar
23010
23011 @defvar InferiorThread.ptid
23012 ID of the thread, as assigned by the operating system. This attribute is a
23013 tuple containing three integers. The first is the Process ID (PID); the second
23014 is the Lightweight Process ID (LWPID), and the third is the Thread ID (TID).
23015 Either the LWPID or TID may be 0, which indicates that the operating system
23016 does not use that identifier.
23017 @end defvar
23018 @end table
23019
23020 A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following methods:
23021
23022 @table @code
23023 @defun InferiorThread.is_valid ()
23024 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object is valid,
23025 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object will become
23026 invalid if the thread exits, or the inferior that the thread belongs
23027 is deleted. All other @code{gdb.InferiorThread} methods will throw an
23028 exception if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
23029 @end defun
23030
23031 @defun InferiorThread.switch ()
23032 This changes @value{GDBN}'s currently selected thread to the one represented
23033 by this object.
23034 @end defun
23035
23036 @defun InferiorThread.is_stopped ()
23037 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is stopped.
23038 @end defun
23039
23040 @defun InferiorThread.is_running ()
23041 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is running.
23042 @end defun
23043
23044 @defun InferiorThread.is_exited ()
23045 Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is exited.
23046 @end defun
23047 @end table
23048
23049 @node Commands In Python
23050 @subsubsection Commands In Python
23051
23052 @cindex commands in python
23053 @cindex python commands
23054 You can implement new @value{GDBN} CLI commands in Python. A CLI
23055 command is implemented using an instance of the @code{gdb.Command}
23056 class, most commonly using a subclass.
23057
23058 @defun Command.__init__ (name, @var{command_class} @r{[}, @var{completer_class} @r{[}, @var{prefix}@r{]]})
23059 The object initializer for @code{Command} registers the new command
23060 with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked from the
23061 subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
23062
23063 @var{name} is the name of the command. If @var{name} consists of
23064 multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
23065 commands. In this case, if one of the prefix commands does not exist,
23066 an exception is raised.
23067
23068 There is no support for multi-line commands.
23069
23070 @var{command_class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
23071 defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to categorize the
23072 new command in the help system.
23073
23074 @var{completer_class} is an optional argument. If given, it should be
23075 one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined below. This argument
23076 tells @value{GDBN} how to perform completion for this command. If not
23077 given, @value{GDBN} will attempt to complete using the object's
23078 @code{complete} method (see below); if no such method is found, an
23079 error will occur when completion is attempted.
23080
23081 @var{prefix} is an optional argument. If @code{True}, then the new
23082 command is a prefix command; sub-commands of this command may be
23083 registered.
23084
23085 The help text for the new command is taken from the Python
23086 documentation string for the command's class, if there is one. If no
23087 documentation string is provided, the default value ``This command is
23088 not documented.'' is used.
23089 @end defun
23090
23091 @cindex don't repeat Python command
23092 @defun Command.dont_repeat ()
23093 By default, a @value{GDBN} command is repeated when the user enters a
23094 blank line at the command prompt. A command can suppress this
23095 behavior by invoking the @code{dont_repeat} method. This is similar
23096 to the user command @code{dont-repeat}, see @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
23097 @end defun
23098
23099 @defun Command.invoke (argument, from_tty)
23100 This method is called by @value{GDBN} when this command is invoked.
23101
23102 @var{argument} is a string. It is the argument to the command, after
23103 leading and trailing whitespace has been stripped.
23104
23105 @var{from_tty} is a boolean argument. When true, this means that the
23106 command was entered by the user at the terminal; when false it means
23107 that the command came from elsewhere.
23108
23109 If this method throws an exception, it is turned into a @value{GDBN}
23110 @code{error} call. Otherwise, the return value is ignored.
23111
23112 @findex gdb.string_to_argv
23113 To break @var{argument} up into an argv-like string use
23114 @code{gdb.string_to_argv}. This function behaves identically to
23115 @value{GDBN}'s internal argument lexer @code{buildargv}.
23116 It is recommended to use this for consistency.
23117 Arguments are separated by spaces and may be quoted.
23118 Example:
23119
23120 @smallexample
23121 print gdb.string_to_argv ("1 2\ \\\"3 '4 \"5' \"6 '7\"")
23122 ['1', '2 "3', '4 "5', "6 '7"]
23123 @end smallexample
23124
23125 @end defun
23126
23127 @cindex completion of Python commands
23128 @defun Command.complete (text, word)
23129 This method is called by @value{GDBN} when the user attempts
23130 completion on this command. All forms of completion are handled by
23131 this method, that is, the @key{TAB} and @key{M-?} key bindings
23132 (@pxref{Completion}), and the @code{complete} command (@pxref{Help,
23133 complete}).
23134
23135 The arguments @var{text} and @var{word} are both strings. @var{text}
23136 holds the complete command line up to the cursor's location.
23137 @var{word} holds the last word of the command line; this is computed
23138 using a word-breaking heuristic.
23139
23140 The @code{complete} method can return several values:
23141 @itemize @bullet
23142 @item
23143 If the return value is a sequence, the contents of the sequence are
23144 used as the completions. It is up to @code{complete} to ensure that the
23145 contents actually do complete the word. A zero-length sequence is
23146 allowed, it means that there were no completions available. Only
23147 string elements of the sequence are used; other elements in the
23148 sequence are ignored.
23149
23150 @item
23151 If the return value is one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined
23152 below, then the corresponding @value{GDBN}-internal completion
23153 function is invoked, and its result is used.
23154
23155 @item
23156 All other results are treated as though there were no available
23157 completions.
23158 @end itemize
23159 @end defun
23160
23161 When a new command is registered, it must be declared as a member of
23162 some general class of commands. This is used to classify top-level
23163 commands in the on-line help system; note that prefix commands are not
23164 listed under their own category but rather that of their top-level
23165 command. The available classifications are represented by constants
23166 defined in the @code{gdb} module:
23167
23168 @table @code
23169 @findex COMMAND_NONE
23170 @findex gdb.COMMAND_NONE
23171 @item gdb.COMMAND_NONE
23172 The command does not belong to any particular class. A command in
23173 this category will not be displayed in any of the help categories.
23174
23175 @findex COMMAND_RUNNING
23176 @findex gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING
23177 @item gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING
23178 The command is related to running the inferior. For example,
23179 @code{start}, @code{step}, and @code{continue} are in this category.
23180 Type @kbd{help running} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23181 commands in this category.
23182
23183 @findex COMMAND_DATA
23184 @findex gdb.COMMAND_DATA
23185 @item gdb.COMMAND_DATA
23186 The command is related to data or variables. For example,
23187 @code{call}, @code{find}, and @code{print} are in this category. Type
23188 @kbd{help data} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands
23189 in this category.
23190
23191 @findex COMMAND_STACK
23192 @findex gdb.COMMAND_STACK
23193 @item gdb.COMMAND_STACK
23194 The command has to do with manipulation of the stack. For example,
23195 @code{backtrace}, @code{frame}, and @code{return} are in this
23196 category. Type @kbd{help stack} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a
23197 list of commands in this category.
23198
23199 @findex COMMAND_FILES
23200 @findex gdb.COMMAND_FILES
23201 @item gdb.COMMAND_FILES
23202 This class is used for file-related commands. For example,
23203 @code{file}, @code{list} and @code{section} are in this category.
23204 Type @kbd{help files} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23205 commands in this category.
23206
23207 @findex COMMAND_SUPPORT
23208 @findex gdb.COMMAND_SUPPORT
23209 @item gdb.COMMAND_SUPPORT
23210 This should be used for ``support facilities'', generally meaning
23211 things that are useful to the user when interacting with @value{GDBN},
23212 but not related to the state of the inferior. For example,
23213 @code{help}, @code{make}, and @code{shell} are in this category. Type
23214 @kbd{help support} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23215 commands in this category.
23216
23217 @findex COMMAND_STATUS
23218 @findex gdb.COMMAND_STATUS
23219 @item gdb.COMMAND_STATUS
23220 The command is an @samp{info}-related command, that is, related to the
23221 state of @value{GDBN} itself. For example, @code{info}, @code{macro},
23222 and @code{show} are in this category. Type @kbd{help status} at the
23223 @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this category.
23224
23225 @findex COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
23226 @findex gdb.COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
23227 @item gdb.COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
23228 The command has to do with breakpoints. For example, @code{break},
23229 @code{clear}, and @code{delete} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
23230 breakpoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in
23231 this category.
23232
23233 @findex COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
23234 @findex gdb.COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
23235 @item gdb.COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
23236 The command has to do with tracepoints. For example, @code{trace},
23237 @code{actions}, and @code{tfind} are in this category. Type
23238 @kbd{help tracepoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23239 commands in this category.
23240
23241 @findex COMMAND_OBSCURE
23242 @findex gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE
23243 @item gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE
23244 The command is only used in unusual circumstances, or is not of
23245 general interest to users. For example, @code{checkpoint},
23246 @code{fork}, and @code{stop} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
23247 obscure} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this
23248 category.
23249
23250 @findex COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
23251 @findex gdb.COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
23252 @item gdb.COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
23253 The command is only useful to @value{GDBN} maintainers. The
23254 @code{maintenance} and @code{flushregs} commands are in this category.
23255 Type @kbd{help internals} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23256 commands in this category.
23257 @end table
23258
23259 A new command can use a predefined completion function, either by
23260 specifying it via an argument at initialization, or by returning it
23261 from the @code{complete} method. These predefined completion
23262 constants are all defined in the @code{gdb} module:
23263
23264 @table @code
23265 @findex COMPLETE_NONE
23266 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_NONE
23267 @item gdb.COMPLETE_NONE
23268 This constant means that no completion should be done.
23269
23270 @findex COMPLETE_FILENAME
23271 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_FILENAME
23272 @item gdb.COMPLETE_FILENAME
23273 This constant means that filename completion should be performed.
23274
23275 @findex COMPLETE_LOCATION
23276 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_LOCATION
23277 @item gdb.COMPLETE_LOCATION
23278 This constant means that location completion should be done.
23279 @xref{Specify Location}.
23280
23281 @findex COMPLETE_COMMAND
23282 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_COMMAND
23283 @item gdb.COMPLETE_COMMAND
23284 This constant means that completion should examine @value{GDBN}
23285 command names.
23286
23287 @findex COMPLETE_SYMBOL
23288 @findex gdb.COMPLETE_SYMBOL
23289 @item gdb.COMPLETE_SYMBOL
23290 This constant means that completion should be done using symbol names
23291 as the source.
23292 @end table
23293
23294 The following code snippet shows how a trivial CLI command can be
23295 implemented in Python:
23296
23297 @smallexample
23298 class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
23299 """Greet the whole world."""
23300
23301 def __init__ (self):
23302 super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)
23303
23304 def invoke (self, arg, from_tty):
23305 print "Hello, World!"
23306
23307 HelloWorld ()
23308 @end smallexample
23309
23310 The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
23311 registration of the command with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
23312 Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
23313 @code{gdb} module explicitly.
23314
23315 @node Parameters In Python
23316 @subsubsection Parameters In Python
23317
23318 @cindex parameters in python
23319 @cindex python parameters
23320 @tindex gdb.Parameter
23321 @tindex Parameter
23322 You can implement new @value{GDBN} parameters using Python. A new
23323 parameter is implemented as an instance of the @code{gdb.Parameter}
23324 class.
23325
23326 Parameters are exposed to the user via the @code{set} and
23327 @code{show} commands. @xref{Help}.
23328
23329 There are many parameters that already exist and can be set in
23330 @value{GDBN}. Two examples are: @code{set follow fork} and
23331 @code{set charset}. Setting these parameters influences certain
23332 behavior in @value{GDBN}. Similarly, you can define parameters that
23333 can be used to influence behavior in custom Python scripts and commands.
23334
23335 @defun Parameter.__init__ (name, @var{command-class}, @var{parameter-class} @r{[}, @var{enum-sequence}@r{]})
23336 The object initializer for @code{Parameter} registers the new
23337 parameter with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked
23338 from the subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
23339
23340 @var{name} is the name of the new parameter. If @var{name} consists
23341 of multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
23342 parameters. An example of this can be illustrated with the
23343 @code{set print} set of parameters. If @var{name} is
23344 @code{print foo}, then @code{print} will be searched as the prefix
23345 parameter. In this case the parameter can subsequently be accessed in
23346 @value{GDBN} as @code{set print foo}.
23347
23348 If @var{name} consists of multiple words, and no prefix parameter group
23349 can be found, an exception is raised.
23350
23351 @var{command-class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
23352 (@pxref{Commands In Python}). This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to
23353 categorize the new parameter in the help system.
23354
23355 @var{parameter-class} should be one of the @samp{PARAM_} constants
23356 defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} the type of the new
23357 parameter; this information is used for input validation and
23358 completion.
23359
23360 If @var{parameter-class} is @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then
23361 @var{enum-sequence} must be a sequence of strings. These strings
23362 represent the possible values for the parameter.
23363
23364 If @var{parameter-class} is not @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then the presence
23365 of a fourth argument will cause an exception to be thrown.
23366
23367 The help text for the new parameter is taken from the Python
23368 documentation string for the parameter's class, if there is one. If
23369 there is no documentation string, a default value is used.
23370 @end defun
23371
23372 @defvar Parameter.set_doc
23373 If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
23374 the help text for this parameter's @code{set} command. The value is
23375 examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
23376 have no effect.
23377 @end defvar
23378
23379 @defvar Parameter.show_doc
23380 If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
23381 the help text for this parameter's @code{show} command. The value is
23382 examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
23383 have no effect.
23384 @end defvar
23385
23386 @defvar Parameter.value
23387 The @code{value} attribute holds the underlying value of the
23388 parameter. It can be read and assigned to just as any other
23389 attribute. @value{GDBN} does validation when assignments are made.
23390 @end defvar
23391
23392 There are two methods that should be implemented in any
23393 @code{Parameter} class. These are:
23394
23395 @defun Parameter.get_set_string (self)
23396 @value{GDBN} will call this method when a @var{parameter}'s value has
23397 been changed via the @code{set} API (for example, @kbd{set foo off}).
23398 The @code{value} attribute has already been populated with the new
23399 value and may be used in output. This method must return a string.
23400 @end defun
23401
23402 @defun Parameter.get_show_string (self, svalue)
23403 @value{GDBN} will call this method when a @var{parameter}'s
23404 @code{show} API has been invoked (for example, @kbd{show foo}). The
23405 argument @code{svalue} receives the string representation of the
23406 current value. This method must return a string.
23407 @end defun
23408
23409 When a new parameter is defined, its type must be specified. The
23410 available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
23411 module:
23412
23413 @table @code
23414 @findex PARAM_BOOLEAN
23415 @findex gdb.PARAM_BOOLEAN
23416 @item gdb.PARAM_BOOLEAN
23417 The value is a plain boolean. The Python boolean values, @code{True}
23418 and @code{False} are the only valid values.
23419
23420 @findex PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
23421 @findex gdb.PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
23422 @item gdb.PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
23423 The value has three possible states: true, false, and @samp{auto}. In
23424 Python, true and false are represented using boolean constants, and
23425 @samp{auto} is represented using @code{None}.
23426
23427 @findex PARAM_UINTEGER
23428 @findex gdb.PARAM_UINTEGER
23429 @item gdb.PARAM_UINTEGER
23430 The value is an unsigned integer. The value of 0 should be
23431 interpreted to mean ``unlimited''.
23432
23433 @findex PARAM_INTEGER
23434 @findex gdb.PARAM_INTEGER
23435 @item gdb.PARAM_INTEGER
23436 The value is a signed integer. The value of 0 should be interpreted
23437 to mean ``unlimited''.
23438
23439 @findex PARAM_STRING
23440 @findex gdb.PARAM_STRING
23441 @item gdb.PARAM_STRING
23442 The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, any escape
23443 sequences, such as @samp{\t}, @samp{\f}, and octal escapes, are
23444 translated into corresponding characters and encoded into the current
23445 host charset.
23446
23447 @findex PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
23448 @findex gdb.PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
23449 @item gdb.PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
23450 The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, escapes are
23451 passed through untranslated.
23452
23453 @findex PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
23454 @findex gdb.PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
23455 @item gdb.PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
23456 The value is a either a filename (a string), or @code{None}.
23457
23458 @findex PARAM_FILENAME
23459 @findex gdb.PARAM_FILENAME
23460 @item gdb.PARAM_FILENAME
23461 The value is a filename. This is just like
23462 @code{PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE}, but uses file names for completion.
23463
23464 @findex PARAM_ZINTEGER
23465 @findex gdb.PARAM_ZINTEGER
23466 @item gdb.PARAM_ZINTEGER
23467 The value is an integer. This is like @code{PARAM_INTEGER}, except 0
23468 is interpreted as itself.
23469
23470 @findex PARAM_ENUM
23471 @findex gdb.PARAM_ENUM
23472 @item gdb.PARAM_ENUM
23473 The value is a string, which must be one of a collection string
23474 constants provided when the parameter is created.
23475 @end table
23476
23477 @node Functions In Python
23478 @subsubsection Writing new convenience functions
23479
23480 @cindex writing convenience functions
23481 @cindex convenience functions in python
23482 @cindex python convenience functions
23483 @tindex gdb.Function
23484 @tindex Function
23485 You can implement new convenience functions (@pxref{Convenience Vars})
23486 in Python. A convenience function is an instance of a subclass of the
23487 class @code{gdb.Function}.
23488
23489 @defun Function.__init__ (name)
23490 The initializer for @code{Function} registers the new function with
23491 @value{GDBN}. The argument @var{name} is the name of the function,
23492 a string. The function will be visible to the user as a convenience
23493 variable of type @code{internal function}, whose name is the same as
23494 the given @var{name}.
23495
23496 The documentation for the new function is taken from the documentation
23497 string for the new class.
23498 @end defun
23499
23500 @defun Function.invoke (@var{*args})
23501 When a convenience function is evaluated, its arguments are converted
23502 to instances of @code{gdb.Value}, and then the function's
23503 @code{invoke} method is called. Note that @value{GDBN} does not
23504 predetermine the arity of convenience functions. Instead, all
23505 available arguments are passed to @code{invoke}, following the
23506 standard Python calling convention. In particular, a convenience
23507 function can have default values for parameters without ill effect.
23508
23509 The return value of this method is used as its value in the enclosing
23510 expression. If an ordinary Python value is returned, it is converted
23511 to a @code{gdb.Value} following the usual rules.
23512 @end defun
23513
23514 The following code snippet shows how a trivial convenience function can
23515 be implemented in Python:
23516
23517 @smallexample
23518 class Greet (gdb.Function):
23519 """Return string to greet someone.
23520 Takes a name as argument."""
23521
23522 def __init__ (self):
23523 super (Greet, self).__init__ ("greet")
23524
23525 def invoke (self, name):
23526 return "Hello, %s!" % name.string ()
23527
23528 Greet ()
23529 @end smallexample
23530
23531 The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
23532 registration of the function with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
23533 Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
23534 @code{gdb} module explicitly.
23535
23536 @node Progspaces In Python
23537 @subsubsection Program Spaces In Python
23538
23539 @cindex progspaces in python
23540 @tindex gdb.Progspace
23541 @tindex Progspace
23542 A program space, or @dfn{progspace}, represents a symbolic view
23543 of an address space.
23544 It consists of all of the objfiles of the program.
23545 @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
23546 @xref{Inferiors and Programs, program spaces}, for more details
23547 about program spaces.
23548
23549 The following progspace-related functions are available in the
23550 @code{gdb} module:
23551
23552 @findex gdb.current_progspace
23553 @defun gdb.current_progspace ()
23554 This function returns the program space of the currently selected inferior.
23555 @xref{Inferiors and Programs}.
23556 @end defun
23557
23558 @findex gdb.progspaces
23559 @defun gdb.progspaces ()
23560 Return a sequence of all the progspaces currently known to @value{GDBN}.
23561 @end defun
23562
23563 Each progspace is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Progspace}
23564 class.
23565
23566 @defvar Progspace.filename
23567 The file name of the progspace as a string.
23568 @end defvar
23569
23570 @defvar Progspace.pretty_printers
23571 The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
23572 used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
23573 function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
23574 search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
23575 which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
23576 information.
23577 @end defvar
23578
23579 @node Objfiles In Python
23580 @subsubsection Objfiles In Python
23581
23582 @cindex objfiles in python
23583 @tindex gdb.Objfile
23584 @tindex Objfile
23585 @value{GDBN} loads symbols for an inferior from various
23586 symbol-containing files (@pxref{Files}). These include the primary
23587 executable file, any shared libraries used by the inferior, and any
23588 separate debug info files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}).
23589 @value{GDBN} calls these symbol-containing files @dfn{objfiles}.
23590
23591 The following objfile-related functions are available in the
23592 @code{gdb} module:
23593
23594 @findex gdb.current_objfile
23595 @defun gdb.current_objfile ()
23596 When auto-loading a Python script (@pxref{Auto-loading}), @value{GDBN}
23597 sets the ``current objfile'' to the corresponding objfile. This
23598 function returns the current objfile. If there is no current objfile,
23599 this function returns @code{None}.
23600 @end defun
23601
23602 @findex gdb.objfiles
23603 @defun gdb.objfiles ()
23604 Return a sequence of all the objfiles current known to @value{GDBN}.
23605 @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
23606 @end defun
23607
23608 Each objfile is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Objfile}
23609 class.
23610
23611 @defvar Objfile.filename
23612 The file name of the objfile as a string.
23613 @end defvar
23614
23615 @defvar Objfile.pretty_printers
23616 The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
23617 used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
23618 function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
23619 search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
23620 which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
23621 information.
23622 @end defvar
23623
23624 A @code{gdb.Objfile} object has the following methods:
23625
23626 @defun Objfile.is_valid ()
23627 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Objfile} object is valid,
23628 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Objfile} object can become invalid
23629 if the object file it refers to is not loaded in @value{GDBN} any
23630 longer. All other @code{gdb.Objfile} methods will throw an exception
23631 if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
23632 @end defun
23633
23634 @node Frames In Python
23635 @subsubsection Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
23636
23637 @cindex frames in python
23638 When the debugged program stops, @value{GDBN} is able to analyze its call
23639 stack (@pxref{Frames,,Stack frames}). The @code{gdb.Frame} class
23640 represents a frame in the stack. A @code{gdb.Frame} object is only valid
23641 while its corresponding frame exists in the inferior's stack. If you try
23642 to use an invalid frame object, @value{GDBN} will throw a @code{gdb.error}
23643 exception (@pxref{Exception Handling}).
23644
23645 Two @code{gdb.Frame} objects can be compared for equality with the @code{==}
23646 operator, like:
23647
23648 @smallexample
23649 (@value{GDBP}) python print gdb.newest_frame() == gdb.selected_frame ()
23650 True
23651 @end smallexample
23652
23653 The following frame-related functions are available in the @code{gdb} module:
23654
23655 @findex gdb.selected_frame
23656 @defun gdb.selected_frame ()
23657 Return the selected frame object. (@pxref{Selection,,Selecting a Frame}).
23658 @end defun
23659
23660 @findex gdb.newest_frame
23661 @defun gdb.newest_frame ()
23662 Return the newest frame object for the selected thread.
23663 @end defun
23664
23665 @defun gdb.frame_stop_reason_string (reason)
23666 Return a string explaining the reason why @value{GDBN} stopped unwinding
23667 frames, as expressed by the given @var{reason} code (an integer, see the
23668 @code{unwind_stop_reason} method further down in this section).
23669 @end defun
23670
23671 A @code{gdb.Frame} object has the following methods:
23672
23673 @table @code
23674 @defun Frame.is_valid ()
23675 Returns true if the @code{gdb.Frame} object is valid, false if not.
23676 A frame object can become invalid if the frame it refers to doesn't
23677 exist anymore in the inferior. All @code{gdb.Frame} methods will throw
23678 an exception if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
23679 @end defun
23680
23681 @defun Frame.name ()
23682 Returns the function name of the frame, or @code{None} if it can't be
23683 obtained.
23684 @end defun
23685
23686 @defun Frame.type ()
23687 Returns the type of the frame. The value can be one of:
23688 @table @code
23689 @item gdb.NORMAL_FRAME
23690 An ordinary stack frame.
23691
23692 @item gdb.DUMMY_FRAME
23693 A fake stack frame that was created by @value{GDBN} when performing an
23694 inferior function call.
23695
23696 @item gdb.INLINE_FRAME
23697 A frame representing an inlined function. The function was inlined
23698 into a @code{gdb.NORMAL_FRAME} that is older than this one.
23699
23700 @item gdb.TAILCALL_FRAME
23701 A frame representing a tail call. @xref{Tail Call Frames}.
23702
23703 @item gdb.SIGTRAMP_FRAME
23704 A signal trampoline frame. This is the frame created by the OS when
23705 it calls into a signal handler.
23706
23707 @item gdb.ARCH_FRAME
23708 A fake stack frame representing a cross-architecture call.
23709
23710 @item gdb.SENTINEL_FRAME
23711 This is like @code{gdb.NORMAL_FRAME}, but it is only used for the
23712 newest frame.
23713 @end table
23714 @end defun
23715
23716 @defun Frame.unwind_stop_reason ()
23717 Return an integer representing the reason why it's not possible to find
23718 more frames toward the outermost frame. Use
23719 @code{gdb.frame_stop_reason_string} to convert the value returned by this
23720 function to a string. The value can be one of:
23721
23722 @table @code
23723 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NO_REASON
23724 No particular reason (older frames should be available).
23725
23726 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NULL_ID
23727 The previous frame's analyzer returns an invalid result.
23728
23729 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_OUTERMOST
23730 This frame is the outermost.
23731
23732 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_UNAVAILABLE
23733 Cannot unwind further, because that would require knowing the
23734 values of registers or memory that have not been collected.
23735
23736 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_INNER_ID
23737 This frame ID looks like it ought to belong to a NEXT frame,
23738 but we got it for a PREV frame. Normally, this is a sign of
23739 unwinder failure. It could also indicate stack corruption.
23740
23741 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_SAME_ID
23742 This frame has the same ID as the previous one. That means
23743 that unwinding further would almost certainly give us another
23744 frame with exactly the same ID, so break the chain. Normally,
23745 this is a sign of unwinder failure. It could also indicate
23746 stack corruption.
23747
23748 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NO_SAVED_PC
23749 The frame unwinder did not find any saved PC, but we needed
23750 one to unwind further.
23751
23752 @item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_FIRST_ERROR
23753 Any stop reason greater or equal to this value indicates some kind
23754 of error. This special value facilitates writing code that tests
23755 for errors in unwinding in a way that will work correctly even if
23756 the list of the other values is modified in future @value{GDBN}
23757 versions. Using it, you could write:
23758 @smallexample
23759 reason = gdb.selected_frame().unwind_stop_reason ()
23760 reason_str = gdb.frame_stop_reason_string (reason)
23761 if reason >= gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_FIRST_ERROR:
23762 print "An error occured: %s" % reason_str
23763 @end smallexample
23764 @end table
23765
23766 @end defun
23767
23768 @defun Frame.pc ()
23769 Returns the frame's resume address.
23770 @end defun
23771
23772 @defun Frame.block ()
23773 Return the frame's code block. @xref{Blocks In Python}.
23774 @end defun
23775
23776 @defun Frame.function ()
23777 Return the symbol for the function corresponding to this frame.
23778 @xref{Symbols In Python}.
23779 @end defun
23780
23781 @defun Frame.older ()
23782 Return the frame that called this frame.
23783 @end defun
23784
23785 @defun Frame.newer ()
23786 Return the frame called by this frame.
23787 @end defun
23788
23789 @defun Frame.find_sal ()
23790 Return the frame's symtab and line object.
23791 @xref{Symbol Tables In Python}.
23792 @end defun
23793
23794 @defun Frame.read_var (variable @r{[}, block@r{]})
23795 Return the value of @var{variable} in this frame. If the optional
23796 argument @var{block} is provided, search for the variable from that
23797 block; otherwise start at the frame's current block (which is
23798 determined by the frame's current program counter). @var{variable}
23799 must be a string or a @code{gdb.Symbol} object. @var{block} must be a
23800 @code{gdb.Block} object.
23801 @end defun
23802
23803 @defun Frame.select ()
23804 Set this frame to be the selected frame. @xref{Stack, ,Examining the
23805 Stack}.
23806 @end defun
23807 @end table
23808
23809 @node Blocks In Python
23810 @subsubsection Accessing frame blocks from Python.
23811
23812 @cindex blocks in python
23813 @tindex gdb.Block
23814
23815 Within each frame, @value{GDBN} maintains information on each block
23816 stored in that frame. These blocks are organized hierarchically, and
23817 are represented individually in Python as a @code{gdb.Block}.
23818 Please see @ref{Frames In Python}, for a more in-depth discussion on
23819 frames. Furthermore, see @ref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}, for more
23820 detailed technical information on @value{GDBN}'s book-keeping of the
23821 stack.
23822
23823 The following block-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
23824 module:
23825
23826 @findex gdb.block_for_pc
23827 @defun gdb.block_for_pc (pc)
23828 Return the @code{gdb.Block} containing the given @var{pc} value. If the
23829 block cannot be found for the @var{pc} value specified, the function
23830 will return @code{None}.
23831 @end defun
23832
23833 A @code{gdb.Block} object has the following methods:
23834
23835 @table @code
23836 @defun Block.is_valid ()
23837 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is valid,
23838 @code{False} if not. A block object can become invalid if the block it
23839 refers to doesn't exist anymore in the inferior. All other
23840 @code{gdb.Block} methods will throw an exception if it is invalid at
23841 the time the method is called. This method is also made available to
23842 the Python iterator object that @code{gdb.Block} provides in an iteration
23843 context and via the Python @code{iter} built-in function.
23844 @end defun
23845 @end table
23846
23847 A @code{gdb.Block} object has the following attributes:
23848
23849 @table @code
23850 @defvar Block.start
23851 The start address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
23852 @end defvar
23853
23854 @defvar Block.end
23855 The end address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
23856 @end defvar
23857
23858 @defvar Block.function
23859 The name of the block represented as a @code{gdb.Symbol}. If the
23860 block is not named, then this attribute holds @code{None}. This
23861 attribute is not writable.
23862 @end defvar
23863
23864 @defvar Block.superblock
23865 The block containing this block. If this parent block does not exist,
23866 this attribute holds @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
23867 @end defvar
23868
23869 @defvar Block.global_block
23870 The global block associated with this block. This attribute is not
23871 writable.
23872 @end defvar
23873
23874 @defvar Block.static_block
23875 The static block associated with this block. This attribute is not
23876 writable.
23877 @end defvar
23878
23879 @defvar Block.is_global
23880 @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is a global block,
23881 @code{False} if not. This attribute is not
23882 writable.
23883 @end defvar
23884
23885 @defvar Block.is_static
23886 @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is a static block,
23887 @code{False} if not. This attribute is not writable.
23888 @end defvar
23889 @end table
23890
23891 @node Symbols In Python
23892 @subsubsection Python representation of Symbols.
23893
23894 @cindex symbols in python
23895 @tindex gdb.Symbol
23896
23897 @value{GDBN} represents every variable, function and type as an
23898 entry in a symbol table. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
23899 Similarly, Python represents these symbols in @value{GDBN} with the
23900 @code{gdb.Symbol} object.
23901
23902 The following symbol-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
23903 module:
23904
23905 @findex gdb.lookup_symbol
23906 @defun gdb.lookup_symbol (name @r{[}, block @r{[}, domain@r{]]})
23907 This function searches for a symbol by name. The search scope can be
23908 restricted to the parameters defined in the optional domain and block
23909 arguments.
23910
23911 @var{name} is the name of the symbol. It must be a string. The
23912 optional @var{block} argument restricts the search to symbols visible
23913 in that @var{block}. The @var{block} argument must be a
23914 @code{gdb.Block} object. If omitted, the block for the current frame
23915 is used. The optional @var{domain} argument restricts
23916 the search to the domain type. The @var{domain} argument must be a
23917 domain constant defined in the @code{gdb} module and described later
23918 in this chapter.
23919
23920 The result is a tuple of two elements.
23921 The first element is a @code{gdb.Symbol} object or @code{None} if the symbol
23922 is not found.
23923 If the symbol is found, the second element is @code{True} if the symbol
23924 is a field of a method's object (e.g., @code{this} in C@t{++}),
23925 otherwise it is @code{False}.
23926 If the symbol is not found, the second element is @code{False}.
23927 @end defun
23928
23929 @findex gdb.lookup_global_symbol
23930 @defun gdb.lookup_global_symbol (name @r{[}, domain@r{]})
23931 This function searches for a global symbol by name.
23932 The search scope can be restricted to by the domain argument.
23933
23934 @var{name} is the name of the symbol. It must be a string.
23935 The optional @var{domain} argument restricts the search to the domain type.
23936 The @var{domain} argument must be a domain constant defined in the @code{gdb}
23937 module and described later in this chapter.
23938
23939 The result is a @code{gdb.Symbol} object or @code{None} if the symbol
23940 is not found.
23941 @end defun
23942
23943 A @code{gdb.Symbol} object has the following attributes:
23944
23945 @table @code
23946 @defvar Symbol.type
23947 The type of the symbol or @code{None} if no type is recorded.
23948 This attribute is represented as a @code{gdb.Type} object.
23949 @xref{Types In Python}. This attribute is not writable.
23950 @end defvar
23951
23952 @defvar Symbol.symtab
23953 The symbol table in which the symbol appears. This attribute is
23954 represented as a @code{gdb.Symtab} object. @xref{Symbol Tables In
23955 Python}. This attribute is not writable.
23956 @end defvar
23957
23958 @defvar Symbol.name
23959 The name of the symbol as a string. This attribute is not writable.
23960 @end defvar
23961
23962 @defvar Symbol.linkage_name
23963 The name of the symbol, as used by the linker (i.e., may be mangled).
23964 This attribute is not writable.
23965 @end defvar
23966
23967 @defvar Symbol.print_name
23968 The name of the symbol in a form suitable for output. This is either
23969 @code{name} or @code{linkage_name}, depending on whether the user
23970 asked @value{GDBN} to display demangled or mangled names.
23971 @end defvar
23972
23973 @defvar Symbol.addr_class
23974 The address class of the symbol. This classifies how to find the value
23975 of a symbol. Each address class is a constant defined in the
23976 @code{gdb} module and described later in this chapter.
23977 @end defvar
23978
23979 @defvar Symbol.is_argument
23980 @code{True} if the symbol is an argument of a function.
23981 @end defvar
23982
23983 @defvar Symbol.is_constant
23984 @code{True} if the symbol is a constant.
23985 @end defvar
23986
23987 @defvar Symbol.is_function
23988 @code{True} if the symbol is a function or a method.
23989 @end defvar
23990
23991 @defvar Symbol.is_variable
23992 @code{True} if the symbol is a variable.
23993 @end defvar
23994 @end table
23995
23996 A @code{gdb.Symbol} object has the following methods:
23997
23998 @table @code
23999 @defun Symbol.is_valid ()
24000 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symbol} object is valid,
24001 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symbol} object can become invalid if
24002 the symbol it refers to does not exist in @value{GDBN} any longer.
24003 All other @code{gdb.Symbol} methods will throw an exception if it is
24004 invalid at the time the method is called.
24005 @end defun
24006 @end table
24007
24008 The available domain categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
24009 as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
24010
24011 @table @code
24012 @findex SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
24013 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
24014 @item gdb.SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
24015 This is used when a domain has not been discovered or none of the
24016 following domains apply. This usually indicates an error either
24017 in the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
24018 @findex SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
24019 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
24020 @item gdb.SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
24021 This domain contains variables, function names, typedef names and enum
24022 type values.
24023 @findex SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
24024 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
24025 @item gdb.SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
24026 This domain holds struct, union and enum type names.
24027 @findex SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
24028 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
24029 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
24030 This domain contains names of labels (for gotos).
24031 @findex SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
24032 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
24033 @item gdb.SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
24034 This domain holds a subset of the @code{SYMBOLS_VAR_DOMAIN}; it
24035 contains everything minus functions and types.
24036 @findex SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
24037 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
24038 @item gdb.SYMBOL_FUNCTION_DOMAIN
24039 This domain contains all functions.
24040 @findex SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
24041 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
24042 @item gdb.SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
24043 This domain contains all types.
24044 @end table
24045
24046 The available address class categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
24047 as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
24048
24049 @table @code
24050 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
24051 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
24052 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
24053 If this is returned by address class, it indicates an error either in
24054 the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
24055 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
24056 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
24057 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
24058 Value is constant int.
24059 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
24060 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
24061 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
24062 Value is at a fixed address.
24063 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
24064 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
24065 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
24066 Value is in a register.
24067 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
24068 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
24069 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
24070 Value is an argument. This value is at the offset stored within the
24071 symbol inside the frame's argument list.
24072 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
24073 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
24074 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
24075 Value address is stored in the frame's argument list. Just like
24076 @code{LOC_ARG} except that the value's address is stored at the
24077 offset, not the value itself.
24078 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
24079 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
24080 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
24081 Value is a specified register. Just like @code{LOC_REGISTER} except
24082 the register holds the address of the argument instead of the argument
24083 itself.
24084 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
24085 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
24086 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
24087 Value is a local variable.
24088 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
24089 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
24090 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
24091 Value not used. Symbols in the domain @code{SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN} all
24092 have this class.
24093 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
24094 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
24095 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
24096 Value is a block.
24097 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
24098 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
24099 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
24100 Value is a byte-sequence.
24101 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
24102 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
24103 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
24104 Value is at a fixed address, but the address of the variable has to be
24105 determined from the minimal symbol table whenever the variable is
24106 referenced.
24107 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
24108 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
24109 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
24110 The value does not actually exist in the program.
24111 @findex SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
24112 @findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
24113 @item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
24114 The value's address is a computed location.
24115 @end table
24116
24117 @node Symbol Tables In Python
24118 @subsubsection Symbol table representation in Python.
24119
24120 @cindex symbol tables in python
24121 @tindex gdb.Symtab
24122 @tindex gdb.Symtab_and_line
24123
24124 Access to symbol table data maintained by @value{GDBN} on the inferior
24125 is exposed to Python via two objects: @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} and
24126 @code{gdb.Symtab}. Symbol table and line data for a frame is returned
24127 from the @code{find_sal} method in @code{gdb.Frame} object.
24128 @xref{Frames In Python}.
24129
24130 For more information on @value{GDBN}'s symbol table management, see
24131 @ref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, for more information.
24132
24133 A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object has the following attributes:
24134
24135 @table @code
24136 @defvar Symtab_and_line.symtab
24137 The symbol table object (@code{gdb.Symtab}) for this frame.
24138 This attribute is not writable.
24139 @end defvar
24140
24141 @defvar Symtab_and_line.pc
24142 Indicates the current program counter address. This attribute is not
24143 writable.
24144 @end defvar
24145
24146 @defvar Symtab_and_line.line
24147 Indicates the current line number for this object. This
24148 attribute is not writable.
24149 @end defvar
24150 @end table
24151
24152 A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object has the following methods:
24153
24154 @table @code
24155 @defun Symtab_and_line.is_valid ()
24156 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object is valid,
24157 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object can become
24158 invalid if the Symbol table and line object it refers to does not
24159 exist in @value{GDBN} any longer. All other
24160 @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} methods will throw an exception if it is
24161 invalid at the time the method is called.
24162 @end defun
24163 @end table
24164
24165 A @code{gdb.Symtab} object has the following attributes:
24166
24167 @table @code
24168 @defvar Symtab.filename
24169 The symbol table's source filename. This attribute is not writable.
24170 @end defvar
24171
24172 @defvar Symtab.objfile
24173 The symbol table's backing object file. @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
24174 This attribute is not writable.
24175 @end defvar
24176 @end table
24177
24178 A @code{gdb.Symtab} object has the following methods:
24179
24180 @table @code
24181 @defun Symtab.is_valid ()
24182 Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symtab} object is valid,
24183 @code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symtab} object can become invalid if
24184 the symbol table it refers to does not exist in @value{GDBN} any
24185 longer. All other @code{gdb.Symtab} methods will throw an exception
24186 if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
24187 @end defun
24188
24189 @defun Symtab.fullname ()
24190 Return the symbol table's source absolute file name.
24191 @end defun
24192 @end table
24193
24194 @node Breakpoints In Python
24195 @subsubsection Manipulating breakpoints using Python
24196
24197 @cindex breakpoints in python
24198 @tindex gdb.Breakpoint
24199
24200 Python code can manipulate breakpoints via the @code{gdb.Breakpoint}
24201 class.
24202
24203 @defun Breakpoint.__init__ (spec @r{[}, type @r{[}, wp_class @r{[},internal@r{]]]})
24204 Create a new breakpoint. @var{spec} is a string naming the
24205 location of the breakpoint, or an expression that defines a
24206 watchpoint. The contents can be any location recognized by the
24207 @code{break} command, or in the case of a watchpoint, by the @code{watch}
24208 command. The optional @var{type} denotes the breakpoint to create
24209 from the types defined later in this chapter. This argument can be
24210 either: @code{gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT} or @code{gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT}. @var{type}
24211 defaults to @code{gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT}. The optional @var{internal} argument
24212 allows the breakpoint to become invisible to the user. The breakpoint
24213 will neither be reported when created, nor will it be listed in the
24214 output from @code{info breakpoints} (but will be listed with the
24215 @code{maint info breakpoints} command). The optional @var{wp_class}
24216 argument defines the class of watchpoint to create, if @var{type} is
24217 @code{gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT}. If a watchpoint class is not provided, it is
24218 assumed to be a @code{gdb.WP_WRITE} class.
24219 @end defun
24220
24221 @defun Breakpoint.stop (self)
24222 The @code{gdb.Breakpoint} class can be sub-classed and, in
24223 particular, you may choose to implement the @code{stop} method.
24224 If this method is defined as a sub-class of @code{gdb.Breakpoint},
24225 it will be called when the inferior reaches any location of a
24226 breakpoint which instantiates that sub-class. If the method returns
24227 @code{True}, the inferior will be stopped at the location of the
24228 breakpoint, otherwise the inferior will continue.
24229
24230 If there are multiple breakpoints at the same location with a
24231 @code{stop} method, each one will be called regardless of the
24232 return status of the previous. This ensures that all @code{stop}
24233 methods have a chance to execute at that location. In this scenario
24234 if one of the methods returns @code{True} but the others return
24235 @code{False}, the inferior will still be stopped.
24236
24237 You should not alter the execution state of the inferior (i.e.@:, step,
24238 next, etc.), alter the current frame context (i.e.@:, change the current
24239 active frame), or alter, add or delete any breakpoint. As a general
24240 rule, you should not alter any data within @value{GDBN} or the inferior
24241 at this time.
24242
24243 Example @code{stop} implementation:
24244
24245 @smallexample
24246 class MyBreakpoint (gdb.Breakpoint):
24247 def stop (self):
24248 inf_val = gdb.parse_and_eval("foo")
24249 if inf_val == 3:
24250 return True
24251 return False
24252 @end smallexample
24253 @end defun
24254
24255 The available watchpoint types represented by constants are defined in the
24256 @code{gdb} module:
24257
24258 @table @code
24259 @findex WP_READ
24260 @findex gdb.WP_READ
24261 @item gdb.WP_READ
24262 Read only watchpoint.
24263
24264 @findex WP_WRITE
24265 @findex gdb.WP_WRITE
24266 @item gdb.WP_WRITE
24267 Write only watchpoint.
24268
24269 @findex WP_ACCESS
24270 @findex gdb.WP_ACCESS
24271 @item gdb.WP_ACCESS
24272 Read/Write watchpoint.
24273 @end table
24274
24275 @defun Breakpoint.is_valid ()
24276 Return @code{True} if this @code{Breakpoint} object is valid,
24277 @code{False} otherwise. A @code{Breakpoint} object can become invalid
24278 if the user deletes the breakpoint. In this case, the object still
24279 exists, but the underlying breakpoint does not. In the cases of
24280 watchpoint scope, the watchpoint remains valid even if execution of the
24281 inferior leaves the scope of that watchpoint.
24282 @end defun
24283
24284 @defun Breakpoint.delete
24285 Permanently deletes the @value{GDBN} breakpoint. This also
24286 invalidates the Python @code{Breakpoint} object. Any further access
24287 to this object's attributes or methods will raise an error.
24288 @end defun
24289
24290 @defvar Breakpoint.enabled
24291 This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is enabled, and
24292 @code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
24293 @end defvar
24294
24295 @defvar Breakpoint.silent
24296 This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is silent, and
24297 @code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
24298
24299 Note that a breakpoint can also be silent if it has commands and the
24300 first command is @code{silent}. This is not reported by the
24301 @code{silent} attribute.
24302 @end defvar
24303
24304 @defvar Breakpoint.thread
24305 If the breakpoint is thread-specific, this attribute holds the thread
24306 id. If the breakpoint is not thread-specific, this attribute is
24307 @code{None}. This attribute is writable.
24308 @end defvar
24309
24310 @defvar Breakpoint.task
24311 If the breakpoint is Ada task-specific, this attribute holds the Ada task
24312 id. If the breakpoint is not task-specific (or the underlying
24313 language is not Ada), this attribute is @code{None}. This attribute
24314 is writable.
24315 @end defvar
24316
24317 @defvar Breakpoint.ignore_count
24318 This attribute holds the ignore count for the breakpoint, an integer.
24319 This attribute is writable.
24320 @end defvar
24321
24322 @defvar Breakpoint.number
24323 This attribute holds the breakpoint's number --- the identifier used by
24324 the user to manipulate the breakpoint. This attribute is not writable.
24325 @end defvar
24326
24327 @defvar Breakpoint.type
24328 This attribute holds the breakpoint's type --- the identifier used to
24329 determine the actual breakpoint type or use-case. This attribute is not
24330 writable.
24331 @end defvar
24332
24333 @defvar Breakpoint.visible
24334 This attribute tells whether the breakpoint is visible to the user
24335 when set, or when the @samp{info breakpoints} command is run. This
24336 attribute is not writable.
24337 @end defvar
24338
24339 The available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
24340 module:
24341
24342 @table @code
24343 @findex BP_BREAKPOINT
24344 @findex gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT
24345 @item gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT
24346 Normal code breakpoint.
24347
24348 @findex BP_WATCHPOINT
24349 @findex gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT
24350 @item gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT
24351 Watchpoint breakpoint.
24352
24353 @findex BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
24354 @findex gdb.BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
24355 @item gdb.BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
24356 Hardware assisted watchpoint.
24357
24358 @findex BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
24359 @findex gdb.BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
24360 @item gdb.BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
24361 Hardware assisted read watchpoint.
24362
24363 @findex BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
24364 @findex gdb.BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
24365 @item gdb.BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
24366 Hardware assisted access watchpoint.
24367 @end table
24368
24369 @defvar Breakpoint.hit_count
24370 This attribute holds the hit count for the breakpoint, an integer.
24371 This attribute is writable, but currently it can only be set to zero.
24372 @end defvar
24373
24374 @defvar Breakpoint.location
24375 This attribute holds the location of the breakpoint, as specified by
24376 the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have a location
24377 (that is, it is a watchpoint) the attribute's value is @code{None}. This
24378 attribute is not writable.
24379 @end defvar
24380
24381 @defvar Breakpoint.expression
24382 This attribute holds a breakpoint expression, as specified by
24383 the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have an
24384 expression (the breakpoint is not a watchpoint) the attribute's value
24385 is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
24386 @end defvar
24387
24388 @defvar Breakpoint.condition
24389 This attribute holds the condition of the breakpoint, as specified by
24390 the user. It is a string. If there is no condition, this attribute's
24391 value is @code{None}. This attribute is writable.
24392 @end defvar
24393
24394 @defvar Breakpoint.commands
24395 This attribute holds the commands attached to the breakpoint. If
24396 there are commands, this attribute's value is a string holding all the
24397 commands, separated by newlines. If there are no commands, this
24398 attribute is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
24399 @end defvar
24400
24401 @node Finish Breakpoints in Python
24402 @subsubsection Finish Breakpoints
24403
24404 @cindex python finish breakpoints
24405 @tindex gdb.FinishBreakpoint
24406
24407 A finish breakpoint is a temporary breakpoint set at the return address of
24408 a frame, based on the @code{finish} command. @code{gdb.FinishBreakpoint}
24409 extends @code{gdb.Breakpoint}. The underlying breakpoint will be disabled
24410 and deleted when the execution will run out of the breakpoint scope (i.e.@:
24411 @code{Breakpoint.stop} or @code{FinishBreakpoint.out_of_scope} triggered).
24412 Finish breakpoints are thread specific and must be create with the right
24413 thread selected.
24414
24415 @defun FinishBreakpoint.__init__ (@r{[}frame@r{]} @r{[}, internal@r{]})
24416 Create a finish breakpoint at the return address of the @code{gdb.Frame}
24417 object @var{frame}. If @var{frame} is not provided, this defaults to the
24418 newest frame. The optional @var{internal} argument allows the breakpoint to
24419 become invisible to the user. @xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for further
24420 details about this argument.
24421 @end defun
24422
24423 @defun FinishBreakpoint.out_of_scope (self)
24424 In some circumstances (e.g.@: @code{longjmp}, C@t{++} exceptions, @value{GDBN}
24425 @code{return} command, @dots{}), a function may not properly terminate, and
24426 thus never hit the finish breakpoint. When @value{GDBN} notices such a
24427 situation, the @code{out_of_scope} callback will be triggered.
24428
24429 You may want to sub-class @code{gdb.FinishBreakpoint} and override this
24430 method:
24431
24432 @smallexample
24433 class MyFinishBreakpoint (gdb.FinishBreakpoint)
24434 def stop (self):
24435 print "normal finish"
24436 return True
24437
24438 def out_of_scope ():
24439 print "abnormal finish"
24440 @end smallexample
24441 @end defun
24442
24443 @defvar FinishBreakpoint.return_value
24444 When @value{GDBN} is stopped at a finish breakpoint and the frame
24445 used to build the @code{gdb.FinishBreakpoint} object had debug symbols, this
24446 attribute will contain a @code{gdb.Value} object corresponding to the return
24447 value of the function. The value will be @code{None} if the function return
24448 type is @code{void} or if the return value was not computable. This attribute
24449 is not writable.
24450 @end defvar
24451
24452 @node Lazy Strings In Python
24453 @subsubsection Python representation of lazy strings.
24454
24455 @cindex lazy strings in python
24456 @tindex gdb.LazyString
24457
24458 A @dfn{lazy string} is a string whose contents is not retrieved or
24459 encoded until it is needed.
24460
24461 A @code{gdb.LazyString} is represented in @value{GDBN} as an
24462 @code{address} that points to a region of memory, an @code{encoding}
24463 that will be used to encode that region of memory, and a @code{length}
24464 to delimit the region of memory that represents the string. The
24465 difference between a @code{gdb.LazyString} and a string wrapped within
24466 a @code{gdb.Value} is that a @code{gdb.LazyString} will be treated
24467 differently by @value{GDBN} when printing. A @code{gdb.LazyString} is
24468 retrieved and encoded during printing, while a @code{gdb.Value}
24469 wrapping a string is immediately retrieved and encoded on creation.
24470
24471 A @code{gdb.LazyString} object has the following functions:
24472
24473 @defun LazyString.value ()
24474 Convert the @code{gdb.LazyString} to a @code{gdb.Value}. This value
24475 will point to the string in memory, but will lose all the delayed
24476 retrieval, encoding and handling that @value{GDBN} applies to a
24477 @code{gdb.LazyString}.
24478 @end defun
24479
24480 @defvar LazyString.address
24481 This attribute holds the address of the string. This attribute is not
24482 writable.
24483 @end defvar
24484
24485 @defvar LazyString.length
24486 This attribute holds the length of the string in characters. If the
24487 length is -1, then the string will be fetched and encoded up to the
24488 first null of appropriate width. This attribute is not writable.
24489 @end defvar
24490
24491 @defvar LazyString.encoding
24492 This attribute holds the encoding that will be applied to the string
24493 when the string is printed by @value{GDBN}. If the encoding is not
24494 set, or contains an empty string, then @value{GDBN} will select the
24495 most appropriate encoding when the string is printed. This attribute
24496 is not writable.
24497 @end defvar
24498
24499 @defvar LazyString.type
24500 This attribute holds the type that is represented by the lazy string's
24501 type. For a lazy string this will always be a pointer type. To
24502 resolve this to the lazy string's character type, use the type's
24503 @code{target} method. @xref{Types In Python}. This attribute is not
24504 writable.
24505 @end defvar
24506
24507 @node Auto-loading
24508 @subsection Auto-loading
24509 @cindex auto-loading, Python
24510
24511 When a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
24512 command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library),
24513 @value{GDBN} will look for Python support scripts in several ways:
24514 @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} and @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section.
24515
24516 @menu
24517 * objfile-gdb.py file:: The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} file
24518 * .debug_gdb_scripts section:: The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24519 * Which flavor to choose?::
24520 @end menu
24521
24522 The auto-loading feature is useful for supplying application-specific
24523 debugging commands and scripts.
24524
24525 Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
24526 and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
24527
24528 @table @code
24529 @kindex set auto-load-scripts
24530 @item set auto-load-scripts [yes|no]
24531 Enable or disable the auto-loading of Python scripts.
24532
24533 @kindex show auto-load-scripts
24534 @item show auto-load-scripts
24535 Show whether auto-loading of Python scripts is enabled or disabled.
24536
24537 @kindex info auto-load-scripts
24538 @cindex print list of auto-loaded scripts
24539 @item info auto-load-scripts [@var{regexp}]
24540 Print the list of all scripts that @value{GDBN} auto-loaded.
24541
24542 Also printed is the list of scripts that were mentioned in
24543 the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section and were not found
24544 (@pxref{.debug_gdb_scripts section}).
24545 This is useful because their names are not printed when @value{GDBN}
24546 tries to load them and fails. There may be many of them, and printing
24547 an error message for each one is problematic.
24548
24549 If @var{regexp} is supplied only scripts with matching names are printed.
24550
24551 Example:
24552
24553 @smallexample
24554 (gdb) info auto-load-scripts
24555 Loaded Script
24556 Yes py-section-script.py
24557 full name: /tmp/py-section-script.py
24558 Missing my-foo-pretty-printers.py
24559 @end smallexample
24560 @end table
24561
24562 When reading an auto-loaded file, @value{GDBN} sets the
24563 @dfn{current objfile}. This is available via the @code{gdb.current_objfile}
24564 function (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}). This can be useful for
24565 registering objfile-specific pretty-printers.
24566
24567 @node objfile-gdb.py file
24568 @subsubsection The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} file
24569 @cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
24570
24571 When a new object file is read, @value{GDBN} looks for
24572 a file named @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py},
24573 where @var{objfile} is the object file's real name, formed by ensuring
24574 that the file name is absolute, following all symlinks, and resolving
24575 @code{.} and @code{..} components. If this file exists and is
24576 readable, @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as a Python script.
24577
24578 If this file does not exist, and if the parameter
24579 @code{debug-file-directory} is set (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}),
24580 then @value{GDBN} will look for @var{real-name} in all of the
24581 directories mentioned in the value of @code{debug-file-directory}.
24582
24583 Finally, if this file does not exist, then @value{GDBN} will look for
24584 a file named @file{@var{data-directory}/python/auto-load/@var{real-name}}, where
24585 @var{data-directory} is @value{GDBN}'s data directory (available via
24586 @code{show data-directory}, @pxref{Data Files}), and @var{real-name}
24587 is the object file's real name, as described above.
24588
24589 @value{GDBN} does not track which files it has already auto-loaded this way.
24590 @value{GDBN} will load the associated script every time the corresponding
24591 @var{objfile} is opened.
24592 So your @file{-gdb.py} file should be careful to avoid errors if it
24593 is evaluated more than once.
24594
24595 @node .debug_gdb_scripts section
24596 @subsubsection The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24597 @cindex @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24598
24599 For systems using file formats like ELF and COFF,
24600 when @value{GDBN} loads a new object file
24601 it will look for a special section named @samp{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
24602 If this section exists, its contents is a list of names of scripts to load.
24603
24604 @value{GDBN} will look for each specified script file first in the
24605 current directory and then along the source search path
24606 (@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}),
24607 except that @file{$cdir} is not searched, since the compilation
24608 directory is not relevant to scripts.
24609
24610 Entries can be placed in section @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} with,
24611 for example, this GCC macro:
24612
24613 @example
24614 /* Note: The "MS" section flags are to remove duplicates. */
24615 #define DEFINE_GDB_SCRIPT(script_name) \
24616 asm("\
24617 .pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n\
24618 .byte 1\n\
24619 .asciz \"" script_name "\"\n\
24620 .popsection \n\
24621 ");
24622 @end example
24623
24624 @noindent
24625 Then one can reference the macro in a header or source file like this:
24626
24627 @example
24628 DEFINE_GDB_SCRIPT ("my-app-scripts.py")
24629 @end example
24630
24631 The script name may include directories if desired.
24632
24633 If the macro is put in a header, any application or library
24634 using this header will get a reference to the specified script.
24635
24636 @node Which flavor to choose?
24637 @subsubsection Which flavor to choose?
24638
24639 Given the multiple ways of auto-loading Python scripts, it might not always
24640 be clear which one to choose. This section provides some guidance.
24641
24642 Benefits of the @file{-gdb.py} way:
24643
24644 @itemize @bullet
24645 @item
24646 Can be used with file formats that don't support multiple sections.
24647
24648 @item
24649 Ease of finding scripts for public libraries.
24650
24651 Scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section are searched for
24652 in the source search path.
24653 For publicly installed libraries, e.g., @file{libstdc++}, there typically
24654 isn't a source directory in which to find the script.
24655
24656 @item
24657 Doesn't require source code additions.
24658 @end itemize
24659
24660 Benefits of the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} way:
24661
24662 @itemize @bullet
24663 @item
24664 Works with static linking.
24665
24666 Scripts for libraries done the @file{-gdb.py} way require an objfile to
24667 trigger their loading. When an application is statically linked the only
24668 objfile available is the executable, and it is cumbersome to attach all the
24669 scripts from all the input libraries to the executable's @file{-gdb.py} script.
24670
24671 @item
24672 Works with classes that are entirely inlined.
24673
24674 Some classes can be entirely inlined, and thus there may not be an associated
24675 shared library to attach a @file{-gdb.py} script to.
24676
24677 @item
24678 Scripts needn't be copied out of the source tree.
24679
24680 In some circumstances, apps can be built out of large collections of internal
24681 libraries, and the build infrastructure necessary to install the
24682 @file{-gdb.py} scripts in a place where @value{GDBN} can find them is
24683 cumbersome. It may be easier to specify the scripts in the
24684 @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section as relative paths, and add a path to the
24685 top of the source tree to the source search path.
24686 @end itemize
24687
24688 @node Python modules
24689 @subsection Python modules
24690 @cindex python modules
24691
24692 @value{GDBN} comes with several modules to assist writing Python code.
24693
24694 @menu
24695 * gdb.printing:: Building and registering pretty-printers.
24696 * gdb.types:: Utilities for working with types.
24697 * gdb.prompt:: Utilities for prompt value substitution.
24698 @end menu
24699
24700 @node gdb.printing
24701 @subsubsection gdb.printing
24702 @cindex gdb.printing
24703
24704 This module provides a collection of utilities for working with
24705 pretty-printers.
24706
24707 @table @code
24708 @item PrettyPrinter (@var{name}, @var{subprinters}=None)
24709 This class specifies the API that makes @samp{info pretty-printer},
24710 @samp{enable pretty-printer} and @samp{disable pretty-printer} work.
24711 Pretty-printers should generally inherit from this class.
24712
24713 @item SubPrettyPrinter (@var{name})
24714 For printers that handle multiple types, this class specifies the
24715 corresponding API for the subprinters.
24716
24717 @item RegexpCollectionPrettyPrinter (@var{name})
24718 Utility class for handling multiple printers, all recognized via
24719 regular expressions.
24720 @xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for an example.
24721
24722 @item FlagEnumerationPrinter (@var{name})
24723 A pretty-printer which handles printing of @code{enum} values. Unlike
24724 @value{GDBN}'s built-in @code{enum} printing, this printer attempts to
24725 work properly when there is some overlap between the enumeration
24726 constants. @var{name} is the name of the printer and also the name of
24727 the @code{enum} type to look up.
24728
24729 @item register_pretty_printer (@var{obj}, @var{printer}, @var{replace}=False)
24730 Register @var{printer} with the pretty-printer list of @var{obj}.
24731 If @var{replace} is @code{True} then any existing copy of the printer
24732 is replaced. Otherwise a @code{RuntimeError} exception is raised
24733 if a printer with the same name already exists.
24734 @end table
24735
24736 @node gdb.types
24737 @subsubsection gdb.types
24738 @cindex gdb.types
24739
24740 This module provides a collection of utilities for working with
24741 @code{gdb.Types} objects.
24742
24743 @table @code
24744 @item get_basic_type (@var{type})
24745 Return @var{type} with const and volatile qualifiers stripped,
24746 and with typedefs and C@t{++} references converted to the underlying type.
24747
24748 C@t{++} example:
24749
24750 @smallexample
24751 typedef const int const_int;
24752 const_int foo (3);
24753 const_int& foo_ref (foo);
24754 int main () @{ return 0; @}
24755 @end smallexample
24756
24757 Then in gdb:
24758
24759 @smallexample
24760 (gdb) start
24761 (gdb) python import gdb.types
24762 (gdb) python foo_ref = gdb.parse_and_eval("foo_ref")
24763 (gdb) python print gdb.types.get_basic_type(foo_ref.type)
24764 int
24765 @end smallexample
24766
24767 @item has_field (@var{type}, @var{field})
24768 Return @code{True} if @var{type}, assumed to be a type with fields
24769 (e.g., a structure or union), has field @var{field}.
24770
24771 @item make_enum_dict (@var{enum_type})
24772 Return a Python @code{dictionary} type produced from @var{enum_type}.
24773
24774 @item deep_items (@var{type})
24775 Returns a Python iterator similar to the standard
24776 @code{gdb.Type.iteritems} method, except that the iterator returned
24777 by @code{deep_items} will recursively traverse anonymous struct or
24778 union fields. For example:
24779
24780 @smallexample
24781 struct A
24782 @{
24783 int a;
24784 union @{
24785 int b0;
24786 int b1;
24787 @};
24788 @};
24789 @end smallexample
24790
24791 @noindent
24792 Then in @value{GDBN}:
24793 @smallexample
24794 (@value{GDBP}) python import gdb.types
24795 (@value{GDBP}) python struct_a = gdb.lookup_type("struct A")
24796 (@value{GDBP}) python print struct_a.keys ()
24797 @{['a', '']@}
24798 (@value{GDBP}) python print [k for k,v in gdb.types.deep_items(struct_a)]
24799 @{['a', 'b0', 'b1']@}
24800 @end smallexample
24801
24802 @end table
24803
24804 @node gdb.prompt
24805 @subsubsection gdb.prompt
24806 @cindex gdb.prompt
24807
24808 This module provides a method for prompt value-substitution.
24809
24810 @table @code
24811 @item substitute_prompt (@var{string})
24812 Return @var{string} with escape sequences substituted by values. Some
24813 escape sequences take arguments. You can specify arguments inside
24814 ``@{@}'' immediately following the escape sequence.
24815
24816 The escape sequences you can pass to this function are:
24817
24818 @table @code
24819 @item \\
24820 Substitute a backslash.
24821 @item \e
24822 Substitute an ESC character.
24823 @item \f
24824 Substitute the selected frame; an argument names a frame parameter.
24825 @item \n
24826 Substitute a newline.
24827 @item \p
24828 Substitute a parameter's value; the argument names the parameter.
24829 @item \r
24830 Substitute a carriage return.
24831 @item \t
24832 Substitute the selected thread; an argument names a thread parameter.
24833 @item \v
24834 Substitute the version of GDB.
24835 @item \w
24836 Substitute the current working directory.
24837 @item \[
24838 Begin a sequence of non-printing characters. These sequences are
24839 typically used with the ESC character, and are not counted in the string
24840 length. Example: ``\[\e[0;34m\](gdb)\[\e[0m\]'' will return a
24841 blue-colored ``(gdb)'' prompt where the length is five.
24842 @item \]
24843 End a sequence of non-printing characters.
24844 @end table
24845
24846 For example:
24847
24848 @smallexample
24849 substitute_prompt (``frame: \f,
24850 print arguments: \p@{print frame-arguments@}'')
24851 @end smallexample
24852
24853 @exdent will return the string:
24854
24855 @smallexample
24856 "frame: main, print arguments: scalars"
24857 @end smallexample
24858 @end table
24859
24860 @node Aliases
24861 @section Creating new spellings of existing commands
24862 @cindex aliases for commands
24863
24864 It is often useful to define alternate spellings of existing commands.
24865 For example, if a new @value{GDBN} command defined in Python has
24866 a long name to type, it is handy to have an abbreviated version of it
24867 that involves less typing.
24868
24869 @value{GDBN} itself uses aliases. For example @samp{s} is an alias
24870 of the @samp{step} command even though it is otherwise an ambiguous
24871 abbreviation of other commands like @samp{set} and @samp{show}.
24872
24873 Aliases are also used to provide shortened or more common versions
24874 of multi-word commands. For example, @value{GDBN} provides the
24875 @samp{tty} alias of the @samp{set inferior-tty} command.
24876
24877 You can define a new alias with the @samp{alias} command.
24878
24879 @table @code
24880
24881 @kindex alias
24882 @item alias [-a] [--] @var{ALIAS} = @var{COMMAND}
24883
24884 @end table
24885
24886 @var{ALIAS} specifies the name of the new alias.
24887 Each word of @var{ALIAS} must consist of letters, numbers, dashes and
24888 underscores.
24889
24890 @var{COMMAND} specifies the name of an existing command
24891 that is being aliased.
24892
24893 The @samp{-a} option specifies that the new alias is an abbreviation
24894 of the command. Abbreviations are not shown in command
24895 lists displayed by the @samp{help} command.
24896
24897 The @samp{--} option specifies the end of options,
24898 and is useful when @var{ALIAS} begins with a dash.
24899
24900 Here is a simple example showing how to make an abbreviation
24901 of a command so that there is less to type.
24902 Suppose you were tired of typing @samp{disas}, the current
24903 shortest unambiguous abbreviation of the @samp{disassemble} command
24904 and you wanted an even shorter version named @samp{di}.
24905 The following will accomplish this.
24906
24907 @smallexample
24908 (gdb) alias -a di = disas
24909 @end smallexample
24910
24911 Note that aliases are different from user-defined commands.
24912 With a user-defined command, you also need to write documentation
24913 for it with the @samp{document} command.
24914 An alias automatically picks up the documentation of the existing command.
24915
24916 Here is an example where we make @samp{elms} an abbreviation of
24917 @samp{elements} in the @samp{set print elements} command.
24918 This is to show that you can make an abbreviation of any part
24919 of a command.
24920
24921 @smallexample
24922 (gdb) alias -a set print elms = set print elements
24923 (gdb) alias -a show print elms = show print elements
24924 (gdb) set p elms 20
24925 (gdb) show p elms
24926 Limit on string chars or array elements to print is 200.
24927 @end smallexample
24928
24929 Note that if you are defining an alias of a @samp{set} command,
24930 and you want to have an alias for the corresponding @samp{show}
24931 command, then you need to define the latter separately.
24932
24933 Unambiguously abbreviated commands are allowed in @var{COMMAND} and
24934 @var{ALIAS}, just as they are normally.
24935
24936 @smallexample
24937 (gdb) alias -a set pr elms = set p ele
24938 @end smallexample
24939
24940 Finally, here is an example showing the creation of a one word
24941 alias for a more complex command.
24942 This creates alias @samp{spe} of the command @samp{set print elements}.
24943
24944 @smallexample
24945 (gdb) alias spe = set print elements
24946 (gdb) spe 20
24947 @end smallexample
24948
24949 @node Interpreters
24950 @chapter Command Interpreters
24951 @cindex command interpreters
24952
24953 @value{GDBN} supports multiple command interpreters, and some command
24954 infrastructure to allow users or user interface writers to switch
24955 between interpreters or run commands in other interpreters.
24956
24957 @value{GDBN} currently supports two command interpreters, the console
24958 interpreter (sometimes called the command-line interpreter or @sc{cli})
24959 and the machine interface interpreter (or @sc{gdb/mi}). This manual
24960 describes both of these interfaces in great detail.
24961
24962 By default, @value{GDBN} will start with the console interpreter.
24963 However, the user may choose to start @value{GDBN} with another
24964 interpreter by specifying the @option{-i} or @option{--interpreter}
24965 startup options. Defined interpreters include:
24966
24967 @table @code
24968 @item console
24969 @cindex console interpreter
24970 The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often
24971 used interpreter with @value{GDBN}. With no interpreter specified at runtime,
24972 @value{GDBN} will use this interpreter.
24973
24974 @item mi
24975 @cindex mi interpreter
24976 The newest @sc{gdb/mi} interface (currently @code{mi2}). Used primarily
24977 by programs wishing to use @value{GDBN} as a backend for a debugger GUI
24978 or an IDE. For more information, see @ref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi}
24979 Interface}.
24980
24981 @item mi2
24982 @cindex mi2 interpreter
24983 The current @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
24984
24985 @item mi1
24986 @cindex mi1 interpreter
24987 The @sc{gdb/mi} interface included in @value{GDBN} 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.
24988
24989 @end table
24990
24991 @cindex invoke another interpreter
24992 The interpreter being used by @value{GDBN} may not be dynamically
24993 switched at runtime. Although possible, this could lead to a very
24994 precarious situation. Consider an IDE using @sc{gdb/mi}. If a user
24995 enters the command "interpreter-set console" in a console view,
24996 @value{GDBN} would switch to using the console interpreter, rendering
24997 the IDE inoperable!
24998
24999 @kindex interpreter-exec
25000 Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, you may execute
25001 commands in any interpreter from the current interpreter using the appropriate
25002 command. If you are running the console interpreter, simply use the
25003 @code{interpreter-exec} command:
25004
25005 @smallexample
25006 interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names"
25007 @end smallexample
25008
25009 @sc{gdb/mi} has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of
25010 @value{GDBN} which support @sc{gdb/mi} version 2 (or greater).
25011
25012 @node TUI
25013 @chapter @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
25014 @cindex TUI
25015 @cindex Text User Interface
25016
25017 @menu
25018 * TUI Overview:: TUI overview
25019 * TUI Keys:: TUI key bindings
25020 * TUI Single Key Mode:: TUI single key mode
25021 * TUI Commands:: TUI-specific commands
25022 * TUI Configuration:: TUI configuration variables
25023 @end menu
25024
25025 The @value{GDBN} Text User Interface (TUI) is a terminal
25026 interface which uses the @code{curses} library to show the source
25027 file, the assembly output, the program registers and @value{GDBN}
25028 commands in separate text windows. The TUI mode is supported only
25029 on platforms where a suitable version of the @code{curses} library
25030 is available.
25031
25032 The TUI mode is enabled by default when you invoke @value{GDBN} as
25033 @samp{@value{GDBP} -tui}.
25034 You can also switch in and out of TUI mode while @value{GDBN} runs by
25035 using various TUI commands and key bindings, such as @kbd{C-x C-a}.
25036 @xref{TUI Keys, ,TUI Key Bindings}.
25037
25038 @node TUI Overview
25039 @section TUI Overview
25040
25041 In TUI mode, @value{GDBN} can display several text windows:
25042
25043 @table @emph
25044 @item command
25045 This window is the @value{GDBN} command window with the @value{GDBN}
25046 prompt and the @value{GDBN} output. The @value{GDBN} input is still
25047 managed using readline.
25048
25049 @item source
25050 The source window shows the source file of the program. The current
25051 line and active breakpoints are displayed in this window.
25052
25053 @item assembly
25054 The assembly window shows the disassembly output of the program.
25055
25056 @item register
25057 This window shows the processor registers. Registers are highlighted
25058 when their values change.
25059 @end table
25060
25061 The source and assembly windows show the current program position
25062 by highlighting the current line and marking it with a @samp{>} marker.
25063 Breakpoints are indicated with two markers. The first marker
25064 indicates the breakpoint type:
25065
25066 @table @code
25067 @item B
25068 Breakpoint which was hit at least once.
25069
25070 @item b
25071 Breakpoint which was never hit.
25072
25073 @item H
25074 Hardware breakpoint which was hit at least once.
25075
25076 @item h
25077 Hardware breakpoint which was never hit.
25078 @end table
25079
25080 The second marker indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled or not:
25081
25082 @table @code
25083 @item +
25084 Breakpoint is enabled.
25085
25086 @item -
25087 Breakpoint is disabled.
25088 @end table
25089
25090 The source, assembly and register windows are updated when the current
25091 thread changes, when the frame changes, or when the program counter
25092 changes.
25093
25094 These windows are not all visible at the same time. The command
25095 window is always visible. The others can be arranged in several
25096 layouts:
25097
25098 @itemize @bullet
25099 @item
25100 source only,
25101
25102 @item
25103 assembly only,
25104
25105 @item
25106 source and assembly,
25107
25108 @item
25109 source and registers, or
25110
25111 @item
25112 assembly and registers.
25113 @end itemize
25114
25115 A status line above the command window shows the following information:
25116
25117 @table @emph
25118 @item target
25119 Indicates the current @value{GDBN} target.
25120 (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
25121
25122 @item process
25123 Gives the current process or thread number.
25124 When no process is being debugged, this field is set to @code{No process}.
25125
25126 @item function
25127 Gives the current function name for the selected frame.
25128 The name is demangled if demangling is turned on (@pxref{Print Settings}).
25129 When there is no symbol corresponding to the current program counter,
25130 the string @code{??} is displayed.
25131
25132 @item line
25133 Indicates the current line number for the selected frame.
25134 When the current line number is not known, the string @code{??} is displayed.
25135
25136 @item pc
25137 Indicates the current program counter address.
25138 @end table
25139
25140 @node TUI Keys
25141 @section TUI Key Bindings
25142 @cindex TUI key bindings
25143
25144 The TUI installs several key bindings in the readline keymaps
25145 @ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
25146 (@pxref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library}).
25147 @end ifset
25148 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
25149 (@pxref{Command Line Editing}).
25150 @end ifclear
25151 The following key bindings are installed for both TUI mode and the
25152 @value{GDBN} standard mode.
25153
25154 @table @kbd
25155 @kindex C-x C-a
25156 @item C-x C-a
25157 @kindex C-x a
25158 @itemx C-x a
25159 @kindex C-x A
25160 @itemx C-x A
25161 Enter or leave the TUI mode. When leaving the TUI mode,
25162 the curses window management stops and @value{GDBN} operates using
25163 its standard mode, writing on the terminal directly. When reentering
25164 the TUI mode, control is given back to the curses windows.
25165 The screen is then refreshed.
25166
25167 @kindex C-x 1
25168 @item C-x 1
25169 Use a TUI layout with only one window. The layout will
25170 either be @samp{source} or @samp{assembly}. When the TUI mode
25171 is not active, it will switch to the TUI mode.
25172
25173 Think of this key binding as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 1} binding.
25174
25175 @kindex C-x 2
25176 @item C-x 2
25177 Use a TUI layout with at least two windows. When the current
25178 layout already has two windows, the next layout with two windows is used.
25179 When a new layout is chosen, one window will always be common to the
25180 previous layout and the new one.
25181
25182 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 2} binding.
25183
25184 @kindex C-x o
25185 @item C-x o
25186 Change the active window. The TUI associates several key bindings
25187 (like scrolling and arrow keys) with the active window. This command
25188 gives the focus to the next TUI window.
25189
25190 Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x o} binding.
25191
25192 @kindex C-x s
25193 @item C-x s
25194 Switch in and out of the TUI SingleKey mode that binds single
25195 keys to @value{GDBN} commands (@pxref{TUI Single Key Mode}).
25196 @end table
25197
25198 The following key bindings only work in the TUI mode:
25199
25200 @table @asis
25201 @kindex PgUp
25202 @item @key{PgUp}
25203 Scroll the active window one page up.
25204
25205 @kindex PgDn
25206 @item @key{PgDn}
25207 Scroll the active window one page down.
25208
25209 @kindex Up
25210 @item @key{Up}
25211 Scroll the active window one line up.
25212
25213 @kindex Down
25214 @item @key{Down}
25215 Scroll the active window one line down.
25216
25217 @kindex Left
25218 @item @key{Left}
25219 Scroll the active window one column left.
25220
25221 @kindex Right
25222 @item @key{Right}
25223 Scroll the active window one column right.
25224
25225 @kindex C-L
25226 @item @kbd{C-L}
25227 Refresh the screen.
25228 @end table
25229
25230 Because the arrow keys scroll the active window in the TUI mode, they
25231 are not available for their normal use by readline unless the command
25232 window has the focus. When another window is active, you must use
25233 other readline key bindings such as @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}
25234 and @kbd{C-f} to control the command window.
25235
25236 @node TUI Single Key Mode
25237 @section TUI Single Key Mode
25238 @cindex TUI single key mode
25239
25240 The TUI also provides a @dfn{SingleKey} mode, which binds several
25241 frequently used @value{GDBN} commands to single keys. Type @kbd{C-x s} to
25242 switch into this mode, where the following key bindings are used:
25243
25244 @table @kbd
25245 @kindex c @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25246 @item c
25247 continue
25248
25249 @kindex d @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25250 @item d
25251 down
25252
25253 @kindex f @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25254 @item f
25255 finish
25256
25257 @kindex n @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25258 @item n
25259 next
25260
25261 @kindex q @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25262 @item q
25263 exit the SingleKey mode.
25264
25265 @kindex r @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25266 @item r
25267 run
25268
25269 @kindex s @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25270 @item s
25271 step
25272
25273 @kindex u @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25274 @item u
25275 up
25276
25277 @kindex v @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25278 @item v
25279 info locals
25280
25281 @kindex w @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25282 @item w
25283 where
25284 @end table
25285
25286 Other keys temporarily switch to the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
25287 The key that was pressed is inserted in the editing buffer so that
25288 it is possible to type most @value{GDBN} commands without interaction
25289 with the TUI SingleKey mode. Once the command is entered the TUI
25290 SingleKey mode is restored. The only way to permanently leave
25291 this mode is by typing @kbd{q} or @kbd{C-x s}.
25292
25293
25294 @node TUI Commands
25295 @section TUI-specific Commands
25296 @cindex TUI commands
25297
25298 The TUI has specific commands to control the text windows.
25299 These commands are always available, even when @value{GDBN} is not in
25300 the TUI mode. When @value{GDBN} is in the standard mode, most
25301 of these commands will automatically switch to the TUI mode.
25302
25303 Note that if @value{GDBN}'s @code{stdout} is not connected to a
25304 terminal, or @value{GDBN} has been started with the machine interface
25305 interpreter (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}), most of
25306 these commands will fail with an error, because it would not be
25307 possible or desirable to enable curses window management.
25308
25309 @table @code
25310 @item info win
25311 @kindex info win
25312 List and give the size of all displayed windows.
25313
25314 @item layout next
25315 @kindex layout
25316 Display the next layout.
25317
25318 @item layout prev
25319 Display the previous layout.
25320
25321 @item layout src
25322 Display the source window only.
25323
25324 @item layout asm
25325 Display the assembly window only.
25326
25327 @item layout split
25328 Display the source and assembly window.
25329
25330 @item layout regs
25331 Display the register window together with the source or assembly window.
25332
25333 @item focus next
25334 @kindex focus
25335 Make the next window active for scrolling.
25336
25337 @item focus prev
25338 Make the previous window active for scrolling.
25339
25340 @item focus src
25341 Make the source window active for scrolling.
25342
25343 @item focus asm
25344 Make the assembly window active for scrolling.
25345
25346 @item focus regs
25347 Make the register window active for scrolling.
25348
25349 @item focus cmd
25350 Make the command window active for scrolling.
25351
25352 @item refresh
25353 @kindex refresh
25354 Refresh the screen. This is similar to typing @kbd{C-L}.
25355
25356 @item tui reg float
25357 @kindex tui reg
25358 Show the floating point registers in the register window.
25359
25360 @item tui reg general
25361 Show the general registers in the register window.
25362
25363 @item tui reg next
25364 Show the next register group. The list of register groups as well as
25365 their order is target specific. The predefined register groups are the
25366 following: @code{general}, @code{float}, @code{system}, @code{vector},
25367 @code{all}, @code{save}, @code{restore}.
25368
25369 @item tui reg system
25370 Show the system registers in the register window.
25371
25372 @item update
25373 @kindex update
25374 Update the source window and the current execution point.
25375
25376 @item winheight @var{name} +@var{count}
25377 @itemx winheight @var{name} -@var{count}
25378 @kindex winheight
25379 Change the height of the window @var{name} by @var{count}
25380 lines. Positive counts increase the height, while negative counts
25381 decrease it.
25382
25383 @item tabset @var{nchars}
25384 @kindex tabset
25385 Set the width of tab stops to be @var{nchars} characters.
25386 @end table
25387
25388 @node TUI Configuration
25389 @section TUI Configuration Variables
25390 @cindex TUI configuration variables
25391
25392 Several configuration variables control the appearance of TUI windows.
25393
25394 @table @code
25395 @item set tui border-kind @var{kind}
25396 @kindex set tui border-kind
25397 Select the border appearance for the source, assembly and register windows.
25398 The possible values are the following:
25399 @table @code
25400 @item space
25401 Use a space character to draw the border.
25402
25403 @item ascii
25404 Use @sc{ascii} characters @samp{+}, @samp{-} and @samp{|} to draw the border.
25405
25406 @item acs
25407 Use the Alternate Character Set to draw the border. The border is
25408 drawn using character line graphics if the terminal supports them.
25409 @end table
25410
25411 @item set tui border-mode @var{mode}
25412 @kindex set tui border-mode
25413 @itemx set tui active-border-mode @var{mode}
25414 @kindex set tui active-border-mode
25415 Select the display attributes for the borders of the inactive windows
25416 or the active window. The @var{mode} can be one of the following:
25417 @table @code
25418 @item normal
25419 Use normal attributes to display the border.
25420
25421 @item standout
25422 Use standout mode.
25423
25424 @item reverse
25425 Use reverse video mode.
25426
25427 @item half
25428 Use half bright mode.
25429
25430 @item half-standout
25431 Use half bright and standout mode.
25432
25433 @item bold
25434 Use extra bright or bold mode.
25435
25436 @item bold-standout
25437 Use extra bright or bold and standout mode.
25438 @end table
25439 @end table
25440
25441 @node Emacs
25442 @chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
25443
25444 @cindex Emacs
25445 @cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
25446 A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
25447 edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
25448 @value{GDBN}.
25449
25450 To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
25451 executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
25452 @value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
25453 created Emacs buffer.
25454 @c (Do not use the @code{-tui} option to run @value{GDBN} from Emacs.)
25455
25456 Running @value{GDBN} under Emacs can be just like running @value{GDBN} normally except for two
25457 things:
25458
25459 @itemize @bullet
25460 @item
25461 All ``terminal'' input and output goes through an Emacs buffer, called
25462 the GUD buffer.
25463
25464 This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
25465 and output done by the program you are debugging.
25466
25467 This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
25468 commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
25469 in this way.
25470
25471 All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
25472 with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
25473 way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
25474 stop.
25475
25476 @item
25477 @value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
25478
25479 Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
25480 source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
25481 left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
25482 source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
25483 and the source.
25484
25485 Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
25486 usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
25487 @end itemize
25488
25489 We call this @dfn{text command mode}. Emacs 22.1, and later, also uses
25490 a graphical mode, enabled by default, which provides further buffers
25491 that can control the execution and describe the state of your program.
25492 @xref{GDB Graphical Interface,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}.
25493
25494 If you specify an absolute file name when prompted for the @kbd{M-x
25495 gdb} argument, then Emacs sets your current working directory to where
25496 your program resides. If you only specify the file name, then Emacs
25497 sets your current working directory to the directory associated
25498 with the previous buffer. In this case, @value{GDBN} may find your
25499 program by searching your environment's @code{PATH} variable, but on
25500 some operating systems it might not find the source. So, although the
25501 @value{GDBN} input and output session proceeds normally, the auxiliary
25502 buffer does not display the current source and line of execution.
25503
25504 The initial working directory of @value{GDBN} is printed on the top
25505 line of the GUD buffer and this serves as a default for the commands
25506 that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files,
25507 ,Commands to Specify Files}.
25508
25509 By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If you
25510 need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you
25511 keep several configurations around, with different names) you can
25512 customize the Emacs variable @code{gud-gdb-command-name} to run the
25513 one you want.
25514
25515 In the GUD buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
25516 addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
25517
25518 @table @kbd
25519 @item C-h m
25520 Describe the features of Emacs' GUD Mode.
25521
25522 @item C-c C-s
25523 Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
25524 update the display window to show the current file and location.
25525
25526 @item C-c C-n
25527 Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
25528 calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
25529 to show the current file and location.
25530
25531 @item C-c C-i
25532 Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
25533 display window accordingly.
25534
25535 @item C-c C-f
25536 Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
25537 @code{finish} command.
25538
25539 @item C-c C-r
25540 Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
25541 command.
25542
25543 @item C-c <
25544 Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
25545 (@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
25546 like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
25547
25548 @item C-c >
25549 Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
25550 @value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
25551 @end table
25552
25553 In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x @key{SPC}} (@code{gud-break})
25554 tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
25555
25556 In text command mode, if you type @kbd{M-x speedbar}, Emacs displays a
25557 separate frame which shows a backtrace when the GUD buffer is current.
25558 Move point to any frame in the stack and type @key{RET} to make it
25559 become the current frame and display the associated source in the
25560 source buffer. Alternatively, click @kbd{Mouse-2} to make the
25561 selected frame become the current one. In graphical mode, the
25562 speedbar displays watch expressions.
25563
25564 If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
25565 it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
25566 request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
25567 the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
25568 frame.
25569
25570 The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
25571 which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
25572 the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
25573 communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
25574 delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
25575 to correspond properly with the code.
25576
25577 A more detailed description of Emacs' interaction with @value{GDBN} is
25578 given in the Emacs manual (@pxref{Debuggers,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu}
25579 Emacs Manual}).
25580
25581 @c The following dropped because Epoch is nonstandard. Reactivate
25582 @c if/when v19 does something similar. ---doc@cygnus.com 19dec1990
25583 @ignore
25584 @kindex Emacs Epoch environment
25585 @kindex Epoch
25586 @kindex inspect
25587
25588 Version 18 of @sc{gnu} Emacs has a built-in window system
25589 called the @code{epoch}
25590 environment. Users of this environment can use a new command,
25591 @code{inspect} which performs identically to @code{print} except that
25592 each value is printed in its own window.
25593 @end ignore
25594
25595
25596 @node GDB/MI
25597 @chapter The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface
25598
25599 @unnumberedsec Function and Purpose
25600
25601 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, its purpose
25602 @sc{gdb/mi} is a line based machine oriented text interface to
25603 @value{GDBN} and is activated by specifying using the
25604 @option{--interpreter} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}). It
25605 is specifically intended to support the development of systems which
25606 use the debugger as just one small component of a larger system.
25607
25608 This chapter is a specification of the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. It is written
25609 in the form of a reference manual.
25610
25611 Note that @sc{gdb/mi} is still under construction, so some of the
25612 features described below are incomplete and subject to change
25613 (@pxref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, , @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends}).
25614
25615 @unnumberedsec Notation and Terminology
25616
25617 @cindex notational conventions, for @sc{gdb/mi}
25618 This chapter uses the following notation:
25619
25620 @itemize @bullet
25621 @item
25622 @code{|} separates two alternatives.
25623
25624 @item
25625 @code{[ @var{something} ]} indicates that @var{something} is optional:
25626 it may or may not be given.
25627
25628 @item
25629 @code{( @var{group} )*} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
25630 may repeat zero or more times.
25631
25632 @item
25633 @code{( @var{group} )+} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
25634 may repeat one or more times.
25635
25636 @item
25637 @code{"@var{string}"} means a literal @var{string}.
25638 @end itemize
25639
25640 @ignore
25641 @heading Dependencies
25642 @end ignore
25643
25644 @menu
25645 * GDB/MI General Design::
25646 * GDB/MI Command Syntax::
25647 * GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI::
25648 * GDB/MI Development and Front Ends::
25649 * GDB/MI Output Records::
25650 * GDB/MI Simple Examples::
25651 * GDB/MI Command Description Format::
25652 * GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands::
25653 * GDB/MI Program Context::
25654 * GDB/MI Thread Commands::
25655 * GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands::
25656 * GDB/MI Program Execution::
25657 * GDB/MI Stack Manipulation::
25658 * GDB/MI Variable Objects::
25659 * GDB/MI Data Manipulation::
25660 * GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands::
25661 * GDB/MI Symbol Query::
25662 * GDB/MI File Commands::
25663 @ignore
25664 * GDB/MI Kod Commands::
25665 * GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands::
25666 * GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands::
25667 @end ignore
25668 * GDB/MI Target Manipulation::
25669 * GDB/MI File Transfer Commands::
25670 * GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands::
25671 @end menu
25672
25673 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25674 @node GDB/MI General Design
25675 @section @sc{gdb/mi} General Design
25676 @cindex GDB/MI General Design
25677
25678 Interaction of a @sc{GDB/MI} frontend with @value{GDBN} involves three
25679 parts---commands sent to @value{GDBN}, responses to those commands
25680 and notifications. Each command results in exactly one response,
25681 indicating either successful completion of the command, or an error.
25682 For the commands that do not resume the target, the response contains the
25683 requested information. For the commands that resume the target, the
25684 response only indicates whether the target was successfully resumed.
25685 Notifications is the mechanism for reporting changes in the state of the
25686 target, or in @value{GDBN} state, that cannot conveniently be associated with
25687 a command and reported as part of that command response.
25688
25689 The important examples of notifications are:
25690 @itemize @bullet
25691
25692 @item
25693 Exec notifications. These are used to report changes in
25694 target state---when a target is resumed, or stopped. It would not
25695 be feasible to include this information in response of resuming
25696 commands, because one resume commands can result in multiple events in
25697 different threads. Also, quite some time may pass before any event
25698 happens in the target, while a frontend needs to know whether the resuming
25699 command itself was successfully executed.
25700
25701 @item
25702 Console output, and status notifications. Console output
25703 notifications are used to report output of CLI commands, as well as
25704 diagnostics for other commands. Status notifications are used to
25705 report the progress of a long-running operation. Naturally, including
25706 this information in command response would mean no output is produced
25707 until the command is finished, which is undesirable.
25708
25709 @item
25710 General notifications. Commands may have various side effects on
25711 the @value{GDBN} or target state beyond their official purpose. For example,
25712 a command may change the selected thread. Although such changes can
25713 be included in command response, using notification allows for more
25714 orthogonal frontend design.
25715
25716 @end itemize
25717
25718 There's no guarantee that whenever an MI command reports an error,
25719 @value{GDBN} or the target are in any specific state, and especially,
25720 the state is not reverted to the state before the MI command was
25721 processed. Therefore, whenever an MI command results in an error,
25722 we recommend that the frontend refreshes all the information shown in
25723 the user interface.
25724
25725
25726 @menu
25727 * Context management::
25728 * Asynchronous and non-stop modes::
25729 * Thread groups::
25730 @end menu
25731
25732 @node Context management
25733 @subsection Context management
25734
25735 In most cases when @value{GDBN} accesses the target, this access is
25736 done in context of a specific thread and frame (@pxref{Frames}).
25737 Often, even when accessing global data, the target requires that a thread
25738 be specified. The CLI interface maintains the selected thread and frame,
25739 and supplies them to target on each command. This is convenient,
25740 because a command line user would not want to specify that information
25741 explicitly on each command, and because user interacts with
25742 @value{GDBN} via a single terminal, so no confusion is possible as
25743 to what thread and frame are the current ones.
25744
25745 In the case of MI, the concept of selected thread and frame is less
25746 useful. First, a frontend can easily remember this information
25747 itself. Second, a graphical frontend can have more than one window,
25748 each one used for debugging a different thread, and the frontend might
25749 want to access additional threads for internal purposes. This
25750 increases the risk that by relying on implicitly selected thread, the
25751 frontend may be operating on a wrong one. Therefore, each MI command
25752 should explicitly specify which thread and frame to operate on. To
25753 make it possible, each MI command accepts the @samp{--thread} and
25754 @samp{--frame} options, the value to each is @value{GDBN} identifier
25755 for thread and frame to operate on.
25756
25757 Usually, each top-level window in a frontend allows the user to select
25758 a thread and a frame, and remembers the user selection for further
25759 operations. However, in some cases @value{GDBN} may suggest that the
25760 current thread be changed. For example, when stopping on a breakpoint
25761 it is reasonable to switch to the thread where breakpoint is hit. For
25762 another example, if the user issues the CLI @samp{thread} command via
25763 the frontend, it is desirable to change the frontend's selected thread to the
25764 one specified by user. @value{GDBN} communicates the suggestion to
25765 change current thread using the @samp{=thread-selected} notification.
25766 No such notification is available for the selected frame at the moment.
25767
25768 Note that historically, MI shares the selected thread with CLI, so
25769 frontends used the @code{-thread-select} to execute commands in the
25770 right context. However, getting this to work right is cumbersome. The
25771 simplest way is for frontend to emit @code{-thread-select} command
25772 before every command. This doubles the number of commands that need
25773 to be sent. The alternative approach is to suppress @code{-thread-select}
25774 if the selected thread in @value{GDBN} is supposed to be identical to the
25775 thread the frontend wants to operate on. However, getting this
25776 optimization right can be tricky. In particular, if the frontend
25777 sends several commands to @value{GDBN}, and one of the commands changes the
25778 selected thread, then the behaviour of subsequent commands will
25779 change. So, a frontend should either wait for response from such
25780 problematic commands, or explicitly add @code{-thread-select} for
25781 all subsequent commands. No frontend is known to do this exactly
25782 right, so it is suggested to just always pass the @samp{--thread} and
25783 @samp{--frame} options.
25784
25785 @node Asynchronous and non-stop modes
25786 @subsection Asynchronous command execution and non-stop mode
25787
25788 On some targets, @value{GDBN} is capable of processing MI commands
25789 even while the target is running. This is called @dfn{asynchronous
25790 command execution} (@pxref{Background Execution}). The frontend may
25791 specify a preferrence for asynchronous execution using the
25792 @code{-gdb-set target-async 1} command, which should be emitted before
25793 either running the executable or attaching to the target. After the
25794 frontend has started the executable or attached to the target, it can
25795 find if asynchronous execution is enabled using the
25796 @code{-list-target-features} command.
25797
25798 Even if @value{GDBN} can accept a command while target is running,
25799 many commands that access the target do not work when the target is
25800 running. Therefore, asynchronous command execution is most useful
25801 when combined with non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}). Then,
25802 it is possible to examine the state of one thread, while other threads
25803 are running.
25804
25805 When a given thread is running, MI commands that try to access the
25806 target in the context of that thread may not work, or may work only on
25807 some targets. In particular, commands that try to operate on thread's
25808 stack will not work, on any target. Commands that read memory, or
25809 modify breakpoints, may work or not work, depending on the target. Note
25810 that even commands that operate on global state, such as @code{print},
25811 @code{set}, and breakpoint commands, still access the target in the
25812 context of a specific thread, so frontend should try to find a
25813 stopped thread and perform the operation on that thread (using the
25814 @samp{--thread} option).
25815
25816 Which commands will work in the context of a running thread is
25817 highly target dependent. However, the two commands
25818 @code{-exec-interrupt}, to stop a thread, and @code{-thread-info},
25819 to find the state of a thread, will always work.
25820
25821 @node Thread groups
25822 @subsection Thread groups
25823 @value{GDBN} may be used to debug several processes at the same time.
25824 On some platfroms, @value{GDBN} may support debugging of several
25825 hardware systems, each one having several cores with several different
25826 processes running on each core. This section describes the MI
25827 mechanism to support such debugging scenarios.
25828
25829 The key observation is that regardless of the structure of the
25830 target, MI can have a global list of threads, because most commands that
25831 accept the @samp{--thread} option do not need to know what process that
25832 thread belongs to. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce
25833 neither additional @samp{--process} option, nor an notion of the
25834 current process in the MI interface. The only strictly new feature
25835 that is required is the ability to find how the threads are grouped
25836 into processes.
25837
25838 To allow the user to discover such grouping, and to support arbitrary
25839 hierarchy of machines/cores/processes, MI introduces the concept of a
25840 @dfn{thread group}. Thread group is a collection of threads and other
25841 thread groups. A thread group always has a string identifier, a type,
25842 and may have additional attributes specific to the type. A new
25843 command, @code{-list-thread-groups}, returns the list of top-level
25844 thread groups, which correspond to processes that @value{GDBN} is
25845 debugging at the moment. By passing an identifier of a thread group
25846 to the @code{-list-thread-groups} command, it is possible to obtain
25847 the members of specific thread group.
25848
25849 To allow the user to easily discover processes, and other objects, he
25850 wishes to debug, a concept of @dfn{available thread group} is
25851 introduced. Available thread group is an thread group that
25852 @value{GDBN} is not debugging, but that can be attached to, using the
25853 @code{-target-attach} command. The list of available top-level thread
25854 groups can be obtained using @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}.
25855 In general, the content of a thread group may be only retrieved only
25856 after attaching to that thread group.
25857
25858 Thread groups are related to inferiors (@pxref{Inferiors and
25859 Programs}). Each inferior corresponds to a thread group of a special
25860 type @samp{process}, and some additional operations are permitted on
25861 such thread groups.
25862
25863 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25864 @node GDB/MI Command Syntax
25865 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Syntax
25866
25867 @menu
25868 * GDB/MI Input Syntax::
25869 * GDB/MI Output Syntax::
25870 @end menu
25871
25872 @node GDB/MI Input Syntax
25873 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Input Syntax
25874
25875 @cindex input syntax for @sc{gdb/mi}
25876 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, input syntax
25877 @table @code
25878 @item @var{command} @expansion{}
25879 @code{@var{cli-command} | @var{mi-command}}
25880
25881 @item @var{cli-command} @expansion{}
25882 @code{[ @var{token} ] @var{cli-command} @var{nl}}, where
25883 @var{cli-command} is any existing @value{GDBN} CLI command.
25884
25885 @item @var{mi-command} @expansion{}
25886 @code{[ @var{token} ] "-" @var{operation} ( " " @var{option} )*
25887 @code{[} " --" @code{]} ( " " @var{parameter} )* @var{nl}}
25888
25889 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
25890 "any sequence of digits"
25891
25892 @item @var{option} @expansion{}
25893 @code{"-" @var{parameter} [ " " @var{parameter} ]}
25894
25895 @item @var{parameter} @expansion{}
25896 @code{@var{non-blank-sequence} | @var{c-string}}
25897
25898 @item @var{operation} @expansion{}
25899 @emph{any of the operations described in this chapter}
25900
25901 @item @var{non-blank-sequence} @expansion{}
25902 @emph{anything, provided it doesn't contain special characters such as
25903 "-", @var{nl}, """ and of course " "}
25904
25905 @item @var{c-string} @expansion{}
25906 @code{""" @var{seven-bit-iso-c-string-content} """}
25907
25908 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
25909 @code{CR | CR-LF}
25910 @end table
25911
25912 @noindent
25913 Notes:
25914
25915 @itemize @bullet
25916 @item
25917 The CLI commands are still handled by the @sc{mi} interpreter; their
25918 output is described below.
25919
25920 @item
25921 The @code{@var{token}}, when present, is passed back when the command
25922 finishes.
25923
25924 @item
25925 Some @sc{mi} commands accept optional arguments as part of the parameter
25926 list. Each option is identified by a leading @samp{-} (dash) and may be
25927 followed by an optional argument parameter. Options occur first in the
25928 parameter list and can be delimited from normal parameters using
25929 @samp{--} (this is useful when some parameters begin with a dash).
25930 @end itemize
25931
25932 Pragmatics:
25933
25934 @itemize @bullet
25935 @item
25936 We want easy access to the existing CLI syntax (for debugging).
25937
25938 @item
25939 We want it to be easy to spot a @sc{mi} operation.
25940 @end itemize
25941
25942 @node GDB/MI Output Syntax
25943 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax
25944
25945 @cindex output syntax of @sc{gdb/mi}
25946 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, output syntax
25947 The output from @sc{gdb/mi} consists of zero or more out-of-band records
25948 followed, optionally, by a single result record. This result record
25949 is for the most recent command. The sequence of output records is
25950 terminated by @samp{(gdb)}.
25951
25952 If an input command was prefixed with a @code{@var{token}} then the
25953 corresponding output for that command will also be prefixed by that same
25954 @var{token}.
25955
25956 @table @code
25957 @item @var{output} @expansion{}
25958 @code{( @var{out-of-band-record} )* [ @var{result-record} ] "(gdb)" @var{nl}}
25959
25960 @item @var{result-record} @expansion{}
25961 @code{ [ @var{token} ] "^" @var{result-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
25962
25963 @item @var{out-of-band-record} @expansion{}
25964 @code{@var{async-record} | @var{stream-record}}
25965
25966 @item @var{async-record} @expansion{}
25967 @code{@var{exec-async-output} | @var{status-async-output} | @var{notify-async-output}}
25968
25969 @item @var{exec-async-output} @expansion{}
25970 @code{[ @var{token} ] "*" @var{async-output}}
25971
25972 @item @var{status-async-output} @expansion{}
25973 @code{[ @var{token} ] "+" @var{async-output}}
25974
25975 @item @var{notify-async-output} @expansion{}
25976 @code{[ @var{token} ] "=" @var{async-output}}
25977
25978 @item @var{async-output} @expansion{}
25979 @code{@var{async-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
25980
25981 @item @var{result-class} @expansion{}
25982 @code{"done" | "running" | "connected" | "error" | "exit"}
25983
25984 @item @var{async-class} @expansion{}
25985 @code{"stopped" | @var{others}} (where @var{others} will be added
25986 depending on the needs---this is still in development).
25987
25988 @item @var{result} @expansion{}
25989 @code{ @var{variable} "=" @var{value}}
25990
25991 @item @var{variable} @expansion{}
25992 @code{ @var{string} }
25993
25994 @item @var{value} @expansion{}
25995 @code{ @var{const} | @var{tuple} | @var{list} }
25996
25997 @item @var{const} @expansion{}
25998 @code{@var{c-string}}
25999
26000 @item @var{tuple} @expansion{}
26001 @code{ "@{@}" | "@{" @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "@}" }
26002
26003 @item @var{list} @expansion{}
26004 @code{ "[]" | "[" @var{value} ( "," @var{value} )* "]" | "["
26005 @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "]" }
26006
26007 @item @var{stream-record} @expansion{}
26008 @code{@var{console-stream-output} | @var{target-stream-output} | @var{log-stream-output}}
26009
26010 @item @var{console-stream-output} @expansion{}
26011 @code{"~" @var{c-string}}
26012
26013 @item @var{target-stream-output} @expansion{}
26014 @code{"@@" @var{c-string}}
26015
26016 @item @var{log-stream-output} @expansion{}
26017 @code{"&" @var{c-string}}
26018
26019 @item @var{nl} @expansion{}
26020 @code{CR | CR-LF}
26021
26022 @item @var{token} @expansion{}
26023 @emph{any sequence of digits}.
26024 @end table
26025
26026 @noindent
26027 Notes:
26028
26029 @itemize @bullet
26030 @item
26031 All output sequences end in a single line containing a period.
26032
26033 @item
26034 The @code{@var{token}} is from the corresponding request. Note that
26035 for all async output, while the token is allowed by the grammar and
26036 may be output by future versions of @value{GDBN} for select async
26037 output messages, it is generally omitted. Frontends should treat
26038 all async output as reporting general changes in the state of the
26039 target and there should be no need to associate async output to any
26040 prior command.
26041
26042 @item
26043 @cindex status output in @sc{gdb/mi}
26044 @var{status-async-output} contains on-going status information about the
26045 progress of a slow operation. It can be discarded. All status output is
26046 prefixed by @samp{+}.
26047
26048 @item
26049 @cindex async output in @sc{gdb/mi}
26050 @var{exec-async-output} contains asynchronous state change on the target
26051 (stopped, started, disappeared). All async output is prefixed by
26052 @samp{*}.
26053
26054 @item
26055 @cindex notify output in @sc{gdb/mi}
26056 @var{notify-async-output} contains supplementary information that the
26057 client should handle (e.g., a new breakpoint information). All notify
26058 output is prefixed by @samp{=}.
26059
26060 @item
26061 @cindex console output in @sc{gdb/mi}
26062 @var{console-stream-output} is output that should be displayed as is in the
26063 console. It is the textual response to a CLI command. All the console
26064 output is prefixed by @samp{~}.
26065
26066 @item
26067 @cindex target output in @sc{gdb/mi}
26068 @var{target-stream-output} is the output produced by the target program.
26069 All the target output is prefixed by @samp{@@}.
26070
26071 @item
26072 @cindex log output in @sc{gdb/mi}
26073 @var{log-stream-output} is output text coming from @value{GDBN}'s internals, for
26074 instance messages that should be displayed as part of an error log. All
26075 the log output is prefixed by @samp{&}.
26076
26077 @item
26078 @cindex list output in @sc{gdb/mi}
26079 New @sc{gdb/mi} commands should only output @var{lists} containing
26080 @var{values}.
26081
26082
26083 @end itemize
26084
26085 @xref{GDB/MI Stream Records, , @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records}, for more
26086 details about the various output records.
26087
26088 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26089 @node GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI
26090 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Compatibility with CLI
26091
26092 @cindex compatibility, @sc{gdb/mi} and CLI
26093 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, compatibility with CLI
26094
26095 For the developers convenience CLI commands can be entered directly,
26096 but there may be some unexpected behaviour. For example, commands
26097 that query the user will behave as if the user replied yes, breakpoint
26098 command lists are not executed and some CLI commands, such as
26099 @code{if}, @code{when} and @code{define}, prompt for further input with
26100 @samp{>}, which is not valid MI output.
26101
26102 This feature may be removed at some stage in the future and it is
26103 recommended that front ends use the @code{-interpreter-exec} command
26104 (@pxref{-interpreter-exec}).
26105
26106 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26107 @node GDB/MI Development and Front Ends
26108 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends
26109 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi} development
26110
26111 The application which takes the MI output and presents the state of the
26112 program being debugged to the user is called a @dfn{front end}.
26113
26114 Although @sc{gdb/mi} is still incomplete, it is currently being used
26115 by a variety of front ends to @value{GDBN}. This makes it difficult
26116 to introduce new functionality without breaking existing usage. This
26117 section tries to minimize the problems by describing how the protocol
26118 might change.
26119
26120 Some changes in MI need not break a carefully designed front end, and
26121 for these the MI version will remain unchanged. The following is a
26122 list of changes that may occur within one level, so front ends should
26123 parse MI output in a way that can handle them:
26124
26125 @itemize @bullet
26126 @item
26127 New MI commands may be added.
26128
26129 @item
26130 New fields may be added to the output of any MI command.
26131
26132 @item
26133 The range of values for fields with specified values, e.g.,
26134 @code{in_scope} (@pxref{-var-update}) may be extended.
26135
26136 @c The format of field's content e.g type prefix, may change so parse it
26137 @c at your own risk. Yes, in general?
26138
26139 @c The order of fields may change? Shouldn't really matter but it might
26140 @c resolve inconsistencies.
26141 @end itemize
26142
26143 If the changes are likely to break front ends, the MI version level
26144 will be increased by one. This will allow the front end to parse the
26145 output according to the MI version. Apart from mi0, new versions of
26146 @value{GDBN} will not support old versions of MI and it will be the
26147 responsibility of the front end to work with the new one.
26148
26149 @c Starting with mi3, add a new command -mi-version that prints the MI
26150 @c version?
26151
26152 The best way to avoid unexpected changes in MI that might break your front
26153 end is to make your project known to @value{GDBN} developers and
26154 follow development on @email{gdb@@sourceware.org} and
26155 @email{gdb-patches@@sourceware.org}.
26156 @cindex mailing lists
26157
26158 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26159 @node GDB/MI Output Records
26160 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Output Records
26161
26162 @menu
26163 * GDB/MI Result Records::
26164 * GDB/MI Stream Records::
26165 * GDB/MI Async Records::
26166 * GDB/MI Frame Information::
26167 * GDB/MI Thread Information::
26168 * GDB/MI Ada Exception Information::
26169 @end menu
26170
26171 @node GDB/MI Result Records
26172 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Result Records
26173
26174 @cindex result records in @sc{gdb/mi}
26175 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, result records
26176 In addition to a number of out-of-band notifications, the response to a
26177 @sc{gdb/mi} command includes one of the following result indications:
26178
26179 @table @code
26180 @findex ^done
26181 @item "^done" [ "," @var{results} ]
26182 The synchronous operation was successful, @code{@var{results}} are the return
26183 values.
26184
26185 @item "^running"
26186 @findex ^running
26187 This result record is equivalent to @samp{^done}. Historically, it
26188 was output instead of @samp{^done} if the command has resumed the
26189 target. This behaviour is maintained for backward compatibility, but
26190 all frontends should treat @samp{^done} and @samp{^running}
26191 identically and rely on the @samp{*running} output record to determine
26192 which threads are resumed.
26193
26194 @item "^connected"
26195 @findex ^connected
26196 @value{GDBN} has connected to a remote target.
26197
26198 @item "^error" "," @var{c-string}
26199 @findex ^error
26200 The operation failed. The @code{@var{c-string}} contains the corresponding
26201 error message.
26202
26203 @item "^exit"
26204 @findex ^exit
26205 @value{GDBN} has terminated.
26206
26207 @end table
26208
26209 @node GDB/MI Stream Records
26210 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records
26211
26212 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, stream records
26213 @cindex stream records in @sc{gdb/mi}
26214 @value{GDBN} internally maintains a number of output streams: the console, the
26215 target, and the log. The output intended for each of these streams is
26216 funneled through the @sc{gdb/mi} interface using @dfn{stream records}.
26217
26218 Each stream record begins with a unique @dfn{prefix character} which
26219 identifies its stream (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, , @sc{gdb/mi} Output
26220 Syntax}). In addition to the prefix, each stream record contains a
26221 @code{@var{string-output}}. This is either raw text (with an implicit new
26222 line) or a quoted C string (which does not contain an implicit newline).
26223
26224 @table @code
26225 @item "~" @var{string-output}
26226 The console output stream contains text that should be displayed in the
26227 CLI console window. It contains the textual responses to CLI commands.
26228
26229 @item "@@" @var{string-output}
26230 The target output stream contains any textual output from the running
26231 target. This is only present when GDB's event loop is truly
26232 asynchronous, which is currently only the case for remote targets.
26233
26234 @item "&" @var{string-output}
26235 The log stream contains debugging messages being produced by @value{GDBN}'s
26236 internals.
26237 @end table
26238
26239 @node GDB/MI Async Records
26240 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Async Records
26241
26242 @cindex async records in @sc{gdb/mi}
26243 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, async records
26244 @dfn{Async} records are used to notify the @sc{gdb/mi} client of
26245 additional changes that have occurred. Those changes can either be a
26246 consequence of @sc{gdb/mi} commands (e.g., a breakpoint modified) or a result of
26247 target activity (e.g., target stopped).
26248
26249 The following is the list of possible async records:
26250
26251 @table @code
26252
26253 @item *running,thread-id="@var{thread}"
26254 The target is now running. The @var{thread} field tells which
26255 specific thread is now running, and can be @samp{all} if all threads
26256 are running. The frontend should assume that no interaction with a
26257 running thread is possible after this notification is produced.
26258 The frontend should not assume that this notification is output
26259 only once for any command. @value{GDBN} may emit this notification
26260 several times, either for different threads, because it cannot resume
26261 all threads together, or even for a single thread, if the thread must
26262 be stepped though some code before letting it run freely.
26263
26264 @item *stopped,reason="@var{reason}",thread-id="@var{id}",stopped-threads="@var{stopped}",core="@var{core}"
26265 The target has stopped. The @var{reason} field can have one of the
26266 following values:
26267
26268 @table @code
26269 @item breakpoint-hit
26270 A breakpoint was reached.
26271 @item watchpoint-trigger
26272 A watchpoint was triggered.
26273 @item read-watchpoint-trigger
26274 A read watchpoint was triggered.
26275 @item access-watchpoint-trigger
26276 An access watchpoint was triggered.
26277 @item function-finished
26278 An -exec-finish or similar CLI command was accomplished.
26279 @item location-reached
26280 An -exec-until or similar CLI command was accomplished.
26281 @item watchpoint-scope
26282 A watchpoint has gone out of scope.
26283 @item end-stepping-range
26284 An -exec-next, -exec-next-instruction, -exec-step, -exec-step-instruction or
26285 similar CLI command was accomplished.
26286 @item exited-signalled
26287 The inferior exited because of a signal.
26288 @item exited
26289 The inferior exited.
26290 @item exited-normally
26291 The inferior exited normally.
26292 @item signal-received
26293 A signal was received by the inferior.
26294 @item solib-event
26295 The inferior has stopped due to a library being loaded or unloaded.
26296 This can only happen when @code{stop-on-solib-events} (@pxref{Files})
26297 is set.
26298 @item fork
26299 The inferior has forked. This is reported when @code{catch fork}
26300 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
26301 @item vfork
26302 The inferior has vforked. This is reported in when @code{catch vfork}
26303 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
26304 @item syscall-entry
26305 The inferior entered a system call. This is reported when @code{catch
26306 syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
26307 @item syscall-entry
26308 The inferior returned from a system call. This is reported when
26309 @code{catch syscall} (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
26310 @item exec
26311 The inferior called @code{exec}. This is reported when @code{catch exec}
26312 (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}) has been used.
26313 @end table
26314
26315 The @var{id} field identifies the thread that directly caused the stop
26316 -- for example by hitting a breakpoint. Depending on whether all-stop
26317 mode is in effect (@pxref{All-Stop Mode}), @value{GDBN} may either
26318 stop all threads, or only the thread that directly triggered the stop.
26319 If all threads are stopped, the @var{stopped} field will have the
26320 value of @code{"all"}. Otherwise, the value of the @var{stopped}
26321 field will be a list of thread identifiers. Presently, this list will
26322 always include a single thread, but frontend should be prepared to see
26323 several threads in the list. The @var{core} field reports the
26324 processor core on which the stop event has happened. This field may be absent
26325 if such information is not available.
26326
26327 @item =thread-group-added,id="@var{id}"
26328 @itemx =thread-group-removed,id="@var{id}"
26329 A thread group was either added or removed. The @var{id} field
26330 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. When a thread
26331 group is added, it generally might not be associated with a running
26332 process. When a thread group is removed, its id becomes invalid and
26333 cannot be used in any way.
26334
26335 @item =thread-group-started,id="@var{id}",pid="@var{pid}"
26336 A thread group became associated with a running program,
26337 either because the program was just started or the thread group
26338 was attached to a program. The @var{id} field contains the
26339 @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. The @var{pid} field
26340 contains process identifier, specific to the operating system.
26341
26342 @item =thread-group-exited,id="@var{id}"[,exit-code="@var{code}"]
26343 A thread group is no longer associated with a running program,
26344 either because the program has exited, or because it was detached
26345 from. The @var{id} field contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the
26346 thread group. @var{code} is the exit code of the inferior; it exists
26347 only when the inferior exited with some code.
26348
26349 @item =thread-created,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
26350 @itemx =thread-exited,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
26351 A thread either was created, or has exited. The @var{id} field
26352 contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread. The @var{gid}
26353 field identifies the thread group this thread belongs to.
26354
26355 @item =thread-selected,id="@var{id}"
26356 Informs that the selected thread was changed as result of the last
26357 command. This notification is not emitted as result of @code{-thread-select}
26358 command but is emitted whenever an MI command that is not documented
26359 to change the selected thread actually changes it. In particular,
26360 invoking, directly or indirectly (via user-defined command), the CLI
26361 @code{thread} command, will generate this notification.
26362
26363 We suggest that in response to this notification, front ends
26364 highlight the selected thread and cause subsequent commands to apply to
26365 that thread.
26366
26367 @item =library-loaded,...
26368 Reports that a new library file was loaded by the program. This
26369 notification has 4 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name},
26370 @var{host-name}, and @var{symbols-loaded}. The @var{id} field is an
26371 opaque identifier of the library. For remote debugging case,
26372 @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} fields give the name of the
26373 library file on the target, and on the host respectively. For native
26374 debugging, both those fields have the same value. The
26375 @var{symbols-loaded} field is emitted only for backward compatibility
26376 and should not be relied on to convey any useful information. The
26377 @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the thread
26378 group in whose context the library was loaded. If the field is
26379 absent, it means the library was loaded in the context of all present
26380 thread groups.
26381
26382 @item =library-unloaded,...
26383 Reports that a library was unloaded by the program. This notification
26384 has 3 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} with
26385 the same meaning as for the @code{=library-loaded} notification.
26386 The @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the
26387 thread group in whose context the library was unloaded. If the field is
26388 absent, it means the library was unloaded in the context of all present
26389 thread groups.
26390
26391 @item =breakpoint-created,bkpt=@{...@}
26392 @itemx =breakpoint-modified,bkpt=@{...@}
26393 @itemx =breakpoint-deleted,bkpt=@{...@}
26394 Reports that a breakpoint was created, modified, or deleted,
26395 respectively. Only user-visible breakpoints are reported to the MI
26396 user.
26397
26398 The @var{bkpt} argument is of the same form as returned by the various
26399 breakpoint commands; @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}.
26400
26401 Note that if a breakpoint is emitted in the result record of a
26402 command, then it will not also be emitted in an async record.
26403
26404 @end table
26405
26406 @node GDB/MI Frame Information
26407 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Frame Information
26408
26409 Response from many MI commands includes an information about stack
26410 frame. This information is a tuple that may have the following
26411 fields:
26412
26413 @table @code
26414 @item level
26415 The level of the stack frame. The innermost frame has the level of
26416 zero. This field is always present.
26417
26418 @item func
26419 The name of the function corresponding to the frame. This field may
26420 be absent if @value{GDBN} is unable to determine the function name.
26421
26422 @item addr
26423 The code address for the frame. This field is always present.
26424
26425 @item file
26426 The name of the source files that correspond to the frame's code
26427 address. This field may be absent.
26428
26429 @item line
26430 The source line corresponding to the frames' code address. This field
26431 may be absent.
26432
26433 @item from
26434 The name of the binary file (either executable or shared library) the
26435 corresponds to the frame's code address. This field may be absent.
26436
26437 @end table
26438
26439 @node GDB/MI Thread Information
26440 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Information
26441
26442 Whenever @value{GDBN} has to report an information about a thread, it
26443 uses a tuple with the following fields:
26444
26445 @table @code
26446 @item id
26447 The numeric id assigned to the thread by @value{GDBN}. This field is
26448 always present.
26449
26450 @item target-id
26451 Target-specific string identifying the thread. This field is always present.
26452
26453 @item details
26454 Additional information about the thread provided by the target.
26455 It is supposed to be human-readable and not interpreted by the
26456 frontend. This field is optional.
26457
26458 @item state
26459 Either @samp{stopped} or @samp{running}, depending on whether the
26460 thread is presently running. This field is always present.
26461
26462 @item core
26463 The value of this field is an integer number of the processor core the
26464 thread was last seen on. This field is optional.
26465 @end table
26466
26467 @node GDB/MI Ada Exception Information
26468 @subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Exception Information
26469
26470 Whenever a @code{*stopped} record is emitted because the program
26471 stopped after hitting an exception catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}),
26472 @value{GDBN} provides the name of the exception that was raised via
26473 the @code{exception-name} field.
26474
26475 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26476 @node GDB/MI Simple Examples
26477 @section Simple Examples of @sc{gdb/mi} Interaction
26478 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, simple examples
26479
26480 This subsection presents several simple examples of interaction using
26481 the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. In these examples, @samp{->} means that the
26482 following line is passed to @sc{gdb/mi} as input, while @samp{<-} means
26483 the output received from @sc{gdb/mi}.
26484
26485 Note the line breaks shown in the examples are here only for
26486 readability, they don't appear in the real output.
26487
26488 @subheading Setting a Breakpoint
26489
26490 Setting a breakpoint generates synchronous output which contains detailed
26491 information of the breakpoint.
26492
26493 @smallexample
26494 -> -break-insert main
26495 <- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26496 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
26497 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",times="0"@}
26498 <- (gdb)
26499 @end smallexample
26500
26501 @subheading Program Execution
26502
26503 Program execution generates asynchronous records and MI gives the
26504 reason that execution stopped.
26505
26506 @smallexample
26507 -> -exec-run
26508 <- ^running
26509 <- (gdb)
26510 <- *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
26511 frame=@{addr="0x08048564",func="main",
26512 args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},@{name="argv",value="0xbfc4d4d4"@}],
26513 file="myprog.c",fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68"@}
26514 <- (gdb)
26515 -> -exec-continue
26516 <- ^running
26517 <- (gdb)
26518 <- *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
26519 <- (gdb)
26520 @end smallexample
26521
26522 @subheading Quitting @value{GDBN}
26523
26524 Quitting @value{GDBN} just prints the result class @samp{^exit}.
26525
26526 @smallexample
26527 -> (gdb)
26528 <- -gdb-exit
26529 <- ^exit
26530 @end smallexample
26531
26532 Please note that @samp{^exit} is printed immediately, but it might
26533 take some time for @value{GDBN} to actually exit. During that time, @value{GDBN}
26534 performs necessary cleanups, including killing programs being debugged
26535 or disconnecting from debug hardware, so the frontend should wait till
26536 @value{GDBN} exits and should only forcibly kill @value{GDBN} if it
26537 fails to exit in reasonable time.
26538
26539 @subheading A Bad Command
26540
26541 Here's what happens if you pass a non-existent command:
26542
26543 @smallexample
26544 -> -rubbish
26545 <- ^error,msg="Undefined MI command: rubbish"
26546 <- (gdb)
26547 @end smallexample
26548
26549
26550 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26551 @node GDB/MI Command Description Format
26552 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Description Format
26553
26554 The remaining sections describe blocks of commands. Each block of
26555 commands is laid out in a fashion similar to this section.
26556
26557 @subheading Motivation
26558
26559 The motivation for this collection of commands.
26560
26561 @subheading Introduction
26562
26563 A brief introduction to this collection of commands as a whole.
26564
26565 @subheading Commands
26566
26567 For each command in the block, the following is described:
26568
26569 @subsubheading Synopsis
26570
26571 @smallexample
26572 -command @var{args}@dots{}
26573 @end smallexample
26574
26575 @subsubheading Result
26576
26577 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26578
26579 The corresponding @value{GDBN} CLI command(s), if any.
26580
26581 @subsubheading Example
26582
26583 Example(s) formatted for readability. Some of the described commands have
26584 not been implemented yet and these are labeled N.A.@: (not available).
26585
26586
26587 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26588 @node GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands
26589 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Commands
26590
26591 @cindex breakpoint commands for @sc{gdb/mi}
26592 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, breakpoint commands
26593 This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
26594 breakpoints.
26595
26596 @subheading The @code{-break-after} Command
26597 @findex -break-after
26598
26599 @subsubheading Synopsis
26600
26601 @smallexample
26602 -break-after @var{number} @var{count}
26603 @end smallexample
26604
26605 The breakpoint number @var{number} is not in effect until it has been
26606 hit @var{count} times. To see how this is reflected in the output of
26607 the @samp{-break-list} command, see the description of the
26608 @samp{-break-list} command below.
26609
26610 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26611
26612 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ignore}.
26613
26614 @subsubheading Example
26615
26616 @smallexample
26617 (gdb)
26618 -break-insert main
26619 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26620 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
26621 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",times="0"@}
26622 (gdb)
26623 -break-after 1 3
26624 ~
26625 ^done
26626 (gdb)
26627 -break-list
26628 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26629 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26630 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26631 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26632 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26633 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26634 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26635 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26636 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26637 line="5",times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
26638 (gdb)
26639 @end smallexample
26640
26641 @ignore
26642 @subheading The @code{-break-catch} Command
26643 @findex -break-catch
26644 @end ignore
26645
26646 @subheading The @code{-break-commands} Command
26647 @findex -break-commands
26648
26649 @subsubheading Synopsis
26650
26651 @smallexample
26652 -break-commands @var{number} [ @var{command1} ... @var{commandN} ]
26653 @end smallexample
26654
26655 Specifies the CLI commands that should be executed when breakpoint
26656 @var{number} is hit. The parameters @var{command1} to @var{commandN}
26657 are the commands. If no command is specified, any previously-set
26658 commands are cleared. @xref{Break Commands}. Typical use of this
26659 functionality is tracing a program, that is, printing of values of
26660 some variables whenever breakpoint is hit and then continuing.
26661
26662 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26663
26664 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{commands}.
26665
26666 @subsubheading Example
26667
26668 @smallexample
26669 (gdb)
26670 -break-insert main
26671 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26672 enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
26673 fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",times="0"@}
26674 (gdb)
26675 -break-commands 1 "print v" "continue"
26676 ^done
26677 (gdb)
26678 @end smallexample
26679
26680 @subheading The @code{-break-condition} Command
26681 @findex -break-condition
26682
26683 @subsubheading Synopsis
26684
26685 @smallexample
26686 -break-condition @var{number} @var{expr}
26687 @end smallexample
26688
26689 Breakpoint @var{number} will stop the program only if the condition in
26690 @var{expr} is true. The condition becomes part of the
26691 @samp{-break-list} output (see the description of the @samp{-break-list}
26692 command below).
26693
26694 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26695
26696 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{condition}.
26697
26698 @subsubheading Example
26699
26700 @smallexample
26701 (gdb)
26702 -break-condition 1 1
26703 ^done
26704 (gdb)
26705 -break-list
26706 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26707 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26708 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26709 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26710 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26711 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26712 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26713 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26714 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26715 line="5",cond="1",times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
26716 (gdb)
26717 @end smallexample
26718
26719 @subheading The @code{-break-delete} Command
26720 @findex -break-delete
26721
26722 @subsubheading Synopsis
26723
26724 @smallexample
26725 -break-delete ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26726 @end smallexample
26727
26728 Delete the breakpoint(s) whose number(s) are specified in the argument
26729 list. This is obviously reflected in the breakpoint list.
26730
26731 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26732
26733 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{delete}.
26734
26735 @subsubheading Example
26736
26737 @smallexample
26738 (gdb)
26739 -break-delete 1
26740 ^done
26741 (gdb)
26742 -break-list
26743 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
26744 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26745 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26746 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26747 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26748 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26749 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26750 body=[]@}
26751 (gdb)
26752 @end smallexample
26753
26754 @subheading The @code{-break-disable} Command
26755 @findex -break-disable
26756
26757 @subsubheading Synopsis
26758
26759 @smallexample
26760 -break-disable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26761 @end smallexample
26762
26763 Disable the named @var{breakpoint}(s). The field @samp{enabled} in the
26764 break list is now set to @samp{n} for the named @var{breakpoint}(s).
26765
26766 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26767
26768 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disable}.
26769
26770 @subsubheading Example
26771
26772 @smallexample
26773 (gdb)
26774 -break-disable 2
26775 ^done
26776 (gdb)
26777 -break-list
26778 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26779 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26780 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26781 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26782 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26783 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26784 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26785 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
26786 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26787 line="5",times="0"@}]@}
26788 (gdb)
26789 @end smallexample
26790
26791 @subheading The @code{-break-enable} Command
26792 @findex -break-enable
26793
26794 @subsubheading Synopsis
26795
26796 @smallexample
26797 -break-enable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26798 @end smallexample
26799
26800 Enable (previously disabled) @var{breakpoint}(s).
26801
26802 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26803
26804 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{enable}.
26805
26806 @subsubheading Example
26807
26808 @smallexample
26809 (gdb)
26810 -break-enable 2
26811 ^done
26812 (gdb)
26813 -break-list
26814 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26815 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26816 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26817 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26818 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26819 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26820 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26821 body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26822 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26823 line="5",times="0"@}]@}
26824 (gdb)
26825 @end smallexample
26826
26827 @subheading The @code{-break-info} Command
26828 @findex -break-info
26829
26830 @subsubheading Synopsis
26831
26832 @smallexample
26833 -break-info @var{breakpoint}
26834 @end smallexample
26835
26836 @c REDUNDANT???
26837 Get information about a single breakpoint.
26838
26839 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26840
26841 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break @var{breakpoint}}.
26842
26843 @subsubheading Example
26844 N.A.
26845
26846 @subheading The @code{-break-insert} Command
26847 @findex -break-insert
26848
26849 @subsubheading Synopsis
26850
26851 @smallexample
26852 -break-insert [ -t ] [ -h ] [ -f ] [ -d ] [ -a ]
26853 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
26854 [ -p @var{thread} ] [ @var{location} ]
26855 @end smallexample
26856
26857 @noindent
26858 If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
26859
26860 @itemize @bullet
26861 @item function
26862 @c @item +offset
26863 @c @item -offset
26864 @c @item linenum
26865 @item filename:linenum
26866 @item filename:function
26867 @item *address
26868 @end itemize
26869
26870 The possible optional parameters of this command are:
26871
26872 @table @samp
26873 @item -t
26874 Insert a temporary breakpoint.
26875 @item -h
26876 Insert a hardware breakpoint.
26877 @item -c @var{condition}
26878 Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
26879 @item -i @var{ignore-count}
26880 Initialize the @var{ignore-count}.
26881 @item -f
26882 If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example if it
26883 refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
26884 breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
26885 an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
26886 cannot be parsed.
26887 @item -d
26888 Create a disabled breakpoint.
26889 @item -a
26890 Create a tracepoint. @xref{Tracepoints}. When this parameter
26891 is used together with @samp{-h}, a fast tracepoint is created.
26892 @end table
26893
26894 @subsubheading Result
26895
26896 The result is in the form:
26897
26898 @smallexample
26899 ^done,bkpt=@{number="@var{number}",type="@var{type}",disp="del"|"keep",
26900 enabled="y"|"n",addr="@var{hex}",func="@var{funcname}",file="@var{filename}",
26901 fullname="@var{full_filename}",line="@var{lineno}",[thread="@var{threadno},]
26902 times="@var{times}"@}
26903 @end smallexample
26904
26905 @noindent
26906 where @var{number} is the @value{GDBN} number for this breakpoint,
26907 @var{funcname} is the name of the function where the breakpoint was
26908 inserted, @var{filename} is the name of the source file which contains
26909 this function, @var{lineno} is the source line number within that file
26910 and @var{times} the number of times that the breakpoint has been hit
26911 (always 0 for -break-insert but may be greater for -break-info or -break-list
26912 which use the same output).
26913
26914 Note: this format is open to change.
26915 @c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
26916
26917 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26918
26919 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{break}, @samp{tbreak},
26920 @samp{hbreak}, @samp{thbreak}, and @samp{rbreak}.
26921
26922 @subsubheading Example
26923
26924 @smallexample
26925 (gdb)
26926 -break-insert main
26927 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",
26928 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="4",times="0"@}
26929 (gdb)
26930 -break-insert -t foo
26931 ^done,bkpt=@{number="2",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c",
26932 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="11",times="0"@}
26933 (gdb)
26934 -break-list
26935 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26936 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26937 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26938 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26939 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26940 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26941 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26942 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26943 addr="0x0001072c", func="main",file="recursive2.c",
26944 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,"line="4",times="0"@},
26945 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
26946 addr="0x00010774",func="foo",file="recursive2.c",
26947 fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",times="0"@}]@}
26948 (gdb)
26949 -break-insert -r foo.*
26950 ~int foo(int, int);
26951 ^done,bkpt=@{number="3",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c,
26952 "fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",times="0"@}
26953 (gdb)
26954 @end smallexample
26955
26956 @subheading The @code{-break-list} Command
26957 @findex -break-list
26958
26959 @subsubheading Synopsis
26960
26961 @smallexample
26962 -break-list
26963 @end smallexample
26964
26965 Displays the list of inserted breakpoints, showing the following fields:
26966
26967 @table @samp
26968 @item Number
26969 number of the breakpoint
26970 @item Type
26971 type of the breakpoint: @samp{breakpoint} or @samp{watchpoint}
26972 @item Disposition
26973 should the breakpoint be deleted or disabled when it is hit: @samp{keep}
26974 or @samp{nokeep}
26975 @item Enabled
26976 is the breakpoint enabled or no: @samp{y} or @samp{n}
26977 @item Address
26978 memory location at which the breakpoint is set
26979 @item What
26980 logical location of the breakpoint, expressed by function name, file
26981 name, line number
26982 @item Times
26983 number of times the breakpoint has been hit
26984 @end table
26985
26986 If there are no breakpoints or watchpoints, the @code{BreakpointTable}
26987 @code{body} field is an empty list.
26988
26989 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26990
26991 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break}.
26992
26993 @subsubheading Example
26994
26995 @smallexample
26996 (gdb)
26997 -break-list
26998 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26999 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27000 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27001 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27002 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27003 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27004 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27005 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27006 addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",line="5",times="0"@},
27007 bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27008 addr="0x00010114",func="foo",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
27009 line="13",times="0"@}]@}
27010 (gdb)
27011 @end smallexample
27012
27013 Here's an example of the result when there are no breakpoints:
27014
27015 @smallexample
27016 (gdb)
27017 -break-list
27018 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
27019 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27020 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27021 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27022 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27023 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27024 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27025 body=[]@}
27026 (gdb)
27027 @end smallexample
27028
27029 @subheading The @code{-break-passcount} Command
27030 @findex -break-passcount
27031
27032 @subsubheading Synopsis
27033
27034 @smallexample
27035 -break-passcount @var{tracepoint-number} @var{passcount}
27036 @end smallexample
27037
27038 Set the passcount for tracepoint @var{tracepoint-number} to
27039 @var{passcount}. If the breakpoint referred to by @var{tracepoint-number}
27040 is not a tracepoint, error is emitted. This corresponds to CLI
27041 command @samp{passcount}.
27042
27043 @subheading The @code{-break-watch} Command
27044 @findex -break-watch
27045
27046 @subsubheading Synopsis
27047
27048 @smallexample
27049 -break-watch [ -a | -r ]
27050 @end smallexample
27051
27052 Create a watchpoint. With the @samp{-a} option it will create an
27053 @dfn{access} watchpoint, i.e., a watchpoint that triggers either on a
27054 read from or on a write to the memory location. With the @samp{-r}
27055 option, the watchpoint created is a @dfn{read} watchpoint, i.e., it will
27056 trigger only when the memory location is accessed for reading. Without
27057 either of the options, the watchpoint created is a regular watchpoint,
27058 i.e., it will trigger when the memory location is accessed for writing.
27059 @xref{Set Watchpoints, , Setting Watchpoints}.
27060
27061 Note that @samp{-break-list} will report a single list of watchpoints and
27062 breakpoints inserted.
27063
27064 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27065
27066 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{watch}, @samp{awatch}, and
27067 @samp{rwatch}.
27068
27069 @subsubheading Example
27070
27071 Setting a watchpoint on a variable in the @code{main} function:
27072
27073 @smallexample
27074 (gdb)
27075 -break-watch x
27076 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@}
27077 (gdb)
27078 -exec-continue
27079 ^running
27080 (gdb)
27081 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@},
27082 value=@{old="-268439212",new="55"@},
27083 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
27084 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="5"@}
27085 (gdb)
27086 @end smallexample
27087
27088 Setting a watchpoint on a variable local to a function. @value{GDBN} will stop
27089 the program execution twice: first for the variable changing value, then
27090 for the watchpoint going out of scope.
27091
27092 @smallexample
27093 (gdb)
27094 -break-watch C
27095 ^done,wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@}
27096 (gdb)
27097 -exec-continue
27098 ^running
27099 (gdb)
27100 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",
27101 wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@},value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
27102 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
27103 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27104 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
27105 (gdb)
27106 -exec-continue
27107 ^running
27108 (gdb)
27109 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="5",
27110 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
27111 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
27112 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27113 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
27114 (gdb)
27115 @end smallexample
27116
27117 Listing breakpoints and watchpoints, at different points in the program
27118 execution. Note that once the watchpoint goes out of scope, it is
27119 deleted.
27120
27121 @smallexample
27122 (gdb)
27123 -break-watch C
27124 ^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@}
27125 (gdb)
27126 -break-list
27127 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
27128 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27129 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27130 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27131 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27132 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27133 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27134 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27135 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
27136 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27137 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c"line="8",times="1"@},
27138 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
27139 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",times="0"@}]@}
27140 (gdb)
27141 -exec-continue
27142 ^running
27143 (gdb)
27144 *stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@},
27145 value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
27146 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
27147 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27148 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
27149 (gdb)
27150 -break-list
27151 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
27152 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27153 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27154 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27155 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27156 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27157 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27158 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27159 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
27160 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27161 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",times="1"@},
27162 bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
27163 enabled="y",addr="",what="C",times="-5"@}]@}
27164 (gdb)
27165 -exec-continue
27166 ^running
27167 ^done,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="2",
27168 frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
27169 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
27170 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27171 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
27172 (gdb)
27173 -break-list
27174 ^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
27175 hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
27176 @{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
27177 @{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
27178 @{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
27179 @{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
27180 @{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
27181 body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
27182 addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
27183 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27184 fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",
27185 times="1"@}]@}
27186 (gdb)
27187 @end smallexample
27188
27189 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27190 @node GDB/MI Program Context
27191 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Context
27192
27193 @subheading The @code{-exec-arguments} Command
27194 @findex -exec-arguments
27195
27196
27197 @subsubheading Synopsis
27198
27199 @smallexample
27200 -exec-arguments @var{args}
27201 @end smallexample
27202
27203 Set the inferior program arguments, to be used in the next
27204 @samp{-exec-run}.
27205
27206 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27207
27208 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set args}.
27209
27210 @subsubheading Example
27211
27212 @smallexample
27213 (gdb)
27214 -exec-arguments -v word
27215 ^done
27216 (gdb)
27217 @end smallexample
27218
27219
27220 @ignore
27221 @subheading The @code{-exec-show-arguments} Command
27222 @findex -exec-show-arguments
27223
27224 @subsubheading Synopsis
27225
27226 @smallexample
27227 -exec-show-arguments
27228 @end smallexample
27229
27230 Print the arguments of the program.
27231
27232 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27233
27234 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show args}.
27235
27236 @subsubheading Example
27237 N.A.
27238 @end ignore
27239
27240
27241 @subheading The @code{-environment-cd} Command
27242 @findex -environment-cd
27243
27244 @subsubheading Synopsis
27245
27246 @smallexample
27247 -environment-cd @var{pathdir}
27248 @end smallexample
27249
27250 Set @value{GDBN}'s working directory.
27251
27252 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27253
27254 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{cd}.
27255
27256 @subsubheading Example
27257
27258 @smallexample
27259 (gdb)
27260 -environment-cd /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
27261 ^done
27262 (gdb)
27263 @end smallexample
27264
27265
27266 @subheading The @code{-environment-directory} Command
27267 @findex -environment-directory
27268
27269 @subsubheading Synopsis
27270
27271 @smallexample
27272 -environment-directory [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
27273 @end smallexample
27274
27275 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for source files.
27276 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the default
27277 search path. If directories @var{pathdir} are supplied in addition to the
27278 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
27279 occurs as normal.
27280 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
27281 multiple directories in a single command
27282 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
27283 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
27284 If blanks are needed as
27285 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
27286 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
27287 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
27288 character must not be used
27289 in any directory name.
27290 If no directories are specified, the current search path is displayed.
27291
27292 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27293
27294 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dir}.
27295
27296 @subsubheading Example
27297
27298 @smallexample
27299 (gdb)
27300 -environment-directory /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
27301 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
27302 (gdb)
27303 -environment-directory ""
27304 ^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
27305 (gdb)
27306 -environment-directory -r /home/jjohnstn/src/gdb /usr/src
27307 ^done,source-path="/home/jjohnstn/src/gdb:/usr/src:$cdir:$cwd"
27308 (gdb)
27309 -environment-directory -r
27310 ^done,source-path="$cdir:$cwd"
27311 (gdb)
27312 @end smallexample
27313
27314
27315 @subheading The @code{-environment-path} Command
27316 @findex -environment-path
27317
27318 @subsubheading Synopsis
27319
27320 @smallexample
27321 -environment-path [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
27322 @end smallexample
27323
27324 Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for object files.
27325 If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the original
27326 search path that existed at gdb start-up. If directories @var{pathdir} are
27327 supplied in addition to the
27328 @samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
27329 occurs as normal.
27330 Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
27331 multiple directories in a single command
27332 results in the directories added to the beginning of the
27333 search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
27334 If blanks are needed as
27335 part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
27336 the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
27337 by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
27338 character must not be used
27339 in any directory name.
27340 If no directories are specified, the current path is displayed.
27341
27342
27343 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27344
27345 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{path}.
27346
27347 @subsubheading Example
27348
27349 @smallexample
27350 (gdb)
27351 -environment-path
27352 ^done,path="/usr/bin"
27353 (gdb)
27354 -environment-path /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb /bin
27355 ^done,path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb:/bin:/usr/bin"
27356 (gdb)
27357 -environment-path -r /usr/local/bin
27358 ^done,path="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin"
27359 (gdb)
27360 @end smallexample
27361
27362
27363 @subheading The @code{-environment-pwd} Command
27364 @findex -environment-pwd
27365
27366 @subsubheading Synopsis
27367
27368 @smallexample
27369 -environment-pwd
27370 @end smallexample
27371
27372 Show the current working directory.
27373
27374 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27375
27376 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{pwd}.
27377
27378 @subsubheading Example
27379
27380 @smallexample
27381 (gdb)
27382 -environment-pwd
27383 ^done,cwd="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb"
27384 (gdb)
27385 @end smallexample
27386
27387 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27388 @node GDB/MI Thread Commands
27389 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Commands
27390
27391
27392 @subheading The @code{-thread-info} Command
27393 @findex -thread-info
27394
27395 @subsubheading Synopsis
27396
27397 @smallexample
27398 -thread-info [ @var{thread-id} ]
27399 @end smallexample
27400
27401 Reports information about either a specific thread, if
27402 the @var{thread-id} parameter is present, or about all
27403 threads. When printing information about all threads,
27404 also reports the current thread.
27405
27406 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27407
27408 The @samp{info thread} command prints the same information
27409 about all threads.
27410
27411 @subsubheading Result
27412
27413 The result is a list of threads. The following attributes are
27414 defined for a given thread:
27415
27416 @table @samp
27417 @item current
27418 This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
27419
27420 @item id
27421 The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the thread.
27422
27423 @item target-id
27424 The identifier that the target uses to refer to the thread.
27425
27426 @item details
27427 Extra information about the thread, in a target-specific format. This
27428 field is optional.
27429
27430 @item name
27431 The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using the
27432 @code{thread name} command, then this name is given. Otherwise, if
27433 @value{GDBN} can extract the thread name from the target, then that
27434 name is given. If @value{GDBN} cannot find the thread name, then this
27435 field is omitted.
27436
27437 @item frame
27438 The stack frame currently executing in the thread.
27439
27440 @item state
27441 The thread's state. The @samp{state} field may have the following
27442 values:
27443
27444 @table @code
27445 @item stopped
27446 The thread is stopped. Frame information is available for stopped
27447 threads.
27448
27449 @item running
27450 The thread is running. There's no frame information for running
27451 threads.
27452
27453 @end table
27454
27455 @item core
27456 If @value{GDBN} can find the CPU core on which this thread is running,
27457 then this field is the core identifier. This field is optional.
27458
27459 @end table
27460
27461 @subsubheading Example
27462
27463 @smallexample
27464 -thread-info
27465 ^done,threads=[
27466 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
27467 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",
27468 args=[]@},state="running"@},
27469 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
27470 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",
27471 args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
27472 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},
27473 state="running"@}],
27474 current-thread-id="1"
27475 (gdb)
27476 @end smallexample
27477
27478 @subheading The @code{-thread-list-ids} Command
27479 @findex -thread-list-ids
27480
27481 @subsubheading Synopsis
27482
27483 @smallexample
27484 -thread-list-ids
27485 @end smallexample
27486
27487 Produces a list of the currently known @value{GDBN} thread ids. At the
27488 end of the list it also prints the total number of such threads.
27489
27490 This command is retained for historical reasons, the
27491 @code{-thread-info} command should be used instead.
27492
27493 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27494
27495 Part of @samp{info threads} supplies the same information.
27496
27497 @subsubheading Example
27498
27499 @smallexample
27500 (gdb)
27501 -thread-list-ids
27502 ^done,thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
27503 current-thread-id="1",number-of-threads="3"
27504 (gdb)
27505 @end smallexample
27506
27507
27508 @subheading The @code{-thread-select} Command
27509 @findex -thread-select
27510
27511 @subsubheading Synopsis
27512
27513 @smallexample
27514 -thread-select @var{threadnum}
27515 @end smallexample
27516
27517 Make @var{threadnum} the current thread. It prints the number of the new
27518 current thread, and the topmost frame for that thread.
27519
27520 This command is deprecated in favor of explicitly using the
27521 @samp{--thread} option to each command.
27522
27523 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27524
27525 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{thread}.
27526
27527 @subsubheading Example
27528
27529 @smallexample
27530 (gdb)
27531 -exec-next
27532 ^running
27533 (gdb)
27534 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",thread-id="2",line="187",
27535 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.threads/linux-dp.c"
27536 (gdb)
27537 -thread-list-ids
27538 ^done,
27539 thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
27540 number-of-threads="3"
27541 (gdb)
27542 -thread-select 3
27543 ^done,new-thread-id="3",
27544 frame=@{level="0",func="vprintf",
27545 args=[@{name="format",value="0x8048e9c \"%*s%c %d %c\\n\""@},
27546 @{name="arg",value="0x2"@}],file="vprintf.c",line="31"@}
27547 (gdb)
27548 @end smallexample
27549
27550 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27551 @node GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands
27552 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Tasking Commands
27553
27554 @subheading The @code{-ada-task-info} Command
27555 @findex -ada-task-info
27556
27557 @subsubheading Synopsis
27558
27559 @smallexample
27560 -ada-task-info [ @var{task-id} ]
27561 @end smallexample
27562
27563 Reports information about either a specific Ada task, if the
27564 @var{task-id} parameter is present, or about all Ada tasks.
27565
27566 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27567
27568 The @samp{info tasks} command prints the same information
27569 about all Ada tasks (@pxref{Ada Tasks}).
27570
27571 @subsubheading Result
27572
27573 The result is a table of Ada tasks. The following columns are
27574 defined for each Ada task:
27575
27576 @table @samp
27577 @item current
27578 This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
27579
27580 @item id
27581 The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the Ada task.
27582
27583 @item task-id
27584 The identifier that the target uses to refer to the Ada task.
27585
27586 @item thread-id
27587 The identifier of the thread corresponding to the Ada task.
27588
27589 This field should always exist, as Ada tasks are always implemented
27590 on top of a thread. But if @value{GDBN} cannot find this corresponding
27591 thread for any reason, the field is omitted.
27592
27593 @item parent-id
27594 This field exists only when the task was created by another task.
27595 In this case, it provides the ID of the parent task.
27596
27597 @item priority
27598 The base priority of the task.
27599
27600 @item state
27601 The current state of the task. For a detailed description of the
27602 possible states, see @ref{Ada Tasks}.
27603
27604 @item name
27605 The name of the task.
27606
27607 @end table
27608
27609 @subsubheading Example
27610
27611 @smallexample
27612 -ada-task-info
27613 ^done,tasks=@{nr_rows="3",nr_cols="8",
27614 hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr=""@},
27615 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="id",colhdr="ID"@},
27616 @{width="9",alignment="1",col_name="task-id",colhdr="TID"@},
27617 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="thread-id",colhdr=""@},
27618 @{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="parent-id",colhdr="P-ID"@},
27619 @{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="priority",colhdr="Pri"@},
27620 @{width="22",alignment="-1",col_name="state",colhdr="State"@},
27621 @{width="1",alignment="2",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@}],
27622 body=[@{current="*",id="1",task-id=" 644010",thread-id="1",priority="48",
27623 state="Child Termination Wait",name="main_task"@}]@}
27624 (gdb)
27625 @end smallexample
27626
27627 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27628 @node GDB/MI Program Execution
27629 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Execution
27630
27631 These are the asynchronous commands which generate the out-of-band
27632 record @samp{*stopped}. Currently @value{GDBN} only really executes
27633 asynchronously with remote targets and this interaction is mimicked in
27634 other cases.
27635
27636 @subheading The @code{-exec-continue} Command
27637 @findex -exec-continue
27638
27639 @subsubheading Synopsis
27640
27641 @smallexample
27642 -exec-continue [--reverse] [--all|--thread-group N]
27643 @end smallexample
27644
27645 Resumes the execution of the inferior program, which will continue
27646 to execute until it reaches a debugger stop event. If the
27647 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, execution resumes in reverse until
27648 it reaches a stop event. Stop events may include
27649 @itemize @bullet
27650 @item
27651 breakpoints or watchpoints
27652 @item
27653 signals or exceptions
27654 @item
27655 the end of the process (or its beginning under @samp{--reverse})
27656 @item
27657 the end or beginning of a replay log if one is being used.
27658 @end itemize
27659 In all-stop mode (@pxref{All-Stop
27660 Mode}), may resume only one thread, or all threads, depending on the
27661 value of the @samp{scheduler-locking} variable. If @samp{--all} is
27662 specified, all threads (in all inferiors) will be resumed. The @samp{--all} option is
27663 ignored in all-stop mode. If the @samp{--thread-group} options is
27664 specified, then all threads in that thread group are resumed.
27665
27666 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27667
27668 The corresponding @value{GDBN} corresponding is @samp{continue}.
27669
27670 @subsubheading Example
27671
27672 @smallexample
27673 -exec-continue
27674 ^running
27675 (gdb)
27676 @@Hello world
27677 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="2",frame=@{
27678 func="foo",args=[],file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",
27679 line="13"@}
27680 (gdb)
27681 @end smallexample
27682
27683
27684 @subheading The @code{-exec-finish} Command
27685 @findex -exec-finish
27686
27687 @subsubheading Synopsis
27688
27689 @smallexample
27690 -exec-finish [--reverse]
27691 @end smallexample
27692
27693 Resumes the execution of the inferior program until the current
27694 function is exited. Displays the results returned by the function.
27695 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes the reverse
27696 execution of the inferior program until the point where current
27697 function was called.
27698
27699 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27700
27701 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{finish}.
27702
27703 @subsubheading Example
27704
27705 Function returning @code{void}.
27706
27707 @smallexample
27708 -exec-finish
27709 ^running
27710 (gdb)
27711 @@hello from foo
27712 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
27713 file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",line="7"@}
27714 (gdb)
27715 @end smallexample
27716
27717 Function returning other than @code{void}. The name of the internal
27718 @value{GDBN} variable storing the result is printed, together with the
27719 value itself.
27720
27721 @smallexample
27722 -exec-finish
27723 ^running
27724 (gdb)
27725 *stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{addr="0x000107b0",func="foo",
27726 args=[@{name="a",value="1"],@{name="b",value="9"@}@},
27727 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
27728 gdb-result-var="$1",return-value="0"
27729 (gdb)
27730 @end smallexample
27731
27732
27733 @subheading The @code{-exec-interrupt} Command
27734 @findex -exec-interrupt
27735
27736 @subsubheading Synopsis
27737
27738 @smallexample
27739 -exec-interrupt [--all|--thread-group N]
27740 @end smallexample
27741
27742 Interrupts the background execution of the target. Note how the token
27743 associated with the stop message is the one for the execution command
27744 that has been interrupted. The token for the interrupt itself only
27745 appears in the @samp{^done} output. If the user is trying to
27746 interrupt a non-running program, an error message will be printed.
27747
27748 Note that when asynchronous execution is enabled, this command is
27749 asynchronous just like other execution commands. That is, first the
27750 @samp{^done} response will be printed, and the target stop will be
27751 reported after that using the @samp{*stopped} notification.
27752
27753 In non-stop mode, only the context thread is interrupted by default.
27754 All threads (in all inferiors) will be interrupted if the
27755 @samp{--all} option is specified. If the @samp{--thread-group}
27756 option is specified, all threads in that group will be interrupted.
27757
27758 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27759
27760 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interrupt}.
27761
27762 @subsubheading Example
27763
27764 @smallexample
27765 (gdb)
27766 111-exec-continue
27767 111^running
27768
27769 (gdb)
27770 222-exec-interrupt
27771 222^done
27772 (gdb)
27773 111*stopped,signal-name="SIGINT",signal-meaning="Interrupt",
27774 frame=@{addr="0x00010140",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
27775 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="13"@}
27776 (gdb)
27777
27778 (gdb)
27779 -exec-interrupt
27780 ^error,msg="mi_cmd_exec_interrupt: Inferior not executing."
27781 (gdb)
27782 @end smallexample
27783
27784 @subheading The @code{-exec-jump} Command
27785 @findex -exec-jump
27786
27787 @subsubheading Synopsis
27788
27789 @smallexample
27790 -exec-jump @var{location}
27791 @end smallexample
27792
27793 Resumes execution of the inferior program at the location specified by
27794 parameter. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
27795 different forms of @var{location}.
27796
27797 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27798
27799 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{jump}.
27800
27801 @subsubheading Example
27802
27803 @smallexample
27804 -exec-jump foo.c:10
27805 *running,thread-id="all"
27806 ^running
27807 @end smallexample
27808
27809
27810 @subheading The @code{-exec-next} Command
27811 @findex -exec-next
27812
27813 @subsubheading Synopsis
27814
27815 @smallexample
27816 -exec-next [--reverse]
27817 @end smallexample
27818
27819 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
27820 of the next source line is reached.
27821
27822 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
27823 of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the previous
27824 source line. If you issue this command on the first line of a
27825 function, it will take you back to the caller of that function, to the
27826 source line where the function was called.
27827
27828
27829 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27830
27831 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{next}.
27832
27833 @subsubheading Example
27834
27835 @smallexample
27836 -exec-next
27837 ^running
27838 (gdb)
27839 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="8",file="hello.c"
27840 (gdb)
27841 @end smallexample
27842
27843
27844 @subheading The @code{-exec-next-instruction} Command
27845 @findex -exec-next-instruction
27846
27847 @subsubheading Synopsis
27848
27849 @smallexample
27850 -exec-next-instruction [--reverse]
27851 @end smallexample
27852
27853 Executes one machine instruction. If the instruction is a function
27854 call, continues until the function returns. If the program stops at an
27855 instruction in the middle of a source line, the address will be
27856 printed as well.
27857
27858 If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
27859 of the inferior program, stopping at the previous instruction. If the
27860 previously executed instruction was a return from another function,
27861 it will continue to execute in reverse until the call to that function
27862 (from the current stack frame) is reached.
27863
27864 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27865
27866 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{nexti}.
27867
27868 @subsubheading Example
27869
27870 @smallexample
27871 (gdb)
27872 -exec-next-instruction
27873 ^running
27874
27875 (gdb)
27876 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
27877 addr="0x000100d4",line="5",file="hello.c"
27878 (gdb)
27879 @end smallexample
27880
27881
27882 @subheading The @code{-exec-return} Command
27883 @findex -exec-return
27884
27885 @subsubheading Synopsis
27886
27887 @smallexample
27888 -exec-return
27889 @end smallexample
27890
27891 Makes current function return immediately. Doesn't execute the inferior.
27892 Displays the new current frame.
27893
27894 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27895
27896 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{return}.
27897
27898 @subsubheading Example
27899
27900 @smallexample
27901 (gdb)
27902 200-break-insert callee4
27903 200^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x00010734",
27904 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
27905 (gdb)
27906 000-exec-run
27907 000^running
27908 (gdb)
27909 000*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
27910 frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
27911 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27912 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
27913 (gdb)
27914 205-break-delete
27915 205^done
27916 (gdb)
27917 111-exec-return
27918 111^done,frame=@{level="0",func="callee3",
27919 args=[@{name="strarg",
27920 value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
27921 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27922 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
27923 (gdb)
27924 @end smallexample
27925
27926
27927 @subheading The @code{-exec-run} Command
27928 @findex -exec-run
27929
27930 @subsubheading Synopsis
27931
27932 @smallexample
27933 -exec-run [--all | --thread-group N]
27934 @end smallexample
27935
27936 Starts execution of the inferior from the beginning. The inferior
27937 executes until either a breakpoint is encountered or the program
27938 exits. In the latter case the output will include an exit code, if
27939 the program has exited exceptionally.
27940
27941 When no option is specified, the current inferior is started. If the
27942 @samp{--thread-group} option is specified, it should refer to a thread
27943 group of type @samp{process}, and that thread group will be started.
27944 If the @samp{--all} option is specified, then all inferiors will be started.
27945
27946 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27947
27948 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{run}.
27949
27950 @subsubheading Examples
27951
27952 @smallexample
27953 (gdb)
27954 -break-insert main
27955 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",line="4"@}
27956 (gdb)
27957 -exec-run
27958 ^running
27959 (gdb)
27960 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
27961 frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
27962 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}
27963 (gdb)
27964 @end smallexample
27965
27966 @noindent
27967 Program exited normally:
27968
27969 @smallexample
27970 (gdb)
27971 -exec-run
27972 ^running
27973 (gdb)
27974 x = 55
27975 *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
27976 (gdb)
27977 @end smallexample
27978
27979 @noindent
27980 Program exited exceptionally:
27981
27982 @smallexample
27983 (gdb)
27984 -exec-run
27985 ^running
27986 (gdb)
27987 x = 55
27988 *stopped,reason="exited",exit-code="01"
27989 (gdb)
27990 @end smallexample
27991
27992 Another way the program can terminate is if it receives a signal such as
27993 @code{SIGINT}. In this case, @sc{gdb/mi} displays this:
27994
27995 @smallexample
27996 (gdb)
27997 *stopped,reason="exited-signalled",signal-name="SIGINT",
27998 signal-meaning="Interrupt"
27999 @end smallexample
28000
28001
28002 @c @subheading -exec-signal
28003
28004
28005 @subheading The @code{-exec-step} Command
28006 @findex -exec-step
28007
28008 @subsubheading Synopsis
28009
28010 @smallexample
28011 -exec-step [--reverse]
28012 @end smallexample
28013
28014 Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
28015 of the next source line is reached, if the next source line is not a
28016 function call. If it is, stop at the first instruction of the called
28017 function. If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse
28018 execution of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the
28019 previously executed source line.
28020
28021 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28022
28023 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{step}.
28024
28025 @subsubheading Example
28026
28027 Stepping into a function:
28028
28029 @smallexample
28030 -exec-step
28031 ^running
28032 (gdb)
28033 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
28034 frame=@{func="foo",args=[@{name="a",value="10"@},
28035 @{name="b",value="0"@}],file="recursive2.c",
28036 fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@}
28037 (gdb)
28038 @end smallexample
28039
28040 Regular stepping:
28041
28042 @smallexample
28043 -exec-step
28044 ^running
28045 (gdb)
28046 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="14",file="recursive2.c"
28047 (gdb)
28048 @end smallexample
28049
28050
28051 @subheading The @code{-exec-step-instruction} Command
28052 @findex -exec-step-instruction
28053
28054 @subsubheading Synopsis
28055
28056 @smallexample
28057 -exec-step-instruction [--reverse]
28058 @end smallexample
28059
28060 Resumes the inferior which executes one machine instruction. If the
28061 @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution of the
28062 inferior program, stopping at the previously executed instruction.
28063 The output, once @value{GDBN} has stopped, will vary depending on
28064 whether we have stopped in the middle of a source line or not. In the
28065 former case, the address at which the program stopped will be printed
28066 as well.
28067
28068 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28069
28070 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{stepi}.
28071
28072 @subsubheading Example
28073
28074 @smallexample
28075 (gdb)
28076 -exec-step-instruction
28077 ^running
28078
28079 (gdb)
28080 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
28081 frame=@{func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
28082 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
28083 (gdb)
28084 -exec-step-instruction
28085 ^running
28086
28087 (gdb)
28088 *stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
28089 frame=@{addr="0x000100f4",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
28090 fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
28091 (gdb)
28092 @end smallexample
28093
28094
28095 @subheading The @code{-exec-until} Command
28096 @findex -exec-until
28097
28098 @subsubheading Synopsis
28099
28100 @smallexample
28101 -exec-until [ @var{location} ]
28102 @end smallexample
28103
28104 Executes the inferior until the @var{location} specified in the
28105 argument is reached. If there is no argument, the inferior executes
28106 until a source line greater than the current one is reached. The
28107 reason for stopping in this case will be @samp{location-reached}.
28108
28109 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28110
28111 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{until}.
28112
28113 @subsubheading Example
28114
28115 @smallexample
28116 (gdb)
28117 -exec-until recursive2.c:6
28118 ^running
28119 (gdb)
28120 x = 55
28121 *stopped,reason="location-reached",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
28122 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="6"@}
28123 (gdb)
28124 @end smallexample
28125
28126 @ignore
28127 @subheading -file-clear
28128 Is this going away????
28129 @end ignore
28130
28131 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28132 @node GDB/MI Stack Manipulation
28133 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Stack Manipulation Commands
28134
28135
28136 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-frame} Command
28137 @findex -stack-info-frame
28138
28139 @subsubheading Synopsis
28140
28141 @smallexample
28142 -stack-info-frame
28143 @end smallexample
28144
28145 Get info on the selected frame.
28146
28147 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28148
28149 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info frame} or @samp{frame}
28150 (without arguments).
28151
28152 @subsubheading Example
28153
28154 @smallexample
28155 (gdb)
28156 -stack-info-frame
28157 ^done,frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
28158 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28159 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@}
28160 (gdb)
28161 @end smallexample
28162
28163 @subheading The @code{-stack-info-depth} Command
28164 @findex -stack-info-depth
28165
28166 @subsubheading Synopsis
28167
28168 @smallexample
28169 -stack-info-depth [ @var{max-depth} ]
28170 @end smallexample
28171
28172 Return the depth of the stack. If the integer argument @var{max-depth}
28173 is specified, do not count beyond @var{max-depth} frames.
28174
28175 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28176
28177 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
28178
28179 @subsubheading Example
28180
28181 For a stack with frame levels 0 through 11:
28182
28183 @smallexample
28184 (gdb)
28185 -stack-info-depth
28186 ^done,depth="12"
28187 (gdb)
28188 -stack-info-depth 4
28189 ^done,depth="4"
28190 (gdb)
28191 -stack-info-depth 12
28192 ^done,depth="12"
28193 (gdb)
28194 -stack-info-depth 11
28195 ^done,depth="11"
28196 (gdb)
28197 -stack-info-depth 13
28198 ^done,depth="12"
28199 (gdb)
28200 @end smallexample
28201
28202 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-arguments} Command
28203 @findex -stack-list-arguments
28204
28205 @subsubheading Synopsis
28206
28207 @smallexample
28208 -stack-list-arguments @var{print-values}
28209 [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
28210 @end smallexample
28211
28212 Display a list of the arguments for the frames between @var{low-frame}
28213 and @var{high-frame} (inclusive). If @var{low-frame} and
28214 @var{high-frame} are not provided, list the arguments for the whole
28215 call stack. If the two arguments are equal, show the single frame
28216 at the corresponding level. It is an error if @var{low-frame} is
28217 larger than the actual number of frames. On the other hand,
28218 @var{high-frame} may be larger than the actual number of frames, in
28219 which case only existing frames will be returned.
28220
28221 If @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28222 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28223 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28224 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28225 structures and unions.
28226
28227 Use of this command to obtain arguments in a single frame is
28228 deprecated in favor of the @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
28229
28230 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28231
28232 @value{GDBN} does not have an equivalent command. @code{gdbtk} has a
28233 @samp{gdb_get_args} command which partially overlaps with the
28234 functionality of @samp{-stack-list-arguments}.
28235
28236 @subsubheading Example
28237
28238 @smallexample
28239 (gdb)
28240 -stack-list-frames
28241 ^done,
28242 stack=[
28243 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
28244 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28245 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@},
28246 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
28247 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28248 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@},
28249 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x0001078c",func="callee2",
28250 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28251 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="22"@},
28252 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107b4",func="callee1",
28253 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28254 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="27"@},
28255 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107e0",func="main",
28256 file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28257 fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="32"@}]
28258 (gdb)
28259 -stack-list-arguments 0
28260 ^done,
28261 stack-args=[
28262 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
28263 frame=@{level="1",args=[name="strarg"]@},
28264 frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@},
28265 frame=@{level="3",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg",name="fltarg"]@},
28266 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
28267 (gdb)
28268 -stack-list-arguments 1
28269 ^done,
28270 stack-args=[
28271 frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
28272 frame=@{level="1",
28273 args=[@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
28274 frame=@{level="2",args=[
28275 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28276 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
28277 @{frame=@{level="3",args=[
28278 @{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28279 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@},
28280 @{name="fltarg",value="3.5"@}]@},
28281 frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
28282 (gdb)
28283 -stack-list-arguments 0 2 2
28284 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@}]
28285 (gdb)
28286 -stack-list-arguments 1 2 2
28287 ^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",
28288 args=[@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28289 @{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@}]
28290 (gdb)
28291 @end smallexample
28292
28293 @c @subheading -stack-list-exception-handlers
28294
28295
28296 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-frames} Command
28297 @findex -stack-list-frames
28298
28299 @subsubheading Synopsis
28300
28301 @smallexample
28302 -stack-list-frames [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
28303 @end smallexample
28304
28305 List the frames currently on the stack. For each frame it displays the
28306 following info:
28307
28308 @table @samp
28309 @item @var{level}
28310 The frame number, 0 being the topmost frame, i.e., the innermost function.
28311 @item @var{addr}
28312 The @code{$pc} value for that frame.
28313 @item @var{func}
28314 Function name.
28315 @item @var{file}
28316 File name of the source file where the function lives.
28317 @item @var{fullname}
28318 The full file name of the source file where the function lives.
28319 @item @var{line}
28320 Line number corresponding to the @code{$pc}.
28321 @item @var{from}
28322 The shared library where this function is defined. This is only given
28323 if the frame's function is not known.
28324 @end table
28325
28326 If invoked without arguments, this command prints a backtrace for the
28327 whole stack. If given two integer arguments, it shows the frames whose
28328 levels are between the two arguments (inclusive). If the two arguments
28329 are equal, it shows the single frame at the corresponding level. It is
28330 an error if @var{low-frame} is larger than the actual number of
28331 frames. On the other hand, @var{high-frame} may be larger than the
28332 actual number of frames, in which case only existing frames will be returned.
28333
28334 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28335
28336 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{backtrace} and @samp{where}.
28337
28338 @subsubheading Example
28339
28340 Full stack backtrace:
28341
28342 @smallexample
28343 (gdb)
28344 -stack-list-frames
28345 ^done,stack=
28346 [frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0001076c",func="foo",
28347 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@},
28348 frame=@{level="1",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28349 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28350 frame=@{level="2",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28351 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28352 frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28353 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28354 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28355 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28356 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28357 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28358 frame=@{level="6",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28359 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28360 frame=@{level="7",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28361 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28362 frame=@{level="8",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28363 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28364 frame=@{level="9",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28365 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28366 frame=@{level="10",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28367 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28368 frame=@{level="11",addr="0x00010738",func="main",
28369 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}]
28370 (gdb)
28371 @end smallexample
28372
28373 Show frames between @var{low_frame} and @var{high_frame}:
28374
28375 @smallexample
28376 (gdb)
28377 -stack-list-frames 3 5
28378 ^done,stack=
28379 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28380 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28381 frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28382 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28383 frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28384 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
28385 (gdb)
28386 @end smallexample
28387
28388 Show a single frame:
28389
28390 @smallexample
28391 (gdb)
28392 -stack-list-frames 3 3
28393 ^done,stack=
28394 [frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28395 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
28396 (gdb)
28397 @end smallexample
28398
28399
28400 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-locals} Command
28401 @findex -stack-list-locals
28402
28403 @subsubheading Synopsis
28404
28405 @smallexample
28406 -stack-list-locals @var{print-values}
28407 @end smallexample
28408
28409 Display the local variable names for the selected frame. If
28410 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28411 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28412 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28413 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28414 structures and unions. In this last case, a frontend can immediately
28415 display the value of simple data types and create variable objects for
28416 other data types when the user wishes to explore their values in
28417 more detail.
28418
28419 This command is deprecated in favor of the
28420 @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
28421
28422 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28423
28424 @samp{info locals} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_get_locals} in @code{gdbtk}.
28425
28426 @subsubheading Example
28427
28428 @smallexample
28429 (gdb)
28430 -stack-list-locals 0
28431 ^done,locals=[name="A",name="B",name="C"]
28432 (gdb)
28433 -stack-list-locals --all-values
28434 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",value="1"@},@{name="B",value="2"@},
28435 @{name="C",value="@{1, 2, 3@}"@}]
28436 -stack-list-locals --simple-values
28437 ^done,locals=[@{name="A",type="int",value="1"@},
28438 @{name="B",type="int",value="2"@},@{name="C",type="int [3]"@}]
28439 (gdb)
28440 @end smallexample
28441
28442 @subheading The @code{-stack-list-variables} Command
28443 @findex -stack-list-variables
28444
28445 @subsubheading Synopsis
28446
28447 @smallexample
28448 -stack-list-variables @var{print-values}
28449 @end smallexample
28450
28451 Display the names of local variables and function arguments for the selected frame. If
28452 @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28453 the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28454 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28455 type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28456 structures and unions.
28457
28458 @subsubheading Example
28459
28460 @smallexample
28461 (gdb)
28462 -stack-list-variables --thread 1 --frame 0 --all-values
28463 ^done,variables=[@{name="x",value="11"@},@{name="s",value="@{a = 1, b = 2@}"@}]
28464 (gdb)
28465 @end smallexample
28466
28467
28468 @subheading The @code{-stack-select-frame} Command
28469 @findex -stack-select-frame
28470
28471 @subsubheading Synopsis
28472
28473 @smallexample
28474 -stack-select-frame @var{framenum}
28475 @end smallexample
28476
28477 Change the selected frame. Select a different frame @var{framenum} on
28478 the stack.
28479
28480 This command in deprecated in favor of passing the @samp{--frame}
28481 option to every command.
28482
28483 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28484
28485 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{frame}, @samp{up},
28486 @samp{down}, @samp{select-frame}, @samp{up-silent}, and @samp{down-silent}.
28487
28488 @subsubheading Example
28489
28490 @smallexample
28491 (gdb)
28492 -stack-select-frame 2
28493 ^done
28494 (gdb)
28495 @end smallexample
28496
28497 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28498 @node GDB/MI Variable Objects
28499 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects
28500
28501 @ignore
28502
28503 @subheading Motivation for Variable Objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
28504
28505 For the implementation of a variable debugger window (locals, watched
28506 expressions, etc.), we are proposing the adaptation of the existing code
28507 used by @code{Insight}.
28508
28509 The two main reasons for that are:
28510
28511 @enumerate 1
28512 @item
28513 It has been proven in practice (it is already on its second generation).
28514
28515 @item
28516 It will shorten development time (needless to say how important it is
28517 now).
28518 @end enumerate
28519
28520 The original interface was designed to be used by Tcl code, so it was
28521 slightly changed so it could be used through @sc{gdb/mi}. This section
28522 describes the @sc{gdb/mi} operations that will be available and gives some
28523 hints about their use.
28524
28525 @emph{Note}: In addition to the set of operations described here, we
28526 expect the @sc{gui} implementation of a variable window to require, at
28527 least, the following operations:
28528
28529 @itemize @bullet
28530 @item @code{-gdb-show} @code{output-radix}
28531 @item @code{-stack-list-arguments}
28532 @item @code{-stack-list-locals}
28533 @item @code{-stack-select-frame}
28534 @end itemize
28535
28536 @end ignore
28537
28538 @subheading Introduction to Variable Objects
28539
28540 @cindex variable objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
28541
28542 Variable objects are "object-oriented" MI interface for examining and
28543 changing values of expressions. Unlike some other MI interfaces that
28544 work with expressions, variable objects are specifically designed for
28545 simple and efficient presentation in the frontend. A variable object
28546 is identified by string name. When a variable object is created, the
28547 frontend specifies the expression for that variable object. The
28548 expression can be a simple variable, or it can be an arbitrary complex
28549 expression, and can even involve CPU registers. After creating a
28550 variable object, the frontend can invoke other variable object
28551 operations---for example to obtain or change the value of a variable
28552 object, or to change display format.
28553
28554 Variable objects have hierarchical tree structure. Any variable object
28555 that corresponds to a composite type, such as structure in C, has
28556 a number of child variable objects, for example corresponding to each
28557 element of a structure. A child variable object can itself have
28558 children, recursively. Recursion ends when we reach
28559 leaf variable objects, which always have built-in types. Child variable
28560 objects are created only by explicit request, so if a frontend
28561 is not interested in the children of a particular variable object, no
28562 child will be created.
28563
28564 For a leaf variable object it is possible to obtain its value as a
28565 string, or set the value from a string. String value can be also
28566 obtained for a non-leaf variable object, but it's generally a string
28567 that only indicates the type of the object, and does not list its
28568 contents. Assignment to a non-leaf variable object is not allowed.
28569
28570 A frontend does not need to read the values of all variable objects each time
28571 the program stops. Instead, MI provides an update command that lists all
28572 variable objects whose values has changed since the last update
28573 operation. This considerably reduces the amount of data that must
28574 be transferred to the frontend. As noted above, children variable
28575 objects are created on demand, and only leaf variable objects have a
28576 real value. As result, gdb will read target memory only for leaf
28577 variables that frontend has created.
28578
28579 The automatic update is not always desirable. For example, a frontend
28580 might want to keep a value of some expression for future reference,
28581 and never update it. For another example, fetching memory is
28582 relatively slow for embedded targets, so a frontend might want
28583 to disable automatic update for the variables that are either not
28584 visible on the screen, or ``closed''. This is possible using so
28585 called ``frozen variable objects''. Such variable objects are never
28586 implicitly updated.
28587
28588 Variable objects can be either @dfn{fixed} or @dfn{floating}. For the
28589 fixed variable object, the expression is parsed when the variable
28590 object is created, including associating identifiers to specific
28591 variables. The meaning of expression never changes. For a floating
28592 variable object the values of variables whose names appear in the
28593 expressions are re-evaluated every time in the context of the current
28594 frame. Consider this example:
28595
28596 @smallexample
28597 void do_work(...)
28598 @{
28599 struct work_state state;
28600
28601 if (...)
28602 do_work(...);
28603 @}
28604 @end smallexample
28605
28606 If a fixed variable object for the @code{state} variable is created in
28607 this function, and we enter the recursive call, the variable
28608 object will report the value of @code{state} in the top-level
28609 @code{do_work} invocation. On the other hand, a floating variable
28610 object will report the value of @code{state} in the current frame.
28611
28612 If an expression specified when creating a fixed variable object
28613 refers to a local variable, the variable object becomes bound to the
28614 thread and frame in which the variable object is created. When such
28615 variable object is updated, @value{GDBN} makes sure that the
28616 thread/frame combination the variable object is bound to still exists,
28617 and re-evaluates the variable object in context of that thread/frame.
28618
28619 The following is the complete set of @sc{gdb/mi} operations defined to
28620 access this functionality:
28621
28622 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
28623 @item @strong{Operation}
28624 @tab @strong{Description}
28625
28626 @item @code{-enable-pretty-printing}
28627 @tab enable Python-based pretty-printing
28628 @item @code{-var-create}
28629 @tab create a variable object
28630 @item @code{-var-delete}
28631 @tab delete the variable object and/or its children
28632 @item @code{-var-set-format}
28633 @tab set the display format of this variable
28634 @item @code{-var-show-format}
28635 @tab show the display format of this variable
28636 @item @code{-var-info-num-children}
28637 @tab tells how many children this object has
28638 @item @code{-var-list-children}
28639 @tab return a list of the object's children
28640 @item @code{-var-info-type}
28641 @tab show the type of this variable object
28642 @item @code{-var-info-expression}
28643 @tab print parent-relative expression that this variable object represents
28644 @item @code{-var-info-path-expression}
28645 @tab print full expression that this variable object represents
28646 @item @code{-var-show-attributes}
28647 @tab is this variable editable? does it exist here?
28648 @item @code{-var-evaluate-expression}
28649 @tab get the value of this variable
28650 @item @code{-var-assign}
28651 @tab set the value of this variable
28652 @item @code{-var-update}
28653 @tab update the variable and its children
28654 @item @code{-var-set-frozen}
28655 @tab set frozeness attribute
28656 @item @code{-var-set-update-range}
28657 @tab set range of children to display on update
28658 @end multitable
28659
28660 In the next subsection we describe each operation in detail and suggest
28661 how it can be used.
28662
28663 @subheading Description And Use of Operations on Variable Objects
28664
28665 @subheading The @code{-enable-pretty-printing} Command
28666 @findex -enable-pretty-printing
28667
28668 @smallexample
28669 -enable-pretty-printing
28670 @end smallexample
28671
28672 @value{GDBN} allows Python-based visualizers to affect the output of the
28673 MI variable object commands. However, because there was no way to
28674 implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
28675 request that this functionality be enabled.
28676
28677 Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
28678
28679 Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
28680 this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
28681
28682 This feature is currently (as of @value{GDBN} 7.0) experimental, and
28683 may work differently in future versions of @value{GDBN}.
28684
28685 @subheading The @code{-var-create} Command
28686 @findex -var-create
28687
28688 @subsubheading Synopsis
28689
28690 @smallexample
28691 -var-create @{@var{name} | "-"@}
28692 @{@var{frame-addr} | "*" | "@@"@} @var{expression}
28693 @end smallexample
28694
28695 This operation creates a variable object, which allows the monitoring of
28696 a variable, the result of an expression, a memory cell or a CPU
28697 register.
28698
28699 The @var{name} parameter is the string by which the object can be
28700 referenced. It must be unique. If @samp{-} is specified, the varobj
28701 system will generate a string ``varNNNNNN'' automatically. It will be
28702 unique provided that one does not specify @var{name} of that format.
28703 The command fails if a duplicate name is found.
28704
28705 The frame under which the expression should be evaluated can be
28706 specified by @var{frame-addr}. A @samp{*} indicates that the current
28707 frame should be used. A @samp{@@} indicates that a floating variable
28708 object must be created.
28709
28710 @var{expression} is any expression valid on the current language set (must not
28711 begin with a @samp{*}), or one of the following:
28712
28713 @itemize @bullet
28714 @item
28715 @samp{*@var{addr}}, where @var{addr} is the address of a memory cell
28716
28717 @item
28718 @samp{*@var{addr}-@var{addr}} --- a memory address range (TBD)
28719
28720 @item
28721 @samp{$@var{regname}} --- a CPU register name
28722 @end itemize
28723
28724 @cindex dynamic varobj
28725 A varobj's contents may be provided by a Python-based pretty-printer. In this
28726 case the varobj is known as a @dfn{dynamic varobj}. Dynamic varobjs
28727 have slightly different semantics in some cases. If the
28728 @code{-enable-pretty-printing} command is not sent, then @value{GDBN}
28729 will never create a dynamic varobj. This ensures backward
28730 compatibility for existing clients.
28731
28732 @subsubheading Result
28733
28734 This operation returns attributes of the newly-created varobj. These
28735 are:
28736
28737 @table @samp
28738 @item name
28739 The name of the varobj.
28740
28741 @item numchild
28742 The number of children of the varobj. This number is not necessarily
28743 reliable for a dynamic varobj. Instead, you must examine the
28744 @samp{has_more} attribute.
28745
28746 @item value
28747 The varobj's scalar value. For a varobj whose type is some sort of
28748 aggregate (e.g., a @code{struct}), or for a dynamic varobj, this value
28749 will not be interesting.
28750
28751 @item type
28752 The varobj's type. This is a string representation of the type, as
28753 would be printed by the @value{GDBN} CLI.
28754
28755 @item thread-id
28756 If a variable object is bound to a specific thread, then this is the
28757 thread's identifier.
28758
28759 @item has_more
28760 For a dynamic varobj, this indicates whether there appear to be any
28761 children available. For a non-dynamic varobj, this will be 0.
28762
28763 @item dynamic
28764 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
28765 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
28766 then this attribute will not be present.
28767
28768 @item displayhint
28769 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
28770 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
28771 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
28772 @end table
28773
28774 Typical output will look like this:
28775
28776 @smallexample
28777 name="@var{name}",numchild="@var{N}",type="@var{type}",thread-id="@var{M}",
28778 has_more="@var{has_more}"
28779 @end smallexample
28780
28781
28782 @subheading The @code{-var-delete} Command
28783 @findex -var-delete
28784
28785 @subsubheading Synopsis
28786
28787 @smallexample
28788 -var-delete [ -c ] @var{name}
28789 @end smallexample
28790
28791 Deletes a previously created variable object and all of its children.
28792 With the @samp{-c} option, just deletes the children.
28793
28794 Returns an error if the object @var{name} is not found.
28795
28796
28797 @subheading The @code{-var-set-format} Command
28798 @findex -var-set-format
28799
28800 @subsubheading Synopsis
28801
28802 @smallexample
28803 -var-set-format @var{name} @var{format-spec}
28804 @end smallexample
28805
28806 Sets the output format for the value of the object @var{name} to be
28807 @var{format-spec}.
28808
28809 @anchor{-var-set-format}
28810 The syntax for the @var{format-spec} is as follows:
28811
28812 @smallexample
28813 @var{format-spec} @expansion{}
28814 @{binary | decimal | hexadecimal | octal | natural@}
28815 @end smallexample
28816
28817 The natural format is the default format choosen automatically
28818 based on the variable type (like decimal for an @code{int}, hex
28819 for pointers, etc.).
28820
28821 For a variable with children, the format is set only on the
28822 variable itself, and the children are not affected.
28823
28824 @subheading The @code{-var-show-format} Command
28825 @findex -var-show-format
28826
28827 @subsubheading Synopsis
28828
28829 @smallexample
28830 -var-show-format @var{name}
28831 @end smallexample
28832
28833 Returns the format used to display the value of the object @var{name}.
28834
28835 @smallexample
28836 @var{format} @expansion{}
28837 @var{format-spec}
28838 @end smallexample
28839
28840
28841 @subheading The @code{-var-info-num-children} Command
28842 @findex -var-info-num-children
28843
28844 @subsubheading Synopsis
28845
28846 @smallexample
28847 -var-info-num-children @var{name}
28848 @end smallexample
28849
28850 Returns the number of children of a variable object @var{name}:
28851
28852 @smallexample
28853 numchild=@var{n}
28854 @end smallexample
28855
28856 Note that this number is not completely reliable for a dynamic varobj.
28857 It will return the current number of children, but more children may
28858 be available.
28859
28860
28861 @subheading The @code{-var-list-children} Command
28862 @findex -var-list-children
28863
28864 @subsubheading Synopsis
28865
28866 @smallexample
28867 -var-list-children [@var{print-values}] @var{name} [@var{from} @var{to}]
28868 @end smallexample
28869 @anchor{-var-list-children}
28870
28871 Return a list of the children of the specified variable object and
28872 create variable objects for them, if they do not already exist. With
28873 a single argument or if @var{print-values} has a value of 0 or
28874 @code{--no-values}, print only the names of the variables; if
28875 @var{print-values} is 1 or @code{--all-values}, also print their
28876 values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values} print the name and
28877 value for simple data types and just the name for arrays, structures
28878 and unions.
28879
28880 @var{from} and @var{to}, if specified, indicate the range of children
28881 to report. If @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is
28882 reset and all children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting
28883 at @var{from} (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be
28884 reported.
28885
28886 If a child range is requested, it will only affect the current call to
28887 @code{-var-list-children}, but not future calls to @code{-var-update}.
28888 For this, you must instead use @code{-var-set-update-range}. The
28889 intent of this approach is to enable a front end to implement any
28890 update approach it likes; for example, scrolling a view may cause the
28891 front end to request more children with @code{-var-list-children}, and
28892 then the front end could call @code{-var-set-update-range} with a
28893 different range to ensure that future updates are restricted to just
28894 the visible items.
28895
28896 For each child the following results are returned:
28897
28898 @table @var
28899
28900 @item name
28901 Name of the variable object created for this child.
28902
28903 @item exp
28904 The expression to be shown to the user by the front end to designate this child.
28905 For example this may be the name of a structure member.
28906
28907 For a dynamic varobj, this value cannot be used to form an
28908 expression. There is no way to do this at all with a dynamic varobj.
28909
28910 For C/C@t{++} structures there are several pseudo children returned to
28911 designate access qualifiers. For these pseudo children @var{exp} is
28912 @samp{public}, @samp{private}, or @samp{protected}. In this case the
28913 type and value are not present.
28914
28915 A dynamic varobj will not report the access qualifying
28916 pseudo-children, regardless of the language. This information is not
28917 available at all with a dynamic varobj.
28918
28919 @item numchild
28920 Number of children this child has. For a dynamic varobj, this will be
28921 0.
28922
28923 @item type
28924 The type of the child.
28925
28926 @item value
28927 If values were requested, this is the value.
28928
28929 @item thread-id
28930 If this variable object is associated with a thread, this is the thread id.
28931 Otherwise this result is not present.
28932
28933 @item frozen
28934 If the variable object is frozen, this variable will be present with a value of 1.
28935 @end table
28936
28937 The result may have its own attributes:
28938
28939 @table @samp
28940 @item displayhint
28941 A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
28942 value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
28943 @code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
28944
28945 @item has_more
28946 This is an integer attribute which is nonzero if there are children
28947 remaining after the end of the selected range.
28948 @end table
28949
28950 @subsubheading Example
28951
28952 @smallexample
28953 (gdb)
28954 -var-list-children n
28955 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
28956 numchild=@var{n},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
28957 (gdb)
28958 -var-list-children --all-values n
28959 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
28960 numchild=@var{n},value=@var{value},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
28961 @end smallexample
28962
28963
28964 @subheading The @code{-var-info-type} Command
28965 @findex -var-info-type
28966
28967 @subsubheading Synopsis
28968
28969 @smallexample
28970 -var-info-type @var{name}
28971 @end smallexample
28972
28973 Returns the type of the specified variable @var{name}. The type is
28974 returned as a string in the same format as it is output by the
28975 @value{GDBN} CLI:
28976
28977 @smallexample
28978 type=@var{typename}
28979 @end smallexample
28980
28981
28982 @subheading The @code{-var-info-expression} Command
28983 @findex -var-info-expression
28984
28985 @subsubheading Synopsis
28986
28987 @smallexample
28988 -var-info-expression @var{name}
28989 @end smallexample
28990
28991 Returns a string that is suitable for presenting this
28992 variable object in user interface. The string is generally
28993 not valid expression in the current language, and cannot be evaluated.
28994
28995 For example, if @code{a} is an array, and variable object
28996 @code{A} was created for @code{a}, then we'll get this output:
28997
28998 @smallexample
28999 (gdb) -var-info-expression A.1
29000 ^done,lang="C",exp="1"
29001 @end smallexample
29002
29003 @noindent
29004 Here, the values of @code{lang} can be @code{@{"C" | "C++" | "Java"@}}.
29005
29006 Note that the output of the @code{-var-list-children} command also
29007 includes those expressions, so the @code{-var-info-expression} command
29008 is of limited use.
29009
29010 @subheading The @code{-var-info-path-expression} Command
29011 @findex -var-info-path-expression
29012
29013 @subsubheading Synopsis
29014
29015 @smallexample
29016 -var-info-path-expression @var{name}
29017 @end smallexample
29018
29019 Returns an expression that can be evaluated in the current
29020 context and will yield the same value that a variable object has.
29021 Compare this with the @code{-var-info-expression} command, which
29022 result can be used only for UI presentation. Typical use of
29023 the @code{-var-info-path-expression} command is creating a
29024 watchpoint from a variable object.
29025
29026 This command is currently not valid for children of a dynamic varobj,
29027 and will give an error when invoked on one.
29028
29029 For example, suppose @code{C} is a C@t{++} class, derived from class
29030 @code{Base}, and that the @code{Base} class has a member called
29031 @code{m_size}. Assume a variable @code{c} is has the type of
29032 @code{C} and a variable object @code{C} was created for variable
29033 @code{c}. Then, we'll get this output:
29034 @smallexample
29035 (gdb) -var-info-path-expression C.Base.public.m_size
29036 ^done,path_expr=((Base)c).m_size)
29037 @end smallexample
29038
29039 @subheading The @code{-var-show-attributes} Command
29040 @findex -var-show-attributes
29041
29042 @subsubheading Synopsis
29043
29044 @smallexample
29045 -var-show-attributes @var{name}
29046 @end smallexample
29047
29048 List attributes of the specified variable object @var{name}:
29049
29050 @smallexample
29051 status=@var{attr} [ ( ,@var{attr} )* ]
29052 @end smallexample
29053
29054 @noindent
29055 where @var{attr} is @code{@{ @{ editable | noneditable @} | TBD @}}.
29056
29057 @subheading The @code{-var-evaluate-expression} Command
29058 @findex -var-evaluate-expression
29059
29060 @subsubheading Synopsis
29061
29062 @smallexample
29063 -var-evaluate-expression [-f @var{format-spec}] @var{name}
29064 @end smallexample
29065
29066 Evaluates the expression that is represented by the specified variable
29067 object and returns its value as a string. The format of the string
29068 can be specified with the @samp{-f} option. The possible values of
29069 this option are the same as for @code{-var-set-format}
29070 (@pxref{-var-set-format}). If the @samp{-f} option is not specified,
29071 the current display format will be used. The current display format
29072 can be changed using the @code{-var-set-format} command.
29073
29074 @smallexample
29075 value=@var{value}
29076 @end smallexample
29077
29078 Note that one must invoke @code{-var-list-children} for a variable
29079 before the value of a child variable can be evaluated.
29080
29081 @subheading The @code{-var-assign} Command
29082 @findex -var-assign
29083
29084 @subsubheading Synopsis
29085
29086 @smallexample
29087 -var-assign @var{name} @var{expression}
29088 @end smallexample
29089
29090 Assigns the value of @var{expression} to the variable object specified
29091 by @var{name}. The object must be @samp{editable}. If the variable's
29092 value is altered by the assign, the variable will show up in any
29093 subsequent @code{-var-update} list.
29094
29095 @subsubheading Example
29096
29097 @smallexample
29098 (gdb)
29099 -var-assign var1 3
29100 ^done,value="3"
29101 (gdb)
29102 -var-update *
29103 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",in_scope="true",type_changed="false"@}]
29104 (gdb)
29105 @end smallexample
29106
29107 @subheading The @code{-var-update} Command
29108 @findex -var-update
29109
29110 @subsubheading Synopsis
29111
29112 @smallexample
29113 -var-update [@var{print-values}] @{@var{name} | "*"@}
29114 @end smallexample
29115
29116 Reevaluate the expressions corresponding to the variable object
29117 @var{name} and all its direct and indirect children, and return the
29118 list of variable objects whose values have changed; @var{name} must
29119 be a root variable object. Here, ``changed'' means that the result of
29120 @code{-var-evaluate-expression} before and after the
29121 @code{-var-update} is different. If @samp{*} is used as the variable
29122 object names, all existing variable objects are updated, except
29123 for frozen ones (@pxref{-var-set-frozen}). The option
29124 @var{print-values} determines whether both names and values, or just
29125 names are printed. The possible values of this option are the same
29126 as for @code{-var-list-children} (@pxref{-var-list-children}). It is
29127 recommended to use the @samp{--all-values} option, to reduce the
29128 number of MI commands needed on each program stop.
29129
29130 With the @samp{*} parameter, if a variable object is bound to a
29131 currently running thread, it will not be updated, without any
29132 diagnostic.
29133
29134 If @code{-var-set-update-range} was previously used on a varobj, then
29135 only the selected range of children will be reported.
29136
29137 @code{-var-update} reports all the changed varobjs in a tuple named
29138 @samp{changelist}.
29139
29140 Each item in the change list is itself a tuple holding:
29141
29142 @table @samp
29143 @item name
29144 The name of the varobj.
29145
29146 @item value
29147 If values were requested for this update, then this field will be
29148 present and will hold the value of the varobj.
29149
29150 @item in_scope
29151 @anchor{-var-update}
29152 This field is a string which may take one of three values:
29153
29154 @table @code
29155 @item "true"
29156 The variable object's current value is valid.
29157
29158 @item "false"
29159 The variable object does not currently hold a valid value but it may
29160 hold one in the future if its associated expression comes back into
29161 scope.
29162
29163 @item "invalid"
29164 The variable object no longer holds a valid value.
29165 This can occur when the executable file being debugged has changed,
29166 either through recompilation or by using the @value{GDBN} @code{file}
29167 command. The front end should normally choose to delete these variable
29168 objects.
29169 @end table
29170
29171 In the future new values may be added to this list so the front should
29172 be prepared for this possibility. @xref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, ,@sc{GDB/MI} Development and Front Ends}.
29173
29174 @item type_changed
29175 This is only present if the varobj is still valid. If the type
29176 changed, then this will be the string @samp{true}; otherwise it will
29177 be @samp{false}.
29178
29179 @item new_type
29180 If the varobj's type changed, then this field will be present and will
29181 hold the new type.
29182
29183 @item new_num_children
29184 For a dynamic varobj, if the number of children changed, or if the
29185 type changed, this will be the new number of children.
29186
29187 The @samp{numchild} field in other varobj responses is generally not
29188 valid for a dynamic varobj -- it will show the number of children that
29189 @value{GDBN} knows about, but because dynamic varobjs lazily
29190 instantiate their children, this will not reflect the number of
29191 children which may be available.
29192
29193 The @samp{new_num_children} attribute only reports changes to the
29194 number of children known by @value{GDBN}. This is the only way to
29195 detect whether an update has removed children (which necessarily can
29196 only happen at the end of the update range).
29197
29198 @item displayhint
29199 The display hint, if any.
29200
29201 @item has_more
29202 This is an integer value, which will be 1 if there are more children
29203 available outside the varobj's update range.
29204
29205 @item dynamic
29206 This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
29207 varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
29208 then this attribute will not be present.
29209
29210 @item new_children
29211 If new children were added to a dynamic varobj within the selected
29212 update range (as set by @code{-var-set-update-range}), then they will
29213 be listed in this attribute.
29214 @end table
29215
29216 @subsubheading Example
29217
29218 @smallexample
29219 (gdb)
29220 -var-assign var1 3
29221 ^done,value="3"
29222 (gdb)
29223 -var-update --all-values var1
29224 ^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",value="3",in_scope="true",
29225 type_changed="false"@}]
29226 (gdb)
29227 @end smallexample
29228
29229 @subheading The @code{-var-set-frozen} Command
29230 @findex -var-set-frozen
29231 @anchor{-var-set-frozen}
29232
29233 @subsubheading Synopsis
29234
29235 @smallexample
29236 -var-set-frozen @var{name} @var{flag}
29237 @end smallexample
29238
29239 Set the frozenness flag on the variable object @var{name}. The
29240 @var{flag} parameter should be either @samp{1} to make the variable
29241 frozen or @samp{0} to make it unfrozen. If a variable object is
29242 frozen, then neither itself, nor any of its children, are
29243 implicitly updated by @code{-var-update} of
29244 a parent variable or by @code{-var-update *}. Only
29245 @code{-var-update} of the variable itself will update its value and
29246 values of its children. After a variable object is unfrozen, it is
29247 implicitly updated by all subsequent @code{-var-update} operations.
29248 Unfreezing a variable does not update it, only subsequent
29249 @code{-var-update} does.
29250
29251 @subsubheading Example
29252
29253 @smallexample
29254 (gdb)
29255 -var-set-frozen V 1
29256 ^done
29257 (gdb)
29258 @end smallexample
29259
29260 @subheading The @code{-var-set-update-range} command
29261 @findex -var-set-update-range
29262 @anchor{-var-set-update-range}
29263
29264 @subsubheading Synopsis
29265
29266 @smallexample
29267 -var-set-update-range @var{name} @var{from} @var{to}
29268 @end smallexample
29269
29270 Set the range of children to be returned by future invocations of
29271 @code{-var-update}.
29272
29273 @var{from} and @var{to} indicate the range of children to report. If
29274 @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is reset and all
29275 children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting at @var{from}
29276 (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be reported.
29277
29278 @subsubheading Example
29279
29280 @smallexample
29281 (gdb)
29282 -var-set-update-range V 1 2
29283 ^done
29284 @end smallexample
29285
29286 @subheading The @code{-var-set-visualizer} command
29287 @findex -var-set-visualizer
29288 @anchor{-var-set-visualizer}
29289
29290 @subsubheading Synopsis
29291
29292 @smallexample
29293 -var-set-visualizer @var{name} @var{visualizer}
29294 @end smallexample
29295
29296 Set a visualizer for the variable object @var{name}.
29297
29298 @var{visualizer} is the visualizer to use. The special value
29299 @samp{None} means to disable any visualizer in use.
29300
29301 If not @samp{None}, @var{visualizer} must be a Python expression.
29302 This expression must evaluate to a callable object which accepts a
29303 single argument. @value{GDBN} will call this object with the value of
29304 the varobj @var{name} as an argument (this is done so that the same
29305 Python pretty-printing code can be used for both the CLI and MI).
29306 When called, this object must return an object which conforms to the
29307 pretty-printing interface (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}).
29308
29309 The pre-defined function @code{gdb.default_visualizer} may be used to
29310 select a visualizer by following the built-in process
29311 (@pxref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}). This is done automatically when
29312 a varobj is created, and so ordinarily is not needed.
29313
29314 This feature is only available if Python support is enabled. The MI
29315 command @code{-list-features} (@pxref{GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands})
29316 can be used to check this.
29317
29318 @subsubheading Example
29319
29320 Resetting the visualizer:
29321
29322 @smallexample
29323 (gdb)
29324 -var-set-visualizer V None
29325 ^done
29326 @end smallexample
29327
29328 Reselecting the default (type-based) visualizer:
29329
29330 @smallexample
29331 (gdb)
29332 -var-set-visualizer V gdb.default_visualizer
29333 ^done
29334 @end smallexample
29335
29336 Suppose @code{SomeClass} is a visualizer class. A lambda expression
29337 can be used to instantiate this class for a varobj:
29338
29339 @smallexample
29340 (gdb)
29341 -var-set-visualizer V "lambda val: SomeClass()"
29342 ^done
29343 @end smallexample
29344
29345 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29346 @node GDB/MI Data Manipulation
29347 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Data Manipulation
29348
29349 @cindex data manipulation, in @sc{gdb/mi}
29350 @cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, data manipulation
29351 This section describes the @sc{gdb/mi} commands that manipulate data:
29352 examine memory and registers, evaluate expressions, etc.
29353
29354 @c REMOVED FROM THE INTERFACE.
29355 @c @subheading -data-assign
29356 @c Change the value of a program variable. Plenty of side effects.
29357 @c @subsubheading GDB Command
29358 @c set variable
29359 @c @subsubheading Example
29360 @c N.A.
29361
29362 @subheading The @code{-data-disassemble} Command
29363 @findex -data-disassemble
29364
29365 @subsubheading Synopsis
29366
29367 @smallexample
29368 -data-disassemble
29369 [ -s @var{start-addr} -e @var{end-addr} ]
29370 | [ -f @var{filename} -l @var{linenum} [ -n @var{lines} ] ]
29371 -- @var{mode}
29372 @end smallexample
29373
29374 @noindent
29375 Where:
29376
29377 @table @samp
29378 @item @var{start-addr}
29379 is the beginning address (or @code{$pc})
29380 @item @var{end-addr}
29381 is the end address
29382 @item @var{filename}
29383 is the name of the file to disassemble
29384 @item @var{linenum}
29385 is the line number to disassemble around
29386 @item @var{lines}
29387 is the number of disassembly lines to be produced. If it is -1,
29388 the whole function will be disassembled, in case no @var{end-addr} is
29389 specified. If @var{end-addr} is specified as a non-zero value, and
29390 @var{lines} is lower than the number of disassembly lines between
29391 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only @var{lines} lines are
29392 displayed; if @var{lines} is higher than the number of lines between
29393 @var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only the lines up to @var{end-addr}
29394 are displayed.
29395 @item @var{mode}
29396 is either 0 (meaning only disassembly), 1 (meaning mixed source and
29397 disassembly), 2 (meaning disassembly with raw opcodes), or 3 (meaning
29398 mixed source and disassembly with raw opcodes).
29399 @end table
29400
29401 @subsubheading Result
29402
29403 The output for each instruction is composed of four fields:
29404
29405 @itemize @bullet
29406 @item Address
29407 @item Func-name
29408 @item Offset
29409 @item Instruction
29410 @end itemize
29411
29412 Note that whatever included in the instruction field, is not manipulated
29413 directly by @sc{gdb/mi}, i.e., it is not possible to adjust its format.
29414
29415 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29416
29417 There's no direct mapping from this command to the CLI.
29418
29419 @subsubheading Example
29420
29421 Disassemble from the current value of @code{$pc} to @code{$pc + 20}:
29422
29423 @smallexample
29424 (gdb)
29425 -data-disassemble -s $pc -e "$pc + 20" -- 0
29426 ^done,
29427 asm_insns=[
29428 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29429 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29430 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29431 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29432 @{address="0x000107c8",func-name="main",offset="12",
29433 inst="or %o2, 0x140, %o1\t! 0x11940 <_lib_version+8>"@},
29434 @{address="0x000107cc",func-name="main",offset="16",
29435 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29436 @{address="0x000107d0",func-name="main",offset="20",
29437 inst="or %o2, 0x168, %o4\t! 0x11968 <_lib_version+48>"@}]
29438 (gdb)
29439 @end smallexample
29440
29441 Disassemble the whole @code{main} function. Line 32 is part of
29442 @code{main}.
29443
29444 @smallexample
29445 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -- 0
29446 ^done,asm_insns=[
29447 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29448 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
29449 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29450 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29451 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29452 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29453 [@dots{}]
29454 @{address="0x0001081c",func-name="main",offset="96",inst="ret "@},
29455 @{address="0x00010820",func-name="main",offset="100",inst="restore "@}]
29456 (gdb)
29457 @end smallexample
29458
29459 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main}:
29460
29461 @smallexample
29462 (gdb)
29463 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 0
29464 ^done,asm_insns=[
29465 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29466 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
29467 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29468 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29469 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29470 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]
29471 (gdb)
29472 @end smallexample
29473
29474 Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main} in mixed mode:
29475
29476 @smallexample
29477 (gdb)
29478 -data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 1
29479 ^done,asm_insns=[
29480 src_and_asm_line=@{line="31",
29481 file="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb/ \
29482 testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line_asm_insn=[
29483 @{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29484 inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@}]@},
29485 src_and_asm_line=@{line="32",
29486 file="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb/ \
29487 testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line_asm_insn=[
29488 @{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29489 inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29490 @{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29491 inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]@}]
29492 (gdb)
29493 @end smallexample
29494
29495
29496 @subheading The @code{-data-evaluate-expression} Command
29497 @findex -data-evaluate-expression
29498
29499 @subsubheading Synopsis
29500
29501 @smallexample
29502 -data-evaluate-expression @var{expr}
29503 @end smallexample
29504
29505 Evaluate @var{expr} as an expression. The expression could contain an
29506 inferior function call. The function call will execute synchronously.
29507 If the expression contains spaces, it must be enclosed in double quotes.
29508
29509 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29510
29511 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{print}, @samp{output}, and
29512 @samp{call}. In @code{gdbtk} only, there's a corresponding
29513 @samp{gdb_eval} command.
29514
29515 @subsubheading Example
29516
29517 In the following example, the numbers that precede the commands are the
29518 @dfn{tokens} described in @ref{GDB/MI Command Syntax, ,@sc{gdb/mi}
29519 Command Syntax}. Notice how @sc{gdb/mi} returns the same tokens in its
29520 output.
29521
29522 @smallexample
29523 211-data-evaluate-expression A
29524 211^done,value="1"
29525 (gdb)
29526 311-data-evaluate-expression &A
29527 311^done,value="0xefffeb7c"
29528 (gdb)
29529 411-data-evaluate-expression A+3
29530 411^done,value="4"
29531 (gdb)
29532 511-data-evaluate-expression "A + 3"
29533 511^done,value="4"
29534 (gdb)
29535 @end smallexample
29536
29537
29538 @subheading The @code{-data-list-changed-registers} Command
29539 @findex -data-list-changed-registers
29540
29541 @subsubheading Synopsis
29542
29543 @smallexample
29544 -data-list-changed-registers
29545 @end smallexample
29546
29547 Display a list of the registers that have changed.
29548
29549 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29550
29551 @value{GDBN} doesn't have a direct analog for this command; @code{gdbtk}
29552 has the corresponding command @samp{gdb_changed_register_list}.
29553
29554 @subsubheading Example
29555
29556 On a PPC MBX board:
29557
29558 @smallexample
29559 (gdb)
29560 -exec-continue
29561 ^running
29562
29563 (gdb)
29564 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",frame=@{
29565 func="main",args=[],file="try.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",
29566 line="5"@}
29567 (gdb)
29568 -data-list-changed-registers
29569 ^done,changed-registers=["0","1","2","4","5","6","7","8","9",
29570 "10","11","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23",
29571 "24","25","26","27","28","30","31","64","65","66","67","69"]
29572 (gdb)
29573 @end smallexample
29574
29575
29576 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-names} Command
29577 @findex -data-list-register-names
29578
29579 @subsubheading Synopsis
29580
29581 @smallexample
29582 -data-list-register-names [ ( @var{regno} )+ ]
29583 @end smallexample
29584
29585 Show a list of register names for the current target. If no arguments
29586 are given, it shows a list of the names of all the registers. If
29587 integer numbers are given as arguments, it will print a list of the
29588 names of the registers corresponding to the arguments. To ensure
29589 consistency between a register name and its number, the output list may
29590 include empty register names.
29591
29592 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29593
29594 @value{GDBN} does not have a command which corresponds to
29595 @samp{-data-list-register-names}. In @code{gdbtk} there is a
29596 corresponding command @samp{gdb_regnames}.
29597
29598 @subsubheading Example
29599
29600 For the PPC MBX board:
29601 @smallexample
29602 (gdb)
29603 -data-list-register-names
29604 ^done,register-names=["r0","r1","r2","r3","r4","r5","r6","r7",
29605 "r8","r9","r10","r11","r12","r13","r14","r15","r16","r17","r18",
29606 "r19","r20","r21","r22","r23","r24","r25","r26","r27","r28","r29",
29607 "r30","r31","f0","f1","f2","f3","f4","f5","f6","f7","f8","f9",
29608 "f10","f11","f12","f13","f14","f15","f16","f17","f18","f19","f20",
29609 "f21","f22","f23","f24","f25","f26","f27","f28","f29","f30","f31",
29610 "", "pc","ps","cr","lr","ctr","xer"]
29611 (gdb)
29612 -data-list-register-names 1 2 3
29613 ^done,register-names=["r1","r2","r3"]
29614 (gdb)
29615 @end smallexample
29616
29617 @subheading The @code{-data-list-register-values} Command
29618 @findex -data-list-register-values
29619
29620 @subsubheading Synopsis
29621
29622 @smallexample
29623 -data-list-register-values @var{fmt} [ ( @var{regno} )*]
29624 @end smallexample
29625
29626 Display the registers' contents. @var{fmt} is the format according to
29627 which the registers' contents are to be returned, followed by an optional
29628 list of numbers specifying the registers to display. A missing list of
29629 numbers indicates that the contents of all the registers must be returned.
29630
29631 Allowed formats for @var{fmt} are:
29632
29633 @table @code
29634 @item x
29635 Hexadecimal
29636 @item o
29637 Octal
29638 @item t
29639 Binary
29640 @item d
29641 Decimal
29642 @item r
29643 Raw
29644 @item N
29645 Natural
29646 @end table
29647
29648 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29649
29650 The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{info reg}, @samp{info
29651 all-reg}, and (in @code{gdbtk}) @samp{gdb_fetch_registers}.
29652
29653 @subsubheading Example
29654
29655 For a PPC MBX board (note: line breaks are for readability only, they
29656 don't appear in the actual output):
29657
29658 @smallexample
29659 (gdb)
29660 -data-list-register-values r 64 65
29661 ^done,register-values=[@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
29662 @{number="65",value="0x00029002"@}]
29663 (gdb)
29664 -data-list-register-values x
29665 ^done,register-values=[@{number="0",value="0xfe0043c8"@},
29666 @{number="1",value="0x3fff88"@},@{number="2",value="0xfffffffe"@},
29667 @{number="3",value="0x0"@},@{number="4",value="0xa"@},
29668 @{number="5",value="0x3fff68"@},@{number="6",value="0x3fff58"@},
29669 @{number="7",value="0xfe011e98"@},@{number="8",value="0x2"@},
29670 @{number="9",value="0xfa202820"@},@{number="10",value="0xfa202808"@},
29671 @{number="11",value="0x1"@},@{number="12",value="0x0"@},
29672 @{number="13",value="0x4544"@},@{number="14",value="0xffdfffff"@},
29673 @{number="15",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="16",value="0xfffffeff"@},
29674 @{number="17",value="0xefffffed"@},@{number="18",value="0xfffffffe"@},
29675 @{number="19",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="20",value="0xffffffff"@},
29676 @{number="21",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="22",value="0xfffffff7"@},
29677 @{number="23",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="24",value="0xffffffff"@},
29678 @{number="25",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="26",value="0xfffffffb"@},
29679 @{number="27",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="28",value="0xf7bfffff"@},
29680 @{number="29",value="0x0"@},@{number="30",value="0xfe010000"@},
29681 @{number="31",value="0x0"@},@{number="32",value="0x0"@},
29682 @{number="33",value="0x0"@},@{number="34",value="0x0"@},
29683 @{number="35",value="0x0"@},@{number="36",value="0x0"@},
29684 @{number="37",value="0x0"@},@{number="38",value="0x0"@},
29685 @{number="39",value="0x0"@},@{number="40",value="0x0"@},
29686 @{number="41",value="0x0"@},@{number="42",value="0x0"@},
29687 @{number="43",value="0x0"@},@{number="44",value="0x0"@},
29688 @{number="45",value="0x0"@},@{number="46",value="0x0"@},
29689 @{number="47",value="0x0"@},@{number="48",value="0x0"@},
29690 @{number="49",value="0x0"@},@{number="50",value="0x0"@},
29691 @{number="51",value="0x0"@},@{number="52",value="0x0"@},
29692 @{number="53",value="0x0"@},@{number="54",value="0x0"@},
29693 @{number="55",value="0x0"@},@{number="56",value="0x0"@},
29694 @{number="57",value="0x0"@},@{number="58",value="0x0"@},
29695 @{number="59",value="0x0"@},@{number="60",value="0x0"@},
29696 @{number="61",value="0x0"@},@{number="62",value="0x0"@},
29697 @{number="63",value="0x0"@},@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
29698 @{number="65",value="0x29002"@},@{number="66",value="0x202f04b5"@},
29699 @{number="67",value="0xfe0043b0"@},@{number="68",value="0xfe00b3e4"@},
29700 @{number="69",value="0x20002b03"@}]
29701 (gdb)
29702 @end smallexample
29703
29704
29705 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory} Command
29706 @findex -data-read-memory
29707
29708 This command is deprecated, use @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} instead.
29709
29710 @subsubheading Synopsis
29711
29712 @smallexample
29713 -data-read-memory [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
29714 @var{address} @var{word-format} @var{word-size}
29715 @var{nr-rows} @var{nr-cols} [ @var{aschar} ]
29716 @end smallexample
29717
29718 @noindent
29719 where:
29720
29721 @table @samp
29722 @item @var{address}
29723 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
29724 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
29725 quoted using the C convention.
29726
29727 @item @var{word-format}
29728 The format to be used to print the memory words. The notation is the
29729 same as for @value{GDBN}'s @code{print} command (@pxref{Output Formats,
29730 ,Output Formats}).
29731
29732 @item @var{word-size}
29733 The size of each memory word in bytes.
29734
29735 @item @var{nr-rows}
29736 The number of rows in the output table.
29737
29738 @item @var{nr-cols}
29739 The number of columns in the output table.
29740
29741 @item @var{aschar}
29742 If present, indicates that each row should include an @sc{ascii} dump. The
29743 value of @var{aschar} is used as a padding character when a byte is not a
29744 member of the printable @sc{ascii} character set (printable @sc{ascii}
29745 characters are those whose code is between 32 and 126, inclusively).
29746
29747 @item @var{byte-offset}
29748 An offset to add to the @var{address} before fetching memory.
29749 @end table
29750
29751 This command displays memory contents as a table of @var{nr-rows} by
29752 @var{nr-cols} words, each word being @var{word-size} bytes. In total,
29753 @code{@var{nr-rows} * @var{nr-cols} * @var{word-size}} bytes are read
29754 (returned as @samp{total-bytes}). Should less than the requested number
29755 of bytes be returned by the target, the missing words are identified
29756 using @samp{N/A}. The number of bytes read from the target is returned
29757 in @samp{nr-bytes} and the starting address used to read memory in
29758 @samp{addr}.
29759
29760 The address of the next/previous row or page is available in
29761 @samp{next-row} and @samp{prev-row}, @samp{next-page} and
29762 @samp{prev-page}.
29763
29764 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29765
29766 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}. @code{gdbtk} has
29767 @samp{gdb_get_mem} memory read command.
29768
29769 @subsubheading Example
29770
29771 Read six bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+6} but then offset by
29772 @code{-6} bytes. Format as three rows of two columns. One byte per
29773 word. Display each word in hex.
29774
29775 @smallexample
29776 (gdb)
29777 9-data-read-memory -o -6 -- bytes+6 x 1 3 2
29778 9^done,addr="0x00001390",nr-bytes="6",total-bytes="6",
29779 next-row="0x00001396",prev-row="0x0000138e",next-page="0x00001396",
29780 prev-page="0x0000138a",memory=[
29781 @{addr="0x00001390",data=["0x00","0x01"]@},
29782 @{addr="0x00001392",data=["0x02","0x03"]@},
29783 @{addr="0x00001394",data=["0x04","0x05"]@}]
29784 (gdb)
29785 @end smallexample
29786
29787 Read two bytes of memory starting at address @code{shorts + 64} and
29788 display as a single word formatted in decimal.
29789
29790 @smallexample
29791 (gdb)
29792 5-data-read-memory shorts+64 d 2 1 1
29793 5^done,addr="0x00001510",nr-bytes="2",total-bytes="2",
29794 next-row="0x00001512",prev-row="0x0000150e",
29795 next-page="0x00001512",prev-page="0x0000150e",memory=[
29796 @{addr="0x00001510",data=["128"]@}]
29797 (gdb)
29798 @end smallexample
29799
29800 Read thirty two bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+16} and format
29801 as eight rows of four columns. Include a string encoding with @samp{x}
29802 used as the non-printable character.
29803
29804 @smallexample
29805 (gdb)
29806 4-data-read-memory bytes+16 x 1 8 4 x
29807 4^done,addr="0x000013a0",nr-bytes="32",total-bytes="32",
29808 next-row="0x000013c0",prev-row="0x0000139c",
29809 next-page="0x000013c0",prev-page="0x00001380",memory=[
29810 @{addr="0x000013a0",data=["0x10","0x11","0x12","0x13"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29811 @{addr="0x000013a4",data=["0x14","0x15","0x16","0x17"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29812 @{addr="0x000013a8",data=["0x18","0x19","0x1a","0x1b"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29813 @{addr="0x000013ac",data=["0x1c","0x1d","0x1e","0x1f"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29814 @{addr="0x000013b0",data=["0x20","0x21","0x22","0x23"],ascii=" !\"#"@},
29815 @{addr="0x000013b4",data=["0x24","0x25","0x26","0x27"],ascii="$%&'"@},
29816 @{addr="0x000013b8",data=["0x28","0x29","0x2a","0x2b"],ascii="()*+"@},
29817 @{addr="0x000013bc",data=["0x2c","0x2d","0x2e","0x2f"],ascii=",-./"@}]
29818 (gdb)
29819 @end smallexample
29820
29821 @subheading The @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} Command
29822 @findex -data-read-memory-bytes
29823
29824 @subsubheading Synopsis
29825
29826 @smallexample
29827 -data-read-memory-bytes [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
29828 @var{address} @var{count}
29829 @end smallexample
29830
29831 @noindent
29832 where:
29833
29834 @table @samp
29835 @item @var{address}
29836 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
29837 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
29838 quoted using the C convention.
29839
29840 @item @var{count}
29841 The number of bytes to read. This should be an integer literal.
29842
29843 @item @var{byte-offset}
29844 The offsets in bytes relative to @var{address} at which to start
29845 reading. This should be an integer literal. This option is provided
29846 so that a frontend is not required to first evaluate address and then
29847 perform address arithmetics itself.
29848
29849 @end table
29850
29851 This command attempts to read all accessible memory regions in the
29852 specified range. First, all regions marked as unreadable in the memory
29853 map (if one is defined) will be skipped. @xref{Memory Region
29854 Attributes}. Second, @value{GDBN} will attempt to read the remaining
29855 regions. For each one, if reading full region results in an errors,
29856 @value{GDBN} will try to read a subset of the region.
29857
29858 In general, every single byte in the region may be readable or not,
29859 and the only way to read every readable byte is to try a read at
29860 every address, which is not practical. Therefore, @value{GDBN} will
29861 attempt to read all accessible bytes at either beginning or the end
29862 of the region, using a binary division scheme. This heuristic works
29863 well for reading accross a memory map boundary. Note that if a region
29864 has a readable range that is neither at the beginning or the end,
29865 @value{GDBN} will not read it.
29866
29867 The result record (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}) that is output of
29868 the command includes a field named @samp{memory} whose content is a
29869 list of tuples. Each tuple represent a successfully read memory block
29870 and has the following fields:
29871
29872 @table @code
29873 @item begin
29874 The start address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
29875
29876 @item end
29877 The end address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
29878
29879 @item offset
29880 The offset of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal, relative to
29881 the start address passed to @code{-data-read-memory-bytes}.
29882
29883 @item contents
29884 The contents of the memory block, in hex.
29885
29886 @end table
29887
29888
29889
29890 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29891
29892 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}.
29893
29894 @subsubheading Example
29895
29896 @smallexample
29897 (gdb)
29898 -data-read-memory-bytes &a 10
29899 ^done,memory=[@{begin="0xbffff154",offset="0x00000000",
29900 end="0xbffff15e",
29901 contents="01000000020000000300"@}]
29902 (gdb)
29903 @end smallexample
29904
29905
29906 @subheading The @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} Command
29907 @findex -data-write-memory-bytes
29908
29909 @subsubheading Synopsis
29910
29911 @smallexample
29912 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents}
29913 @end smallexample
29914
29915 @noindent
29916 where:
29917
29918 @table @samp
29919 @item @var{address}
29920 An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
29921 read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
29922 quoted using the C convention.
29923
29924 @item @var{contents}
29925 The hex-encoded bytes to write.
29926
29927 @end table
29928
29929 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29930
29931 There's no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
29932
29933 @subsubheading Example
29934
29935 @smallexample
29936 (gdb)
29937 -data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd"
29938 ^done
29939 (gdb)
29940 @end smallexample
29941
29942
29943 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29944 @node GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands
29945 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Tracepoint Commands
29946
29947 The commands defined in this section implement MI support for
29948 tracepoints. For detailed introduction, see @ref{Tracepoints}.
29949
29950 @subheading The @code{-trace-find} Command
29951 @findex -trace-find
29952
29953 @subsubheading Synopsis
29954
29955 @smallexample
29956 -trace-find @var{mode} [@var{parameters}@dots{}]
29957 @end smallexample
29958
29959 Find a trace frame using criteria defined by @var{mode} and
29960 @var{parameters}. The following table lists permissible
29961 modes and their parameters. For details of operation, see @ref{tfind}.
29962
29963 @table @samp
29964
29965 @item none
29966 No parameters are required. Stops examining trace frames.
29967
29968 @item frame-number
29969 An integer is required as parameter. Selects tracepoint frame with
29970 that index.
29971
29972 @item tracepoint-number
29973 An integer is required as parameter. Finds next
29974 trace frame that corresponds to tracepoint with the specified number.
29975
29976 @item pc
29977 An address is required as parameter. Finds
29978 next trace frame that corresponds to any tracepoint at the specified
29979 address.
29980
29981 @item pc-inside-range
29982 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds next trace
29983 frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address inside the
29984 specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
29985
29986 @item pc-outside-range
29987 Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds
29988 next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address outside
29989 the specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
29990
29991 @item line
29992 Line specification is required as parameter. @xref{Specify Location}.
29993 Finds next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at
29994 the specified location.
29995
29996 @end table
29997
29998 If @samp{none} was passed as @var{mode}, the response does not
29999 have fields. Otherwise, the response may have the following fields:
30000
30001 @table @samp
30002 @item found
30003 This field has either @samp{0} or @samp{1} as the value, depending
30004 on whether a matching tracepoint was found.
30005
30006 @item traceframe
30007 The index of the found traceframe. This field is present iff
30008 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
30009
30010 @item tracepoint
30011 The index of the found tracepoint. This field is present iff
30012 the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
30013
30014 @item frame
30015 The information about the frame corresponding to the found trace
30016 frame. This field is present only if a trace frame was found.
30017 @xref{GDB/MI Frame Information}, for description of this field.
30018
30019 @end table
30020
30021 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30022
30023 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tfind}.
30024
30025 @subheading -trace-define-variable
30026 @findex -trace-define-variable
30027
30028 @subsubheading Synopsis
30029
30030 @smallexample
30031 -trace-define-variable @var{name} [ @var{value} ]
30032 @end smallexample
30033
30034 Create trace variable @var{name} if it does not exist. If
30035 @var{value} is specified, sets the initial value of the specified
30036 trace variable to that value. Note that the @var{name} should start
30037 with the @samp{$} character.
30038
30039 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30040
30041 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariable}.
30042
30043 @subheading -trace-list-variables
30044 @findex -trace-list-variables
30045
30046 @subsubheading Synopsis
30047
30048 @smallexample
30049 -trace-list-variables
30050 @end smallexample
30051
30052 Return a table of all defined trace variables. Each element of the
30053 table has the following fields:
30054
30055 @table @samp
30056 @item name
30057 The name of the trace variable. This field is always present.
30058
30059 @item initial
30060 The initial value. This is a 64-bit signed integer. This
30061 field is always present.
30062
30063 @item current
30064 The value the trace variable has at the moment. This is a 64-bit
30065 signed integer. This field is absent iff current value is
30066 not defined, for example if the trace was never run, or is
30067 presently running.
30068
30069 @end table
30070
30071 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30072
30073 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariables}.
30074
30075 @subsubheading Example
30076
30077 @smallexample
30078 (gdb)
30079 -trace-list-variables
30080 ^done,trace-variables=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="3",
30081 hdr=[@{width="15",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
30082 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="initial",colhdr="Initial"@},
30083 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr="Current"@}],
30084 body=[variable=@{name="$trace_timestamp",initial="0"@}
30085 variable=@{name="$foo",initial="10",current="15"@}]@}
30086 (gdb)
30087 @end smallexample
30088
30089 @subheading -trace-save
30090 @findex -trace-save
30091
30092 @subsubheading Synopsis
30093
30094 @smallexample
30095 -trace-save [-r ] @var{filename}
30096 @end smallexample
30097
30098 Saves the collected trace data to @var{filename}. Without the
30099 @samp{-r} option, the data is downloaded from the target and saved
30100 in a local file. With the @samp{-r} option the target is asked
30101 to perform the save.
30102
30103 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30104
30105 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tsave}.
30106
30107
30108 @subheading -trace-start
30109 @findex -trace-start
30110
30111 @subsubheading Synopsis
30112
30113 @smallexample
30114 -trace-start
30115 @end smallexample
30116
30117 Starts a tracing experiments. The result of this command does not
30118 have any fields.
30119
30120 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30121
30122 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstart}.
30123
30124 @subheading -trace-status
30125 @findex -trace-status
30126
30127 @subsubheading Synopsis
30128
30129 @smallexample
30130 -trace-status
30131 @end smallexample
30132
30133 Obtains the status of a tracing experiment. The result may include
30134 the following fields:
30135
30136 @table @samp
30137
30138 @item supported
30139 May have a value of either @samp{0}, when no tracing operations are
30140 supported, @samp{1}, when all tracing operations are supported, or
30141 @samp{file} when examining trace file. In the latter case, examining
30142 of trace frame is possible but new tracing experiement cannot be
30143 started. This field is always present.
30144
30145 @item running
30146 May have a value of either @samp{0} or @samp{1} depending on whether
30147 tracing experiement is in progress on target. This field is present
30148 if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
30149
30150 @item stop-reason
30151 Report the reason why the tracing was stopped last time. This field
30152 may be absent iff tracing was never stopped on target yet. The
30153 value of @samp{request} means the tracing was stopped as result of
30154 the @code{-trace-stop} command. The value of @samp{overflow} means
30155 the tracing buffer is full. The value of @samp{disconnection} means
30156 tracing was automatically stopped when @value{GDBN} has disconnected.
30157 The value of @samp{passcount} means tracing was stopped when a
30158 tracepoint was passed a maximal number of times for that tracepoint.
30159 This field is present if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
30160
30161 @item stopping-tracepoint
30162 The number of tracepoint whose passcount as exceeded. This field is
30163 present iff the @samp{stop-reason} field has the value of
30164 @samp{passcount}.
30165
30166 @item frames
30167 @itemx frames-created
30168 The @samp{frames} field is a count of the total number of trace frames
30169 in the trace buffer, while @samp{frames-created} is the total created
30170 during the run, including ones that were discarded, such as when a
30171 circular trace buffer filled up. Both fields are optional.
30172
30173 @item buffer-size
30174 @itemx buffer-free
30175 These fields tell the current size of the tracing buffer and the
30176 remaining space. These fields are optional.
30177
30178 @item circular
30179 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
30180 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
30181 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
30182 and may fill up.
30183
30184 @item disconnected
30185 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
30186 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
30187 that the trace run will stop.
30188
30189 @end table
30190
30191 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30192
30193 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstatus}.
30194
30195 @subheading -trace-stop
30196 @findex -trace-stop
30197
30198 @subsubheading Synopsis
30199
30200 @smallexample
30201 -trace-stop
30202 @end smallexample
30203
30204 Stops a tracing experiment. The result of this command has the same
30205 fields as @code{-trace-status}, except that the @samp{supported} and
30206 @samp{running} fields are not output.
30207
30208 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30209
30210 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstop}.
30211
30212
30213 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30214 @node GDB/MI Symbol Query
30215 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Symbol Query Commands
30216
30217
30218 @ignore
30219 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-address} Command
30220 @findex -symbol-info-address
30221
30222 @subsubheading Synopsis
30223
30224 @smallexample
30225 -symbol-info-address @var{symbol}
30226 @end smallexample
30227
30228 Describe where @var{symbol} is stored.
30229
30230 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30231
30232 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info address}.
30233
30234 @subsubheading Example
30235 N.A.
30236
30237
30238 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-file} Command
30239 @findex -symbol-info-file
30240
30241 @subsubheading Synopsis
30242
30243 @smallexample
30244 -symbol-info-file
30245 @end smallexample
30246
30247 Show the file for the symbol.
30248
30249 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30250
30251 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command. @code{gdbtk} has
30252 @samp{gdb_find_file}.
30253
30254 @subsubheading Example
30255 N.A.
30256
30257
30258 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-function} Command
30259 @findex -symbol-info-function
30260
30261 @subsubheading Synopsis
30262
30263 @smallexample
30264 -symbol-info-function
30265 @end smallexample
30266
30267 Show which function the symbol lives in.
30268
30269 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30270
30271 @samp{gdb_get_function} in @code{gdbtk}.
30272
30273 @subsubheading Example
30274 N.A.
30275
30276
30277 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-line} Command
30278 @findex -symbol-info-line
30279
30280 @subsubheading Synopsis
30281
30282 @smallexample
30283 -symbol-info-line
30284 @end smallexample
30285
30286 Show the core addresses of the code for a source line.
30287
30288 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30289
30290 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info line}.
30291 @code{gdbtk} has the @samp{gdb_get_line} and @samp{gdb_get_file} commands.
30292
30293 @subsubheading Example
30294 N.A.
30295
30296
30297 @subheading The @code{-symbol-info-symbol} Command
30298 @findex -symbol-info-symbol
30299
30300 @subsubheading Synopsis
30301
30302 @smallexample
30303 -symbol-info-symbol @var{addr}
30304 @end smallexample
30305
30306 Describe what symbol is at location @var{addr}.
30307
30308 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30309
30310 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info symbol}.
30311
30312 @subsubheading Example
30313 N.A.
30314
30315
30316 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-functions} Command
30317 @findex -symbol-list-functions
30318
30319 @subsubheading Synopsis
30320
30321 @smallexample
30322 -symbol-list-functions
30323 @end smallexample
30324
30325 List the functions in the executable.
30326
30327 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30328
30329 @samp{info functions} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_listfunc} and
30330 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30331
30332 @subsubheading Example
30333 N.A.
30334 @end ignore
30335
30336
30337 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-lines} Command
30338 @findex -symbol-list-lines
30339
30340 @subsubheading Synopsis
30341
30342 @smallexample
30343 -symbol-list-lines @var{filename}
30344 @end smallexample
30345
30346 Print the list of lines that contain code and their associated program
30347 addresses for the given source filename. The entries are sorted in
30348 ascending PC order.
30349
30350 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30351
30352 There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
30353
30354 @subsubheading Example
30355 @smallexample
30356 (gdb)
30357 -symbol-list-lines basics.c
30358 ^done,lines=[@{pc="0x08048554",line="7"@},@{pc="0x0804855a",line="8"@}]
30359 (gdb)
30360 @end smallexample
30361
30362
30363 @ignore
30364 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-types} Command
30365 @findex -symbol-list-types
30366
30367 @subsubheading Synopsis
30368
30369 @smallexample
30370 -symbol-list-types
30371 @end smallexample
30372
30373 List all the type names.
30374
30375 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30376
30377 The corresponding commands are @samp{info types} in @value{GDBN},
30378 @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30379
30380 @subsubheading Example
30381 N.A.
30382
30383
30384 @subheading The @code{-symbol-list-variables} Command
30385 @findex -symbol-list-variables
30386
30387 @subsubheading Synopsis
30388
30389 @smallexample
30390 -symbol-list-variables
30391 @end smallexample
30392
30393 List all the global and static variable names.
30394
30395 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30396
30397 @samp{info variables} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30398
30399 @subsubheading Example
30400 N.A.
30401
30402
30403 @subheading The @code{-symbol-locate} Command
30404 @findex -symbol-locate
30405
30406 @subsubheading Synopsis
30407
30408 @smallexample
30409 -symbol-locate
30410 @end smallexample
30411
30412 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30413
30414 @samp{gdb_loc} in @code{gdbtk}.
30415
30416 @subsubheading Example
30417 N.A.
30418
30419
30420 @subheading The @code{-symbol-type} Command
30421 @findex -symbol-type
30422
30423 @subsubheading Synopsis
30424
30425 @smallexample
30426 -symbol-type @var{variable}
30427 @end smallexample
30428
30429 Show type of @var{variable}.
30430
30431 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30432
30433 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ptype}, @code{gdbtk} has
30434 @samp{gdb_obj_variable}.
30435
30436 @subsubheading Example
30437 N.A.
30438 @end ignore
30439
30440
30441 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30442 @node GDB/MI File Commands
30443 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Commands
30444
30445 This section describes the GDB/MI commands to specify executable file names
30446 and to read in and obtain symbol table information.
30447
30448 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-and-symbols} Command
30449 @findex -file-exec-and-symbols
30450
30451 @subsubheading Synopsis
30452
30453 @smallexample
30454 -file-exec-and-symbols @var{file}
30455 @end smallexample
30456
30457 Specify the executable file to be debugged. This file is the one from
30458 which the symbol table is also read. If no file is specified, the
30459 command clears the executable and symbol information. If breakpoints
30460 are set when using this command with no arguments, @value{GDBN} will produce
30461 error messages. Otherwise, no output is produced, except a completion
30462 notification.
30463
30464 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30465
30466 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{file}.
30467
30468 @subsubheading Example
30469
30470 @smallexample
30471 (gdb)
30472 -file-exec-and-symbols /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30473 ^done
30474 (gdb)
30475 @end smallexample
30476
30477
30478 @subheading The @code{-file-exec-file} Command
30479 @findex -file-exec-file
30480
30481 @subsubheading Synopsis
30482
30483 @smallexample
30484 -file-exec-file @var{file}
30485 @end smallexample
30486
30487 Specify the executable file to be debugged. Unlike
30488 @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols}, the symbol table is @emph{not} read
30489 from this file. If used without argument, @value{GDBN} clears the information
30490 about the executable file. No output is produced, except a completion
30491 notification.
30492
30493 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30494
30495 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{exec-file}.
30496
30497 @subsubheading Example
30498
30499 @smallexample
30500 (gdb)
30501 -file-exec-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30502 ^done
30503 (gdb)
30504 @end smallexample
30505
30506
30507 @ignore
30508 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-sections} Command
30509 @findex -file-list-exec-sections
30510
30511 @subsubheading Synopsis
30512
30513 @smallexample
30514 -file-list-exec-sections
30515 @end smallexample
30516
30517 List the sections of the current executable file.
30518
30519 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30520
30521 The @value{GDBN} command @samp{info file} shows, among the rest, the same
30522 information as this command. @code{gdbtk} has a corresponding command
30523 @samp{gdb_load_info}.
30524
30525 @subsubheading Example
30526 N.A.
30527 @end ignore
30528
30529
30530 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-file} Command
30531 @findex -file-list-exec-source-file
30532
30533 @subsubheading Synopsis
30534
30535 @smallexample
30536 -file-list-exec-source-file
30537 @end smallexample
30538
30539 List the line number, the current source file, and the absolute path
30540 to the current source file for the current executable. The macro
30541 information field has a value of @samp{1} or @samp{0} depending on
30542 whether or not the file includes preprocessor macro information.
30543
30544 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30545
30546 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info source}
30547
30548 @subsubheading Example
30549
30550 @smallexample
30551 (gdb)
30552 123-file-list-exec-source-file
30553 123^done,line="1",file="foo.c",fullname="/home/bar/foo.c,macro-info="1"
30554 (gdb)
30555 @end smallexample
30556
30557
30558 @subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-files} Command
30559 @findex -file-list-exec-source-files
30560
30561 @subsubheading Synopsis
30562
30563 @smallexample
30564 -file-list-exec-source-files
30565 @end smallexample
30566
30567 List the source files for the current executable.
30568
30569 It will always output the filename, but only when @value{GDBN} can find
30570 the absolute file name of a source file, will it output the fullname.
30571
30572 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30573
30574 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info sources}.
30575 @code{gdbtk} has an analogous command @samp{gdb_listfiles}.
30576
30577 @subsubheading Example
30578 @smallexample
30579 (gdb)
30580 -file-list-exec-source-files
30581 ^done,files=[
30582 @{file=foo.c,fullname=/home/foo.c@},
30583 @{file=/home/bar.c,fullname=/home/bar.c@},
30584 @{file=gdb_could_not_find_fullpath.c@}]
30585 (gdb)
30586 @end smallexample
30587
30588 @ignore
30589 @subheading The @code{-file-list-shared-libraries} Command
30590 @findex -file-list-shared-libraries
30591
30592 @subsubheading Synopsis
30593
30594 @smallexample
30595 -file-list-shared-libraries
30596 @end smallexample
30597
30598 List the shared libraries in the program.
30599
30600 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30601
30602 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info shared}.
30603
30604 @subsubheading Example
30605 N.A.
30606
30607
30608 @subheading The @code{-file-list-symbol-files} Command
30609 @findex -file-list-symbol-files
30610
30611 @subsubheading Synopsis
30612
30613 @smallexample
30614 -file-list-symbol-files
30615 @end smallexample
30616
30617 List symbol files.
30618
30619 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30620
30621 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info file} (part of it).
30622
30623 @subsubheading Example
30624 N.A.
30625 @end ignore
30626
30627
30628 @subheading The @code{-file-symbol-file} Command
30629 @findex -file-symbol-file
30630
30631 @subsubheading Synopsis
30632
30633 @smallexample
30634 -file-symbol-file @var{file}
30635 @end smallexample
30636
30637 Read symbol table info from the specified @var{file} argument. When
30638 used without arguments, clears @value{GDBN}'s symbol table info. No output is
30639 produced, except for a completion notification.
30640
30641 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30642
30643 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{symbol-file}.
30644
30645 @subsubheading Example
30646
30647 @smallexample
30648 (gdb)
30649 -file-symbol-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30650 ^done
30651 (gdb)
30652 @end smallexample
30653
30654 @ignore
30655 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30656 @node GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands
30657 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Memory Overlay Commands
30658
30659 The memory overlay commands are not implemented.
30660
30661 @c @subheading -overlay-auto
30662
30663 @c @subheading -overlay-list-mapping-state
30664
30665 @c @subheading -overlay-list-overlays
30666
30667 @c @subheading -overlay-map
30668
30669 @c @subheading -overlay-off
30670
30671 @c @subheading -overlay-on
30672
30673 @c @subheading -overlay-unmap
30674
30675 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30676 @node GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands
30677 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Signal Handling Commands
30678
30679 Signal handling commands are not implemented.
30680
30681 @c @subheading -signal-handle
30682
30683 @c @subheading -signal-list-handle-actions
30684
30685 @c @subheading -signal-list-signal-types
30686 @end ignore
30687
30688
30689 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30690 @node GDB/MI Target Manipulation
30691 @section @sc{gdb/mi} Target Manipulation Commands
30692
30693
30694 @subheading The @code{-target-attach} Command
30695 @findex -target-attach
30696
30697 @subsubheading Synopsis
30698
30699 @smallexample
30700 -target-attach @var{pid} | @var{gid} | @var{file}
30701 @end smallexample
30702
30703 Attach to a process @var{pid} or a file @var{file} outside of
30704 @value{GDBN}, or a thread group @var{gid}. If attaching to a thread
30705 group, the id previously returned by
30706 @samp{-list-thread-groups --available} must be used.
30707
30708 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30709
30710 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{attach}.
30711
30712 @subsubheading Example
30713 @smallexample
30714 (gdb)
30715 -target-attach 34
30716 =thread-created,id="1"
30717 *stopped,thread-id="1",frame=@{addr="0xb7f7e410",func="bar",args=[]@}
30718 ^done
30719 (gdb)
30720 @end smallexample
30721
30722 @ignore
30723 @subheading The @code{-target-compare-sections} Command
30724 @findex -target-compare-sections
30725
30726 @subsubheading Synopsis
30727
30728 @smallexample
30729 -target-compare-sections [ @var{section} ]
30730 @end smallexample
30731
30732 Compare data of section @var{section} on target to the exec file.
30733 Without the argument, all sections are compared.
30734
30735 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30736
30737 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{compare-sections}.
30738
30739 @subsubheading Example
30740 N.A.
30741 @end ignore
30742
30743
30744 @subheading The @code{-target-detach} Command
30745 @findex -target-detach
30746
30747 @subsubheading Synopsis
30748
30749 @smallexample
30750 -target-detach [ @var{pid} | @var{gid} ]
30751 @end smallexample
30752
30753 Detach from the remote target which normally resumes its execution.
30754 If either @var{pid} or @var{gid} is specified, detaches from either
30755 the specified process, or specified thread group. There's no output.
30756
30757 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30758
30759 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{detach}.
30760
30761 @subsubheading Example
30762
30763 @smallexample
30764 (gdb)
30765 -target-detach
30766 ^done
30767 (gdb)
30768 @end smallexample
30769
30770
30771 @subheading The @code{-target-disconnect} Command
30772 @findex -target-disconnect
30773
30774 @subsubheading Synopsis
30775
30776 @smallexample
30777 -target-disconnect
30778 @end smallexample
30779
30780 Disconnect from the remote target. There's no output and the target is
30781 generally not resumed.
30782
30783 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30784
30785 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disconnect}.
30786
30787 @subsubheading Example
30788
30789 @smallexample
30790 (gdb)
30791 -target-disconnect
30792 ^done
30793 (gdb)
30794 @end smallexample
30795
30796
30797 @subheading The @code{-target-download} Command
30798 @findex -target-download
30799
30800 @subsubheading Synopsis
30801
30802 @smallexample
30803 -target-download
30804 @end smallexample
30805
30806 Loads the executable onto the remote target.
30807 It prints out an update message every half second, which includes the fields:
30808
30809 @table @samp
30810 @item section
30811 The name of the section.
30812 @item section-sent
30813 The size of what has been sent so far for that section.
30814 @item section-size
30815 The size of the section.
30816 @item total-sent
30817 The total size of what was sent so far (the current and the previous sections).
30818 @item total-size
30819 The size of the overall executable to download.
30820 @end table
30821
30822 @noindent
30823 Each message is sent as status record (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, ,
30824 @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax}).
30825
30826 In addition, it prints the name and size of the sections, as they are
30827 downloaded. These messages include the following fields:
30828
30829 @table @samp
30830 @item section
30831 The name of the section.
30832 @item section-size
30833 The size of the section.
30834 @item total-size
30835 The size of the overall executable to download.
30836 @end table
30837
30838 @noindent
30839 At the end, a summary is printed.
30840
30841 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30842
30843 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{load}.
30844
30845 @subsubheading Example
30846
30847 Note: each status message appears on a single line. Here the messages
30848 have been broken down so that they can fit onto a page.
30849
30850 @smallexample
30851 (gdb)
30852 -target-download
30853 +download,@{section=".text",section-size="6668",total-size="9880"@}
30854 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="512",section-size="6668",
30855 total-sent="512",total-size="9880"@}
30856 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1024",section-size="6668",
30857 total-sent="1024",total-size="9880"@}
30858 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1536",section-size="6668",
30859 total-sent="1536",total-size="9880"@}
30860 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2048",section-size="6668",
30861 total-sent="2048",total-size="9880"@}
30862 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2560",section-size="6668",
30863 total-sent="2560",total-size="9880"@}
30864 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3072",section-size="6668",
30865 total-sent="3072",total-size="9880"@}
30866 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3584",section-size="6668",
30867 total-sent="3584",total-size="9880"@}
30868 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4096",section-size="6668",
30869 total-sent="4096",total-size="9880"@}
30870 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4608",section-size="6668",
30871 total-sent="4608",total-size="9880"@}
30872 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5120",section-size="6668",
30873 total-sent="5120",total-size="9880"@}
30874 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5632",section-size="6668",
30875 total-sent="5632",total-size="9880"@}
30876 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6144",section-size="6668",
30877 total-sent="6144",total-size="9880"@}
30878 +download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6656",section-size="6668",
30879 total-sent="6656",total-size="9880"@}
30880 +download,@{section=".init",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
30881 +download,@{section=".fini",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
30882 +download,@{section=".data",section-size="3156",total-size="9880"@}
30883 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="512",section-size="3156",
30884 total-sent="7236",total-size="9880"@}
30885 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1024",section-size="3156",
30886 total-sent="7748",total-size="9880"@}
30887 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1536",section-size="3156",
30888 total-sent="8260",total-size="9880"@}
30889 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2048",section-size="3156",
30890 total-sent="8772",total-size="9880"@}
30891 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2560",section-size="3156",
30892 total-sent="9284",total-size="9880"@}
30893 +download,@{section=".data",section-sent="3072",section-size="3156",
30894 total-sent="9796",total-size="9880"@}
30895 ^done,address="0x10004",load-size="9880",transfer-rate="6586",
30896 write-rate="429"
30897 (gdb)
30898 @end smallexample
30899
30900
30901 @ignore
30902 @subheading The @code{-target-exec-status} Command
30903 @findex -target-exec-status
30904
30905 @subsubheading Synopsis
30906
30907 @smallexample
30908 -target-exec-status
30909 @end smallexample
30910
30911 Provide information on the state of the target (whether it is running or
30912 not, for instance).
30913
30914 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30915
30916 There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
30917
30918 @subsubheading Example
30919 N.A.
30920
30921
30922 @subheading The @code{-target-list-available-targets} Command
30923 @findex -target-list-available-targets
30924
30925 @subsubheading Synopsis
30926
30927 @smallexample
30928 -target-list-available-targets
30929 @end smallexample
30930
30931 List the possible targets to connect to.
30932
30933 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30934
30935 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{help target}.
30936
30937 @subsubheading Example
30938 N.A.
30939
30940
30941 @subheading The @code{-target-list-current-targets} Command
30942 @findex -target-list-current-targets
30943
30944 @subsubheading Synopsis
30945
30946 @smallexample
30947 -target-list-current-targets
30948 @end smallexample
30949
30950 Describe the current target.
30951
30952 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30953
30954 The corresponding information is printed by @samp{info file} (among
30955 other things).
30956
30957 @subsubheading Example
30958 N.A.
30959
30960
30961 @subheading The @code{-target-list-parameters} Command
30962 @findex -target-list-parameters
30963
30964 @subsubheading Synopsis
30965
30966 @smallexample
30967 -target-list-parameters
30968 @end smallexample
30969
30970 @c ????
30971 @end ignore
30972
30973 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30974
30975 No equivalent.
30976
30977 @subsubheading Example
30978 N.A.
30979
30980
30981 @subheading The @code{-target-select} Command
30982 @findex -target-select
30983
30984 @subsubheading Synopsis
30985
30986 @smallexample
30987 -target-select @var{type} @var{parameters @dots{}}
30988 @end smallexample
30989
30990 Connect @value{GDBN} to the remote target. This command takes two args:
30991
30992 @table @samp
30993 @item @var{type}
30994 The type of target, for instance @samp{remote}, etc.
30995 @item @var{parameters}
30996 Device names, host names and the like. @xref{Target Commands, ,
30997 Commands for Managing Targets}, for more details.
30998 @end table
30999
31000 The output is a connection notification, followed by the address at
31001 which the target program is, in the following form:
31002
31003 @smallexample
31004 ^connected,addr="@var{address}",func="@var{function name}",
31005 args=[@var{arg list}]
31006 @end smallexample
31007
31008 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31009
31010 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{target}.
31011
31012 @subsubheading Example
31013
31014 @smallexample
31015 (gdb)
31016 -target-select remote /dev/ttya
31017 ^connected,addr="0xfe00a300",func="??",args=[]
31018 (gdb)
31019 @end smallexample
31020
31021 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31022 @node GDB/MI File Transfer Commands
31023 @section @sc{gdb/mi} File Transfer Commands
31024
31025
31026 @subheading The @code{-target-file-put} Command
31027 @findex -target-file-put
31028
31029 @subsubheading Synopsis
31030
31031 @smallexample
31032 -target-file-put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
31033 @end smallexample
31034
31035 Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
31036 @value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
31037
31038 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31039
31040 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote put}.
31041
31042 @subsubheading Example
31043
31044 @smallexample
31045 (gdb)
31046 -target-file-put localfile remotefile
31047 ^done
31048 (gdb)
31049 @end smallexample
31050
31051
31052 @subheading The @code{-target-file-get} Command
31053 @findex -target-file-get
31054
31055 @subsubheading Synopsis
31056
31057 @smallexample
31058 -target-file-get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
31059 @end smallexample
31060
31061 Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
31062 on the host system.
31063
31064 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31065
31066 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote get}.
31067
31068 @subsubheading Example
31069
31070 @smallexample
31071 (gdb)
31072 -target-file-get remotefile localfile
31073 ^done
31074 (gdb)
31075 @end smallexample
31076
31077
31078 @subheading The @code{-target-file-delete} Command
31079 @findex -target-file-delete
31080
31081 @subsubheading Synopsis
31082
31083 @smallexample
31084 -target-file-delete @var{targetfile}
31085 @end smallexample
31086
31087 Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
31088
31089 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31090
31091 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote delete}.
31092
31093 @subsubheading Example
31094
31095 @smallexample
31096 (gdb)
31097 -target-file-delete remotefile
31098 ^done
31099 (gdb)
31100 @end smallexample
31101
31102
31103 @c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
31104 @node GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands
31105 @section Miscellaneous @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
31106
31107 @c @subheading -gdb-complete
31108
31109 @subheading The @code{-gdb-exit} Command
31110 @findex -gdb-exit
31111
31112 @subsubheading Synopsis
31113
31114 @smallexample
31115 -gdb-exit
31116 @end smallexample
31117
31118 Exit @value{GDBN} immediately.
31119
31120 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31121
31122 Approximately corresponds to @samp{quit}.
31123
31124 @subsubheading Example
31125
31126 @smallexample
31127 (gdb)
31128 -gdb-exit
31129 ^exit
31130 @end smallexample
31131
31132
31133 @ignore
31134 @subheading The @code{-exec-abort} Command
31135 @findex -exec-abort
31136
31137 @subsubheading Synopsis
31138
31139 @smallexample
31140 -exec-abort
31141 @end smallexample
31142
31143 Kill the inferior running program.
31144
31145 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31146
31147 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{kill}.
31148
31149 @subsubheading Example
31150 N.A.
31151 @end ignore
31152
31153
31154 @subheading The @code{-gdb-set} Command
31155 @findex -gdb-set
31156
31157 @subsubheading Synopsis
31158
31159 @smallexample
31160 -gdb-set
31161 @end smallexample
31162
31163 Set an internal @value{GDBN} variable.
31164 @c IS THIS A DOLLAR VARIABLE? OR SOMETHING LIKE ANNOTATE ?????
31165
31166 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31167
31168 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set}.
31169
31170 @subsubheading Example
31171
31172 @smallexample
31173 (gdb)
31174 -gdb-set $foo=3
31175 ^done
31176 (gdb)
31177 @end smallexample
31178
31179
31180 @subheading The @code{-gdb-show} Command
31181 @findex -gdb-show
31182
31183 @subsubheading Synopsis
31184
31185 @smallexample
31186 -gdb-show
31187 @end smallexample
31188
31189 Show the current value of a @value{GDBN} variable.
31190
31191 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31192
31193 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show}.
31194
31195 @subsubheading Example
31196
31197 @smallexample
31198 (gdb)
31199 -gdb-show annotate
31200 ^done,value="0"
31201 (gdb)
31202 @end smallexample
31203
31204 @c @subheading -gdb-source
31205
31206
31207 @subheading The @code{-gdb-version} Command
31208 @findex -gdb-version
31209
31210 @subsubheading Synopsis
31211
31212 @smallexample
31213 -gdb-version
31214 @end smallexample
31215
31216 Show version information for @value{GDBN}. Used mostly in testing.
31217
31218 @subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
31219
31220 The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{show version}. @value{GDBN} by
31221 default shows this information when you start an interactive session.
31222
31223 @subsubheading Example
31224
31225 @c This example modifies the actual output from GDB to avoid overfull
31226 @c box in TeX.
31227 @smallexample
31228 (gdb)
31229 -gdb-version
31230 ~GNU gdb 5.2.1
31231 ~Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
31232 ~GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, and
31233 ~you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under
31234 ~ certain conditions.
31235 ~Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
31236 ~There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty" for
31237 ~ details.
31238 ~This GDB was configured as
31239 "--host=sparc-sun-solaris2.5.1 --target=ppc-eabi".
31240 ^done
31241 (gdb)
31242 @end smallexample
31243
31244 @subheading The @code{-list-features} Command
31245 @findex -list-features
31246
31247 Returns a list of particular features of the MI protocol that
31248 this version of gdb implements. A feature can be a command,
31249 or a new field in an output of some command, or even an
31250 important bugfix. While a frontend can sometimes detect presence
31251 of a feature at runtime, it is easier to perform detection at debugger
31252 startup.
31253
31254 The command returns a list of strings, with each string naming an
31255 available feature. Each returned string is just a name, it does not
31256 have any internal structure. The list of possible feature names
31257 is given below.
31258
31259 Example output:
31260
31261 @smallexample
31262 (gdb) -list-features
31263 ^done,result=["feature1","feature2"]
31264 @end smallexample
31265
31266 The current list of features is:
31267
31268 @table @samp
31269 @item frozen-varobjs
31270 Indicates support for the @code{-var-set-frozen} command, as well
31271 as possible presense of the @code{frozen} field in the output
31272 of @code{-varobj-create}.
31273 @item pending-breakpoints
31274 Indicates support for the @option{-f} option to the @code{-break-insert}
31275 command.
31276 @item python
31277 Indicates Python scripting support, Python-based
31278 pretty-printing commands, and possible presence of the
31279 @samp{display_hint} field in the output of @code{-var-list-children}
31280 @item thread-info
31281 Indicates support for the @code{-thread-info} command.
31282 @item data-read-memory-bytes
31283 Indicates support for the @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} and the
31284 @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} commands.
31285 @item breakpoint-notifications
31286 Indicates that changes to breakpoints and breakpoints created via the
31287 CLI will be announced via async records.
31288 @item ada-task-info
31289 Indicates support for the @code{-ada-task-info} command.
31290 @end table
31291
31292 @subheading The @code{-list-target-features} Command
31293 @findex -list-target-features
31294
31295 Returns a list of particular features that are supported by the
31296 target. Those features affect the permitted MI commands, but
31297 unlike the features reported by the @code{-list-features} command, the
31298 features depend on which target GDB is using at the moment. Whenever
31299 a target can change, due to commands such as @code{-target-select},
31300 @code{-target-attach} or @code{-exec-run}, the list of target features
31301 may change, and the frontend should obtain it again.
31302 Example output:
31303
31304 @smallexample
31305 (gdb) -list-features
31306 ^done,result=["async"]
31307 @end smallexample
31308
31309 The current list of features is:
31310
31311 @table @samp
31312 @item async
31313 Indicates that the target is capable of asynchronous command
31314 execution, which means that @value{GDBN} will accept further commands
31315 while the target is running.
31316
31317 @item reverse
31318 Indicates that the target is capable of reverse execution.
31319 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
31320
31321 @end table
31322
31323 @subheading The @code{-list-thread-groups} Command
31324 @findex -list-thread-groups
31325
31326 @subheading Synopsis
31327
31328 @smallexample
31329 -list-thread-groups [ --available ] [ --recurse 1 ] [ @var{group} ... ]
31330 @end smallexample
31331
31332 Lists thread groups (@pxref{Thread groups}). When a single thread
31333 group is passed as the argument, lists the children of that group.
31334 When several thread group are passed, lists information about those
31335 thread groups. Without any parameters, lists information about all
31336 top-level thread groups.
31337
31338 Normally, thread groups that are being debugged are reported.
31339 With the @samp{--available} option, @value{GDBN} reports thread groups
31340 available on the target.
31341
31342 The output of this command may have either a @samp{threads} result or
31343 a @samp{groups} result. The @samp{thread} result has a list of tuples
31344 as value, with each tuple describing a thread (@pxref{GDB/MI Thread
31345 Information}). The @samp{groups} result has a list of tuples as value,
31346 each tuple describing a thread group. If top-level groups are
31347 requested (that is, no parameter is passed), or when several groups
31348 are passed, the output always has a @samp{groups} result. The format
31349 of the @samp{group} result is described below.
31350
31351 To reduce the number of roundtrips it's possible to list thread groups
31352 together with their children, by passing the @samp{--recurse} option
31353 and the recursion depth. Presently, only recursion depth of 1 is
31354 permitted. If this option is present, then every reported thread group
31355 will also include its children, either as @samp{group} or
31356 @samp{threads} field.
31357
31358 In general, any combination of option and parameters is permitted, with
31359 the following caveats:
31360
31361 @itemize @bullet
31362 @item
31363 When a single thread group is passed, the output will typically
31364 be the @samp{threads} result. Because threads may not contain
31365 anything, the @samp{recurse} option will be ignored.
31366
31367 @item
31368 When the @samp{--available} option is passed, limited information may
31369 be available. In particular, the list of threads of a process might
31370 be inaccessible. Further, specifying specific thread groups might
31371 not give any performance advantage over listing all thread groups.
31372 The frontend should assume that @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}
31373 is always an expensive operation and cache the results.
31374
31375 @end itemize
31376
31377 The @samp{groups} result is a list of tuples, where each tuple may
31378 have the following fields:
31379
31380 @table @code
31381 @item id
31382 Identifier of the thread group. This field is always present.
31383 The identifier is an opaque string; frontends should not try to
31384 convert it to an integer, even though it might look like one.
31385
31386 @item type
31387 The type of the thread group. At present, only @samp{process} is a
31388 valid type.
31389
31390 @item pid
31391 The target-specific process identifier. This field is only present
31392 for thread groups of type @samp{process} and only if the process exists.
31393
31394 @item num_children
31395 The number of children this thread group has. This field may be
31396 absent for an available thread group.
31397
31398 @item threads
31399 This field has a list of tuples as value, each tuple describing a
31400 thread. It may be present if the @samp{--recurse} option is
31401 specified, and it's actually possible to obtain the threads.
31402
31403 @item cores
31404 This field is a list of integers, each identifying a core that one
31405 thread of the group is running on. This field may be absent if
31406 such information is not available.
31407
31408 @item executable
31409 The name of the executable file that corresponds to this thread group.
31410 The field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process},
31411 and only if there is a corresponding executable file.
31412
31413 @end table
31414
31415 @subheading Example
31416
31417 @smallexample
31418 @value{GDBP}
31419 -list-thread-groups
31420 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2"@}]
31421 -list-thread-groups 17
31422 ^done,threads=[@{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
31423 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",args=[]@},state="running"@},
31424 @{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
31425 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
31426 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},state="running"@}]]
31427 -list-thread-groups --available
31428 ^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2]@}]
31429 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1
31430 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
31431 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
31432 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},..]
31433 -list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1 17 18
31434 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
31435 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
31436 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},...]
31437 @end smallexample
31438
31439
31440 @subheading The @code{-add-inferior} Command
31441 @findex -add-inferior
31442
31443 @subheading Synopsis
31444
31445 @smallexample
31446 -add-inferior
31447 @end smallexample
31448
31449 Creates a new inferior (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). The created
31450 inferior is not associated with any executable. Such association may
31451 be established with the @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols} command
31452 (@pxref{GDB/MI File Commands}). The command response has a single
31453 field, @samp{thread-group}, whose value is the identifier of the
31454 thread group corresponding to the new inferior.
31455
31456 @subheading Example
31457
31458 @smallexample
31459 @value{GDBP}
31460 -add-inferior
31461 ^done,thread-group="i3"
31462 @end smallexample
31463
31464 @subheading The @code{-interpreter-exec} Command
31465 @findex -interpreter-exec
31466
31467 @subheading Synopsis
31468
31469 @smallexample
31470 -interpreter-exec @var{interpreter} @var{command}
31471 @end smallexample
31472 @anchor{-interpreter-exec}
31473
31474 Execute the specified @var{command} in the given @var{interpreter}.
31475
31476 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31477
31478 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interpreter-exec}.
31479
31480 @subheading Example
31481
31482 @smallexample
31483 (gdb)
31484 -interpreter-exec console "break main"
31485 &"During symbol reading, couldn't parse type; debugger out of date?.\n"
31486 &"During symbol reading, bad structure-type format.\n"
31487 ~"Breakpoint 1 at 0x8074fc6: file ../../src/gdb/main.c, line 743.\n"
31488 ^done
31489 (gdb)
31490 @end smallexample
31491
31492 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-set} Command
31493 @findex -inferior-tty-set
31494
31495 @subheading Synopsis
31496
31497 @smallexample
31498 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
31499 @end smallexample
31500
31501 Set terminal for future runs of the program being debugged.
31502
31503 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31504
31505 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set inferior-tty} /dev/pts/1.
31506
31507 @subheading Example
31508
31509 @smallexample
31510 (gdb)
31511 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
31512 ^done
31513 (gdb)
31514 @end smallexample
31515
31516 @subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-show} Command
31517 @findex -inferior-tty-show
31518
31519 @subheading Synopsis
31520
31521 @smallexample
31522 -inferior-tty-show
31523 @end smallexample
31524
31525 Show terminal for future runs of program being debugged.
31526
31527 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31528
31529 The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show inferior-tty}.
31530
31531 @subheading Example
31532
31533 @smallexample
31534 (gdb)
31535 -inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
31536 ^done
31537 (gdb)
31538 -inferior-tty-show
31539 ^done,inferior_tty_terminal="/dev/pts/1"
31540 (gdb)
31541 @end smallexample
31542
31543 @subheading The @code{-enable-timings} Command
31544 @findex -enable-timings
31545
31546 @subheading Synopsis
31547
31548 @smallexample
31549 -enable-timings [yes | no]
31550 @end smallexample
31551
31552 Toggle the printing of the wallclock, user and system times for an MI
31553 command as a field in its output. This command is to help frontend
31554 developers optimize the performance of their code. No argument is
31555 equivalent to @samp{yes}.
31556
31557 @subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31558
31559 No equivalent.
31560
31561 @subheading Example
31562
31563 @smallexample
31564 (gdb)
31565 -enable-timings
31566 ^done
31567 (gdb)
31568 -break-insert main
31569 ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
31570 addr="0x080484ed",func="main",file="myprog.c",
31571 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73",times="0"@},
31572 time=@{wallclock="0.05185",user="0.00800",system="0.00000"@}
31573 (gdb)
31574 -enable-timings no
31575 ^done
31576 (gdb)
31577 -exec-run
31578 ^running
31579 (gdb)
31580 *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
31581 frame=@{addr="0x080484ed",func="main",args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},
31582 @{name="argv",value="0xbfb60364"@}],file="myprog.c",
31583 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73"@}
31584 (gdb)
31585 @end smallexample
31586
31587 @node Annotations
31588 @chapter @value{GDBN} Annotations
31589
31590 This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations were
31591 designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or other
31592 similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
31593 relatively high level.
31594
31595 The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
31596 (@pxref{GDB/MI}).
31597
31598 @ignore
31599 This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
31600 @end ignore
31601
31602 @menu
31603 * Annotations Overview:: What annotations are; the general syntax.
31604 * Server Prefix:: Issuing a command without affecting user state.
31605 * Prompting:: Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
31606 * Errors:: Annotations for error messages.
31607 * Invalidation:: Some annotations describe things now invalid.
31608 * Annotations for Running::
31609 Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
31610 * Source Annotations:: Annotations describing source code.
31611 @end menu
31612
31613 @node Annotations Overview
31614 @section What is an Annotation?
31615 @cindex annotations
31616
31617 Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
31618 characters, and the name of the annotation. If there is no additional
31619 information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
31620 is followed immediately by a newline. If there is additional
31621 information, the name of the annotation is followed by a space, the
31622 additional information, and a newline. The additional information
31623 cannot contain newline characters.
31624
31625 Any output not beginning with a newline and two @samp{control-z}
31626 characters denotes literal output from @value{GDBN}. Currently there is
31627 no need for @value{GDBN} to output a newline followed by two
31628 @samp{control-z} characters, but if there was such a need, the
31629 annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
31630 means those three characters as output.
31631
31632 The annotation @var{level}, which is specified using the
31633 @option{--annotate} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}), controls
31634 how much information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt,
31635 values of expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0
31636 is for no annotations, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a
31637 subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable
31638 for programs that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 annotations have
31639 been made obsolete (@pxref{Limitations, , Limitations of the Annotation
31640 Interface, annotate, GDB's Obsolete Annotations}).
31641
31642 @table @code
31643 @kindex set annotate
31644 @item set annotate @var{level}
31645 The @value{GDBN} command @code{set annotate} sets the level of
31646 annotations to the specified @var{level}.
31647
31648 @item show annotate
31649 @kindex show annotate
31650 Show the current annotation level.
31651 @end table
31652
31653 This chapter describes level 3 annotations.
31654
31655 A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
31656
31657 @smallexample
31658 $ @kbd{gdb --annotate=3}
31659 GNU gdb 6.0
31660 Copyright 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
31661 GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
31662 and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
31663 under certain conditions.
31664 Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
31665 There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty"
31666 for details.
31667 This GDB was configured as "i386-pc-linux-gnu"
31668
31669 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
31670 (@value{GDBP})
31671 ^Z^Zprompt
31672 @kbd{quit}
31673
31674 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
31675 $
31676 @end smallexample
31677
31678 Here @samp{quit} is input to @value{GDBN}; the rest is output from
31679 @value{GDBN}. The three lines beginning @samp{^Z^Z} (where @samp{^Z}
31680 denotes a @samp{control-z} character) are annotations; the rest is
31681 output from @value{GDBN}.
31682
31683 @node Server Prefix
31684 @section The Server Prefix
31685 @cindex server prefix
31686
31687 If you prefix a command with @samp{server } then it will not affect
31688 the command history, nor will it affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which
31689 command to repeat if @key{RET} is pressed on a line by itself. This
31690 means that commands can be run behind a user's back by a front-end in
31691 a transparent manner.
31692
31693 The @code{server } prefix does not affect the recording of values into
31694 the value history; to print a value without recording it into the
31695 value history, use the @code{output} command instead of the
31696 @code{print} command.
31697
31698 Using this prefix also disables confirmation requests
31699 (@pxref{confirmation requests}).
31700
31701 @node Prompting
31702 @section Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
31703
31704 @cindex annotations for prompts
31705 When @value{GDBN} prompts for input, it annotates this fact so it is possible
31706 to know when to send output, when the output from a given command is
31707 over, etc.
31708
31709 Different kinds of input each have a different @dfn{input type}. Each
31710 input type has three annotations: a @code{pre-} annotation, which
31711 denotes the beginning of any prompt which is being output, a plain
31712 annotation, which denotes the end of the prompt, and then a @code{post-}
31713 annotation which denotes the end of any echo which may (or may not) be
31714 associated with the input. For example, the @code{prompt} input type
31715 features the following annotations:
31716
31717 @smallexample
31718 ^Z^Zpre-prompt
31719 ^Z^Zprompt
31720 ^Z^Zpost-prompt
31721 @end smallexample
31722
31723 The input types are
31724
31725 @table @code
31726 @findex pre-prompt annotation
31727 @findex prompt annotation
31728 @findex post-prompt annotation
31729 @item prompt
31730 When @value{GDBN} is prompting for a command (the main @value{GDBN} prompt).
31731
31732 @findex pre-commands annotation
31733 @findex commands annotation
31734 @findex post-commands annotation
31735 @item commands
31736 When @value{GDBN} prompts for a set of commands, like in the @code{commands}
31737 command. The annotations are repeated for each command which is input.
31738
31739 @findex pre-overload-choice annotation
31740 @findex overload-choice annotation
31741 @findex post-overload-choice annotation
31742 @item overload-choice
31743 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to select between various overloaded functions.
31744
31745 @findex pre-query annotation
31746 @findex query annotation
31747 @findex post-query annotation
31748 @item query
31749 When @value{GDBN} wants the user to confirm a potentially dangerous operation.
31750
31751 @findex pre-prompt-for-continue annotation
31752 @findex prompt-for-continue annotation
31753 @findex post-prompt-for-continue annotation
31754 @item prompt-for-continue
31755 When @value{GDBN} is asking the user to press return to continue. Note: Don't
31756 expect this to work well; instead use @code{set height 0} to disable
31757 prompting. This is because the counting of lines is buggy in the
31758 presence of annotations.
31759 @end table
31760
31761 @node Errors
31762 @section Errors
31763 @cindex annotations for errors, warnings and interrupts
31764
31765 @findex quit annotation
31766 @smallexample
31767 ^Z^Zquit
31768 @end smallexample
31769
31770 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an interrupt.
31771
31772 @findex error annotation
31773 @smallexample
31774 ^Z^Zerror
31775 @end smallexample
31776
31777 This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an error.
31778
31779 Quit and error annotations indicate that any annotations which @value{GDBN} was
31780 in the middle of may end abruptly. For example, if a
31781 @code{value-history-begin} annotation is followed by a @code{error}, one
31782 cannot expect to receive the matching @code{value-history-end}. One
31783 cannot expect not to receive it either, however; an error annotation
31784 does not necessarily mean that @value{GDBN} is immediately returning all the way
31785 to the top level.
31786
31787 @findex error-begin annotation
31788 A quit or error annotation may be preceded by
31789
31790 @smallexample
31791 ^Z^Zerror-begin
31792 @end smallexample
31793
31794 Any output between that and the quit or error annotation is the error
31795 message.
31796
31797 Warning messages are not yet annotated.
31798 @c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
31799 @c range_error(), and possibly other places.
31800
31801 @node Invalidation
31802 @section Invalidation Notices
31803
31804 @cindex annotations for invalidation messages
31805 The following annotations say that certain pieces of state may have
31806 changed.
31807
31808 @table @code
31809 @findex frames-invalid annotation
31810 @item ^Z^Zframes-invalid
31811
31812 The frames (for example, output from the @code{backtrace} command) may
31813 have changed.
31814
31815 @findex breakpoints-invalid annotation
31816 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoints-invalid
31817
31818 The breakpoints may have changed. For example, the user just added or
31819 deleted a breakpoint.
31820 @end table
31821
31822 @node Annotations for Running
31823 @section Running the Program
31824 @cindex annotations for running programs
31825
31826 @findex starting annotation
31827 @findex stopping annotation
31828 When the program starts executing due to a @value{GDBN} command such as
31829 @code{step} or @code{continue},
31830
31831 @smallexample
31832 ^Z^Zstarting
31833 @end smallexample
31834
31835 is output. When the program stops,
31836
31837 @smallexample
31838 ^Z^Zstopped
31839 @end smallexample
31840
31841 is output. Before the @code{stopped} annotation, a variety of
31842 annotations describe how the program stopped.
31843
31844 @table @code
31845 @findex exited annotation
31846 @item ^Z^Zexited @var{exit-status}
31847 The program exited, and @var{exit-status} is the exit status (zero for
31848 successful exit, otherwise nonzero).
31849
31850 @findex signalled annotation
31851 @findex signal-name annotation
31852 @findex signal-name-end annotation
31853 @findex signal-string annotation
31854 @findex signal-string-end annotation
31855 @item ^Z^Zsignalled
31856 The program exited with a signal. After the @code{^Z^Zsignalled}, the
31857 annotation continues:
31858
31859 @smallexample
31860 @var{intro-text}
31861 ^Z^Zsignal-name
31862 @var{name}
31863 ^Z^Zsignal-name-end
31864 @var{middle-text}
31865 ^Z^Zsignal-string
31866 @var{string}
31867 ^Z^Zsignal-string-end
31868 @var{end-text}
31869 @end smallexample
31870
31871 @noindent
31872 where @var{name} is the name of the signal, such as @code{SIGILL} or
31873 @code{SIGSEGV}, and @var{string} is the explanation of the signal, such
31874 as @code{Illegal Instruction} or @code{Segmentation fault}.
31875 @var{intro-text}, @var{middle-text}, and @var{end-text} are for the
31876 user's benefit and have no particular format.
31877
31878 @findex signal annotation
31879 @item ^Z^Zsignal
31880 The syntax of this annotation is just like @code{signalled}, but @value{GDBN} is
31881 just saying that the program received the signal, not that it was
31882 terminated with it.
31883
31884 @findex breakpoint annotation
31885 @item ^Z^Zbreakpoint @var{number}
31886 The program hit breakpoint number @var{number}.
31887
31888 @findex watchpoint annotation
31889 @item ^Z^Zwatchpoint @var{number}
31890 The program hit watchpoint number @var{number}.
31891 @end table
31892
31893 @node Source Annotations
31894 @section Displaying Source
31895 @cindex annotations for source display
31896
31897 @findex source annotation
31898 The following annotation is used instead of displaying source code:
31899
31900 @smallexample
31901 ^Z^Zsource @var{filename}:@var{line}:@var{character}:@var{middle}:@var{addr}
31902 @end smallexample
31903
31904 where @var{filename} is an absolute file name indicating which source
31905 file, @var{line} is the line number within that file (where 1 is the
31906 first line in the file), @var{character} is the character position
31907 within the file (where 0 is the first character in the file) (for most
31908 debug formats this will necessarily point to the beginning of a line),
31909 @var{middle} is @samp{middle} if @var{addr} is in the middle of the
31910 line, or @samp{beg} if @var{addr} is at the beginning of the line, and
31911 @var{addr} is the address in the target program associated with the
31912 source which is being displayed. @var{addr} is in the form @samp{0x}
31913 followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
31914 depend on the language).
31915
31916 @node JIT Interface
31917 @chapter JIT Compilation Interface
31918 @cindex just-in-time compilation
31919 @cindex JIT compilation interface
31920
31921 This chapter documents @value{GDBN}'s @dfn{just-in-time} (JIT) compilation
31922 interface. A JIT compiler is a program or library that generates native
31923 executable code at runtime and executes it, usually in order to achieve good
31924 performance while maintaining platform independence.
31925
31926 Programs that use JIT compilation are normally difficult to debug because
31927 portions of their code are generated at runtime, instead of being loaded from
31928 object files, which is where @value{GDBN} normally finds the program's symbols
31929 and debug information. In order to debug programs that use JIT compilation,
31930 @value{GDBN} has an interface that allows the program to register in-memory
31931 symbol files with @value{GDBN} at runtime.
31932
31933 If you are using @value{GDBN} to debug a program that uses this interface, then
31934 it should work transparently so long as you have not stripped the binary. If
31935 you are developing a JIT compiler, then the interface is documented in the rest
31936 of this chapter. At this time, the only known client of this interface is the
31937 LLVM JIT.
31938
31939 Broadly speaking, the JIT interface mirrors the dynamic loader interface. The
31940 JIT compiler communicates with @value{GDBN} by writing data into a global
31941 variable and calling a fuction at a well-known symbol. When @value{GDBN}
31942 attaches, it reads a linked list of symbol files from the global variable to
31943 find existing code, and puts a breakpoint in the function so that it can find
31944 out about additional code.
31945
31946 @menu
31947 * Declarations:: Relevant C struct declarations
31948 * Registering Code:: Steps to register code
31949 * Unregistering Code:: Steps to unregister code
31950 * Custom Debug Info:: Emit debug information in a custom format
31951 @end menu
31952
31953 @node Declarations
31954 @section JIT Declarations
31955
31956 These are the relevant struct declarations that a C program should include to
31957 implement the interface:
31958
31959 @smallexample
31960 typedef enum
31961 @{
31962 JIT_NOACTION = 0,
31963 JIT_REGISTER_FN,
31964 JIT_UNREGISTER_FN
31965 @} jit_actions_t;
31966
31967 struct jit_code_entry
31968 @{
31969 struct jit_code_entry *next_entry;
31970 struct jit_code_entry *prev_entry;
31971 const char *symfile_addr;
31972 uint64_t symfile_size;
31973 @};
31974
31975 struct jit_descriptor
31976 @{
31977 uint32_t version;
31978 /* This type should be jit_actions_t, but we use uint32_t
31979 to be explicit about the bitwidth. */
31980 uint32_t action_flag;
31981 struct jit_code_entry *relevant_entry;
31982 struct jit_code_entry *first_entry;
31983 @};
31984
31985 /* GDB puts a breakpoint in this function. */
31986 void __attribute__((noinline)) __jit_debug_register_code() @{ @};
31987
31988 /* Make sure to specify the version statically, because the
31989 debugger may check the version before we can set it. */
31990 struct jit_descriptor __jit_debug_descriptor = @{ 1, 0, 0, 0 @};
31991 @end smallexample
31992
31993 If the JIT is multi-threaded, then it is important that the JIT synchronize any
31994 modifications to this global data properly, which can easily be done by putting
31995 a global mutex around modifications to these structures.
31996
31997 @node Registering Code
31998 @section Registering Code
31999
32000 To register code with @value{GDBN}, the JIT should follow this protocol:
32001
32002 @itemize @bullet
32003 @item
32004 Generate an object file in memory with symbols and other desired debug
32005 information. The file must include the virtual addresses of the sections.
32006
32007 @item
32008 Create a code entry for the file, which gives the start and size of the symbol
32009 file.
32010
32011 @item
32012 Add it to the linked list in the JIT descriptor.
32013
32014 @item
32015 Point the relevant_entry field of the descriptor at the entry.
32016
32017 @item
32018 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_REGISTER} and call
32019 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
32020 @end itemize
32021
32022 When @value{GDBN} is attached and the breakpoint fires, @value{GDBN} uses the
32023 @code{relevant_entry} pointer so it doesn't have to walk the list looking for
32024 new code. However, the linked list must still be maintained in order to allow
32025 @value{GDBN} to attach to a running process and still find the symbol files.
32026
32027 @node Unregistering Code
32028 @section Unregistering Code
32029
32030 If code is freed, then the JIT should use the following protocol:
32031
32032 @itemize @bullet
32033 @item
32034 Remove the code entry corresponding to the code from the linked list.
32035
32036 @item
32037 Point the @code{relevant_entry} field of the descriptor at the code entry.
32038
32039 @item
32040 Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_UNREGISTER} and call
32041 @code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
32042 @end itemize
32043
32044 If the JIT frees or recompiles code without unregistering it, then @value{GDBN}
32045 and the JIT will leak the memory used for the associated symbol files.
32046
32047 @node Custom Debug Info
32048 @section Custom Debug Info
32049 @cindex custom JIT debug info
32050 @cindex JIT debug info reader
32051
32052 Generating debug information in platform-native file formats (like ELF
32053 or COFF) may be an overkill for JIT compilers; especially if all the
32054 debug info is used for is displaying a meaningful backtrace. The
32055 issue can be resolved by having the JIT writers decide on a debug info
32056 format and also provide a reader that parses the debug info generated
32057 by the JIT compiler. This section gives a brief overview on writing
32058 such a parser. More specific details can be found in the source file
32059 @file{gdb/jit-reader.in}, which is also installed as a header at
32060 @file{@var{includedir}/gdb/jit-reader.h} for easy inclusion.
32061
32062 The reader is implemented as a shared object (so this functionality is
32063 not available on platforms which don't allow loading shared objects at
32064 runtime). Two @value{GDBN} commands, @code{jit-reader-load} and
32065 @code{jit-reader-unload} are provided, to be used to load and unload
32066 the readers from a preconfigured directory. Once loaded, the shared
32067 object is used the parse the debug information emitted by the JIT
32068 compiler.
32069
32070 @menu
32071 * Using JIT Debug Info Readers:: How to use supplied readers correctly
32072 * Writing JIT Debug Info Readers:: Creating a debug-info reader
32073 @end menu
32074
32075 @node Using JIT Debug Info Readers
32076 @subsection Using JIT Debug Info Readers
32077 @kindex jit-reader-load
32078 @kindex jit-reader-unload
32079
32080 Readers can be loaded and unloaded using the @code{jit-reader-load}
32081 and @code{jit-reader-unload} commands.
32082
32083 @table @code
32084 @item jit-reader-load @var{reader-name}
32085 Load the JIT reader named @var{reader-name}. On a UNIX system, this
32086 will usually load @file{@var{libdir}/gdb/@var{reader-name}}, where
32087 @var{libdir} is the system library directory, usually
32088 @file{/usr/local/lib}. Only one reader can be active at a time;
32089 trying to load a second reader when one is already loaded will result
32090 in @value{GDBN} reporting an error. A new JIT reader can be loaded by
32091 first unloading the current one using @code{jit-reader-load} and then
32092 invoking @code{jit-reader-load}.
32093
32094 @item jit-reader-unload
32095 Unload the currently loaded JIT reader.
32096
32097 @end table
32098
32099 @node Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
32100 @subsection Writing JIT Debug Info Readers
32101 @cindex writing JIT debug info readers
32102
32103 As mentioned, a reader is essentially a shared object conforming to a
32104 certain ABI. This ABI is described in @file{jit-reader.h}.
32105
32106 @file{jit-reader.h} defines the structures, macros and functions
32107 required to write a reader. It is installed (along with
32108 @value{GDBN}), in @file{@var{includedir}/gdb} where @var{includedir} is
32109 the system include directory.
32110
32111 Readers need to be released under a GPL compatible license. A reader
32112 can be declared as released under such a license by placing the macro
32113 @code{GDB_DECLARE_GPL_COMPATIBLE_READER} in a source file.
32114
32115 The entry point for readers is the symbol @code{gdb_init_reader},
32116 which is expected to be a function with the prototype
32117
32118 @findex gdb_init_reader
32119 @smallexample
32120 extern struct gdb_reader_funcs *gdb_init_reader (void);
32121 @end smallexample
32122
32123 @cindex @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs}
32124
32125 @code{struct gdb_reader_funcs} contains a set of pointers to callback
32126 functions. These functions are executed to read the debug info
32127 generated by the JIT compiler (@code{read}), to unwind stack frames
32128 (@code{unwind}) and to create canonical frame IDs
32129 (@code{get_Frame_id}). It also has a callback that is called when the
32130 reader is being unloaded (@code{destroy}). The struct looks like this
32131
32132 @smallexample
32133 struct gdb_reader_funcs
32134 @{
32135 /* Must be set to GDB_READER_INTERFACE_VERSION. */
32136 int reader_version;
32137
32138 /* For use by the reader. */
32139 void *priv_data;
32140
32141 gdb_read_debug_info *read;
32142 gdb_unwind_frame *unwind;
32143 gdb_get_frame_id *get_frame_id;
32144 gdb_destroy_reader *destroy;
32145 @};
32146 @end smallexample
32147
32148 @cindex @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks}
32149 @cindex @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}
32150
32151 The callbacks are provided with another set of callbacks by
32152 @value{GDBN} to do their job. For @code{read}, these callbacks are
32153 passed in a @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} and for @code{unwind}
32154 and @code{get_frame_id}, in a @code{struct gdb_unwind_callbacks}.
32155 @code{struct gdb_symbol_callbacks} has callbacks to create new object
32156 files and new symbol tables inside those object files. @code{struct
32157 gdb_unwind_callbacks} has callbacks to read registers off the current
32158 frame and to write out the values of the registers in the previous
32159 frame. Both have a callback (@code{target_read}) to read bytes off the
32160 target's address space.
32161
32162 @node GDB Bugs
32163 @chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
32164 @cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
32165 @cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
32166
32167 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
32168
32169 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
32170 may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
32171 the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
32172 reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
32173
32174 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
32175 information that enables us to fix the bug.
32176
32177 @menu
32178 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
32179 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
32180 @end menu
32181
32182 @node Bug Criteria
32183 @section Have You Found a Bug?
32184 @cindex bug criteria
32185
32186 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
32187
32188 @itemize @bullet
32189 @cindex fatal signal
32190 @cindex debugger crash
32191 @cindex crash of debugger
32192 @item
32193 If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
32194 @value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
32195
32196 @cindex error on valid input
32197 @item
32198 If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a
32199 bug. (Note that if you're cross debugging, the problem may also be
32200 somewhere in the connection to the target.)
32201
32202 @cindex invalid input
32203 @item
32204 If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
32205 that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
32206 ``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
32207 for traditional practice''.
32208
32209 @item
32210 If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
32211 for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
32212 @end itemize
32213
32214 @node Bug Reporting
32215 @section How to Report Bugs
32216 @cindex bug reports
32217 @cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
32218
32219 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
32220 If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
32221 contact that organization first.
32222
32223 You can find contact information for many support companies and
32224 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
32225 distribution.
32226 @c should add a web page ref...
32227
32228 @ifset BUGURL
32229 @ifset BUGURL_DEFAULT
32230 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
32231 @value{GDBN}. The preferred method is to submit them directly using
32232 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/, @value{GDBN}'s Bugs web
32233 page}. Alternatively, the @email{bug-gdb@@gnu.org, e-mail gateway} can
32234 be used.
32235
32236 @strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
32237 @samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do
32238 not want to receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive
32239 @samp{bug-gdb}.
32240
32241 The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
32242 serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
32243 the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
32244 newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
32245 problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
32246 path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
32247 we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
32248 bug reports to the mailing list.
32249 @end ifset
32250 @ifclear BUGURL_DEFAULT
32251 In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
32252 @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.
32253 @end ifclear
32254 @end ifset
32255
32256 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
32257 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
32258 fact or leave it out, state it!
32259
32260 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
32261 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
32262 assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
32263 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
32264 stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
32265 name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
32266 of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
32267 the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
32268 easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
32269
32270 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the
32271 bug. It may be that the bug has been reported previously, but neither
32272 you nor we can know that unless your bug report is complete and
32273 self-contained.
32274
32275 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
32276 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
32277 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
32278 bugs properly.
32279
32280 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
32281
32282 @itemize @bullet
32283 @item
32284 The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start
32285 with no arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show
32286 version}.
32287
32288 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
32289 the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
32290
32291 @item
32292 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
32293 version number.
32294
32295 @item
32296 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.@:
32297 ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1''.
32298
32299 @item
32300 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you are
32301 debugging---e.g.@: ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1'', or ``HP92453-01 A.10.32.03 HP
32302 C Compiler''. For @value{NGCC}, you can say @kbd{@value{GCC} --version}
32303 to get this information; for other compilers, see the documentation for
32304 those compilers.
32305
32306 @item
32307 The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
32308 observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
32309 you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
32310 Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
32311
32312 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
32313 and then we might not encounter the bug.
32314
32315 @item
32316 A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
32317 reproduce the bug.
32318
32319 @item
32320 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
32321 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
32322
32323 Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we
32324 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
32325 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
32326 a chance to make a mistake.
32327
32328 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
32329 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your
32330 copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
32331 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
32332 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
32333 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
32334 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
32335 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
32336
32337 @pindex script
32338 @cindex recording a session script
32339 To collect all this information, you can use a session recording program
32340 such as @command{script}, which is available on many Unix systems.
32341 Just run your @value{GDBN} session inside @command{script} and then
32342 include the @file{typescript} file with your bug report.
32343
32344 Another way to record a @value{GDBN} session is to run @value{GDBN}
32345 inside Emacs and then save the entire buffer to a file.
32346
32347 @item
32348 If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
32349 diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
32350 it by context, not by line number.
32351
32352 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
32353 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
32354
32355 @end itemize
32356
32357 Here are some things that are not necessary:
32358
32359 @itemize @bullet
32360 @item
32361 A description of the envelope of the bug.
32362
32363 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
32364 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
32365 changes will not affect it.
32366
32367 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
32368 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
32369 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
32370 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
32371
32372 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
32373 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
32374 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
32375 less time, and so on.
32376
32377 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
32378 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
32379
32380 @item
32381 A patch for the bug.
32382
32383 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
32384 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
32385 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
32386 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
32387
32388 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
32389 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
32390 through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
32391 to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
32392
32393 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
32394 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
32395 help us to understand.
32396
32397 @item
32398 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
32399
32400 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
32401 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
32402 @end itemize
32403
32404 @c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
32405 @c and consists of the two following files:
32406 @c rluser.texi
32407 @c hsuser.texi
32408 @c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
32409 @c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
32410 @ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
32411 @include rluser.texi
32412 @include hsuser.texi
32413 @end ifclear
32414
32415 @node In Memoriam
32416 @appendix In Memoriam
32417
32418 The @value{GDBN} project mourns the loss of the following long-time
32419 contributors:
32420
32421 @table @code
32422 @item Fred Fish
32423 Fred was a long-standing contributor to @value{GDBN} (1991-2006), and
32424 to Free Software in general. Outside of @value{GDBN}, he was known in
32425 the Amiga world for his series of Fish Disks, and the GeekGadget project.
32426
32427 @item Michael Snyder
32428 Michael was one of the Global Maintainers of the @value{GDBN} project,
32429 with contributions recorded as early as 1996, until 2011. In addition
32430 to his day to day participation, he was a large driving force behind
32431 adding Reverse Debugging to @value{GDBN}.
32432 @end table
32433
32434 Beyond their technical contributions to the project, they were also
32435 enjoyable members of the Free Software Community. We will miss them.
32436
32437 @node Formatting Documentation
32438 @appendix Formatting Documentation
32439
32440 @cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
32441 @cindex reference card
32442 The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
32443 for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
32444 subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
32445 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
32446 release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
32447 you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
32448
32449 The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
32450 can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
32451
32452 @smallexample
32453 make refcard.dvi
32454 @end smallexample
32455
32456 The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
32457 mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
32458 that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
32459 high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
32460 your @sc{dvi} output program.
32461
32462 @cindex documentation
32463
32464 All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
32465 distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
32466 a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
32467 on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
32468 formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
32469 and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
32470
32471 @value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info
32472 version of this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info
32473 file is @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
32474 subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
32475 necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
32476 but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu}
32477 Emacs or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the
32478 @sc{gnu} Texinfo distribution.
32479
32480 If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
32481 Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
32482 @code{makeinfo}.
32483
32484 If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level
32485 @value{GDBN} source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of
32486 version @value{GDBVN}), you can make the Info file by typing:
32487
32488 @smallexample
32489 cd gdb
32490 make gdb.info
32491 @end smallexample
32492
32493 If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
32494 a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
32495 Texinfo definitions file.
32496
32497 @TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
32498 produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
32499 document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
32500 has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
32501 command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
32502 (for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
32503 require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
32504
32505 @TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
32506 @file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
32507 written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
32508 typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
32509 and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
32510 directory.
32511
32512 If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
32513 typeset and print this manual. First switch to the @file{gdb}
32514 subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
32515 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and type:
32516
32517 @smallexample
32518 make gdb.dvi
32519 @end smallexample
32520
32521 Then give @file{gdb.dvi} to your @sc{dvi} printing program.
32522
32523 @node Installing GDB
32524 @appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
32525 @cindex installation
32526
32527 @menu
32528 * Requirements:: Requirements for building @value{GDBN}
32529 * Running Configure:: Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} script
32530 * Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
32531 * Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
32532 * Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
32533 * System-wide configuration:: Having a system-wide init file
32534 @end menu
32535
32536 @node Requirements
32537 @section Requirements for Building @value{GDBN}
32538 @cindex building @value{GDBN}, requirements for
32539
32540 Building @value{GDBN} requires various tools and packages to be available.
32541 Other packages will be used only if they are found.
32542
32543 @heading Tools/Packages Necessary for Building @value{GDBN}
32544 @table @asis
32545 @item ISO C90 compiler
32546 @value{GDBN} is written in ISO C90. It should be buildable with any
32547 working C90 compiler, e.g.@: GCC.
32548
32549 @end table
32550
32551 @heading Tools/Packages Optional for Building @value{GDBN}
32552 @table @asis
32553 @item Expat
32554 @anchor{Expat}
32555 @value{GDBN} can use the Expat XML parsing library. This library may be
32556 included with your operating system distribution; if it is not, you
32557 can get the latest version from @url{http://expat.sourceforge.net}.
32558 The @file{configure} script will search for this library in several
32559 standard locations; if it is installed in an unusual path, you can
32560 use the @option{--with-libexpat-prefix} option to specify its location.
32561
32562 Expat is used for:
32563
32564 @itemize @bullet
32565 @item
32566 Remote protocol memory maps (@pxref{Memory Map Format})
32567 @item
32568 Target descriptions (@pxref{Target Descriptions})
32569 @item
32570 Remote shared library lists (@xref{Library List Format},
32571 or alternatively @pxref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets})
32572 @item
32573 MS-Windows shared libraries (@pxref{Shared Libraries})
32574 @item
32575 Traceframe info (@pxref{Traceframe Info Format})
32576 @end itemize
32577
32578 @item zlib
32579 @cindex compressed debug sections
32580 @value{GDBN} will use the @samp{zlib} library, if available, to read
32581 compressed debug sections. Some linkers, such as GNU gold, are capable
32582 of producing binaries with compressed debug sections. If @value{GDBN}
32583 is compiled with @samp{zlib}, it will be able to read the debug
32584 information in such binaries.
32585
32586 The @samp{zlib} library is likely included with your operating system
32587 distribution; if it is not, you can get the latest version from
32588 @url{http://zlib.net}.
32589
32590 @item iconv
32591 @value{GDBN}'s features related to character sets (@pxref{Character
32592 Sets}) require a functioning @code{iconv} implementation. If you are
32593 on a GNU system, then this is provided by the GNU C Library. Some
32594 other systems also provide a working @code{iconv}.
32595
32596 If @value{GDBN} is using the @code{iconv} program which is installed
32597 in a non-standard place, you will need to tell @value{GDBN} where to find it.
32598 This is done with @option{--with-iconv-bin} which specifies the
32599 directory that contains the @code{iconv} program.
32600
32601 On systems without @code{iconv}, you can install GNU Libiconv. If you
32602 have previously installed Libiconv, you can use the
32603 @option{--with-libiconv-prefix} option to configure.
32604
32605 @value{GDBN}'s top-level @file{configure} and @file{Makefile} will
32606 arrange to build Libiconv if a directory named @file{libiconv} appears
32607 in the top-most source directory. If Libiconv is built this way, and
32608 if the operating system does not provide a suitable @code{iconv}
32609 implementation, then the just-built library will automatically be used
32610 by @value{GDBN}. One easy way to set this up is to download GNU
32611 Libiconv, unpack it, and then rename the directory holding the
32612 Libiconv source code to @samp{libiconv}.
32613 @end table
32614
32615 @node Running Configure
32616 @section Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} Script
32617 @cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
32618 @value{GDBN} comes with a @file{configure} script that automates the process
32619 of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
32620 build the @code{gdb} program.
32621 @iftex
32622 @c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
32623 @footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
32624 look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
32625 installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
32626 @end iftex
32627
32628 The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
32629 @value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
32630 appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
32631
32632 For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
32633 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
32634
32635 @table @code
32636 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
32637 script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
32638
32639 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
32640 the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
32641
32642 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
32643 source for the Binary File Descriptor library
32644
32645 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
32646 @sc{gnu} include files
32647
32648 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
32649 source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
32650
32651 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
32652 source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
32653
32654 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
32655 source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
32656
32657 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
32658 source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
32659
32660 @item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
32661 source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
32662 @end table
32663
32664 The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @file{configure}
32665 from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
32666 this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
32667
32668 First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
32669 if you are not already in it; then run @file{configure}. Pass the
32670 identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
32671 argument.
32672
32673 For example:
32674
32675 @smallexample
32676 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
32677 ./configure @var{host}
32678 make
32679 @end smallexample
32680
32681 @noindent
32682 where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
32683 @samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
32684 (You can often leave off @var{host}; @file{configure} tries to guess the
32685 correct value by examining your system.)
32686
32687 Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
32688 @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
32689 libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
32690 binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
32691
32692 @need 750
32693 @file{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
32694 system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
32695 shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
32696
32697 @smallexample
32698 sh configure @var{host}
32699 @end smallexample
32700
32701 If you run @file{configure} from a directory that contains source
32702 directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
32703 @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN},
32704 @file{configure}
32705 creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
32706 you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
32707
32708 You should run the @file{configure} script from the top directory in the
32709 source tree, the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory. If you run
32710 @file{configure} from one of the subdirectories, you will configure only
32711 that subdirectory. That is usually not what you want. In particular,
32712 if you run the first @file{configure} from the @file{gdb} subdirectory
32713 of the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory, you will omit the
32714 configuration of @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, and other sibling
32715 directories of the @file{gdb} subdirectory. This leads to build errors
32716 about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
32717
32718 You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
32719 However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
32720 the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
32721 that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
32722 let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
32723
32724 @node Separate Objdir
32725 @section Compiling @value{GDBN} in Another Directory
32726
32727 If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
32728 you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
32729 host and target. @file{configure} is designed to make this easy by
32730 allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
32731 rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
32732 handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
32733 @code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
32734 program specified there.
32735
32736 To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @file{configure}
32737 with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
32738 (You also need to specify a path to find @file{configure}
32739 itself from your working directory. If the path to @file{configure}
32740 would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
32741 the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
32742
32743 For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
32744 separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
32745
32746 @smallexample
32747 @group
32748 cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
32749 mkdir ../gdb-sun4
32750 cd ../gdb-sun4
32751 ../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
32752 make
32753 @end group
32754 @end smallexample
32755
32756 When @file{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
32757 directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
32758 (and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
32759 the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
32760 directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
32761 @file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
32762
32763 Make sure that your path to the @file{configure} script has just one
32764 instance of @file{gdb} in it. If your path to @file{configure} looks
32765 like @file{../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/configure}, you are configuring only
32766 one subdirectory of @value{GDBN}, not the whole package. This leads to
32767 build errors about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
32768
32769 One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
32770 directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
32771 @value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
32772 programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
32773 You specify a cross-debugging target by
32774 giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @file{configure}.
32775
32776 When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
32777 it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
32778 called @file{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
32779
32780 The @code{Makefile} that @file{configure} generates in each source
32781 directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
32782 directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
32783 directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
32784 will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
32785
32786 When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
32787 directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
32788 if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
32789 with each other.
32790
32791 @node Config Names
32792 @section Specifying Names for Hosts and Targets
32793
32794 The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @file{configure}
32795 script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
32796 aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
32797 of information in the following pattern:
32798
32799 @smallexample
32800 @var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
32801 @end smallexample
32802
32803 For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
32804 or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
32805 option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
32806
32807 The @file{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
32808 any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
32809 aliases. @file{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
32810 @code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
32811 script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
32812 abbreviations---for example:
32813
32814 @smallexample
32815 % sh config.sub i386-linux
32816 i386-pc-linux-gnu
32817 % sh config.sub alpha-linux
32818 alpha-unknown-linux-gnu
32819 % sh config.sub hp9k700
32820 hppa1.1-hp-hpux
32821 % sh config.sub sun4
32822 sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
32823 % sh config.sub sun3
32824 m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
32825 % sh config.sub i986v
32826 Invalid configuration `i986v': machine `i986v' not recognized
32827 @end smallexample
32828
32829 @noindent
32830 @code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
32831 directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
32832
32833 @node Configure Options
32834 @section @file{configure} Options
32835
32836 Here is a summary of the @file{configure} options and arguments that
32837 are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @file{configure} also has
32838 several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
32839 Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @file{configure}.
32840
32841 @smallexample
32842 configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
32843 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
32844 @r{[}--exec-prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
32845 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
32846 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
32847 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]}
32848 @var{host}
32849 @end smallexample
32850
32851 @noindent
32852 You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
32853 @samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
32854 @samp{--}.
32855
32856 @table @code
32857 @item --help
32858 Display a quick summary of how to invoke @file{configure}.
32859
32860 @item --prefix=@var{dir}
32861 Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
32862 @file{@var{dir}}.
32863
32864 @item --exec-prefix=@var{dir}
32865 Configure the source to install programs under directory
32866 @file{@var{dir}}.
32867
32868 @c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
32869 @need 2000
32870 @item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
32871 @strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
32872 @code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
32873 Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
32874 @value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
32875 build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
32876 directories. @file{configure} writes configuration-specific files in
32877 the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
32878 directory @var{dirname}. @file{configure} creates directories under
32879 the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
32880 @var{dirname}.
32881
32882 @item --norecursion
32883 Configure only the directory level where @file{configure} is executed; do not
32884 propagate configuration to subdirectories.
32885
32886 @item --target=@var{target}
32887 Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
32888 @var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
32889 programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
32890
32891 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
32892
32893 @item @var{host} @dots{}
32894 Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
32895
32896 There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
32897 @end table
32898
32899 There are many other options available as well, but they are generally
32900 needed for special purposes only.
32901
32902 @node System-wide configuration
32903 @section System-wide configuration and settings
32904 @cindex system-wide init file
32905
32906 @value{GDBN} can be configured to have a system-wide init file;
32907 this file will be read and executed at startup (@pxref{Startup, , What
32908 @value{GDBN} does during startup}).
32909
32910 Here is the corresponding configure option:
32911
32912 @table @code
32913 @item --with-system-gdbinit=@var{file}
32914 Specify that the default location of the system-wide init file is
32915 @var{file}.
32916 @end table
32917
32918 If @value{GDBN} has been configured with the option @option{--prefix=$prefix},
32919 it may be subject to relocation. Two possible cases:
32920
32921 @itemize @bullet
32922 @item
32923 If the default location of this init file contains @file{$prefix},
32924 it will be subject to relocation. Suppose that the configure options
32925 are @option{--prefix=$prefix --with-system-gdbinit=$prefix/etc/gdbinit};
32926 if @value{GDBN} is moved from @file{$prefix} to @file{$install}, the system
32927 init file is looked for as @file{$install/etc/gdbinit} instead of
32928 @file{$prefix/etc/gdbinit}.
32929
32930 @item
32931 By contrast, if the default location does not contain the prefix,
32932 it will not be relocated. E.g.@: if @value{GDBN} has been configured with
32933 @option{--prefix=/usr/local --with-system-gdbinit=/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
32934 then @value{GDBN} will always look for @file{/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
32935 wherever @value{GDBN} is installed.
32936 @end itemize
32937
32938 @node Maintenance Commands
32939 @appendix Maintenance Commands
32940 @cindex maintenance commands
32941 @cindex internal commands
32942
32943 In addition to commands intended for @value{GDBN} users, @value{GDBN}
32944 includes a number of commands intended for @value{GDBN} developers,
32945 that are not documented elsewhere in this manual. These commands are
32946 provided here for reference. (For commands that turn on debugging
32947 messages, see @ref{Debugging Output}.)
32948
32949 @table @code
32950 @kindex maint agent
32951 @kindex maint agent-eval
32952 @item maint agent @var{expression}
32953 @itemx maint agent-eval @var{expression}
32954 Translate the given @var{expression} into remote agent bytecodes.
32955 This command is useful for debugging the Agent Expression mechanism
32956 (@pxref{Agent Expressions}). The @samp{agent} version produces an
32957 expression useful for data collection, such as by tracepoints, while
32958 @samp{maint agent-eval} produces an expression that evaluates directly
32959 to a result. For instance, a collection expression for @code{globa +
32960 globb} will include bytecodes to record four bytes of memory at each
32961 of the addresses of @code{globa} and @code{globb}, while discarding
32962 the result of the addition, while an evaluation expression will do the
32963 addition and return the sum.
32964
32965 @kindex maint info breakpoints
32966 @item @anchor{maint info breakpoints}maint info breakpoints
32967 Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
32968 breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
32969 internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
32970 breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
32971 is shown:
32972
32973 @table @code
32974 @item breakpoint
32975 Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
32976
32977 @item watchpoint
32978 Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
32979
32980 @item longjmp
32981 Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
32982 @code{longjmp} calls.
32983
32984 @item longjmp resume
32985 Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
32986
32987 @item until
32988 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
32989
32990 @item finish
32991 Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
32992
32993 @item shlib events
32994 Shared library events.
32995
32996 @end table
32997
32998 @kindex set displaced-stepping
32999 @kindex show displaced-stepping
33000 @cindex displaced stepping support
33001 @cindex out-of-line single-stepping
33002 @item set displaced-stepping
33003 @itemx show displaced-stepping
33004 Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will do @dfn{displaced stepping}
33005 if the target supports it. Displaced stepping is a way to single-step
33006 over breakpoints without removing them from the inferior, by executing
33007 an out-of-line copy of the instruction that was originally at the
33008 breakpoint location. It is also known as out-of-line single-stepping.
33009
33010 @table @code
33011 @item set displaced-stepping on
33012 If the target architecture supports it, @value{GDBN} will use
33013 displaced stepping to step over breakpoints.
33014
33015 @item set displaced-stepping off
33016 @value{GDBN} will not use displaced stepping to step over breakpoints,
33017 even if such is supported by the target architecture.
33018
33019 @cindex non-stop mode, and @samp{set displaced-stepping}
33020 @item set displaced-stepping auto
33021 This is the default mode. @value{GDBN} will use displaced stepping
33022 only if non-stop mode is active (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) and the target
33023 architecture supports displaced stepping.
33024 @end table
33025
33026 @kindex maint check-symtabs
33027 @item maint check-symtabs
33028 Check the consistency of psymtabs and symtabs.
33029
33030 @kindex maint cplus first_component
33031 @item maint cplus first_component @var{name}
33032 Print the first C@t{++} class/namespace component of @var{name}.
33033
33034 @kindex maint cplus namespace
33035 @item maint cplus namespace
33036 Print the list of possible C@t{++} namespaces.
33037
33038 @kindex maint demangle
33039 @item maint demangle @var{name}
33040 Demangle a C@t{++} or Objective-C mangled @var{name}.
33041
33042 @kindex maint deprecate
33043 @kindex maint undeprecate
33044 @cindex deprecated commands
33045 @item maint deprecate @var{command} @r{[}@var{replacement}@r{]}
33046 @itemx maint undeprecate @var{command}
33047 Deprecate or undeprecate the named @var{command}. Deprecated commands
33048 cause @value{GDBN} to issue a warning when you use them. The optional
33049 argument @var{replacement} says which newer command should be used in
33050 favor of the deprecated one; if it is given, @value{GDBN} will mention
33051 the replacement as part of the warning.
33052
33053 @kindex maint dump-me
33054 @item maint dump-me
33055 @cindex @code{SIGQUIT} signal, dump core of @value{GDBN}
33056 Cause a fatal signal in the debugger and force it to dump its core.
33057 This is supported only on systems which support aborting a program
33058 with the @code{SIGQUIT} signal.
33059
33060 @kindex maint internal-error
33061 @kindex maint internal-warning
33062 @item maint internal-error @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
33063 @itemx maint internal-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
33064 Cause @value{GDBN} to call the internal function @code{internal_error}
33065 or @code{internal_warning} and hence behave as though an internal error
33066 or internal warning has been detected. In addition to reporting the
33067 internal problem, these functions give the user the opportunity to
33068 either quit @value{GDBN} or create a core file of the current
33069 @value{GDBN} session.
33070
33071 These commands take an optional parameter @var{message-text} that is
33072 used as the text of the error or warning message.
33073
33074 Here's an example of using @code{internal-error}:
33075
33076 @smallexample
33077 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint internal-error testing, 1, 2}
33078 @dots{}/maint.c:121: internal-error: testing, 1, 2
33079 A problem internal to GDB has been detected. Further
33080 debugging may prove unreliable.
33081 Quit this debugging session? (y or n) @kbd{n}
33082 Create a core file? (y or n) @kbd{n}
33083 (@value{GDBP})
33084 @end smallexample
33085
33086 @cindex @value{GDBN} internal error
33087 @cindex internal errors, control of @value{GDBN} behavior
33088
33089 @kindex maint set internal-error
33090 @kindex maint show internal-error
33091 @kindex maint set internal-warning
33092 @kindex maint show internal-warning
33093 @item maint set internal-error @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
33094 @itemx maint show internal-error @var{action}
33095 @itemx maint set internal-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
33096 @itemx maint show internal-warning @var{action}
33097 When @value{GDBN} reports an internal problem (error or warning) it
33098 gives the user the opportunity to both quit @value{GDBN} and create a
33099 core file of the current @value{GDBN} session. These commands let you
33100 override the default behaviour for each particular @var{action},
33101 described in the table below.
33102
33103 @table @samp
33104 @item quit
33105 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
33106 quit. The default is to ask the user what to do.
33107
33108 @item corefile
33109 You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
33110 create a core file. The default is to ask the user what to do.
33111 @end table
33112
33113 @kindex maint packet
33114 @item maint packet @var{text}
33115 If @value{GDBN} is talking to an inferior via the serial protocol,
33116 then this command sends the string @var{text} to the inferior, and
33117 displays the response packet. @value{GDBN} supplies the initial
33118 @samp{$} character, the terminating @samp{#} character, and the
33119 checksum.
33120
33121 @kindex maint print architecture
33122 @item maint print architecture @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33123 Print the entire architecture configuration. The optional argument
33124 @var{file} names the file where the output goes.
33125
33126 @kindex maint print c-tdesc
33127 @item maint print c-tdesc
33128 Print the current target description (@pxref{Target Descriptions}) as
33129 a C source file. The created source file can be used in @value{GDBN}
33130 when an XML parser is not available to parse the description.
33131
33132 @kindex maint print dummy-frames
33133 @item maint print dummy-frames
33134 Prints the contents of @value{GDBN}'s internal dummy-frame stack.
33135
33136 @smallexample
33137 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{b add}
33138 @dots{}
33139 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{print add(2,3)}
33140 Breakpoint 2, add (a=2, b=3) at @dots{}
33141 58 return (a + b);
33142 The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB.
33143 @dots{}
33144 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print dummy-frames}
33145 0x1a57c80: pc=0x01014068 fp=0x0200bddc sp=0x0200bdd6
33146 top=0x0200bdd4 id=@{stack=0x200bddc,code=0x101405c@}
33147 call_lo=0x01014000 call_hi=0x01014001
33148 (@value{GDBP})
33149 @end smallexample
33150
33151 Takes an optional file parameter.
33152
33153 @kindex maint print registers
33154 @kindex maint print raw-registers
33155 @kindex maint print cooked-registers
33156 @kindex maint print register-groups
33157 @kindex maint print remote-registers
33158 @item maint print registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33159 @itemx maint print raw-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33160 @itemx maint print cooked-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33161 @itemx maint print register-groups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33162 @itemx maint print remote-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33163 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register data structures.
33164
33165 The command @code{maint print raw-registers} includes the contents of
33166 the raw register cache; the command @code{maint print
33167 cooked-registers} includes the (cooked) value of all registers,
33168 including registers which aren't available on the target nor visible
33169 to user; the command @code{maint print register-groups} includes the
33170 groups that each register is a member of; and the command @code{maint
33171 print remote-registers} includes the remote target's register numbers
33172 and offsets in the `G' packets. @xref{Registers,, Registers, gdbint,
33173 @value{GDBN} Internals}.
33174
33175 These commands take an optional parameter, a file name to which to
33176 write the information.
33177
33178 @kindex maint print reggroups
33179 @item maint print reggroups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
33180 Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register group data structures. The
33181 optional argument @var{file} tells to what file to write the
33182 information.
33183
33184 The register groups info looks like this:
33185
33186 @smallexample
33187 (@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print reggroups}
33188 Group Type
33189 general user
33190 float user
33191 all user
33192 vector user
33193 system user
33194 save internal
33195 restore internal
33196 @end smallexample
33197
33198 @kindex flushregs
33199 @item flushregs
33200 This command forces @value{GDBN} to flush its internal register cache.
33201
33202 @kindex maint print objfiles
33203 @cindex info for known object files
33204 @item maint print objfiles
33205 Print a dump of all known object files. For each object file, this
33206 command prints its name, address in memory, and all of its psymtabs
33207 and symtabs.
33208
33209 @kindex maint print section-scripts
33210 @cindex info for known .debug_gdb_scripts-loaded scripts
33211 @item maint print section-scripts [@var{regexp}]
33212 Print a dump of scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_section} section.
33213 If @var{regexp} is specified, only print scripts loaded by object files
33214 matching @var{regexp}.
33215 For each script, this command prints its name as specified in the objfile,
33216 and the full path if known.
33217 @xref{.debug_gdb_scripts section}.
33218
33219 @kindex maint print statistics
33220 @cindex bcache statistics
33221 @item maint print statistics
33222 This command prints, for each object file in the program, various data
33223 about that object file followed by the byte cache (@dfn{bcache})
33224 statistics for the object file. The objfile data includes the number
33225 of minimal, partial, full, and stabs symbols, the number of types
33226 defined by the objfile, the number of as yet unexpanded psym tables,
33227 the number of line tables and string tables, and the amount of memory
33228 used by the various tables. The bcache statistics include the counts,
33229 sizes, and counts of duplicates of all and unique objects, max,
33230 average, and median entry size, total memory used and its overhead and
33231 savings, and various measures of the hash table size and chain
33232 lengths.
33233
33234 @kindex maint print target-stack
33235 @cindex target stack description
33236 @item maint print target-stack
33237 A @dfn{target} is an interface between the debugger and a particular
33238 kind of file or process. Targets can be stacked in @dfn{strata},
33239 so that more than one target can potentially respond to a request.
33240 In particular, memory accesses will walk down the stack of targets
33241 until they find a target that is interested in handling that particular
33242 address.
33243
33244 This command prints a short description of each layer that was pushed on
33245 the @dfn{target stack}, starting from the top layer down to the bottom one.
33246
33247 @kindex maint print type
33248 @cindex type chain of a data type
33249 @item maint print type @var{expr}
33250 Print the type chain for a type specified by @var{expr}. The argument
33251 can be either a type name or a symbol. If it is a symbol, the type of
33252 that symbol is described. The type chain produced by this command is
33253 a recursive definition of the data type as stored in @value{GDBN}'s
33254 data structures, including its flags and contained types.
33255
33256 @kindex maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
33257 @kindex maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
33258 @item maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
33259 @item maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
33260 Control the behavior of @code{info address} when using DWARF debugging
33261 information.
33262
33263 The default is @code{off}, which means that @value{GDBN} should try to
33264 describe a variable's location in an easily readable format. When
33265 @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will instead display the DWARF location
33266 expression in an assembly-like format. Note that some locations are
33267 too complex for @value{GDBN} to describe simply; in this case you will
33268 always see the disassembly form.
33269
33270 Here is an example of the resulting disassembly:
33271
33272 @smallexample
33273 (gdb) info addr argc
33274 Symbol "argc" is a complex DWARF expression:
33275 1: DW_OP_fbreg 0
33276 @end smallexample
33277
33278 For more information on these expressions, see
33279 @uref{http://www.dwarfstd.org/, the DWARF standard}.
33280
33281 @kindex maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
33282 @kindex maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
33283 @item maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
33284 @itemx maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
33285 Control the DWARF 2 compilation unit cache.
33286
33287 @cindex DWARF 2 compilation units cache
33288 In object files with inter-compilation-unit references, such as those
33289 produced by the GCC option @samp{-feliminate-dwarf2-dups}, the DWARF 2
33290 reader needs to frequently refer to previously read compilation units.
33291 This setting controls how long a compilation unit will remain in the
33292 cache if it is not referenced. A higher limit means that cached
33293 compilation units will be stored in memory longer, and more total
33294 memory will be used. Setting it to zero disables caching, which will
33295 slow down @value{GDBN} startup, but reduce memory consumption.
33296
33297 @kindex maint set profile
33298 @kindex maint show profile
33299 @cindex profiling GDB
33300 @item maint set profile
33301 @itemx maint show profile
33302 Control profiling of @value{GDBN}.
33303
33304 Profiling will be disabled until you use the @samp{maint set profile}
33305 command to enable it. When you enable profiling, the system will begin
33306 collecting timing and execution count data; when you disable profiling or
33307 exit @value{GDBN}, the results will be written to a log file. Remember that
33308 if you use profiling, @value{GDBN} will overwrite the profiling log file
33309 (often called @file{gmon.out}). If you have a record of important profiling
33310 data in a @file{gmon.out} file, be sure to move it to a safe location.
33311
33312 Configuring with @samp{--enable-profiling} arranges for @value{GDBN} to be
33313 compiled with the @samp{-pg} compiler option.
33314
33315 @kindex maint set show-debug-regs
33316 @kindex maint show show-debug-regs
33317 @cindex hardware debug registers
33318 @item maint set show-debug-regs
33319 @itemx maint show show-debug-regs
33320 Control whether to show variables that mirror the hardware debug
33321 registers. Use @code{ON} to enable, @code{OFF} to disable. If
33322 enabled, the debug registers values are shown when @value{GDBN} inserts or
33323 removes a hardware breakpoint or watchpoint, and when the inferior
33324 triggers a hardware-assisted breakpoint or watchpoint.
33325
33326 @kindex maint set show-all-tib
33327 @kindex maint show show-all-tib
33328 @item maint set show-all-tib
33329 @itemx maint show show-all-tib
33330 Control whether to show all non zero areas within a 1k block starting
33331 at thread local base, when using the @samp{info w32 thread-information-block}
33332 command.
33333
33334 @kindex maint space
33335 @cindex memory used by commands
33336 @item maint space
33337 Control whether to display memory usage for each command. If set to a
33338 nonzero value, @value{GDBN} will display how much memory each command
33339 took, following the command's own output. This can also be requested
33340 by invoking @value{GDBN} with the @option{--statistics} command-line
33341 switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
33342
33343 @kindex maint time
33344 @cindex time of command execution
33345 @item maint time
33346 Control whether to display the execution time of @value{GDBN} for each command.
33347 If set to a nonzero value, @value{GDBN} will display how much time it
33348 took to execute each command, following the command's own output.
33349 Both CPU time and wallclock time are printed.
33350 Printing both is useful when trying to determine whether the cost is
33351 CPU or, e.g., disk/network, latency.
33352 Note that the CPU time printed is for @value{GDBN} only, it does not include
33353 the execution time of the inferior because there's no mechanism currently
33354 to compute how much time was spent by @value{GDBN} and how much time was
33355 spent by the program been debugged.
33356 This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
33357 @option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
33358
33359 @kindex maint translate-address
33360 @item maint translate-address @r{[}@var{section}@r{]} @var{addr}
33361 Find the symbol stored at the location specified by the address
33362 @var{addr} and an optional section name @var{section}. If found,
33363 @value{GDBN} prints the name of the closest symbol and an offset from
33364 the symbol's location to the specified address. This is similar to
33365 the @code{info address} command (@pxref{Symbols}), except that this
33366 command also allows to find symbols in other sections.
33367
33368 If section was not specified, the section in which the symbol was found
33369 is also printed. For dynamically linked executables, the name of
33370 executable or shared library containing the symbol is printed as well.
33371
33372 @end table
33373
33374 The following command is useful for non-interactive invocations of
33375 @value{GDBN}, such as in the test suite.
33376
33377 @table @code
33378 @item set watchdog @var{nsec}
33379 @kindex set watchdog
33380 @cindex watchdog timer
33381 @cindex timeout for commands
33382 Set the maximum number of seconds @value{GDBN} will wait for the
33383 target operation to finish. If this time expires, @value{GDBN}
33384 reports and error and the command is aborted.
33385
33386 @item show watchdog
33387 Show the current setting of the target wait timeout.
33388 @end table
33389
33390 @node Remote Protocol
33391 @appendix @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol
33392
33393 @menu
33394 * Overview::
33395 * Packets::
33396 * Stop Reply Packets::
33397 * General Query Packets::
33398 * Architecture-Specific Protocol Details::
33399 * Tracepoint Packets::
33400 * Host I/O Packets::
33401 * Interrupts::
33402 * Notification Packets::
33403 * Remote Non-Stop::
33404 * Packet Acknowledgment::
33405 * Examples::
33406 * File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension::
33407 * Library List Format::
33408 * Library List Format for SVR4 Targets::
33409 * Memory Map Format::
33410 * Thread List Format::
33411 * Traceframe Info Format::
33412 @end menu
33413
33414 @node Overview
33415 @section Overview
33416
33417 There may be occasions when you need to know something about the
33418 protocol---for example, if there is only one serial port to your target
33419 machine, you might want your program to do something special if it
33420 recognizes a packet meant for @value{GDBN}.
33421
33422 In the examples below, @samp{->} and @samp{<-} are used to indicate
33423 transmitted and received data, respectively.
33424
33425 @cindex protocol, @value{GDBN} remote serial
33426 @cindex serial protocol, @value{GDBN} remote
33427 @cindex remote serial protocol
33428 All @value{GDBN} commands and responses (other than acknowledgments
33429 and notifications, see @ref{Notification Packets}) are sent as a
33430 @var{packet}. A @var{packet} is introduced with the character
33431 @samp{$}, the actual @var{packet-data}, and the terminating character
33432 @samp{#} followed by a two-digit @var{checksum}:
33433
33434 @smallexample
33435 @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
33436 @end smallexample
33437 @noindent
33438
33439 @cindex checksum, for @value{GDBN} remote
33440 @noindent
33441 The two-digit @var{checksum} is computed as the modulo 256 sum of all
33442 characters between the leading @samp{$} and the trailing @samp{#} (an
33443 eight bit unsigned checksum).
33444
33445 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0 the protocol
33446 specification also included an optional two-digit @var{sequence-id}:
33447
33448 @smallexample
33449 @code{$}@var{sequence-id}@code{:}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
33450 @end smallexample
33451
33452 @cindex sequence-id, for @value{GDBN} remote
33453 @noindent
33454 That @var{sequence-id} was appended to the acknowledgment. @value{GDBN}
33455 has never output @var{sequence-id}s. Stubs that handle packets added
33456 since @value{GDBN} 5.0 must not accept @var{sequence-id}.
33457
33458 When either the host or the target machine receives a packet, the first
33459 response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
33460 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request
33461 retransmission):
33462
33463 @smallexample
33464 -> @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
33465 <- @code{+}
33466 @end smallexample
33467 @noindent
33468
33469 The @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments can be disabled
33470 once a connection is established.
33471 @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}, for details.
33472
33473 The host (@value{GDBN}) sends @var{command}s, and the target (the
33474 debugging stub incorporated in your program) sends a @var{response}. In
33475 the case of step and continue @var{command}s, the response is only sent
33476 when the operation has completed, and the target has again stopped all
33477 threads in all attached processes. This is the default all-stop mode
33478 behavior, but the remote protocol also supports @value{GDBN}'s non-stop
33479 execution mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}, for details.
33480
33481 @var{packet-data} consists of a sequence of characters with the
33482 exception of @samp{#} and @samp{$} (see @samp{X} packet for additional
33483 exceptions).
33484
33485 @cindex remote protocol, field separator
33486 Fields within the packet should be separated using @samp{,} @samp{;} or
33487 @samp{:}. Except where otherwise noted all numbers are represented in
33488 @sc{hex} with leading zeros suppressed.
33489
33490 Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0, the character
33491 @samp{:} could not appear as the third character in a packet (as it
33492 would potentially conflict with the @var{sequence-id}).
33493
33494 @cindex remote protocol, binary data
33495 @anchor{Binary Data}
33496 Binary data in most packets is encoded either as two hexadecimal
33497 digits per byte of binary data. This allowed the traditional remote
33498 protocol to work over connections which were only seven-bit clean.
33499 Some packets designed more recently assume an eight-bit clean
33500 connection, and use a more efficient encoding to send and receive
33501 binary data.
33502
33503 The binary data representation uses @code{7d} (@sc{ascii} @samp{@}})
33504 as an escape character. Any escaped byte is transmitted as the escape
33505 character followed by the original character XORed with @code{0x20}.
33506 For example, the byte @code{0x7d} would be transmitted as the two
33507 bytes @code{0x7d 0x5d}. The bytes @code{0x23} (@sc{ascii} @samp{#}),
33508 @code{0x24} (@sc{ascii} @samp{$}), and @code{0x7d} (@sc{ascii}
33509 @samp{@}}) must always be escaped. Responses sent by the stub
33510 must also escape @code{0x2a} (@sc{ascii} @samp{*}), so that it
33511 is not interpreted as the start of a run-length encoded sequence
33512 (described next).
33513
33514 Response @var{data} can be run-length encoded to save space.
33515 Run-length encoding replaces runs of identical characters with one
33516 instance of the repeated character, followed by a @samp{*} and a
33517 repeat count. The repeat count is itself sent encoded, to avoid
33518 binary characters in @var{data}: a value of @var{n} is sent as
33519 @code{@var{n}+29}. For a repeat count greater or equal to 3, this
33520 produces a printable @sc{ascii} character, e.g.@: a space (@sc{ascii}
33521 code 32) for a repeat count of 3. (This is because run-length
33522 encoding starts to win for counts 3 or more.) Thus, for example,
33523 @samp{0* } is a run-length encoding of ``0000'': the space character
33524 after @samp{*} means repeat the leading @code{0} @w{@code{32 - 29 =
33525 3}} more times.
33526
33527 The printable characters @samp{#} and @samp{$} or with a numeric value
33528 greater than 126 must not be used. Runs of six repeats (@samp{#}) or
33529 seven repeats (@samp{$}) can be expanded using a repeat count of only
33530 five (@samp{"}). For example, @samp{00000000} can be encoded as
33531 @samp{0*"00}.
33532
33533 The error response returned for some packets includes a two character
33534 error number. That number is not well defined.
33535
33536 @cindex empty response, for unsupported packets
33537 For any @var{command} not supported by the stub, an empty response
33538 (@samp{$#00}) should be returned. That way it is possible to extend the
33539 protocol. A newer @value{GDBN} can tell if a packet is supported based
33540 on that response.
33541
33542 At a minimum, a stub is required to support the @samp{g} and @samp{G}
33543 commands for register access, and the @samp{m} and @samp{M} commands
33544 for memory access. Stubs that only control single-threaded targets
33545 can implement run control with the @samp{c} (continue), and @samp{s}
33546 (step) commands. Stubs that support multi-threading targets should
33547 support the @samp{vCont} command. All other commands are optional.
33548
33549 @node Packets
33550 @section Packets
33551
33552 The following table provides a complete list of all currently defined
33553 @var{command}s and their corresponding response @var{data}.
33554 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for details about the File
33555 I/O extension of the remote protocol.
33556
33557 Each packet's description has a template showing the packet's overall
33558 syntax, followed by an explanation of the packet's meaning. We
33559 include spaces in some of the templates for clarity; these are not
33560 part of the packet's syntax. No @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to
33561 separate its components. For example, a template like @samp{foo
33562 @var{bar} @var{baz}} describes a packet beginning with the three ASCII
33563 bytes @samp{foo}, followed by a @var{bar}, followed directly by a
33564 @var{baz}. @value{GDBN} does not transmit a space character between the
33565 @samp{foo} and the @var{bar}, or between the @var{bar} and the
33566 @var{baz}.
33567
33568 @cindex @var{thread-id}, in remote protocol
33569 @anchor{thread-id syntax}
33570 Several packets and replies include a @var{thread-id} field to identify
33571 a thread. Normally these are positive numbers with a target-specific
33572 interpretation, formatted as big-endian hex strings. A @var{thread-id}
33573 can also be a literal @samp{-1} to indicate all threads, or @samp{0} to
33574 pick any thread.
33575
33576 In addition, the remote protocol supports a multiprocess feature in
33577 which the @var{thread-id} syntax is extended to optionally include both
33578 process and thread ID fields, as @samp{p@var{pid}.@var{tid}}.
33579 The @var{pid} (process) and @var{tid} (thread) components each have the
33580 format described above: a positive number with target-specific
33581 interpretation formatted as a big-endian hex string, literal @samp{-1}
33582 to indicate all processes or threads (respectively), or @samp{0} to
33583 indicate an arbitrary process or thread. Specifying just a process, as
33584 @samp{p@var{pid}}, is equivalent to @samp{p@var{pid}.-1}. It is an
33585 error to specify all processes but a specific thread, such as
33586 @samp{p-1.@var{tid}}. Note that the @samp{p} prefix is @emph{not} used
33587 for those packets and replies explicitly documented to include a process
33588 ID, rather than a @var{thread-id}.
33589
33590 The multiprocess @var{thread-id} syntax extensions are only used if both
33591 @value{GDBN} and the stub report support for the @samp{multiprocess}
33592 feature using @samp{qSupported}. @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for
33593 more information.
33594
33595 Note that all packet forms beginning with an upper- or lower-case
33596 letter, other than those described here, are reserved for future use.
33597
33598 Here are the packet descriptions.
33599
33600 @table @samp
33601
33602 @item !
33603 @cindex @samp{!} packet
33604 @anchor{extended mode}
33605 Enable extended mode. In extended mode, the remote server is made
33606 persistent. The @samp{R} packet is used to restart the program being
33607 debugged.
33608
33609 Reply:
33610 @table @samp
33611 @item OK
33612 The remote target both supports and has enabled extended mode.
33613 @end table
33614
33615 @item ?
33616 @cindex @samp{?} packet
33617 Indicate the reason the target halted. The reply is the same as for
33618 step and continue. This packet has a special interpretation when the
33619 target is in non-stop mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}.
33620
33621 Reply:
33622 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33623
33624 @item A @var{arglen},@var{argnum},@var{arg},@dots{}
33625 @cindex @samp{A} packet
33626 Initialized @code{argv[]} array passed into program. @var{arglen}
33627 specifies the number of bytes in the hex encoded byte stream
33628 @var{arg}. See @code{gdbserver} for more details.
33629
33630 Reply:
33631 @table @samp
33632 @item OK
33633 The arguments were set.
33634 @item E @var{NN}
33635 An error occurred.
33636 @end table
33637
33638 @item b @var{baud}
33639 @cindex @samp{b} packet
33640 (Don't use this packet; its behavior is not well-defined.)
33641 Change the serial line speed to @var{baud}.
33642
33643 JTC: @emph{When does the transport layer state change? When it's
33644 received, or after the ACK is transmitted. In either case, there are
33645 problems if the command or the acknowledgment packet is dropped.}
33646
33647 Stan: @emph{If people really wanted to add something like this, and get
33648 it working for the first time, they ought to modify ser-unix.c to send
33649 some kind of out-of-band message to a specially-setup stub and have the
33650 switch happen "in between" packets, so that from remote protocol's point
33651 of view, nothing actually happened.}
33652
33653 @item B @var{addr},@var{mode}
33654 @cindex @samp{B} packet
33655 Set (@var{mode} is @samp{S}) or clear (@var{mode} is @samp{C}) a
33656 breakpoint at @var{addr}.
33657
33658 Don't use this packet. Use the @samp{Z} and @samp{z} packets instead
33659 (@pxref{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}).
33660
33661 @cindex @samp{bc} packet
33662 @anchor{bc}
33663 @item bc
33664 Backward continue. Execute the target system in reverse. No parameter.
33665 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
33666
33667 Reply:
33668 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33669
33670 @cindex @samp{bs} packet
33671 @anchor{bs}
33672 @item bs
33673 Backward single step. Execute one instruction in reverse. No parameter.
33674 @xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
33675
33676 Reply:
33677 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33678
33679 @item c @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
33680 @cindex @samp{c} packet
33681 Continue. @var{addr} is address to resume. If @var{addr} is omitted,
33682 resume at current address.
33683
33684 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33685 packet}.
33686
33687 Reply:
33688 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33689
33690 @item C @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
33691 @cindex @samp{C} packet
33692 Continue with signal @var{sig} (hex signal number). If
33693 @samp{;@var{addr}} is omitted, resume at same address.
33694
33695 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33696 packet}.
33697
33698 Reply:
33699 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33700
33701 @item d
33702 @cindex @samp{d} packet
33703 Toggle debug flag.
33704
33705 Don't use this packet; instead, define a general set packet
33706 (@pxref{General Query Packets}).
33707
33708 @item D
33709 @itemx D;@var{pid}
33710 @cindex @samp{D} packet
33711 The first form of the packet is used to detach @value{GDBN} from the
33712 remote system. It is sent to the remote target
33713 before @value{GDBN} disconnects via the @code{detach} command.
33714
33715 The second form, including a process ID, is used when multiprocess
33716 protocol extensions are enabled (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}), to
33717 detach only a specific process. The @var{pid} is specified as a
33718 big-endian hex string.
33719
33720 Reply:
33721 @table @samp
33722 @item OK
33723 for success
33724 @item E @var{NN}
33725 for an error
33726 @end table
33727
33728 @item F @var{RC},@var{EE},@var{CF};@var{XX}
33729 @cindex @samp{F} packet
33730 A reply from @value{GDBN} to an @samp{F} packet sent by the target.
33731 This is part of the File-I/O protocol extension. @xref{File-I/O
33732 Remote Protocol Extension}, for the specification.
33733
33734 @item g
33735 @anchor{read registers packet}
33736 @cindex @samp{g} packet
33737 Read general registers.
33738
33739 Reply:
33740 @table @samp
33741 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
33742 Each byte of register data is described by two hex digits. The bytes
33743 with the register are transmitted in target byte order. The size of
33744 each register and their position within the @samp{g} packet are
33745 determined by the @value{GDBN} internal gdbarch functions
33746 @code{DEPRECATED_REGISTER_RAW_SIZE} and @code{gdbarch_register_name}. The
33747 specification of several standard @samp{g} packets is specified below.
33748
33749 When reading registers from a trace frame (@pxref{Analyze Collected
33750 Data,,Using the Collected Data}), the stub may also return a string of
33751 literal @samp{x}'s in place of the register data digits, to indicate
33752 that the corresponding register has not been collected, thus its value
33753 is unavailable. For example, for an architecture with 4 registers of
33754 4 bytes each, the following reply indicates to @value{GDBN} that
33755 registers 0 and 2 have not been collected, while registers 1 and 3
33756 have been collected, and both have zero value:
33757
33758 @smallexample
33759 -> @code{g}
33760 <- @code{xxxxxxxx00000000xxxxxxxx00000000}
33761 @end smallexample
33762
33763 @item E @var{NN}
33764 for an error.
33765 @end table
33766
33767 @item G @var{XX@dots{}}
33768 @cindex @samp{G} packet
33769 Write general registers. @xref{read registers packet}, for a
33770 description of the @var{XX@dots{}} data.
33771
33772 Reply:
33773 @table @samp
33774 @item OK
33775 for success
33776 @item E @var{NN}
33777 for an error
33778 @end table
33779
33780 @item H @var{op} @var{thread-id}
33781 @cindex @samp{H} packet
33782 Set thread for subsequent operations (@samp{m}, @samp{M}, @samp{g},
33783 @samp{G}, et.al.). @var{op} depends on the operation to be performed:
33784 it should be @samp{c} for step and continue operations (note that this
33785 is deprecated, supporting the @samp{vCont} command is a better
33786 option), @samp{g} for other operations. The thread designator
33787 @var{thread-id} has the format and interpretation described in
33788 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
33789
33790 Reply:
33791 @table @samp
33792 @item OK
33793 for success
33794 @item E @var{NN}
33795 for an error
33796 @end table
33797
33798 @c FIXME: JTC:
33799 @c 'H': How restrictive (or permissive) is the thread model. If a
33800 @c thread is selected and stopped, are other threads allowed
33801 @c to continue to execute? As I mentioned above, I think the
33802 @c semantics of each command when a thread is selected must be
33803 @c described. For example:
33804 @c
33805 @c 'g': If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
33806 @c selected, returns the register block from that thread;
33807 @c otherwise returns current registers.
33808 @c
33809 @c 'G' If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
33810 @c selected, sets the registers of the register block of
33811 @c that thread; otherwise sets current registers.
33812
33813 @item i @r{[}@var{addr}@r{[},@var{nnn}@r{]]}
33814 @anchor{cycle step packet}
33815 @cindex @samp{i} packet
33816 Step the remote target by a single clock cycle. If @samp{,@var{nnn}} is
33817 present, cycle step @var{nnn} cycles. If @var{addr} is present, cycle
33818 step starting at that address.
33819
33820 @item I
33821 @cindex @samp{I} packet
33822 Signal, then cycle step. @xref{step with signal packet}. @xref{cycle
33823 step packet}.
33824
33825 @item k
33826 @cindex @samp{k} packet
33827 Kill request.
33828
33829 FIXME: @emph{There is no description of how to operate when a specific
33830 thread context has been selected (i.e.@: does 'k' kill only that
33831 thread?)}.
33832
33833 @item m @var{addr},@var{length}
33834 @cindex @samp{m} packet
33835 Read @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
33836 Note that @var{addr} may not be aligned to any particular boundary.
33837
33838 The stub need not use any particular size or alignment when gathering
33839 data from memory for the response; even if @var{addr} is word-aligned
33840 and @var{length} is a multiple of the word size, the stub is free to
33841 use byte accesses, or not. For this reason, this packet may not be
33842 suitable for accessing memory-mapped I/O devices.
33843 @cindex alignment of remote memory accesses
33844 @cindex size of remote memory accesses
33845 @cindex memory, alignment and size of remote accesses
33846
33847 Reply:
33848 @table @samp
33849 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
33850 Memory contents; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit hexadecimal
33851 number. The reply may contain fewer bytes than requested if the
33852 server was able to read only part of the region of memory.
33853 @item E @var{NN}
33854 @var{NN} is errno
33855 @end table
33856
33857 @item M @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
33858 @cindex @samp{M} packet
33859 Write @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
33860 @var{XX@dots{}} is the data; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit
33861 hexadecimal number.
33862
33863 Reply:
33864 @table @samp
33865 @item OK
33866 for success
33867 @item E @var{NN}
33868 for an error (this includes the case where only part of the data was
33869 written).
33870 @end table
33871
33872 @item p @var{n}
33873 @cindex @samp{p} packet
33874 Read the value of register @var{n}; @var{n} is in hex.
33875 @xref{read registers packet}, for a description of how the returned
33876 register value is encoded.
33877
33878 Reply:
33879 @table @samp
33880 @item @var{XX@dots{}}
33881 the register's value
33882 @item E @var{NN}
33883 for an error
33884 @item
33885 Indicating an unrecognized @var{query}.
33886 @end table
33887
33888 @item P @var{n@dots{}}=@var{r@dots{}}
33889 @anchor{write register packet}
33890 @cindex @samp{P} packet
33891 Write register @var{n@dots{}} with value @var{r@dots{}}. The register
33892 number @var{n} is in hexadecimal, and @var{r@dots{}} contains two hex
33893 digits for each byte in the register (target byte order).
33894
33895 Reply:
33896 @table @samp
33897 @item OK
33898 for success
33899 @item E @var{NN}
33900 for an error
33901 @end table
33902
33903 @item q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
33904 @itemx Q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
33905 @cindex @samp{q} packet
33906 @cindex @samp{Q} packet
33907 General query (@samp{q}) and set (@samp{Q}). These packets are
33908 described fully in @ref{General Query Packets}.
33909
33910 @item r
33911 @cindex @samp{r} packet
33912 Reset the entire system.
33913
33914 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{R} packet instead.
33915
33916 @item R @var{XX}
33917 @cindex @samp{R} packet
33918 Restart the program being debugged. @var{XX}, while needed, is ignored.
33919 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
33920
33921 The @samp{R} packet has no reply.
33922
33923 @item s @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
33924 @cindex @samp{s} packet
33925 Single step. @var{addr} is the address at which to resume. If
33926 @var{addr} is omitted, resume at same address.
33927
33928 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33929 packet}.
33930
33931 Reply:
33932 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33933
33934 @item S @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
33935 @anchor{step with signal packet}
33936 @cindex @samp{S} packet
33937 Step with signal. This is analogous to the @samp{C} packet, but
33938 requests a single-step, rather than a normal resumption of execution.
33939
33940 This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33941 packet}.
33942
33943 Reply:
33944 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33945
33946 @item t @var{addr}:@var{PP},@var{MM}
33947 @cindex @samp{t} packet
33948 Search backwards starting at address @var{addr} for a match with pattern
33949 @var{PP} and mask @var{MM}. @var{PP} and @var{MM} are 4 bytes.
33950 @var{addr} must be at least 3 digits.
33951
33952 @item T @var{thread-id}
33953 @cindex @samp{T} packet
33954 Find out if the thread @var{thread-id} is alive. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
33955
33956 Reply:
33957 @table @samp
33958 @item OK
33959 thread is still alive
33960 @item E @var{NN}
33961 thread is dead
33962 @end table
33963
33964 @item v
33965 Packets starting with @samp{v} are identified by a multi-letter name,
33966 up to the first @samp{;} or @samp{?} (or the end of the packet).
33967
33968 @item vAttach;@var{pid}
33969 @cindex @samp{vAttach} packet
33970 Attach to a new process with the specified process ID @var{pid}.
33971 The process ID is a
33972 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. In all-stop mode, all
33973 threads in the attached process are stopped; in non-stop mode, it may be
33974 attached without being stopped if that is supported by the target.
33975
33976 @c In non-stop mode, on a successful vAttach, the stub should set the
33977 @c current thread to a thread of the newly-attached process. After
33978 @c attaching, GDB queries for the attached process's thread ID with qC.
33979 @c Also note that, from a user perspective, whether or not the
33980 @c target is stopped on attach in non-stop mode depends on whether you
33981 @c use the foreground or background version of the attach command, not
33982 @c on what vAttach does; GDB does the right thing with respect to either
33983 @c stopping or restarting threads.
33984
33985 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
33986
33987 Reply:
33988 @table @samp
33989 @item E @var{nn}
33990 for an error
33991 @item @r{Any stop packet}
33992 for success in all-stop mode (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
33993 @item OK
33994 for success in non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop})
33995 @end table
33996
33997 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@r{[}:@var{thread-id}@r{]]}@dots{}
33998 @cindex @samp{vCont} packet
33999 @anchor{vCont packet}
34000 Resume the inferior, specifying different actions for each thread.
34001 If an action is specified with no @var{thread-id}, then it is applied to any
34002 threads that don't have a specific action specified; if no default action is
34003 specified then other threads should remain stopped in all-stop mode and
34004 in their current state in non-stop mode.
34005 Specifying multiple
34006 default actions is an error; specifying no actions is also an error.
34007 Thread IDs are specified using the syntax described in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
34008
34009 Currently supported actions are:
34010
34011 @table @samp
34012 @item c
34013 Continue.
34014 @item C @var{sig}
34015 Continue with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
34016 @item s
34017 Step.
34018 @item S @var{sig}
34019 Step with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
34020 @item t
34021 Stop.
34022 @end table
34023
34024 The optional argument @var{addr} normally associated with the
34025 @samp{c}, @samp{C}, @samp{s}, and @samp{S} packets is
34026 not supported in @samp{vCont}.
34027
34028 The @samp{t} action is only relevant in non-stop mode
34029 (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}) and may be ignored by the stub otherwise.
34030 A stop reply should be generated for any affected thread not already stopped.
34031 When a thread is stopped by means of a @samp{t} action,
34032 the corresponding stop reply should indicate that the thread has stopped with
34033 signal @samp{0}, regardless of whether the target uses some other signal
34034 as an implementation detail.
34035
34036 Reply:
34037 @xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
34038
34039 @item vCont?
34040 @cindex @samp{vCont?} packet
34041 Request a list of actions supported by the @samp{vCont} packet.
34042
34043 Reply:
34044 @table @samp
34045 @item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@dots{}@r{]}
34046 The @samp{vCont} packet is supported. Each @var{action} is a supported
34047 command in the @samp{vCont} packet.
34048 @item
34049 The @samp{vCont} packet is not supported.
34050 @end table
34051
34052 @item vFile:@var{operation}:@var{parameter}@dots{}
34053 @cindex @samp{vFile} packet
34054 Perform a file operation on the target system. For details,
34055 see @ref{Host I/O Packets}.
34056
34057 @item vFlashErase:@var{addr},@var{length}
34058 @cindex @samp{vFlashErase} packet
34059 Direct the stub to erase @var{length} bytes of flash starting at
34060 @var{addr}. The region may enclose any number of flash blocks, but
34061 its start and end must fall on block boundaries, as indicated by the
34062 flash block size appearing in the memory map (@pxref{Memory Map
34063 Format}). @value{GDBN} groups flash memory programming operations
34064 together, and sends a @samp{vFlashDone} request after each group; the
34065 stub is allowed to delay erase operation until the @samp{vFlashDone}
34066 packet is received.
34067
34068 The stub must support @samp{vCont} if it reports support for
34069 multiprocess extensions (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}). Note that in
34070 this case @samp{vCont} actions can be specified to apply to all threads
34071 in a process by using the @samp{p@var{pid}.-1} form of the
34072 @var{thread-id}.
34073
34074 Reply:
34075 @table @samp
34076 @item OK
34077 for success
34078 @item E @var{NN}
34079 for an error
34080 @end table
34081
34082 @item vFlashWrite:@var{addr}:@var{XX@dots{}}
34083 @cindex @samp{vFlashWrite} packet
34084 Direct the stub to write data to flash address @var{addr}. The data
34085 is passed in binary form using the same encoding as for the @samp{X}
34086 packet (@pxref{Binary Data}). The memory ranges specified by
34087 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets preceding a @samp{vFlashDone} packet must
34088 not overlap, and must appear in order of increasing addresses
34089 (although @samp{vFlashErase} packets for higher addresses may already
34090 have been received; the ordering is guaranteed only between
34091 @samp{vFlashWrite} packets). If a packet writes to an address that was
34092 neither erased by a preceding @samp{vFlashErase} packet nor by some other
34093 target-specific method, the results are unpredictable.
34094
34095
34096 Reply:
34097 @table @samp
34098 @item OK
34099 for success
34100 @item E.memtype
34101 for vFlashWrite addressing non-flash memory
34102 @item E @var{NN}
34103 for an error
34104 @end table
34105
34106 @item vFlashDone
34107 @cindex @samp{vFlashDone} packet
34108 Indicate to the stub that flash programming operation is finished.
34109 The stub is permitted to delay or batch the effects of a group of
34110 @samp{vFlashErase} and @samp{vFlashWrite} packets until a
34111 @samp{vFlashDone} packet is received. The contents of the affected
34112 regions of flash memory are unpredictable until the @samp{vFlashDone}
34113 request is completed.
34114
34115 @item vKill;@var{pid}
34116 @cindex @samp{vKill} packet
34117 Kill the process with the specified process ID. @var{pid} is a
34118 hexadecimal integer identifying the process. This packet is used in
34119 preference to @samp{k} when multiprocess protocol extensions are
34120 supported; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
34121
34122 Reply:
34123 @table @samp
34124 @item E @var{nn}
34125 for an error
34126 @item OK
34127 for success
34128 @end table
34129
34130 @item vRun;@var{filename}@r{[};@var{argument}@r{]}@dots{}
34131 @cindex @samp{vRun} packet
34132 Run the program @var{filename}, passing it each @var{argument} on its
34133 command line. The file and arguments are hex-encoded strings. If
34134 @var{filename} is an empty string, the stub may use a default program
34135 (e.g.@: the last program run). The program is created in the stopped
34136 state.
34137
34138 @c FIXME: What about non-stop mode?
34139
34140 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
34141
34142 Reply:
34143 @table @samp
34144 @item E @var{nn}
34145 for an error
34146 @item @r{Any stop packet}
34147 for success (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
34148 @end table
34149
34150 @item vStopped
34151 @anchor{vStopped packet}
34152 @cindex @samp{vStopped} packet
34153
34154 In non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}), acknowledge a previous stop
34155 reply and prompt for the stub to report another one.
34156
34157 Reply:
34158 @table @samp
34159 @item @r{Any stop packet}
34160 if there is another unreported stop event (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
34161 @item OK
34162 if there are no unreported stop events
34163 @end table
34164
34165 @item X @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
34166 @anchor{X packet}
34167 @cindex @samp{X} packet
34168 Write data to memory, where the data is transmitted in binary.
34169 @var{addr} is address, @var{length} is number of bytes,
34170 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
34171
34172 Reply:
34173 @table @samp
34174 @item OK
34175 for success
34176 @item E @var{NN}
34177 for an error
34178 @end table
34179
34180 @item z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
34181 @itemx Z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
34182 @anchor{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}
34183 @cindex @samp{z} packet
34184 @cindex @samp{Z} packets
34185 Insert (@samp{Z}) or remove (@samp{z}) a @var{type} breakpoint or
34186 watchpoint starting at address @var{address} of kind @var{kind}.
34187
34188 Each breakpoint and watchpoint packet @var{type} is documented
34189 separately.
34190
34191 @emph{Implementation notes: A remote target shall return an empty string
34192 for an unrecognized breakpoint or watchpoint packet @var{type}. A
34193 remote target shall support either both or neither of a given
34194 @samp{Z@var{type}@dots{}} and @samp{z@var{type}@dots{}} packet pair. To
34195 avoid potential problems with duplicate packets, the operations should
34196 be implemented in an idempotent way.}
34197
34198 @item z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34199 @itemx Z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34200 @cindex @samp{z0} packet
34201 @cindex @samp{Z0} packet
34202 Insert (@samp{Z0}) or remove (@samp{z0}) a memory breakpoint at address
34203 @var{addr} of type @var{kind}.
34204
34205 A memory breakpoint is implemented by replacing the instruction at
34206 @var{addr} with a software breakpoint or trap instruction. The
34207 @var{kind} is target-specific and typically indicates the size of
34208 the breakpoint in bytes that should be inserted. E.g., the @sc{arm}
34209 and @sc{mips} can insert either a 2 or 4 byte breakpoint. Some
34210 architectures have additional meanings for @var{kind};
34211 see @ref{Architecture-Specific Protocol Details}.
34212
34213 @emph{Implementation note: It is possible for a target to copy or move
34214 code that contains memory breakpoints (e.g., when implementing
34215 overlays). The behavior of this packet, in the presence of such a
34216 target, is not defined.}
34217
34218 Reply:
34219 @table @samp
34220 @item OK
34221 success
34222 @item
34223 not supported
34224 @item E @var{NN}
34225 for an error
34226 @end table
34227
34228 @item z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34229 @itemx Z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34230 @cindex @samp{z1} packet
34231 @cindex @samp{Z1} packet
34232 Insert (@samp{Z1}) or remove (@samp{z1}) a hardware breakpoint at
34233 address @var{addr}.
34234
34235 A hardware breakpoint is implemented using a mechanism that is not
34236 dependant on being able to modify the target's memory. @var{kind}
34237 has the same meaning as in @samp{Z0} packets.
34238
34239 @emph{Implementation note: A hardware breakpoint is not affected by code
34240 movement.}
34241
34242 Reply:
34243 @table @samp
34244 @item OK
34245 success
34246 @item
34247 not supported
34248 @item E @var{NN}
34249 for an error
34250 @end table
34251
34252 @item z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34253 @itemx Z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34254 @cindex @samp{z2} packet
34255 @cindex @samp{Z2} packet
34256 Insert (@samp{Z2}) or remove (@samp{z2}) a write watchpoint at @var{addr}.
34257 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
34258
34259 Reply:
34260 @table @samp
34261 @item OK
34262 success
34263 @item
34264 not supported
34265 @item E @var{NN}
34266 for an error
34267 @end table
34268
34269 @item z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34270 @itemx Z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34271 @cindex @samp{z3} packet
34272 @cindex @samp{Z3} packet
34273 Insert (@samp{Z3}) or remove (@samp{z3}) a read watchpoint at @var{addr}.
34274 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
34275
34276 Reply:
34277 @table @samp
34278 @item OK
34279 success
34280 @item
34281 not supported
34282 @item E @var{NN}
34283 for an error
34284 @end table
34285
34286 @item z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34287 @itemx Z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
34288 @cindex @samp{z4} packet
34289 @cindex @samp{Z4} packet
34290 Insert (@samp{Z4}) or remove (@samp{z4}) an access watchpoint at @var{addr}.
34291 @var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
34292
34293 Reply:
34294 @table @samp
34295 @item OK
34296 success
34297 @item
34298 not supported
34299 @item E @var{NN}
34300 for an error
34301 @end table
34302
34303 @end table
34304
34305 @node Stop Reply Packets
34306 @section Stop Reply Packets
34307 @cindex stop reply packets
34308
34309 The @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}, @samp{s}, @samp{vCont},
34310 @samp{vAttach}, @samp{vRun}, @samp{vStopped}, and @samp{?} packets can
34311 receive any of the below as a reply. Except for @samp{?}
34312 and @samp{vStopped}, that reply is only returned
34313 when the target halts. In the below the exact meaning of @dfn{signal
34314 number} is defined by the header @file{include/gdb/signals.h} in the
34315 @value{GDBN} source code.
34316
34317 As in the description of request packets, we include spaces in the
34318 reply templates for clarity; these are not part of the reply packet's
34319 syntax. No @value{GDBN} stop reply packet uses spaces to separate its
34320 components.
34321
34322 @table @samp
34323
34324 @item S @var{AA}
34325 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
34326 number). This is equivalent to a @samp{T} response with no
34327 @var{n}:@var{r} pairs.
34328
34329 @item T @var{AA} @var{n1}:@var{r1};@var{n2}:@var{r2};@dots{}
34330 @cindex @samp{T} packet reply
34331 The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
34332 number). This is equivalent to an @samp{S} response, except that the
34333 @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pairs can carry values of important registers
34334 and other information directly in the stop reply packet, reducing
34335 round-trip latency. Single-step and breakpoint traps are reported
34336 this way. Each @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair is interpreted as follows:
34337
34338 @itemize @bullet
34339 @item
34340 If @var{n} is a hexadecimal number, it is a register number, and the
34341 corresponding @var{r} gives that register's value. @var{r} is a
34342 series of bytes in target byte order, with each byte given by a
34343 two-digit hex number.
34344
34345 @item
34346 If @var{n} is @samp{thread}, then @var{r} is the @var{thread-id} of
34347 the stopped thread, as specified in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
34348
34349 @item
34350 If @var{n} is @samp{core}, then @var{r} is the hexadecimal number of
34351 the core on which the stop event was detected.
34352
34353 @item
34354 If @var{n} is a recognized @dfn{stop reason}, it describes a more
34355 specific event that stopped the target. The currently defined stop
34356 reasons are listed below. @var{aa} should be @samp{05}, the trap
34357 signal. At most one stop reason should be present.
34358
34359 @item
34360 Otherwise, @value{GDBN} should ignore this @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair
34361 and go on to the next; this allows us to extend the protocol in the
34362 future.
34363 @end itemize
34364
34365 The currently defined stop reasons are:
34366
34367 @table @samp
34368 @item watch
34369 @itemx rwatch
34370 @itemx awatch
34371 The packet indicates a watchpoint hit, and @var{r} is the data address, in
34372 hex.
34373
34374 @cindex shared library events, remote reply
34375 @item library
34376 The packet indicates that the loaded libraries have changed.
34377 @value{GDBN} should use @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} to fetch a new
34378 list of loaded libraries. @var{r} is ignored.
34379
34380 @cindex replay log events, remote reply
34381 @item replaylog
34382 The packet indicates that the target cannot continue replaying
34383 logged execution events, because it has reached the end (or the
34384 beginning when executing backward) of the log. The value of @var{r}
34385 will be either @samp{begin} or @samp{end}. @xref{Reverse Execution},
34386 for more information.
34387 @end table
34388
34389 @item W @var{AA}
34390 @itemx W @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
34391 The process exited, and @var{AA} is the exit status. This is only
34392 applicable to certain targets.
34393
34394 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the exited
34395 process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported support for
34396 multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
34397 The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
34398
34399 @item X @var{AA}
34400 @itemx X @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
34401 The process terminated with signal @var{AA}.
34402
34403 The second form of the response, including the process ID of the
34404 terminated process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported
34405 support for multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess
34406 extensions}. The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
34407
34408 @item O @var{XX}@dots{}
34409 @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data, to be
34410 written as the program's console output. This can happen at any time
34411 while the program is running and the debugger should continue to wait
34412 for @samp{W}, @samp{T}, etc. This reply is not permitted in non-stop mode.
34413
34414 @item F @var{call-id},@var{parameter}@dots{}
34415 @var{call-id} is the identifier which says which host system call should
34416 be called. This is just the name of the function. Translation into the
34417 correct system call is only applicable as it's defined in @value{GDBN}.
34418 @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for a list of implemented
34419 system calls.
34420
34421 @samp{@var{parameter}@dots{}} is a list of parameters as defined for
34422 this very system call.
34423
34424 The target replies with this packet when it expects @value{GDBN} to
34425 call a host system call on behalf of the target. @value{GDBN} replies
34426 with an appropriate @samp{F} packet and keeps up waiting for the next
34427 reply packet from the target. The latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
34428 or @samp{s} action is expected to be continued. @xref{File-I/O Remote
34429 Protocol Extension}, for more details.
34430
34431 @end table
34432
34433 @node General Query Packets
34434 @section General Query Packets
34435 @cindex remote query requests
34436
34437 Packets starting with @samp{q} are @dfn{general query packets};
34438 packets starting with @samp{Q} are @dfn{general set packets}. General
34439 query and set packets are a semi-unified form for retrieving and
34440 sending information to and from the stub.
34441
34442 The initial letter of a query or set packet is followed by a name
34443 indicating what sort of thing the packet applies to. For example,
34444 @value{GDBN} may use a @samp{qSymbol} packet to exchange symbol
34445 definitions with the stub. These packet names follow some
34446 conventions:
34447
34448 @itemize @bullet
34449 @item
34450 The name must not contain commas, colons or semicolons.
34451 @item
34452 Most @value{GDBN} query and set packets have a leading upper case
34453 letter.
34454 @item
34455 The names of custom vendor packets should use a company prefix, in
34456 lower case, followed by a period. For example, packets designed at
34457 the Acme Corporation might begin with @samp{qacme.foo} (for querying
34458 foos) or @samp{Qacme.bar} (for setting bars).
34459 @end itemize
34460
34461 The name of a query or set packet should be separated from any
34462 parameters by a @samp{:}; the parameters themselves should be
34463 separated by @samp{,} or @samp{;}. Stubs must be careful to match the
34464 full packet name, and check for a separator or the end of the packet,
34465 in case two packet names share a common prefix. New packets should not begin
34466 with @samp{qC}, @samp{qP}, or @samp{qL}@footnote{The @samp{qP} and @samp{qL}
34467 packets predate these conventions, and have arguments without any terminator
34468 for the packet name; we suspect they are in widespread use in places that
34469 are difficult to upgrade. The @samp{qC} packet has no arguments, but some
34470 existing stubs (e.g.@: RedBoot) are known to not check for the end of the
34471 packet.}.
34472
34473 Like the descriptions of the other packets, each description here
34474 has a template showing the packet's overall syntax, followed by an
34475 explanation of the packet's meaning. We include spaces in some of the
34476 templates for clarity; these are not part of the packet's syntax. No
34477 @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to separate its components.
34478
34479 Here are the currently defined query and set packets:
34480
34481 @table @samp
34482
34483 @item QAllow:@var{op}:@var{val}@dots{}
34484 @cindex @samp{QAllow} packet
34485 Specify which operations @value{GDBN} expects to request of the
34486 target, as a semicolon-separated list of operation name and value
34487 pairs. Possible values for @var{op} include @samp{WriteReg},
34488 @samp{WriteMem}, @samp{InsertBreak}, @samp{InsertTrace},
34489 @samp{InsertFastTrace}, and @samp{Stop}. @var{val} is either 0,
34490 indicating that @value{GDBN} will not request the operation, or 1,
34491 indicating that it may. (The target can then use this to set up its
34492 own internals optimally, for instance if the debugger never expects to
34493 insert breakpoints, it may not need to install its own trap handler.)
34494
34495 @item qC
34496 @cindex current thread, remote request
34497 @cindex @samp{qC} packet
34498 Return the current thread ID.
34499
34500 Reply:
34501 @table @samp
34502 @item QC @var{thread-id}
34503 Where @var{thread-id} is a thread ID as documented in
34504 @ref{thread-id syntax}.
34505 @item @r{(anything else)}
34506 Any other reply implies the old thread ID.
34507 @end table
34508
34509 @item qCRC:@var{addr},@var{length}
34510 @cindex CRC of memory block, remote request
34511 @cindex @samp{qCRC} packet
34512 Compute the CRC checksum of a block of memory using CRC-32 defined in
34513 IEEE 802.3. The CRC is computed byte at a time, taking the most
34514 significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern code
34515 @code{0xffffffff} is used to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC.
34516
34517 @emph{Note:} This is the same CRC used in validating separate debug
34518 files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files, , Debugging Information in Separate
34519 Files}). However the algorithm is slightly different. When validating
34520 separate debug files, the CRC is computed taking the @emph{least}
34521 significant bit of each byte first, and the final result is inverted to
34522 detect trailing zeros.
34523
34524 Reply:
34525 @table @samp
34526 @item E @var{NN}
34527 An error (such as memory fault)
34528 @item C @var{crc32}
34529 The specified memory region's checksum is @var{crc32}.
34530 @end table
34531
34532 @item QDisableRandomization:@var{value}
34533 @cindex disable address space randomization, remote request
34534 @cindex @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet
34535 Some target operating systems will randomize the virtual address space
34536 of the inferior process as a security feature, but provide a feature
34537 to disable such randomization, e.g.@: to allow for a more deterministic
34538 debugging experience. On such systems, this packet with a @var{value}
34539 of 1 directs the target to disable address space randomization for
34540 processes subsequently started via @samp{vRun} packets, while a packet
34541 with a @var{value} of 0 tells the target to enable address space
34542 randomization.
34543
34544 This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
34545
34546 Reply:
34547 @table @samp
34548 @item OK
34549 The request succeeded.
34550
34551 @item E @var{nn}
34552 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34553
34554 @item
34555 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QDisableRandomization} is not supported
34556 by the stub.
34557 @end table
34558
34559 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34560 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34561 This should only be done on targets that actually support disabling
34562 address space randomization.
34563
34564 @item qfThreadInfo
34565 @itemx qsThreadInfo
34566 @cindex list active threads, remote request
34567 @cindex @samp{qfThreadInfo} packet
34568 @cindex @samp{qsThreadInfo} packet
34569 Obtain a list of all active thread IDs from the target (OS). Since there
34570 may be too many active threads to fit into one reply packet, this query
34571 works iteratively: it may require more than one query/reply sequence to
34572 obtain the entire list of threads. The first query of the sequence will
34573 be the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query; subsequent queries in the
34574 sequence will be the @samp{qsThreadInfo} query.
34575
34576 NOTE: This packet replaces the @samp{qL} query (see below).
34577
34578 Reply:
34579 @table @samp
34580 @item m @var{thread-id}
34581 A single thread ID
34582 @item m @var{thread-id},@var{thread-id}@dots{}
34583 a comma-separated list of thread IDs
34584 @item l
34585 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
34586 @end table
34587
34588 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
34589 more thread IDs, separated by commas.
34590 @value{GDBN} will respond to each reply with a request for more thread
34591 ids (using the @samp{qs} form of the query), until the target responds
34592 with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for @dfn{last}).
34593 Refer to @ref{thread-id syntax}, for the format of the @var{thread-id}
34594 fields.
34595
34596 @item qGetTLSAddr:@var{thread-id},@var{offset},@var{lm}
34597 @cindex get thread-local storage address, remote request
34598 @cindex @samp{qGetTLSAddr} packet
34599 Fetch the address associated with thread local storage specified
34600 by @var{thread-id}, @var{offset}, and @var{lm}.
34601
34602 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the
34603 thread for which to fetch the TLS address. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
34604
34605 @var{offset} is the (big endian, hex encoded) offset associated with the
34606 thread local variable. (This offset is obtained from the debug
34607 information associated with the variable.)
34608
34609 @var{lm} is the (big endian, hex encoded) OS/ABI-specific encoding of the
34610 load module associated with the thread local storage. For example,
34611 a @sc{gnu}/Linux system will pass the link map address of the shared
34612 object associated with the thread local storage under consideration.
34613 Other operating environments may choose to represent the load module
34614 differently, so the precise meaning of this parameter will vary.
34615
34616 Reply:
34617 @table @samp
34618 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
34619 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the address of the thread
34620 local storage requested.
34621
34622 @item E @var{nn}
34623 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34624
34625 @item
34626 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTLSAddr} is not supported by the stub.
34627 @end table
34628
34629 @item qGetTIBAddr:@var{thread-id}
34630 @cindex get thread information block address
34631 @cindex @samp{qGetTIBAddr} packet
34632 Fetch address of the Windows OS specific Thread Information Block.
34633
34634 @var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the thread.
34635
34636 Reply:
34637 @table @samp
34638 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
34639 Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the linear address of the
34640 thread information block.
34641
34642 @item E @var{nn}
34643 An error occured. This means that either the thread was not found, or the
34644 address could not be retrieved.
34645
34646 @item
34647 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTIBAddr} is not supported by the stub.
34648 @end table
34649
34650 @item qL @var{startflag} @var{threadcount} @var{nextthread}
34651 Obtain thread information from RTOS. Where: @var{startflag} (one hex
34652 digit) is one to indicate the first query and zero to indicate a
34653 subsequent query; @var{threadcount} (two hex digits) is the maximum
34654 number of threads the response packet can contain; and @var{nextthread}
34655 (eight hex digits), for subsequent queries (@var{startflag} is zero), is
34656 returned in the response as @var{argthread}.
34657
34658 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query instead (see above).
34659
34660 Reply:
34661 @table @samp
34662 @item qM @var{count} @var{done} @var{argthread} @var{thread}@dots{}
34663 Where: @var{count} (two hex digits) is the number of threads being
34664 returned; @var{done} (one hex digit) is zero to indicate more threads
34665 and one indicates no further threads; @var{argthreadid} (eight hex
34666 digits) is @var{nextthread} from the request packet; @var{thread}@dots{}
34667 is a sequence of thread IDs from the target. @var{threadid} (eight hex
34668 digits). See @code{remote.c:parse_threadlist_response()}.
34669 @end table
34670
34671 @item qOffsets
34672 @cindex section offsets, remote request
34673 @cindex @samp{qOffsets} packet
34674 Get section offsets that the target used when relocating the downloaded
34675 image.
34676
34677 Reply:
34678 @table @samp
34679 @item Text=@var{xxx};Data=@var{yyy}@r{[};Bss=@var{zzz}@r{]}
34680 Relocate the @code{Text} section by @var{xxx} from its original address.
34681 Relocate the @code{Data} section by @var{yyy} from its original address.
34682 If the object file format provides segment information (e.g.@: @sc{elf}
34683 @samp{PT_LOAD} program headers), @value{GDBN} will relocate entire
34684 segments by the supplied offsets.
34685
34686 @emph{Note: while a @code{Bss} offset may be included in the response,
34687 @value{GDBN} ignores this and instead applies the @code{Data} offset
34688 to the @code{Bss} section.}
34689
34690 @item TextSeg=@var{xxx}@r{[};DataSeg=@var{yyy}@r{]}
34691 Relocate the first segment of the object file, which conventionally
34692 contains program code, to a starting address of @var{xxx}. If
34693 @samp{DataSeg} is specified, relocate the second segment, which
34694 conventionally contains modifiable data, to a starting address of
34695 @var{yyy}. @value{GDBN} will report an error if the object file
34696 does not contain segment information, or does not contain at least
34697 as many segments as mentioned in the reply. Extra segments are
34698 kept at fixed offsets relative to the last relocated segment.
34699 @end table
34700
34701 @item qP @var{mode} @var{thread-id}
34702 @cindex thread information, remote request
34703 @cindex @samp{qP} packet
34704 Returns information on @var{thread-id}. Where: @var{mode} is a hex
34705 encoded 32 bit mode; @var{thread-id} is a thread ID
34706 (@pxref{thread-id syntax}).
34707
34708 Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} query instead
34709 (see below).
34710
34711 Reply: see @code{remote.c:remote_unpack_thread_info_response()}.
34712
34713 @item QNonStop:1
34714 @item QNonStop:0
34715 @cindex non-stop mode, remote request
34716 @cindex @samp{QNonStop} packet
34717 @anchor{QNonStop}
34718 Enter non-stop (@samp{QNonStop:1}) or all-stop (@samp{QNonStop:0}) mode.
34719 @xref{Remote Non-Stop}, for more information.
34720
34721 Reply:
34722 @table @samp
34723 @item OK
34724 The request succeeded.
34725
34726 @item E @var{nn}
34727 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34728
34729 @item
34730 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QNonStop} is not supported by
34731 the stub.
34732 @end table
34733
34734 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34735 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34736 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set non-stop} command;
34737 @pxref{Non-Stop Mode}.
34738
34739 @item QPassSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
34740 @cindex pass signals to inferior, remote request
34741 @cindex @samp{QPassSignals} packet
34742 @anchor{QPassSignals}
34743 Each listed @var{signal} should be passed directly to the inferior process.
34744 Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
34745 (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
34746 strictly greater than the previous item. These signals do not need to stop
34747 the inferior, or be reported to @value{GDBN}. All other signals should be
34748 reported to @value{GDBN}. Multiple @samp{QPassSignals} packets do not
34749 combine; any earlier @samp{QPassSignals} list is completely replaced by the
34750 new list. This packet improves performance when using @samp{handle
34751 @var{signal} nostop noprint pass}.
34752
34753 Reply:
34754 @table @samp
34755 @item OK
34756 The request succeeded.
34757
34758 @item E @var{nn}
34759 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34760
34761 @item
34762 An empty reply indicates that @samp{QPassSignals} is not supported by
34763 the stub.
34764 @end table
34765
34766 Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote pass-signals}
34767 command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote pass-signals}).
34768 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34769 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34770
34771 @item qRcmd,@var{command}
34772 @cindex execute remote command, remote request
34773 @cindex @samp{qRcmd} packet
34774 @var{command} (hex encoded) is passed to the local interpreter for
34775 execution. Invalid commands should be reported using the output
34776 string. Before the final result packet, the target may also respond
34777 with a number of intermediate @samp{O@var{output}} console output
34778 packets. @emph{Implementors should note that providing access to a
34779 stubs's interpreter may have security implications}.
34780
34781 Reply:
34782 @table @samp
34783 @item OK
34784 A command response with no output.
34785 @item @var{OUTPUT}
34786 A command response with the hex encoded output string @var{OUTPUT}.
34787 @item E @var{NN}
34788 Indicate a badly formed request.
34789 @item
34790 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qRcmd} is not recognized.
34791 @end table
34792
34793 (Note that the @code{qRcmd} packet's name is separated from the
34794 command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
34795 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
34796 packets.)
34797
34798 @item qSearch:memory:@var{address};@var{length};@var{search-pattern}
34799 @cindex searching memory, in remote debugging
34800 @cindex @samp{qSearch:memory} packet
34801 @anchor{qSearch memory}
34802 Search @var{length} bytes at @var{address} for @var{search-pattern}.
34803 @var{address} and @var{length} are encoded in hex.
34804 @var{search-pattern} is a sequence of bytes, hex encoded.
34805
34806 Reply:
34807 @table @samp
34808 @item 0
34809 The pattern was not found.
34810 @item 1,address
34811 The pattern was found at @var{address}.
34812 @item E @var{NN}
34813 A badly formed request or an error was encountered while searching memory.
34814 @item
34815 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSearch:memory} is not recognized.
34816 @end table
34817
34818 @item QStartNoAckMode
34819 @cindex @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet
34820 @anchor{QStartNoAckMode}
34821 Request that the remote stub disable the normal @samp{+}/@samp{-}
34822 protocol acknowledgments (@pxref{Packet Acknowledgment}).
34823
34824 Reply:
34825 @table @samp
34826 @item OK
34827 The stub has switched to no-acknowledgment mode.
34828 @value{GDBN} acknowledges this reponse,
34829 but neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or expect further
34830 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments in the current connection.
34831 @item
34832 An empty reply indicates that the stub does not support no-acknowledgment mode.
34833 @end table
34834
34835 @item qSupported @r{[}:@var{gdbfeature} @r{[};@var{gdbfeature}@r{]}@dots{} @r{]}
34836 @cindex supported packets, remote query
34837 @cindex features of the remote protocol
34838 @cindex @samp{qSupported} packet
34839 @anchor{qSupported}
34840 Tell the remote stub about features supported by @value{GDBN}, and
34841 query the stub for features it supports. This packet allows
34842 @value{GDBN} and the remote stub to take advantage of each others'
34843 features. @samp{qSupported} also consolidates multiple feature probes
34844 at startup, to improve @value{GDBN} performance---a single larger
34845 packet performs better than multiple smaller probe packets on
34846 high-latency links. Some features may enable behavior which must not
34847 be on by default, e.g.@: because it would confuse older clients or
34848 stubs. Other features may describe packets which could be
34849 automatically probed for, but are not. These features must be
34850 reported before @value{GDBN} will use them. This ``default
34851 unsupported'' behavior is not appropriate for all packets, but it
34852 helps to keep the initial connection time under control with new
34853 versions of @value{GDBN} which support increasing numbers of packets.
34854
34855 Reply:
34856 @table @samp
34857 @item @var{stubfeature} @r{[};@var{stubfeature}@r{]}@dots{}
34858 The stub supports or does not support each returned @var{stubfeature},
34859 depending on the form of each @var{stubfeature} (see below for the
34860 possible forms).
34861 @item
34862 An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSupported} is not recognized,
34863 or that no features needed to be reported to @value{GDBN}.
34864 @end table
34865
34866 The allowed forms for each feature (either a @var{gdbfeature} in the
34867 @samp{qSupported} packet, or a @var{stubfeature} in the response)
34868 are:
34869
34870 @table @samp
34871 @item @var{name}=@var{value}
34872 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and associated
34873 with the specified @var{value}. The format of @var{value} depends
34874 on the feature, but it must not include a semicolon.
34875 @item @var{name}+
34876 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and does not
34877 need an associated value.
34878 @item @var{name}-
34879 The remote protocol feature @var{name} is not supported.
34880 @item @var{name}?
34881 The remote protocol feature @var{name} may be supported, and
34882 @value{GDBN} should auto-detect support in some other way when it is
34883 needed. This form will not be used for @var{gdbfeature} notifications,
34884 but may be used for @var{stubfeature} responses.
34885 @end table
34886
34887 Whenever the stub receives a @samp{qSupported} request, the
34888 supplied set of @value{GDBN} features should override any previous
34889 request. This allows @value{GDBN} to put the stub in a known
34890 state, even if the stub had previously been communicating with
34891 a different version of @value{GDBN}.
34892
34893 The following values of @var{gdbfeature} (for the packet sent by @value{GDBN})
34894 are defined:
34895
34896 @table @samp
34897 @item multiprocess
34898 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports multiprocess
34899 extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
34900 extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
34901 including @samp{multiprocess+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
34902 @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for details.
34903
34904 @item xmlRegisters
34905 This feature indicates that @value{GDBN} supports the XML target
34906 description. If the stub sees @samp{xmlRegisters=} with target
34907 specific strings separated by a comma, it will report register
34908 description.
34909
34910 @item qRelocInsn
34911 This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the
34912 @samp{qRelocInsn} packet (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
34913 instruction reply packet}).
34914 @end table
34915
34916 Stubs should ignore any unknown values for
34917 @var{gdbfeature}. Any @value{GDBN} which sends a @samp{qSupported}
34918 packet supports receiving packets of unlimited length (earlier
34919 versions of @value{GDBN} may reject overly long responses). Additional values
34920 for @var{gdbfeature} may be defined in the future to let the stub take
34921 advantage of new features in @value{GDBN}, e.g.@: incompatible
34922 improvements in the remote protocol---the @samp{multiprocess} feature is
34923 an example of such a feature. The stub's reply should be independent
34924 of the @var{gdbfeature} entries sent by @value{GDBN}; first @value{GDBN}
34925 describes all the features it supports, and then the stub replies with
34926 all the features it supports.
34927
34928 Similarly, @value{GDBN} will silently ignore unrecognized stub feature
34929 responses, as long as each response uses one of the standard forms.
34930
34931 Some features are flags. A stub which supports a flag feature
34932 should respond with a @samp{+} form response. Other features
34933 require values, and the stub should respond with an @samp{=}
34934 form response.
34935
34936 Each feature has a default value, which @value{GDBN} will use if
34937 @samp{qSupported} is not available or if the feature is not mentioned
34938 in the @samp{qSupported} response. The default values are fixed; a
34939 stub is free to omit any feature responses that match the defaults.
34940
34941 Not all features can be probed, but for those which can, the probing
34942 mechanism is useful: in some cases, a stub's internal
34943 architecture may not allow the protocol layer to know some information
34944 about the underlying target in advance. This is especially common in
34945 stubs which may be configured for multiple targets.
34946
34947 These are the currently defined stub features and their properties:
34948
34949 @multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.2 0.12 0.2
34950 @c NOTE: The first row should be @headitem, but we do not yet require
34951 @c a new enough version of Texinfo (4.7) to use @headitem.
34952 @item Feature Name
34953 @tab Value Required
34954 @tab Default
34955 @tab Probe Allowed
34956
34957 @item @samp{PacketSize}
34958 @tab Yes
34959 @tab @samp{-}
34960 @tab No
34961
34962 @item @samp{qXfer:auxv:read}
34963 @tab No
34964 @tab @samp{-}
34965 @tab Yes
34966
34967 @item @samp{qXfer:features:read}
34968 @tab No
34969 @tab @samp{-}
34970 @tab Yes
34971
34972 @item @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
34973 @tab No
34974 @tab @samp{-}
34975 @tab Yes
34976
34977 @item @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
34978 @tab No
34979 @tab @samp{-}
34980 @tab Yes
34981
34982 @item @samp{qXfer:sdata:read}
34983 @tab No
34984 @tab @samp{-}
34985 @tab Yes
34986
34987 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:read}
34988 @tab No
34989 @tab @samp{-}
34990 @tab Yes
34991
34992 @item @samp{qXfer:spu:write}
34993 @tab No
34994 @tab @samp{-}
34995 @tab Yes
34996
34997 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read}
34998 @tab No
34999 @tab @samp{-}
35000 @tab Yes
35001
35002 @item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write}
35003 @tab No
35004 @tab @samp{-}
35005 @tab Yes
35006
35007 @item @samp{qXfer:threads:read}
35008 @tab No
35009 @tab @samp{-}
35010 @tab Yes
35011
35012 @item @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
35013 @tab No
35014 @tab @samp{-}
35015 @tab Yes
35016
35017 @item @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
35018 @tab No
35019 @tab @samp{-}
35020 @tab Yes
35021
35022 @item @samp{QNonStop}
35023 @tab No
35024 @tab @samp{-}
35025 @tab Yes
35026
35027 @item @samp{QPassSignals}
35028 @tab No
35029 @tab @samp{-}
35030 @tab Yes
35031
35032 @item @samp{QStartNoAckMode}
35033 @tab No
35034 @tab @samp{-}
35035 @tab Yes
35036
35037 @item @samp{multiprocess}
35038 @tab No
35039 @tab @samp{-}
35040 @tab No
35041
35042 @item @samp{ConditionalTracepoints}
35043 @tab No
35044 @tab @samp{-}
35045 @tab No
35046
35047 @item @samp{ReverseContinue}
35048 @tab No
35049 @tab @samp{-}
35050 @tab No
35051
35052 @item @samp{ReverseStep}
35053 @tab No
35054 @tab @samp{-}
35055 @tab No
35056
35057 @item @samp{TracepointSource}
35058 @tab No
35059 @tab @samp{-}
35060 @tab No
35061
35062 @item @samp{QAllow}
35063 @tab No
35064 @tab @samp{-}
35065 @tab No
35066
35067 @item @samp{QDisableRandomization}
35068 @tab No
35069 @tab @samp{-}
35070 @tab No
35071
35072 @item @samp{EnableDisableTracepoints}
35073 @tab No
35074 @tab @samp{-}
35075 @tab No
35076
35077 @item @samp{tracenz}
35078 @tab No
35079 @tab @samp{-}
35080 @tab No
35081
35082 @end multitable
35083
35084 These are the currently defined stub features, in more detail:
35085
35086 @table @samp
35087 @cindex packet size, remote protocol
35088 @item PacketSize=@var{bytes}
35089 The remote stub can accept packets up to at least @var{bytes} in
35090 length. @value{GDBN} will send packets up to this size for bulk
35091 transfers, and will never send larger packets. This is a limit on the
35092 data characters in the packet, including the frame and checksum.
35093 There is no trailing NUL byte in a remote protocol packet; if the stub
35094 stores packets in a NUL-terminated format, it should allow an extra
35095 byte in its buffer for the NUL. If this stub feature is not supported,
35096 @value{GDBN} guesses based on the size of the @samp{g} packet response.
35097
35098 @item qXfer:auxv:read
35099 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet
35100 (@pxref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}).
35101
35102 @item qXfer:features:read
35103 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:features:read} packet
35104 (@pxref{qXfer target description read}).
35105
35106 @item qXfer:libraries:read
35107 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet
35108 (@pxref{qXfer library list read}).
35109
35110 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read
35111 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet
35112 (@pxref{qXfer svr4 library list read}).
35113
35114 @item qXfer:memory-map:read
35115 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read} packet
35116 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}).
35117
35118 @item qXfer:sdata:read
35119 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:sdata:read} packet
35120 (@pxref{qXfer sdata read}).
35121
35122 @item qXfer:spu:read
35123 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:read} packet
35124 (@pxref{qXfer spu read}).
35125
35126 @item qXfer:spu:write
35127 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:write} packet
35128 (@pxref{qXfer spu write}).
35129
35130 @item qXfer:siginfo:read
35131 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read} packet
35132 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo read}).
35133
35134 @item qXfer:siginfo:write
35135 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write} packet
35136 (@pxref{qXfer siginfo write}).
35137
35138 @item qXfer:threads:read
35139 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
35140 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}).
35141
35142 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read
35143 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
35144 packet (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}).
35145
35146 @item qXfer:fdpic:read
35147 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
35148 packet (@pxref{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}).
35149
35150 @item QNonStop
35151 The remote stub understands the @samp{QNonStop} packet
35152 (@pxref{QNonStop}).
35153
35154 @item QPassSignals
35155 The remote stub understands the @samp{QPassSignals} packet
35156 (@pxref{QPassSignals}).
35157
35158 @item QStartNoAckMode
35159 The remote stub understands the @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet and
35160 prefers to operate in no-acknowledgment mode. @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}.
35161
35162 @item multiprocess
35163 @anchor{multiprocess extensions}
35164 @cindex multiprocess extensions, in remote protocol
35165 The remote stub understands the multiprocess extensions to the remote
35166 protocol syntax. The multiprocess extensions affect the syntax of
35167 thread IDs in both packets and replies (@pxref{thread-id syntax}), and
35168 add process IDs to the @samp{D} packet and @samp{W} and @samp{X}
35169 replies. Note that reporting this feature indicates support for the
35170 syntactic extensions only, not that the stub necessarily supports
35171 debugging of more than one process at a time. The stub must not use
35172 multiprocess extensions in packet replies unless @value{GDBN} has also
35173 indicated it supports them in its @samp{qSupported} request.
35174
35175 @item qXfer:osdata:read
35176 The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet
35177 ((@pxref{qXfer osdata read}).
35178
35179 @item ConditionalTracepoints
35180 The remote stub accepts and implements conditional expressions defined
35181 for tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoint Conditions}).
35182
35183 @item ReverseContinue
35184 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse continue packet
35185 (@pxref{bc}).
35186
35187 @item ReverseStep
35188 The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse step packet
35189 (@pxref{bs}).
35190
35191 @item TracepointSource
35192 The remote stub understands the @samp{QTDPsrc} packet that supplies
35193 the source form of tracepoint definitions.
35194
35195 @item QAllow
35196 The remote stub understands the @samp{QAllow} packet.
35197
35198 @item QDisableRandomization
35199 The remote stub understands the @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet.
35200
35201 @item StaticTracepoint
35202 @cindex static tracepoints, in remote protocol
35203 The remote stub supports static tracepoints.
35204
35205 @item InstallInTrace
35206 @anchor{install tracepoint in tracing}
35207 The remote stub supports installing tracepoint in tracing.
35208
35209 @item EnableDisableTracepoints
35210 The remote stub supports the @samp{QTEnable} (@pxref{QTEnable}) and
35211 @samp{QTDisable} (@pxref{QTDisable}) packets that allow tracepoints
35212 to be enabled and disabled while a trace experiment is running.
35213
35214 @item tracenz
35215 @cindex string tracing, in remote protocol
35216 The remote stub supports the @samp{tracenz} bytecode for collecting strings.
35217 See @ref{Bytecode Descriptions} for details about the bytecode.
35218
35219 @end table
35220
35221 @item qSymbol::
35222 @cindex symbol lookup, remote request
35223 @cindex @samp{qSymbol} packet
35224 Notify the target that @value{GDBN} is prepared to serve symbol lookup
35225 requests. Accept requests from the target for the values of symbols.
35226
35227 Reply:
35228 @table @samp
35229 @item OK
35230 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
35231 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
35232 The target requests the value of symbol @var{sym_name} (hex encoded).
35233 @value{GDBN} may provide the value by using the
35234 @samp{qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}} message, described
35235 below.
35236 @end table
35237
35238 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}
35239 Set the value of @var{sym_name} to @var{sym_value}.
35240
35241 @var{sym_name} (hex encoded) is the name of a symbol whose value the
35242 target has previously requested.
35243
35244 @var{sym_value} (hex) is the value for symbol @var{sym_name}. If
35245 @value{GDBN} cannot supply a value for @var{sym_name}, then this field
35246 will be empty.
35247
35248 Reply:
35249 @table @samp
35250 @item OK
35251 The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
35252 @item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
35253 The target requests the value of a new symbol @var{sym_name} (hex
35254 encoded). @value{GDBN} will continue to supply the values of symbols
35255 (if available), until the target ceases to request them.
35256 @end table
35257
35258 @item qTBuffer
35259 @item QTBuffer
35260 @item QTDisconnected
35261 @itemx QTDP
35262 @itemx QTDPsrc
35263 @itemx QTDV
35264 @itemx qTfP
35265 @itemx qTfV
35266 @itemx QTFrame
35267 @itemx qTMinFTPILen
35268
35269 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
35270
35271 @item qThreadExtraInfo,@var{thread-id}
35272 @cindex thread attributes info, remote request
35273 @cindex @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} packet
35274 Obtain a printable string description of a thread's attributes from
35275 the target OS. @var{thread-id} is a thread ID;
35276 see @ref{thread-id syntax}. This
35277 string may contain anything that the target OS thinks is interesting
35278 for @value{GDBN} to tell the user about the thread. The string is
35279 displayed in @value{GDBN}'s @code{info threads} display. Some
35280 examples of possible thread extra info strings are @samp{Runnable}, or
35281 @samp{Blocked on Mutex}.
35282
35283 Reply:
35284 @table @samp
35285 @item @var{XX}@dots{}
35286 Where @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is a hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data,
35287 comprising the printable string containing the extra information about
35288 the thread's attributes.
35289 @end table
35290
35291 (Note that the @code{qThreadExtraInfo} packet's name is separated from
35292 the command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
35293 conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
35294 packets.)
35295
35296 @item QTNotes
35297 @item qTP
35298 @item QTSave
35299 @item qTsP
35300 @item qTsV
35301 @itemx QTStart
35302 @itemx QTStop
35303 @itemx QTEnable
35304 @itemx QTDisable
35305 @itemx QTinit
35306 @itemx QTro
35307 @itemx qTStatus
35308 @itemx qTV
35309 @itemx qTfSTM
35310 @itemx qTsSTM
35311 @itemx qTSTMat
35312 @xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
35313
35314 @item qXfer:@var{object}:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35315 @cindex read special object, remote request
35316 @cindex @samp{qXfer} packet
35317 @anchor{qXfer read}
35318 Read uninterpreted bytes from the target's special data area
35319 identified by the keyword @var{object}. Request @var{length} bytes
35320 starting at @var{offset} bytes into the data. The content and
35321 encoding of @var{annex} is specific to @var{object}; it can supply
35322 additional details about what data to access.
35323
35324 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
35325 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:read:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
35326 formats, listed below.
35327
35328 @table @samp
35329 @item qXfer:auxv:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35330 @anchor{qXfer auxiliary vector read}
35331 Access the target's @dfn{auxiliary vector}. @xref{OS Information,
35332 auxiliary vector}. Note @var{annex} must be empty.
35333
35334 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35335 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35336
35337 @item qXfer:features:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35338 @anchor{qXfer target description read}
35339 Access the @dfn{target description}. @xref{Target Descriptions}. The
35340 annex specifies which XML document to access. The main description is
35341 always loaded from the @samp{target.xml} annex.
35342
35343 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35344 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35345
35346 @item qXfer:libraries:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35347 @anchor{qXfer library list read}
35348 Access the target's list of loaded libraries. @xref{Library List Format}.
35349 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
35350 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35351
35352 Targets which maintain a list of libraries in the program's memory do
35353 not need to implement this packet; it is designed for platforms where
35354 the operating system manages the list of loaded libraries.
35355
35356 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35357 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35358
35359 @item qXfer:libraries-svr4:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35360 @anchor{qXfer svr4 library list read}
35361 Access the target's list of loaded libraries when the target is an SVR4
35362 platform. @xref{Library List Format for SVR4 Targets}. The annex part
35363 of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35364
35365 This packet is optional for better performance on SVR4 targets.
35366 @value{GDBN} uses memory read packets to read the SVR4 library list otherwise.
35367
35368 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35369 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35370
35371 @item qXfer:memory-map:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35372 @anchor{qXfer memory map read}
35373 Access the target's @dfn{memory-map}. @xref{Memory Map Format}. The
35374 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
35375 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35376
35377 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35378 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35379
35380 @item qXfer:sdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35381 @anchor{qXfer sdata read}
35382
35383 Read contents of the extra collected static tracepoint marker
35384 information. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must
35385 be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}). @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint
35386 Action Lists}.
35387
35388 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35389 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35390 (@pxref{qSupported}).
35391
35392 @item qXfer:siginfo:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35393 @anchor{qXfer siginfo read}
35394 Read contents of the extra signal information on the target
35395 system. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
35396 empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35397
35398 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35399 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35400 (@pxref{qSupported}).
35401
35402 @item qXfer:spu:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35403 @anchor{qXfer spu read}
35404 Read contents of an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
35405 annex specifies which file to read; it must be of the form
35406 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
35407 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
35408 in that context to be accessed.
35409
35410 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35411 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35412 (@pxref{qSupported}).
35413
35414 @item qXfer:threads:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35415 @anchor{qXfer threads read}
35416 Access the list of threads on target. @xref{Thread List Format}. The
35417 annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
35418 (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35419
35420 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35421 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35422
35423 @item qXfer:traceframe-info:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35424 @anchor{qXfer traceframe info read}
35425
35426 Return a description of the current traceframe's contents.
35427 @xref{Traceframe Info Format}. The annex part of the generic
35428 @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35429
35430 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35431 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35432
35433 @item qXfer:fdpic:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35434 @anchor{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}
35435 Read contents of @code{loadmap}s on the target system. The
35436 annex, either @samp{exec} or @samp{interp}, specifies which @code{loadmap},
35437 executable @code{loadmap} or interpreter @code{loadmap} to read.
35438
35439 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35440 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35441
35442 @item qXfer:osdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35443 @anchor{qXfer osdata read}
35444 Access the target's @dfn{operating system information}.
35445 @xref{Operating System Information}.
35446
35447 @end table
35448
35449 Reply:
35450 @table @samp
35451 @item m @var{data}
35452 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the
35453 target. There may be more data at a higher address (although
35454 it is permitted to return @samp{m} even for the last valid
35455 block of data, as long as at least one byte of data was read).
35456 @var{data} may have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the
35457 request.
35458
35459 @item l @var{data}
35460 Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the target.
35461 There is no more data to be read. @var{data} may have fewer bytes
35462 than the @var{length} in the request.
35463
35464 @item l
35465 The @var{offset} in the request is at the end of the data.
35466 There is no more data to be read.
35467
35468 @item E00
35469 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
35470
35471 @item E @var{nn}
35472 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered reading the data.
35473 @var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
35474
35475 @item
35476 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not recognized by
35477 the stub, or that the object does not support reading.
35478 @end table
35479
35480 @item qXfer:@var{object}:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
35481 @cindex write data into object, remote request
35482 @anchor{qXfer write}
35483 Write uninterpreted bytes into the target's special data area
35484 identified by the keyword @var{object}, starting at @var{offset} bytes
35485 into the data. @var{data}@dots{} is the binary-encoded data
35486 (@pxref{Binary Data}) to be written. The content and encoding of @var{annex}
35487 is specific to @var{object}; it can supply additional details about what data
35488 to access.
35489
35490 Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
35491 @samp{qXfer:@var{object}:write:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
35492 formats, listed below.
35493
35494 @table @samp
35495 @item qXfer:siginfo:write::@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
35496 @anchor{qXfer siginfo write}
35497 Write @var{data} to the extra signal information on the target system.
35498 The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
35499 empty (@pxref{qXfer write}).
35500
35501 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35502 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35503 (@pxref{qSupported}).
35504
35505 @item qXfer:spu:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
35506 @anchor{qXfer spu write}
35507 Write @var{data} to an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
35508 annex specifies which file to write; it must be of the form
35509 @file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
35510 in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
35511 in that context to be accessed.
35512
35513 This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35514 by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35515 @end table
35516
35517 Reply:
35518 @table @samp
35519 @item @var{nn}
35520 @var{nn} (hex encoded) is the number of bytes written.
35521 This may be fewer bytes than supplied in the request.
35522
35523 @item E00
35524 The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
35525
35526 @item E @var{nn}
35527 The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered writing the data.
35528 @var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
35529
35530 @item
35531 An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not
35532 recognized by the stub, or that the object does not support writing.
35533 @end table
35534
35535 @item qXfer:@var{object}:@var{operation}:@dots{}
35536 Requests of this form may be added in the future. When a stub does
35537 not recognize the @var{object} keyword, or its support for
35538 @var{object} does not recognize the @var{operation} keyword, the stub
35539 must respond with an empty packet.
35540
35541 @item qAttached:@var{pid}
35542 @cindex query attached, remote request
35543 @cindex @samp{qAttached} packet
35544 Return an indication of whether the remote server attached to an
35545 existing process or created a new process. When the multiprocess
35546 protocol extensions are supported (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}),
35547 @var{pid} is an integer in hexadecimal format identifying the target
35548 process. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} will omit the @var{pid} field and
35549 the query packet will be simplified as @samp{qAttached}.
35550
35551 This query is used, for example, to know whether the remote process
35552 should be detached or killed when a @value{GDBN} session is ended with
35553 the @code{quit} command.
35554
35555 Reply:
35556 @table @samp
35557 @item 1
35558 The remote server attached to an existing process.
35559 @item 0
35560 The remote server created a new process.
35561 @item E @var{NN}
35562 A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
35563 @end table
35564
35565 @end table
35566
35567 @node Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
35568 @section Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
35569
35570 This section describes how the remote protocol is applied to specific
35571 target architectures. Also see @ref{Standard Target Features}, for
35572 details of XML target descriptions for each architecture.
35573
35574 @subsection ARM
35575
35576 @subsubsection Breakpoint Kinds
35577
35578 These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
35579
35580 @table @r
35581
35582 @item 2
35583 16-bit Thumb mode breakpoint.
35584
35585 @item 3
35586 32-bit Thumb mode (Thumb-2) breakpoint.
35587
35588 @item 4
35589 32-bit ARM mode breakpoint.
35590
35591 @end table
35592
35593 @subsection MIPS
35594
35595 @subsubsection Register Packet Format
35596
35597 The following @code{g}/@code{G} packets have previously been defined.
35598 In the below, some thirty-two bit registers are transferred as
35599 sixty-four bits. Those registers should be zero/sign extended (which?)
35600 to fill the space allocated. Register bytes are transferred in target
35601 byte order. The two nibbles within a register byte are transferred
35602 most-significant - least-significant.
35603
35604 @table @r
35605
35606 @item MIPS32
35607
35608 All registers are transferred as thirty-two bit quantities in the order:
35609 32 general-purpose; sr; lo; hi; bad; cause; pc; 32 floating-point
35610 registers; fsr; fir; fp.
35611
35612 @item MIPS64
35613
35614 All registers are transferred as sixty-four bit quantities (including
35615 thirty-two bit registers such as @code{sr}). The ordering is the same
35616 as @code{MIPS32}.
35617
35618 @end table
35619
35620 @node Tracepoint Packets
35621 @section Tracepoint Packets
35622 @cindex tracepoint packets
35623 @cindex packets, tracepoint
35624
35625 Here we describe the packets @value{GDBN} uses to implement
35626 tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
35627
35628 @table @samp
35629
35630 @item QTDP:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{ena}:@var{step}:@var{pass}[:F@var{flen}][:X@var{len},@var{bytes}]@r{[}-@r{]}
35631 Create a new tracepoint, number @var{n}, at @var{addr}. If @var{ena}
35632 is @samp{E}, then the tracepoint is enabled; if it is @samp{D}, then
35633 the tracepoint is disabled. @var{step} is the tracepoint's step
35634 count, and @var{pass} is its pass count. If an @samp{F} is present,
35635 then the tracepoint is to be a fast tracepoint, and the @var{flen} is
35636 the number of bytes that the target should copy elsewhere to make room
35637 for the tracepoint. If an @samp{X} is present, it introduces a
35638 tracepoint condition, which consists of a hexadecimal length, followed
35639 by a comma and hex-encoded bytes, in a manner similar to action
35640 encodings as described below. If the trailing @samp{-} is present,
35641 further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow to specify this tracepoint's
35642 actions.
35643
35644 Replies:
35645 @table @samp
35646 @item OK
35647 The packet was understood and carried out.
35648 @item qRelocInsn
35649 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
35650 @item
35651 The packet was not recognized.
35652 @end table
35653
35654 @item QTDP:-@var{n}:@var{addr}:@r{[}S@r{]}@var{action}@dots{}@r{[}-@r{]}
35655 Define actions to be taken when a tracepoint is hit. @var{n} and
35656 @var{addr} must be the same as in the initial @samp{QTDP} packet for
35657 this tracepoint. This packet may only be sent immediately after
35658 another @samp{QTDP} packet that ended with a @samp{-}. If the
35659 trailing @samp{-} is present, further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow,
35660 specifying more actions for this tracepoint.
35661
35662 In the series of action packets for a given tracepoint, at most one
35663 can have an @samp{S} before its first @var{action}. If such a packet
35664 is sent, it and the following packets define ``while-stepping''
35665 actions. Any prior packets define ordinary actions --- that is, those
35666 taken when the tracepoint is first hit. If no action packet has an
35667 @samp{S}, then all the packets in the series specify ordinary
35668 tracepoint actions.
35669
35670 The @samp{@var{action}@dots{}} portion of the packet is a series of
35671 actions, concatenated without separators. Each action has one of the
35672 following forms:
35673
35674 @table @samp
35675
35676 @item R @var{mask}
35677 Collect the registers whose bits are set in @var{mask}. @var{mask} is
35678 a hexadecimal number whose @var{i}'th bit is set if register number
35679 @var{i} should be collected. (The least significant bit is numbered
35680 zero.) Note that @var{mask} may be any number of digits long; it may
35681 not fit in a 32-bit word.
35682
35683 @item M @var{basereg},@var{offset},@var{len}
35684 Collect @var{len} bytes of memory starting at the address in register
35685 number @var{basereg}, plus @var{offset}. If @var{basereg} is
35686 @samp{-1}, then the range has a fixed address: @var{offset} is the
35687 address of the lowest byte to collect. The @var{basereg},
35688 @var{offset}, and @var{len} parameters are all unsigned hexadecimal
35689 values (the @samp{-1} value for @var{basereg} is a special case).
35690
35691 @item X @var{len},@var{expr}
35692 Evaluate @var{expr}, whose length is @var{len}, and collect memory as
35693 it directs. @var{expr} is an agent expression, as described in
35694 @ref{Agent Expressions}. Each byte of the expression is encoded as a
35695 two-digit hex number in the packet; @var{len} is the number of bytes
35696 in the expression (and thus one-half the number of hex digits in the
35697 packet).
35698
35699 @end table
35700
35701 Any number of actions may be packed together in a single @samp{QTDP}
35702 packet, as long as the packet does not exceed the maximum packet
35703 length (400 bytes, for many stubs). There may be only one @samp{R}
35704 action per tracepoint, and it must precede any @samp{M} or @samp{X}
35705 actions. Any registers referred to by @samp{M} and @samp{X} actions
35706 must be collected by a preceding @samp{R} action. (The
35707 ``while-stepping'' actions are treated as if they were attached to a
35708 separate tracepoint, as far as these restrictions are concerned.)
35709
35710 Replies:
35711 @table @samp
35712 @item OK
35713 The packet was understood and carried out.
35714 @item qRelocInsn
35715 @xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
35716 @item
35717 The packet was not recognized.
35718 @end table
35719
35720 @item QTDPsrc:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{type}:@var{start}:@var{slen}:@var{bytes}
35721 @cindex @samp{QTDPsrc} packet
35722 Specify a source string of tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr}.
35723 This is useful to get accurate reproduction of the tracepoints
35724 originally downloaded at the beginning of the trace run. @var{type}
35725 is the name of the tracepoint part, such as @samp{cond} for the
35726 tracepoint's conditional expression (see below for a list of types), while
35727 @var{bytes} is the string, encoded in hexadecimal.
35728
35729 @var{start} is the offset of the @var{bytes} within the overall source
35730 string, while @var{slen} is the total length of the source string.
35731 This is intended for handling source strings that are longer than will
35732 fit in a single packet.
35733 @c Add detailed example when this info is moved into a dedicated
35734 @c tracepoint descriptions section.
35735
35736 The available string types are @samp{at} for the location,
35737 @samp{cond} for the conditional, and @samp{cmd} for an action command.
35738 @value{GDBN} sends a separate packet for each command in the action
35739 list, in the same order in which the commands are stored in the list.
35740
35741 The target does not need to do anything with source strings except
35742 report them back as part of the replies to the @samp{qTfP}/@samp{qTsP}
35743 query packets.
35744
35745 Although this packet is optional, and @value{GDBN} will only send it
35746 if the target replies with @samp{TracepointSource} @xref{General
35747 Query Packets}, it makes both disconnected tracing and trace files
35748 much easier to use. Otherwise the user must be careful that the
35749 tracepoints in effect while looking at trace frames are identical to
35750 the ones in effect during the trace run; even a small discrepancy
35751 could cause @samp{tdump} not to work, or a particular trace frame not
35752 be found.
35753
35754 @item QTDV:@var{n}:@var{value}
35755 @cindex define trace state variable, remote request
35756 @cindex @samp{QTDV} packet
35757 Create a new trace state variable, number @var{n}, with an initial
35758 value of @var{value}, which is a 64-bit signed integer. Both @var{n}
35759 and @var{value} are encoded as hexadecimal values. @value{GDBN} has
35760 the option of not using this packet for initial values of zero; the
35761 target should simply create the trace state variables as they are
35762 mentioned in expressions.
35763
35764 @item QTFrame:@var{n}
35765 Select the @var{n}'th tracepoint frame from the buffer, and use the
35766 register and memory contents recorded there to answer subsequent
35767 request packets from @value{GDBN}.
35768
35769 A successful reply from the stub indicates that the stub has found the
35770 requested frame. The response is a series of parts, concatenated
35771 without separators, describing the frame we selected. Each part has
35772 one of the following forms:
35773
35774 @table @samp
35775 @item F @var{f}
35776 The selected frame is number @var{n} in the trace frame buffer;
35777 @var{f} is a hexadecimal number. If @var{f} is @samp{-1}, then there
35778 was no frame matching the criteria in the request packet.
35779
35780 @item T @var{t}
35781 The selected trace frame records a hit of tracepoint number @var{t};
35782 @var{t} is a hexadecimal number.
35783
35784 @end table
35785
35786 @item QTFrame:pc:@var{addr}
35787 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
35788 currently selected frame whose PC is @var{addr};
35789 @var{addr} is a hexadecimal number.
35790
35791 @item QTFrame:tdp:@var{t}
35792 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
35793 currently selected frame that is a hit of tracepoint @var{t}; @var{t}
35794 is a hexadecimal number.
35795
35796 @item QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}
35797 Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
35798 currently selected frame whose PC is between @var{start} (inclusive)
35799 and @var{end} (inclusive); @var{start} and @var{end} are hexadecimal
35800 numbers.
35801
35802 @item QTFrame:outside:@var{start}:@var{end}
35803 Like @samp{QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}}, but select the first
35804 frame @emph{outside} the given range of addresses (exclusive).
35805
35806 @item qTMinFTPILen
35807 This packet requests the minimum length of instruction at which a fast
35808 tracepoint (@pxref{Set Tracepoints}) may be placed. For instance, on
35809 the 32-bit x86 architecture, it is possible to use a 4-byte jump, but
35810 it depends on the target system being able to create trampolines in
35811 the first 64K of memory, which might or might not be possible for that
35812 system. So the reply to this packet will be 4 if it is able to
35813 arrange for that.
35814
35815 Replies:
35816
35817 @table @samp
35818 @item 0
35819 The minimum instruction length is currently unknown.
35820 @item @var{length}
35821 The minimum instruction length is @var{length}, where @var{length} is greater
35822 or equal to 1. @var{length} is a hexadecimal number. A reply of 1 means
35823 that a fast tracepoint may be placed on any instruction regardless of size.
35824 @item E
35825 An error has occurred.
35826 @item
35827 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the stub.
35828 @end table
35829
35830 @item QTStart
35831 Begin the tracepoint experiment. Begin collecting data from
35832 tracepoint hits in the trace frame buffer. This packet supports the
35833 @samp{qRelocInsn} reply (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
35834 instruction reply packet}).
35835
35836 @item QTStop
35837 End the tracepoint experiment. Stop collecting trace frames.
35838
35839 @item QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
35840 @anchor{QTEnable}
35841 Enable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
35842 experiment. If the tracepoint was previously disabled, then collection
35843 of data from it will resume.
35844
35845 @item QTDisable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
35846 @anchor{QTDisable}
35847 Disable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
35848 experiment. No more data will be collected from the tracepoint unless
35849 @samp{QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}} is subsequently issued.
35850
35851 @item QTinit
35852 Clear the table of tracepoints, and empty the trace frame buffer.
35853
35854 @item QTro:@var{start1},@var{end1}:@var{start2},@var{end2}:@dots{}
35855 Establish the given ranges of memory as ``transparent''. The stub
35856 will answer requests for these ranges from memory's current contents,
35857 if they were not collected as part of the tracepoint hit.
35858
35859 @value{GDBN} uses this to mark read-only regions of memory, like those
35860 containing program code. Since these areas never change, they should
35861 still have the same contents they did when the tracepoint was hit, so
35862 there's no reason for the stub to refuse to provide their contents.
35863
35864 @item QTDisconnected:@var{value}
35865 Set the choice to what to do with the tracing run when @value{GDBN}
35866 disconnects from the target. A @var{value} of 1 directs the target to
35867 continue the tracing run, while 0 tells the target to stop tracing if
35868 @value{GDBN} is no longer in the picture.
35869
35870 @item qTStatus
35871 Ask the stub if there is a trace experiment running right now.
35872
35873 The reply has the form:
35874
35875 @table @samp
35876
35877 @item T@var{running}@r{[};@var{field}@r{]}@dots{}
35878 @var{running} is a single digit @code{1} if the trace is presently
35879 running, or @code{0} if not. It is followed by semicolon-separated
35880 optional fields that an agent may use to report additional status.
35881
35882 @end table
35883
35884 If the trace is not running, the agent may report any of several
35885 explanations as one of the optional fields:
35886
35887 @table @samp
35888
35889 @item tnotrun:0
35890 No trace has been run yet.
35891
35892 @item tstop[:@var{text}]:0
35893 The trace was stopped by a user-originated stop command. The optional
35894 @var{text} field is a user-supplied string supplied as part of the
35895 stop command (for instance, an explanation of why the trace was
35896 stopped manually). It is hex-encoded.
35897
35898 @item tfull:0
35899 The trace stopped because the trace buffer filled up.
35900
35901 @item tdisconnected:0
35902 The trace stopped because @value{GDBN} disconnected from the target.
35903
35904 @item tpasscount:@var{tpnum}
35905 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} exceeded its pass count.
35906
35907 @item terror:@var{text}:@var{tpnum}
35908 The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} had an error. The
35909 string @var{text} is available to describe the nature of the error
35910 (for instance, a divide by zero in the condition expression).
35911 @var{text} is hex encoded.
35912
35913 @item tunknown:0
35914 The trace stopped for some other reason.
35915
35916 @end table
35917
35918 Additional optional fields supply statistical and other information.
35919 Although not required, they are extremely useful for users monitoring
35920 the progress of a trace run. If a trace has stopped, and these
35921 numbers are reported, they must reflect the state of the just-stopped
35922 trace.
35923
35924 @table @samp
35925
35926 @item tframes:@var{n}
35927 The number of trace frames in the buffer.
35928
35929 @item tcreated:@var{n}
35930 The total number of trace frames created during the run. This may
35931 be larger than the trace frame count, if the buffer is circular.
35932
35933 @item tsize:@var{n}
35934 The total size of the trace buffer, in bytes.
35935
35936 @item tfree:@var{n}
35937 The number of bytes still unused in the buffer.
35938
35939 @item circular:@var{n}
35940 The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
35941 trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
35942 necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
35943 and may fill up.
35944
35945 @item disconn:@var{n}
35946 The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
35947 tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
35948 that the trace run will stop.
35949
35950 @end table
35951
35952 @item qTP:@var{tp}:@var{addr}
35953 @cindex tracepoint status, remote request
35954 @cindex @samp{qTP} packet
35955 Ask the stub for the current state of tracepoint number @var{tp} at
35956 address @var{addr}.
35957
35958 Replies:
35959 @table @samp
35960 @item V@var{hits}:@var{usage}
35961 The tracepoint has been hit @var{hits} times so far during the trace
35962 run, and accounts for @var{usage} in the trace buffer. Note that
35963 @code{while-stepping} steps are not counted as separate hits, but the
35964 steps' space consumption is added into the usage number.
35965
35966 @end table
35967
35968 @item qTV:@var{var}
35969 @cindex trace state variable value, remote request
35970 @cindex @samp{qTV} packet
35971 Ask the stub for the value of the trace state variable number @var{var}.
35972
35973 Replies:
35974 @table @samp
35975 @item V@var{value}
35976 The value of the variable is @var{value}. This will be the current
35977 value of the variable if the user is examining a running target, or a
35978 saved value if the variable was collected in the trace frame that the
35979 user is looking at. Note that multiple requests may result in
35980 different reply values, such as when requesting values while the
35981 program is running.
35982
35983 @item U
35984 The value of the variable is unknown. This would occur, for example,
35985 if the user is examining a trace frame in which the requested variable
35986 was not collected.
35987 @end table
35988
35989 @item qTfP
35990 @itemx qTsP
35991 These packets request data about tracepoints that are being used by
35992 the target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfP} to get the first piece
35993 of data, and multiple @code{qTsP} to get additional pieces. Replies
35994 to these packets generally take the form of the @code{QTDP} packets
35995 that define tracepoints. (FIXME add detailed syntax)
35996
35997 @item qTfV
35998 @itemx qTsV
35999 These packets request data about trace state variables that are on the
36000 target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfV} to get the first vari of data,
36001 and multiple @code{qTsV} to get additional variables. Replies to
36002 these packets follow the syntax of the @code{QTDV} packets that define
36003 trace state variables.
36004
36005 @item qTfSTM
36006 @itemx qTsSTM
36007 These packets request data about static tracepoint markers that exist
36008 in the target program. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfSTM} to get the
36009 first piece of data, and multiple @code{qTsSTM} to get additional
36010 pieces. Replies to these packets take the following form:
36011
36012 Reply:
36013 @table @samp
36014 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}
36015 A single marker
36016 @item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra},@var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}@dots{}
36017 a comma-separated list of markers
36018 @item l
36019 (lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
36020 @item E @var{nn}
36021 An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
36022 @item
36023 An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the
36024 stub.
36025 @end table
36026
36027 @var{address} is encoded in hex.
36028 @var{id} and @var{extra} are strings encoded in hex.
36029
36030 In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
36031 more markers, separated by commas. @value{GDBN} will respond to each
36032 reply with a request for more markers (using the @samp{qs} form of the
36033 query), until the target responds with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for
36034 @dfn{last}).
36035
36036 @item qTSTMat:@var{address}
36037 This packets requests data about static tracepoint markers in the
36038 target program at @var{address}. Replies to this packet follow the
36039 syntax of the @samp{qTfSTM} and @code{qTsSTM} packets that list static
36040 tracepoint markers.
36041
36042 @item QTSave:@var{filename}
36043 This packet directs the target to save trace data to the file name
36044 @var{filename} in the target's filesystem. @var{filename} is encoded
36045 as a hex string; the interpretation of the file name (relative vs
36046 absolute, wild cards, etc) is up to the target.
36047
36048 @item qTBuffer:@var{offset},@var{len}
36049 Return up to @var{len} bytes of the current contents of trace buffer,
36050 starting at @var{offset}. The trace buffer is treated as if it were
36051 a contiguous collection of traceframes, as per the trace file format.
36052 The reply consists as many hex-encoded bytes as the target can deliver
36053 in a packet; it is not an error to return fewer than were asked for.
36054 A reply consisting of just @code{l} indicates that no bytes are
36055 available.
36056
36057 @item QTBuffer:circular:@var{value}
36058 This packet directs the target to use a circular trace buffer if
36059 @var{value} is 1, or a linear buffer if the value is 0.
36060
36061 @item QTNotes:@r{[}@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@r{[};@var{type}:@var{text}@r{]}@dots{}
36062 This packet adds optional textual notes to the trace run. Allowable
36063 types include @code{user}, @code{notes}, and @code{tstop}, the
36064 @var{text} fields are arbitrary strings, hex-encoded.
36065
36066 @end table
36067
36068 @subsection Relocate instruction reply packet
36069 When installing fast tracepoints in memory, the target may need to
36070 relocate the instruction currently at the tracepoint address to a
36071 different address in memory. For most instructions, a simple copy is
36072 enough, but, for example, call instructions that implicitly push the
36073 return address on the stack, and relative branches or other
36074 PC-relative instructions require offset adjustment, so that the effect
36075 of executing the instruction at a different address is the same as if
36076 it had executed in the original location.
36077
36078 In response to several of the tracepoint packets, the target may also
36079 respond with a number of intermediate @samp{qRelocInsn} request
36080 packets before the final result packet, to have @value{GDBN} handle
36081 this relocation operation. If a packet supports this mechanism, its
36082 documentation will explicitly say so. See for example the above
36083 descriptions for the @samp{QTStart} and @samp{QTDP} packets. The
36084 format of the request is:
36085
36086 @table @samp
36087 @item qRelocInsn:@var{from};@var{to}
36088
36089 This requests @value{GDBN} to copy instruction at address @var{from}
36090 to address @var{to}, possibly adjusted so that executing the
36091 instruction at @var{to} has the same effect as executing it at
36092 @var{from}. @value{GDBN} writes the adjusted instruction to target
36093 memory starting at @var{to}.
36094 @end table
36095
36096 Replies:
36097 @table @samp
36098 @item qRelocInsn:@var{adjusted_size}
36099 Informs the stub the relocation is complete. @var{adjusted_size} is
36100 the length in bytes of resulting relocated instruction sequence.
36101 @item E @var{NN}
36102 A badly formed request was detected, or an error was encountered while
36103 relocating the instruction.
36104 @end table
36105
36106 @node Host I/O Packets
36107 @section Host I/O Packets
36108 @cindex Host I/O, remote protocol
36109 @cindex file transfer, remote protocol
36110
36111 The @dfn{Host I/O} packets allow @value{GDBN} to perform I/O
36112 operations on the far side of a remote link. For example, Host I/O is
36113 used to upload and download files to a remote target with its own
36114 filesystem. Host I/O uses the same constant values and data structure
36115 layout as the target-initiated File-I/O protocol. However, the
36116 Host I/O packets are structured differently. The target-initiated
36117 protocol relies on target memory to store parameters and buffers.
36118 Host I/O requests are initiated by @value{GDBN}, and the
36119 target's memory is not involved. @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol
36120 Extension}, for more details on the target-initiated protocol.
36121
36122 The Host I/O request packets all encode a single operation along with
36123 its arguments. They have this format:
36124
36125 @table @samp
36126
36127 @item vFile:@var{operation}: @var{parameter}@dots{}
36128 @var{operation} is the name of the particular request; the target
36129 should compare the entire packet name up to the second colon when checking
36130 for a supported operation. The format of @var{parameter} depends on
36131 the operation. Numbers are always passed in hexadecimal. Negative
36132 numbers have an explicit minus sign (i.e.@: two's complement is not
36133 used). Strings (e.g.@: filenames) are encoded as a series of
36134 hexadecimal bytes. The last argument to a system call may be a
36135 buffer of escaped binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
36136
36137 @end table
36138
36139 The valid responses to Host I/O packets are:
36140
36141 @table @samp
36142
36143 @item F @var{result} [, @var{errno}] [; @var{attachment}]
36144 @var{result} is the integer value returned by this operation, usually
36145 non-negative for success and -1 for errors. If an error has occured,
36146 @var{errno} will be included in the result. @var{errno} will have a
36147 value defined by the File-I/O protocol (@pxref{Errno Values}). For
36148 operations which return data, @var{attachment} supplies the data as a
36149 binary buffer. Binary buffers in response packets are escaped in the
36150 normal way (@pxref{Binary Data}). See the individual packet
36151 documentation for the interpretation of @var{result} and
36152 @var{attachment}.
36153
36154 @item
36155 An empty response indicates that this operation is not recognized.
36156
36157 @end table
36158
36159 These are the supported Host I/O operations:
36160
36161 @table @samp
36162 @item vFile:open: @var{pathname}, @var{flags}, @var{mode}
36163 Open a file at @var{pathname} and return a file descriptor for it, or
36164 return -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string,
36165 @var{flags} is an integer indicating a mask of open flags
36166 (@pxref{Open Flags}), and @var{mode} is an integer indicating a mask
36167 of mode bits to use if the file is created (@pxref{mode_t Values}).
36168 @xref{open}, for details of the open flags and mode values.
36169
36170 @item vFile:close: @var{fd}
36171 Close the open file corresponding to @var{fd} and return 0, or
36172 -1 if an error occurs.
36173
36174 @item vFile:pread: @var{fd}, @var{count}, @var{offset}
36175 Read data from the open file corresponding to @var{fd}. Up to
36176 @var{count} bytes will be read from the file, starting at @var{offset}
36177 relative to the start of the file. The target may read fewer bytes;
36178 common reasons include packet size limits and an end-of-file
36179 condition. The number of bytes read is returned. Zero should only be
36180 returned for a successful read at the end of the file, or if
36181 @var{count} was zero.
36182
36183 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
36184 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
36185 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
36186 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
36187 some characters were escaped.
36188
36189 @item vFile:pwrite: @var{fd}, @var{offset}, @var{data}
36190 Write @var{data} (a binary buffer) to the open file corresponding
36191 to @var{fd}. Start the write at @var{offset} from the start of the
36192 file. Unlike many @code{write} system calls, there is no
36193 separate @var{count} argument; the length of @var{data} in the
36194 packet is used. @samp{vFile:write} returns the number of bytes written,
36195 which may be shorter than the length of @var{data}, or -1 if an
36196 error occurred.
36197
36198 @item vFile:unlink: @var{pathname}
36199 Delete the file at @var{pathname} on the target. Return 0,
36200 or -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string.
36201
36202 @item vFile:readlink: @var{filename}
36203 Read value of symbolic link @var{filename} on the target. Return
36204 the number of bytes read, or -1 if an error occurs.
36205
36206 The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
36207 If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
36208 attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
36209 number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
36210 some characters were escaped.
36211
36212 @end table
36213
36214 @node Interrupts
36215 @section Interrupts
36216 @cindex interrupts (remote protocol)
36217
36218 When a program on the remote target is running, @value{GDBN} may
36219 attempt to interrupt it by sending a @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or
36220 a @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g},
36221 control of which is specified via @value{GDBN}'s @samp{interrupt-sequence}.
36222
36223 The precise meaning of @code{BREAK} is defined by the transport
36224 mechanism and may, in fact, be undefined. @value{GDBN} does not
36225 currently define a @code{BREAK} mechanism for any of the network
36226 interfaces except for TCP, in which case @value{GDBN} sends the
36227 @code{telnet} BREAK sequence.
36228
36229 @samp{Ctrl-C}, on the other hand, is defined and implemented for all
36230 transport mechanisms. It is represented by sending the single byte
36231 @code{0x03} without any of the usual packet overhead described in
36232 the Overview section (@pxref{Overview}). When a @code{0x03} byte is
36233 transmitted as part of a packet, it is considered to be packet data
36234 and does @emph{not} represent an interrupt. E.g., an @samp{X} packet
36235 (@pxref{X packet}), used for binary downloads, may include an unescaped
36236 @code{0x03} as part of its packet.
36237
36238 @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g} is also known as Magic SysRq g.
36239 When Linux kernel receives this sequence from serial port,
36240 it stops execution and connects to gdb.
36241
36242 Stubs are not required to recognize these interrupt mechanisms and the
36243 precise meaning associated with receipt of the interrupt is
36244 implementation defined. If the target supports debugging of multiple
36245 threads and/or processes, it should attempt to interrupt all
36246 currently-executing threads and processes.
36247 If the stub is successful at interrupting the
36248 running program, it should send one of the stop
36249 reply packets (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}) to @value{GDBN} as a result
36250 of successfully stopping the program in all-stop mode, and a stop reply
36251 for each stopped thread in non-stop mode.
36252 Interrupts received while the
36253 program is stopped are discarded.
36254
36255 @node Notification Packets
36256 @section Notification Packets
36257 @cindex notification packets
36258 @cindex packets, notification
36259
36260 The @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol includes @dfn{notifications},
36261 packets that require no acknowledgment. Both the GDB and the stub
36262 may send notifications (although the only notifications defined at
36263 present are sent by the stub). Notifications carry information
36264 without incurring the round-trip latency of an acknowledgment, and so
36265 are useful for low-impact communications where occasional packet loss
36266 is not a problem.
36267
36268 A notification packet has the form @samp{% @var{data} #
36269 @var{checksum}}, where @var{data} is the content of the notification,
36270 and @var{checksum} is a checksum of @var{data}, computed and formatted
36271 as for ordinary @value{GDBN} packets. A notification's @var{data}
36272 never contains @samp{$}, @samp{%} or @samp{#} characters. Upon
36273 receiving a notification, the recipient sends no @samp{+} or @samp{-}
36274 to acknowledge the notification's receipt or to report its corruption.
36275
36276 Every notification's @var{data} begins with a name, which contains no
36277 colon characters, followed by a colon character.
36278
36279 Recipients should silently ignore corrupted notifications and
36280 notifications they do not understand. Recipients should restart
36281 timeout periods on receipt of a well-formed notification, whether or
36282 not they understand it.
36283
36284 Senders should only send the notifications described here when this
36285 protocol description specifies that they are permitted. In the
36286 future, we may extend the protocol to permit existing notifications in
36287 new contexts; this rule helps older senders avoid confusing newer
36288 recipients.
36289
36290 (Older versions of @value{GDBN} ignore bytes received until they see
36291 the @samp{$} byte that begins an ordinary packet, so new stubs may
36292 transmit notifications without fear of confusing older clients. There
36293 are no notifications defined for @value{GDBN} to send at the moment, but we
36294 assume that most older stubs would ignore them, as well.)
36295
36296 The following notification packets from the stub to @value{GDBN} are
36297 defined:
36298
36299 @table @samp
36300 @item Stop: @var{reply}
36301 Report an asynchronous stop event in non-stop mode.
36302 The @var{reply} has the form of a stop reply, as
36303 described in @ref{Stop Reply Packets}. Refer to @ref{Remote Non-Stop},
36304 for information on how these notifications are acknowledged by
36305 @value{GDBN}.
36306 @end table
36307
36308 @node Remote Non-Stop
36309 @section Remote Protocol Support for Non-Stop Mode
36310
36311 @value{GDBN}'s remote protocol supports non-stop debugging of
36312 multi-threaded programs, as described in @ref{Non-Stop Mode}. If the stub
36313 supports non-stop mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN} by including
36314 @samp{QNonStop+} in its @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
36315
36316 @value{GDBN} typically sends a @samp{QNonStop} packet only when
36317 establishing a new connection with the stub. Entering non-stop mode
36318 does not alter the state of any currently-running threads, but targets
36319 must stop all threads in any already-attached processes when entering
36320 all-stop mode. @value{GDBN} uses the @samp{?} packet as necessary to
36321 probe the target state after a mode change.
36322
36323 In non-stop mode, when an attached process encounters an event that
36324 would otherwise be reported with a stop reply, it uses the
36325 asynchronous notification mechanism (@pxref{Notification Packets}) to
36326 inform @value{GDBN}. In contrast to all-stop mode, where all threads
36327 in all processes are stopped when a stop reply is sent, in non-stop
36328 mode only the thread reporting the stop event is stopped. That is,
36329 when reporting a @samp{S} or @samp{T} response to indicate completion
36330 of a step operation, hitting a breakpoint, or a fault, only the
36331 affected thread is stopped; any other still-running threads continue
36332 to run. When reporting a @samp{W} or @samp{X} response, all running
36333 threads belonging to other attached processes continue to run.
36334
36335 Only one stop reply notification at a time may be pending; if
36336 additional stop events occur before @value{GDBN} has acknowledged the
36337 previous notification, they must be queued by the stub for later
36338 synchronous transmission in response to @samp{vStopped} packets from
36339 @value{GDBN}. Because the notification mechanism is unreliable,
36340 the stub is permitted to resend a stop reply notification
36341 if it believes @value{GDBN} may not have received it. @value{GDBN}
36342 ignores additional stop reply notifications received before it has
36343 finished processing a previous notification and the stub has completed
36344 sending any queued stop events.
36345
36346 Otherwise, @value{GDBN} must be prepared to receive a stop reply
36347 notification at any time. Specifically, they may appear when
36348 @value{GDBN} is not otherwise reading input from the stub, or when
36349 @value{GDBN} is expecting to read a normal synchronous response or a
36350 @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgment to a packet it has sent.
36351 Notification packets are distinct from any other communication from
36352 the stub so there is no ambiguity.
36353
36354 After receiving a stop reply notification, @value{GDBN} shall
36355 acknowledge it by sending a @samp{vStopped} packet (@pxref{vStopped packet})
36356 as a regular, synchronous request to the stub. Such acknowledgment
36357 is not required to happen immediately, as @value{GDBN} is permitted to
36358 send other, unrelated packets to the stub first, which the stub should
36359 process normally.
36360
36361 Upon receiving a @samp{vStopped} packet, if the stub has other queued
36362 stop events to report to @value{GDBN}, it shall respond by sending a
36363 normal stop reply response. @value{GDBN} shall then send another
36364 @samp{vStopped} packet to solicit further responses; again, it is
36365 permitted to send other, unrelated packets as well which the stub
36366 should process normally.
36367
36368 If the stub receives a @samp{vStopped} packet and there are no
36369 additional stop events to report, the stub shall return an @samp{OK}
36370 response. At this point, if further stop events occur, the stub shall
36371 send a new stop reply notification, @value{GDBN} shall accept the
36372 notification, and the process shall be repeated.
36373
36374 In non-stop mode, the target shall respond to the @samp{?} packet as
36375 follows. First, any incomplete stop reply notification/@samp{vStopped}
36376 sequence in progress is abandoned. The target must begin a new
36377 sequence reporting stop events for all stopped threads, whether or not
36378 it has previously reported those events to @value{GDBN}. The first
36379 stop reply is sent as a synchronous reply to the @samp{?} packet, and
36380 subsequent stop replies are sent as responses to @samp{vStopped} packets
36381 using the mechanism described above. The target must not send
36382 asynchronous stop reply notifications until the sequence is complete.
36383 If all threads are running when the target receives the @samp{?} packet,
36384 or if the target is not attached to any process, it shall respond
36385 @samp{OK}.
36386
36387 @node Packet Acknowledgment
36388 @section Packet Acknowledgment
36389
36390 @cindex acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
36391 @cindex packet acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
36392 By default, when either the host or the target machine receives a packet,
36393 the first response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
36394 the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request retransmission).
36395 This mechanism allows the @value{GDBN} remote protocol to operate over
36396 unreliable transport mechanisms, such as a serial line.
36397
36398 In cases where the transport mechanism is itself reliable (such as a pipe or
36399 TCP connection), the @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are redundant.
36400 It may be desirable to disable them in that case to reduce communication
36401 overhead, or for other reasons. This can be accomplished by means of the
36402 @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet; @pxref{QStartNoAckMode}.
36403
36404 When in no-acknowledgment mode, neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or
36405 expect @samp{+}/@samp{-} protocol acknowledgments. The packet
36406 and response format still includes the normal checksum, as described in
36407 @ref{Overview}, but the checksum may be ignored by the receiver.
36408
36409 If the stub supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and prefers to operate in
36410 no-acknowledgment mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN}
36411 by including @samp{QStartNoAckMode+} in its response to @samp{qSupported};
36412 @pxref{qSupported}.
36413 If @value{GDBN} also supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and it has not been
36414 disabled via the @code{set remote noack-packet off} command
36415 (@pxref{Remote Configuration}),
36416 @value{GDBN} may then send a @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet to the stub.
36417 Only then may the stub actually turn off packet acknowledgments.
36418 @value{GDBN} sends a final @samp{+} acknowledgment of the stub's @samp{OK}
36419 response, which can be safely ignored by the stub.
36420
36421 Note that @code{set remote noack-packet} command only affects negotiation
36422 between @value{GDBN} and the stub when subsequent connections are made;
36423 it does not affect the protocol acknowledgment state for any current
36424 connection.
36425 Since @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are enabled by default when a
36426 new connection is established,
36427 there is also no protocol request to re-enable the acknowledgments
36428 for the current connection, once disabled.
36429
36430 @node Examples
36431 @section Examples
36432
36433 Example sequence of a target being re-started. Notice how the restart
36434 does not get any direct output:
36435
36436 @smallexample
36437 -> @code{R00}
36438 <- @code{+}
36439 @emph{target restarts}
36440 -> @code{?}
36441 <- @code{+}
36442 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
36443 -> @code{+}
36444 @end smallexample
36445
36446 Example sequence of a target being stepped by a single instruction:
36447
36448 @smallexample
36449 -> @code{G1445@dots{}}
36450 <- @code{+}
36451 -> @code{s}
36452 <- @code{+}
36453 @emph{time passes}
36454 <- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
36455 -> @code{+}
36456 -> @code{g}
36457 <- @code{+}
36458 <- @code{1455@dots{}}
36459 -> @code{+}
36460 @end smallexample
36461
36462 @node File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
36463 @section File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
36464 @cindex File-I/O remote protocol extension
36465
36466 @menu
36467 * File-I/O Overview::
36468 * Protocol Basics::
36469 * The F Request Packet::
36470 * The F Reply Packet::
36471 * The Ctrl-C Message::
36472 * Console I/O::
36473 * List of Supported Calls::
36474 * Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes::
36475 * Constants::
36476 * File-I/O Examples::
36477 @end menu
36478
36479 @node File-I/O Overview
36480 @subsection File-I/O Overview
36481 @cindex file-i/o overview
36482
36483 The @dfn{File I/O remote protocol extension} (short: File-I/O) allows the
36484 target to use the host's file system and console I/O to perform various
36485 system calls. System calls on the target system are translated into a
36486 remote protocol packet to the host system, which then performs the needed
36487 actions and returns a response packet to the target system.
36488 This simulates file system operations even on targets that lack file systems.
36489
36490 The protocol is defined to be independent of both the host and target systems.
36491 It uses its own internal representation of datatypes and values. Both
36492 @value{GDBN} and the target's @value{GDBN} stub are responsible for
36493 translating the system-dependent value representations into the internal
36494 protocol representations when data is transmitted.
36495
36496 The communication is synchronous. A system call is possible only when
36497 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
36498 or @samp{s} packets. While @value{GDBN} handles the request for a system call,
36499 the target is stopped to allow deterministic access to the target's
36500 memory. Therefore File-I/O is not interruptible by target signals. On
36501 the other hand, it is possible to interrupt File-I/O by a user interrupt
36502 (@samp{Ctrl-C}) within @value{GDBN}.
36503
36504 The target's request to perform a host system call does not finish
36505 the latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} action. That means,
36506 after finishing the system call, the target returns to continuing the
36507 previous activity (continue, step). No additional continue or step
36508 request from @value{GDBN} is required.
36509
36510 @smallexample
36511 (@value{GDBP}) continue
36512 <- target requests 'system call X'
36513 target is stopped, @value{GDBN} executes system call
36514 -> @value{GDBN} returns result
36515 ... target continues, @value{GDBN} returns to wait for the target
36516 <- target hits breakpoint and sends a Txx packet
36517 @end smallexample
36518
36519 The protocol only supports I/O on the console and to regular files on
36520 the host file system. Character or block special devices, pipes,
36521 named pipes, sockets or any other communication method on the host
36522 system are not supported by this protocol.
36523
36524 File I/O is not supported in non-stop mode.
36525
36526 @node Protocol Basics
36527 @subsection Protocol Basics
36528 @cindex protocol basics, file-i/o
36529
36530 The File-I/O protocol uses the @code{F} packet as the request as well
36531 as reply packet. Since a File-I/O system call can only occur when
36532 @value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the continuing or stepping target,
36533 the File-I/O request is a reply that @value{GDBN} has to expect as a result
36534 of a previous @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} packet.
36535 This @code{F} packet contains all information needed to allow @value{GDBN}
36536 to call the appropriate host system call:
36537
36538 @itemize @bullet
36539 @item
36540 A unique identifier for the requested system call.
36541
36542 @item
36543 All parameters to the system call. Pointers are given as addresses
36544 in the target memory address space. Pointers to strings are given as
36545 pointer/length pair. Numerical values are given as they are.
36546 Numerical control flags are given in a protocol-specific representation.
36547
36548 @end itemize
36549
36550 At this point, @value{GDBN} has to perform the following actions.
36551
36552 @itemize @bullet
36553 @item
36554 If the parameters include pointer values to data needed as input to a
36555 system call, @value{GDBN} requests this data from the target with a
36556 standard @code{m} packet request. This additional communication has to be
36557 expected by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{m}
36558 packet.
36559
36560 @item
36561 @value{GDBN} translates all value from protocol representation to host
36562 representation as needed. Datatypes are coerced into the host types.
36563
36564 @item
36565 @value{GDBN} calls the system call.
36566
36567 @item
36568 It then coerces datatypes back to protocol representation.
36569
36570 @item
36571 If the system call is expected to return data in buffer space specified
36572 by pointer parameters to the call, the data is transmitted to the
36573 target using a @code{M} or @code{X} packet. This packet has to be expected
36574 by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{M} or @code{X}
36575 packet.
36576
36577 @end itemize
36578
36579 Eventually @value{GDBN} replies with another @code{F} packet which contains all
36580 necessary information for the target to continue. This at least contains
36581
36582 @itemize @bullet
36583 @item
36584 Return value.
36585
36586 @item
36587 @code{errno}, if has been changed by the system call.
36588
36589 @item
36590 ``Ctrl-C'' flag.
36591
36592 @end itemize
36593
36594 After having done the needed type and value coercion, the target continues
36595 the latest continue or step action.
36596
36597 @node The F Request Packet
36598 @subsection The @code{F} Request Packet
36599 @cindex file-i/o request packet
36600 @cindex @code{F} request packet
36601
36602 The @code{F} request packet has the following format:
36603
36604 @table @samp
36605 @item F@var{call-id},@var{parameter@dots{}}
36606
36607 @var{call-id} is the identifier to indicate the host system call to be called.
36608 This is just the name of the function.
36609
36610 @var{parameter@dots{}} are the parameters to the system call.
36611 Parameters are hexadecimal integer values, either the actual values in case
36612 of scalar datatypes, pointers to target buffer space in case of compound
36613 datatypes and unspecified memory areas, or pointer/length pairs in case
36614 of string parameters. These are appended to the @var{call-id} as a
36615 comma-delimited list. All values are transmitted in ASCII
36616 string representation, pointer/length pairs separated by a slash.
36617
36618 @end table
36619
36620
36621
36622 @node The F Reply Packet
36623 @subsection The @code{F} Reply Packet
36624 @cindex file-i/o reply packet
36625 @cindex @code{F} reply packet
36626
36627 The @code{F} reply packet has the following format:
36628
36629 @table @samp
36630
36631 @item F@var{retcode},@var{errno},@var{Ctrl-C flag};@var{call-specific attachment}
36632
36633 @var{retcode} is the return code of the system call as hexadecimal value.
36634
36635 @var{errno} is the @code{errno} set by the call, in protocol-specific
36636 representation.
36637 This parameter can be omitted if the call was successful.
36638
36639 @var{Ctrl-C flag} is only sent if the user requested a break. In this
36640 case, @var{errno} must be sent as well, even if the call was successful.
36641 The @var{Ctrl-C flag} itself consists of the character @samp{C}:
36642
36643 @smallexample
36644 F0,0,C
36645 @end smallexample
36646
36647 @noindent
36648 or, if the call was interrupted before the host call has been performed:
36649
36650 @smallexample
36651 F-1,4,C
36652 @end smallexample
36653
36654 @noindent
36655 assuming 4 is the protocol-specific representation of @code{EINTR}.
36656
36657 @end table
36658
36659
36660 @node The Ctrl-C Message
36661 @subsection The @samp{Ctrl-C} Message
36662 @cindex ctrl-c message, in file-i/o protocol
36663
36664 If the @samp{Ctrl-C} flag is set in the @value{GDBN}
36665 reply packet (@pxref{The F Reply Packet}),
36666 the target should behave as if it had
36667 gotten a break message. The meaning for the target is ``system call
36668 interrupted by @code{SIGINT}''. Consequentially, the target should actually stop
36669 (as with a break message) and return to @value{GDBN} with a @code{T02}
36670 packet.
36671
36672 It's important for the target to know in which
36673 state the system call was interrupted. There are two possible cases:
36674
36675 @itemize @bullet
36676 @item
36677 The system call hasn't been performed on the host yet.
36678
36679 @item
36680 The system call on the host has been finished.
36681
36682 @end itemize
36683
36684 These two states can be distinguished by the target by the value of the
36685 returned @code{errno}. If it's the protocol representation of @code{EINTR}, the system
36686 call hasn't been performed. This is equivalent to the @code{EINTR} handling
36687 on POSIX systems. In any other case, the target may presume that the
36688 system call has been finished --- successfully or not --- and should behave
36689 as if the break message arrived right after the system call.
36690
36691 @value{GDBN} must behave reliably. If the system call has not been called
36692 yet, @value{GDBN} may send the @code{F} reply immediately, setting @code{EINTR} as
36693 @code{errno} in the packet. If the system call on the host has been finished
36694 before the user requests a break, the full action must be finished by
36695 @value{GDBN}. This requires sending @code{M} or @code{X} packets as necessary.
36696 The @code{F} packet may only be sent when either nothing has happened
36697 or the full action has been completed.
36698
36699 @node Console I/O
36700 @subsection Console I/O
36701 @cindex console i/o as part of file-i/o
36702
36703 By default and if not explicitly closed by the target system, the file
36704 descriptors 0, 1 and 2 are connected to the @value{GDBN} console. Output
36705 on the @value{GDBN} console is handled as any other file output operation
36706 (@code{write(1, @dots{})} or @code{write(2, @dots{})}). Console input is handled
36707 by @value{GDBN} so that after the target read request from file descriptor
36708 0 all following typing is buffered until either one of the following
36709 conditions is met:
36710
36711 @itemize @bullet
36712 @item
36713 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The behaviour is as explained above, and the
36714 @code{read}
36715 system call is treated as finished.
36716
36717 @item
36718 The user presses @key{RET}. This is treated as end of input with a trailing
36719 newline.
36720
36721 @item
36722 The user types @kbd{Ctrl-d}. This is treated as end of input. No trailing
36723 character (neither newline nor @samp{Ctrl-D}) is appended to the input.
36724
36725 @end itemize
36726
36727 If the user has typed more characters than fit in the buffer given to
36728 the @code{read} call, the trailing characters are buffered in @value{GDBN} until
36729 either another @code{read(0, @dots{})} is requested by the target, or debugging
36730 is stopped at the user's request.
36731
36732
36733 @node List of Supported Calls
36734 @subsection List of Supported Calls
36735 @cindex list of supported file-i/o calls
36736
36737 @menu
36738 * open::
36739 * close::
36740 * read::
36741 * write::
36742 * lseek::
36743 * rename::
36744 * unlink::
36745 * stat/fstat::
36746 * gettimeofday::
36747 * isatty::
36748 * system::
36749 @end menu
36750
36751 @node open
36752 @unnumberedsubsubsec open
36753 @cindex open, file-i/o system call
36754
36755 @table @asis
36756 @item Synopsis:
36757 @smallexample
36758 int open(const char *pathname, int flags);
36759 int open(const char *pathname, int flags, mode_t mode);
36760 @end smallexample
36761
36762 @item Request:
36763 @samp{Fopen,@var{pathptr}/@var{len},@var{flags},@var{mode}}
36764
36765 @noindent
36766 @var{flags} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
36767
36768 @table @code
36769 @item O_CREAT
36770 If the file does not exist it will be created. The host
36771 rules apply as far as file ownership and time stamps
36772 are concerned.
36773
36774 @item O_EXCL
36775 When used with @code{O_CREAT}, if the file already exists it is
36776 an error and open() fails.
36777
36778 @item O_TRUNC
36779 If the file already exists and the open mode allows
36780 writing (@code{O_RDWR} or @code{O_WRONLY} is given) it will be
36781 truncated to zero length.
36782
36783 @item O_APPEND
36784 The file is opened in append mode.
36785
36786 @item O_RDONLY
36787 The file is opened for reading only.
36788
36789 @item O_WRONLY
36790 The file is opened for writing only.
36791
36792 @item O_RDWR
36793 The file is opened for reading and writing.
36794 @end table
36795
36796 @noindent
36797 Other bits are silently ignored.
36798
36799
36800 @noindent
36801 @var{mode} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
36802
36803 @table @code
36804 @item S_IRUSR
36805 User has read permission.
36806
36807 @item S_IWUSR
36808 User has write permission.
36809
36810 @item S_IRGRP
36811 Group has read permission.
36812
36813 @item S_IWGRP
36814 Group has write permission.
36815
36816 @item S_IROTH
36817 Others have read permission.
36818
36819 @item S_IWOTH
36820 Others have write permission.
36821 @end table
36822
36823 @noindent
36824 Other bits are silently ignored.
36825
36826
36827 @item Return value:
36828 @code{open} returns the new file descriptor or -1 if an error
36829 occurred.
36830
36831 @item Errors:
36832
36833 @table @code
36834 @item EEXIST
36835 @var{pathname} already exists and @code{O_CREAT} and @code{O_EXCL} were used.
36836
36837 @item EISDIR
36838 @var{pathname} refers to a directory.
36839
36840 @item EACCES
36841 The requested access is not allowed.
36842
36843 @item ENAMETOOLONG
36844 @var{pathname} was too long.
36845
36846 @item ENOENT
36847 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
36848
36849 @item ENODEV
36850 @var{pathname} refers to a device, pipe, named pipe or socket.
36851
36852 @item EROFS
36853 @var{pathname} refers to a file on a read-only filesystem and
36854 write access was requested.
36855
36856 @item EFAULT
36857 @var{pathname} is an invalid pointer value.
36858
36859 @item ENOSPC
36860 No space on device to create the file.
36861
36862 @item EMFILE
36863 The process already has the maximum number of files open.
36864
36865 @item ENFILE
36866 The limit on the total number of files open on the system
36867 has been reached.
36868
36869 @item EINTR
36870 The call was interrupted by the user.
36871 @end table
36872
36873 @end table
36874
36875 @node close
36876 @unnumberedsubsubsec close
36877 @cindex close, file-i/o system call
36878
36879 @table @asis
36880 @item Synopsis:
36881 @smallexample
36882 int close(int fd);
36883 @end smallexample
36884
36885 @item Request:
36886 @samp{Fclose,@var{fd}}
36887
36888 @item Return value:
36889 @code{close} returns zero on success, or -1 if an error occurred.
36890
36891 @item Errors:
36892
36893 @table @code
36894 @item EBADF
36895 @var{fd} isn't a valid open file descriptor.
36896
36897 @item EINTR
36898 The call was interrupted by the user.
36899 @end table
36900
36901 @end table
36902
36903 @node read
36904 @unnumberedsubsubsec read
36905 @cindex read, file-i/o system call
36906
36907 @table @asis
36908 @item Synopsis:
36909 @smallexample
36910 int read(int fd, void *buf, unsigned int count);
36911 @end smallexample
36912
36913 @item Request:
36914 @samp{Fread,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
36915
36916 @item Return value:
36917 On success, the number of bytes read is returned.
36918 Zero indicates end of file. If count is zero, read
36919 returns zero as well. On error, -1 is returned.
36920
36921 @item Errors:
36922
36923 @table @code
36924 @item EBADF
36925 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
36926 reading.
36927
36928 @item EFAULT
36929 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
36930
36931 @item EINTR
36932 The call was interrupted by the user.
36933 @end table
36934
36935 @end table
36936
36937 @node write
36938 @unnumberedsubsubsec write
36939 @cindex write, file-i/o system call
36940
36941 @table @asis
36942 @item Synopsis:
36943 @smallexample
36944 int write(int fd, const void *buf, unsigned int count);
36945 @end smallexample
36946
36947 @item Request:
36948 @samp{Fwrite,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
36949
36950 @item Return value:
36951 On success, the number of bytes written are returned.
36952 Zero indicates nothing was written. On error, -1
36953 is returned.
36954
36955 @item Errors:
36956
36957 @table @code
36958 @item EBADF
36959 @var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
36960 writing.
36961
36962 @item EFAULT
36963 @var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
36964
36965 @item EFBIG
36966 An attempt was made to write a file that exceeds the
36967 host-specific maximum file size allowed.
36968
36969 @item ENOSPC
36970 No space on device to write the data.
36971
36972 @item EINTR
36973 The call was interrupted by the user.
36974 @end table
36975
36976 @end table
36977
36978 @node lseek
36979 @unnumberedsubsubsec lseek
36980 @cindex lseek, file-i/o system call
36981
36982 @table @asis
36983 @item Synopsis:
36984 @smallexample
36985 long lseek (int fd, long offset, int flag);
36986 @end smallexample
36987
36988 @item Request:
36989 @samp{Flseek,@var{fd},@var{offset},@var{flag}}
36990
36991 @var{flag} is one of:
36992
36993 @table @code
36994 @item SEEK_SET
36995 The offset is set to @var{offset} bytes.
36996
36997 @item SEEK_CUR
36998 The offset is set to its current location plus @var{offset}
36999 bytes.
37000
37001 @item SEEK_END
37002 The offset is set to the size of the file plus @var{offset}
37003 bytes.
37004 @end table
37005
37006 @item Return value:
37007 On success, the resulting unsigned offset in bytes from
37008 the beginning of the file is returned. Otherwise, a
37009 value of -1 is returned.
37010
37011 @item Errors:
37012
37013 @table @code
37014 @item EBADF
37015 @var{fd} is not a valid open file descriptor.
37016
37017 @item ESPIPE
37018 @var{fd} is associated with the @value{GDBN} console.
37019
37020 @item EINVAL
37021 @var{flag} is not a proper value.
37022
37023 @item EINTR
37024 The call was interrupted by the user.
37025 @end table
37026
37027 @end table
37028
37029 @node rename
37030 @unnumberedsubsubsec rename
37031 @cindex rename, file-i/o system call
37032
37033 @table @asis
37034 @item Synopsis:
37035 @smallexample
37036 int rename(const char *oldpath, const char *newpath);
37037 @end smallexample
37038
37039 @item Request:
37040 @samp{Frename,@var{oldpathptr}/@var{len},@var{newpathptr}/@var{len}}
37041
37042 @item Return value:
37043 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
37044
37045 @item Errors:
37046
37047 @table @code
37048 @item EISDIR
37049 @var{newpath} is an existing directory, but @var{oldpath} is not a
37050 directory.
37051
37052 @item EEXIST
37053 @var{newpath} is a non-empty directory.
37054
37055 @item EBUSY
37056 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} is a directory that is in use by some
37057 process.
37058
37059 @item EINVAL
37060 An attempt was made to make a directory a subdirectory
37061 of itself.
37062
37063 @item ENOTDIR
37064 A component used as a directory in @var{oldpath} or new
37065 path is not a directory. Or @var{oldpath} is a directory
37066 and @var{newpath} exists but is not a directory.
37067
37068 @item EFAULT
37069 @var{oldpathptr} or @var{newpathptr} are invalid pointer values.
37070
37071 @item EACCES
37072 No access to the file or the path of the file.
37073
37074 @item ENAMETOOLONG
37075
37076 @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} was too long.
37077
37078 @item ENOENT
37079 A directory component in @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} does not exist.
37080
37081 @item EROFS
37082 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
37083
37084 @item ENOSPC
37085 The device containing the file has no room for the new
37086 directory entry.
37087
37088 @item EINTR
37089 The call was interrupted by the user.
37090 @end table
37091
37092 @end table
37093
37094 @node unlink
37095 @unnumberedsubsubsec unlink
37096 @cindex unlink, file-i/o system call
37097
37098 @table @asis
37099 @item Synopsis:
37100 @smallexample
37101 int unlink(const char *pathname);
37102 @end smallexample
37103
37104 @item Request:
37105 @samp{Funlink,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len}}
37106
37107 @item Return value:
37108 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
37109
37110 @item Errors:
37111
37112 @table @code
37113 @item EACCES
37114 No access to the file or the path of the file.
37115
37116 @item EPERM
37117 The system does not allow unlinking of directories.
37118
37119 @item EBUSY
37120 The file @var{pathname} cannot be unlinked because it's
37121 being used by another process.
37122
37123 @item EFAULT
37124 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
37125
37126 @item ENAMETOOLONG
37127 @var{pathname} was too long.
37128
37129 @item ENOENT
37130 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
37131
37132 @item ENOTDIR
37133 A component of the path is not a directory.
37134
37135 @item EROFS
37136 The file is on a read-only filesystem.
37137
37138 @item EINTR
37139 The call was interrupted by the user.
37140 @end table
37141
37142 @end table
37143
37144 @node stat/fstat
37145 @unnumberedsubsubsec stat/fstat
37146 @cindex fstat, file-i/o system call
37147 @cindex stat, file-i/o system call
37148
37149 @table @asis
37150 @item Synopsis:
37151 @smallexample
37152 int stat(const char *pathname, struct stat *buf);
37153 int fstat(int fd, struct stat *buf);
37154 @end smallexample
37155
37156 @item Request:
37157 @samp{Fstat,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len},@var{bufptr}}@*
37158 @samp{Ffstat,@var{fd},@var{bufptr}}
37159
37160 @item Return value:
37161 On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
37162
37163 @item Errors:
37164
37165 @table @code
37166 @item EBADF
37167 @var{fd} is not a valid open file.
37168
37169 @item ENOENT
37170 A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist or the
37171 path is an empty string.
37172
37173 @item ENOTDIR
37174 A component of the path is not a directory.
37175
37176 @item EFAULT
37177 @var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
37178
37179 @item EACCES
37180 No access to the file or the path of the file.
37181
37182 @item ENAMETOOLONG
37183 @var{pathname} was too long.
37184
37185 @item EINTR
37186 The call was interrupted by the user.
37187 @end table
37188
37189 @end table
37190
37191 @node gettimeofday
37192 @unnumberedsubsubsec gettimeofday
37193 @cindex gettimeofday, file-i/o system call
37194
37195 @table @asis
37196 @item Synopsis:
37197 @smallexample
37198 int gettimeofday(struct timeval *tv, void *tz);
37199 @end smallexample
37200
37201 @item Request:
37202 @samp{Fgettimeofday,@var{tvptr},@var{tzptr}}
37203
37204 @item Return value:
37205 On success, 0 is returned, -1 otherwise.
37206
37207 @item Errors:
37208
37209 @table @code
37210 @item EINVAL
37211 @var{tz} is a non-NULL pointer.
37212
37213 @item EFAULT
37214 @var{tvptr} and/or @var{tzptr} is an invalid pointer value.
37215 @end table
37216
37217 @end table
37218
37219 @node isatty
37220 @unnumberedsubsubsec isatty
37221 @cindex isatty, file-i/o system call
37222
37223 @table @asis
37224 @item Synopsis:
37225 @smallexample
37226 int isatty(int fd);
37227 @end smallexample
37228
37229 @item Request:
37230 @samp{Fisatty,@var{fd}}
37231
37232 @item Return value:
37233 Returns 1 if @var{fd} refers to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise.
37234
37235 @item Errors:
37236
37237 @table @code
37238 @item EINTR
37239 The call was interrupted by the user.
37240 @end table
37241
37242 @end table
37243
37244 Note that the @code{isatty} call is treated as a special case: it returns
37245 1 to the target if the file descriptor is attached
37246 to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise. Implementing through system calls
37247 would require implementing @code{ioctl} and would be more complex than
37248 needed.
37249
37250
37251 @node system
37252 @unnumberedsubsubsec system
37253 @cindex system, file-i/o system call
37254
37255 @table @asis
37256 @item Synopsis:
37257 @smallexample
37258 int system(const char *command);
37259 @end smallexample
37260
37261 @item Request:
37262 @samp{Fsystem,@var{commandptr}/@var{len}}
37263
37264 @item Return value:
37265 If @var{len} is zero, the return value indicates whether a shell is
37266 available. A zero return value indicates a shell is not available.
37267 For non-zero @var{len}, the value returned is -1 on error and the
37268 return status of the command otherwise. Only the exit status of the
37269 command is returned, which is extracted from the host's @code{system}
37270 return value by calling @code{WEXITSTATUS(retval)}. In case
37271 @file{/bin/sh} could not be executed, 127 is returned.
37272
37273 @item Errors:
37274
37275 @table @code
37276 @item EINTR
37277 The call was interrupted by the user.
37278 @end table
37279
37280 @end table
37281
37282 @value{GDBN} takes over the full task of calling the necessary host calls
37283 to perform the @code{system} call. The return value of @code{system} on
37284 the host is simplified before it's returned
37285 to the target. Any termination signal information from the child process
37286 is discarded, and the return value consists
37287 entirely of the exit status of the called command.
37288
37289 Due to security concerns, the @code{system} call is by default refused
37290 by @value{GDBN}. The user has to allow this call explicitly with the
37291 @code{set remote system-call-allowed 1} command.
37292
37293 @table @code
37294 @item set remote system-call-allowed
37295 @kindex set remote system-call-allowed
37296 Control whether to allow the @code{system} calls in the File I/O
37297 protocol for the remote target. The default is zero (disabled).
37298
37299 @item show remote system-call-allowed
37300 @kindex show remote system-call-allowed
37301 Show whether the @code{system} calls are allowed in the File I/O
37302 protocol.
37303 @end table
37304
37305 @node Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
37306 @subsection Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
37307 @cindex protocol-specific representation of datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
37308
37309 @menu
37310 * Integral Datatypes::
37311 * Pointer Values::
37312 * Memory Transfer::
37313 * struct stat::
37314 * struct timeval::
37315 @end menu
37316
37317 @node Integral Datatypes
37318 @unnumberedsubsubsec Integral Datatypes
37319 @cindex integral datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
37320
37321 The integral datatypes used in the system calls are @code{int},
37322 @code{unsigned int}, @code{long}, @code{unsigned long},
37323 @code{mode_t}, and @code{time_t}.
37324
37325 @code{int}, @code{unsigned int}, @code{mode_t} and @code{time_t} are
37326 implemented as 32 bit values in this protocol.
37327
37328 @code{long} and @code{unsigned long} are implemented as 64 bit types.
37329
37330 @xref{Limits}, for corresponding MIN and MAX values (similar to those
37331 in @file{limits.h}) to allow range checking on host and target.
37332
37333 @code{time_t} datatypes are defined as seconds since the Epoch.
37334
37335 All integral datatypes transferred as part of a memory read or write of a
37336 structured datatype e.g.@: a @code{struct stat} have to be given in big endian
37337 byte order.
37338
37339 @node Pointer Values
37340 @unnumberedsubsubsec Pointer Values
37341 @cindex pointer values, in file-i/o protocol
37342
37343 Pointers to target data are transmitted as they are. An exception
37344 is made for pointers to buffers for which the length isn't
37345 transmitted as part of the function call, namely strings. Strings
37346 are transmitted as a pointer/length pair, both as hex values, e.g.@:
37347
37348 @smallexample
37349 @code{1aaf/12}
37350 @end smallexample
37351
37352 @noindent
37353 which is a pointer to data of length 18 bytes at position 0x1aaf.
37354 The length is defined as the full string length in bytes, including
37355 the trailing null byte. For example, the string @code{"hello world"}
37356 at address 0x123456 is transmitted as
37357
37358 @smallexample
37359 @code{123456/d}
37360 @end smallexample
37361
37362 @node Memory Transfer
37363 @unnumberedsubsubsec Memory Transfer
37364 @cindex memory transfer, in file-i/o protocol
37365
37366 Structured data which is transferred using a memory read or write (for
37367 example, a @code{struct stat}) is expected to be in a protocol-specific format
37368 with all scalar multibyte datatypes being big endian. Translation to
37369 this representation needs to be done both by the target before the @code{F}
37370 packet is sent, and by @value{GDBN} before
37371 it transfers memory to the target. Transferred pointers to structured
37372 data should point to the already-coerced data at any time.
37373
37374
37375 @node struct stat
37376 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct stat
37377 @cindex struct stat, in file-i/o protocol
37378
37379 The buffer of type @code{struct stat} used by the target and @value{GDBN}
37380 is defined as follows:
37381
37382 @smallexample
37383 struct stat @{
37384 unsigned int st_dev; /* device */
37385 unsigned int st_ino; /* inode */
37386 mode_t st_mode; /* protection */
37387 unsigned int st_nlink; /* number of hard links */
37388 unsigned int st_uid; /* user ID of owner */
37389 unsigned int st_gid; /* group ID of owner */
37390 unsigned int st_rdev; /* device type (if inode device) */
37391 unsigned long st_size; /* total size, in bytes */
37392 unsigned long st_blksize; /* blocksize for filesystem I/O */
37393 unsigned long st_blocks; /* number of blocks allocated */
37394 time_t st_atime; /* time of last access */
37395 time_t st_mtime; /* time of last modification */
37396 time_t st_ctime; /* time of last change */
37397 @};
37398 @end smallexample
37399
37400 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
37401 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
37402 structure is of size 64 bytes.
37403
37404 The values of several fields have a restricted meaning and/or
37405 range of values.
37406
37407 @table @code
37408
37409 @item st_dev
37410 A value of 0 represents a file, 1 the console.
37411
37412 @item st_ino
37413 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
37414
37415 @item st_mode
37416 Valid mode bits are described in @ref{Constants}. Any other
37417 bits have currently no meaning for the target.
37418
37419 @item st_uid
37420 @itemx st_gid
37421 @itemx st_rdev
37422 No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
37423
37424 @item st_atime
37425 @itemx st_mtime
37426 @itemx st_ctime
37427 These values have a host and file system dependent
37428 accuracy. Especially on Windows hosts, the file system may not
37429 support exact timing values.
37430 @end table
37431
37432 The target gets a @code{struct stat} of the above representation and is
37433 responsible for coercing it to the target representation before
37434 continuing.
37435
37436 Note that due to size differences between the host, target, and protocol
37437 representations of @code{struct stat} members, these members could eventually
37438 get truncated on the target.
37439
37440 @node struct timeval
37441 @unnumberedsubsubsec struct timeval
37442 @cindex struct timeval, in file-i/o protocol
37443
37444 The buffer of type @code{struct timeval} used by the File-I/O protocol
37445 is defined as follows:
37446
37447 @smallexample
37448 struct timeval @{
37449 time_t tv_sec; /* second */
37450 long tv_usec; /* microsecond */
37451 @};
37452 @end smallexample
37453
37454 The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
37455 appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
37456 structure is of size 8 bytes.
37457
37458 @node Constants
37459 @subsection Constants
37460 @cindex constants, in file-i/o protocol
37461
37462 The following values are used for the constants inside of the
37463 protocol. @value{GDBN} and target are responsible for translating these
37464 values before and after the call as needed.
37465
37466 @menu
37467 * Open Flags::
37468 * mode_t Values::
37469 * Errno Values::
37470 * Lseek Flags::
37471 * Limits::
37472 @end menu
37473
37474 @node Open Flags
37475 @unnumberedsubsubsec Open Flags
37476 @cindex open flags, in file-i/o protocol
37477
37478 All values are given in hexadecimal representation.
37479
37480 @smallexample
37481 O_RDONLY 0x0
37482 O_WRONLY 0x1
37483 O_RDWR 0x2
37484 O_APPEND 0x8
37485 O_CREAT 0x200
37486 O_TRUNC 0x400
37487 O_EXCL 0x800
37488 @end smallexample
37489
37490 @node mode_t Values
37491 @unnumberedsubsubsec mode_t Values
37492 @cindex mode_t values, in file-i/o protocol
37493
37494 All values are given in octal representation.
37495
37496 @smallexample
37497 S_IFREG 0100000
37498 S_IFDIR 040000
37499 S_IRUSR 0400
37500 S_IWUSR 0200
37501 S_IXUSR 0100
37502 S_IRGRP 040
37503 S_IWGRP 020
37504 S_IXGRP 010
37505 S_IROTH 04
37506 S_IWOTH 02
37507 S_IXOTH 01
37508 @end smallexample
37509
37510 @node Errno Values
37511 @unnumberedsubsubsec Errno Values
37512 @cindex errno values, in file-i/o protocol
37513
37514 All values are given in decimal representation.
37515
37516 @smallexample
37517 EPERM 1
37518 ENOENT 2
37519 EINTR 4
37520 EBADF 9
37521 EACCES 13
37522 EFAULT 14
37523 EBUSY 16
37524 EEXIST 17
37525 ENODEV 19
37526 ENOTDIR 20
37527 EISDIR 21
37528 EINVAL 22
37529 ENFILE 23
37530 EMFILE 24
37531 EFBIG 27
37532 ENOSPC 28
37533 ESPIPE 29
37534 EROFS 30
37535 ENAMETOOLONG 91
37536 EUNKNOWN 9999
37537 @end smallexample
37538
37539 @code{EUNKNOWN} is used as a fallback error value if a host system returns
37540 any error value not in the list of supported error numbers.
37541
37542 @node Lseek Flags
37543 @unnumberedsubsubsec Lseek Flags
37544 @cindex lseek flags, in file-i/o protocol
37545
37546 @smallexample
37547 SEEK_SET 0
37548 SEEK_CUR 1
37549 SEEK_END 2
37550 @end smallexample
37551
37552 @node Limits
37553 @unnumberedsubsubsec Limits
37554 @cindex limits, in file-i/o protocol
37555
37556 All values are given in decimal representation.
37557
37558 @smallexample
37559 INT_MIN -2147483648
37560 INT_MAX 2147483647
37561 UINT_MAX 4294967295
37562 LONG_MIN -9223372036854775808
37563 LONG_MAX 9223372036854775807
37564 ULONG_MAX 18446744073709551615
37565 @end smallexample
37566
37567 @node File-I/O Examples
37568 @subsection File-I/O Examples
37569 @cindex file-i/o examples
37570
37571 Example sequence of a write call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
37572 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be written:
37573
37574 @smallexample
37575 <- @code{Fwrite,3,1234,6}
37576 @emph{request memory read from target}
37577 -> @code{m1234,6}
37578 <- XXXXXX
37579 @emph{return "6 bytes written"}
37580 -> @code{F6}
37581 @end smallexample
37582
37583 Example sequence of a read call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
37584 address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be read:
37585
37586 @smallexample
37587 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37588 @emph{request memory write to target}
37589 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
37590 @emph{return "6 bytes read"}
37591 -> @code{F6}
37592 @end smallexample
37593
37594 Example sequence of a read call, call fails on the host due to invalid
37595 file descriptor (@code{EBADF}):
37596
37597 @smallexample
37598 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37599 -> @code{F-1,9}
37600 @end smallexample
37601
37602 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} before syscall on
37603 host is called:
37604
37605 @smallexample
37606 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37607 -> @code{F-1,4,C}
37608 <- @code{T02}
37609 @end smallexample
37610
37611 Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} after syscall on
37612 host is called:
37613
37614 @smallexample
37615 <- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37616 -> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
37617 <- @code{T02}
37618 @end smallexample
37619
37620 @node Library List Format
37621 @section Library List Format
37622 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
37623
37624 On some platforms, a dynamic loader (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) runs in the
37625 same process as your application to manage libraries. In this case,
37626 @value{GDBN} can use the loader's symbol table and normal memory
37627 operations to maintain a list of shared libraries. On other
37628 platforms, the operating system manages loaded libraries.
37629 @value{GDBN} can not retrieve the list of currently loaded libraries
37630 through memory operations, so it uses the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
37631 packet (@pxref{qXfer library list read}) instead. The remote stub
37632 queries the target's operating system and reports which libraries
37633 are loaded.
37634
37635 The @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet returns an XML document which
37636 lists loaded libraries and their offsets. Each library has an
37637 associated name and one or more segment or section base addresses,
37638 which report where the library was loaded in memory.
37639
37640 For the common case of libraries that are fully linked binaries, the
37641 library should have a list of segments. If the target supports
37642 dynamic linking of a relocatable object file, its library XML element
37643 should instead include a list of allocated sections. The segment or
37644 section bases are start addresses, not relocation offsets; they do not
37645 depend on the library's link-time base addresses.
37646
37647 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37648 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
37649
37650 A simple memory map, with one loaded library relocated by a single
37651 offset, looks like this:
37652
37653 @smallexample
37654 <library-list>
37655 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6">
37656 <segment address="0x10000000"/>
37657 </library>
37658 </library-list>
37659 @end smallexample
37660
37661 Another simple memory map, with one loaded library with three
37662 allocated sections (.text, .data, .bss), looks like this:
37663
37664 @smallexample
37665 <library-list>
37666 <library name="sharedlib.o">
37667 <section address="0x10000000"/>
37668 <section address="0x20000000"/>
37669 <section address="0x30000000"/>
37670 </library>
37671 </library-list>
37672 @end smallexample
37673
37674 The format of a library list is described by this DTD:
37675
37676 @smallexample
37677 <!-- library-list: Root element with versioning -->
37678 <!ELEMENT library-list (library)*>
37679 <!ATTLIST library-list version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
37680 <!ELEMENT library (segment*, section*)>
37681 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
37682 <!ELEMENT segment EMPTY>
37683 <!ATTLIST segment address CDATA #REQUIRED>
37684 <!ELEMENT section EMPTY>
37685 <!ATTLIST section address CDATA #REQUIRED>
37686 @end smallexample
37687
37688 In addition, segments and section descriptors cannot be mixed within a
37689 single library element, and you must supply at least one segment or
37690 section for each library.
37691
37692 @node Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
37693 @section Library List Format for SVR4 Targets
37694 @cindex library list format, remote protocol
37695
37696 On SVR4 platforms @value{GDBN} can use the symbol table of a dynamic loader
37697 (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) and normal memory operations to maintain a list of
37698 shared libraries. Still a special library list provided by this packet is
37699 more efficient for the @value{GDBN} remote protocol.
37700
37701 The @samp{qXfer:libraries-svr4:read} packet returns an XML document which lists
37702 loaded libraries and their SVR4 linker parameters. For each library on SVR4
37703 target, the following parameters are reported:
37704
37705 @itemize @minus
37706 @item
37707 @code{name}, the absolute file name from the @code{l_name} field of
37708 @code{struct link_map}.
37709 @item
37710 @code{lm} with address of @code{struct link_map} used for TLS
37711 (Thread Local Storage) access.
37712 @item
37713 @code{l_addr}, the displacement as read from the field @code{l_addr} of
37714 @code{struct link_map}. For prelinked libraries this is not an absolute
37715 memory address. It is a displacement of absolute memory address against
37716 address the file was prelinked to during the library load.
37717 @item
37718 @code{l_ld}, which is memory address of the @code{PT_DYNAMIC} segment
37719 @end itemize
37720
37721 Additionally the single @code{main-lm} attribute specifies address of
37722 @code{struct link_map} used for the main executable. This parameter is used
37723 for TLS access and its presence is optional.
37724
37725 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37726 SVR4 library lists. @xref{Expat}.
37727
37728 A simple memory map, with two loaded libraries (which do not use prelink),
37729 looks like this:
37730
37731 @smallexample
37732 <library-list-svr4 version="1.0" main-lm="0xe4f8f8">
37733 <library name="/lib/ld-linux.so.2" lm="0xe4f51c" l_addr="0xe2d000"
37734 l_ld="0xe4eefc"/>
37735 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6" lm="0xe4fbe8" l_addr="0x154000"
37736 l_ld="0x152350"/>
37737 </library-list-svr>
37738 @end smallexample
37739
37740 The format of an SVR4 library list is described by this DTD:
37741
37742 @smallexample
37743 <!-- library-list-svr4: Root element with versioning -->
37744 <!ELEMENT library-list-svr4 (library)*>
37745 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
37746 <!ATTLIST library-list-svr4 main-lm CDATA #IMPLIED>
37747 <!ELEMENT library EMPTY>
37748 <!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
37749 <!ATTLIST library lm CDATA #REQUIRED>
37750 <!ATTLIST library l_addr CDATA #REQUIRED>
37751 <!ATTLIST library l_ld CDATA #REQUIRED>
37752 @end smallexample
37753
37754 @node Memory Map Format
37755 @section Memory Map Format
37756 @cindex memory map format
37757
37758 To be able to write into flash memory, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain a
37759 memory map from the target. This section describes the format of the
37760 memory map.
37761
37762 The memory map is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
37763 (@pxref{qXfer memory map read}) packet and is an XML document that
37764 lists memory regions.
37765
37766 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37767 memory maps. @xref{Expat}.
37768
37769 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
37770
37771 @smallexample
37772 <?xml version="1.0"?>
37773 <!DOCTYPE memory-map
37774 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
37775 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-memory-map.dtd">
37776 <memory-map>
37777 region...
37778 </memory-map>
37779 @end smallexample
37780
37781 Each region can be either:
37782
37783 @itemize
37784
37785 @item
37786 A region of RAM starting at @var{addr} and extending for @var{length}
37787 bytes from there:
37788
37789 @smallexample
37790 <memory type="ram" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
37791 @end smallexample
37792
37793
37794 @item
37795 A region of read-only memory:
37796
37797 @smallexample
37798 <memory type="rom" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
37799 @end smallexample
37800
37801
37802 @item
37803 A region of flash memory, with erasure blocks @var{blocksize}
37804 bytes in length:
37805
37806 @smallexample
37807 <memory type="flash" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}">
37808 <property name="blocksize">@var{blocksize}</property>
37809 </memory>
37810 @end smallexample
37811
37812 @end itemize
37813
37814 Regions must not overlap. @value{GDBN} assumes that areas of memory not covered
37815 by the memory map are RAM, and uses the ordinary @samp{M} and @samp{X}
37816 packets to write to addresses in such ranges.
37817
37818 The formal DTD for memory map format is given below:
37819
37820 @smallexample
37821 <!-- ................................................... -->
37822 <!-- Memory Map XML DTD ................................ -->
37823 <!-- File: memory-map.dtd .............................. -->
37824 <!-- .................................... .............. -->
37825 <!-- memory-map.dtd -->
37826 <!-- memory-map: Root element with versioning -->
37827 <!ELEMENT memory-map (memory | property)>
37828 <!ATTLIST memory-map version CDATA #FIXED "1.0.0">
37829 <!ELEMENT memory (property)>
37830 <!-- memory: Specifies a memory region,
37831 and its type, or device. -->
37832 <!ATTLIST memory type CDATA #REQUIRED
37833 start CDATA #REQUIRED
37834 length CDATA #REQUIRED
37835 device CDATA #IMPLIED>
37836 <!-- property: Generic attribute tag -->
37837 <!ELEMENT property (#PCDATA | property)*>
37838 <!ATTLIST property name CDATA #REQUIRED>
37839 @end smallexample
37840
37841 @node Thread List Format
37842 @section Thread List Format
37843 @cindex thread list format
37844
37845 To efficiently update the list of threads and their attributes,
37846 @value{GDBN} issues the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
37847 (@pxref{qXfer threads read}) and obtains the XML document with
37848 the following structure:
37849
37850 @smallexample
37851 <?xml version="1.0"?>
37852 <threads>
37853 <thread id="id" core="0">
37854 ... description ...
37855 </thread>
37856 </threads>
37857 @end smallexample
37858
37859 Each @samp{thread} element must have the @samp{id} attribute that
37860 identifies the thread (@pxref{thread-id syntax}). The
37861 @samp{core} attribute, if present, specifies which processor core
37862 the thread was last executing on. The content of the of @samp{thread}
37863 element is interpreted as human-readable auxilliary information.
37864
37865 @node Traceframe Info Format
37866 @section Traceframe Info Format
37867 @cindex traceframe info format
37868
37869 To be able to know which objects in the inferior can be examined when
37870 inspecting a tracepoint hit, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of
37871 memory ranges, registers and trace state variables that have been
37872 collected in a traceframe.
37873
37874 This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
37875 (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}) packet and is an XML document.
37876
37877 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37878 traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
37879
37880 The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
37881
37882 @smallexample
37883 <?xml version="1.0"?>
37884 <!DOCTYPE traceframe-info
37885 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
37886 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-traceframe-info.dtd">
37887 <traceframe-info>
37888 block...
37889 </traceframe-info>
37890 @end smallexample
37891
37892 Each traceframe block can be either:
37893
37894 @itemize
37895
37896 @item
37897 A region of collected memory starting at @var{addr} and extending for
37898 @var{length} bytes from there:
37899
37900 @smallexample
37901 <memory start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
37902 @end smallexample
37903
37904 @end itemize
37905
37906 The formal DTD for the traceframe info format is given below:
37907
37908 @smallexample
37909 <!ELEMENT traceframe-info (memory)* >
37910 <!ATTLIST traceframe-info version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
37911
37912 <!ELEMENT memory EMPTY>
37913 <!ATTLIST memory start CDATA #REQUIRED
37914 length CDATA #REQUIRED>
37915 @end smallexample
37916
37917 @include agentexpr.texi
37918
37919 @node Target Descriptions
37920 @appendix Target Descriptions
37921 @cindex target descriptions
37922
37923 One of the challenges of using @value{GDBN} to debug embedded systems
37924 is that there are so many minor variants of each processor
37925 architecture in use. It is common practice for vendors to start with
37926 a standard processor core --- ARM, PowerPC, or MIPS, for example ---
37927 and then make changes to adapt it to a particular market niche. Some
37928 architectures have hundreds of variants, available from dozens of
37929 vendors. This leads to a number of problems:
37930
37931 @itemize @bullet
37932 @item
37933 With so many different customized processors, it is difficult for
37934 the @value{GDBN} maintainers to keep up with the changes.
37935 @item
37936 Since individual variants may have short lifetimes or limited
37937 audiences, it may not be worthwhile to carry information about every
37938 variant in the @value{GDBN} source tree.
37939 @item
37940 When @value{GDBN} does support the architecture of the embedded system
37941 at hand, the task of finding the correct architecture name to give the
37942 @command{set architecture} command can be error-prone.
37943 @end itemize
37944
37945 To address these problems, the @value{GDBN} remote protocol allows a
37946 target system to not only identify itself to @value{GDBN}, but to
37947 actually describe its own features. This lets @value{GDBN} support
37948 processor variants it has never seen before --- to the extent that the
37949 descriptions are accurate, and that @value{GDBN} understands them.
37950
37951 @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37952 target descriptions. @xref{Expat}.
37953
37954 @menu
37955 * Retrieving Descriptions:: How descriptions are fetched from a target.
37956 * Target Description Format:: The contents of a target description.
37957 * Predefined Target Types:: Standard types available for target
37958 descriptions.
37959 * Standard Target Features:: Features @value{GDBN} knows about.
37960 @end menu
37961
37962 @node Retrieving Descriptions
37963 @section Retrieving Descriptions
37964
37965 Target descriptions can be read from the target automatically, or
37966 specified by the user manually. The default behavior is to read the
37967 description from the target. @value{GDBN} retrieves it via the remote
37968 protocol using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{General Query Packets,
37969 qXfer}). The @var{annex} in the @samp{qXfer} packet will be
37970 @samp{target.xml}. The contents of the @samp{target.xml} annex are an
37971 XML document, of the form described in @ref{Target Description
37972 Format}.
37973
37974 Alternatively, you can specify a file to read for the target description.
37975 If a file is set, the target will not be queried. The commands to
37976 specify a file are:
37977
37978 @table @code
37979 @cindex set tdesc filename
37980 @item set tdesc filename @var{path}
37981 Read the target description from @var{path}.
37982
37983 @cindex unset tdesc filename
37984 @item unset tdesc filename
37985 Do not read the XML target description from a file. @value{GDBN}
37986 will use the description supplied by the current target.
37987
37988 @cindex show tdesc filename
37989 @item show tdesc filename
37990 Show the filename to read for a target description, if any.
37991 @end table
37992
37993
37994 @node Target Description Format
37995 @section Target Description Format
37996 @cindex target descriptions, XML format
37997
37998 A target description annex is an @uref{http://www.w3.org/XML/, XML}
37999 document which complies with the Document Type Definition provided in
38000 the @value{GDBN} sources in @file{gdb/features/gdb-target.dtd}. This
38001 means you can use generally available tools like @command{xmllint} to
38002 check that your feature descriptions are well-formed and valid.
38003 However, to help people unfamiliar with XML write descriptions for
38004 their targets, we also describe the grammar here.
38005
38006 Target descriptions can identify the architecture of the remote target
38007 and (for some architectures) provide information about custom register
38008 sets. They can also identify the OS ABI of the remote target.
38009 @value{GDBN} can use this information to autoconfigure for your
38010 target, or to warn you if you connect to an unsupported target.
38011
38012 Here is a simple target description:
38013
38014 @smallexample
38015 <target version="1.0">
38016 <architecture>i386:x86-64</architecture>
38017 </target>
38018 @end smallexample
38019
38020 @noindent
38021 This minimal description only says that the target uses
38022 the x86-64 architecture.
38023
38024 A target description has the following overall form, with [ ] marking
38025 optional elements and @dots{} marking repeatable elements. The elements
38026 are explained further below.
38027
38028 @smallexample
38029 <?xml version="1.0"?>
38030 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "gdb-target.dtd">
38031 <target version="1.0">
38032 @r{[}@var{architecture}@r{]}
38033 @r{[}@var{osabi}@r{]}
38034 @r{[}@var{compatible}@r{]}
38035 @r{[}@var{feature}@dots{}@r{]}
38036 </target>
38037 @end smallexample
38038
38039 @noindent
38040 The description is generally insensitive to whitespace and line
38041 breaks, under the usual common-sense rules. The XML version
38042 declaration and document type declaration can generally be omitted
38043 (@value{GDBN} does not require them), but specifying them may be
38044 useful for XML validation tools. The @samp{version} attribute for
38045 @samp{<target>} may also be omitted, but we recommend
38046 including it; if future versions of @value{GDBN} use an incompatible
38047 revision of @file{gdb-target.dtd}, they will detect and report
38048 the version mismatch.
38049
38050 @subsection Inclusion
38051 @cindex target descriptions, inclusion
38052 @cindex XInclude
38053 @ifnotinfo
38054 @cindex <xi:include>
38055 @end ifnotinfo
38056
38057 It can sometimes be valuable to split a target description up into
38058 several different annexes, either for organizational purposes, or to
38059 share files between different possible target descriptions. You can
38060 divide a description into multiple files by replacing any element of
38061 the target description with an inclusion directive of the form:
38062
38063 @smallexample
38064 <xi:include href="@var{document}"/>
38065 @end smallexample
38066
38067 @noindent
38068 When @value{GDBN} encounters an element of this form, it will retrieve
38069 the named XML @var{document}, and replace the inclusion directive with
38070 the contents of that document. If the current description was read
38071 using @samp{qXfer}, then so will be the included document;
38072 @var{document} will be interpreted as the name of an annex. If the
38073 current description was read from a file, @value{GDBN} will look for
38074 @var{document} as a file in the same directory where it found the
38075 original description.
38076
38077 @subsection Architecture
38078 @cindex <architecture>
38079
38080 An @samp{<architecture>} element has this form:
38081
38082 @smallexample
38083 <architecture>@var{arch}</architecture>
38084 @end smallexample
38085
38086 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
38087 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
38088
38089 @subsection OS ABI
38090 @cindex @code{<osabi>}
38091
38092 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
38093 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
38094
38095 An @samp{<osabi>} element has this form:
38096
38097 @smallexample
38098 <osabi>@var{abi-name}</osabi>
38099 @end smallexample
38100
38101 @var{abi-name} is an OS ABI name from the same selection accepted by
38102 @w{@code{set osabi}} (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
38103
38104 @subsection Compatible Architecture
38105 @cindex @code{<compatible>}
38106
38107 This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
38108 Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
38109
38110 A @samp{<compatible>} element has this form:
38111
38112 @smallexample
38113 <compatible>@var{arch}</compatible>
38114 @end smallexample
38115
38116 @var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
38117 @code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
38118
38119 A @samp{<compatible>} element is used to specify that the target
38120 is able to run binaries in some other than the main target architecture
38121 given by the @samp{<architecture>} element. For example, on the
38122 Cell Broadband Engine, the main architecture is @code{powerpc:common}
38123 or @code{powerpc:common64}, but the system is able to run binaries
38124 in the @code{spu} architecture as well. The way to describe this
38125 capability with @samp{<compatible>} is as follows:
38126
38127 @smallexample
38128 <architecture>powerpc:common</architecture>
38129 <compatible>spu</compatible>
38130 @end smallexample
38131
38132 @subsection Features
38133 @cindex <feature>
38134
38135 Each @samp{<feature>} describes some logical portion of the target
38136 system. Features are currently used to describe available CPU
38137 registers and the types of their contents. A @samp{<feature>} element
38138 has this form:
38139
38140 @smallexample
38141 <feature name="@var{name}">
38142 @r{[}@var{type}@dots{}@r{]}
38143 @var{reg}@dots{}
38144 </feature>
38145 @end smallexample
38146
38147 @noindent
38148 Each feature's name should be unique within the description. The name
38149 of a feature does not matter unless @value{GDBN} has some special
38150 knowledge of the contents of that feature; if it does, the feature
38151 should have its standard name. @xref{Standard Target Features}.
38152
38153 @subsection Types
38154
38155 Any register's value is a collection of bits which @value{GDBN} must
38156 interpret. The default interpretation is a two's complement integer,
38157 but other types can be requested by name in the register description.
38158 Some predefined types are provided by @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Predefined
38159 Target Types}), and the description can define additional composite types.
38160
38161 Each type element must have an @samp{id} attribute, which gives
38162 a unique (within the containing @samp{<feature>}) name to the type.
38163 Types must be defined before they are used.
38164
38165 @cindex <vector>
38166 Some targets offer vector registers, which can be treated as arrays
38167 of scalar elements. These types are written as @samp{<vector>} elements,
38168 specifying the array element type, @var{type}, and the number of elements,
38169 @var{count}:
38170
38171 @smallexample
38172 <vector id="@var{id}" type="@var{type}" count="@var{count}"/>
38173 @end smallexample
38174
38175 @cindex <union>
38176 If a register's value is usefully viewed in multiple ways, define it
38177 with a union type containing the useful representations. The
38178 @samp{<union>} element contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements,
38179 each of which has a @var{name} and a @var{type}:
38180
38181 @smallexample
38182 <union id="@var{id}">
38183 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
38184 @dots{}
38185 </union>
38186 @end smallexample
38187
38188 @cindex <struct>
38189 If a register's value is composed from several separate values, define
38190 it with a structure type. There are two forms of the @samp{<struct>}
38191 element; a @samp{<struct>} element must either contain only bitfields
38192 or contain no bitfields. If the structure contains only bitfields,
38193 its total size in bytes must be specified, each bitfield must have an
38194 explicit start and end, and bitfields are automatically assigned an
38195 integer type. The field's @var{start} should be less than or
38196 equal to its @var{end}, and zero represents the least significant bit.
38197
38198 @smallexample
38199 <struct id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
38200 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
38201 @dots{}
38202 </struct>
38203 @end smallexample
38204
38205 If the structure contains no bitfields, then each field has an
38206 explicit type, and no implicit padding is added.
38207
38208 @smallexample
38209 <struct id="@var{id}">
38210 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
38211 @dots{}
38212 </struct>
38213 @end smallexample
38214
38215 @cindex <flags>
38216 If a register's value is a series of single-bit flags, define it with
38217 a flags type. The @samp{<flags>} element has an explicit @var{size}
38218 and contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements. Each field has a
38219 @var{name}, a @var{start}, and an @var{end}. Only single-bit flags
38220 are supported.
38221
38222 @smallexample
38223 <flags id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
38224 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
38225 @dots{}
38226 </flags>
38227 @end smallexample
38228
38229 @subsection Registers
38230 @cindex <reg>
38231
38232 Each register is represented as an element with this form:
38233
38234 @smallexample
38235 <reg name="@var{name}"
38236 bitsize="@var{size}"
38237 @r{[}regnum="@var{num}"@r{]}
38238 @r{[}save-restore="@var{save-restore}"@r{]}
38239 @r{[}type="@var{type}"@r{]}
38240 @r{[}group="@var{group}"@r{]}/>
38241 @end smallexample
38242
38243 @noindent
38244 The components are as follows:
38245
38246 @table @var
38247
38248 @item name
38249 The register's name; it must be unique within the target description.
38250
38251 @item bitsize
38252 The register's size, in bits.
38253
38254 @item regnum
38255 The register's number. If omitted, a register's number is one greater
38256 than that of the previous register (either in the current feature or in
38257 a preceding feature); the first register in the target description
38258 defaults to zero. This register number is used to read or write
38259 the register; e.g.@: it is used in the remote @code{p} and @code{P}
38260 packets, and registers appear in the @code{g} and @code{G} packets
38261 in order of increasing register number.
38262
38263 @item save-restore
38264 Whether the register should be preserved across inferior function
38265 calls; this must be either @code{yes} or @code{no}. The default is
38266 @code{yes}, which is appropriate for most registers except for
38267 some system control registers; this is not related to the target's
38268 ABI.
38269
38270 @item type
38271 The type of the register. @var{type} may be a predefined type, a type
38272 defined in the current feature, or one of the special types @code{int}
38273 and @code{float}. @code{int} is an integer type of the correct size
38274 for @var{bitsize}, and @code{float} is a floating point type (in the
38275 architecture's normal floating point format) of the correct size for
38276 @var{bitsize}. The default is @code{int}.
38277
38278 @item group
38279 The register group to which this register belongs. @var{group} must
38280 be either @code{general}, @code{float}, or @code{vector}. If no
38281 @var{group} is specified, @value{GDBN} will not display the register
38282 in @code{info registers}.
38283
38284 @end table
38285
38286 @node Predefined Target Types
38287 @section Predefined Target Types
38288 @cindex target descriptions, predefined types
38289
38290 Type definitions in the self-description can build up composite types
38291 from basic building blocks, but can not define fundamental types. Instead,
38292 standard identifiers are provided by @value{GDBN} for the fundamental
38293 types. The currently supported types are:
38294
38295 @table @code
38296
38297 @item int8
38298 @itemx int16
38299 @itemx int32
38300 @itemx int64
38301 @itemx int128
38302 Signed integer types holding the specified number of bits.
38303
38304 @item uint8
38305 @itemx uint16
38306 @itemx uint32
38307 @itemx uint64
38308 @itemx uint128
38309 Unsigned integer types holding the specified number of bits.
38310
38311 @item code_ptr
38312 @itemx data_ptr
38313 Pointers to unspecified code and data. The program counter and
38314 any dedicated return address register may be marked as code
38315 pointers; printing a code pointer converts it into a symbolic
38316 address. The stack pointer and any dedicated address registers
38317 may be marked as data pointers.
38318
38319 @item ieee_single
38320 Single precision IEEE floating point.
38321
38322 @item ieee_double
38323 Double precision IEEE floating point.
38324
38325 @item arm_fpa_ext
38326 The 12-byte extended precision format used by ARM FPA registers.
38327
38328 @item i387_ext
38329 The 10-byte extended precision format used by x87 registers.
38330
38331 @item i386_eflags
38332 32bit @sc{eflags} register used by x86.
38333
38334 @item i386_mxcsr
38335 32bit @sc{mxcsr} register used by x86.
38336
38337 @end table
38338
38339 @node Standard Target Features
38340 @section Standard Target Features
38341 @cindex target descriptions, standard features
38342
38343 A target description must contain either no registers or all the
38344 target's registers. If the description contains no registers, then
38345 @value{GDBN} will assume a default register layout, selected based on
38346 the architecture. If the description contains any registers, the
38347 default layout will not be used; the standard registers must be
38348 described in the target description, in such a way that @value{GDBN}
38349 can recognize them.
38350
38351 This is accomplished by giving specific names to feature elements
38352 which contain standard registers. @value{GDBN} will look for features
38353 with those names and verify that they contain the expected registers;
38354 if any known feature is missing required registers, or if any required
38355 feature is missing, @value{GDBN} will reject the target
38356 description. You can add additional registers to any of the
38357 standard features --- @value{GDBN} will display them just as if
38358 they were added to an unrecognized feature.
38359
38360 This section lists the known features and their expected contents.
38361 Sample XML documents for these features are included in the
38362 @value{GDBN} source tree, in the directory @file{gdb/features}.
38363
38364 Names recognized by @value{GDBN} should include the name of the
38365 company or organization which selected the name, and the overall
38366 architecture to which the feature applies; so e.g.@: the feature
38367 containing ARM core registers is named @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}.
38368
38369 The names of registers are not case sensitive for the purpose
38370 of recognizing standard features, but @value{GDBN} will only display
38371 registers using the capitalization used in the description.
38372
38373 @menu
38374 * ARM Features::
38375 * i386 Features::
38376 * MIPS Features::
38377 * M68K Features::
38378 * PowerPC Features::
38379 * TIC6x Features::
38380 @end menu
38381
38382
38383 @node ARM Features
38384 @subsection ARM Features
38385 @cindex target descriptions, ARM features
38386
38387 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core} feature is required for non-M-profile
38388 ARM targets.
38389 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp},
38390 @samp{lr}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
38391
38392 For M-profile targets (e.g. Cortex-M3), the @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}
38393 feature is replaced by @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.m-profile}. It should contain
38394 registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp}, @samp{lr}, @samp{pc},
38395 and @samp{xpsr}.
38396
38397 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.fpa} feature is optional. If present, it
38398 should contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f7} and @samp{fps}.
38399
38400 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.xscale.iwmmxt} feature is optional. If present,
38401 it should contain at least registers @samp{wR0} through @samp{wR15} and
38402 @samp{wCGR0} through @samp{wCGR3}. The @samp{wCID}, @samp{wCon},
38403 @samp{wCSSF}, and @samp{wCASF} registers are optional.
38404
38405 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} feature is optional. If present, it
38406 should contain at least registers @samp{d0} through @samp{d15}. If
38407 they are present, @samp{d16} through @samp{d31} should also be included.
38408 @value{GDBN} will synthesize the single-precision registers from
38409 halves of the double-precision registers.
38410
38411 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.neon} feature is optional. It does not
38412 need to contain registers; it instructs @value{GDBN} to display the
38413 VFP double-precision registers as vectors and to synthesize the
38414 quad-precision registers from pairs of double-precision registers.
38415 If this feature is present, @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} must also
38416 be present and include 32 double-precision registers.
38417
38418 @node i386 Features
38419 @subsection i386 Features
38420 @cindex target descriptions, i386 features
38421
38422 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.core} feature is required for i386/amd64
38423 targets. It should describe the following registers:
38424
38425 @itemize @minus
38426 @item
38427 @samp{eax} through @samp{edi} plus @samp{eip} for i386
38428 @item
38429 @samp{rax} through @samp{r15} plus @samp{rip} for amd64
38430 @item
38431 @samp{eflags}, @samp{cs}, @samp{ss}, @samp{ds}, @samp{es},
38432 @samp{fs}, @samp{gs}
38433 @item
38434 @samp{st0} through @samp{st7}
38435 @item
38436 @samp{fctrl}, @samp{fstat}, @samp{ftag}, @samp{fiseg}, @samp{fioff},
38437 @samp{foseg}, @samp{fooff} and @samp{fop}
38438 @end itemize
38439
38440 The register sets may be different, depending on the target.
38441
38442 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature is optional. It should
38443 describe registers:
38444
38445 @itemize @minus
38446 @item
38447 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm7} for i386
38448 @item
38449 @samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm15} for amd64
38450 @item
38451 @samp{mxcsr}
38452 @end itemize
38453
38454 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature is optional and requires the
38455 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature. It should
38456 describe the upper 128 bits of @sc{ymm} registers:
38457
38458 @itemize @minus
38459 @item
38460 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm7h} for i386
38461 @item
38462 @samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm15h} for amd64
38463 @end itemize
38464
38465 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.linux} feature is optional. It should
38466 describe a single register, @samp{orig_eax}.
38467
38468 @node MIPS Features
38469 @subsection MIPS Features
38470 @cindex target descriptions, MIPS features
38471
38472 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cpu} feature is required for MIPS targets.
38473 It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31}, @samp{lo},
38474 @samp{hi}, and @samp{pc}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending
38475 on the target.
38476
38477 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cp0} feature is also required. It should
38478 contain at least the @samp{status}, @samp{badvaddr}, and @samp{cause}
38479 registers. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
38480
38481 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.fpu} feature is currently required, though
38482 it may be optional in a future version of @value{GDBN}. It should
38483 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31}, @samp{fcsr}, and
38484 @samp{fir}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
38485
38486 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.linux} feature is optional. It should
38487 contain a single register, @samp{restart}, which is used by the
38488 Linux kernel to control restartable syscalls.
38489
38490 @node M68K Features
38491 @subsection M68K Features
38492 @cindex target descriptions, M68K features
38493
38494 @table @code
38495 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.m68k.core}
38496 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.core}
38497 @itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.fido.core}
38498 One of those features must be always present.
38499 The feature that is present determines which flavor of m68k is
38500 used. The feature that is present should contain registers
38501 @samp{d0} through @samp{d7}, @samp{a0} through @samp{a5}, @samp{fp},
38502 @samp{sp}, @samp{ps} and @samp{pc}.
38503
38504 @item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.fp}
38505 This feature is optional. If present, it should contain registers
38506 @samp{fp0} through @samp{fp7}, @samp{fpcontrol}, @samp{fpstatus} and
38507 @samp{fpiaddr}.
38508 @end table
38509
38510 @node PowerPC Features
38511 @subsection PowerPC Features
38512 @cindex target descriptions, PowerPC features
38513
38514 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} feature is required for PowerPC
38515 targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
38516 @samp{pc}, @samp{msr}, @samp{cr}, @samp{lr}, @samp{ctr}, and
38517 @samp{xer}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
38518
38519 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.fpu} feature is optional. It should
38520 contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31} and @samp{fpscr}.
38521
38522 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.altivec} feature is optional. It should
38523 contain registers @samp{vr0} through @samp{vr31}, @samp{vscr},
38524 and @samp{vrsave}.
38525
38526 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.vsx} feature is optional. It should
38527 contain registers @samp{vs0h} through @samp{vs31h}. @value{GDBN}
38528 will combine these registers with the floating point registers
38529 (@samp{f0} through @samp{f31}) and the altivec registers (@samp{vr0}
38530 through @samp{vr31}) to present the 128-bit wide registers @samp{vs0}
38531 through @samp{vs63}, the set of vector registers for POWER7.
38532
38533 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.spe} feature is optional. It should
38534 contain registers @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}, @samp{acc}, and
38535 @samp{spefscr}. SPE targets should provide 32-bit registers in
38536 @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} and provide the upper halves in
38537 @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}. @value{GDBN} will combine
38538 these to present registers @samp{ev0} through @samp{ev31} to the
38539 user.
38540
38541 @node TIC6x Features
38542 @subsection TMS320C6x Features
38543 @cindex target descriptions, TIC6x features
38544 @cindex target descriptions, TMS320C6x features
38545 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.core} feature is required for TMS320C6x
38546 targets. It should contain registers @samp{A0} through @samp{A15},
38547 registers @samp{B0} through @samp{B15}, @samp{CSR} and @samp{PC}.
38548
38549 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.gp} feature is optional. It should
38550 contain registers @samp{A16} through @samp{A31} and @samp{B16}
38551 through @samp{B31}.
38552
38553 The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.c6xp} feature is optional. It should
38554 contain registers @samp{TSR}, @samp{ILC} and @samp{RILC}.
38555
38556 @node Operating System Information
38557 @appendix Operating System Information
38558 @cindex operating system information
38559
38560 @menu
38561 * Process list::
38562 @end menu
38563
38564 Users of @value{GDBN} often wish to obtain information about the state of
38565 the operating system running on the target---for example the list of
38566 processes, or the list of open files. This section describes the
38567 mechanism that makes it possible. This mechanism is similar to the
38568 target features mechanism (@pxref{Target Descriptions}), but focuses
38569 on a different aspect of target.
38570
38571 Operating system information is retrived from the target via the
38572 remote protocol, using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{qXfer osdata
38573 read}). The object name in the request should be @samp{osdata}, and
38574 the @var{annex} identifies the data to be fetched.
38575
38576 @node Process list
38577 @appendixsection Process list
38578 @cindex operating system information, process list
38579
38580 When requesting the process list, the @var{annex} field in the
38581 @samp{qXfer} request should be @samp{processes}. The returned data is
38582 an XML document. The formal syntax of this document is defined in
38583 @file{gdb/features/osdata.dtd}.
38584
38585 An example document is:
38586
38587 @smallexample
38588 <?xml version="1.0"?>
38589 <!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "osdata.dtd">
38590 <osdata type="processes">
38591 <item>
38592 <column name="pid">1</column>
38593 <column name="user">root</column>
38594 <column name="command">/sbin/init</column>
38595 <column name="cores">1,2,3</column>
38596 </item>
38597 </osdata>
38598 @end smallexample
38599
38600 Each item should include a column whose name is @samp{pid}. The value
38601 of that column should identify the process on the target. The
38602 @samp{user} and @samp{command} columns are optional, and will be
38603 displayed by @value{GDBN}. The @samp{cores} column, if present,
38604 should contain a comma-separated list of cores that this process
38605 is running on. Target may provide additional columns,
38606 which @value{GDBN} currently ignores.
38607
38608 @node Trace File Format
38609 @appendix Trace File Format
38610 @cindex trace file format
38611
38612 The trace file comes in three parts: a header, a textual description
38613 section, and a trace frame section with binary data.
38614
38615 The header has the form @code{\x7fTRACE0\n}. The first byte is
38616 @code{0x7f} so as to indicate that the file contains binary data,
38617 while the @code{0} is a version number that may have different values
38618 in the future.
38619
38620 The description section consists of multiple lines of @sc{ascii} text
38621 separated by newline characters (@code{0xa}). The lines may include a
38622 variety of optional descriptive or context-setting information, such
38623 as tracepoint definitions or register set size. @value{GDBN} will
38624 ignore any line that it does not recognize. An empty line marks the end
38625 of this section.
38626
38627 @c FIXME add some specific types of data
38628
38629 The trace frame section consists of a number of consecutive frames.
38630 Each frame begins with a two-byte tracepoint number, followed by a
38631 four-byte size giving the amount of data in the frame. The data in
38632 the frame consists of a number of blocks, each introduced by a
38633 character indicating its type (at least register, memory, and trace
38634 state variable). The data in this section is raw binary, not a
38635 hexadecimal or other encoding; its endianness matches the target's
38636 endianness.
38637
38638 @c FIXME bi-arch may require endianness/arch info in description section
38639
38640 @table @code
38641 @item R @var{bytes}
38642 Register block. The number and ordering of bytes matches that of a
38643 @code{g} packet in the remote protocol. Note that these are the
38644 actual bytes, in target order and @value{GDBN} register order, not a
38645 hexadecimal encoding.
38646
38647 @item M @var{address} @var{length} @var{bytes}...
38648 Memory block. This is a contiguous block of memory, at the 8-byte
38649 address @var{address}, with a 2-byte length @var{length}, followed by
38650 @var{length} bytes.
38651
38652 @item V @var{number} @var{value}
38653 Trace state variable block. This records the 8-byte signed value
38654 @var{value} of trace state variable numbered @var{number}.
38655
38656 @end table
38657
38658 Future enhancements of the trace file format may include additional types
38659 of blocks.
38660
38661 @node Index Section Format
38662 @appendix @code{.gdb_index} section format
38663 @cindex .gdb_index section format
38664 @cindex index section format
38665
38666 This section documents the index section that is created by @code{save
38667 gdb-index} (@pxref{Index Files}). The index section is
38668 DWARF-specific; some knowledge of DWARF is assumed in this
38669 description.
38670
38671 The mapped index file format is designed to be directly
38672 @code{mmap}able on any architecture. In most cases, a datum is
38673 represented using a little-endian 32-bit integer value, called an
38674 @code{offset_type}. Big endian machines must byte-swap the values
38675 before using them. Exceptions to this rule are noted. The data is
38676 laid out such that alignment is always respected.
38677
38678 A mapped index consists of several areas, laid out in order.
38679
38680 @enumerate
38681 @item
38682 The file header. This is a sequence of values, of @code{offset_type}
38683 unless otherwise noted:
38684
38685 @enumerate
38686 @item
38687 The version number, currently 5. Versions 1, 2 and 3 are obsolete.
38688 Version 4 differs by its hashing function.
38689
38690 @item
38691 The offset, from the start of the file, of the CU list.
38692
38693 @item
38694 The offset, from the start of the file, of the types CU list. Note
38695 that this area can be empty, in which case this offset will be equal
38696 to the next offset.
38697
38698 @item
38699 The offset, from the start of the file, of the address area.
38700
38701 @item
38702 The offset, from the start of the file, of the symbol table.
38703
38704 @item
38705 The offset, from the start of the file, of the constant pool.
38706 @end enumerate
38707
38708 @item
38709 The CU list. This is a sequence of pairs of 64-bit little-endian
38710 values, sorted by the CU offset. The first element in each pair is
38711 the offset of a CU in the @code{.debug_info} section. The second
38712 element in each pair is the length of that CU. References to a CU
38713 elsewhere in the map are done using a CU index, which is just the
38714 0-based index into this table. Note that if there are type CUs, then
38715 conceptually CUs and type CUs form a single list for the purposes of
38716 CU indices.
38717
38718 @item
38719 The types CU list. This is a sequence of triplets of 64-bit
38720 little-endian values. In a triplet, the first value is the CU offset,
38721 the second value is the type offset in the CU, and the third value is
38722 the type signature. The types CU list is not sorted.
38723
38724 @item
38725 The address area. The address area consists of a sequence of address
38726 entries. Each address entry has three elements:
38727
38728 @enumerate
38729 @item
38730 The low address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value.
38731
38732 @item
38733 The high address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value. Like
38734 @code{DW_AT_high_pc}, the value is one byte beyond the end.
38735
38736 @item
38737 The CU index. This is an @code{offset_type} value.
38738 @end enumerate
38739
38740 @item
38741 The symbol table. This is an open-addressed hash table. The size of
38742 the hash table is always a power of 2.
38743
38744 Each slot in the hash table consists of a pair of @code{offset_type}
38745 values. The first value is the offset of the symbol's name in the
38746 constant pool. The second value is the offset of the CU vector in the
38747 constant pool.
38748
38749 If both values are 0, then this slot in the hash table is empty. This
38750 is ok because while 0 is a valid constant pool index, it cannot be a
38751 valid index for both a string and a CU vector.
38752
38753 The hash value for a table entry is computed by applying an
38754 iterative hash function to the symbol's name. Starting with an
38755 initial value of @code{r = 0}, each (unsigned) character @samp{c} in
38756 the string is incorporated into the hash using the formula depending on the
38757 index version:
38758
38759 @table @asis
38760 @item Version 4
38761 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + c - 113}.
38762
38763 @item Version 5
38764 The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + tolower (c) - 113}.
38765 @end table
38766
38767 The terminating @samp{\0} is not incorporated into the hash.
38768
38769 The step size used in the hash table is computed via
38770 @code{((hash * 17) & (size - 1)) | 1}, where @samp{hash} is the hash
38771 value, and @samp{size} is the size of the hash table. The step size
38772 is used to find the next candidate slot when handling a hash
38773 collision.
38774
38775 The names of C@t{++} symbols in the hash table are canonicalized. We
38776 don't currently have a simple description of the canonicalization
38777 algorithm; if you intend to create new index sections, you must read
38778 the code.
38779
38780 @item
38781 The constant pool. This is simply a bunch of bytes. It is organized
38782 so that alignment is correct: CU vectors are stored first, followed by
38783 strings.
38784
38785 A CU vector in the constant pool is a sequence of @code{offset_type}
38786 values. The first value is the number of CU indices in the vector.
38787 Each subsequent value is the index of a CU in the CU list. This
38788 element in the hash table is used to indicate which CUs define the
38789 symbol.
38790
38791 A string in the constant pool is zero-terminated.
38792 @end enumerate
38793
38794 @include gpl.texi
38795
38796 @node GNU Free Documentation License
38797 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
38798 @include fdl.texi
38799
38800 @node Index
38801 @unnumbered Index
38802
38803 @printindex cp
38804
38805 @tex
38806 % I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
38807 % meantime:
38808 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
38809 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
38810 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
38811 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
38812 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
38813 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
38814 \centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
38815 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
38816 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
38817 \page\colophon
38818 % Blame: doc@cygnus.com, 1991.
38819 @end tex
38820
38821 @bye