Debugging without a binary (regression)
When we attempt to debug a process using GDBserver in standard remote mode
without a symbol file on GDB's end, we may run into an issue where GDB cuts
the connection attempt short due to an error. The error is caused by not
being able to open a symbol file, like so:
--
(gdb) set sysroot
(gdb) tar rem :2345
Remote debugging using :2345
/proc/23769/exe: Permission denied.
(gdb) i r
The program has no registers now.
(gdb)
It should've been like this:
(gdb) set sysroot
(gdb) tar rem :2345
Remote debugging using :2345
warning: /tmp/symbol-file: Permission denied.
0xf7ddb2d0 in ?? ()
(gdb) i r
eax 0x0 0
ecx 0x0 0
edx 0x0 0
ebx 0x0 0
esp 0xffffdfa0 0xffffdfa0
ebp 0x0 0x0
esi 0x0 0
edi 0x0 0
eip 0xf7ddb2d0 0xf7ddb2d0
eflags 0x200 [ IF ]
cs 0x33 51
ss 0x2b 43
ds 0x0 0
es 0x0 0
fs 0x0 0
gs 0x0 0
(gdb)
This is caused by a couple of function calls within exec_file_locate_attach
that can potentially throw errors.
The following patch guards both exec_file_attach and symbol_file_add_main to
prevent the errors from disrupting the connection process.
There was also a case where native GDB tripped on this problem, but it was
mostly fixed by
bf74e428bca61022bd5cdf6bf28789a184748b4d.
Regression-tested on x86-64/Ubuntu.
gdb/ChangeLog:
2016-04-13 Luis Machado <lgustavo@codesourcery.com>
* exec.c (exec_file_locate_attach): Guard a couple functions
that can throw errors.
(exception_print_same): New helper function.