@cindex @code{--annotate}
This option sets the @dfn{annotation level} inside @value{GDBN}. Its
effect is identical to using @samp{set annotate @var{level}}
-(@pxref{Annotations}).
-Annotation level controls how much information does @value{GDBN} print
-together with its prompt, values of expressions, source lines, and other
-types of output. Level 0 is the normal, level 1 is for use when
-@value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 2 is the
-maximum annotation suitable for programs that control @value{GDBN}.
+(@pxref{Annotations}). The annotation @var{level} controls how much
+information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt, values of
+expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0 is the
+normal, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of
+@sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable for programs
+that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 has been deprecated.
+
+The annotation mechanism has largely been superseeded by @sc{gdb/mi}
+(@pxref{GDB/MI}).
@item -async
@cindex @code{--async}
@node Annotations
@chapter @value{GDBN} Annotations
-This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations are
-designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or
-other similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
+This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations were
+designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or other
+similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
relatively high level.
+The annotation mechanism has largely been superseeded by @sc{gdb/mi}
+(@pxref{GDB/MI}).
+
@ignore
This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
@end ignore
@menu
* Annotations Overview:: What annotations are; the general syntax.
* Server Prefix:: Issuing a command without affecting user state.
-* Value Annotations:: Values are marked as such.
-* Frame Annotations:: Stack frames are annotated.
-* Displays:: @value{GDBN} can be told to display something periodically.
* Prompting:: Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
* Errors:: Annotations for error messages.
-* Breakpoint Info:: Information on breakpoints.
* Invalidation:: Some annotations describe things now invalid.
* Annotations for Running::
Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
* Source Annotations:: Annotations describing source code.
-* TODO:: Annotations which might be added in the future.
@end menu
@node Annotations Overview
@section What is an Annotation?
@cindex annotations
-To produce annotations, start @value{GDBN} with the @code{--annotate=2} option.
-
Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
characters, and the name of the annotation. If there is no additional
information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
means those three characters as output.
+The annotation @var{level}, which is specified using the
+@option{--annotate} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}), controls
+how much information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt,
+values of expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0
+is for no anntations, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a
+subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable
+for programs that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 annotations have
+been made obsolete (@pxref{Limitations, , Limitations of the Annotation
+Interface, annotate, GDB's Obsolete Annotations}). This chapter
+describes level 3 annotations.
+
A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
@smallexample
-$ gdb --annotate=2
-GNU GDB 5.0
-Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+$ @kbd{gdb --annotate=3}
+GNU gdb 6.0
+Copyright 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
under certain conditions.
Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty"
for details.
-This GDB was configured as "sparc-sun-sunos4.1.3"
+This GDB was configured as "i386-pc-linux-gnu"
^Z^Zpre-prompt
(gdb)
^Z^Zprompt
-quit
+@kbd{quit}
^Z^Zpost-prompt
$
history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
-@node Value Annotations
-@section Values
-
-@cindex annotations for values
-When a value is printed in various contexts, @value{GDBN} uses
-annotations to delimit the value from the surrounding text.
-
-@findex value-history-begin
-@findex value-history-value
-@findex value-history-end
-If a value is printed using @code{print} and added to the value history,
-the annotation looks like
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zvalue-history-begin @var{history-number} @var{value-flags}
-@var{history-string}
-^Z^Zvalue-history-value
-@var{the-value}
-^Z^Zvalue-history-end
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-where @var{history-number} is the number it is getting in the value
-history, @var{history-string} is a string, such as @samp{$5 = }, which
-introduces the value to the user, @var{the-value} is the output
-corresponding to the value itself, and @var{value-flags} is @samp{*} for
-a value which can be dereferenced and @samp{-} for a value which cannot.
-
-@findex value-begin
-@findex value-end
-If the value is not added to the value history (it is an invalid float
-or it is printed with the @code{output} command), the annotation is similar:
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zvalue-begin @var{value-flags}
-@var{the-value}
-^Z^Zvalue-end
-@end smallexample
-
-@findex arg-begin
-@findex arg-name-end
-@findex arg-value
-@findex arg-end
-When @value{GDBN} prints an argument to a function (for example, in the output
-from the @code{backtrace} command), it annotates it as follows:
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zarg-begin
-@var{argument-name}
-^Z^Zarg-name-end
-@var{separator-string}
-^Z^Zarg-value @var{value-flags}
-@var{the-value}
-^Z^Zarg-end
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-where @var{argument-name} is the name of the argument,
-@var{separator-string} is text which separates the name from the value
-for the user's benefit (such as @samp{=}), and @var{value-flags} and
-@var{the-value} have the same meanings as in a
-@code{value-history-begin} annotation.
-
-@findex field-begin
-@findex field-name-end
-@findex field-value
-@findex field-end
-When printing a structure, @value{GDBN} annotates it as follows:
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zfield-begin @var{value-flags}
-@var{field-name}
-^Z^Zfield-name-end
-@var{separator-string}
-^Z^Zfield-value
-@var{the-value}
-^Z^Zfield-end
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-where @var{field-name} is the name of the field, @var{separator-string}
-is text which separates the name from the value for the user's benefit
-(such as @samp{=}), and @var{value-flags} and @var{the-value} have the
-same meanings as in a @code{value-history-begin} annotation.
-
-When printing an array, @value{GDBN} annotates it as follows:
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zarray-section-begin @var{array-index} @var{value-flags}
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-where @var{array-index} is the index of the first element being
-annotated and @var{value-flags} has the same meaning as in a
-@code{value-history-begin} annotation. This is followed by any number
-of elements, where is element can be either a single element:
-
-@findex elt
-@smallexample
-@samp{,} @var{whitespace} ; @r{omitted for the first element}
-@var{the-value}
-^Z^Zelt
-@end smallexample
-
-or a repeated element
-
-@findex elt-rep
-@findex elt-rep-end
-@smallexample
-@samp{,} @var{whitespace} ; @r{omitted for the first element}
-@var{the-value}
-^Z^Zelt-rep @var{number-of-repetitions}
-@var{repetition-string}
-^Z^Zelt-rep-end
-@end smallexample
-
-In both cases, @var{the-value} is the output for the value of the
-element and @var{whitespace} can contain spaces, tabs, and newlines. In
-the repeated case, @var{number-of-repetitions} is the number of
-consecutive array elements which contain that value, and
-@var{repetition-string} is a string which is designed to convey to the
-user that repetition is being depicted.
-
-@findex array-section-end
-Once all the array elements have been output, the array annotation is
-ended with
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zarray-section-end
-@end smallexample
-
-@node Frame Annotations
-@section Frames
-
-@cindex annotations for frames
-Whenever @value{GDBN} prints a frame, it annotates it. For example, this applies
-to frames printed when @value{GDBN} stops, output from commands such as
-@code{backtrace} or @code{up}, etc.
-
-@findex frame-begin
-The frame annotation begins with
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zframe-begin @var{level} @var{address}
-@var{level-string}
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-where @var{level} is the number of the frame (0 is the innermost frame,
-and other frames have positive numbers), @var{address} is the address of
-the code executing in that frame, and @var{level-string} is a string
-designed to convey the level to the user. @var{address} is in the form
-@samp{0x} followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this
-does not depend on the language). The frame ends with
-
-@findex frame-end
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zframe-end
-@end smallexample
-
-Between these annotations is the main body of the frame, which can
-consist of
-
-@itemize @bullet
-@item
-@findex function-call
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zfunction-call
-@var{function-call-string}
-@end smallexample
-
-where @var{function-call-string} is text designed to convey to the user
-that this frame is associated with a function call made by @value{GDBN} to a
-function in the program being debugged.
-
-@item
-@findex signal-handler-caller
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zsignal-handler-caller
-@var{signal-handler-caller-string}
-@end smallexample
-
-where @var{signal-handler-caller-string} is text designed to convey to
-the user that this frame is associated with whatever mechanism is used
-by this operating system to call a signal handler (it is the frame which
-calls the signal handler, not the frame for the signal handler itself).
-
-@item
-A normal frame.
-
-@findex frame-address
-@findex frame-address-end
-This can optionally (depending on whether this is thought of as
-interesting information for the user to see) begin with
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zframe-address
-@var{address}
-^Z^Zframe-address-end
-@var{separator-string}
-@end smallexample
-
-where @var{address} is the address executing in the frame (the same
-address as in the @code{frame-begin} annotation, but printed in a form
-which is intended for user consumption---in particular, the syntax varies
-depending on the language), and @var{separator-string} is a string
-intended to separate this address from what follows for the user's
-benefit.
-
-@findex frame-function-name
-@findex frame-args
-Then comes
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zframe-function-name
-@var{function-name}
-^Z^Zframe-args
-@var{arguments}
-@end smallexample
-
-where @var{function-name} is the name of the function executing in the
-frame, or @samp{??} if not known, and @var{arguments} are the arguments
-to the frame, with parentheses around them (each argument is annotated
-individually as well, @pxref{Value Annotations}).
-
-@findex frame-source-begin
-@findex frame-source-file
-@findex frame-source-file-end
-@findex frame-source-line
-@findex frame-source-end
-If source information is available, a reference to it is then printed:
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zframe-source-begin
-@var{source-intro-string}
-^Z^Zframe-source-file
-@var{filename}
-^Z^Zframe-source-file-end
-:
-^Z^Zframe-source-line
-@var{line-number}
-^Z^Zframe-source-end
-@end smallexample
-
-where @var{source-intro-string} separates for the user's benefit the
-reference from the text which precedes it, @var{filename} is the name of
-the source file, and @var{line-number} is the line number within that
-file (the first line is line 1).
-
-@findex frame-where
-If @value{GDBN} prints some information about where the frame is from (which
-library, which load segment, etc.; currently only done on the RS/6000),
-it is annotated with
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zframe-where
-@var{information}
-@end smallexample
-
-Then, if source is to actually be displayed for this frame (for example,
-this is not true for output from the @code{backtrace} command), then a
-@code{source} annotation (@pxref{Source Annotations}) is displayed. Unlike
-most annotations, this is output instead of the normal text which would be
-output, not in addition.
-@end itemize
-
-@node Displays
-@section Displays
-
-@findex display-begin
-@findex display-number-end
-@findex display-format
-@findex display-expression
-@findex display-expression-end
-@findex display-value
-@findex display-end
-@cindex annotations for display
-When @value{GDBN} is told to display something using the @code{display} command,
-the results of the display are annotated:
-
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zdisplay-begin
-@var{number}
-^Z^Zdisplay-number-end
-@var{number-separator}
-^Z^Zdisplay-format
-@var{format}
-^Z^Zdisplay-expression
-@var{expression}
-^Z^Zdisplay-expression-end
-@var{expression-separator}
-^Z^Zdisplay-value
-@var{value}
-^Z^Zdisplay-end
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-where @var{number} is the number of the display, @var{number-separator}
-is intended to separate the number from what follows for the user,
-@var{format} includes information such as the size, format, or other
-information about how the value is being displayed, @var{expression} is
-the expression being displayed, @var{expression-separator} is intended
-to separate the expression from the text that follows for the user,
-and @var{value} is the actual value being displayed.
-
@node Prompting
@section Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
@c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
@c range_error(), and possibly other places.
-@node Breakpoint Info
-@section Information on Breakpoints
-
-@cindex annotations for breakpoints
-The output from the @code{info breakpoints} command is annotated as follows:
-
-@findex breakpoints-headers
-@findex breakpoints-table
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zbreakpoints-headers
-@var{header-entry}
-^Z^Zbreakpoints-table
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-where @var{header-entry} has the same syntax as an entry (see below) but
-instead of containing data, it contains strings which are intended to
-convey the meaning of each field to the user. This is followed by any
-number of entries. If a field does not apply for this entry, it is
-omitted. Fields may contain trailing whitespace. Each entry consists
-of:
-
-@findex record
-@findex field
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zrecord
-^Z^Zfield 0
-@var{number}
-^Z^Zfield 1
-@var{type}
-^Z^Zfield 2
-@var{disposition}
-^Z^Zfield 3
-@var{enable}
-^Z^Zfield 4
-@var{address}
-^Z^Zfield 5
-@var{what}
-^Z^Zfield 6
-@var{frame}
-^Z^Zfield 7
-@var{condition}
-^Z^Zfield 8
-@var{ignore-count}
-^Z^Zfield 9
-@var{commands}
-@end smallexample
-
-Note that @var{address} is intended for user consumption---the syntax
-varies depending on the language.
-
-The output ends with
-
-@findex breakpoints-table-end
-@smallexample
-^Z^Zbreakpoints-table-end
-@end smallexample
-
@node Invalidation
@section Invalidation Notices
followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
depend on the language).
-@node TODO
-@section Annotations We Might Want in the Future
-
-@format
- - target-invalid
- the target might have changed (registers, heap contents, or
- execution status). For performance, we might eventually want
- to hit `registers-invalid' and `all-registers-invalid' with
- greater precision
-
- - systematic annotation for set/show parameters (including
- invalidation notices).
-
- - similarly, `info' returns a list of candidates for invalidation
- notices.
-@end format
-
@node GDB Bugs
@chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
@cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
projects / binutils-gdb.git / commitdiff