- README for gdb-4.18 release
- Updated 4 Apr 1999 by Jim Blandy
+ README for gdb-5.0 release
+ Updated 11 May 2000 by Andrew Cagney
This is GDB, the GNU source-level debugger.
A summary of new features is in the file `NEWS'.
Unpacking and Installation -- quick overview
==========================
-In this release, the GDB debugger sources, the generic GNU include
+ In this release, the GDB debugger sources, the generic GNU include
files, the BFD ("binary file description") library, the readline
library, and other libraries all have directories of their own
-underneath the gdb-4.18 directory. The idea is that a variety of GNU
+underneath the gdb-5.0 directory. The idea is that a variety of GNU
tools can share a common copy of these things. Be aware of variation
over time--for example don't try to build gdb with a copy of bfd from
a release other than the gdb release (such as a binutils or gas
directory tree and automatically build all the pieces in the right
order.
-When you unpack the gdb-4.18.tar.gz file, you'll find a directory
-called `gdb-4.18', which contains:
+ When you unpack the gdb-5.0.tar.gz file, you'll find a directory
+called `gdb-5.0', which contains:
- COPYING config.sub* libiberty/ opcodes/
- COPYING.LIB configure* mmalloc/ readline/
- Makefile.in configure.in move-if-change* sim/
- README etc/ mpw-README texinfo/
- bfd/ gdb/ mpw-build.in utils/
- config/ include/ mpw-config.in
- config.guess* install.sh* mpw-configure
+ COPYING config.if install-sh mmalloc readline
+ COPYING.LIB config.sub intl move-if-change sim
+ Makefile.in configure libiberty mpw-README symlink-tree
+ README configure.in ltconfig mpw-build.in texinfo
+ bfd djunpack.bat ltmain.sh mpw-config.in utils
+ config etc md5.sum mpw-configure ylwrap
+ config-ml.in gdb missing mpw-install
+ config.guess include mkinstalldirs opcodes
To build GDB, you can just do:
- cd gdb-4.18
+ cd gdb-5.0
./configure
make
cp gdb/gdb /usr/local/bin/gdb (or wherever you want)
(Building GDB with DJGPP tools for MS-DOS/MS-Windows is slightly
-different; see the file gdb/config/djgpp/README for details.)
+different; see the file gdb-5.0/gdb/config/djgpp/README for details.)
-This will configure and build all the libraries as well as GDB.
-If `configure' can't determine your system type, specify one as its
-argument, e.g., sun4 or decstation.
+ This will configure and build all the libraries as well as GDB. If
+`configure' can't determine your system type, specify one as its
+argument, e.g., `./configure sun4' or `./configure decstation'.
-If you get compiler warnings during this stage, see the `Reporting Bugs'
-section below; there are a few known problems.
+ If you get compiler errors during this stage, see the `Reporting
+Bugs' section below; there are a few known problems.
-GDB requires an ANSI C compiler. If you do not have an ANSI C
-compiler for your system, you may be able to download and install the
-GNU CC compiler. It is available via anonymous FTP from ftp.gnu.org,
-in /pub/gnu/gcc (as a URL, that's ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/gcc).
+ GDB requires an ISO-C (ANSI C) compiler. If you do not have an
+ISO-C compiler for your system, you may be able to download and
+install the GNU CC compiler. It is available via anonymous FTP from
+the directory `ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/gcc'.
-GDB can be used as a cross-debugger, running on a machine of one type
-while debugging a program running on a machine of another type. See below.
+ GDB can be used as a cross-debugger, running on a machine of one
+type while debugging a program running on a machine of another type.
+See below.
More Documentation
******************
All the documentation for GDB comes as part of the machine-readable
-distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
-a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
-on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
-formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
-and TeX (or `texi2roff') to typeset the printed version.
-
- GDB includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version of
-this manual in the `gdb/doc' subdirectory. The main Info file is
-`gdb-4.18/gdb/doc/gdb.info', and it refers to subordinate files matching
-`gdb.info*' in the same directory. If necessary, you can print out
-these files, or read them with any editor; but they are easier to read
-using the `info' subsystem in GNU Emacs or the standalone `info' program,
-available as part of the GNU Texinfo distribution.
+distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which
+is a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce
+both on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the
+Info formatting commands to create the on-line version of the
+documentation and TeX (or `texi2roff') to typeset the printed version.
+
+ GDB includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info version
+of this manual in the `gdb/doc' subdirectory. The main Info file is
+`gdb-5.0/gdb/doc/gdb.info', and it refers to subordinate files
+matching `gdb.info*' in the same directory. If necessary, you can
+print out these files, or read them with any editor; but they are
+easier to read using the `info' subsystem in GNU Emacs or the
+standalone `info' program, available as part of the GNU Texinfo
+distribution.
If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
Info formatting programs, such as `texinfo-format-buffer' or
`makeinfo'.
If you have `makeinfo' installed, and are in the top level GDB
-source directory (`gdb-4.18', in the case of version 4.18), you can make
+source directory (`gdb-5.0', in the case of version 5.0), you can make
the Info file by typing:
cd gdb/doc
If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need
TeX, a program to print its DVI output files, and `texinfo.tex', the
Texinfo definitions file. This file is included in the GDB
-distribution, in the directory `gdb-4.18/texinfo'.
+distribution, in the directory `gdb-5.0/texinfo'.
TeX is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
produces output files called DVI files. To print a typeset document,
This file tells TeX how to typeset a document written in Texinfo
format. On its own, TeX cannot read, much less typeset a Texinfo file.
`texinfo.tex' is distributed with GDB and is located in the
-`gdb-4.18/texinfo' directory.
+`gdb-5.0/texinfo' directory.
If you have TeX and a DVI printer program installed, you can typeset
and print this manual. First switch to the the `gdb' subdirectory of
-the main source directory (for example, to `gdb-4.18/gdb') and then type:
+the main source directory (for example, to `gdb-5.0/gdb') and then type:
make gdb.dvi
a single directory, whose name is usually composed by appending the
version number to `gdb'.
- For example, the GDB version 4.18 distribution is in the `gdb-4.18'
+ For example, the GDB version 5.0 distribution is in the `gdb-5.0'
directory. That directory contains:
-`gdb-4.18/{COPYING,COPYING.LIB}'
+`gdb-5.0/{COPYING,COPYING.LIB}'
Standard GNU license files. Please read them.
-`gdb-4.18/bfd'
+`gdb-5.0/bfd'
source for the Binary File Descriptor library
-`gdb-4.18/config*'
+`gdb-5.0/config*'
script for configuring GDB, along with other support files
-`gdb-4.18/gdb'
+`gdb-5.0/gdb'
the source specific to GDB itself
-`gdb-4.18/include'
+`gdb-5.0/include'
GNU include files
-`gdb-4.18/libiberty'
+`gdb-5.0/libiberty'
source for the `-liberty' free software library
-`gdb-4.18/mmalloc'
+`gdb-5.0/mmalloc'
source for the GNU memory-mapped malloc package
-`gdb-4.18/opcodes'
+`gdb-5.0/opcodes'
source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
-`gdb-4.18/readline'
+`gdb-5.0/readline'
source for the GNU command-line interface
NOTE: The readline library is compiled for use by GDB, but will
not be installed on your system when "make install" is issued.
-`gdb-4.18/sim'
+`gdb-5.0/sim'
source for some simulators (ARM, D10V, SPARC, M32R, MIPS, PPC, V850, etc)
-`gdb-4.18/intl'
+`gdb-5.0/intl'
source for the GNU gettext library, for internationalization.
This is slightly modified from the standalone gettext
distribution you can get from GNU.
-`gdb-4.18/texinfo'
+`gdb-5.0/texinfo'
The `texinfo.tex' file, which you need in order to make a printed
manual using TeX.
-`gdb-4.18/etc'
+`gdb-5.0/etc'
Coding standards, useful files for editing GDB, and other
miscellanea.
-`gdb-4.18/utils'
+`gdb-5.0/utils'
A grab bag of random utilities.
Note: the following instructions are for building GDB on Unix or
The simplest way to configure and build GDB is to run `configure'
from the `gdb-VERSION-NUMBER' source directory, which in this example
-is the `gdb-4.18' directory.
+is the `gdb-5.0' directory.
First switch to the `gdb-VERSION-NUMBER' source directory if you are
not already in it; then run `configure'.
For example:
- cd gdb-4.18
+ cd gdb-5.0
./configure
make
sh configure
If you run `configure' from a directory that contains source
-directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the `gdb-4.18'
-source directory for version 4.18, `configure' creates configuration
+directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the `gdb-5.0'
+source directory for version 5.0, `configure' creates configuration
files for every directory level underneath (unless you tell it not to,
with the `--norecursion' option).
directories in the GDB distribution, if you only want to configure that
subdirectory; but be sure to specify a path to it.
- For example, with version 4.18, type the following to configure only
+ For example, with version 5.0, type the following to configure only
the `bfd' subdirectory:
- cd gdb-4.18/bfd
+ cd gdb-5.0/bfd
../configure
You can install `gdb' anywhere; it has no hardwired paths. However,
argument to `--srcdir', you can leave out the `--srcdir' option; it
will be assumed.)
- For example, with version 4.18, you can build GDB in a separate
+ For example, with version 5.0, you can build GDB in a separate
directory for a Sun 4 like this:
- cd gdb-4.18
+ cd gdb-5.0
mkdir ../gdb-sun4
cd ../gdb-sun4
- ../gdb-4.18/configure sun4
+ ../gdb-5.0/configure
make
When `configure' builds a configuration using a remote source
The `Makefile' that `configure' generates in each source directory
also runs recursively. If you type `make' in a source directory such
-as `gdb-4.18' (or in a separate configured directory configured with
-`--srcdir=PATH/gdb-4.18'), you will build all the required libraries,
+as `gdb-5.0' (or in a separate configured directory configured with
+`--srcdir=PATH/gdb-5.0'), you will build all the required libraries,
and then build GDB.
When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
Invalid configuration `i786v': machine `i786v' not recognized
`config.sub' is also distributed in the GDB source directory
-(`gdb-4.18', for version 4.18).
+(`gdb-5.0', for version 5.0).
`configure' options
code which looks even vaguely suspicious. You should only using
this feature if you're compiling with GNU CC. It passes the
following flags:
- -Wall
+ -Wimplicit
+ -Wreturn-type
+ -Wcomment
+ -Wtrigraphs
+ -Wformat
+ -Wparentheses
-Wpointer-arith
- -Wstrict-prototypes
- -Wmissing-prototypes
- -Wmissing-declarations
`--target=TARGET'
Configure GDB for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
Kernel debugging
=================
-I have't done this myself so I can't really offer any advice.
-Remote debugging over serial lines works fine, but the kernel debugging
-code in here has not been tested in years. Van Jacobson has
+ I have't done this myself so I can't really offer any advice.
+Remote debugging over serial lines works fine, but the kernel
+debugging code in here has not been tested in years. Van Jacobson has
better kernel debugging, but the UC lawyers won't let FSF have it.
Remote debugging
=================
-The files m68k-stub.c, i386-stub.c, and sparc-stub.c are examples of
-remote stubs to be used with remote.c. They are designed to run
-standalone on an m68k, i386, or SPARC cpu and communicate properly with
-the remote.c stub over a serial line.
+ The files m68k-stub.c, i386-stub.c, and sparc-stub.c are examples
+of remote stubs to be used with remote.c. They are designed to run
+standalone on an m68k, i386, or SPARC cpu and communicate properly
+with the remote.c stub over a serial line.
-The directory gdb/gdbserver/ contains `gdbserver', a program that
+ The directory gdb/gdbserver/ contains `gdbserver', a program that
allows remote debugging for Unix applications. gdbserver is only
-supported for some native configurations, including Sun 3, Sun 4,
-and Linux.
+supported for some native configurations, including Sun 3, Sun 4, and
+Linux.
-There are a number of remote interfaces for talking to existing ROM
+ There are a number of remote interfaces for talking to existing ROM
monitors and other hardware:
remote-adapt.c AMD 29000 "Adapt"
remote-array.c Array Tech RAID controller
remote-bug.c Motorola BUG monitor
- remote-d10v.c GDB protocol, talking to a d10v chip
remote-e7000.c Hitachi E7000 ICE
remote-eb.c AMD 29000 "EBMON"
remote-es.c Ericsson 1800 monitor
remote-udi.c AMD 29000 using the AMD "Universal Debug Interface"
remote-vx.c VxWorks realtime kernel
-Remote-vx.c and the vx-share subdirectory contain a remote interface for the
-VxWorks realtime kernel, which communicates over TCP using the Sun
-RPC library. This would be a useful starting point for other remote-
-via-ethernet back ends.
+ Remote-vx.c and the vx-share subdirectory contain a remote
+interface for the VxWorks realtime kernel, which communicates over TCP
+using the Sun RPC library. This would be a useful starting point for
+other remote- via-ethernet back ends.
-Remote-udi.c and the 29k-share subdirectory contain a remote interface
-for AMD 29000 programs, which uses the AMD "Universal Debug Interface".
-This allows GDB to talk to software simulators, emulators, and/or bare
-hardware boards, via network or serial interfaces. Note that GDB only
-provides an interface that speaks UDI, not a complete solution. You
-will need something on the other end that also speaks UDI.
+ Remote-udi.c and the 29k-share subdirectory contain a remote
+interface for AMD 29000 programs, which uses the AMD "Universal Debug
+Interface". This allows GDB to talk to software simulators,
+emulators, and/or bare hardware boards, via network or serial
+interfaces. Note that GDB only provides an interface that speaks UDI,
+not a complete solution. You will need something on the other end
+that also speaks UDI.
Reporting Bugs
===============
-The correct address for reporting bugs found in gdb is
-"bug-gdb@gnu.org". Please email all bugs, and all requests for
-help with GDB, to that address. Please include the GDB version number
-(e.g., gdb-4.18), and how you configured it (e.g., "sun4" or "mach386
+ The correct address for reporting bugs found in gdb is
+"bug-gdb@gnu.org". Please email all bugs, and all requests for help
+with GDB, to that address. Please include the GDB version number
+(e.g., gdb-5.0), and how you configured it (e.g., "sun4" or "mach386
host, i586-intel-synopsys target"). Since GDB now supports so many
-different configurations, it is important that you be precise about this.
-If at all possible, you should include the actual banner that GDB prints
-when it starts up, or failing that, the actual configure command that
-you used when configuring GDB.
+different configurations, it is important that you be precise about
+this. If at all possible, you should include the actual banner that
+GDB prints when it starts up, or failing that, the actual configure
+command that you used when configuring GDB.
-For more information on how/whether to report bugs, see the GDB Bugs
-section of the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo).
+ For more information on how/whether to report bugs, see the GDB
+Bugs section of the GDB manual (gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo) or the
+gdb/CONTRIBUTE file.
Known bugs:
subsystem that is on the IDO CD, otherwise you will get complaints
that certain files such as `/usr/include/syms.h' cannot be found.
- * Notes for BSD/386:
- To compile gdb-4.18 on BSD/386, you must run the configure script and
- its subscripts with bash. Here is an easy way to do this:
-
- bash -c 'CONFIG_SHELL=/bin/bash ./configure'
-
- (configure will report i386-unknown-bsd). Then, compile with the
- standard "make" command.
-
-GDB can produce warnings about symbols that it does not understand. By
-default, these warnings are disabled. You can enable them by executing
-`set complaint 10' (which you can put in your ~/.gdbinit if you like).
-I recommend doing this if you are working on a compiler, assembler,
-linker, or GDB, since it will point out problems that you may be able
-to fix. Warnings produced during symbol reading indicate some mismatch
-between the object file and GDB's symbol reading code. In many cases,
-it's a mismatch between the specs for the object file format, and what
-the compiler actually outputs or the debugger actually understands.
-
-
-X Windows versus GDB
-=====================
+ * Under Irix 6 you must build with GCC. The vendor compiler reports
+ as errors certain assignments that GCC considers to be warnings.
+
+ GDB can produce warnings about symbols that it does not understand.
+By default, these warnings are disabled. You can enable them by
+executing `set complaint 10' (which you can put in your ~/.gdbinit if
+you like). I recommend doing this if you are working on a compiler,
+assembler, linker, or GDB, since it will point out problems that you
+may be able to fix. Warnings produced during symbol reading indicate
+some mismatch between the object file and GDB's symbol reading code.
+In many cases, it's a mismatch between the specs for the object file
+format, and what the compiler actually outputs or the debugger
+actually understands.
+
+
+Graphical interface to GDB -- X Windows, MS Windows
+==========================
-You should check out DDD, the Data Display Debugger. Here's the blurb
-from the DDD web site, http://www.cs.tu-bs.de/softech/ddd:
+ Several graphical interfaces to GDB are available. You should
+check:
- The Data Display Debugger (DDD) is a popular graphical user
- interface for command-line debuggers such as GDB, DBX, JDB, WDB,
- XDB, the Perl debugger, and the Python debugger. Besides ``usual''
- front-end features such as viewing source texts, DDD has become
- famous through its interactive graphical data display, where data
- structures are displayed as graphs. A simple mouse click
- dereferences pointers or views structure contents, updated each
- time the program stops. Using DDD, you can reason about your
- application by watching its data, not just by viewing it execute
- lines of source code.
+ http://sourceware.cygnus.com/gdb/#gui
-Emacs users will very likely enjoy the Grand Unified Debugger mode;
-try typing `M-x gdb RET'.
+for an up-to-date list.
-Those interested in experimenting with a new kind of gdb-mode
-should load gdb/gdba.el into GNU Emacs 19.25 or later. Comments
-on this mode are also welcome.
+ Emacs users will very likely enjoy the Grand Unified Debugger mode;
+try typing `M-x gdb RET'. Those interested in experimenting with a
+new kind of gdb-mode should load gdb/gdba.el into GNU Emacs 19.25 or
+later. Comments on this mode are also welcome.
Writing Code for GDB
=====================
-There is a lot of information about writing code for GDB in the
+ There is a lot of information about writing code for GDB in the
internals manual, distributed with GDB in gdb/doc/gdbint.texinfo. You
can read it by hand, print it by using TeX and texinfo, or process it
into an `info' file for use with Emacs' info mode or the standalone
`info' program.
-If you are pondering writing anything but a short patch, especially
+ If you are pondering writing anything but a short patch, especially
take note of the information about copyrights in the node Submitting
Patches. It can take quite a while to get all the paperwork done, so
we encourage you to start that process as soon as you decide you are
GDB Testsuite
=============
-There is a DejaGNU based testsuite available for testing your newly
-built GDB, or for regression testing GDBs with local modifications.
+ Included with the GDB distribution is a DejaGNU based testsuite
+that can either be used to test your newly built GDB, or for
+regression testing a GDB with local modifications.
+
+ Running the testsuite requires the prior installation of DejaGNU,
+which is generally available via ftp. The directory
+ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/dejagnu/ will contain a recent
+snapshot. Once DejaGNU is installed, you can run the tests in one of
+the following ways:
-Running the testsuite requires the prior installation of DejaGNU,
-which is generally available via ftp; you'll need a pretty recent
-release. Once DejaGNU is installed, you can run the tests in one of
-two ways:
+ (1) cd gdb-5.0
+ make check-gdb
+
+or
- (1) cd gdb-4.18/gdb (assuming you also unpacked gdb)
+ (2) cd gdb-5.0/gdb
make check
or
- (2) cd gdb-4.18/gdb/testsuite
+ (3) cd gdb-5.0/gdb/testsuite
make site.exp (builds the site specific file)
runtest -tool gdb GDB=../gdb (or GDB=<somepath> as appropriate)
-The second method gives you slightly more control in case of problems with
-building one or more test executables or if you are using the testsuite
-'standalone', without it being part of the GDB source tree.
+The last method gives you slightly more control in case of problems
+with building one or more test executables or if you are using the
+testsuite `standalone', without it being part of the GDB source tree.
See the DejaGNU documentation for further details.
projects / binutils-gdb.git / commitdiff