@value{GDBN} knows about preprocessor macros and can show you their
expansion (@pxref{Macros}). Most compilers do not include information
about preprocessor macros in the debugging information if you specify
-the @option{-g} flag alone, because this information is rather large.
-Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
-provides macro information if you specify the options
-@option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-g3}; the former option requests
-debugging information in the Dwarf 2 format, and the latter requests
-``extra information''. In the future, we hope to find more compact
-ways to represent macro information, so that it can be included with
-@option{-g} alone.
+the @option{-g} flag alone. Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC},
+the @sc{gnu} C compiler, provides macro information if you are using
+the DWARF debugging format, and specify the option @option{-g3}.
+
+@xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
+gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for more
+information on @value{NGCC} options affecting debug information.
+
+You will have the best debugging experience if you use the latest
+version of the DWARF debugging format that your compiler supports.
+DWARF is currently the most expressive and best supported debugging
+format in @value{GDBN}.
@need 2000
@node Starting
To solve such problems, either recompile without optimizations, or use a
different debug info format, if the compiler supports several such
-formats. For example, @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler,
-usually supports the @option{-gstabs+} option. @option{-gstabs+}
-produces debug info in a format that is superior to formats such as
-COFF. You may be able to use DWARF 2 (@option{-gdwarf-2}), which is also
-an effective form for debug info. @xref{Debugging Options,,Options
-for Debugging Your Program or GCC, gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu}
-Compiler Collection (GCC)}.
-@xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug info formats
-that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
+formats. @xref{Compilation}, for more information on choosing compiler
+options. @xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug
+info formats that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
If you ask to print an object whose contents are unknown to
@value{GDBN}, e.g., because its data type is not completely specified
$
@end smallexample
-Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler, @value{NGCC}.
-We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-g3} flags to ensure the
-compiler includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
+Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
+@value{NGCC}. We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2}@footnote{This is the
+minimum. Recent versions of @value{NGCC} support @option{-gdwarf-3}
+and @option{-gdwarf-4}; we recommend always choosing the most recent
+version of DWARF.} @emph{and} @option{-g3} flags to ensure the compiler
+includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
information.
@smallexample
C@t{++} compiler, such as @sc{gnu} @code{g++}, or the HP ANSI C@t{++}
compiler (@code{aCC}).
-For best results when using @sc{gnu} C@t{++}, use the DWARF 2 debugging
-format; if it doesn't work on your system, try the stabs+ debugging
-format. You can select those formats explicitly with the @code{g++}
-command-line options @option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-gstabs+}.
-@xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
-gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}.
-
@menu
* C Operators:: C and C@t{++} operators
* C Constants:: C and C@t{++} constants
@samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
@samp{\n} for newline.
+Wide character constants can be written by prefixing a character
+constant with @samp{L}, as in C. For example, @samp{L'x'} is the wide
+form of @samp{x}. The target wide character set is used when
+computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
+
@item
String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded by
double quotes (@code{"}). Any valid character constant (as described
a backslash, so for instance @samp{"a\"b'c"} is a string of five
characters.
+Wide string constants can be written by prefixing a string constant
+with @samp{L}, as in C. The target wide character set is used when
+computing the value of this constant (@pxref{Character Sets}).
+
@item
Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
@cindex debug formats and C@t{++}
@cindex @value{NGCC} and C@t{++}
@quotation
-@emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use the
-proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently, @value{GDBN}
-works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled with
-@value{NGCC} 2.95.3 or with @value{NGCC} 3.1 or newer, using the options
-@option{-gdwarf-2} or @option{-gstabs+}. DWARF 2 is preferred over
-stabs+. Most configurations of @value{NGCC} emit either DWARF 2 or
-stabs+ as their default debug format, so you usually don't need to
-specify a debug format explicitly. Other compilers and/or debug formats
-are likely to work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug
-C@t{++} code.
+@emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use
+the proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently,
+@value{GDBN} works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled
+with the most recent version of @value{NGCC} possible. The DWARF
+debugging format is preferred; @value{NGCC} defaults to this on most
+popular platforms. Other compilers and/or debug formats are likely to
+work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug C@t{++}
+code. @xref{Compilation}.
@end quotation
@enumerate
While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
-pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}.
+pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}. @code{using}
+declarations in the current scope are also respected by @value{GDBN}.
@cindex call overloaded functions
@cindex overloaded functions, calling
@samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C@t{++}
debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program Variables}).
-@end enumerate
-In addition, when used with HP's C@t{++} compiler, @value{GDBN} supports
-calling virtual functions correctly, printing out virtual bases of
-objects, calling functions in a base subobject, casting objects, and
-invoking user-defined operators.
+@item
+@value{GDBN} performs argument-dependent lookup, following the C@t{++}
+specification.
+@end enumerate
@node C Defaults
@subsubsection C and C@t{++} Defaults
projects / binutils-gdb.git / commitdiff