From 56ddd993fb55168cb71565beb188d7e540648bf7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Andrew Cagney Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 16:12:19 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] TODO: Convert most items into PRs. --- gdb/ChangeLog | 4 + gdb/TODO | 1713 +++---------------------------------------------- 2 files changed, 77 insertions(+), 1640 deletions(-) diff --git a/gdb/ChangeLog b/gdb/ChangeLog index 5cf3d87eaeb..1dbeb8d596f 100644 --- a/gdb/ChangeLog +++ b/gdb/ChangeLog @@ -1,3 +1,7 @@ +2001-07-07 Andrew Cagney + + * TODO: Convert most items into PRs. + 2001-07-07 Mark Kettenis * lin-lwp.c (status_to_str): New function. diff --git a/gdb/TODO b/gdb/TODO index 21e690495ad..afa64ce1114 100644 --- a/gdb/TODO +++ b/gdb/TODO @@ -43,29 +43,6 @@ Mark [The test has been submitted for approval - cagney] --- - -RFD: infrun.c: No bpstat_stop_status call after proceed over break? -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00665.html - -GDB misses watchpoint triggers after proceeding over a breakpoint on -x86 targets. - --- - -GDB 5.0 doesn't work on Linux/SPARC - -There are two parts to this. - - o GDB 5.0 doesn't work on GNU/Linux/SPARC32 - - o GDB 5.0 doesn't work on the new target - GNU/Linux/SPARC64 - -GDB does build on both these targets. - -The first problem is the one that should be fixed. - -- GDB 5.1 - New features @@ -119,14 +96,6 @@ patch has been submitted. The following code cleanups will hopefully be applied to GDB 5.1. --- - -Fix copyright notices. - -Turns out that ``1998-2000'' isn't considered valid :-( - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00467.html - -- GDB 5.1 - Known Problems @@ -147,6 +116,17 @@ The m88k has suffered bit rot and is known to not build. -- +The BFD directory requires bug-fixed AUTOMAKE et.al. + +AUTOMAKE 1.4 incorrectly set the TEXINPUTS environment variable. It +contained the full path to texinfo.tex when it should have only +contained the directory. The bug has been fixed in the current +AUTOMAKE sources. Automake snapshots can be found in: + ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/gdb/snapshots +and ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/binutils + +-- + Solaris 8 x86 CURSES_H problem http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb/2000-07/msg00038.html @@ -266,15 +246,17 @@ Deprecate, if not delete, the following: -- -Obsolete the targets. +Obsolete the targets: arm*-wince-pe mips*-*-pe sh*-*-pe +-- + Obsolete the protocols: -RDB +RDB? ``As of version 5.3, WindRiver has removed the RDB server (RDB protocol support is built into gdb).'' -- Till. @@ -306,283 +288,6 @@ dependency lists. It isn't done in a consistent way. The following are more general cleanups and fixes. They are not tied to any specific release. --- - -Investigate changing --target=a29k-amd-udi to a29k-*-coff* and -rationalize *.mt files. The got-ya is in remote-eb.c - it has its own -custom tty manipulation - it should be using the serial object. - --- - -Rename read_register{,_pid}() to read_unsigned_register{,_pid}(). - --- - -Problem with weak functions -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-05/msg00060.html - -Dan Nicolaescu writes: -> It seems that gdb-4.95.1 does not display correctly the function when -> stoping in weak functions. -> -> It stops in a function that is defined as weak, not in the function -> that is actually run... - --- - -Follow through `make check' with --enable-shared. - -When the srcware tree is configured with --enable-shared, the `expect' -program won't run properly. Jim Wilson found out gdb has a local hack -to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH, but, AFAIK, no other project has been hacked -similarly. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00845.html - --- - -Delete macro TARGET_BYTE_ORDER_SELECTABLE. - -Patches in the database. - --- - -printcmd.c (print_address_numeric): - -NOTE: This assumes that the significant address information is kept in -the least significant bits of ADDR - the upper bits were either zero -or sign extended. Should ADDRESS_TO_POINTER() or some -ADDRESS_TO_PRINTABLE() be used to do the conversion? - --- - -The BFD directory requires bug-fixed AUTOMAKE et.al. - -AUTOMAKE 1.4 incorrectly set the TEXINPUTS environment variable. It -contained the full path to texinfo.tex when it should have only -contained the directory. The bug has been fixed in the current -AUTOMAKE sources. Automake snapshots can be found in: - ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/gdb/snapshots -and ftp://sourceware.cygnus.com/pub/binutils - --- - -Find something better than DEFAULT_BFD_ARCH, DEFAULT_BFD_VEC to -determine the default isa/byte-order. - --- - -Rely on BFD_BIG_ENDIAN and BFD_LITTLE_ENDIAN instead of host dependent -BIG_ENDIAN and LITTLE_ENDIAN. - --- - -Eliminate more compiler warnings. - -Of course there also needs to be the usual debate over which warnings -are valid and how to best go about this. - -One method: choose a single option; get agreement that it is -reasonable; try it out to see if there isn't anything silly about it -(-Wunused-parameters is an example of that) then incrementally hack -away. - -The other method is to enable all warnings and eliminate them from one -file at a time. - --- - -Elimination of ``(catch_errors_ftype *) func''. - -Like make_cleanup_func it isn't portable. -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00791.html -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00814.html - --- - -Nuke #define CONST_PTR. - --- - -Nuke USG define. - --- - -[PATCH/5] src/intl/Makefile.in:distclean additions -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00363.html - -Do not forget to merge the patch back into the trunk. - --- - -Rationalize the host-endian code (grep for HOST_BYTE_ORDER). - -At present defs.h includes (which is linux specific) yet -almost nothing depends on it. Suggest "gdb_endian.h" which can also -handle and only include that where it is really -needed. - --- - -Replace savestring() with something from libiberty. - -An xstrldup()? but that would have different semantics. - --- - -Rationalize use of floatformat_unknown in GDB sources. - -Instead of defaulting to floatformat_unknown, should hosts/targets -specify the value explicitly? - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html - --- - -Add a ``name'' member to include/floatformat.h:struct floatformat. -Print that name in gdbarch.c. - --- - -Sort out the harris mess in include/floatformat.h (it hardwires two -different floating point formats). - --- - -See of the GDB local floatformat_do_doublest() and libiberty's -floatformat_to_double (which was once GDB's ...) can be merged some -how. - --- - -Eliminate mmalloc(), mstrsave() et.al. from GDB. - -Also eliminate it from defs.h. - --- - -Eliminate PTR. ISO-C allows ``void *''. - --- - -Eliminate abort (). - -GDB should never abort. GDB should either throw ``error ()'' or -``internal_error ()''. Better still GDB should naturally unwind with -an error status. - --- - -GDB probably doesn't build on FreeBSD pre 2.2.x -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00378.html - -Fixes to get FreeBSD working on 2.2.x, 3.x and 4.x caused the code to -suffer bit rot. - --- - -Deprecate "fg". Apparently ``fg'' is actually continue. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00417.html - --- - -Deprecate current use of ``floatformat_unknown''. - -Require all targets to explicitly provide their float format instead -of defaulting to floatformat unknown. Doing the latter leads to nasty -bugs. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00447.html - --- - -Rationalize floatformat_to_double() vs floatformat_to_doublest(). - -Looks like GDB migrated floatformat_to_double() to libiberty but then -turned around and created a ..._to_doublest() the latter containing -several bug fixes. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00472.html - --- - -Move floatformat_ia64_ext to libiberty/include floatformat.[ch]. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-05/msg00466.html - --- - -The ``maintenance deprecate set endian big'' command doesn't notice -that it is deprecating ``set endian'' and not ``set endian big'' (big -is implemented using an enum). Is anyone going to notice this? - --- - -When tab expanding something like ``set arch'' ignore the -deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''. - --- - -Eliminate ``arm_register_names[j] = (char *) regnames[j]'' and the -like from arm-tdep.c. - --- - -Fix uses of ->function.cfunc = set_function(). - -The command.c code calls sfunc() when a set command. Rather than -change it suggest fixing the callback function so that it is more -useful. See: - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html - -See also ``Fix implementation of ``target xxx''.'' below. - --- - -IRIX 3.x support is probably broken. - --- - -Delete sim/SIM_HAVE_BREAKPOINTS and gdb/SIM_HAS_BREAKPOINTS. -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-07/msg00042.html - -Apart from the d30v, are there any sim/common simulators that make use -of this? - -A brief summary of what happened is that sim/common/sim-break.c was -created as a good idea. It turned out a better idea was to use -SIM_SIGBREAK and have GDB pass back sim_resume (..., SIGBREAK). - --- - -Move remote_remove_hw_breakpoint, remote_insert_hw_breakpoint, -remote_remove_watchpoint, remote_insert_watchpoint into target vector. - --- - -Eliminate ``extern'' from C files. - --- - -Replace ``STREQ()'' et.al. with ``strcmp() == 0'' et.al. - -Extreme care is recommeded - perhaps only modify tests that are -exercised by the testsuite (as determined using some type of code -coverage analysis). - --- - -Replace the file gdb/CONTRIBUTE with a file that is generated from the -gdb/doc/*.texinfo directory. - --- - -Rewrite/break up sparcl-tdep.c so that it uses ser*.c as the mechanism -for accessing either the serial or UDP port. - --- New Features and Fixes ====================== @@ -592,1386 +297,114 @@ fundamental architectural change. -- -Hardware watchpoint problems on x86 OSes, including Linux: - -1. Delete/disable hardware watchpoints should free hardware debug -registers. -2. Watch for different values on a viariable with one hardware debug -register. - -According to Eli Zaretskii : + Language Support + ================ -These are not GDB/ia32 issues per se: the above features are all -implemented in the DJGPP port of GDB and work in v5.0. Every -x86-based target should be able to lift the relevant parts of -go32-nat.c and use them almost verbatim. You get debug register -sharing through reference counts, and the ability to watch large -regions (up to 16 bytes) using multiple registers. (The required -infrastructure in high-level GDB application code, mostly in -breakpoint.c, is also working since v5.0.) +New languages come onto the scene all the time. -- -Add built-by, build-date, tm, xm, nm and anything else into gdb binary -so that you can see how the GDB was created. +Re: Various C++ things --- +value_headof/value_from_vtable_info are worthless, and should be +removed. The one place in printcmd.c that uses it should use the RTTI +functions. + +RTTI for g++ should be using the typeinfo functions rather than the +vtables. The typeinfo functions are always at offset 4 from the +beginning of the vtable, and are always right. The vtables will have +weird names like E::VB sometimes. The typeinfo function will always +be "E type_info function", or somesuch. -Add an "info bfd" command that displays supported object formats, -similarly to objdump -i. +value_virtual_fn_field needs to be fixed so there are no failures for +virtual functions for C++ using g++. -Is there a command already? +Testsuite cases are the major priority right now for C++ support, +since i have to make a lot of changes that could potentially break +each other. -- -Fix ``I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.'' from symfile.c. -This requires internationalization. + Symbol Support + ============== -- -Add support for: - -(gdb) p fwprintf(stdout,L"%S\n", f) -No symbol "L" in current context. +Investiagate ways of reducing memory. -- -Cleanup configury support for optional sub-directories. - -Check how GCC handles multiple front ends for an example of how things -could work. A tentative first step is to rationalize things so that -all sub directories are handled in a fashion similar to gdb/mi. - -See also automake above. +Investigate ways of improving load time. -- -Add a transcript mechanism to GDB. + Testsuite Support + ================= -Such a mechanism might log all gdb input and output to a file in a -form that would allow it to be replayed. It could involve ``gdb ---transcript=FILE'' or it could involve ``(gdb) transcript file''. +There are never to many testcases. -- -Can the xdep files be replaced by autoconf? +Better thread testsuite. -- -Document trace machinery +Better C++ testsuite. -- -Document ui-out and ui-file. + Architectural Changes: General + ============================== -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00121.html +These are harder than simple cleanups / fixes and, consequently +involve more work. Typically an Architectural Change will be broken +down into a more digestible set of cleanups and fixes. -- -Update texinfo.tex to latest? - --- + Architectural Change: Multi-arch et al. + ======================================= -Incorporate agentexpr.texi into gdb.texinfo +The long term objective is to remove all assumptions that there is a +single target with a single address space with a single instruction +set architecture and single application binary interface. -agentexpr.texi mostly describes the details of the byte code used for -tracepoints, not the internals of the support for this in GDB. So it -looks like gdb.texinfo is a better place for this information. +This is an ongoing effort. The first milestone is to enable +``multi-arch'' where by all architectural decisions are made at +runtime. -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00566.html +It should be noted that ``gdbarch'' is really ``gdbabi'' and +``gdbisa''. Once things are multi-arched breaking that down correctly +will become much easier. -- -Document overlay machinery. - --- + Architectural Change: MI, LIBGDB and scripting languages + ======================================================== -``(gdb) catch signal SIGNAL'' +See also architectural changes related to the event loop. LIBGDB +can't be finished until there is a generic event loop being used by +all targets. -Overlaps with ``handle SIGNAL'' but the implied behavior is different. -You can attach commands to a catch but not a handle. A handle has a -limited number of hardwired actions. +The long term objective is it to be possible to integrate GDB into +scripting languages. -- -Fix TUI - - o readline/*.h bitrot - - The TUI isn't up-to-date with - respect to the readline currently - bundled with GDB. Importing a - new readline is on the 5.1 wish - list so this can only get worse. - - Grep for things like term_cursor_move. - - (To be honest, I don't see anyone - importing a new readline before 5.1 is - out) + Architectural Change: Async + =========================== - o tui.c:va_catch_errors() bitrot +While GDB uses an event loop when prompting the user for input. That +event loop is not exploited by targets when they allow the target +program to continue. Typically targets still block in (target_wait()) +until the program again halts. - This nasty piece of work used knowledge - of the internals of GDBs error functions :-( - Ever since those internals were cleaned - up this code has been broken. :-( - - o tuiWin.c:c_makeVisibleWithNewHeight() broken - tuiLayout.c:_extractDisplayStartAddr() broken - - Both these function call find_line_pc() - incorrectly (wrong args, wrong return value). - - I suspect this bug has always been there! - It had been hidden because those files - didn't include the necessary header files - from gdb proper :-( - - o tuiRegs() host dependant - - Not suprisingly, this isn't a very portable - section of code. However, I'm sure people - could live with no regs in the short to - medium term. - - o defs.h: #include "tui.h" et.al. - - I'm not sure where this came from. - It was a really bad idea. - - To get things to compile I did a nasty - hack (Just declare what was needed and - replace any expressions like xx->y.z() - in GDB proper with function calls). I - could commit it slightly cleaned up if - you like. - - Medium Term. the #ifdef TUI and TuiDo() - should be changed to hooks (like GDBTK). - The gdb-events.[hc] is there for that - purpose (1) - - o tui.c:_tuiReset() host dependant - - tui.c contains a lump of termio[s] - I suspect an equivalent block of - code can be lifted from readline. - An equivalent readline function may - even be available. - - o curses.h vs ncurses.h. - - Simple portability problem. - - o subsetCompare() - - This function is a mystery - where is it? - - o tui-file.[hc] cleanup - - This can be significantly simplified. - - o The code should be pacified. (-Werror -W...) - - There are plenty of #includes, - duplicate #includes, missing function decls - and the like. - - Some of the problems I found were through - fixing a few of the warnings. - - o The code should be GNUtified. - - It would be very nice to have this code - look like the rest of GDB. That way people - would be more accepting of it as a true - gdb component. - - Until it is GNUtified it is going to stick - out like a sore thumb to the programmer. - - o The code should be clearly copyrighted - - (FSF, with due credit to HP) - --- - -Add support for ``gdb --- PROGRAM ARGS ...''. -Add support for ``gdb -cmd=...'' - -Along with many variations. Check: - -????? for a full discussion. - -for a discussion. - --- - -Implement ``(gdb) !ls''. - -Which is very different from ``(gdb) ! ls''. Implementing the latter -is trivial. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00034.html - --- - -Change the (char *list[]) to (const char (*)[]) so that dynamic lists can -be passed. - --- - -When tab expanding something like ``set arch'' ignore the -deprecated ``set archdebug'' and expand to ``set architecture''. - --- - -Replace the code that uses the host FPU with an emulator of the target -FPU. - --- - -The "ocd reset" command needs to flush the dcache, which requires breaking -the abstraction layer between the target independent and target code. One -way to address this is provide a generic "reset" command and target vector. - -http://sources.redhat.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-10/msg00011.html - --- - - Language Support - ================ - -New languages come onto the scene all the time. - --- - -Re: Various C++ things - -value_headof/value_from_vtable_info are worthless, and should be -removed. The one place in printcmd.c that uses it should use the RTTI -functions. - -RTTI for g++ should be using the typeinfo functions rather than the -vtables. The typeinfo functions are always at offset 4 from the -beginning of the vtable, and are always right. The vtables will have -weird names like E::VB sometimes. The typeinfo function will always -be "E type_info function", or somesuch. - -value_virtual_fn_field needs to be fixed so there are no failures for -virtual functions for C++ using g++. - -Testsuite cases are the major priority right now for C++ support, -since i have to make a lot of changes that could potentially break -each other. - --- - -Add support for Modula3 - -Get DEC/Compaq to contribute their Modula-3 support. - --- - - Remote Protocol Support - ======================= - --- - -Revised UDP support (was: Re: [Fwd: [patch] UDP transport support]) -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-04/msg00000.html - -(Broken) support for GDB's remote protocol across UDP is to be -included in the follow-on release. - -It should be noted that UDP can only work when the [Gg] packet fits in -a single UDP packet. - -There is also much debate over the merit of this. - --- - -Migrate qfThreadInfo packet -> qThreadInfo. (Andrew Cagney) - -Add support for packet enable/disable commands with these thread -packets. General cleanup. - -[PATCH] Document the ThreadInfo remote protocol queries -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00832.html - -[PATCH] "info threads" queries for remote.c -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-q1/msg00831.html - --- - -Remote protocol doco feedback. - -Too much feedback to mention needs to be merged in (901660). Search -for the word ``remote''. - - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00023.html -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00056.html -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00382.html - --- - -GDB doesn't recover gracefully from remote protocol errors. - -GDB wasn't checking for NAKs from the remote target. Instead a NAK is -ignored and a timeout is required before GDB retries. A pre-cursor to -fixing this this is making GDB's remote protocol packet more robust. - -While downloading to a remote protocol target, gdb ignores packet -errors in so far as it will continue to download with chunk N+1 even -if chunk N was not correctly sent. This causes gdb.base/remote.exp to -take a painfully long time to run. As a PS that test needs to be -fixed so that it builds on 16 bit machines. - --- - -Fix the ``!'' packet. - -JT reported that the existing targets do, in fact return ``OK'' so it -is possible to merge remote and extended-remote targets. - --- - -Drop ``
'' from the [SsCc] packets. - -I don't think that GDB generates them so having it in the protocol is -silly. - --- - -Fix doco on the ``q'' packet. - -It has evolved into a generic RPC. The notes should reflect this and, -perhaps, the ``Q'' packet can be deprecated. - -The doco should mention that ``OK'' is a valid packet response. - -The doco should explain why ``OK'' needs to be a valid packet -response. - --- - -Add the cycle step command. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-q1/msg00237.html - --- - -Resolve how to scale things to support very large packets. - --- - -Resolve how to handle a target that changes things like its endianess -on the fly - should it be returned in the ``T'' packet? - -Underlying problem is that the register file is target endian. If the -target endianess changes gdb doesn't know. - -Suggest encoding registers as NN!VALUE. - --- - -GDB should allow incomming packets to be larger than outgoing ones. A -fully loaded T packet (containing all registers) can be very large - -definitly larger than a corresponding Gg packet. - --- - - Symbol Support - ============== - -If / when GDB starts to support the debugging of multi-processor -(rather than multi-thread) applications the symtab code will need to -be updated a little so that several independent symbol tables are -active at a given time. - -The other interesting change is a clarification of the exact meaning -of CORE_ADDR and that has had consequences for a few targets (that -were abusing that data type). - --- - -Investiagate ways of reducing memory. - --- - -Investigate ways of improving load time. - --- - -Get the d10v to use POINTER_TO_ADDRESS and ADDRESS_TO_POINTER. - -Consequence of recent symtab clarification. No marks for figuring out -who maintains the d10v. - --- - -Get the MIPS to correctly sign extend all address <-> pointer -conversions. - -Consequence of recent symtab clarification. No marks for figuring out -who maintains the MIPS. - --- - -GDB truncates 64 bit enums. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00290.html - --- - - Testsuite Support - ================= - -There are never to many testcases. - --- - -Better thread testsuite. - --- - -Better C++ testsuite. - --- - -Look at adding a GDB specific testsuite directory so that white box -tests of key internals can be added (eg ui_file). - --- - -Separate out tests that involve the floating point (FP). - -(Something for people brining up new targets). FP and non-fp tests -are combined. I think there should be set of basic tests that -exercise pure integer support and then a more expanded set that -exercise FP and FP/integer interactions. - -As an example, the MIPS, for n32 as problems with passing FP's and -structs. Since most inferior call tests include FP it is difficult to -determine of the integer tests are ok. - --- - - Architectural Changes: General - ============================== - -These are harder than simple cleanups / fixes and, consequently -involve more work. Typically an Architectural Change will be broken -down into a more digestible set of cleanups and fixes. - --- - -Cleanup software single step. - -At present many targets implement software single step by directly -blatting memory (see rs6000-tdep.c). Those targets should register -the applicable breakpoints using the breakpoint framework. Perhaphs a -new internal breakpoint class ``step'' is needed. - --- - -Replace READ_FP() with FRAME_HANDLE(). - -READ_FP() is a hangover from the days of the vax when the ABI really -did have a frame pointer register. Modern architectures typically -construct a virtual frame-handle from the stack pointer and various -other bits of string. - -Unfortunately GDB still treats this synthetic FP register as though it -is real. That in turn really confuses users (arm and ``print $fp'' VS -``info registers fp''). The synthetic FP should be separated out of -the true register set presented to the user. - --- - -Register Cache Cleanup (below from Andrew Cagney) - -I would depict the current register architecture as something like: - - High GDB --> Low GDB - | | - \|/ \|/ - --- REG NR ----- - | - register + REGISTER_BYTE(reg_nr) - | - \|/ - ------------------------- - | extern register[] | - ------------------------- - -where neither the high (valops.c et.al.) or low gdb (*-tdep.c) are -really clear on what mechanisms they should be using to manipulate that -buffer. Further, much code assumes, dangerously, that registers are -contigious. Having got mips-tdep.c to support multiple ABIs, believe -me, that is a bad assumption. Finally, that register cache layout is -determined by the current remote/local target and _not_ the less -specific target ISA. In fact, in many cases it is determined by the -somewhat arbitrary layout of the [gG] packets! - - -How I would like the register file to work is more like: - - - High GDB - | - \|/ - pseudo reg-nr - | - map pseudo <-> - random cache - bytes - | - \|/ - ------------ - | register | - | cache | - ------------ - /|\ - | - map random cache - bytes to target - dependent i-face - /|\ - | - target dependent - such as [gG] packet - or ptrace buffer - -The main objectives being: - - o a clear separation between the low - level target and the high level GDB - - o a mechanism that solves the general - problem of register aliases, overlaps - etc instead of treating them as optional - extras that can be wedged in as an after - thought (that is a reasonable description - of the current code). - - Identify then solve the hard case and the - rest just falls out. GDB solved the easy - case and then tried to ignore the real - world :-) - - o a removal of the assumption that the - mapping between the register cache - and virtual registers is largely static. - If you flip the USR/SSR stack register - select bit in the status-register then - the corresponding stack registers should - reflect the change. - - o a mechanism that clearly separates the - gdb internal register cache from any - target (not architecture) dependent - specifics such as [gG] packets. - -Of course, like anything, it sounds good in theory. In reality, it -would have to contend with many<->many relationships at both the -virt<->cache and cache<->target level. For instance: - - virt<->cache - Modifying an mmx register may involve - scattering values across both FP and - mmpx specific parts of a buffer - - cache<->target - When writing back a SP it may need to - both be written to both SP and USP. - - -Hmm, - -Rather than let this like the last time it was discussed, just slip, I'm -first going to add this e-mail (+ references) to TODO. I'd then like to -sketch out a broad strategy I think could get us there. - - -First thing I'd suggest is separating out the ``extern registers[]'' -code so that we can at least identify what is using it. At present -things are scattered across many files. That way we can at least -pretend that there is a cache instead of a global array :-) - -I'd then suggest someone putting up a proposal for the pseudo-reg / -high-level side interface so that code can be adopted to it. For old -code, initially a blanket rename of write_register_bytes() to -deprecated_write_register_bytes() would help. - -Following that would, finaly be the corresponding changes to the target. - --- - -Check that GDB can handle all BFD architectures (Andrew Cagney) - -There should be a test that checks that BFD/GDB are in sync with -regard to architecture changes. Something like a test that first -queries GDB for all supported architectures and then feeds each back -to GDB.. Anyone interested in learning how to write tests? :-) - --- - - Architectural Change: Multi-arch et al. - ======================================= - -The long term objective is to remove all assumptions that there is a -single target with a single address space with a single instruction -set architecture and single application binary interface. - -This is an ongoing effort. The first milestone is to enable -``multi-arch'' where by all architectural decisions are made at -runtime. - -It should be noted that ``gdbarch'' is really ``gdbabi'' and -``gdbisa''. Once things are multi-arched breaking that down correctly -will become much easier. - --- - -GDBARCH cleanup (Andrew Cagney) - -The non-generated parts of gdbarch.{sh,h,c} should be separated out -into arch-utils.[hc]. - -Document that gdbarch_init_ftype could easily fail because it didn't -identify an architecture. - --- - -Fix BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION. Change it to BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION_P? - -At present there is still #ifdef BELIEVE_PPC_PROMOTION code in the -symtab file. - --- - -Fix target_signal_from_host() etc. - -The name is wrong for starters. ``target_signal'' should probably be -``gdb_signal''. ``from_host'' should be ``from_target_signal''. -After that it needs to be multi-arched and made independent of any -host signal numbering. - -Once this is done, the signal enum can probably be moved to -include/gdb so that it is available to embedded stubs. - --- - -Update ALPHA so that it uses ``struct frame_extra_info'' instead of -EXTRA_FRAME_INFO. - -This is a barrier to replacing mips_extra_func_info with something -that works with multi-arch. - --- - -Multi-arch mips_extra_func_info. - -This first needs the alpha to be updated so that it uses ``struct -frame_extra_info''. - --- - -Rationalize TARGET_SINGLE_FORMAT and TARGET_SINGLE_BIT et al. - -Surely one of them is redundant. - --- - -Convert ALL architectures to MULTI-ARCH. - --- - -Select the initial multi-arch ISA / ABI based on --target or similar. - -At present the default is based on what ever is first in the BFD -archures table. It should be determined based on the ``--target=...'' -name. - --- - -Make MIPS pure multi-arch. - -It is only at the multi-arch enabled stage. - --- - -Truly multi-arch. - -Enable the code to recognize --enable-targets=.... like BINUTILS does. - -Can the tm.h and nm.h files be eliminated by multi-arch. - --- - - Architectural Change: MI, LIBGDB and scripting languages - ======================================================== - -See also architectural changes related to the event loop. LIBGDB -can't be finished until there is a generic event loop being used by -all targets. - -The long term objective is it to be possible to integrate GDB into -scripting languages. - --- - -Implement generic ``(gdb) commmand > file'' - -Once everything is going through ui_file it should be come fairly -easy. - -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb/2000-04/msg00104.html - --- - -Replace gdb_stdtarg with gdb_targout (and possibly gdb_targerr). - -gdb_stdtarg is easily confused with gdb_stdarg. - --- - -Extra ui_file methods - dump. - -Very useful for whitebox testing. - --- - -Eliminate error_begin(). - -With ui_file, there is no need for the statefull error_begin () -function. - --- - -Send normal output to gdb_stdout. -Send error messages to gdb_stderror. -Send debug and log output log gdb_stdlog. - -GDB still contains many cases where (f)printf or printf_filtered () is -used when it should be sending the messages to gdb_stderror or -gdb_stdlog. The thought of #defining printf to something has crossed -peoples minds ;-) - --- - -Re-do GDB's output pager. - -GDB's output pager still relies on people correctly using *_filtered -for gdb_stdout and *_unfiltered for gdb_stdlog / gdb_stderr. -Hopefully, with all normal output going to gdb_stdout, the pager can -just look at the ui_file that the output is on and then use that to -decide what to do about paging. Sounds good in theory. - --- - -Check/cleanup MI documentation. - -The list of commands specified in the documentation needs to be -checked against the mi-cmds.c table in a mechanical way (so that they -two can be kept up-to-date). - --- - -Convert MI into libgdb - -MI provides a text interface into what should be many of the libgdb -functions. The implementation of those functions should be separated -into the MI interface and the functions proper. Those functions being -moved to gdb/lib say. - --- - -Create libgdb.h - -The first part can already be found in defs.h. - --- - -MI's input does not use buffering. - -At present the MI interface reads raw characters of from an unbuffered -FD. This is to avoid several nasty buffer/race conditions. That code -should be changed so that it registers its self with the event loop -(on the input FD) and then push commands up to MI as they arrive. - -The serial code already does this. - --- - -Make MI interface accessible from existing CLI. - --- - -Add a breakpoint-edit command to MI. - -It would be similar to MI's breakpoint create but would apply to an -existing breakpoint. It saves the need to delete/create breakpoints -when ever they are changed. - --- - -Add directory path to MI breakpoint. - -That way the GUI's task of finding the file within which the -breakpoint was set is simplified. - --- - -Add a mechanism to reject certain expression classes to MI - -There are situtations where you don't want GDB's expression -parser/evaluator to perform inferior function calls or variable -assignments. A way of restricting the expression parser so that such -operations are not accepted would be very helpful. - --- - -Remove sideffects from libgdb breakpoint create function. - -The user can use the CLI to create a breakpoint with partial -information - no file (gdb would use the file from the last -breakpoint). - -The libgdb interface currently affects that environment which can lead -to confusion when a user is setting breakpoints via both the MI and -the CLI. - -This is also a good example of how getting the CLI ``right'' will be -hard. - --- - -Move gdb_lasterr to ui_out? - -The way GDB throws errors and records them needs a re-think. ui_out -handles the correct output well. It doesn't resolve what to do with -output / error-messages when things go wrong. - --- - -do_setshow_command contains a 1024 byte buffer. - -The function assumes that there will never be any more than 1024 bytes -of enum. It should use mem_file. - --- - -Should struct cmd_list_element . completer take the command as an -argument? - --- - -Should the bulk of top.c:line_completion_function() be moved to -command.[hc]? complete_on_cmdlist() and complete_on_enums() could -then be made private. - --- - -top.c (execute_command): Should a command being valid when the target -is running be made an attribute (predicate) to the command rather than -an explicit set of tests. - --- - -top.c (execute_command): Should the bulk of this function be moved -into command.[hc] so that top.c doesn't grub around in the command -internals? - --- - - Architectural Change: Async - =========================== - -While GDB uses an event loop when prompting the user for input. That -event loop is not exploited by targets when they allow the target -program to continue. Typically targets still block in (target_wait()) -until the program again halts. - -The closest a target comes to supporting full asynchronous mode are -the remote targets ``async'' and ``extended-async''. - --- - -Asynchronous expression evaluator - -Inferior function calls hang GDB. - --- - -Fix implementation of ``target xxx''. - -At present when the user specifies ``target xxxx'', the CLI maps that -directly onto a target open method. It is then assumed that the -target open method should do all sorts of complicated things as this -is the only chance it has. Check how the various remote targets -duplicate the target operations. Check also how the various targets -behave differently for purely arbitrary reasons. - -What should happen is that ``target xxxx'' should call a generic -``target'' function and that should then co-ordinate the opening of -``xxxx''. This becomes especially important when you're trying to -open an asynchronous target that may need to perform background tasks -as part of the ``attach'' phase. - -Unfortunately, due to limitations in the old/creaking command.h -interface, that isn't possible. The function being called isn't told -of the ``xxx'' or any other context information. - -Consequently a precursor to fixing ``target xxxx'' is to clean up the -CLI code so that it passes to the callback function (attatched to a -command) useful information such as the actual command and a context -for that command. Other changes such as making ``struct command'' -opaque may also help. - -See also: -http://sourceware.cygnus.com/ml/gdb-patches/2000-06/msg00062.html - --- - -Make "target xxx" command interruptible. - -As things become async this becomes possible. A target would start -the connect and then return control to the event loop. A cntrl-c -would notify the target that the operation is to be abandoned and the -target code could respond. - --- - -Add a "suspend" subcommand of the "continue" command to suspend gdb -while continuing execution of the subprocess. Useful when you are -debugging servers and you want to dodge out and initiate a connection -to a server running under gdb. - -[hey async!!] - --- - - TODO FAQ - ======== - -Frequently requested but not approved requests. - --- - -Eliminate unused argument warnings using ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED. - -The benefits on this one are thought to be marginal - GDBs design -means that unused parameters are very common. GCC 3.0 will also -include the option -Wno-unused-parameter which means that ``-Wall --Wno-unused-parameters -Werror'' can be specified. - --- - - - - Legacy Wish List - ================ - -This list is not up to date, and opinions vary about the importance or -even desirability of some of the items. If you do fix something, it -always pays to check the below. - --- - -@c This does not work (yet if ever). FIXME. -@c @item --parse=@var{lang} @dots{} -@c Configure the @value{GDBN} expression parser to parse the listed languages. -@c @samp{all} configures @value{GDBN} for all supported languages. To get a -@c list of all supported languages, omit the argument. Without this -@c option, @value{GDBN} is configured to parse all supported languages. - --- - -START_INFERIOR_TRAPS_EXPECTED need never be defined to 2, since that -is its default value. Clean this up. - --- - -It should be possible to use symbols from shared libraries before we know -exactly where the libraries will be loaded. E.g. "b perror" before running -the program. This could maybe be done as an extension of the "breakpoint -re-evaluation" after new symbols are loaded. - --- - -Make single_step() insert and remove breakpoints in one operation. - -[If this is talking about having single_step() insert the breakpoints, -run the target then pull the breakpoints then it is wrong. The -function has to return as control has to eventually be passed back to -the main event loop.] - --- - -Speed up single stepping by avoiding extraneous ptrace calls. - --- - -Speed up single stepping by not inserting and removing breakpoints -each time the inferior starts and stops. - -Breakpoints should not be inserted and deleted all the time. Only the -one(s) there should be removed when we have to step over one. Support -breakpoints that don't have to be removed to step over them. - -[this has resulted in numerous debates. The issue isn't clear cut] - --- - -Provide "voodoo" debugging of core files. This creates a zombie -process as a child of the debugger, and loads it up with the data, -stack, and regs of the core file. This allows you to call functions -in the executable, to manipulate the data in the core file. - -[you wish] - --- - -GDB reopens the source file on every line, as you "next" through it. - -[still true? I've a memory of this being fixed] - --- - -Perhaps "i source" should take an argument like that of "list". - --- - -Remove "at 0xnnnn" from the "b foo" response, if `print address off' and if -it matches the source line indicated. - --- - -The prompt at end of screen should accept space as well as CR. - --- - -Backtrace should point out what the currently selected frame is, in -its display, perhaps showing "@3 foo (bar, ...)" or ">3 foo (bar, -...)" rather than "#3 foo (bar, ...)". - --- - -"i program" should work for core files, and display more info, like what -actually caused it to die. - --- - -"x/10i" should shorten the long name, if any, on subsequent lines. - --- - -"next" over a function that longjumps, never stops until next time you happen -to get to that spot by accident. E.g. "n" over execute_command which has -an error. - --- - -"set zeroprint off", don't bother printing members of structs which -are entirely zero. Useful for those big structs with few useful -members. - --- - -GDB does four ioctl's for every command, probably switching terminal modes -to/from inferior or for readline or something. - --- - -terminal_ours versus terminal_inferior: cache state. Switch should be a noop -if the state is the same, too. - --- - -"i frame" shows wrong "arglist at" location, doesn't show where the args -should be found, only their actual values. - --- - -There should be a way for "set" commands to validate the new setting -before it takes effect. +The closest a target comes to supporting full asynchronous mode are +the remote targets ``async'' and ``extended-async''. -- -"ena d" is ambiguous, why? "ena delete" seems to think it is a command! - --- - -i line VAR produces "Line number not known for symbol ``var''.". I -thought we were stashing that info now! - --- - -We should be able to write to random files at hex offsets like adb. - --- - -[elena - delete this] - -Handle add_file with separate text, data, and bss addresses. Maybe -handle separate addresses for each segment in the object file? - --- - -[Jimb/Elena delete this one] - -Handle free_named_symtab to cope with multiply-loaded object files -in a dynamic linking environment. Should remember the last copy loaded, -but not get too snowed if it finds references to the older copy. - --- - -[elena delete this also] - -Remove all references to: - text_offset - data_offset - text_data_start - text_end - exec_data_offset - ... -now that we have BFD. All remaining are in machine dependent files. - --- - -Re-organize help categories into things that tend to fit on a screen -and hang together. - --- - -Add in commands like ADB's for searching for patterns, etc. We should -be able to examine and patch raw unsymboled binaries as well in gdb as -we can in adb. (E.g. increase the timeout in /bin/login without source). - -[actually, add ADB interface :-] - --- - -When doing "step" or "next", if a few lines of source are skipped between -the previous line and the current one, print those lines, not just the -last line of a multiline statement. - --- - -Handling of "&" address-of operator needs some serious overhaul -for ANSI C and consistency on arrays and functions. - For "float point[15];": -ptype &point[4] ==> Attempt to take address of non-lvalue. - For "char *malloc();": -ptype malloc ==> "char *()"; should be same as -ptype &malloc ==> "char *(*)()" -call printf ("%x\n", malloc) ==> weird value, should be same as -call printf ("%x\n", &malloc) ==> correct value - --- - -Fix dbxread.c symbol reading in the presence of interrupts. It -currently leaves a cleanup to blow away the entire symbol table when a -QUIT occurs. (What's wrong with that? -kingdon, 28 Oct 1993). - -[I suspect that the grype was that, on a slow system, you might want -to cntrl-c and get just half the symbols and then load the rest later -- scary to be honest] - --- - -Mipsread.c reads include files depth-first, because the dependencies -in the psymtabs are way too inclusive (it seems to me). Figure out what -really depends on what, to avoid recursing 20 or 30 times while reading -real symtabs. - --- - -value_add() should be subtracting the lower bound of arrays, if known, -and possibly checking against the upper bound for error reporting. - --- - -When listing source lines, check for a preceding \n, to verify that -the file hasn't changed out from under us. - -[fixed by some other means I think. That hack wouldn't actually work -reliably - the file might move such that another \n appears. ] - --- - -Get all the remote systems (where the protocol allows it) to be able to -stop the remote system when the GDB user types ^C (like remote.c -does). For ebmon, use ^Ak. - --- - -Possible feature: A version of the "disassemble" command which shows -both source and assembly code ("set symbol-filename on" is a partial -solution). - -[has this been done? It was certainly done for MI and GDBtk] - --- - -investigate "x/s 0" (right now stops early) (I think maybe GDB is -using a 0 address for bad purposes internally). - --- - -Make "info path" and path_command work again (but independent of the -environment either of gdb or that we'll pass to the inferior). - --- - -Make GDB understand the GCC feature for putting octal constants in -enums. Make it so overflow on an enum constant does not error_type -the whole type. Allow arbitrarily large enums with type attributes. -Put all this stuff in the testsuite. - --- - -Make TYPE_CODE_ERROR with a non-zero TYPE_LENGTH more useful (print -the value in hex; process type attributes). Add this to the -testsuite. This way future compilers can add new types and old -versions of GDB can do something halfway reasonable. - --- - -Fix mdebugread.c:parse_type to do fundamental types right (see -rs6000_builtin_type in stabsread.c for what "right" is--the point is -that the debug format fixes the sizes of these things and it shouldn't -depend on stuff like TARGET_PTR_BIT and so on. For mdebug, there seem -to be separate bt* codes for 64 bit and 32 bit things, and GDB should -be aware of that). Also use a switch statement for clarity and speed. - --- - -Investigate adding symbols in target_load--some targets do, some -don't. - --- - -Put dirname in psymtabs and change lookup*symtab to use dirname (so -/foo/bar.c works whether compiled by cc /foo/bar.c, or cd /foo; cc -bar.c). - --- - -Merge xcoffread.c and coffread.c. Use breakpoint_re_set instead of -fixup_breakpoints. - --- - -Make a watchpoint which contains a function call an error (it is -broken now, making it work is probably not worth the effort). - --- - -New test case based on weird.exp but in which type numbers are not -renumbered (thus multiply defining a type). This currently causes an -infinite loop on "p v_comb". - --- - -[Hey! Hint Hint Delete Delete!!!] - -Fix 386 floating point so that floating point registers are real -registers (but code can deal at run-time if they are missing, like -mips and 68k). This would clean up "info float" and related stuff. - --- - -gcc -g -c enummask.c then gdb enummask.o, then "p v". GDB complains -about not being able to access memory location 0. - --------------------- enummask.c -enum mask -{ - ANIMAL = 0, - VEGETABLE = 1, - MINERAL = 2, - BASIC_CATEGORY = 3, - - WHITE = 0, - BLUE = 4, - GREEN = 8, - BLACK = 0xc, - COLOR = 0xc, - - ALIVE = 0x10, - - LARGE = 0x20 -} v; - --- - -If try to modify value in file with "set write off" should give -appropriate error not "cannot access memory at address 0x65e0". - --- - -Allow core file without exec file on RS/6000. - --- - -Make sure "shell" with no arguments works right on DOS. - --- - -Make gdb.ini (as well as .gdbinit) be checked on all platforms, so -the same directory can be NFS-mounted on unix or DOS, and work the -same way. - --- - -[Is this another delete???] - -Get SECT_OFF_TEXT stuff out of objfile_relocate (might be needed to -get RS/6000 to work right, might not be immediately relevant). - --- - -Work out some kind of way to allow running the inferior to be done as -a sub-execution of, eg. breakpoint command lists. Currently running -the inferior interupts any command list execution. This would require -some rewriting of wait_for_inferior & friends, and hence should -probably be done in concert with the above. - --- - -Add function arguments to gdb user defined functions. - --- - -Add convenience variables that refer to exec file, symbol file, -selected frame source file, selected frame function, selected frame -line number, etc. - --- - -Modify the handling of symbols grouped through BINCL/EINCL stabs to -allocate a partial symtab for each BINCL/EINCL grouping. This will -seriously decrease the size of inter-psymtab dependencies and hence -lessen the amount that needs to be read in when a new source file is -accessed. - --- - -Add a command for searching memory, a la adb. It specifies size, -mask, value, start address. ADB searches until it finds it or hits -an error (or is interrupted). - --- - -Remove the range and type checking code and documentation, if not -going to implement. - # Local Variables: # mode: text # End: -- 2.30.2