PR c++/9257:
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / gdb / doc / gdb.texinfo
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1\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2@c Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,
3@c 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009,
4@c 2010, 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5@c
6@c %**start of header
7@c makeinfo ignores cmds prev to setfilename, so its arg cannot make use
8@c of @set vars. However, you can override filename with makeinfo -o.
9@setfilename gdb.info
10@c
11@include gdb-cfg.texi
12@c
13@settitle Debugging with @value{GDBN}
14@setchapternewpage odd
15@c %**end of header
16
17@iftex
18@c @smallbook
19@c @cropmarks
20@end iftex
21
22@finalout
23@syncodeindex ky cp
24@syncodeindex tp cp
25
26@c readline appendices use @vindex, @findex and @ftable,
27@c annotate.texi and gdbmi use @findex.
28@syncodeindex vr cp
29@syncodeindex fn cp
30
31@c !!set GDB manual's edition---not the same as GDB version!
32@c This is updated by GNU Press.
33@set EDITION Tenth
34
35@c !!set GDB edit command default editor
36@set EDITOR /bin/ex
37
38@c THIS MANUAL REQUIRES TEXINFO 4.0 OR LATER.
39
40@c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
41@c manuals to an info tree.
42@dircategory Software development
43@direntry
44* Gdb: (gdb). The GNU debugger.
45@end direntry
46
47@copying
48Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,
491998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
50Free Software Foundation, Inc.
51
52Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
53under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
54any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
55Invariant Sections being ``Free Software'' and ``Free Software Needs
56Free Documentation'', with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
57and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.
58
59(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You are free to copy and modify
60this GNU Manual. Buying copies from GNU Press supports the FSF in
61developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
62@end copying
63
64@ifnottex
65This file documents the @sc{gnu} debugger @value{GDBN}.
66
67This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, of @cite{Debugging with
68@value{GDBN}: the @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger} for @value{GDBN}
69@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
70@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
71@end ifset
72Version @value{GDBVN}.
73
74@insertcopying
75@end ifnottex
76
77@titlepage
78@title Debugging with @value{GDBN}
79@subtitle The @sc{gnu} Source-Level Debugger
80@sp 1
81@subtitle @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN}
82@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
83@sp 1
84@subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
85@end ifset
86@author Richard Stallman, Roland Pesch, Stan Shebs, et al.
87@page
88@tex
89{\parskip=0pt
90\hfill (Send bugs and comments on @value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.)\par
91\hfill {\it Debugging with @value{GDBN}}\par
92\hfill \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par
93}
94@end tex
95
96@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
97Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
9851 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
99Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA@*
100ISBN 978-0-9831592-3-0 @*
101
102@insertcopying
103@end titlepage
104@page
105
106@ifnottex
107@node Top, Summary, (dir), (dir)
108
109@top Debugging with @value{GDBN}
110
111This file describes @value{GDBN}, the @sc{gnu} symbolic debugger.
112
113This is the @value{EDITION} Edition, for @value{GDBN}
114@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
115@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
116@end ifset
117Version @value{GDBVN}.
118
119Copyright (C) 1988-2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
120
121This edition of the GDB manual is dedicated to the memory of Fred
122Fish. Fred was a long-standing contributor to GDB and to Free
123software in general. We will miss him.
124
125@menu
126* Summary:: Summary of @value{GDBN}
127* Sample Session:: A sample @value{GDBN} session
128
129* Invocation:: Getting in and out of @value{GDBN}
130* Commands:: @value{GDBN} commands
131* Running:: Running programs under @value{GDBN}
132* Stopping:: Stopping and continuing
133* Reverse Execution:: Running programs backward
134* Process Record and Replay:: Recording inferior's execution and replaying it
135* Stack:: Examining the stack
136* Source:: Examining source files
137* Data:: Examining data
138* Optimized Code:: Debugging optimized code
139* Macros:: Preprocessor Macros
140* Tracepoints:: Debugging remote targets non-intrusively
141* Overlays:: Debugging programs that use overlays
142
143* Languages:: Using @value{GDBN} with different languages
144
145* Symbols:: Examining the symbol table
146* Altering:: Altering execution
147* GDB Files:: @value{GDBN} files
148* Targets:: Specifying a debugging target
149* Remote Debugging:: Debugging remote programs
150* Configurations:: Configuration-specific information
151* Controlling GDB:: Controlling @value{GDBN}
152* Extending GDB:: Extending @value{GDBN}
153* Interpreters:: Command Interpreters
154* TUI:: @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
155* Emacs:: Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
156* GDB/MI:: @value{GDBN}'s Machine Interface.
157* Annotations:: @value{GDBN}'s annotation interface.
158* JIT Interface:: Using the JIT debugging interface.
159
160* GDB Bugs:: Reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
161
162@ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
163* Command Line Editing: (rluserman). Command Line Editing
164* Using History Interactively: (history). Using History Interactively
165@end ifset
166@ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
167* Command Line Editing:: Command Line Editing
168* Using History Interactively:: Using History Interactively
169@end ifclear
170* In Memoriam:: In Memoriam
171* Formatting Documentation:: How to format and print @value{GDBN} documentation
172* Installing GDB:: Installing GDB
173* Maintenance Commands:: Maintenance Commands
174* Remote Protocol:: GDB Remote Serial Protocol
175* Agent Expressions:: The GDB Agent Expression Mechanism
176* Target Descriptions:: How targets can describe themselves to
177 @value{GDBN}
178* Operating System Information:: Getting additional information from
179 the operating system
180* Trace File Format:: GDB trace file format
181* Index Section Format:: .gdb_index section format
182* Copying:: GNU General Public License says
183 how you can copy and share GDB
184* GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation
185* Index:: Index
186@end menu
187
188@end ifnottex
189
190@contents
191
192@node Summary
193@unnumbered Summary of @value{GDBN}
194
195The purpose of a debugger such as @value{GDBN} is to allow you to see what is
196going on ``inside'' another program while it executes---or what another
197program was doing at the moment it crashed.
198
199@value{GDBN} can do four main kinds of things (plus other things in support of
200these) to help you catch bugs in the act:
201
202@itemize @bullet
203@item
204Start your program, specifying anything that might affect its behavior.
205
206@item
207Make your program stop on specified conditions.
208
209@item
210Examine what has happened, when your program has stopped.
211
212@item
213Change things in your program, so you can experiment with correcting the
214effects of one bug and go on to learn about another.
215@end itemize
216
217You can use @value{GDBN} to debug programs written in C and C@t{++}.
218For more information, see @ref{Supported Languages,,Supported Languages}.
219For more information, see @ref{C,,C and C++}.
220
221Support for D is partial. For information on D, see
222@ref{D,,D}.
223
224@cindex Modula-2
225Support for Modula-2 is partial. For information on Modula-2, see
226@ref{Modula-2,,Modula-2}.
227
228Support for OpenCL C is partial. For information on OpenCL C, see
229@ref{OpenCL C,,OpenCL C}.
230
231@cindex Pascal
232Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
233nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
234entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
235syntax.
236
237@cindex Fortran
238@value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, although
239it may be necessary to refer to some variables with a trailing
240underscore.
241
242@value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Objective-C,
243using either the Apple/NeXT or the GNU Objective-C runtime.
244
245@menu
246* Free Software:: Freely redistributable software
247* Contributors:: Contributors to GDB
248@end menu
249
250@node Free Software
251@unnumberedsec Free Software
252
253@value{GDBN} is @dfn{free software}, protected by the @sc{gnu}
254General Public License
255(GPL). The GPL gives you the freedom to copy or adapt a licensed
256program---but every person getting a copy also gets with it the
257freedom to modify that copy (which means that they must get access to
258the source code), and the freedom to distribute further copies.
259Typical software companies use copyrights to limit your freedoms; the
260Free Software Foundation uses the GPL to preserve these freedoms.
261
262Fundamentally, the General Public License is a license which says that
263you have these freedoms and that you cannot take these freedoms away
264from anyone else.
265
266@unnumberedsec Free Software Needs Free Documentation
267
268The biggest deficiency in the free software community today is not in
269the software---it is the lack of good free documentation that we can
270include with the free software. Many of our most important
271programs do not come with free reference manuals and free introductory
272texts. Documentation is an essential part of any software package;
273when an important free software package does not come with a free
274manual and a free tutorial, that is a major gap. We have many such
275gaps today.
276
277Consider Perl, for instance. The tutorial manuals that people
278normally use are non-free. How did this come about? Because the
279authors of those manuals published them with restrictive terms---no
280copying, no modification, source files not available---which exclude
281them from the free software world.
282
283That wasn't the first time this sort of thing happened, and it was far
284from the last. Many times we have heard a GNU user eagerly describe a
285manual that he is writing, his intended contribution to the community,
286only to learn that he had ruined everything by signing a publication
287contract to make it non-free.
288
289Free documentation, like free software, is a matter of freedom, not
290price. The problem with the non-free manual is not that publishers
291charge a price for printed copies---that in itself is fine. (The Free
292Software Foundation sells printed copies of manuals, too.) The
293problem is the restrictions on the use of the manual. Free manuals
294are available in source code form, and give you permission to copy and
295modify. Non-free manuals do not allow this.
296
297The criteria of freedom for a free manual are roughly the same as for
298free software. Redistribution (including the normal kinds of
299commercial redistribution) must be permitted, so that the manual can
300accompany every copy of the program, both on-line and on paper.
301
302Permission for modification of the technical content is crucial too.
303When people modify the software, adding or changing features, if they
304are conscientious they will change the manual too---so they can
305provide accurate and clear documentation for the modified program. A
306manual that leaves you no choice but to write a new manual to document
307a changed version of the program is not really available to our
308community.
309
310Some kinds of limits on the way modification is handled are
311acceptable. For example, requirements to preserve the original
312author's copyright notice, the distribution terms, or the list of
313authors, are ok. It is also no problem to require modified versions
314to include notice that they were modified. Even entire sections that
315may not be deleted or changed are acceptable, as long as they deal
316with nontechnical topics (like this one). These kinds of restrictions
317are acceptable because they don't obstruct the community's normal use
318of the manual.
319
320However, it must be possible to modify all the @emph{technical}
321content of the manual, and then distribute the result in all the usual
322media, through all the usual channels. Otherwise, the restrictions
323obstruct the use of the manual, it is not free, and we need another
324manual to replace it.
325
326Please spread the word about this issue. Our community continues to
327lose manuals to proprietary publishing. If we spread the word that
328free software needs free reference manuals and free tutorials, perhaps
329the next person who wants to contribute by writing documentation will
330realize, before it is too late, that only free manuals contribute to
331the free software community.
332
333If you are writing documentation, please insist on publishing it under
334the GNU Free Documentation License or another free documentation
335license. Remember that this decision requires your approval---you
336don't have to let the publisher decide. Some commercial publishers
337will use a free license if you insist, but they will not propose the
338option; it is up to you to raise the issue and say firmly that this is
339what you want. If the publisher you are dealing with refuses, please
340try other publishers. If you're not sure whether a proposed license
341is free, write to @email{licensing@@gnu.org}.
342
343You can encourage commercial publishers to sell more free, copylefted
344manuals and tutorials by buying them, and particularly by buying
345copies from the publishers that paid for their writing or for major
346improvements. Meanwhile, try to avoid buying non-free documentation
347at all. Check the distribution terms of a manual before you buy it,
348and insist that whoever seeks your business must respect your freedom.
349Check the history of the book, and try to reward the publishers that
350have paid or pay the authors to work on it.
351
352The Free Software Foundation maintains a list of free documentation
353published by other publishers, at
354@url{http://www.fsf.org/doc/other-free-books.html}.
355
356@node Contributors
357@unnumberedsec Contributors to @value{GDBN}
358
359Richard Stallman was the original author of @value{GDBN}, and of many
360other @sc{gnu} programs. Many others have contributed to its
361development. This section attempts to credit major contributors. One
362of the virtues of free software is that everyone is free to contribute
363to it; with regret, we cannot actually acknowledge everyone here. The
364file @file{ChangeLog} in the @value{GDBN} distribution approximates a
365blow-by-blow account.
366
367Changes much prior to version 2.0 are lost in the mists of time.
368
369@quotation
370@emph{Plea:} Additions to this section are particularly welcome. If you
371or your friends (or enemies, to be evenhanded) have been unfairly
372omitted from this list, we would like to add your names!
373@end quotation
374
375So that they may not regard their many labors as thankless, we
376particularly thank those who shepherded @value{GDBN} through major
377releases:
378Andrew Cagney (releases 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, 6.0, 5.3, 5.2, 5.1 and 5.0);
379Jim Blandy (release 4.18);
380Jason Molenda (release 4.17);
381Stan Shebs (release 4.14);
382Fred Fish (releases 4.16, 4.15, 4.13, 4.12, 4.11, 4.10, and 4.9);
383Stu Grossman and John Gilmore (releases 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, and 4.4);
384John Gilmore (releases 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, and 3.9);
385Jim Kingdon (releases 3.5, 3.4, and 3.3);
386and Randy Smith (releases 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0).
387
388Richard Stallman, assisted at various times by Peter TerMaat, Chris
389Hanson, and Richard Mlynarik, handled releases through 2.8.
390
391Michael Tiemann is the author of most of the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} support
392in @value{GDBN}, with significant additional contributions from Per
393Bothner and Daniel Berlin. James Clark wrote the @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
394demangler. Early work on C@t{++} was by Peter TerMaat (who also did
395much general update work leading to release 3.0).
396
397@value{GDBN} uses the BFD subroutine library to examine multiple
398object-file formats; BFD was a joint project of David V.
399Henkel-Wallace, Rich Pixley, Steve Chamberlain, and John Gilmore.
400
401David Johnson wrote the original COFF support; Pace Willison did
402the original support for encapsulated COFF.
403
404Brent Benson of Harris Computer Systems contributed DWARF 2 support.
405
406Adam de Boor and Bradley Davis contributed the ISI Optimum V support.
407Per Bothner, Noboyuki Hikichi, and Alessandro Forin contributed MIPS
408support.
409Jean-Daniel Fekete contributed Sun 386i support.
410Chris Hanson improved the HP9000 support.
411Noboyuki Hikichi and Tomoyuki Hasei contributed Sony/News OS 3 support.
412David Johnson contributed Encore Umax support.
413Jyrki Kuoppala contributed Altos 3068 support.
414Jeff Law contributed HP PA and SOM support.
415Keith Packard contributed NS32K support.
416Doug Rabson contributed Acorn Risc Machine support.
417Bob Rusk contributed Harris Nighthawk CX-UX support.
418Chris Smith contributed Convex support (and Fortran debugging).
419Jonathan Stone contributed Pyramid support.
420Michael Tiemann contributed SPARC support.
421Tim Tucker contributed support for the Gould NP1 and Gould Powernode.
422Pace Willison contributed Intel 386 support.
423Jay Vosburgh contributed Symmetry support.
424Marko Mlinar contributed OpenRISC 1000 support.
425
426Andreas Schwab contributed M68K @sc{gnu}/Linux support.
427
428Rich Schaefer and Peter Schauer helped with support of SunOS shared
429libraries.
430
431Jay Fenlason and Roland McGrath ensured that @value{GDBN} and GAS agree
432about several machine instruction sets.
433
434Patrick Duval, Ted Goldstein, Vikram Koka and Glenn Engel helped develop
435remote debugging. Intel Corporation, Wind River Systems, AMD, and ARM
436contributed remote debugging modules for the i960, VxWorks, A29K UDI,
437and RDI targets, respectively.
438
439Brian Fox is the author of the readline libraries providing
440command-line editing and command history.
441
442Andrew Beers of SUNY Buffalo wrote the language-switching code, the
443Modula-2 support, and contributed the Languages chapter of this manual.
444
445Fred Fish wrote most of the support for Unix System Vr4.
446He also enhanced the command-completion support to cover C@t{++} overloaded
447symbols.
448
449Hitachi America (now Renesas America), Ltd. sponsored the support for
450H8/300, H8/500, and Super-H processors.
451
452NEC sponsored the support for the v850, Vr4xxx, and Vr5xxx processors.
453
454Mitsubishi (now Renesas) sponsored the support for D10V, D30V, and M32R/D
455processors.
456
457Toshiba sponsored the support for the TX39 Mips processor.
458
459Matsushita sponsored the support for the MN10200 and MN10300 processors.
460
461Fujitsu sponsored the support for SPARClite and FR30 processors.
462
463Kung Hsu, Jeff Law, and Rick Sladkey added support for hardware
464watchpoints.
465
466Michael Snyder added support for tracepoints.
467
468Stu Grossman wrote gdbserver.
469
470Jim Kingdon, Peter Schauer, Ian Taylor, and Stu Grossman made
471nearly innumerable bug fixes and cleanups throughout @value{GDBN}.
472
473The following people at the Hewlett-Packard Company contributed
474support for the PA-RISC 2.0 architecture, HP-UX 10.20, 10.30, and 11.0
475(narrow mode), HP's implementation of kernel threads, HP's aC@t{++}
476compiler, and the Text User Interface (nee Terminal User Interface):
477Ben Krepp, Richard Title, John Bishop, Susan Macchia, Kathy Mann,
478Satish Pai, India Paul, Steve Rehrauer, and Elena Zannoni. Kim Haase
479provided HP-specific information in this manual.
480
481DJ Delorie ported @value{GDBN} to MS-DOS, for the DJGPP project.
482Robert Hoehne made significant contributions to the DJGPP port.
483
484Cygnus Solutions has sponsored @value{GDBN} maintenance and much of its
485development since 1991. Cygnus engineers who have worked on @value{GDBN}
486fulltime include Mark Alexander, Jim Blandy, Per Bothner, Kevin
487Buettner, Edith Epstein, Chris Faylor, Fred Fish, Martin Hunt, Jim
488Ingham, John Gilmore, Stu Grossman, Kung Hsu, Jim Kingdon, John Metzler,
489Fernando Nasser, Geoffrey Noer, Dawn Perchik, Rich Pixley, Zdenek
490Radouch, Keith Seitz, Stan Shebs, David Taylor, and Elena Zannoni. In
491addition, Dave Brolley, Ian Carmichael, Steve Chamberlain, Nick Clifton,
492JT Conklin, Stan Cox, DJ Delorie, Ulrich Drepper, Frank Eigler, Doug
493Evans, Sean Fagan, David Henkel-Wallace, Richard Henderson, Jeff
494Holcomb, Jeff Law, Jim Lemke, Tom Lord, Bob Manson, Michael Meissner,
495Jason Merrill, Catherine Moore, Drew Moseley, Ken Raeburn, Gavin
496Romig-Koch, Rob Savoye, Jamie Smith, Mike Stump, Ian Taylor, Angela
497Thomas, Michael Tiemann, Tom Tromey, Ron Unrau, Jim Wilson, and David
498Zuhn have made contributions both large and small.
499
500Andrew Cagney, Fernando Nasser, and Elena Zannoni, while working for
501Cygnus Solutions, implemented the original @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
502
503Jim Blandy added support for preprocessor macros, while working for Red
504Hat.
505
506Andrew Cagney designed @value{GDBN}'s architecture vector. Many
507people including Andrew Cagney, Stephane Carrez, Randolph Chung, Nick
508Duffek, Richard Henderson, Mark Kettenis, Grace Sainsbury, Kei
509Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Andreas Schwab, Jason
510Thorpe, Corinna Vinschen, Ulrich Weigand, and Elena Zannoni, helped
511with the migration of old architectures to this new framework.
512
513Andrew Cagney completely re-designed and re-implemented @value{GDBN}'s
514unwinder framework, this consisting of a fresh new design featuring
515frame IDs, independent frame sniffers, and the sentinel frame. Mark
516Kettenis implemented the @sc{dwarf 2} unwinder, Jeff Johnston the
517libunwind unwinder, and Andrew Cagney the dummy, sentinel, tramp, and
518trad unwinders. The architecture-specific changes, each involving a
519complete rewrite of the architecture's frame code, were carried out by
520Jim Blandy, Joel Brobecker, Kevin Buettner, Andrew Cagney, Stephane
521Carrez, Randolph Chung, Orjan Friberg, Richard Henderson, Daniel
522Jacobowitz, Jeff Johnston, Mark Kettenis, Theodore A. Roth, Kei
523Sakamoto, Yoshinori Sato, Michael Snyder, Corinna Vinschen, and Ulrich
524Weigand.
525
526Christian Zankel, Ross Morley, Bob Wilson, and Maxim Grigoriev from
527Tensilica, Inc.@: contributed support for Xtensa processors. Others
528who have worked on the Xtensa port of @value{GDBN} in the past include
529Steve Tjiang, John Newlin, and Scott Foehner.
530
531Michael Eager and staff of Xilinx, Inc., contributed support for the
532Xilinx MicroBlaze architecture.
533
534@node Sample Session
535@chapter A Sample @value{GDBN} Session
536
537You can use this manual at your leisure to read all about @value{GDBN}.
538However, a handful of commands are enough to get started using the
539debugger. This chapter illustrates those commands.
540
541@iftex
542In this sample session, we emphasize user input like this: @b{input},
543to make it easier to pick out from the surrounding output.
544@end iftex
545
546@c FIXME: this example may not be appropriate for some configs, where
547@c FIXME...primary interest is in remote use.
548
549One of the preliminary versions of @sc{gnu} @code{m4} (a generic macro
550processor) exhibits the following bug: sometimes, when we change its
551quote strings from the default, the commands used to capture one macro
552definition within another stop working. In the following short @code{m4}
553session, we define a macro @code{foo} which expands to @code{0000}; we
554then use the @code{m4} built-in @code{defn} to define @code{bar} as the
555same thing. However, when we change the open quote string to
556@code{<QUOTE>} and the close quote string to @code{<UNQUOTE>}, the same
557procedure fails to define a new synonym @code{baz}:
558
559@smallexample
560$ @b{cd gnu/m4}
561$ @b{./m4}
562@b{define(foo,0000)}
563
564@b{foo}
5650000
566@b{define(bar,defn(`foo'))}
567
568@b{bar}
5690000
570@b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
571
572@b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
573@b{baz}
574@b{Ctrl-d}
575m4: End of input: 0: fatal error: EOF in string
576@end smallexample
577
578@noindent
579Let us use @value{GDBN} to try to see what is going on.
580
581@smallexample
582$ @b{@value{GDBP} m4}
583@c FIXME: this falsifies the exact text played out, to permit smallbook
584@c FIXME... format to come out better.
585@value{GDBN} is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies
586 of it under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see
587 the conditions.
588There is absolutely no warranty for @value{GDBN}; type "show warranty"
589 for details.
590
591@value{GDBN} @value{GDBVN}, Copyright 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
592(@value{GDBP})
593@end smallexample
594
595@noindent
596@value{GDBN} reads only enough symbol data to know where to find the
597rest when needed; as a result, the first prompt comes up very quickly.
598We now tell @value{GDBN} to use a narrower display width than usual, so
599that examples fit in this manual.
600
601@smallexample
602(@value{GDBP}) @b{set width 70}
603@end smallexample
604
605@noindent
606We need to see how the @code{m4} built-in @code{changequote} works.
607Having looked at the source, we know the relevant subroutine is
608@code{m4_changequote}, so we set a breakpoint there with the @value{GDBN}
609@code{break} command.
610
611@smallexample
612(@value{GDBP}) @b{break m4_changequote}
613Breakpoint 1 at 0x62f4: file builtin.c, line 879.
614@end smallexample
615
616@noindent
617Using the @code{run} command, we start @code{m4} running under @value{GDBN}
618control; as long as control does not reach the @code{m4_changequote}
619subroutine, the program runs as usual:
620
621@smallexample
622(@value{GDBP}) @b{run}
623Starting program: /work/Editorial/gdb/gnu/m4/m4
624@b{define(foo,0000)}
625
626@b{foo}
6270000
628@end smallexample
629
630@noindent
631To trigger the breakpoint, we call @code{changequote}. @value{GDBN}
632suspends execution of @code{m4}, displaying information about the
633context where it stops.
634
635@smallexample
636@b{changequote(<QUOTE>,<UNQUOTE>)}
637
638Breakpoint 1, m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
639 at builtin.c:879
640879 if (bad_argc(TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[0]),argc,1,3))
641@end smallexample
642
643@noindent
644Now we use the command @code{n} (@code{next}) to advance execution to
645the next line of the current function.
646
647@smallexample
648(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
649882 set_quotes((argc >= 2) ? TOKEN_DATA_TEXT(argv[1])\
650 : nil,
651@end smallexample
652
653@noindent
654@code{set_quotes} looks like a promising subroutine. We can go into it
655by using the command @code{s} (@code{step}) instead of @code{next}.
656@code{step} goes to the next line to be executed in @emph{any}
657subroutine, so it steps into @code{set_quotes}.
658
659@smallexample
660(@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
661set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
662 at input.c:530
663530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
664@end smallexample
665
666@noindent
667The display that shows the subroutine where @code{m4} is now
668suspended (and its arguments) is called a stack frame display. It
669shows a summary of the stack. We can use the @code{backtrace}
670command (which can also be spelled @code{bt}), to see where we are
671in the stack as a whole: the @code{backtrace} command displays a
672stack frame for each active subroutine.
673
674@smallexample
675(@value{GDBP}) @b{bt}
676#0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<QUOTE>", rq=0x34c88 "<UNQUOTE>")
677 at input.c:530
678#1 0x6344 in m4_changequote (argc=3, argv=0x33c70)
679 at builtin.c:882
680#2 0x8174 in expand_macro (sym=0x33320) at macro.c:242
681#3 0x7a88 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=209696, td=0xf7fffa30)
682 at macro.c:71
683#4 0x79dc in expand_input () at macro.c:40
684#5 0x2930 in main (argc=0, argv=0xf7fffb20) at m4.c:195
685@end smallexample
686
687@noindent
688We step through a few more lines to see what happens. The first two
689times, we can use @samp{s}; the next two times we use @code{n} to avoid
690falling into the @code{xstrdup} subroutine.
691
692@smallexample
693(@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
6940x3b5c 532 if (rquote != def_rquote)
695(@value{GDBP}) @b{s}
6960x3b80 535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? \
697def_lquote : xstrdup(lq);
698(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
699536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
700 : xstrdup(rq);
701(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
702538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
703@end smallexample
704
705@noindent
706The last line displayed looks a little odd; we can examine the variables
707@code{lquote} and @code{rquote} to see if they are in fact the new left
708and right quotes we specified. We use the command @code{p}
709(@code{print}) to see their values.
710
711@smallexample
712(@value{GDBP}) @b{p lquote}
713$1 = 0x35d40 "<QUOTE>"
714(@value{GDBP}) @b{p rquote}
715$2 = 0x35d50 "<UNQUOTE>"
716@end smallexample
717
718@noindent
719@code{lquote} and @code{rquote} are indeed the new left and right quotes.
720To look at some context, we can display ten lines of source
721surrounding the current line with the @code{l} (@code{list}) command.
722
723@smallexample
724(@value{GDBP}) @b{l}
725533 xfree(rquote);
726534
727535 lquote = (lq == nil || *lq == '\0') ? def_lquote\
728 : xstrdup (lq);
729536 rquote = (rq == nil || *rq == '\0') ? def_rquote\
730 : xstrdup (rq);
731537
732538 len_lquote = strlen(rquote);
733539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
734540 @}
735541
736542 void
737@end smallexample
738
739@noindent
740Let us step past the two lines that set @code{len_lquote} and
741@code{len_rquote}, and then examine the values of those variables.
742
743@smallexample
744(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
745539 len_rquote = strlen(lquote);
746(@value{GDBP}) @b{n}
747540 @}
748(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote}
749$3 = 9
750(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote}
751$4 = 7
752@end smallexample
753
754@noindent
755That certainly looks wrong, assuming @code{len_lquote} and
756@code{len_rquote} are meant to be the lengths of @code{lquote} and
757@code{rquote} respectively. We can set them to better values using
758the @code{p} command, since it can print the value of
759any expression---and that expression can include subroutine calls and
760assignments.
761
762@smallexample
763(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_lquote=strlen(lquote)}
764$5 = 7
765(@value{GDBP}) @b{p len_rquote=strlen(rquote)}
766$6 = 9
767@end smallexample
768
769@noindent
770Is that enough to fix the problem of using the new quotes with the
771@code{m4} built-in @code{defn}? We can allow @code{m4} to continue
772executing with the @code{c} (@code{continue}) command, and then try the
773example that caused trouble initially:
774
775@smallexample
776(@value{GDBP}) @b{c}
777Continuing.
778
779@b{define(baz,defn(<QUOTE>foo<UNQUOTE>))}
780
781baz
7820000
783@end smallexample
784
785@noindent
786Success! The new quotes now work just as well as the default ones. The
787problem seems to have been just the two typos defining the wrong
788lengths. We allow @code{m4} exit by giving it an EOF as input:
789
790@smallexample
791@b{Ctrl-d}
792Program exited normally.
793@end smallexample
794
795@noindent
796The message @samp{Program exited normally.} is from @value{GDBN}; it
797indicates @code{m4} has finished executing. We can end our @value{GDBN}
798session with the @value{GDBN} @code{quit} command.
799
800@smallexample
801(@value{GDBP}) @b{quit}
802@end smallexample
803
804@node Invocation
805@chapter Getting In and Out of @value{GDBN}
806
807This chapter discusses how to start @value{GDBN}, and how to get out of it.
808The essentials are:
809@itemize @bullet
810@item
811type @samp{@value{GDBP}} to start @value{GDBN}.
812@item
813type @kbd{quit} or @kbd{Ctrl-d} to exit.
814@end itemize
815
816@menu
817* Invoking GDB:: How to start @value{GDBN}
818* Quitting GDB:: How to quit @value{GDBN}
819* Shell Commands:: How to use shell commands inside @value{GDBN}
820* Logging Output:: How to log @value{GDBN}'s output to a file
821@end menu
822
823@node Invoking GDB
824@section Invoking @value{GDBN}
825
826Invoke @value{GDBN} by running the program @code{@value{GDBP}}. Once started,
827@value{GDBN} reads commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit.
828
829You can also run @code{@value{GDBP}} with a variety of arguments and options,
830to specify more of your debugging environment at the outset.
831
832The command-line options described here are designed
833to cover a variety of situations; in some environments, some of these
834options may effectively be unavailable.
835
836The most usual way to start @value{GDBN} is with one argument,
837specifying an executable program:
838
839@smallexample
840@value{GDBP} @var{program}
841@end smallexample
842
843@noindent
844You can also start with both an executable program and a core file
845specified:
846
847@smallexample
848@value{GDBP} @var{program} @var{core}
849@end smallexample
850
851You can, instead, specify a process ID as a second argument, if you want
852to debug a running process:
853
854@smallexample
855@value{GDBP} @var{program} 1234
856@end smallexample
857
858@noindent
859would attach @value{GDBN} to process @code{1234} (unless you also have a file
860named @file{1234}; @value{GDBN} does check for a core file first).
861
862Taking advantage of the second command-line argument requires a fairly
863complete operating system; when you use @value{GDBN} as a remote
864debugger attached to a bare board, there may not be any notion of
865``process'', and there is often no way to get a core dump. @value{GDBN}
866will warn you if it is unable to attach or to read core dumps.
867
868You can optionally have @code{@value{GDBP}} pass any arguments after the
869executable file to the inferior using @code{--args}. This option stops
870option processing.
871@smallexample
872@value{GDBP} --args gcc -O2 -c foo.c
873@end smallexample
874This will cause @code{@value{GDBP}} to debug @code{gcc}, and to set
875@code{gcc}'s command-line arguments (@pxref{Arguments}) to @samp{-O2 -c foo.c}.
876
877You can run @code{@value{GDBP}} without printing the front material, which describes
878@value{GDBN}'s non-warranty, by specifying @code{-silent}:
879
880@smallexample
881@value{GDBP} -silent
882@end smallexample
883
884@noindent
885You can further control how @value{GDBN} starts up by using command-line
886options. @value{GDBN} itself can remind you of the options available.
887
888@noindent
889Type
890
891@smallexample
892@value{GDBP} -help
893@end smallexample
894
895@noindent
896to display all available options and briefly describe their use
897(@samp{@value{GDBP} -h} is a shorter equivalent).
898
899All options and command line arguments you give are processed
900in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the
901@samp{-x} option is used.
902
903
904@menu
905* File Options:: Choosing files
906* Mode Options:: Choosing modes
907* Startup:: What @value{GDBN} does during startup
908@end menu
909
910@node File Options
911@subsection Choosing Files
912
913When @value{GDBN} starts, it reads any arguments other than options as
914specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is
915the same as if the arguments were specified by the @samp{-se} and
916@samp{-c} (or @samp{-p}) options respectively. (@value{GDBN} reads the
917first argument that does not have an associated option flag as
918equivalent to the @samp{-se} option followed by that argument; and the
919second argument that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as
920equivalent to the @samp{-c}/@samp{-p} option followed by that argument.)
921If the second argument begins with a decimal digit, @value{GDBN} will
922first attempt to attach to it as a process, and if that fails, attempt
923to open it as a corefile. If you have a corefile whose name begins with
924a digit, you can prevent @value{GDBN} from treating it as a pid by
925prefixing it with @file{./}, e.g.@: @file{./12345}.
926
927If @value{GDBN} has not been configured to included core file support,
928such as for most embedded targets, then it will complain about a second
929argument and ignore it.
930
931Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the
932following list. @value{GDBN} also recognizes the long forms if you truncate
933them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous.
934(If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with @samp{--} rather
935than @samp{-}, though we illustrate the more usual convention.)
936
937@c NOTE: the @cindex entries here use double dashes ON PURPOSE. This
938@c way, both those who look for -foo and --foo in the index, will find
939@c it.
940
941@table @code
942@item -symbols @var{file}
943@itemx -s @var{file}
944@cindex @code{--symbols}
945@cindex @code{-s}
946Read symbol table from file @var{file}.
947
948@item -exec @var{file}
949@itemx -e @var{file}
950@cindex @code{--exec}
951@cindex @code{-e}
952Use file @var{file} as the executable file to execute when appropriate,
953and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core dump.
954
955@item -se @var{file}
956@cindex @code{--se}
957Read symbol table from file @var{file} and use it as the executable
958file.
959
960@item -core @var{file}
961@itemx -c @var{file}
962@cindex @code{--core}
963@cindex @code{-c}
964Use file @var{file} as a core dump to examine.
965
966@item -pid @var{number}
967@itemx -p @var{number}
968@cindex @code{--pid}
969@cindex @code{-p}
970Connect to process ID @var{number}, as with the @code{attach} command.
971
972@item -command @var{file}
973@itemx -x @var{file}
974@cindex @code{--command}
975@cindex @code{-x}
976Execute commands from file @var{file}. The contents of this file is
977evaluated exactly as the @code{source} command would.
978@xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
979
980@item -eval-command @var{command}
981@itemx -ex @var{command}
982@cindex @code{--eval-command}
983@cindex @code{-ex}
984Execute a single @value{GDBN} command.
985
986This option may be used multiple times to call multiple commands. It may
987also be interleaved with @samp{-command} as required.
988
989@smallexample
990@value{GDBP} -ex 'target sim' -ex 'load' \
991 -x setbreakpoints -ex 'run' a.out
992@end smallexample
993
994@item -directory @var{directory}
995@itemx -d @var{directory}
996@cindex @code{--directory}
997@cindex @code{-d}
998Add @var{directory} to the path to search for source and script files.
999
1000@item -r
1001@itemx -readnow
1002@cindex @code{--readnow}
1003@cindex @code{-r}
1004Read each symbol file's entire symbol table immediately, rather than
1005the default, which is to read it incrementally as it is needed.
1006This makes startup slower, but makes future operations faster.
1007
1008@end table
1009
1010@node Mode Options
1011@subsection Choosing Modes
1012
1013You can run @value{GDBN} in various alternative modes---for example, in
1014batch mode or quiet mode.
1015
1016@table @code
1017@item -nx
1018@itemx -n
1019@cindex @code{--nx}
1020@cindex @code{-n}
1021Do not execute commands found in any initialization files. Normally,
1022@value{GDBN} executes the commands in these files after all the command
1023options and arguments have been processed. @xref{Command Files,,Command
1024Files}.
1025
1026@item -quiet
1027@itemx -silent
1028@itemx -q
1029@cindex @code{--quiet}
1030@cindex @code{--silent}
1031@cindex @code{-q}
1032``Quiet''. Do not print the introductory and copyright messages. These
1033messages are also suppressed in batch mode.
1034
1035@item -batch
1036@cindex @code{--batch}
1037Run in batch mode. Exit with status @code{0} after processing all the
1038command files specified with @samp{-x} (and all commands from
1039initialization files, if not inhibited with @samp{-n}). Exit with
1040nonzero status if an error occurs in executing the @value{GDBN} commands
1041in the command files. Batch mode also disables pagination, sets unlimited
1042terminal width and height @pxref{Screen Size}, and acts as if @kbd{set confirm
1043off} were in effect (@pxref{Messages/Warnings}).
1044
1045Batch mode may be useful for running @value{GDBN} as a filter, for
1046example to download and run a program on another computer; in order to
1047make this more useful, the message
1048
1049@smallexample
1050Program exited normally.
1051@end smallexample
1052
1053@noindent
1054(which is ordinarily issued whenever a program running under
1055@value{GDBN} control terminates) is not issued when running in batch
1056mode.
1057
1058@item -batch-silent
1059@cindex @code{--batch-silent}
1060Run in batch mode exactly like @samp{-batch}, but totally silently. All
1061@value{GDBN} output to @code{stdout} is prevented (@code{stderr} is
1062unaffected). This is much quieter than @samp{-silent} and would be useless
1063for an interactive session.
1064
1065This is particularly useful when using targets that give @samp{Loading section}
1066messages, for example.
1067
1068Note that targets that give their output via @value{GDBN}, as opposed to
1069writing directly to @code{stdout}, will also be made silent.
1070
1071@item -return-child-result
1072@cindex @code{--return-child-result}
1073The return code from @value{GDBN} will be the return code from the child
1074process (the process being debugged), with the following exceptions:
1075
1076@itemize @bullet
1077@item
1078@value{GDBN} exits abnormally. E.g., due to an incorrect argument or an
1079internal error. In this case the exit code is the same as it would have been
1080without @samp{-return-child-result}.
1081@item
1082The user quits with an explicit value. E.g., @samp{quit 1}.
1083@item
1084The child process never runs, or is not allowed to terminate, in which case
1085the exit code will be -1.
1086@end itemize
1087
1088This option is useful in conjunction with @samp{-batch} or @samp{-batch-silent},
1089when @value{GDBN} is being used as a remote program loader or simulator
1090interface.
1091
1092@item -nowindows
1093@itemx -nw
1094@cindex @code{--nowindows}
1095@cindex @code{-nw}
1096``No windows''. If @value{GDBN} comes with a graphical user interface
1097(GUI) built in, then this option tells @value{GDBN} to only use the command-line
1098interface. If no GUI is available, this option has no effect.
1099
1100@item -windows
1101@itemx -w
1102@cindex @code{--windows}
1103@cindex @code{-w}
1104If @value{GDBN} includes a GUI, then this option requires it to be
1105used if possible.
1106
1107@item -cd @var{directory}
1108@cindex @code{--cd}
1109Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its working directory,
1110instead of the current directory.
1111
1112@item -data-directory @var{directory}
1113@cindex @code{--data-directory}
1114Run @value{GDBN} using @var{directory} as its data directory.
1115The data directory is where @value{GDBN} searches for its
1116auxiliary files. @xref{Data Files}.
1117
1118@item -fullname
1119@itemx -f
1120@cindex @code{--fullname}
1121@cindex @code{-f}
1122@sc{gnu} Emacs sets this option when it runs @value{GDBN} as a
1123subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to output the full file name and line
1124number in a standard, recognizable fashion each time a stack frame is
1125displayed (which includes each time your program stops). This
1126recognizable format looks like two @samp{\032} characters, followed by
1127the file name, line number and character position separated by colons,
1128and a newline. The Emacs-to-@value{GDBN} interface program uses the two
1129@samp{\032} characters as a signal to display the source code for the
1130frame.
1131
1132@item -epoch
1133@cindex @code{--epoch}
1134The Epoch Emacs-@value{GDBN} interface sets this option when it runs
1135@value{GDBN} as a subprocess. It tells @value{GDBN} to modify its print
1136routines so as to allow Epoch to display values of expressions in a
1137separate window.
1138
1139@item -annotate @var{level}
1140@cindex @code{--annotate}
1141This option sets the @dfn{annotation level} inside @value{GDBN}. Its
1142effect is identical to using @samp{set annotate @var{level}}
1143(@pxref{Annotations}). The annotation @var{level} controls how much
1144information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt, values of
1145expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0 is the
1146normal, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a subprocess of
1147@sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable for programs
1148that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 has been deprecated.
1149
1150The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
1151(@pxref{GDB/MI}).
1152
1153@item --args
1154@cindex @code{--args}
1155Change interpretation of command line so that arguments following the
1156executable file are passed as command line arguments to the inferior.
1157This option stops option processing.
1158
1159@item -baud @var{bps}
1160@itemx -b @var{bps}
1161@cindex @code{--baud}
1162@cindex @code{-b}
1163Set the line speed (baud rate or bits per second) of any serial
1164interface used by @value{GDBN} for remote debugging.
1165
1166@item -l @var{timeout}
1167@cindex @code{-l}
1168Set the timeout (in seconds) of any communication used by @value{GDBN}
1169for remote debugging.
1170
1171@item -tty @var{device}
1172@itemx -t @var{device}
1173@cindex @code{--tty}
1174@cindex @code{-t}
1175Run using @var{device} for your program's standard input and output.
1176@c FIXME: kingdon thinks there is more to -tty. Investigate.
1177
1178@c resolve the situation of these eventually
1179@item -tui
1180@cindex @code{--tui}
1181Activate the @dfn{Text User Interface} when starting. The Text User
1182Interface manages several text windows on the terminal, showing
1183source, assembly, registers and @value{GDBN} command outputs
1184(@pxref{TUI, ,@value{GDBN} Text User Interface}). Alternatively, the
1185Text User Interface can be enabled by invoking the program
1186@samp{@value{GDBTUI}}. Do not use this option if you run @value{GDBN} from
1187Emacs (@pxref{Emacs, ,Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}).
1188
1189@c @item -xdb
1190@c @cindex @code{--xdb}
1191@c Run in XDB compatibility mode, allowing the use of certain XDB commands.
1192@c For information, see the file @file{xdb_trans.html}, which is usually
1193@c installed in the directory @code{/opt/langtools/wdb/doc} on HP-UX
1194@c systems.
1195
1196@item -interpreter @var{interp}
1197@cindex @code{--interpreter}
1198Use the interpreter @var{interp} for interface with the controlling
1199program or device. This option is meant to be set by programs which
1200communicate with @value{GDBN} using it as a back end.
1201@xref{Interpreters, , Command Interpreters}.
1202
1203@samp{--interpreter=mi} (or @samp{--interpreter=mi2}) causes
1204@value{GDBN} to use the @dfn{@sc{gdb/mi} interface} (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,
1205The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}) included since @value{GDBN} version 6.0. The
1206previous @sc{gdb/mi} interface, included in @value{GDBN} version 5.3 and
1207selected with @samp{--interpreter=mi1}, is deprecated. Earlier
1208@sc{gdb/mi} interfaces are no longer supported.
1209
1210@item -write
1211@cindex @code{--write}
1212Open the executable and core files for both reading and writing. This
1213is equivalent to the @samp{set write on} command inside @value{GDBN}
1214(@pxref{Patching}).
1215
1216@item -statistics
1217@cindex @code{--statistics}
1218This option causes @value{GDBN} to print statistics about time and
1219memory usage after it completes each command and returns to the prompt.
1220
1221@item -version
1222@cindex @code{--version}
1223This option causes @value{GDBN} to print its version number and
1224no-warranty blurb, and exit.
1225
1226@end table
1227
1228@node Startup
1229@subsection What @value{GDBN} Does During Startup
1230@cindex @value{GDBN} startup
1231
1232Here's the description of what @value{GDBN} does during session startup:
1233
1234@enumerate
1235@item
1236Sets up the command interpreter as specified by the command line
1237(@pxref{Mode Options, interpreter}).
1238
1239@item
1240@cindex init file
1241Reads the system-wide @dfn{init file} (if @option{--with-system-gdbinit} was
1242used when building @value{GDBN}; @pxref{System-wide configuration,
1243 ,System-wide configuration and settings}) and executes all the commands in
1244that file.
1245
1246@item
1247Reads the init file (if any) in your home directory@footnote{On
1248DOS/Windows systems, the home directory is the one pointed to by the
1249@code{HOME} environment variable.} and executes all the commands in
1250that file.
1251
1252@item
1253Processes command line options and operands.
1254
1255@item
1256Reads and executes the commands from init file (if any) in the current
1257working directory. This is only done if the current directory is
1258different from your home directory. Thus, you can have more than one
1259init file, one generic in your home directory, and another, specific
1260to the program you are debugging, in the directory where you invoke
1261@value{GDBN}.
1262
1263@item
1264If the command line specified a program to debug, or a process to
1265attach to, or a core file, @value{GDBN} loads any auto-loaded
1266scripts provided for the program or for its loaded shared libraries.
1267@xref{Auto-loading}.
1268
1269If you wish to disable the auto-loading during startup,
1270you must do something like the following:
1271
1272@smallexample
1273$ gdb -ex "set auto-load-scripts off" -ex "file myprogram"
1274@end smallexample
1275
1276The following does not work because the auto-loading is turned off too late:
1277
1278@smallexample
1279$ gdb -ex "set auto-load-scripts off" myprogram
1280@end smallexample
1281
1282@item
1283Reads command files specified by the @samp{-x} option. @xref{Command
1284Files}, for more details about @value{GDBN} command files.
1285
1286@item
1287Reads the command history recorded in the @dfn{history file}.
1288@xref{Command History}, for more details about the command history and the
1289files where @value{GDBN} records it.
1290@end enumerate
1291
1292Init files use the same syntax as @dfn{command files} (@pxref{Command
1293Files}) and are processed by @value{GDBN} in the same way. The init
1294file in your home directory can set options (such as @samp{set
1295complaints}) that affect subsequent processing of command line options
1296and operands. Init files are not executed if you use the @samp{-nx}
1297option (@pxref{Mode Options, ,Choosing Modes}).
1298
1299To display the list of init files loaded by gdb at startup, you
1300can use @kbd{gdb --help}.
1301
1302@cindex init file name
1303@cindex @file{.gdbinit}
1304@cindex @file{gdb.ini}
1305The @value{GDBN} init files are normally called @file{.gdbinit}.
1306The DJGPP port of @value{GDBN} uses the name @file{gdb.ini}, due to
1307the limitations of file names imposed by DOS filesystems. The Windows
1308ports of @value{GDBN} use the standard name, but if they find a
1309@file{gdb.ini} file, they warn you about that and suggest to rename
1310the file to the standard name.
1311
1312
1313@node Quitting GDB
1314@section Quitting @value{GDBN}
1315@cindex exiting @value{GDBN}
1316@cindex leaving @value{GDBN}
1317
1318@table @code
1319@kindex quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1320@kindex q @r{(@code{quit})}
1321@item quit @r{[}@var{expression}@r{]}
1322@itemx q
1323To exit @value{GDBN}, use the @code{quit} command (abbreviated
1324@code{q}), or type an end-of-file character (usually @kbd{Ctrl-d}). If you
1325do not supply @var{expression}, @value{GDBN} will terminate normally;
1326otherwise it will terminate using the result of @var{expression} as the
1327error code.
1328@end table
1329
1330@cindex interrupt
1331An interrupt (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}) does not exit from @value{GDBN}, but rather
1332terminates the action of any @value{GDBN} command that is in progress and
1333returns to @value{GDBN} command level. It is safe to type the interrupt
1334character at any time because @value{GDBN} does not allow it to take effect
1335until a time when it is safe.
1336
1337If you have been using @value{GDBN} to control an attached process or
1338device, you can release it with the @code{detach} command
1339(@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
1340
1341@node Shell Commands
1342@section Shell Commands
1343
1344If you need to execute occasional shell commands during your
1345debugging session, there is no need to leave or suspend @value{GDBN}; you can
1346just use the @code{shell} command.
1347
1348@table @code
1349@kindex shell
1350@cindex shell escape
1351@item shell @var{command string}
1352Invoke a standard shell to execute @var{command string}.
1353If it exists, the environment variable @code{SHELL} determines which
1354shell to run. Otherwise @value{GDBN} uses the default shell
1355(@file{/bin/sh} on Unix systems, @file{COMMAND.COM} on MS-DOS, etc.).
1356@end table
1357
1358The utility @code{make} is often needed in development environments.
1359You do not have to use the @code{shell} command for this purpose in
1360@value{GDBN}:
1361
1362@table @code
1363@kindex make
1364@cindex calling make
1365@item make @var{make-args}
1366Execute the @code{make} program with the specified
1367arguments. This is equivalent to @samp{shell make @var{make-args}}.
1368@end table
1369
1370@node Logging Output
1371@section Logging Output
1372@cindex logging @value{GDBN} output
1373@cindex save @value{GDBN} output to a file
1374
1375You may want to save the output of @value{GDBN} commands to a file.
1376There are several commands to control @value{GDBN}'s logging.
1377
1378@table @code
1379@kindex set logging
1380@item set logging on
1381Enable logging.
1382@item set logging off
1383Disable logging.
1384@cindex logging file name
1385@item set logging file @var{file}
1386Change the name of the current logfile. The default logfile is @file{gdb.txt}.
1387@item set logging overwrite [on|off]
1388By default, @value{GDBN} will append to the logfile. Set @code{overwrite} if
1389you want @code{set logging on} to overwrite the logfile instead.
1390@item set logging redirect [on|off]
1391By default, @value{GDBN} output will go to both the terminal and the logfile.
1392Set @code{redirect} if you want output to go only to the log file.
1393@kindex show logging
1394@item show logging
1395Show the current values of the logging settings.
1396@end table
1397
1398@node Commands
1399@chapter @value{GDBN} Commands
1400
1401You can abbreviate a @value{GDBN} command to the first few letters of the command
1402name, if that abbreviation is unambiguous; and you can repeat certain
1403@value{GDBN} commands by typing just @key{RET}. You can also use the @key{TAB}
1404key to get @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest of a word in a command (or to
1405show you the alternatives available, if there is more than one possibility).
1406
1407@menu
1408* Command Syntax:: How to give commands to @value{GDBN}
1409* Completion:: Command completion
1410* Help:: How to ask @value{GDBN} for help
1411@end menu
1412
1413@node Command Syntax
1414@section Command Syntax
1415
1416A @value{GDBN} command is a single line of input. There is no limit on
1417how long it can be. It starts with a command name, which is followed by
1418arguments whose meaning depends on the command name. For example, the
1419command @code{step} accepts an argument which is the number of times to
1420step, as in @samp{step 5}. You can also use the @code{step} command
1421with no arguments. Some commands do not allow any arguments.
1422
1423@cindex abbreviation
1424@value{GDBN} command names may always be truncated if that abbreviation is
1425unambiguous. Other possible command abbreviations are listed in the
1426documentation for individual commands. In some cases, even ambiguous
1427abbreviations are allowed; for example, @code{s} is specially defined as
1428equivalent to @code{step} even though there are other commands whose
1429names start with @code{s}. You can test abbreviations by using them as
1430arguments to the @code{help} command.
1431
1432@cindex repeating commands
1433@kindex RET @r{(repeat last command)}
1434A blank line as input to @value{GDBN} (typing just @key{RET}) means to
1435repeat the previous command. Certain commands (for example, @code{run})
1436will not repeat this way; these are commands whose unintentional
1437repetition might cause trouble and which you are unlikely to want to
1438repeat. User-defined commands can disable this feature; see
1439@ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
1440
1441The @code{list} and @code{x} commands, when you repeat them with
1442@key{RET}, construct new arguments rather than repeating
1443exactly as typed. This permits easy scanning of source or memory.
1444
1445@value{GDBN} can also use @key{RET} in another way: to partition lengthy
1446output, in a way similar to the common utility @code{more}
1447(@pxref{Screen Size,,Screen Size}). Since it is easy to press one
1448@key{RET} too many in this situation, @value{GDBN} disables command
1449repetition after any command that generates this sort of display.
1450
1451@kindex # @r{(a comment)}
1452@cindex comment
1453Any text from a @kbd{#} to the end of the line is a comment; it does
1454nothing. This is useful mainly in command files (@pxref{Command
1455Files,,Command Files}).
1456
1457@cindex repeating command sequences
1458@kindex Ctrl-o @r{(operate-and-get-next)}
1459The @kbd{Ctrl-o} binding is useful for repeating a complex sequence of
1460commands. This command accepts the current line, like @key{RET}, and
1461then fetches the next line relative to the current line from the history
1462for editing.
1463
1464@node Completion
1465@section Command Completion
1466
1467@cindex completion
1468@cindex word completion
1469@value{GDBN} can fill in the rest of a word in a command for you, if there is
1470only one possibility; it can also show you what the valid possibilities
1471are for the next word in a command, at any time. This works for @value{GDBN}
1472commands, @value{GDBN} subcommands, and the names of symbols in your program.
1473
1474Press the @key{TAB} key whenever you want @value{GDBN} to fill out the rest
1475of a word. If there is only one possibility, @value{GDBN} fills in the
1476word, and waits for you to finish the command (or press @key{RET} to
1477enter it). For example, if you type
1478
1479@c FIXME "@key" does not distinguish its argument sufficiently to permit
1480@c complete accuracy in these examples; space introduced for clarity.
1481@c If texinfo enhancements make it unnecessary, it would be nice to
1482@c replace " @key" by "@key" in the following...
1483@smallexample
1484(@value{GDBP}) info bre @key{TAB}
1485@end smallexample
1486
1487@noindent
1488@value{GDBN} fills in the rest of the word @samp{breakpoints}, since that is
1489the only @code{info} subcommand beginning with @samp{bre}:
1490
1491@smallexample
1492(@value{GDBP}) info breakpoints
1493@end smallexample
1494
1495@noindent
1496You can either press @key{RET} at this point, to run the @code{info
1497breakpoints} command, or backspace and enter something else, if
1498@samp{breakpoints} does not look like the command you expected. (If you
1499were sure you wanted @code{info breakpoints} in the first place, you
1500might as well just type @key{RET} immediately after @samp{info bre},
1501to exploit command abbreviations rather than command completion).
1502
1503If there is more than one possibility for the next word when you press
1504@key{TAB}, @value{GDBN} sounds a bell. You can either supply more
1505characters and try again, or just press @key{TAB} a second time;
1506@value{GDBN} displays all the possible completions for that word. For
1507example, you might want to set a breakpoint on a subroutine whose name
1508begins with @samp{make_}, but when you type @kbd{b make_@key{TAB}} @value{GDBN}
1509just sounds the bell. Typing @key{TAB} again displays all the
1510function names in your program that begin with those characters, for
1511example:
1512
1513@smallexample
1514(@value{GDBP}) b make_ @key{TAB}
1515@exdent @value{GDBN} sounds bell; press @key{TAB} again, to see:
1516make_a_section_from_file make_environ
1517make_abs_section make_function_type
1518make_blockvector make_pointer_type
1519make_cleanup make_reference_type
1520make_command make_symbol_completion_list
1521(@value{GDBP}) b make_
1522@end smallexample
1523
1524@noindent
1525After displaying the available possibilities, @value{GDBN} copies your
1526partial input (@samp{b make_} in the example) so you can finish the
1527command.
1528
1529If you just want to see the list of alternatives in the first place, you
1530can press @kbd{M-?} rather than pressing @key{TAB} twice. @kbd{M-?}
1531means @kbd{@key{META} ?}. You can type this either by holding down a
1532key designated as the @key{META} shift on your keyboard (if there is
1533one) while typing @kbd{?}, or as @key{ESC} followed by @kbd{?}.
1534
1535@cindex quotes in commands
1536@cindex completion of quoted strings
1537Sometimes the string you need, while logically a ``word'', may contain
1538parentheses or other characters that @value{GDBN} normally excludes from
1539its notion of a word. To permit word completion to work in this
1540situation, you may enclose words in @code{'} (single quote marks) in
1541@value{GDBN} commands.
1542
1543The most likely situation where you might need this is in typing the
1544name of a C@t{++} function. This is because C@t{++} allows function
1545overloading (multiple definitions of the same function, distinguished
1546by argument type). For example, when you want to set a breakpoint you
1547may need to distinguish whether you mean the version of @code{name}
1548that takes an @code{int} parameter, @code{name(int)}, or the version
1549that takes a @code{float} parameter, @code{name(float)}. To use the
1550word-completion facilities in this situation, type a single quote
1551@code{'} at the beginning of the function name. This alerts
1552@value{GDBN} that it may need to consider more information than usual
1553when you press @key{TAB} or @kbd{M-?} to request word completion:
1554
1555@smallexample
1556(@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble( @kbd{M-?}
1557bubble(double,double) bubble(int,int)
1558(@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1559@end smallexample
1560
1561In some cases, @value{GDBN} can tell that completing a name requires using
1562quotes. When this happens, @value{GDBN} inserts the quote for you (while
1563completing as much as it can) if you do not type the quote in the first
1564place:
1565
1566@smallexample
1567(@value{GDBP}) b bub @key{TAB}
1568@exdent @value{GDBN} alters your input line to the following, and rings a bell:
1569(@value{GDBP}) b 'bubble(
1570@end smallexample
1571
1572@noindent
1573In general, @value{GDBN} can tell that a quote is needed (and inserts it) if
1574you have not yet started typing the argument list when you ask for
1575completion on an overloaded symbol.
1576
1577For more information about overloaded functions, see @ref{C Plus Plus
1578Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}. You can use the command @code{set
1579overload-resolution off} to disable overload resolution;
1580see @ref{Debugging C Plus Plus, ,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
1581
1582@cindex completion of structure field names
1583@cindex structure field name completion
1584@cindex completion of union field names
1585@cindex union field name completion
1586When completing in an expression which looks up a field in a
1587structure, @value{GDBN} also tries@footnote{The completer can be
1588confused by certain kinds of invalid expressions. Also, it only
1589examines the static type of the expression, not the dynamic type.} to
1590limit completions to the field names available in the type of the
1591left-hand-side:
1592
1593@smallexample
1594(@value{GDBP}) p gdb_stdout.@kbd{M-?}
1595magic to_fputs to_rewind
1596to_data to_isatty to_write
1597to_delete to_put to_write_async_safe
1598to_flush to_read
1599@end smallexample
1600
1601@noindent
1602This is because the @code{gdb_stdout} is a variable of the type
1603@code{struct ui_file} that is defined in @value{GDBN} sources as
1604follows:
1605
1606@smallexample
1607struct ui_file
1608@{
1609 int *magic;
1610 ui_file_flush_ftype *to_flush;
1611 ui_file_write_ftype *to_write;
1612 ui_file_write_async_safe_ftype *to_write_async_safe;
1613 ui_file_fputs_ftype *to_fputs;
1614 ui_file_read_ftype *to_read;
1615 ui_file_delete_ftype *to_delete;
1616 ui_file_isatty_ftype *to_isatty;
1617 ui_file_rewind_ftype *to_rewind;
1618 ui_file_put_ftype *to_put;
1619 void *to_data;
1620@}
1621@end smallexample
1622
1623
1624@node Help
1625@section Getting Help
1626@cindex online documentation
1627@kindex help
1628
1629You can always ask @value{GDBN} itself for information on its commands,
1630using the command @code{help}.
1631
1632@table @code
1633@kindex h @r{(@code{help})}
1634@item help
1635@itemx h
1636You can use @code{help} (abbreviated @code{h}) with no arguments to
1637display a short list of named classes of commands:
1638
1639@smallexample
1640(@value{GDBP}) help
1641List of classes of commands:
1642
1643aliases -- Aliases of other commands
1644breakpoints -- Making program stop at certain points
1645data -- Examining data
1646files -- Specifying and examining files
1647internals -- Maintenance commands
1648obscure -- Obscure features
1649running -- Running the program
1650stack -- Examining the stack
1651status -- Status inquiries
1652support -- Support facilities
1653tracepoints -- Tracing of program execution without
1654 stopping the program
1655user-defined -- User-defined commands
1656
1657Type "help" followed by a class name for a list of
1658commands in that class.
1659Type "help" followed by command name for full
1660documentation.
1661Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1662(@value{GDBP})
1663@end smallexample
1664@c the above line break eliminates huge line overfull...
1665
1666@item help @var{class}
1667Using one of the general help classes as an argument, you can get a
1668list of the individual commands in that class. For example, here is the
1669help display for the class @code{status}:
1670
1671@smallexample
1672(@value{GDBP}) help status
1673Status inquiries.
1674
1675List of commands:
1676
1677@c Line break in "show" line falsifies real output, but needed
1678@c to fit in smallbook page size.
1679info -- Generic command for showing things
1680 about the program being debugged
1681show -- Generic command for showing things
1682 about the debugger
1683
1684Type "help" followed by command name for full
1685documentation.
1686Command name abbreviations are allowed if unambiguous.
1687(@value{GDBP})
1688@end smallexample
1689
1690@item help @var{command}
1691With a command name as @code{help} argument, @value{GDBN} displays a
1692short paragraph on how to use that command.
1693
1694@kindex apropos
1695@item apropos @var{args}
1696The @code{apropos} command searches through all of the @value{GDBN}
1697commands, and their documentation, for the regular expression specified in
1698@var{args}. It prints out all matches found. For example:
1699
1700@smallexample
1701apropos reload
1702@end smallexample
1703
1704@noindent
1705results in:
1706
1707@smallexample
1708@c @group
1709set symbol-reloading -- Set dynamic symbol table reloading
1710 multiple times in one run
1711show symbol-reloading -- Show dynamic symbol table reloading
1712 multiple times in one run
1713@c @end group
1714@end smallexample
1715
1716@kindex complete
1717@item complete @var{args}
1718The @code{complete @var{args}} command lists all the possible completions
1719for the beginning of a command. Use @var{args} to specify the beginning of the
1720command you want completed. For example:
1721
1722@smallexample
1723complete i
1724@end smallexample
1725
1726@noindent results in:
1727
1728@smallexample
1729@group
1730if
1731ignore
1732info
1733inspect
1734@end group
1735@end smallexample
1736
1737@noindent This is intended for use by @sc{gnu} Emacs.
1738@end table
1739
1740In addition to @code{help}, you can use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{info}
1741and @code{show} to inquire about the state of your program, or the state
1742of @value{GDBN} itself. Each command supports many topics of inquiry; this
1743manual introduces each of them in the appropriate context. The listings
1744under @code{info} and under @code{show} in the Index point to
1745all the sub-commands. @xref{Index}.
1746
1747@c @group
1748@table @code
1749@kindex info
1750@kindex i @r{(@code{info})}
1751@item info
1752This command (abbreviated @code{i}) is for describing the state of your
1753program. For example, you can show the arguments passed to a function
1754with @code{info args}, list the registers currently in use with @code{info
1755registers}, or list the breakpoints you have set with @code{info breakpoints}.
1756You can get a complete list of the @code{info} sub-commands with
1757@w{@code{help info}}.
1758
1759@kindex set
1760@item set
1761You can assign the result of an expression to an environment variable with
1762@code{set}. For example, you can set the @value{GDBN} prompt to a $-sign with
1763@code{set prompt $}.
1764
1765@kindex show
1766@item show
1767In contrast to @code{info}, @code{show} is for describing the state of
1768@value{GDBN} itself.
1769You can change most of the things you can @code{show}, by using the
1770related command @code{set}; for example, you can control what number
1771system is used for displays with @code{set radix}, or simply inquire
1772which is currently in use with @code{show radix}.
1773
1774@kindex info set
1775To display all the settable parameters and their current
1776values, you can use @code{show} with no arguments; you may also use
1777@code{info set}. Both commands produce the same display.
1778@c FIXME: "info set" violates the rule that "info" is for state of
1779@c FIXME...program. Ck w/ GNU: "info set" to be called something else,
1780@c FIXME...or change desc of rule---eg "state of prog and debugging session"?
1781@end table
1782@c @end group
1783
1784Here are three miscellaneous @code{show} subcommands, all of which are
1785exceptional in lacking corresponding @code{set} commands:
1786
1787@table @code
1788@kindex show version
1789@cindex @value{GDBN} version number
1790@item show version
1791Show what version of @value{GDBN} is running. You should include this
1792information in @value{GDBN} bug-reports. If multiple versions of
1793@value{GDBN} are in use at your site, you may need to determine which
1794version of @value{GDBN} you are running; as @value{GDBN} evolves, new
1795commands are introduced, and old ones may wither away. Also, many
1796system vendors ship variant versions of @value{GDBN}, and there are
1797variant versions of @value{GDBN} in @sc{gnu}/Linux distributions as well.
1798The version number is the same as the one announced when you start
1799@value{GDBN}.
1800
1801@kindex show copying
1802@kindex info copying
1803@cindex display @value{GDBN} copyright
1804@item show copying
1805@itemx info copying
1806Display information about permission for copying @value{GDBN}.
1807
1808@kindex show warranty
1809@kindex info warranty
1810@item show warranty
1811@itemx info warranty
1812Display the @sc{gnu} ``NO WARRANTY'' statement, or a warranty,
1813if your version of @value{GDBN} comes with one.
1814
1815@end table
1816
1817@node Running
1818@chapter Running Programs Under @value{GDBN}
1819
1820When you run a program under @value{GDBN}, you must first generate
1821debugging information when you compile it.
1822
1823You may start @value{GDBN} with its arguments, if any, in an environment
1824of your choice. If you are doing native debugging, you may redirect
1825your program's input and output, debug an already running process, or
1826kill a child process.
1827
1828@menu
1829* Compilation:: Compiling for debugging
1830* Starting:: Starting your program
1831* Arguments:: Your program's arguments
1832* Environment:: Your program's environment
1833
1834* Working Directory:: Your program's working directory
1835* Input/Output:: Your program's input and output
1836* Attach:: Debugging an already-running process
1837* Kill Process:: Killing the child process
1838
1839* Inferiors and Programs:: Debugging multiple inferiors and programs
1840* Threads:: Debugging programs with multiple threads
1841* Forks:: Debugging forks
1842* Checkpoint/Restart:: Setting a @emph{bookmark} to return to later
1843@end menu
1844
1845@node Compilation
1846@section Compiling for Debugging
1847
1848In order to debug a program effectively, you need to generate
1849debugging information when you compile it. This debugging information
1850is stored in the object file; it describes the data type of each
1851variable or function and the correspondence between source line numbers
1852and addresses in the executable code.
1853
1854To request debugging information, specify the @samp{-g} option when you run
1855the compiler.
1856
1857Programs that are to be shipped to your customers are compiled with
1858optimizations, using the @samp{-O} compiler option. However, some
1859compilers are unable to handle the @samp{-g} and @samp{-O} options
1860together. Using those compilers, you cannot generate optimized
1861executables containing debugging information.
1862
1863@value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler, supports @samp{-g} with or
1864without @samp{-O}, making it possible to debug optimized code. We
1865recommend that you @emph{always} use @samp{-g} whenever you compile a
1866program. You may think your program is correct, but there is no sense
1867in pushing your luck. For more information, see @ref{Optimized Code}.
1868
1869Older versions of the @sc{gnu} C compiler permitted a variant option
1870@w{@samp{-gg}} for debugging information. @value{GDBN} no longer supports this
1871format; if your @sc{gnu} C compiler has this option, do not use it.
1872
1873@value{GDBN} knows about preprocessor macros and can show you their
1874expansion (@pxref{Macros}). Most compilers do not include information
1875about preprocessor macros in the debugging information if you specify
1876the @option{-g} flag alone, because this information is rather large.
1877Version 3.1 and later of @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C compiler,
1878provides macro information if you specify the options
1879@option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-g3}; the former option requests
1880debugging information in the Dwarf 2 format, and the latter requests
1881``extra information''. In the future, we hope to find more compact
1882ways to represent macro information, so that it can be included with
1883@option{-g} alone.
1884
1885@need 2000
1886@node Starting
1887@section Starting your Program
1888@cindex starting
1889@cindex running
1890
1891@table @code
1892@kindex run
1893@kindex r @r{(@code{run})}
1894@item run
1895@itemx r
1896Use the @code{run} command to start your program under @value{GDBN}.
1897You must first specify the program name (except on VxWorks) with an
1898argument to @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Invocation, ,Getting In and Out of
1899@value{GDBN}}), or by using the @code{file} or @code{exec-file} command
1900(@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
1901
1902@end table
1903
1904If you are running your program in an execution environment that
1905supports processes, @code{run} creates an inferior process and makes
1906that process run your program. In some environments without processes,
1907@code{run} jumps to the start of your program. Other targets,
1908like @samp{remote}, are always running. If you get an error
1909message like this one:
1910
1911@smallexample
1912The "remote" target does not support "run".
1913Try "help target" or "continue".
1914@end smallexample
1915
1916@noindent
1917then use @code{continue} to run your program. You may need @code{load}
1918first (@pxref{load}).
1919
1920The execution of a program is affected by certain information it
1921receives from its superior. @value{GDBN} provides ways to specify this
1922information, which you must do @emph{before} starting your program. (You
1923can change it after starting your program, but such changes only affect
1924your program the next time you start it.) This information may be
1925divided into four categories:
1926
1927@table @asis
1928@item The @emph{arguments.}
1929Specify the arguments to give your program as the arguments of the
1930@code{run} command. If a shell is available on your target, the shell
1931is used to pass the arguments, so that you may use normal conventions
1932(such as wildcard expansion or variable substitution) in describing
1933the arguments.
1934In Unix systems, you can control which shell is used with the
1935@code{SHELL} environment variable.
1936@xref{Arguments, ,Your Program's Arguments}.
1937
1938@item The @emph{environment.}
1939Your program normally inherits its environment from @value{GDBN}, but you can
1940use the @value{GDBN} commands @code{set environment} and @code{unset
1941environment} to change parts of the environment that affect
1942your program. @xref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}.
1943
1944@item The @emph{working directory.}
1945Your program inherits its working directory from @value{GDBN}. You can set
1946the @value{GDBN} working directory with the @code{cd} command in @value{GDBN}.
1947@xref{Working Directory, ,Your Program's Working Directory}.
1948
1949@item The @emph{standard input and output.}
1950Your program normally uses the same device for standard input and
1951standard output as @value{GDBN} is using. You can redirect input and output
1952in the @code{run} command line, or you can use the @code{tty} command to
1953set a different device for your program.
1954@xref{Input/Output, ,Your Program's Input and Output}.
1955
1956@cindex pipes
1957@emph{Warning:} While input and output redirection work, you cannot use
1958pipes to pass the output of the program you are debugging to another
1959program; if you attempt this, @value{GDBN} is likely to wind up debugging the
1960wrong program.
1961@end table
1962
1963When you issue the @code{run} command, your program begins to execute
1964immediately. @xref{Stopping, ,Stopping and Continuing}, for discussion
1965of how to arrange for your program to stop. Once your program has
1966stopped, you may call functions in your program, using the @code{print}
1967or @code{call} commands. @xref{Data, ,Examining Data}.
1968
1969If the modification time of your symbol file has changed since the last
1970time @value{GDBN} read its symbols, @value{GDBN} discards its symbol
1971table, and reads it again. When it does this, @value{GDBN} tries to retain
1972your current breakpoints.
1973
1974@table @code
1975@kindex start
1976@item start
1977@cindex run to main procedure
1978The name of the main procedure can vary from language to language.
1979With C or C@t{++}, the main procedure name is always @code{main}, but
1980other languages such as Ada do not require a specific name for their
1981main procedure. The debugger provides a convenient way to start the
1982execution of the program and to stop at the beginning of the main
1983procedure, depending on the language used.
1984
1985The @samp{start} command does the equivalent of setting a temporary
1986breakpoint at the beginning of the main procedure and then invoking
1987the @samp{run} command.
1988
1989@cindex elaboration phase
1990Some programs contain an @dfn{elaboration} phase where some startup code is
1991executed before the main procedure is called. This depends on the
1992languages used to write your program. In C@t{++}, for instance,
1993constructors for static and global objects are executed before
1994@code{main} is called. It is therefore possible that the debugger stops
1995before reaching the main procedure. However, the temporary breakpoint
1996will remain to halt execution.
1997
1998Specify the arguments to give to your program as arguments to the
1999@samp{start} command. These arguments will be given verbatim to the
2000underlying @samp{run} command. Note that the same arguments will be
2001reused if no argument is provided during subsequent calls to
2002@samp{start} or @samp{run}.
2003
2004It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration. In
2005these cases, using the @code{start} command would stop the execution of
2006your program too late, as the program would have already completed the
2007elaboration phase. Under these circumstances, insert breakpoints in your
2008elaboration code before running your program.
2009
2010@kindex set exec-wrapper
2011@item set exec-wrapper @var{wrapper}
2012@itemx show exec-wrapper
2013@itemx unset exec-wrapper
2014When @samp{exec-wrapper} is set, the specified wrapper is used to
2015launch programs for debugging. @value{GDBN} starts your program
2016with a shell command of the form @kbd{exec @var{wrapper}
2017@var{program}}. Quoting is added to @var{program} and its
2018arguments, but not to @var{wrapper}, so you should add quotes if
2019appropriate for your shell. The wrapper runs until it executes
2020your program, and then @value{GDBN} takes control.
2021
2022You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
2023its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
2024this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
2025with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
2026
2027For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
2028the debugged program, without setting the variable in your shell's
2029environment:
2030
2031@smallexample
2032(@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper env 'LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so'
2033(@value{GDBP}) run
2034@end smallexample
2035
2036This command is available when debugging locally on most targets, excluding
2037@sc{djgpp}, Cygwin, MS Windows, and QNX Neutrino.
2038
2039@kindex set disable-randomization
2040@item set disable-randomization
2041@itemx set disable-randomization on
2042This option (enabled by default in @value{GDBN}) will turn off the native
2043randomization of the virtual address space of the started program. This option
2044is useful for multiple debugging sessions to make the execution better
2045reproducible and memory addresses reusable across debugging sessions.
2046
2047This feature is implemented only on certain targets, including @sc{gnu}/Linux.
2048On @sc{gnu}/Linux you can get the same behavior using
2049
2050@smallexample
2051(@value{GDBP}) set exec-wrapper setarch `uname -m` -R
2052@end smallexample
2053
2054@item set disable-randomization off
2055Leave the behavior of the started executable unchanged. Some bugs rear their
2056ugly heads only when the program is loaded at certain addresses. If your bug
2057disappears when you run the program under @value{GDBN}, that might be because
2058@value{GDBN} by default disables the address randomization on platforms, such
2059as @sc{gnu}/Linux, which do that for stand-alone programs. Use @kbd{set
2060disable-randomization off} to try to reproduce such elusive bugs.
2061
2062On targets where it is available, virtual address space randomization
2063protects the programs against certain kinds of security attacks. In these
2064cases the attacker needs to know the exact location of a concrete executable
2065code. Randomizing its location makes it impossible to inject jumps misusing
2066a code at its expected addresses.
2067
2068Prelinking shared libraries provides a startup performance advantage but it
2069makes addresses in these libraries predictable for privileged processes by
2070having just unprivileged access at the target system. Reading the shared
2071library binary gives enough information for assembling the malicious code
2072misusing it. Still even a prelinked shared library can get loaded at a new
2073random address just requiring the regular relocation process during the
2074startup. Shared libraries not already prelinked are always loaded at
2075a randomly chosen address.
2076
2077Position independent executables (PIE) contain position independent code
2078similar to the shared libraries and therefore such executables get loaded at
2079a randomly chosen address upon startup. PIE executables always load even
2080already prelinked shared libraries at a random address. You can build such
2081executable using @command{gcc -fPIE -pie}.
2082
2083Heap (malloc storage), stack and custom mmap areas are always placed randomly
2084(as long as the randomization is enabled).
2085
2086@item show disable-randomization
2087Show the current setting of the explicit disable of the native randomization of
2088the virtual address space of the started program.
2089
2090@end table
2091
2092@node Arguments
2093@section Your Program's Arguments
2094
2095@cindex arguments (to your program)
2096The arguments to your program can be specified by the arguments of the
2097@code{run} command.
2098They are passed to a shell, which expands wildcard characters and
2099performs redirection of I/O, and thence to your program. Your
2100@code{SHELL} environment variable (if it exists) specifies what shell
2101@value{GDBN} uses. If you do not define @code{SHELL}, @value{GDBN} uses
2102the default shell (@file{/bin/sh} on Unix).
2103
2104On non-Unix systems, the program is usually invoked directly by
2105@value{GDBN}, which emulates I/O redirection via the appropriate system
2106calls, and the wildcard characters are expanded by the startup code of
2107the program, not by the shell.
2108
2109@code{run} with no arguments uses the same arguments used by the previous
2110@code{run}, or those set by the @code{set args} command.
2111
2112@table @code
2113@kindex set args
2114@item set args
2115Specify the arguments to be used the next time your program is run. If
2116@code{set args} has no arguments, @code{run} executes your program
2117with no arguments. Once you have run your program with arguments,
2118using @code{set args} before the next @code{run} is the only way to run
2119it again without arguments.
2120
2121@kindex show args
2122@item show args
2123Show the arguments to give your program when it is started.
2124@end table
2125
2126@node Environment
2127@section Your Program's Environment
2128
2129@cindex environment (of your program)
2130The @dfn{environment} consists of a set of environment variables and
2131their values. Environment variables conventionally record such things as
2132your user name, your home directory, your terminal type, and your search
2133path for programs to run. Usually you set up environment variables with
2134the shell and they are inherited by all the other programs you run. When
2135debugging, it can be useful to try running your program with a modified
2136environment without having to start @value{GDBN} over again.
2137
2138@table @code
2139@kindex path
2140@item path @var{directory}
2141Add @var{directory} to the front of the @code{PATH} environment variable
2142(the search path for executables) that will be passed to your program.
2143The value of @code{PATH} used by @value{GDBN} does not change.
2144You may specify several directory names, separated by whitespace or by a
2145system-dependent separator character (@samp{:} on Unix, @samp{;} on
2146MS-DOS and MS-Windows). If @var{directory} is already in the path, it
2147is moved to the front, so it is searched sooner.
2148
2149You can use the string @samp{$cwd} to refer to whatever is the current
2150working directory at the time @value{GDBN} searches the path. If you
2151use @samp{.} instead, it refers to the directory where you executed the
2152@code{path} command. @value{GDBN} replaces @samp{.} in the
2153@var{directory} argument (with the current path) before adding
2154@var{directory} to the search path.
2155@c 'path' is explicitly nonrepeatable, but RMS points out it is silly to
2156@c document that, since repeating it would be a no-op.
2157
2158@kindex show paths
2159@item show paths
2160Display the list of search paths for executables (the @code{PATH}
2161environment variable).
2162
2163@kindex show environment
2164@item show environment @r{[}@var{varname}@r{]}
2165Print the value of environment variable @var{varname} to be given to
2166your program when it starts. If you do not supply @var{varname},
2167print the names and values of all environment variables to be given to
2168your program. You can abbreviate @code{environment} as @code{env}.
2169
2170@kindex set environment
2171@item set environment @var{varname} @r{[}=@var{value}@r{]}
2172Set environment variable @var{varname} to @var{value}. The value
2173changes for your program only, not for @value{GDBN} itself. @var{value} may
2174be any string; the values of environment variables are just strings, and
2175any interpretation is supplied by your program itself. The @var{value}
2176parameter is optional; if it is eliminated, the variable is set to a
2177null value.
2178@c "any string" here does not include leading, trailing
2179@c blanks. Gnu asks: does anyone care?
2180
2181For example, this command:
2182
2183@smallexample
2184set env USER = foo
2185@end smallexample
2186
2187@noindent
2188tells the debugged program, when subsequently run, that its user is named
2189@samp{foo}. (The spaces around @samp{=} are used for clarity here; they
2190are not actually required.)
2191
2192@kindex unset environment
2193@item unset environment @var{varname}
2194Remove variable @var{varname} from the environment to be passed to your
2195program. This is different from @samp{set env @var{varname} =};
2196@code{unset environment} removes the variable from the environment,
2197rather than assigning it an empty value.
2198@end table
2199
2200@emph{Warning:} On Unix systems, @value{GDBN} runs your program using
2201the shell indicated
2202by your @code{SHELL} environment variable if it exists (or
2203@code{/bin/sh} if not). If your @code{SHELL} variable names a shell
2204that runs an initialization file---such as @file{.cshrc} for C-shell, or
2205@file{.bashrc} for BASH---any variables you set in that file affect
2206your program. You may wish to move setting of environment variables to
2207files that are only run when you sign on, such as @file{.login} or
2208@file{.profile}.
2209
2210@node Working Directory
2211@section Your Program's Working Directory
2212
2213@cindex working directory (of your program)
2214Each time you start your program with @code{run}, it inherits its
2215working directory from the current working directory of @value{GDBN}.
2216The @value{GDBN} working directory is initially whatever it inherited
2217from its parent process (typically the shell), but you can specify a new
2218working directory in @value{GDBN} with the @code{cd} command.
2219
2220The @value{GDBN} working directory also serves as a default for the commands
2221that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2222Specify Files}.
2223
2224@table @code
2225@kindex cd
2226@cindex change working directory
2227@item cd @var{directory}
2228Set the @value{GDBN} working directory to @var{directory}.
2229
2230@kindex pwd
2231@item pwd
2232Print the @value{GDBN} working directory.
2233@end table
2234
2235It is generally impossible to find the current working directory of
2236the process being debugged (since a program can change its directory
2237during its run). If you work on a system where @value{GDBN} is
2238configured with the @file{/proc} support, you can use the @code{info
2239proc} command (@pxref{SVR4 Process Information}) to find out the
2240current working directory of the debuggee.
2241
2242@node Input/Output
2243@section Your Program's Input and Output
2244
2245@cindex redirection
2246@cindex i/o
2247@cindex terminal
2248By default, the program you run under @value{GDBN} does input and output to
2249the same terminal that @value{GDBN} uses. @value{GDBN} switches the terminal
2250to its own terminal modes to interact with you, but it records the terminal
2251modes your program was using and switches back to them when you continue
2252running your program.
2253
2254@table @code
2255@kindex info terminal
2256@item info terminal
2257Displays information recorded by @value{GDBN} about the terminal modes your
2258program is using.
2259@end table
2260
2261You can redirect your program's input and/or output using shell
2262redirection with the @code{run} command. For example,
2263
2264@smallexample
2265run > outfile
2266@end smallexample
2267
2268@noindent
2269starts your program, diverting its output to the file @file{outfile}.
2270
2271@kindex tty
2272@cindex controlling terminal
2273Another way to specify where your program should do input and output is
2274with the @code{tty} command. This command accepts a file name as
2275argument, and causes this file to be the default for future @code{run}
2276commands. It also resets the controlling terminal for the child
2277process, for future @code{run} commands. For example,
2278
2279@smallexample
2280tty /dev/ttyb
2281@end smallexample
2282
2283@noindent
2284directs that processes started with subsequent @code{run} commands
2285default to do input and output on the terminal @file{/dev/ttyb} and have
2286that as their controlling terminal.
2287
2288An explicit redirection in @code{run} overrides the @code{tty} command's
2289effect on the input/output device, but not its effect on the controlling
2290terminal.
2291
2292When you use the @code{tty} command or redirect input in the @code{run}
2293command, only the input @emph{for your program} is affected. The input
2294for @value{GDBN} still comes from your terminal. @code{tty} is an alias
2295for @code{set inferior-tty}.
2296
2297@cindex inferior tty
2298@cindex set inferior controlling terminal
2299You can use the @code{show inferior-tty} command to tell @value{GDBN} to
2300display the name of the terminal that will be used for future runs of your
2301program.
2302
2303@table @code
2304@item set inferior-tty /dev/ttyb
2305@kindex set inferior-tty
2306Set the tty for the program being debugged to /dev/ttyb.
2307
2308@item show inferior-tty
2309@kindex show inferior-tty
2310Show the current tty for the program being debugged.
2311@end table
2312
2313@node Attach
2314@section Debugging an Already-running Process
2315@kindex attach
2316@cindex attach
2317
2318@table @code
2319@item attach @var{process-id}
2320This command attaches to a running process---one that was started
2321outside @value{GDBN}. (@code{info files} shows your active
2322targets.) The command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to
2323find out the @var{process-id} of a Unix process is with the @code{ps} utility,
2324or with the @samp{jobs -l} shell command.
2325
2326@code{attach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} a second time after
2327executing the command.
2328@end table
2329
2330To use @code{attach}, your program must be running in an environment
2331which supports processes; for example, @code{attach} does not work for
2332programs on bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must
2333also have permission to send the process a signal.
2334
2335When you use @code{attach}, the debugger finds the program running in
2336the process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if
2337the program is not found) by using the source file search path
2338(@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}). You can also use
2339the @code{file} command to load the program. @xref{Files, ,Commands to
2340Specify Files}.
2341
2342The first thing @value{GDBN} does after arranging to debug the specified
2343process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
2344with all the @value{GDBN} commands that are ordinarily available when
2345you start processes with @code{run}. You can insert breakpoints; you
2346can step and continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the
2347process continue running, you may use the @code{continue} command after
2348attaching @value{GDBN} to the process.
2349
2350@table @code
2351@kindex detach
2352@item detach
2353When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use the
2354@code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control. Detaching
2355the process continues its execution. After the @code{detach} command,
2356that process and @value{GDBN} become completely independent once more, and you
2357are ready to @code{attach} another process or start one with @code{run}.
2358@code{detach} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
2359executing the command.
2360@end table
2361
2362If you exit @value{GDBN} while you have an attached process, you detach
2363that process. If you use the @code{run} command, you kill that process.
2364By default, @value{GDBN} asks for confirmation if you try to do either of these
2365things; you can control whether or not you need to confirm by using the
2366@code{set confirm} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
2367Messages}).
2368
2369@node Kill Process
2370@section Killing the Child Process
2371
2372@table @code
2373@kindex kill
2374@item kill
2375Kill the child process in which your program is running under @value{GDBN}.
2376@end table
2377
2378This command is useful if you wish to debug a core dump instead of a
2379running process. @value{GDBN} ignores any core dump file while your program
2380is running.
2381
2382On some operating systems, a program cannot be executed outside @value{GDBN}
2383while you have breakpoints set on it inside @value{GDBN}. You can use the
2384@code{kill} command in this situation to permit running your program
2385outside the debugger.
2386
2387The @code{kill} command is also useful if you wish to recompile and
2388relink your program, since on many systems it is impossible to modify an
2389executable file while it is running in a process. In this case, when you
2390next type @code{run}, @value{GDBN} notices that the file has changed, and
2391reads the symbol table again (while trying to preserve your current
2392breakpoint settings).
2393
2394@node Inferiors and Programs
2395@section Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs
2396
2397@value{GDBN} lets you run and debug multiple programs in a single
2398session. In addition, @value{GDBN} on some systems may let you run
2399several programs simultaneously (otherwise you have to exit from one
2400before starting another). In the most general case, you can have
2401multiple threads of execution in each of multiple processes, launched
2402from multiple executables.
2403
2404@cindex inferior
2405@value{GDBN} represents the state of each program execution with an
2406object called an @dfn{inferior}. An inferior typically corresponds to
2407a process, but is more general and applies also to targets that do not
2408have processes. Inferiors may be created before a process runs, and
2409may be retained after a process exits. Inferiors have unique
2410identifiers that are different from process ids. Usually each
2411inferior will also have its own distinct address space, although some
2412embedded targets may have several inferiors running in different parts
2413of a single address space. Each inferior may in turn have multiple
2414threads running in it.
2415
2416To find out what inferiors exist at any moment, use @w{@code{info
2417inferiors}}:
2418
2419@table @code
2420@kindex info inferiors
2421@item info inferiors
2422Print a list of all inferiors currently being managed by @value{GDBN}.
2423
2424@value{GDBN} displays for each inferior (in this order):
2425
2426@enumerate
2427@item
2428the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2429
2430@item
2431the target system's inferior identifier
2432
2433@item
2434the name of the executable the inferior is running.
2435
2436@end enumerate
2437
2438@noindent
2439An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} inferior number
2440indicates the current inferior.
2441
2442For example,
2443@end table
2444@c end table here to get a little more width for example
2445
2446@smallexample
2447(@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2448 Num Description Executable
2449 2 process 2307 hello
2450* 1 process 3401 goodbye
2451@end smallexample
2452
2453To switch focus between inferiors, use the @code{inferior} command:
2454
2455@table @code
2456@kindex inferior @var{infno}
2457@item inferior @var{infno}
2458Make inferior number @var{infno} the current inferior. The argument
2459@var{infno} is the inferior number assigned by @value{GDBN}, as shown
2460in the first field of the @samp{info inferiors} display.
2461@end table
2462
2463
2464You can get multiple executables into a debugging session via the
2465@code{add-inferior} and @w{@code{clone-inferior}} commands. On some
2466systems @value{GDBN} can add inferiors to the debug session
2467automatically by following calls to @code{fork} and @code{exec}. To
2468remove inferiors from the debugging session use the
2469@w{@code{remove-inferiors}} command.
2470
2471@table @code
2472@kindex add-inferior
2473@item add-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ -exec @var{executable} ]
2474Adds @var{n} inferiors to be run using @var{executable} as the
2475executable. @var{n} defaults to 1. If no executable is specified,
2476the inferiors begins empty, with no program. You can still assign or
2477change the program assigned to the inferior at any time by using the
2478@code{file} command with the executable name as its argument.
2479
2480@kindex clone-inferior
2481@item clone-inferior [ -copies @var{n} ] [ @var{infno} ]
2482Adds @var{n} inferiors ready to execute the same program as inferior
2483@var{infno}. @var{n} defaults to 1. @var{infno} defaults to the
2484number of the current inferior. This is a convenient command when you
2485want to run another instance of the inferior you are debugging.
2486
2487@smallexample
2488(@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2489 Num Description Executable
2490* 1 process 29964 helloworld
2491(@value{GDBP}) clone-inferior
2492Added inferior 2.
24931 inferiors added.
2494(@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
2495 Num Description Executable
2496 2 <null> helloworld
2497* 1 process 29964 helloworld
2498@end smallexample
2499
2500You can now simply switch focus to inferior 2 and run it.
2501
2502@kindex remove-inferiors
2503@item remove-inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2504Removes the inferior or inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}. It is not
2505possible to remove an inferior that is running with this command. For
2506those, use the @code{kill} or @code{detach} command first.
2507
2508@end table
2509
2510To quit debugging one of the running inferiors that is not the current
2511inferior, you can either detach from it by using the @w{@code{detach
2512inferior}} command (allowing it to run independently), or kill it
2513using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}} command:
2514
2515@table @code
2516@kindex detach inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2517@item detach inferior @var{infno}@dots{}
2518Detach from the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN}
2519inferior number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry
2520still stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors},
2521but its Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2522
2523@kindex kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2524@item kill inferiors @var{infno}@dots{}
2525Kill the inferior or inferiors identified by @value{GDBN} inferior
2526number(s) @var{infno}@dots{}. Note that the inferior's entry still
2527stays on the list of inferiors shown by @code{info inferiors}, but its
2528Description will show @samp{<null>}.
2529@end table
2530
2531After the successful completion of a command such as @code{detach},
2532@code{detach inferiors}, @code{kill} or @code{kill inferiors}, or after
2533a normal process exit, the inferior is still valid and listed with
2534@code{info inferiors}, ready to be restarted.
2535
2536
2537To be notified when inferiors are started or exit under @value{GDBN}'s
2538control use @w{@code{set print inferior-events}}:
2539
2540@table @code
2541@kindex set print inferior-events
2542@cindex print messages on inferior start and exit
2543@item set print inferior-events
2544@itemx set print inferior-events on
2545@itemx set print inferior-events off
2546The @code{set print inferior-events} command allows you to enable or
2547disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new
2548inferiors have started or that inferiors have exited or have been
2549detached. By default, these messages will not be printed.
2550
2551@kindex show print inferior-events
2552@item show print inferior-events
2553Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that
2554inferiors have started, exited or have been detached.
2555@end table
2556
2557Many commands will work the same with multiple programs as with a
2558single program: e.g., @code{print myglobal} will simply display the
2559value of @code{myglobal} in the current inferior.
2560
2561
2562Occasionaly, when debugging @value{GDBN} itself, it may be useful to
2563get more info about the relationship of inferiors, programs, address
2564spaces in a debug session. You can do that with the @w{@code{maint
2565info program-spaces}} command.
2566
2567@table @code
2568@kindex maint info program-spaces
2569@item maint info program-spaces
2570Print a list of all program spaces currently being managed by
2571@value{GDBN}.
2572
2573@value{GDBN} displays for each program space (in this order):
2574
2575@enumerate
2576@item
2577the program space number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2578
2579@item
2580the name of the executable loaded into the program space, with e.g.,
2581the @code{file} command.
2582
2583@end enumerate
2584
2585@noindent
2586An asterisk @samp{*} preceding the @value{GDBN} program space number
2587indicates the current program space.
2588
2589In addition, below each program space line, @value{GDBN} prints extra
2590information that isn't suitable to display in tabular form. For
2591example, the list of inferiors bound to the program space.
2592
2593@smallexample
2594(@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2595 Id Executable
2596 2 goodbye
2597 Bound inferiors: ID 1 (process 21561)
2598* 1 hello
2599@end smallexample
2600
2601Here we can see that no inferior is running the program @code{hello},
2602while @code{process 21561} is running the program @code{goodbye}. On
2603some targets, it is possible that multiple inferiors are bound to the
2604same program space. The most common example is that of debugging both
2605the parent and child processes of a @code{vfork} call. For example,
2606
2607@smallexample
2608(@value{GDBP}) maint info program-spaces
2609 Id Executable
2610* 1 vfork-test
2611 Bound inferiors: ID 2 (process 18050), ID 1 (process 18045)
2612@end smallexample
2613
2614Here, both inferior 2 and inferior 1 are running in the same program
2615space as a result of inferior 1 having executed a @code{vfork} call.
2616@end table
2617
2618@node Threads
2619@section Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads
2620
2621@cindex threads of execution
2622@cindex multiple threads
2623@cindex switching threads
2624In some operating systems, such as HP-UX and Solaris, a single program
2625may have more than one @dfn{thread} of execution. The precise semantics
2626of threads differ from one operating system to another, but in general
2627the threads of a single program are akin to multiple processes---except
2628that they share one address space (that is, they can all examine and
2629modify the same variables). On the other hand, each thread has its own
2630registers and execution stack, and perhaps private memory.
2631
2632@value{GDBN} provides these facilities for debugging multi-thread
2633programs:
2634
2635@itemize @bullet
2636@item automatic notification of new threads
2637@item @samp{thread @var{threadno}}, a command to switch among threads
2638@item @samp{info threads}, a command to inquire about existing threads
2639@item @samp{thread apply [@var{threadno}] [@var{all}] @var{args}},
2640a command to apply a command to a list of threads
2641@item thread-specific breakpoints
2642@item @samp{set print thread-events}, which controls printing of
2643messages on thread start and exit.
2644@item @samp{set libthread-db-search-path @var{path}}, which lets
2645the user specify which @code{libthread_db} to use if the default choice
2646isn't compatible with the program.
2647@end itemize
2648
2649@quotation
2650@emph{Warning:} These facilities are not yet available on every
2651@value{GDBN} configuration where the operating system supports threads.
2652If your @value{GDBN} does not support threads, these commands have no
2653effect. For example, a system without thread support shows no output
2654from @samp{info threads}, and always rejects the @code{thread} command,
2655like this:
2656
2657@smallexample
2658(@value{GDBP}) info threads
2659(@value{GDBP}) thread 1
2660Thread ID 1 not known. Use the "info threads" command to
2661see the IDs of currently known threads.
2662@end smallexample
2663@c FIXME to implementors: how hard would it be to say "sorry, this GDB
2664@c doesn't support threads"?
2665@end quotation
2666
2667@cindex focus of debugging
2668@cindex current thread
2669The @value{GDBN} thread debugging facility allows you to observe all
2670threads while your program runs---but whenever @value{GDBN} takes
2671control, one thread in particular is always the focus of debugging.
2672This thread is called the @dfn{current thread}. Debugging commands show
2673program information from the perspective of the current thread.
2674
2675@cindex @code{New} @var{systag} message
2676@cindex thread identifier (system)
2677@c FIXME-implementors!! It would be more helpful if the [New...] message
2678@c included GDB's numeric thread handle, so you could just go to that
2679@c thread without first checking `info threads'.
2680Whenever @value{GDBN} detects a new thread in your program, it displays
2681the target system's identification for the thread with a message in the
2682form @samp{[New @var{systag}]}. @var{systag} is a thread identifier
2683whose form varies depending on the particular system. For example, on
2684@sc{gnu}/Linux, you might see
2685
2686@smallexample
2687[New Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 25582)]
2688@end smallexample
2689
2690@noindent
2691when @value{GDBN} notices a new thread. In contrast, on an SGI system,
2692the @var{systag} is simply something like @samp{process 368}, with no
2693further qualifier.
2694
2695@c FIXME!! (1) Does the [New...] message appear even for the very first
2696@c thread of a program, or does it only appear for the
2697@c second---i.e.@: when it becomes obvious we have a multithread
2698@c program?
2699@c (2) *Is* there necessarily a first thread always? Or do some
2700@c multithread systems permit starting a program with multiple
2701@c threads ab initio?
2702
2703@cindex thread number
2704@cindex thread identifier (GDB)
2705For debugging purposes, @value{GDBN} associates its own thread
2706number---always a single integer---with each thread in your program.
2707
2708@table @code
2709@kindex info threads
2710@item info threads @r{[}@var{id}@dots{}@r{]}
2711Display a summary of all threads currently in your program. Optional
2712argument @var{id}@dots{} is one or more thread ids separated by spaces, and
2713means to print information only about the specified thread or threads.
2714@value{GDBN} displays for each thread (in this order):
2715
2716@enumerate
2717@item
2718the thread number assigned by @value{GDBN}
2719
2720@item
2721the target system's thread identifier (@var{systag})
2722
2723@item
2724the thread's name, if one is known. A thread can either be named by
2725the user (see @code{thread name}, below), or, in some cases, by the
2726program itself.
2727
2728@item
2729the current stack frame summary for that thread
2730@end enumerate
2731
2732@noindent
2733An asterisk @samp{*} to the left of the @value{GDBN} thread number
2734indicates the current thread.
2735
2736For example,
2737@end table
2738@c end table here to get a little more width for example
2739
2740@smallexample
2741(@value{GDBP}) info threads
2742 Id Target Id Frame
2743 3 process 35 thread 27 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2744 2 process 35 thread 23 0x34e5 in sigpause ()
2745* 1 process 35 thread 13 main (argc=1, argv=0x7ffffff8)
2746 at threadtest.c:68
2747@end smallexample
2748
2749On Solaris, you can display more information about user threads with a
2750Solaris-specific command:
2751
2752@table @code
2753@item maint info sol-threads
2754@kindex maint info sol-threads
2755@cindex thread info (Solaris)
2756Display info on Solaris user threads.
2757@end table
2758
2759@table @code
2760@kindex thread @var{threadno}
2761@item thread @var{threadno}
2762Make thread number @var{threadno} the current thread. The command
2763argument @var{threadno} is the internal @value{GDBN} thread number, as
2764shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display.
2765@value{GDBN} responds by displaying the system identifier of the thread
2766you selected, and its current stack frame summary:
2767
2768@smallexample
2769(@value{GDBP}) thread 2
2770[Switching to thread 2 (Thread 0xb7fdab70 (LWP 12747))]
2771#0 some_function (ignore=0x0) at example.c:8
27728 printf ("hello\n");
2773@end smallexample
2774
2775@noindent
2776As with the @samp{[New @dots{}]} message, the form of the text after
2777@samp{Switching to} depends on your system's conventions for identifying
2778threads.
2779
2780@vindex $_thread@r{, convenience variable}
2781The debugger convenience variable @samp{$_thread} contains the number
2782of the current thread. You may find this useful in writing breakpoint
2783conditional expressions, command scripts, and so forth. See
2784@xref{Convenience Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for general
2785information on convenience variables.
2786
2787@kindex thread apply
2788@cindex apply command to several threads
2789@item thread apply [@var{threadno} | all] @var{command}
2790The @code{thread apply} command allows you to apply the named
2791@var{command} to one or more threads. Specify the numbers of the
2792threads that you want affected with the command argument
2793@var{threadno}. It can be a single thread number, one of the numbers
2794shown in the first field of the @samp{info threads} display; or it
2795could be a range of thread numbers, as in @code{2-4}. To apply a
2796command to all threads, type @kbd{thread apply all @var{command}}.
2797
2798@kindex thread name
2799@cindex name a thread
2800@item thread name [@var{name}]
2801This command assigns a name to the current thread. If no argument is
2802given, any existing user-specified name is removed. The thread name
2803appears in the @samp{info threads} display.
2804
2805On some systems, such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, @value{GDBN} is able to
2806determine the name of the thread as given by the OS. On these
2807systems, a name specified with @samp{thread name} will override the
2808system-give name, and removing the user-specified name will cause
2809@value{GDBN} to once again display the system-specified name.
2810
2811@kindex thread find
2812@cindex search for a thread
2813@item thread find [@var{regexp}]
2814Search for and display thread ids whose name or @var{systag}
2815matches the supplied regular expression.
2816
2817As well as being the complement to the @samp{thread name} command,
2818this command also allows you to identify a thread by its target
2819@var{systag}. For instance, on @sc{gnu}/Linux, the target @var{systag}
2820is the LWP id.
2821
2822@smallexample
2823(@value{GDBN}) thread find 26688
2824Thread 4 has target id 'Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688)'
2825(@value{GDBN}) info thread 4
2826 Id Target Id Frame
2827 4 Thread 0x41e02940 (LWP 26688) 0x00000031ca6cd372 in select ()
2828@end smallexample
2829
2830@kindex set print thread-events
2831@cindex print messages on thread start and exit
2832@item set print thread-events
2833@itemx set print thread-events on
2834@itemx set print thread-events off
2835The @code{set print thread-events} command allows you to enable or
2836disable printing of messages when @value{GDBN} notices that new threads have
2837started or that threads have exited. By default, these messages will
2838be printed if detection of these events is supported by the target.
2839Note that these messages cannot be disabled on all targets.
2840
2841@kindex show print thread-events
2842@item show print thread-events
2843Show whether messages will be printed when @value{GDBN} detects that threads
2844have started and exited.
2845@end table
2846
2847@xref{Thread Stops,,Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs}, for
2848more information about how @value{GDBN} behaves when you stop and start
2849programs with multiple threads.
2850
2851@xref{Set Watchpoints,,Setting Watchpoints}, for information about
2852watchpoints in programs with multiple threads.
2853
2854@table @code
2855@kindex set libthread-db-search-path
2856@cindex search path for @code{libthread_db}
2857@item set libthread-db-search-path @r{[}@var{path}@r{]}
2858If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
2859directories @value{GDBN} will use to search for @code{libthread_db}.
2860If you omit @var{path}, @samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to
2861its default value (@code{$sdir:$pdir} on @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems).
2862Internally, the default value comes from the @code{LIBTHREAD_DB_SEARCH_PATH}
2863macro.
2864
2865On @sc{gnu}/Linux and Solaris systems, @value{GDBN} uses a ``helper''
2866@code{libthread_db} library to obtain information about threads in the
2867inferior process. @value{GDBN} will use @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2868to find @code{libthread_db}.
2869
2870A special entry @samp{$sdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2871refers to the default system directories that are
2872normally searched for loading shared libraries.
2873
2874A special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path}
2875refers to the directory from which @code{libpthread}
2876was loaded in the inferior process.
2877
2878For any @code{libthread_db} library @value{GDBN} finds in above directories,
2879@value{GDBN} attempts to initialize it with the current inferior process.
2880If this initialization fails (which could happen because of a version
2881mismatch between @code{libthread_db} and @code{libpthread}), @value{GDBN}
2882will unload @code{libthread_db}, and continue with the next directory.
2883If none of @code{libthread_db} libraries initialize successfully,
2884@value{GDBN} will issue a warning and thread debugging will be disabled.
2885
2886Setting @code{libthread-db-search-path} is currently implemented
2887only on some platforms.
2888
2889@kindex show libthread-db-search-path
2890@item show libthread-db-search-path
2891Display current libthread_db search path.
2892
2893@kindex set debug libthread-db
2894@kindex show debug libthread-db
2895@cindex debugging @code{libthread_db}
2896@item set debug libthread-db
2897@itemx show debug libthread-db
2898Turns on or off display of @code{libthread_db}-related events.
2899Use @code{1} to enable, @code{0} to disable.
2900@end table
2901
2902@node Forks
2903@section Debugging Forks
2904
2905@cindex fork, debugging programs which call
2906@cindex multiple processes
2907@cindex processes, multiple
2908On most systems, @value{GDBN} has no special support for debugging
2909programs which create additional processes using the @code{fork}
2910function. When a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug the
2911parent process and the child process will run unimpeded. If you have
2912set a breakpoint in any code which the child then executes, the child
2913will get a @code{SIGTRAP} signal which (unless it catches the signal)
2914will cause it to terminate.
2915
2916However, if you want to debug the child process there is a workaround
2917which isn't too painful. Put a call to @code{sleep} in the code which
2918the child process executes after the fork. It may be useful to sleep
2919only if a certain environment variable is set, or a certain file exists,
2920so that the delay need not occur when you don't want to run @value{GDBN}
2921on the child. While the child is sleeping, use the @code{ps} program to
2922get its process ID. Then tell @value{GDBN} (a new invocation of
2923@value{GDBN} if you are also debugging the parent process) to attach to
2924the child process (@pxref{Attach}). From that point on you can debug
2925the child process just like any other process which you attached to.
2926
2927On some systems, @value{GDBN} provides support for debugging programs that
2928create additional processes using the @code{fork} or @code{vfork} functions.
2929Currently, the only platforms with this feature are HP-UX (11.x and later
2930only?) and @sc{gnu}/Linux (kernel version 2.5.60 and later).
2931
2932By default, when a program forks, @value{GDBN} will continue to debug
2933the parent process and the child process will run unimpeded.
2934
2935If you want to follow the child process instead of the parent process,
2936use the command @w{@code{set follow-fork-mode}}.
2937
2938@table @code
2939@kindex set follow-fork-mode
2940@item set follow-fork-mode @var{mode}
2941Set the debugger response to a program call of @code{fork} or
2942@code{vfork}. A call to @code{fork} or @code{vfork} creates a new
2943process. The @var{mode} argument can be:
2944
2945@table @code
2946@item parent
2947The original process is debugged after a fork. The child process runs
2948unimpeded. This is the default.
2949
2950@item child
2951The new process is debugged after a fork. The parent process runs
2952unimpeded.
2953
2954@end table
2955
2956@kindex show follow-fork-mode
2957@item show follow-fork-mode
2958Display the current debugger response to a @code{fork} or @code{vfork} call.
2959@end table
2960
2961@cindex debugging multiple processes
2962On Linux, if you want to debug both the parent and child processes, use the
2963command @w{@code{set detach-on-fork}}.
2964
2965@table @code
2966@kindex set detach-on-fork
2967@item set detach-on-fork @var{mode}
2968Tells gdb whether to detach one of the processes after a fork, or
2969retain debugger control over them both.
2970
2971@table @code
2972@item on
2973The child process (or parent process, depending on the value of
2974@code{follow-fork-mode}) will be detached and allowed to run
2975independently. This is the default.
2976
2977@item off
2978Both processes will be held under the control of @value{GDBN}.
2979One process (child or parent, depending on the value of
2980@code{follow-fork-mode}) is debugged as usual, while the other
2981is held suspended.
2982
2983@end table
2984
2985@kindex show detach-on-fork
2986@item show detach-on-fork
2987Show whether detach-on-fork mode is on/off.
2988@end table
2989
2990If you choose to set @samp{detach-on-fork} mode off, then @value{GDBN}
2991will retain control of all forked processes (including nested forks).
2992You can list the forked processes under the control of @value{GDBN} by
2993using the @w{@code{info inferiors}} command, and switch from one fork
2994to another by using the @code{inferior} command (@pxref{Inferiors and
2995Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors and Programs}).
2996
2997To quit debugging one of the forked processes, you can either detach
2998from it by using the @w{@code{detach inferiors}} command (allowing it
2999to run independently), or kill it using the @w{@code{kill inferiors}}
3000command. @xref{Inferiors and Programs, ,Debugging Multiple Inferiors
3001and Programs}.
3002
3003If you ask to debug a child process and a @code{vfork} is followed by an
3004@code{exec}, @value{GDBN} executes the new target up to the first
3005breakpoint in the new target. If you have a breakpoint set on
3006@code{main} in your original program, the breakpoint will also be set on
3007the child process's @code{main}.
3008
3009On some systems, when a child process is spawned by @code{vfork}, you
3010cannot debug the child or parent until an @code{exec} call completes.
3011
3012If you issue a @code{run} command to @value{GDBN} after an @code{exec}
3013call executes, the new target restarts. To restart the parent
3014process, use the @code{file} command with the parent executable name
3015as its argument. By default, after an @code{exec} call executes,
3016@value{GDBN} discards the symbols of the previous executable image.
3017You can change this behaviour with the @w{@code{set follow-exec-mode}}
3018command.
3019
3020@table @code
3021@kindex set follow-exec-mode
3022@item set follow-exec-mode @var{mode}
3023
3024Set debugger response to a program call of @code{exec}. An
3025@code{exec} call replaces the program image of a process.
3026
3027@code{follow-exec-mode} can be:
3028
3029@table @code
3030@item new
3031@value{GDBN} creates a new inferior and rebinds the process to this
3032new inferior. The program the process was running before the
3033@code{exec} call can be restarted afterwards by restarting the
3034original inferior.
3035
3036For example:
3037
3038@smallexample
3039(@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3040(gdb) info inferior
3041 Id Description Executable
3042* 1 <null> prog1
3043(@value{GDBP}) run
3044process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3045Program exited normally.
3046(@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3047 Id Description Executable
3048* 2 <null> prog2
3049 1 <null> prog1
3050@end smallexample
3051
3052@item same
3053@value{GDBN} keeps the process bound to the same inferior. The new
3054executable image replaces the previous executable loaded in the
3055inferior. Restarting the inferior after the @code{exec} call, with
3056e.g., the @code{run} command, restarts the executable the process was
3057running after the @code{exec} call. This is the default mode.
3058
3059For example:
3060
3061@smallexample
3062(@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3063 Id Description Executable
3064* 1 <null> prog1
3065(@value{GDBP}) run
3066process 12020 is executing new program: prog2
3067Program exited normally.
3068(@value{GDBP}) info inferiors
3069 Id Description Executable
3070* 1 <null> prog2
3071@end smallexample
3072
3073@end table
3074@end table
3075
3076You can use the @code{catch} command to make @value{GDBN} stop whenever
3077a @code{fork}, @code{vfork}, or @code{exec} call is made. @xref{Set
3078Catchpoints, ,Setting Catchpoints}.
3079
3080@node Checkpoint/Restart
3081@section Setting a @emph{Bookmark} to Return to Later
3082
3083@cindex checkpoint
3084@cindex restart
3085@cindex bookmark
3086@cindex snapshot of a process
3087@cindex rewind program state
3088
3089On certain operating systems@footnote{Currently, only
3090@sc{gnu}/Linux.}, @value{GDBN} is able to save a @dfn{snapshot} of a
3091program's state, called a @dfn{checkpoint}, and come back to it
3092later.
3093
3094Returning to a checkpoint effectively undoes everything that has
3095happened in the program since the @code{checkpoint} was saved. This
3096includes changes in memory, registers, and even (within some limits)
3097system state. Effectively, it is like going back in time to the
3098moment when the checkpoint was saved.
3099
3100Thus, if you're stepping thru a program and you think you're
3101getting close to the point where things go wrong, you can save
3102a checkpoint. Then, if you accidentally go too far and miss
3103the critical statement, instead of having to restart your program
3104from the beginning, you can just go back to the checkpoint and
3105start again from there.
3106
3107This can be especially useful if it takes a lot of time or
3108steps to reach the point where you think the bug occurs.
3109
3110To use the @code{checkpoint}/@code{restart} method of debugging:
3111
3112@table @code
3113@kindex checkpoint
3114@item checkpoint
3115Save a snapshot of the debugged program's current execution state.
3116The @code{checkpoint} command takes no arguments, but each checkpoint
3117is assigned a small integer id, similar to a breakpoint id.
3118
3119@kindex info checkpoints
3120@item info checkpoints
3121List the checkpoints that have been saved in the current debugging
3122session. For each checkpoint, the following information will be
3123listed:
3124
3125@table @code
3126@item Checkpoint ID
3127@item Process ID
3128@item Code Address
3129@item Source line, or label
3130@end table
3131
3132@kindex restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3133@item restart @var{checkpoint-id}
3134Restore the program state that was saved as checkpoint number
3135@var{checkpoint-id}. All program variables, registers, stack frames
3136etc.@: will be returned to the values that they had when the checkpoint
3137was saved. In essence, gdb will ``wind back the clock'' to the point
3138in time when the checkpoint was saved.
3139
3140Note that breakpoints, @value{GDBN} variables, command history etc.
3141are not affected by restoring a checkpoint. In general, a checkpoint
3142only restores things that reside in the program being debugged, not in
3143the debugger.
3144
3145@kindex delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3146@item delete checkpoint @var{checkpoint-id}
3147Delete the previously-saved checkpoint identified by @var{checkpoint-id}.
3148
3149@end table
3150
3151Returning to a previously saved checkpoint will restore the user state
3152of the program being debugged, plus a significant subset of the system
3153(OS) state, including file pointers. It won't ``un-write'' data from
3154a file, but it will rewind the file pointer to the previous location,
3155so that the previously written data can be overwritten. For files
3156opened in read mode, the pointer will also be restored so that the
3157previously read data can be read again.
3158
3159Of course, characters that have been sent to a printer (or other
3160external device) cannot be ``snatched back'', and characters received
3161from eg.@: a serial device can be removed from internal program buffers,
3162but they cannot be ``pushed back'' into the serial pipeline, ready to
3163be received again. Similarly, the actual contents of files that have
3164been changed cannot be restored (at this time).
3165
3166However, within those constraints, you actually can ``rewind'' your
3167program to a previously saved point in time, and begin debugging it
3168again --- and you can change the course of events so as to debug a
3169different execution path this time.
3170
3171@cindex checkpoints and process id
3172Finally, there is one bit of internal program state that will be
3173different when you return to a checkpoint --- the program's process
3174id. Each checkpoint will have a unique process id (or @var{pid}),
3175and each will be different from the program's original @var{pid}.
3176If your program has saved a local copy of its process id, this could
3177potentially pose a problem.
3178
3179@subsection A Non-obvious Benefit of Using Checkpoints
3180
3181On some systems such as @sc{gnu}/Linux, address space randomization
3182is performed on new processes for security reasons. This makes it
3183difficult or impossible to set a breakpoint, or watchpoint, on an
3184absolute address if you have to restart the program, since the
3185absolute location of a symbol will change from one execution to the
3186next.
3187
3188A checkpoint, however, is an @emph{identical} copy of a process.
3189Therefore if you create a checkpoint at (eg.@:) the start of main,
3190and simply return to that checkpoint instead of restarting the
3191process, you can avoid the effects of address randomization and
3192your symbols will all stay in the same place.
3193
3194@node Stopping
3195@chapter Stopping and Continuing
3196
3197The principal purposes of using a debugger are so that you can stop your
3198program before it terminates; or so that, if your program runs into
3199trouble, you can investigate and find out why.
3200
3201Inside @value{GDBN}, your program may stop for any of several reasons,
3202such as a signal, a breakpoint, or reaching a new line after a
3203@value{GDBN} command such as @code{step}. You may then examine and
3204change variables, set new breakpoints or remove old ones, and then
3205continue execution. Usually, the messages shown by @value{GDBN} provide
3206ample explanation of the status of your program---but you can also
3207explicitly request this information at any time.
3208
3209@table @code
3210@kindex info program
3211@item info program
3212Display information about the status of your program: whether it is
3213running or not, what process it is, and why it stopped.
3214@end table
3215
3216@menu
3217* Breakpoints:: Breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints
3218* Continuing and Stepping:: Resuming execution
3219* Skipping Over Functions and Files::
3220 Skipping over functions and files
3221* Signals:: Signals
3222* Thread Stops:: Stopping and starting multi-thread programs
3223@end menu
3224
3225@node Breakpoints
3226@section Breakpoints, Watchpoints, and Catchpoints
3227
3228@cindex breakpoints
3229A @dfn{breakpoint} makes your program stop whenever a certain point in
3230the program is reached. For each breakpoint, you can add conditions to
3231control in finer detail whether your program stops. You can set
3232breakpoints with the @code{break} command and its variants (@pxref{Set
3233Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}), to specify the place where your program
3234should stop by line number, function name or exact address in the
3235program.
3236
3237On some systems, you can set breakpoints in shared libraries before
3238the executable is run. There is a minor limitation on HP-UX systems:
3239you must wait until the executable is run in order to set breakpoints
3240in shared library routines that are not called directly by the program
3241(for example, routines that are arguments in a @code{pthread_create}
3242call).
3243
3244@cindex watchpoints
3245@cindex data breakpoints
3246@cindex memory tracing
3247@cindex breakpoint on memory address
3248@cindex breakpoint on variable modification
3249A @dfn{watchpoint} is a special breakpoint that stops your program
3250when the value of an expression changes. The expression may be a value
3251of a variable, or it could involve values of one or more variables
3252combined by operators, such as @samp{a + b}. This is sometimes called
3253@dfn{data breakpoints}. You must use a different command to set
3254watchpoints (@pxref{Set Watchpoints, ,Setting Watchpoints}), but aside
3255from that, you can manage a watchpoint like any other breakpoint: you
3256enable, disable, and delete both breakpoints and watchpoints using the
3257same commands.
3258
3259You can arrange to have values from your program displayed automatically
3260whenever @value{GDBN} stops at a breakpoint. @xref{Auto Display,,
3261Automatic Display}.
3262
3263@cindex catchpoints
3264@cindex breakpoint on events
3265A @dfn{catchpoint} is another special breakpoint that stops your program
3266when a certain kind of event occurs, such as the throwing of a C@t{++}
3267exception or the loading of a library. As with watchpoints, you use a
3268different command to set a catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints, ,Setting
3269Catchpoints}), but aside from that, you can manage a catchpoint like any
3270other breakpoint. (To stop when your program receives a signal, use the
3271@code{handle} command; see @ref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
3272
3273@cindex breakpoint numbers
3274@cindex numbers for breakpoints
3275@value{GDBN} assigns a number to each breakpoint, watchpoint, or
3276catchpoint when you create it; these numbers are successive integers
3277starting with one. In many of the commands for controlling various
3278features of breakpoints you use the breakpoint number to say which
3279breakpoint you want to change. Each breakpoint may be @dfn{enabled} or
3280@dfn{disabled}; if disabled, it has no effect on your program until you
3281enable it again.
3282
3283@cindex breakpoint ranges
3284@cindex ranges of breakpoints
3285Some @value{GDBN} commands accept a range of breakpoints on which to
3286operate. A breakpoint range is either a single breakpoint number, like
3287@samp{5}, or two such numbers, in increasing order, separated by a
3288hyphen, like @samp{5-7}. When a breakpoint range is given to a command,
3289all breakpoints in that range are operated on.
3290
3291@menu
3292* Set Breaks:: Setting breakpoints
3293* Set Watchpoints:: Setting watchpoints
3294* Set Catchpoints:: Setting catchpoints
3295* Delete Breaks:: Deleting breakpoints
3296* Disabling:: Disabling breakpoints
3297* Conditions:: Break conditions
3298* Break Commands:: Breakpoint command lists
3299* Save Breakpoints:: How to save breakpoints in a file
3300* Error in Breakpoints:: ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
3301* Breakpoint-related Warnings:: ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
3302@end menu
3303
3304@node Set Breaks
3305@subsection Setting Breakpoints
3306
3307@c FIXME LMB what does GDB do if no code on line of breakpt?
3308@c consider in particular declaration with/without initialization.
3309@c
3310@c FIXME 2 is there stuff on this already? break at fun start, already init?
3311
3312@kindex break
3313@kindex b @r{(@code{break})}
3314@vindex $bpnum@r{, convenience variable}
3315@cindex latest breakpoint
3316Breakpoints are set with the @code{break} command (abbreviated
3317@code{b}). The debugger convenience variable @samp{$bpnum} records the
3318number of the breakpoint you've set most recently; see @ref{Convenience
3319Vars,, Convenience Variables}, for a discussion of what you can do with
3320convenience variables.
3321
3322@table @code
3323@item break @var{location}
3324Set a breakpoint at the given @var{location}, which can specify a
3325function name, a line number, or an address of an instruction.
3326(@xref{Specify Location}, for a list of all the possible ways to
3327specify a @var{location}.) The breakpoint will stop your program just
3328before it executes any of the code in the specified @var{location}.
3329
3330When using source languages that permit overloading of symbols, such as
3331C@t{++}, a function name may refer to more than one possible place to break.
3332@xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}, for a discussion of
3333that situation.
3334
3335It is also possible to insert a breakpoint that will stop the program
3336only if a specific thread (@pxref{Thread-Specific Breakpoints})
3337or a specific task (@pxref{Ada Tasks}) hits that breakpoint.
3338
3339@item break
3340When called without any arguments, @code{break} sets a breakpoint at
3341the next instruction to be executed in the selected stack frame
3342(@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}). In any selected frame but the
3343innermost, this makes your program stop as soon as control
3344returns to that frame. This is similar to the effect of a
3345@code{finish} command in the frame inside the selected frame---except
3346that @code{finish} does not leave an active breakpoint. If you use
3347@code{break} without an argument in the innermost frame, @value{GDBN} stops
3348the next time it reaches the current location; this may be useful
3349inside loops.
3350
3351@value{GDBN} normally ignores breakpoints when it resumes execution, until at
3352least one instruction has been executed. If it did not do this, you
3353would be unable to proceed past a breakpoint without first disabling the
3354breakpoint. This rule applies whether or not the breakpoint already
3355existed when your program stopped.
3356
3357@item break @dots{} if @var{cond}
3358Set a breakpoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
3359@var{cond} each time the breakpoint is reached, and stop only if the
3360value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
3361@samp{@dots{}} stands for one of the possible arguments described
3362above (or no argument) specifying where to break. @xref{Conditions,
3363,Break Conditions}, for more information on breakpoint conditions.
3364
3365@kindex tbreak
3366@item tbreak @var{args}
3367Set a breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args} are the
3368same as for the @code{break} command, and the breakpoint is set in the same
3369way, but the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the first time your
3370program stops there. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3371
3372@kindex hbreak
3373@cindex hardware breakpoints
3374@item hbreak @var{args}
3375Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint. @var{args} are the same as for the
3376@code{break} command and the breakpoint is set in the same way, but the
3377breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware may not
3378have this support. The main purpose of this is EPROM/ROM code
3379debugging, so you can set a breakpoint at an instruction without
3380changing the instruction. This can be used with the new trap-generation
3381provided by SPARClite DSU and most x86-based targets. These targets
3382will generate traps when a program accesses some data or instruction
3383address that is assigned to the debug registers. However the hardware
3384breakpoint registers can take a limited number of breakpoints. For
3385example, on the DSU, only two data breakpoints can be set at a time, and
3386@value{GDBN} will reject this command if more than two are used. Delete
3387or disable unused hardware breakpoints before setting new ones
3388(@pxref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}).
3389@xref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3390For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3391breakpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3392hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3393
3394@kindex thbreak
3395@item thbreak @var{args}
3396Set a hardware-assisted breakpoint enabled only for one stop. @var{args}
3397are the same as for the @code{hbreak} command and the breakpoint is set in
3398the same way. However, like the @code{tbreak} command,
3399the breakpoint is automatically deleted after the
3400first time your program stops there. Also, like the @code{hbreak}
3401command, the breakpoint requires hardware support and some target hardware
3402may not have this support. @xref{Disabling, ,Disabling Breakpoints}.
3403See also @ref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}.
3404
3405@kindex rbreak
3406@cindex regular expression
3407@cindex breakpoints at functions matching a regexp
3408@cindex set breakpoints in many functions
3409@item rbreak @var{regex}
3410Set breakpoints on all functions matching the regular expression
3411@var{regex}. This command sets an unconditional breakpoint on all
3412matches, printing a list of all breakpoints it set. Once these
3413breakpoints are set, they are treated just like the breakpoints set with
3414the @code{break} command. You can delete them, disable them, or make
3415them conditional the same way as any other breakpoint.
3416
3417The syntax of the regular expression is the standard one used with tools
3418like @file{grep}. Note that this is different from the syntax used by
3419shells, so for instance @code{foo*} matches all functions that include
3420an @code{fo} followed by zero or more @code{o}s. There is an implicit
3421@code{.*} leading and trailing the regular expression you supply, so to
3422match only functions that begin with @code{foo}, use @code{^foo}.
3423
3424@cindex non-member C@t{++} functions, set breakpoint in
3425When debugging C@t{++} programs, @code{rbreak} is useful for setting
3426breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
3427classes.
3428
3429@cindex set breakpoints on all functions
3430The @code{rbreak} command can be used to set breakpoints in
3431@strong{all} the functions in a program, like this:
3432
3433@smallexample
3434(@value{GDBP}) rbreak .
3435@end smallexample
3436
3437@item rbreak @var{file}:@var{regex}
3438If @code{rbreak} is called with a filename qualification, it limits
3439the search for functions matching the given regular expression to the
3440specified @var{file}. This can be used, for example, to set breakpoints on
3441every function in a given file:
3442
3443@smallexample
3444(@value{GDBP}) rbreak file.c:.
3445@end smallexample
3446
3447The colon separating the filename qualifier from the regex may
3448optionally be surrounded by spaces.
3449
3450@kindex info breakpoints
3451@cindex @code{$_} and @code{info breakpoints}
3452@item info breakpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3453@itemx info break @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3454Print a table of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints set and
3455not deleted. Optional argument @var{n} means print information only
3456about the specified breakpoint(s) (or watchpoint(s) or catchpoint(s)).
3457For each breakpoint, following columns are printed:
3458
3459@table @emph
3460@item Breakpoint Numbers
3461@item Type
3462Breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint.
3463@item Disposition
3464Whether the breakpoint is marked to be disabled or deleted when hit.
3465@item Enabled or Disabled
3466Enabled breakpoints are marked with @samp{y}. @samp{n} marks breakpoints
3467that are not enabled.
3468@item Address
3469Where the breakpoint is in your program, as a memory address. For a
3470pending breakpoint whose address is not yet known, this field will
3471contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Such breakpoint won't fire until a shared
3472library that has the symbol or line referred by breakpoint is loaded.
3473See below for details. A breakpoint with several locations will
3474have @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in this field---see below for details.
3475@item What
3476Where the breakpoint is in the source for your program, as a file and
3477line number. For a pending breakpoint, the original string passed to
3478the breakpoint command will be listed as it cannot be resolved until
3479the appropriate shared library is loaded in the future.
3480@end table
3481
3482@noindent
3483If a breakpoint is conditional, @code{info break} shows the condition on
3484the line following the affected breakpoint; breakpoint commands, if any,
3485are listed after that. A pending breakpoint is allowed to have a condition
3486specified for it. The condition is not parsed for validity until a shared
3487library is loaded that allows the pending breakpoint to resolve to a
3488valid location.
3489
3490@noindent
3491@code{info break} with a breakpoint
3492number @var{n} as argument lists only that breakpoint. The
3493convenience variable @code{$_} and the default examining-address for
3494the @code{x} command are set to the address of the last breakpoint
3495listed (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}).
3496
3497@noindent
3498@code{info break} displays a count of the number of times the breakpoint
3499has been hit. This is especially useful in conjunction with the
3500@code{ignore} command. You can ignore a large number of breakpoint
3501hits, look at the breakpoint info to see how many times the breakpoint
3502was hit, and then run again, ignoring one less than that number. This
3503will get you quickly to the last hit of that breakpoint.
3504@end table
3505
3506@value{GDBN} allows you to set any number of breakpoints at the same place in
3507your program. There is nothing silly or meaningless about this. When
3508the breakpoints are conditional, this is even useful
3509(@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
3510
3511@cindex multiple locations, breakpoints
3512@cindex breakpoints, multiple locations
3513It is possible that a breakpoint corresponds to several locations
3514in your program. Examples of this situation are:
3515
3516@itemize @bullet
3517@item
3518For a C@t{++} constructor, the @value{NGCC} compiler generates several
3519instances of the function body, used in different cases.
3520
3521@item
3522For a C@t{++} template function, a given line in the function can
3523correspond to any number of instantiations.
3524
3525@item
3526For an inlined function, a given source line can correspond to
3527several places where that function is inlined.
3528@end itemize
3529
3530In all those cases, @value{GDBN} will insert a breakpoint at all
3531the relevant locations@footnote{
3532As of this writing, multiple-location breakpoints work only if there's
3533line number information for all the locations. This means that they
3534will generally not work in system libraries, unless you have debug
3535info with line numbers for them.}.
3536
3537A breakpoint with multiple locations is displayed in the breakpoint
3538table using several rows---one header row, followed by one row for
3539each breakpoint location. The header row has @samp{<MULTIPLE>} in the
3540address column. The rows for individual locations contain the actual
3541addresses for locations, and show the functions to which those
3542locations belong. The number column for a location is of the form
3543@var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number}.
3544
3545For example:
3546
3547@smallexample
3548Num Type Disp Enb Address What
35491 breakpoint keep y <MULTIPLE>
3550 stop only if i==1
3551 breakpoint already hit 1 time
35521.1 y 0x080486a2 in void foo<int>() at t.cc:8
35531.2 y 0x080486ca in void foo<double>() at t.cc:8
3554@end smallexample
3555
3556Each location can be individually enabled or disabled by passing
3557@var{breakpoint-number}.@var{location-number} as argument to the
3558@code{enable} and @code{disable} commands. Note that you cannot
3559delete the individual locations from the list, you can only delete the
3560entire list of locations that belong to their parent breakpoint (with
3561the @kbd{delete @var{num}} command, where @var{num} is the number of
3562the parent breakpoint, 1 in the above example). Disabling or enabling
3563the parent breakpoint (@pxref{Disabling}) affects all of the locations
3564that belong to that breakpoint.
3565
3566@cindex pending breakpoints
3567It's quite common to have a breakpoint inside a shared library.
3568Shared libraries can be loaded and unloaded explicitly,
3569and possibly repeatedly, as the program is executed. To support
3570this use case, @value{GDBN} updates breakpoint locations whenever
3571any shared library is loaded or unloaded. Typically, you would
3572set a breakpoint in a shared library at the beginning of your
3573debugging session, when the library is not loaded, and when the
3574symbols from the library are not available. When you try to set
3575breakpoint, @value{GDBN} will ask you if you want to set
3576a so called @dfn{pending breakpoint}---breakpoint whose address
3577is not yet resolved.
3578
3579After the program is run, whenever a new shared library is loaded,
3580@value{GDBN} reevaluates all the breakpoints. When a newly loaded
3581shared library contains the symbol or line referred to by some
3582pending breakpoint, that breakpoint is resolved and becomes an
3583ordinary breakpoint. When a library is unloaded, all breakpoints
3584that refer to its symbols or source lines become pending again.
3585
3586This logic works for breakpoints with multiple locations, too. For
3587example, if you have a breakpoint in a C@t{++} template function, and
3588a newly loaded shared library has an instantiation of that template,
3589a new location is added to the list of locations for the breakpoint.
3590
3591Except for having unresolved address, pending breakpoints do not
3592differ from regular breakpoints. You can set conditions or commands,
3593enable and disable them and perform other breakpoint operations.
3594
3595@value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling what
3596happens when the @samp{break} command cannot resolve breakpoint
3597address specification to an address:
3598
3599@kindex set breakpoint pending
3600@kindex show breakpoint pending
3601@table @code
3602@item set breakpoint pending auto
3603This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} cannot find the breakpoint
3604location, it queries you whether a pending breakpoint should be created.
3605
3606@item set breakpoint pending on
3607This indicates that an unrecognized breakpoint location should automatically
3608result in a pending breakpoint being created.
3609
3610@item set breakpoint pending off
3611This indicates that pending breakpoints are not to be created. Any
3612unrecognized breakpoint location results in an error. This setting does
3613not affect any pending breakpoints previously created.
3614
3615@item show breakpoint pending
3616Show the current behavior setting for creating pending breakpoints.
3617@end table
3618
3619The settings above only affect the @code{break} command and its
3620variants. Once breakpoint is set, it will be automatically updated
3621as shared libraries are loaded and unloaded.
3622
3623@cindex automatic hardware breakpoints
3624For some targets, @value{GDBN} can automatically decide if hardware or
3625software breakpoints should be used, depending on whether the
3626breakpoint address is read-only or read-write. This applies to
3627breakpoints set with the @code{break} command as well as to internal
3628breakpoints set by commands like @code{next} and @code{finish}. For
3629breakpoints set with @code{hbreak}, @value{GDBN} will always use hardware
3630breakpoints.
3631
3632You can control this automatic behaviour with the following commands::
3633
3634@kindex set breakpoint auto-hw
3635@kindex show breakpoint auto-hw
3636@table @code
3637@item set breakpoint auto-hw on
3638This is the default behavior. When @value{GDBN} sets a breakpoint, it
3639will try to use the target memory map to decide if software or hardware
3640breakpoint must be used.
3641
3642@item set breakpoint auto-hw off
3643This indicates @value{GDBN} should not automatically select breakpoint
3644type. If the target provides a memory map, @value{GDBN} will warn when
3645trying to set software breakpoint at a read-only address.
3646@end table
3647
3648@value{GDBN} normally implements breakpoints by replacing the program code
3649at the breakpoint address with a special instruction, which, when
3650executed, given control to the debugger. By default, the program
3651code is so modified only when the program is resumed. As soon as
3652the program stops, @value{GDBN} restores the original instructions. This
3653behaviour guards against leaving breakpoints inserted in the
3654target should gdb abrubptly disconnect. However, with slow remote
3655targets, inserting and removing breakpoint can reduce the performance.
3656This behavior can be controlled with the following commands::
3657
3658@kindex set breakpoint always-inserted
3659@kindex show breakpoint always-inserted
3660@table @code
3661@item set breakpoint always-inserted off
3662All breakpoints, including newly added by the user, are inserted in
3663the target only when the target is resumed. All breakpoints are
3664removed from the target when it stops.
3665
3666@item set breakpoint always-inserted on
3667Causes all breakpoints to be inserted in the target at all times. If
3668the user adds a new breakpoint, or changes an existing breakpoint, the
3669breakpoints in the target are updated immediately. A breakpoint is
3670removed from the target only when breakpoint itself is removed.
3671
3672@cindex non-stop mode, and @code{breakpoint always-inserted}
3673@item set breakpoint always-inserted auto
3674This is the default mode. If @value{GDBN} is controlling the inferior
3675in non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}), gdb behaves as if
3676@code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is on. If @value{GDBN} is
3677controlling the inferior in all-stop mode, @value{GDBN} behaves as if
3678@code{breakpoint always-inserted} mode is off.
3679@end table
3680
3681@cindex negative breakpoint numbers
3682@cindex internal @value{GDBN} breakpoints
3683@value{GDBN} itself sometimes sets breakpoints in your program for
3684special purposes, such as proper handling of @code{longjmp} (in C
3685programs). These internal breakpoints are assigned negative numbers,
3686starting with @code{-1}; @samp{info breakpoints} does not display them.
3687You can see these breakpoints with the @value{GDBN} maintenance command
3688@samp{maint info breakpoints} (@pxref{maint info breakpoints}).
3689
3690
3691@node Set Watchpoints
3692@subsection Setting Watchpoints
3693
3694@cindex setting watchpoints
3695You can use a watchpoint to stop execution whenever the value of an
3696expression changes, without having to predict a particular place where
3697this may happen. (This is sometimes called a @dfn{data breakpoint}.)
3698The expression may be as simple as the value of a single variable, or
3699as complex as many variables combined by operators. Examples include:
3700
3701@itemize @bullet
3702@item
3703A reference to the value of a single variable.
3704
3705@item
3706An address cast to an appropriate data type. For example,
3707@samp{*(int *)0x12345678} will watch a 4-byte region at the specified
3708address (assuming an @code{int} occupies 4 bytes).
3709
3710@item
3711An arbitrarily complex expression, such as @samp{a*b + c/d}. The
3712expression can use any operators valid in the program's native
3713language (@pxref{Languages}).
3714@end itemize
3715
3716You can set a watchpoint on an expression even if the expression can
3717not be evaluated yet. For instance, you can set a watchpoint on
3718@samp{*global_ptr} before @samp{global_ptr} is initialized.
3719@value{GDBN} will stop when your program sets @samp{global_ptr} and
3720the expression produces a valid value. If the expression becomes
3721valid in some other way than changing a variable (e.g.@: if the memory
3722pointed to by @samp{*global_ptr} becomes readable as the result of a
3723@code{malloc} call), @value{GDBN} may not stop until the next time
3724the expression changes.
3725
3726@cindex software watchpoints
3727@cindex hardware watchpoints
3728Depending on your system, watchpoints may be implemented in software or
3729hardware. @value{GDBN} does software watchpointing by single-stepping your
3730program and testing the variable's value each time, which is hundreds of
3731times slower than normal execution. (But this may still be worth it, to
3732catch errors where you have no clue what part of your program is the
3733culprit.)
3734
3735On some systems, such as HP-UX, PowerPC, @sc{gnu}/Linux and most other
3736x86-based targets, @value{GDBN} includes support for hardware
3737watchpoints, which do not slow down the running of your program.
3738
3739@table @code
3740@kindex watch
3741@item watch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3742Set a watchpoint for an expression. @value{GDBN} will break when the
3743expression @var{expr} is written into by the program and its value
3744changes. The simplest (and the most popular) use of this command is
3745to watch the value of a single variable:
3746
3747@smallexample
3748(@value{GDBP}) watch foo
3749@end smallexample
3750
3751If the command includes a @code{@r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]}}
3752argument, @value{GDBN} breaks only when the thread identified by
3753@var{threadnum} changes the value of @var{expr}. If any other threads
3754change the value of @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} will not break. Note
3755that watchpoints restricted to a single thread in this way only work
3756with Hardware Watchpoints.
3757
3758Ordinarily a watchpoint respects the scope of variables in @var{expr}
3759(see below). The @code{-location} argument tells @value{GDBN} to
3760instead watch the memory referred to by @var{expr}. In this case,
3761@value{GDBN} will evaluate @var{expr}, take the address of the result,
3762and watch the memory at that address. The type of the result is used
3763to determine the size of the watched memory. If the expression's
3764result does not have an address, then @value{GDBN} will print an
3765error.
3766
3767The @code{@r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}} argument allows creation
3768of masked watchpoints, if the current architecture supports this
3769feature (e.g., PowerPC Embedded architecture, see @ref{PowerPC
3770Embedded}.) A @dfn{masked watchpoint} specifies a mask in addition
3771to an address to watch. The mask specifies that some bits of an address
3772(the bits which are reset in the mask) should be ignored when matching
3773the address accessed by the inferior against the watchpoint address.
3774Thus, a masked watchpoint watches many addresses simultaneously---those
3775addresses whose unmasked bits are identical to the unmasked bits in the
3776watchpoint address. The @code{mask} argument implies @code{-location}.
3777Examples:
3778
3779@smallexample
3780(@value{GDBP}) watch foo mask 0xffff00ff
3781(@value{GDBP}) watch *0xdeadbeef mask 0xffffff00
3782@end smallexample
3783
3784@kindex rwatch
3785@item rwatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3786Set a watchpoint that will break when the value of @var{expr} is read
3787by the program.
3788
3789@kindex awatch
3790@item awatch @r{[}-l@r{|}-location@r{]} @var{expr} @r{[}thread @var{threadnum}@r{]} @r{[}mask @var{maskvalue}@r{]}
3791Set a watchpoint that will break when @var{expr} is either read from
3792or written into by the program.
3793
3794@kindex info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3795@item info watchpoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
3796This command prints a list of watchpoints, using the same format as
3797@code{info break} (@pxref{Set Breaks}).
3798@end table
3799
3800If you watch for a change in a numerically entered address you need to
3801dereference it, as the address itself is just a constant number which will
3802never change. @value{GDBN} refuses to create a watchpoint that watches
3803a never-changing value:
3804
3805@smallexample
3806(@value{GDBP}) watch 0x600850
3807Cannot watch constant value 0x600850.
3808(@value{GDBP}) watch *(int *) 0x600850
3809Watchpoint 1: *(int *) 6293584
3810@end smallexample
3811
3812@value{GDBN} sets a @dfn{hardware watchpoint} if possible. Hardware
3813watchpoints execute very quickly, and the debugger reports a change in
3814value at the exact instruction where the change occurs. If @value{GDBN}
3815cannot set a hardware watchpoint, it sets a software watchpoint, which
3816executes more slowly and reports the change in value at the next
3817@emph{statement}, not the instruction, after the change occurs.
3818
3819@cindex use only software watchpoints
3820You can force @value{GDBN} to use only software watchpoints with the
3821@kbd{set can-use-hw-watchpoints 0} command. With this variable set to
3822zero, @value{GDBN} will never try to use hardware watchpoints, even if
3823the underlying system supports them. (Note that hardware-assisted
3824watchpoints that were set @emph{before} setting
3825@code{can-use-hw-watchpoints} to zero will still use the hardware
3826mechanism of watching expression values.)
3827
3828@table @code
3829@item set can-use-hw-watchpoints
3830@kindex set can-use-hw-watchpoints
3831Set whether or not to use hardware watchpoints.
3832
3833@item show can-use-hw-watchpoints
3834@kindex show can-use-hw-watchpoints
3835Show the current mode of using hardware watchpoints.
3836@end table
3837
3838For remote targets, you can restrict the number of hardware
3839watchpoints @value{GDBN} will use, see @ref{set remote
3840hardware-breakpoint-limit}.
3841
3842When you issue the @code{watch} command, @value{GDBN} reports
3843
3844@smallexample
3845Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: @var{expr}
3846@end smallexample
3847
3848@noindent
3849if it was able to set a hardware watchpoint.
3850
3851Currently, the @code{awatch} and @code{rwatch} commands can only set
3852hardware watchpoints, because accesses to data that don't change the
3853value of the watched expression cannot be detected without examining
3854every instruction as it is being executed, and @value{GDBN} does not do
3855that currently. If @value{GDBN} finds that it is unable to set a
3856hardware breakpoint with the @code{awatch} or @code{rwatch} command, it
3857will print a message like this:
3858
3859@smallexample
3860Expression cannot be implemented with read/access watchpoint.
3861@end smallexample
3862
3863Sometimes, @value{GDBN} cannot set a hardware watchpoint because the
3864data type of the watched expression is wider than what a hardware
3865watchpoint on the target machine can handle. For example, some systems
3866can only watch regions that are up to 4 bytes wide; on such systems you
3867cannot set hardware watchpoints for an expression that yields a
3868double-precision floating-point number (which is typically 8 bytes
3869wide). As a work-around, it might be possible to break the large region
3870into a series of smaller ones and watch them with separate watchpoints.
3871
3872If you set too many hardware watchpoints, @value{GDBN} might be unable
3873to insert all of them when you resume the execution of your program.
3874Since the precise number of active watchpoints is unknown until such
3875time as the program is about to be resumed, @value{GDBN} might not be
3876able to warn you about this when you set the watchpoints, and the
3877warning will be printed only when the program is resumed:
3878
3879@smallexample
3880Hardware watchpoint @var{num}: Could not insert watchpoint
3881@end smallexample
3882
3883@noindent
3884If this happens, delete or disable some of the watchpoints.
3885
3886Watching complex expressions that reference many variables can also
3887exhaust the resources available for hardware-assisted watchpoints.
3888That's because @value{GDBN} needs to watch every variable in the
3889expression with separately allocated resources.
3890
3891If you call a function interactively using @code{print} or @code{call},
3892any watchpoints you have set will be inactive until @value{GDBN} reaches another
3893kind of breakpoint or the call completes.
3894
3895@value{GDBN} automatically deletes watchpoints that watch local
3896(automatic) variables, or expressions that involve such variables, when
3897they go out of scope, that is, when the execution leaves the block in
3898which these variables were defined. In particular, when the program
3899being debugged terminates, @emph{all} local variables go out of scope,
3900and so only watchpoints that watch global variables remain set. If you
3901rerun the program, you will need to set all such watchpoints again. One
3902way of doing that would be to set a code breakpoint at the entry to the
3903@code{main} function and when it breaks, set all the watchpoints.
3904
3905@cindex watchpoints and threads
3906@cindex threads and watchpoints
3907In multi-threaded programs, watchpoints will detect changes to the
3908watched expression from every thread.
3909
3910@quotation
3911@emph{Warning:} In multi-threaded programs, software watchpoints
3912have only limited usefulness. If @value{GDBN} creates a software
3913watchpoint, it can only watch the value of an expression @emph{in a
3914single thread}. If you are confident that the expression can only
3915change due to the current thread's activity (and if you are also
3916confident that no other thread can become current), then you can use
3917software watchpoints as usual. However, @value{GDBN} may not notice
3918when a non-current thread's activity changes the expression. (Hardware
3919watchpoints, in contrast, watch an expression in all threads.)
3920@end quotation
3921
3922@xref{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}.
3923
3924@node Set Catchpoints
3925@subsection Setting Catchpoints
3926@cindex catchpoints, setting
3927@cindex exception handlers
3928@cindex event handling
3929
3930You can use @dfn{catchpoints} to cause the debugger to stop for certain
3931kinds of program events, such as C@t{++} exceptions or the loading of a
3932shared library. Use the @code{catch} command to set a catchpoint.
3933
3934@table @code
3935@kindex catch
3936@item catch @var{event}
3937Stop when @var{event} occurs. @var{event} can be any of the following:
3938@table @code
3939@item throw
3940@cindex stop on C@t{++} exceptions
3941The throwing of a C@t{++} exception.
3942
3943@item catch
3944The catching of a C@t{++} exception.
3945
3946@item exception
3947@cindex Ada exception catching
3948@cindex catch Ada exceptions
3949An Ada exception being raised. If an exception name is specified
3950at the end of the command (eg @code{catch exception Program_Error}),
3951the debugger will stop only when this specific exception is raised.
3952Otherwise, the debugger stops execution when any Ada exception is raised.
3953
3954When inserting an exception catchpoint on a user-defined exception whose
3955name is identical to one of the exceptions defined by the language, the
3956fully qualified name must be used as the exception name. Otherwise,
3957@value{GDBN} will assume that it should stop on the pre-defined exception
3958rather than the user-defined one. For instance, assuming an exception
3959called @code{Constraint_Error} is defined in package @code{Pck}, then
3960the command to use to catch such exceptions is @kbd{catch exception
3961Pck.Constraint_Error}.
3962
3963@item exception unhandled
3964An exception that was raised but is not handled by the program.
3965
3966@item assert
3967A failed Ada assertion.
3968
3969@item exec
3970@cindex break on fork/exec
3971A call to @code{exec}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
3972and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
3973
3974@item syscall
3975@itemx syscall @r{[}@var{name} @r{|} @var{number}@r{]} @dots{}
3976@cindex break on a system call.
3977A call to or return from a system call, a.k.a.@: @dfn{syscall}. A
3978syscall is a mechanism for application programs to request a service
3979from the operating system (OS) or one of the OS system services.
3980@value{GDBN} can catch some or all of the syscalls issued by the
3981debuggee, and show the related information for each syscall. If no
3982argument is specified, calls to and returns from all system calls
3983will be caught.
3984
3985@var{name} can be any system call name that is valid for the
3986underlying OS. Just what syscalls are valid depends on the OS. On
3987GNU and Unix systems, you can find the full list of valid syscall
3988names on @file{/usr/include/asm/unistd.h}.
3989
3990@c For MS-Windows, the syscall names and the corresponding numbers
3991@c can be found, e.g., on this URL:
3992@c http://www.metasploit.com/users/opcode/syscalls.html
3993@c but we don't support Windows syscalls yet.
3994
3995Normally, @value{GDBN} knows in advance which syscalls are valid for
3996each OS, so you can use the @value{GDBN} command-line completion
3997facilities (@pxref{Completion,, command completion}) to list the
3998available choices.
3999
4000You may also specify the system call numerically. A syscall's
4001number is the value passed to the OS's syscall dispatcher to
4002identify the requested service. When you specify the syscall by its
4003name, @value{GDBN} uses its database of syscalls to convert the name
4004into the corresponding numeric code, but using the number directly
4005may be useful if @value{GDBN}'s database does not have the complete
4006list of syscalls on your system (e.g., because @value{GDBN} lags
4007behind the OS upgrades).
4008
4009The example below illustrates how this command works if you don't provide
4010arguments to it:
4011
4012@smallexample
4013(@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4014Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4015(@value{GDBP}) r
4016Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4017
4018Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'close'), \
4019 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4020(@value{GDBP}) c
4021Continuing.
4022
4023Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'close'), \
4024 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4025(@value{GDBP})
4026@end smallexample
4027
4028Here is an example of catching a system call by name:
4029
4030@smallexample
4031(@value{GDBP}) catch syscall chroot
4032Catchpoint 1 (syscall 'chroot' [61])
4033(@value{GDBP}) r
4034Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4035
4036Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'chroot'), \
4037 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4038(@value{GDBP}) c
4039Continuing.
4040
4041Catchpoint 1 (returned from syscall 'chroot'), \
4042 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4043(@value{GDBP})
4044@end smallexample
4045
4046An example of specifying a system call numerically. In the case
4047below, the syscall number has a corresponding entry in the XML
4048file, so @value{GDBN} finds its name and prints it:
4049
4050@smallexample
4051(@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4052Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 'exit_group')
4053(@value{GDBP}) r
4054Starting program: /tmp/catch-syscall
4055
4056Catchpoint 1 (call to syscall 'exit_group'), \
4057 0xffffe424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
4058(@value{GDBP}) c
4059Continuing.
4060
4061Program exited normally.
4062(@value{GDBP})
4063@end smallexample
4064
4065However, there can be situations when there is no corresponding name
4066in XML file for that syscall number. In this case, @value{GDBN} prints
4067a warning message saying that it was not able to find the syscall name,
4068but the catchpoint will be set anyway. See the example below:
4069
4070@smallexample
4071(@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 764
4072warning: The number '764' does not represent a known syscall.
4073Catchpoint 2 (syscall 764)
4074(@value{GDBP})
4075@end smallexample
4076
4077If you configure @value{GDBN} using the @samp{--without-expat} option,
4078it will not be able to display syscall names. Also, if your
4079architecture does not have an XML file describing its system calls,
4080you will not be able to see the syscall names. It is important to
4081notice that these two features are used for accessing the syscall
4082name database. In either case, you will see a warning like this:
4083
4084@smallexample
4085(@value{GDBP}) catch syscall
4086warning: Could not open "syscalls/i386-linux.xml"
4087warning: Could not load the syscall XML file 'syscalls/i386-linux.xml'.
4088GDB will not be able to display syscall names.
4089Catchpoint 1 (syscall)
4090(@value{GDBP})
4091@end smallexample
4092
4093Of course, the file name will change depending on your architecture and system.
4094
4095Still using the example above, you can also try to catch a syscall by its
4096number. In this case, you would see something like:
4097
4098@smallexample
4099(@value{GDBP}) catch syscall 252
4100Catchpoint 1 (syscall(s) 252)
4101@end smallexample
4102
4103Again, in this case @value{GDBN} would not be able to display syscall's names.
4104
4105@item fork
4106A call to @code{fork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4107and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4108
4109@item vfork
4110A call to @code{vfork}. This is currently only available for HP-UX
4111and @sc{gnu}/Linux.
4112
4113@end table
4114
4115@item tcatch @var{event}
4116Set a catchpoint that is enabled only for one stop. The catchpoint is
4117automatically deleted after the first time the event is caught.
4118
4119@end table
4120
4121Use the @code{info break} command to list the current catchpoints.
4122
4123There are currently some limitations to C@t{++} exception handling
4124(@code{catch throw} and @code{catch catch}) in @value{GDBN}:
4125
4126@itemize @bullet
4127@item
4128If you call a function interactively, @value{GDBN} normally returns
4129control to you when the function has finished executing. If the call
4130raises an exception, however, the call may bypass the mechanism that
4131returns control to you and cause your program either to abort or to
4132simply continue running until it hits a breakpoint, catches a signal
4133that @value{GDBN} is listening for, or exits. This is the case even if
4134you set a catchpoint for the exception; catchpoints on exceptions are
4135disabled within interactive calls.
4136
4137@item
4138You cannot raise an exception interactively.
4139
4140@item
4141You cannot install an exception handler interactively.
4142@end itemize
4143
4144@cindex raise exceptions
4145Sometimes @code{catch} is not the best way to debug exception handling:
4146if you need to know exactly where an exception is raised, it is better to
4147stop @emph{before} the exception handler is called, since that way you
4148can see the stack before any unwinding takes place. If you set a
4149breakpoint in an exception handler instead, it may not be easy to find
4150out where the exception was raised.
4151
4152To stop just before an exception handler is called, you need some
4153knowledge of the implementation. In the case of @sc{gnu} C@t{++}, exceptions are
4154raised by calling a library function named @code{__raise_exception}
4155which has the following ANSI C interface:
4156
4157@smallexample
4158 /* @var{addr} is where the exception identifier is stored.
4159 @var{id} is the exception identifier. */
4160 void __raise_exception (void **addr, void *id);
4161@end smallexample
4162
4163@noindent
4164To make the debugger catch all exceptions before any stack
4165unwinding takes place, set a breakpoint on @code{__raise_exception}
4166(@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Exceptions}).
4167
4168With a conditional breakpoint (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions})
4169that depends on the value of @var{id}, you can stop your program when
4170a specific exception is raised. You can use multiple conditional
4171breakpoints to stop your program when any of a number of exceptions are
4172raised.
4173
4174
4175@node Delete Breaks
4176@subsection Deleting Breakpoints
4177
4178@cindex clearing breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4179@cindex deleting breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints
4180It is often necessary to eliminate a breakpoint, watchpoint, or
4181catchpoint once it has done its job and you no longer want your program
4182to stop there. This is called @dfn{deleting} the breakpoint. A
4183breakpoint that has been deleted no longer exists; it is forgotten.
4184
4185With the @code{clear} command you can delete breakpoints according to
4186where they are in your program. With the @code{delete} command you can
4187delete individual breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints by specifying
4188their breakpoint numbers.
4189
4190It is not necessary to delete a breakpoint to proceed past it. @value{GDBN}
4191automatically ignores breakpoints on the first instruction to be executed
4192when you continue execution without changing the execution address.
4193
4194@table @code
4195@kindex clear
4196@item clear
4197Delete any breakpoints at the next instruction to be executed in the
4198selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). When
4199the innermost frame is selected, this is a good way to delete a
4200breakpoint where your program just stopped.
4201
4202@item clear @var{location}
4203Delete any breakpoints set at the specified @var{location}.
4204@xref{Specify Location}, for the various forms of @var{location}; the
4205most useful ones are listed below:
4206
4207@table @code
4208@item clear @var{function}
4209@itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{function}
4210Delete any breakpoints set at entry to the named @var{function}.
4211
4212@item clear @var{linenum}
4213@itemx clear @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
4214Delete any breakpoints set at or within the code of the specified
4215@var{linenum} of the specified @var{filename}.
4216@end table
4217
4218@cindex delete breakpoints
4219@kindex delete
4220@kindex d @r{(@code{delete})}
4221@item delete @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4222Delete the breakpoints, watchpoints, or catchpoints of the breakpoint
4223ranges specified as arguments. If no argument is specified, delete all
4224breakpoints (@value{GDBN} asks confirmation, unless you have @code{set
4225confirm off}). You can abbreviate this command as @code{d}.
4226@end table
4227
4228@node Disabling
4229@subsection Disabling Breakpoints
4230
4231@cindex enable/disable a breakpoint
4232Rather than deleting a breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint, you might
4233prefer to @dfn{disable} it. This makes the breakpoint inoperative as if
4234it had been deleted, but remembers the information on the breakpoint so
4235that you can @dfn{enable} it again later.
4236
4237You disable and enable breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints with
4238the @code{enable} and @code{disable} commands, optionally specifying
4239one or more breakpoint numbers as arguments. Use @code{info break} to
4240print a list of all breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints if you
4241do not know which numbers to use.
4242
4243Disabling and enabling a breakpoint that has multiple locations
4244affects all of its locations.
4245
4246A breakpoint, watchpoint, or catchpoint can have any of four different
4247states of enablement:
4248
4249@itemize @bullet
4250@item
4251Enabled. The breakpoint stops your program. A breakpoint set
4252with the @code{break} command starts out in this state.
4253@item
4254Disabled. The breakpoint has no effect on your program.
4255@item
4256Enabled once. The breakpoint stops your program, but then becomes
4257disabled.
4258@item
4259Enabled for deletion. The breakpoint stops your program, but
4260immediately after it does so it is deleted permanently. A breakpoint
4261set with the @code{tbreak} command starts out in this state.
4262@end itemize
4263
4264You can use the following commands to enable or disable breakpoints,
4265watchpoints, and catchpoints:
4266
4267@table @code
4268@kindex disable
4269@kindex dis @r{(@code{disable})}
4270@item disable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4271Disable the specified breakpoints---or all breakpoints, if none are
4272listed. A disabled breakpoint has no effect but is not forgotten. All
4273options such as ignore-counts, conditions and commands are remembered in
4274case the breakpoint is enabled again later. You may abbreviate
4275@code{disable} as @code{dis}.
4276
4277@kindex enable
4278@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4279Enable the specified breakpoints (or all defined breakpoints). They
4280become effective once again in stopping your program.
4281
4282@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} once @var{range}@dots{}
4283Enable the specified breakpoints temporarily. @value{GDBN} disables any
4284of these breakpoints immediately after stopping your program.
4285
4286@item enable @r{[}breakpoints@r{]} delete @var{range}@dots{}
4287Enable the specified breakpoints to work once, then die. @value{GDBN}
4288deletes any of these breakpoints as soon as your program stops there.
4289Breakpoints set by the @code{tbreak} command start out in this state.
4290@end table
4291
4292@c FIXME: I think the following ``Except for [...] @code{tbreak}'' is
4293@c confusing: tbreak is also initially enabled.
4294Except for a breakpoint set with @code{tbreak} (@pxref{Set Breaks,
4295,Setting Breakpoints}), breakpoints that you set are initially enabled;
4296subsequently, they become disabled or enabled only when you use one of
4297the commands above. (The command @code{until} can set and delete a
4298breakpoint of its own, but it does not change the state of your other
4299breakpoints; see @ref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and
4300Stepping}.)
4301
4302@node Conditions
4303@subsection Break Conditions
4304@cindex conditional breakpoints
4305@cindex breakpoint conditions
4306
4307@c FIXME what is scope of break condition expr? Context where wanted?
4308@c in particular for a watchpoint?
4309The simplest sort of breakpoint breaks every time your program reaches a
4310specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for a
4311breakpoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
4312programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A breakpoint with
4313a condition evaluates the expression each time your program reaches it,
4314and your program stops only if the condition is @emph{true}.
4315
4316This is the converse of using assertions for program validation; in that
4317situation, you want to stop when the assertion is violated---that is,
4318when the condition is false. In C, if you want to test an assertion expressed
4319by the condition @var{assert}, you should set the condition
4320@samp{! @var{assert}} on the appropriate breakpoint.
4321
4322Conditions are also accepted for watchpoints; you may not need them,
4323since a watchpoint is inspecting the value of an expression anyhow---but
4324it might be simpler, say, to just set a watchpoint on a variable name,
4325and specify a condition that tests whether the new value is an interesting
4326one.
4327
4328Break conditions can have side effects, and may even call functions in
4329your program. This can be useful, for example, to activate functions
4330that log program progress, or to use your own print functions to
4331format special data structures. The effects are completely predictable
4332unless there is another enabled breakpoint at the same address. (In
4333that case, @value{GDBN} might see the other breakpoint first and stop your
4334program without checking the condition of this one.) Note that
4335breakpoint commands are usually more convenient and flexible than break
4336conditions for the
4337purpose of performing side effects when a breakpoint is reached
4338(@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}).
4339
4340Break conditions can be specified when a breakpoint is set, by using
4341@samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{break} command. @xref{Set
4342Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}. They can also be changed at any time
4343with the @code{condition} command.
4344
4345You can also use the @code{if} keyword with the @code{watch} command.
4346The @code{catch} command does not recognize the @code{if} keyword;
4347@code{condition} is the only way to impose a further condition on a
4348catchpoint.
4349
4350@table @code
4351@kindex condition
4352@item condition @var{bnum} @var{expression}
4353Specify @var{expression} as the break condition for breakpoint,
4354watchpoint, or catchpoint number @var{bnum}. After you set a condition,
4355breakpoint @var{bnum} stops your program only if the value of
4356@var{expression} is true (nonzero, in C). When you use
4357@code{condition}, @value{GDBN} checks @var{expression} immediately for
4358syntactic correctness, and to determine whether symbols in it have
4359referents in the context of your breakpoint. If @var{expression} uses
4360symbols not referenced in the context of the breakpoint, @value{GDBN}
4361prints an error message:
4362
4363@smallexample
4364No symbol "foo" in current context.
4365@end smallexample
4366
4367@noindent
4368@value{GDBN} does
4369not actually evaluate @var{expression} at the time the @code{condition}
4370command (or a command that sets a breakpoint with a condition, like
4371@code{break if @dots{}}) is given, however. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
4372
4373@item condition @var{bnum}
4374Remove the condition from breakpoint number @var{bnum}. It becomes
4375an ordinary unconditional breakpoint.
4376@end table
4377
4378@cindex ignore count (of breakpoint)
4379A special case of a breakpoint condition is to stop only when the
4380breakpoint has been reached a certain number of times. This is so
4381useful that there is a special way to do it, using the @dfn{ignore
4382count} of the breakpoint. Every breakpoint has an ignore count, which
4383is an integer. Most of the time, the ignore count is zero, and
4384therefore has no effect. But if your program reaches a breakpoint whose
4385ignore count is positive, then instead of stopping, it just decrements
4386the ignore count by one and continues. As a result, if the ignore count
4387value is @var{n}, the breakpoint does not stop the next @var{n} times
4388your program reaches it.
4389
4390@table @code
4391@kindex ignore
4392@item ignore @var{bnum} @var{count}
4393Set the ignore count of breakpoint number @var{bnum} to @var{count}.
4394The next @var{count} times the breakpoint is reached, your program's
4395execution does not stop; other than to decrement the ignore count, @value{GDBN}
4396takes no action.
4397
4398To make the breakpoint stop the next time it is reached, specify
4399a count of zero.
4400
4401When you use @code{continue} to resume execution of your program from a
4402breakpoint, you can specify an ignore count directly as an argument to
4403@code{continue}, rather than using @code{ignore}. @xref{Continuing and
4404Stepping,,Continuing and Stepping}.
4405
4406If a breakpoint has a positive ignore count and a condition, the
4407condition is not checked. Once the ignore count reaches zero,
4408@value{GDBN} resumes checking the condition.
4409
4410You could achieve the effect of the ignore count with a condition such
4411as @w{@samp{$foo-- <= 0}} using a debugger convenience variable that
4412is decremented each time. @xref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
4413Variables}.
4414@end table
4415
4416Ignore counts apply to breakpoints, watchpoints, and catchpoints.
4417
4418
4419@node Break Commands
4420@subsection Breakpoint Command Lists
4421
4422@cindex breakpoint commands
4423You can give any breakpoint (or watchpoint or catchpoint) a series of
4424commands to execute when your program stops due to that breakpoint. For
4425example, you might want to print the values of certain expressions, or
4426enable other breakpoints.
4427
4428@table @code
4429@kindex commands
4430@kindex end@r{ (breakpoint commands)}
4431@item commands @r{[}@var{range}@dots{}@r{]}
4432@itemx @dots{} @var{command-list} @dots{}
4433@itemx end
4434Specify a list of commands for the given breakpoints. The commands
4435themselves appear on the following lines. Type a line containing just
4436@code{end} to terminate the commands.
4437
4438To remove all commands from a breakpoint, type @code{commands} and
4439follow it immediately with @code{end}; that is, give no commands.
4440
4441With no argument, @code{commands} refers to the last breakpoint,
4442watchpoint, or catchpoint set (not to the breakpoint most recently
4443encountered). If the most recent breakpoints were set with a single
4444command, then the @code{commands} will apply to all the breakpoints
4445set by that command. This applies to breakpoints set by
4446@code{rbreak}, and also applies when a single @code{break} command
4447creates multiple breakpoints (@pxref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous
4448Expressions}).
4449@end table
4450
4451Pressing @key{RET} as a means of repeating the last @value{GDBN} command is
4452disabled within a @var{command-list}.
4453
4454You can use breakpoint commands to start your program up again. Simply
4455use the @code{continue} command, or @code{step}, or any other command
4456that resumes execution.
4457
4458Any other commands in the command list, after a command that resumes
4459execution, are ignored. This is because any time you resume execution
4460(even with a simple @code{next} or @code{step}), you may encounter
4461another breakpoint---which could have its own command list, leading to
4462ambiguities about which list to execute.
4463
4464@kindex silent
4465If the first command you specify in a command list is @code{silent}, the
4466usual message about stopping at a breakpoint is not printed. This may
4467be desirable for breakpoints that are to print a specific message and
4468then continue. If none of the remaining commands print anything, you
4469see no sign that the breakpoint was reached. @code{silent} is
4470meaningful only at the beginning of a breakpoint command list.
4471
4472The commands @code{echo}, @code{output}, and @code{printf} allow you to
4473print precisely controlled output, and are often useful in silent
4474breakpoints. @xref{Output, ,Commands for Controlled Output}.
4475
4476For example, here is how you could use breakpoint commands to print the
4477value of @code{x} at entry to @code{foo} whenever @code{x} is positive.
4478
4479@smallexample
4480break foo if x>0
4481commands
4482silent
4483printf "x is %d\n",x
4484cont
4485end
4486@end smallexample
4487
4488One application for breakpoint commands is to compensate for one bug so
4489you can test for another. Put a breakpoint just after the erroneous line
4490of code, give it a condition to detect the case in which something
4491erroneous has been done, and give it commands to assign correct values
4492to any variables that need them. End with the @code{continue} command
4493so that your program does not stop, and start with the @code{silent}
4494command so that no output is produced. Here is an example:
4495
4496@smallexample
4497break 403
4498commands
4499silent
4500set x = y + 4
4501cont
4502end
4503@end smallexample
4504
4505@node Save Breakpoints
4506@subsection How to save breakpoints to a file
4507
4508To save breakpoint definitions to a file use the @w{@code{save
4509breakpoints}} command.
4510
4511@table @code
4512@kindex save breakpoints
4513@cindex save breakpoints to a file for future sessions
4514@item save breakpoints [@var{filename}]
4515This command saves all current breakpoint definitions together with
4516their commands and ignore counts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
4517suitable for use in a later debugging session. This includes all
4518types of breakpoints (breakpoints, watchpoints, catchpoints,
4519tracepoints). To read the saved breakpoint definitions, use the
4520@code{source} command (@pxref{Command Files}). Note that watchpoints
4521with expressions involving local variables may fail to be recreated
4522because it may not be possible to access the context where the
4523watchpoint is valid anymore. Because the saved breakpoint definitions
4524are simply a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands that recreate the
4525breakpoints, you can edit the file in your favorite editing program,
4526and remove the breakpoint definitions you're not interested in, or
4527that can no longer be recreated.
4528@end table
4529
4530@c @ifclear BARETARGET
4531@node Error in Breakpoints
4532@subsection ``Cannot insert breakpoints''
4533
4534If you request too many active hardware-assisted breakpoints and
4535watchpoints, you will see this error message:
4536
4537@c FIXME: the precise wording of this message may change; the relevant
4538@c source change is not committed yet (Sep 3, 1999).
4539@smallexample
4540Stopped; cannot insert breakpoints.
4541You may have requested too many hardware breakpoints and watchpoints.
4542@end smallexample
4543
4544@noindent
4545This message is printed when you attempt to resume the program, since
4546only then @value{GDBN} knows exactly how many hardware breakpoints and
4547watchpoints it needs to insert.
4548
4549When this message is printed, you need to disable or remove some of the
4550hardware-assisted breakpoints and watchpoints, and then continue.
4551
4552@node Breakpoint-related Warnings
4553@subsection ``Breakpoint address adjusted...''
4554@cindex breakpoint address adjusted
4555
4556Some processor architectures place constraints on the addresses at
4557which breakpoints may be placed. For architectures thus constrained,
4558@value{GDBN} will attempt to adjust the breakpoint's address to comply
4559with the constraints dictated by the architecture.
4560
4561One example of such an architecture is the Fujitsu FR-V. The FR-V is
4562a VLIW architecture in which a number of RISC-like instructions may be
4563bundled together for parallel execution. The FR-V architecture
4564constrains the location of a breakpoint instruction within such a
4565bundle to the instruction with the lowest address. @value{GDBN}
4566honors this constraint by adjusting a breakpoint's address to the
4567first in the bundle.
4568
4569It is not uncommon for optimized code to have bundles which contain
4570instructions from different source statements, thus it may happen that
4571a breakpoint's address will be adjusted from one source statement to
4572another. Since this adjustment may significantly alter @value{GDBN}'s
4573breakpoint related behavior from what the user expects, a warning is
4574printed when the breakpoint is first set and also when the breakpoint
4575is hit.
4576
4577A warning like the one below is printed when setting a breakpoint
4578that's been subject to address adjustment:
4579
4580@smallexample
4581warning: Breakpoint address adjusted from 0x00010414 to 0x00010410.
4582@end smallexample
4583
4584Such warnings are printed both for user settable and @value{GDBN}'s
4585internal breakpoints. If you see one of these warnings, you should
4586verify that a breakpoint set at the adjusted address will have the
4587desired affect. If not, the breakpoint in question may be removed and
4588other breakpoints may be set which will have the desired behavior.
4589E.g., it may be sufficient to place the breakpoint at a later
4590instruction. A conditional breakpoint may also be useful in some
4591cases to prevent the breakpoint from triggering too often.
4592
4593@value{GDBN} will also issue a warning when stopping at one of these
4594adjusted breakpoints:
4595
4596@smallexample
4597warning: Breakpoint 1 address previously adjusted from 0x00010414
4598to 0x00010410.
4599@end smallexample
4600
4601When this warning is encountered, it may be too late to take remedial
4602action except in cases where the breakpoint is hit earlier or more
4603frequently than expected.
4604
4605@node Continuing and Stepping
4606@section Continuing and Stepping
4607
4608@cindex stepping
4609@cindex continuing
4610@cindex resuming execution
4611@dfn{Continuing} means resuming program execution until your program
4612completes normally. In contrast, @dfn{stepping} means executing just
4613one more ``step'' of your program, where ``step'' may mean either one
4614line of source code, or one machine instruction (depending on what
4615particular command you use). Either when continuing or when stepping,
4616your program may stop even sooner, due to a breakpoint or a signal. (If
4617it stops due to a signal, you may want to use @code{handle}, or use
4618@samp{signal 0} to resume execution. @xref{Signals, ,Signals}.)
4619
4620@table @code
4621@kindex continue
4622@kindex c @r{(@code{continue})}
4623@kindex fg @r{(resume foreground execution)}
4624@item continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4625@itemx c @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4626@itemx fg @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
4627Resume program execution, at the address where your program last stopped;
4628any breakpoints set at that address are bypassed. The optional argument
4629@var{ignore-count} allows you to specify a further number of times to
4630ignore a breakpoint at this location; its effect is like that of
4631@code{ignore} (@pxref{Conditions, ,Break Conditions}).
4632
4633The argument @var{ignore-count} is meaningful only when your program
4634stopped due to a breakpoint. At other times, the argument to
4635@code{continue} is ignored.
4636
4637The synonyms @code{c} and @code{fg} (for @dfn{foreground}, as the
4638debugged program is deemed to be the foreground program) are provided
4639purely for convenience, and have exactly the same behavior as
4640@code{continue}.
4641@end table
4642
4643To resume execution at a different place, you can use @code{return}
4644(@pxref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}) to go back to the
4645calling function; or @code{jump} (@pxref{Jumping, ,Continuing at a
4646Different Address}) to go to an arbitrary location in your program.
4647
4648A typical technique for using stepping is to set a breakpoint
4649(@pxref{Breakpoints, ,Breakpoints; Watchpoints; and Catchpoints}) at the
4650beginning of the function or the section of your program where a problem
4651is believed to lie, run your program until it stops at that breakpoint,
4652and then step through the suspect area, examining the variables that are
4653interesting, until you see the problem happen.
4654
4655@table @code
4656@kindex step
4657@kindex s @r{(@code{step})}
4658@item step
4659Continue running your program until control reaches a different source
4660line, then stop it and return control to @value{GDBN}. This command is
4661abbreviated @code{s}.
4662
4663@quotation
4664@c "without debugging information" is imprecise; actually "without line
4665@c numbers in the debugging information". (gcc -g1 has debugging info but
4666@c not line numbers). But it seems complex to try to make that
4667@c distinction here.
4668@emph{Warning:} If you use the @code{step} command while control is
4669within a function that was compiled without debugging information,
4670execution proceeds until control reaches a function that does have
4671debugging information. Likewise, it will not step into a function which
4672is compiled without debugging information. To step through functions
4673without debugging information, use the @code{stepi} command, described
4674below.
4675@end quotation
4676
4677The @code{step} command only stops at the first instruction of a source
4678line. This prevents the multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
4679@code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc. @code{step} continues
4680to stop if a function that has debugging information is called within
4681the line. In other words, @code{step} @emph{steps inside} any functions
4682called within the line.
4683
4684Also, the @code{step} command only enters a function if there is line
4685number information for the function. Otherwise it acts like the
4686@code{next} command. This avoids problems when using @code{cc -gl}
4687on MIPS machines. Previously, @code{step} entered subroutines if there
4688was any debugging information about the routine.
4689
4690@item step @var{count}
4691Continue running as in @code{step}, but do so @var{count} times. If a
4692breakpoint is reached, or a signal not related to stepping occurs before
4693@var{count} steps, stepping stops right away.
4694
4695@kindex next
4696@kindex n @r{(@code{next})}
4697@item next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
4698Continue to the next source line in the current (innermost) stack frame.
4699This is similar to @code{step}, but function calls that appear within
4700the line of code are executed without stopping. Execution stops when
4701control reaches a different line of code at the original stack level
4702that was executing when you gave the @code{next} command. This command
4703is abbreviated @code{n}.
4704
4705An argument @var{count} is a repeat count, as for @code{step}.
4706
4707
4708@c FIX ME!! Do we delete this, or is there a way it fits in with
4709@c the following paragraph? --- Vctoria
4710@c
4711@c @code{next} within a function that lacks debugging information acts like
4712@c @code{step}, but any function calls appearing within the code of the
4713@c function are executed without stopping.
4714
4715The @code{next} command only stops at the first instruction of a
4716source line. This prevents multiple stops that could otherwise occur in
4717@code{switch} statements, @code{for} loops, etc.
4718
4719@kindex set step-mode
4720@item set step-mode
4721@cindex functions without line info, and stepping
4722@cindex stepping into functions with no line info
4723@itemx set step-mode on
4724The @code{set step-mode on} command causes the @code{step} command to
4725stop at the first instruction of a function which contains no debug line
4726information rather than stepping over it.
4727
4728This is useful in cases where you may be interested in inspecting the
4729machine instructions of a function which has no symbolic info and do not
4730want @value{GDBN} to automatically skip over this function.
4731
4732@item set step-mode off
4733Causes the @code{step} command to step over any functions which contains no
4734debug information. This is the default.
4735
4736@item show step-mode
4737Show whether @value{GDBN} will stop in or step over functions without
4738source line debug information.
4739
4740@kindex finish
4741@kindex fin @r{(@code{finish})}
4742@item finish
4743Continue running until just after function in the selected stack frame
4744returns. Print the returned value (if any). This command can be
4745abbreviated as @code{fin}.
4746
4747Contrast this with the @code{return} command (@pxref{Returning,
4748,Returning from a Function}).
4749
4750@kindex until
4751@kindex u @r{(@code{until})}
4752@cindex run until specified location
4753@item until
4754@itemx u
4755Continue running until a source line past the current line, in the
4756current stack frame, is reached. This command is used to avoid single
4757stepping through a loop more than once. It is like the @code{next}
4758command, except that when @code{until} encounters a jump, it
4759automatically continues execution until the program counter is greater
4760than the address of the jump.
4761
4762This means that when you reach the end of a loop after single stepping
4763though it, @code{until} makes your program continue execution until it
4764exits the loop. In contrast, a @code{next} command at the end of a loop
4765simply steps back to the beginning of the loop, which forces you to step
4766through the next iteration.
4767
4768@code{until} always stops your program if it attempts to exit the current
4769stack frame.
4770
4771@code{until} may produce somewhat counterintuitive results if the order
4772of machine code does not match the order of the source lines. For
4773example, in the following excerpt from a debugging session, the @code{f}
4774(@code{frame}) command shows that execution is stopped at line
4775@code{206}; yet when we use @code{until}, we get to line @code{195}:
4776
4777@smallexample
4778(@value{GDBP}) f
4779#0 main (argc=4, argv=0xf7fffae8) at m4.c:206
4780206 expand_input();
4781(@value{GDBP}) until
4782195 for ( ; argc > 0; NEXTARG) @{
4783@end smallexample
4784
4785This happened because, for execution efficiency, the compiler had
4786generated code for the loop closure test at the end, rather than the
4787start, of the loop---even though the test in a C @code{for}-loop is
4788written before the body of the loop. The @code{until} command appeared
4789to step back to the beginning of the loop when it advanced to this
4790expression; however, it has not really gone to an earlier
4791statement---not in terms of the actual machine code.
4792
4793@code{until} with no argument works by means of single
4794instruction stepping, and hence is slower than @code{until} with an
4795argument.
4796
4797@item until @var{location}
4798@itemx u @var{location}
4799Continue running your program until either the specified location is
4800reached, or the current stack frame returns. @var{location} is any of
4801the forms described in @ref{Specify Location}.
4802This form of the command uses temporary breakpoints, and
4803hence is quicker than @code{until} without an argument. The specified
4804location is actually reached only if it is in the current frame. This
4805implies that @code{until} can be used to skip over recursive function
4806invocations. For instance in the code below, if the current location is
4807line @code{96}, issuing @code{until 99} will execute the program up to
4808line @code{99} in the same invocation of factorial, i.e., after the inner
4809invocations have returned.
4810
4811@smallexample
481294 int factorial (int value)
481395 @{
481496 if (value > 1) @{
481597 value *= factorial (value - 1);
481698 @}
481799 return (value);
4818100 @}
4819@end smallexample
4820
4821
4822@kindex advance @var{location}
4823@itemx advance @var{location}
4824Continue running the program up to the given @var{location}. An argument is
4825required, which should be of one of the forms described in
4826@ref{Specify Location}.
4827Execution will also stop upon exit from the current stack
4828frame. This command is similar to @code{until}, but @code{advance} will
4829not skip over recursive function calls, and the target location doesn't
4830have to be in the same frame as the current one.
4831
4832
4833@kindex stepi
4834@kindex si @r{(@code{stepi})}
4835@item stepi
4836@itemx stepi @var{arg}
4837@itemx si
4838Execute one machine instruction, then stop and return to the debugger.
4839
4840It is often useful to do @samp{display/i $pc} when stepping by machine
4841instructions. This makes @value{GDBN} automatically display the next
4842instruction to be executed, each time your program stops. @xref{Auto
4843Display,, Automatic Display}.
4844
4845An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{step}.
4846
4847@need 750
4848@kindex nexti
4849@kindex ni @r{(@code{nexti})}
4850@item nexti
4851@itemx nexti @var{arg}
4852@itemx ni
4853Execute one machine instruction, but if it is a function call,
4854proceed until the function returns.
4855
4856An argument is a repeat count, as in @code{next}.
4857@end table
4858
4859@node Skipping Over Functions and Files
4860@section Skipping Over Functions and Files
4861@cindex skipping over functions and files
4862
4863The program you are debugging may contain some functions which are
4864uninteresting to debug. The @code{skip} comand lets you tell @value{GDBN} to
4865skip a function or all functions in a file when stepping.
4866
4867For example, consider the following C function:
4868
4869@smallexample
4870101 int func()
4871102 @{
4872103 foo(boring());
4873104 bar(boring());
4874105 @}
4875@end smallexample
4876
4877@noindent
4878Suppose you wish to step into the functions @code{foo} and @code{bar}, but you
4879are not interested in stepping through @code{boring}. If you run @code{step}
4880at line 103, you'll enter @code{boring()}, but if you run @code{next}, you'll
4881step over both @code{foo} and @code{boring}!
4882
4883One solution is to @code{step} into @code{boring} and use the @code{finish}
4884command to immediately exit it. But this can become tedious if @code{boring}
4885is called from many places.
4886
4887A more flexible solution is to execute @kbd{skip boring}. This instructs
4888@value{GDBN} never to step into @code{boring}. Now when you execute
4889@code{step} at line 103, you'll step over @code{boring} and directly into
4890@code{foo}.
4891
4892You can also instruct @value{GDBN} to skip all functions in a file, with, for
4893example, @code{skip file boring.c}.
4894
4895@table @code
4896@kindex skip function
4897@item skip @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
4898@itemx skip function @r{[}@var{linespec}@r{]}
4899After running this command, the function named by @var{linespec} or the
4900function containing the line named by @var{linespec} will be skipped over when
4901stepping. @xref{Specify Location}.
4902
4903If you do not specify @var{linespec}, the function you're currently debugging
4904will be skipped.
4905
4906(If you have a function called @code{file} that you want to skip, use
4907@kbd{skip function file}.)
4908
4909@kindex skip file
4910@item skip file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
4911After running this command, any function whose source lives in @var{filename}
4912will be skipped over when stepping.
4913
4914If you do not specify @var{filename}, functions whose source lives in the file
4915you're currently debugging will be skipped.
4916@end table
4917
4918Skips can be listed, deleted, disabled, and enabled, much like breakpoints.
4919These are the commands for managing your list of skips:
4920
4921@table @code
4922@kindex info skip
4923@item info skip @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4924Print details about the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified,
4925print a table with details about all functions and files marked for skipping.
4926@code{info skip} prints the following information about each skip:
4927
4928@table @emph
4929@item Identifier
4930A number identifying this skip.
4931@item Type
4932The type of this skip, either @samp{function} or @samp{file}.
4933@item Enabled or Disabled
4934Enabled skips are marked with @samp{y}. Disabled skips are marked with @samp{n}.
4935@item Address
4936For function skips, this column indicates the address in memory of the function
4937being skipped. If you've set a function skip on a function which has not yet
4938been loaded, this field will contain @samp{<PENDING>}. Once a shared library
4939which has the function is loaded, @code{info skip} will show the function's
4940address here.
4941@item What
4942For file skips, this field contains the filename being skipped. For functions
4943skips, this field contains the function name and its line number in the file
4944where it is defined.
4945@end table
4946
4947@kindex skip delete
4948@item skip delete @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4949Delete the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, delete all
4950skips.
4951
4952@kindex skip enable
4953@item skip enable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4954Enable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, enable all
4955skips.
4956
4957@kindex skip disable
4958@item skip disable @r{[}@var{range}@r{]}
4959Disable the specified skip(s). If @var{range} is not specified, disable all
4960skips.
4961
4962@end table
4963
4964@node Signals
4965@section Signals
4966@cindex signals
4967
4968A signal is an asynchronous event that can happen in a program. The
4969operating system defines the possible kinds of signals, and gives each
4970kind a name and a number. For example, in Unix @code{SIGINT} is the
4971signal a program gets when you type an interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c});
4972@code{SIGSEGV} is the signal a program gets from referencing a place in
4973memory far away from all the areas in use; @code{SIGALRM} occurs when
4974the alarm clock timer goes off (which happens only if your program has
4975requested an alarm).
4976
4977@cindex fatal signals
4978Some signals, including @code{SIGALRM}, are a normal part of the
4979functioning of your program. Others, such as @code{SIGSEGV}, indicate
4980errors; these signals are @dfn{fatal} (they kill your program immediately) if the
4981program has not specified in advance some other way to handle the signal.
4982@code{SIGINT} does not indicate an error in your program, but it is normally
4983fatal so it can carry out the purpose of the interrupt: to kill the program.
4984
4985@value{GDBN} has the ability to detect any occurrence of a signal in your
4986program. You can tell @value{GDBN} in advance what to do for each kind of
4987signal.
4988
4989@cindex handling signals
4990Normally, @value{GDBN} is set up to let the non-erroneous signals like
4991@code{SIGALRM} be silently passed to your program
4992(so as not to interfere with their role in the program's functioning)
4993but to stop your program immediately whenever an error signal happens.
4994You can change these settings with the @code{handle} command.
4995
4996@table @code
4997@kindex info signals
4998@kindex info handle
4999@item info signals
5000@itemx info handle
5001Print a table of all the kinds of signals and how @value{GDBN} has been told to
5002handle each one. You can use this to see the signal numbers of all
5003the defined types of signals.
5004
5005@item info signals @var{sig}
5006Similar, but print information only about the specified signal number.
5007
5008@code{info handle} is an alias for @code{info signals}.
5009
5010@kindex handle
5011@item handle @var{signal} @r{[}@var{keywords}@dots{}@r{]}
5012Change the way @value{GDBN} handles signal @var{signal}. @var{signal}
5013can be the number of a signal or its name (with or without the
5014@samp{SIG} at the beginning); a list of signal numbers of the form
5015@samp{@var{low}-@var{high}}; or the word @samp{all}, meaning all the
5016known signals. Optional arguments @var{keywords}, described below,
5017say what change to make.
5018@end table
5019
5020@c @group
5021The keywords allowed by the @code{handle} command can be abbreviated.
5022Their full names are:
5023
5024@table @code
5025@item nostop
5026@value{GDBN} should not stop your program when this signal happens. It may
5027still print a message telling you that the signal has come in.
5028
5029@item stop
5030@value{GDBN} should stop your program when this signal happens. This implies
5031the @code{print} keyword as well.
5032
5033@item print
5034@value{GDBN} should print a message when this signal happens.
5035
5036@item noprint
5037@value{GDBN} should not mention the occurrence of the signal at all. This
5038implies the @code{nostop} keyword as well.
5039
5040@item pass
5041@itemx noignore
5042@value{GDBN} should allow your program to see this signal; your program
5043can handle the signal, or else it may terminate if the signal is fatal
5044and not handled. @code{pass} and @code{noignore} are synonyms.
5045
5046@item nopass
5047@itemx ignore
5048@value{GDBN} should not allow your program to see this signal.
5049@code{nopass} and @code{ignore} are synonyms.
5050@end table
5051@c @end group
5052
5053When a signal stops your program, the signal is not visible to the
5054program until you
5055continue. Your program sees the signal then, if @code{pass} is in
5056effect for the signal in question @emph{at that time}. In other words,
5057after @value{GDBN} reports a signal, you can use the @code{handle}
5058command with @code{pass} or @code{nopass} to control whether your
5059program sees that signal when you continue.
5060
5061The default is set to @code{nostop}, @code{noprint}, @code{pass} for
5062non-erroneous signals such as @code{SIGALRM}, @code{SIGWINCH} and
5063@code{SIGCHLD}, and to @code{stop}, @code{print}, @code{pass} for the
5064erroneous signals.
5065
5066You can also use the @code{signal} command to prevent your program from
5067seeing a signal, or cause it to see a signal it normally would not see,
5068or to give it any signal at any time. For example, if your program stopped
5069due to some sort of memory reference error, you might store correct
5070values into the erroneous variables and continue, hoping to see more
5071execution; but your program would probably terminate immediately as
5072a result of the fatal signal once it saw the signal. To prevent this,
5073you can continue with @samp{signal 0}. @xref{Signaling, ,Giving your
5074Program a Signal}.
5075
5076@cindex extra signal information
5077@anchor{extra signal information}
5078
5079On some targets, @value{GDBN} can inspect extra signal information
5080associated with the intercepted signal, before it is actually
5081delivered to the program being debugged. This information is exported
5082by the convenience variable @code{$_siginfo}, and consists of data
5083that is passed by the kernel to the signal handler at the time of the
5084receipt of a signal. The data type of the information itself is
5085target dependent. You can see the data type using the @code{ptype
5086$_siginfo} command. On Unix systems, it typically corresponds to the
5087standard @code{siginfo_t} type, as defined in the @file{signal.h}
5088system header.
5089
5090Here's an example, on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, printing the stray
5091referenced address that raised a segmentation fault.
5092
5093@smallexample
5094@group
5095(@value{GDBP}) continue
5096Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
50970x0000000000400766 in main ()
509869 *(int *)p = 0;
5099(@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo
5100type = struct @{
5101 int si_signo;
5102 int si_errno;
5103 int si_code;
5104 union @{
5105 int _pad[28];
5106 struct @{...@} _kill;
5107 struct @{...@} _timer;
5108 struct @{...@} _rt;
5109 struct @{...@} _sigchld;
5110 struct @{...@} _sigfault;
5111 struct @{...@} _sigpoll;
5112 @} _sifields;
5113@}
5114(@value{GDBP}) ptype $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault
5115type = struct @{
5116 void *si_addr;
5117@}
5118(@value{GDBP}) p $_siginfo._sifields._sigfault.si_addr
5119$1 = (void *) 0x7ffff7ff7000
5120@end group
5121@end smallexample
5122
5123Depending on target support, @code{$_siginfo} may also be writable.
5124
5125@node Thread Stops
5126@section Stopping and Starting Multi-thread Programs
5127
5128@cindex stopped threads
5129@cindex threads, stopped
5130
5131@cindex continuing threads
5132@cindex threads, continuing
5133
5134@value{GDBN} supports debugging programs with multiple threads
5135(@pxref{Threads,, Debugging Programs with Multiple Threads}). There
5136are two modes of controlling execution of your program within the
5137debugger. In the default mode, referred to as @dfn{all-stop mode},
5138when any thread in your program stops (for example, at a breakpoint
5139or while being stepped), all other threads in the program are also stopped by
5140@value{GDBN}. On some targets, @value{GDBN} also supports
5141@dfn{non-stop mode}, in which other threads can continue to run freely while
5142you examine the stopped thread in the debugger.
5143
5144@menu
5145* All-Stop Mode:: All threads stop when GDB takes control
5146* Non-Stop Mode:: Other threads continue to execute
5147* Background Execution:: Running your program asynchronously
5148* Thread-Specific Breakpoints:: Controlling breakpoints
5149* Interrupted System Calls:: GDB may interfere with system calls
5150* Observer Mode:: GDB does not alter program behavior
5151@end menu
5152
5153@node All-Stop Mode
5154@subsection All-Stop Mode
5155
5156@cindex all-stop mode
5157
5158In all-stop mode, whenever your program stops under @value{GDBN} for any reason,
5159@emph{all} threads of execution stop, not just the current thread. This
5160allows you to examine the overall state of the program, including
5161switching between threads, without worrying that things may change
5162underfoot.
5163
5164Conversely, whenever you restart the program, @emph{all} threads start
5165executing. @emph{This is true even when single-stepping} with commands
5166like @code{step} or @code{next}.
5167
5168In particular, @value{GDBN} cannot single-step all threads in lockstep.
5169Since thread scheduling is up to your debugging target's operating
5170system (not controlled by @value{GDBN}), other threads may
5171execute more than one statement while the current thread completes a
5172single step. Moreover, in general other threads stop in the middle of a
5173statement, rather than at a clean statement boundary, when the program
5174stops.
5175
5176You might even find your program stopped in another thread after
5177continuing or even single-stepping. This happens whenever some other
5178thread runs into a breakpoint, a signal, or an exception before the
5179first thread completes whatever you requested.
5180
5181@cindex automatic thread selection
5182@cindex switching threads automatically
5183@cindex threads, automatic switching
5184Whenever @value{GDBN} stops your program, due to a breakpoint or a
5185signal, it automatically selects the thread where that breakpoint or
5186signal happened. @value{GDBN} alerts you to the context switch with a
5187message such as @samp{[Switching to Thread @var{n}]} to identify the
5188thread.
5189
5190On some OSes, you can modify @value{GDBN}'s default behavior by
5191locking the OS scheduler to allow only a single thread to run.
5192
5193@table @code
5194@item set scheduler-locking @var{mode}
5195@cindex scheduler locking mode
5196@cindex lock scheduler
5197Set the scheduler locking mode. If it is @code{off}, then there is no
5198locking and any thread may run at any time. If @code{on}, then only the
5199current thread may run when the inferior is resumed. The @code{step}
5200mode optimizes for single-stepping; it prevents other threads
5201from preempting the current thread while you are stepping, so that
5202the focus of debugging does not change unexpectedly.
5203Other threads only rarely (or never) get a chance to run
5204when you step. They are more likely to run when you @samp{next} over a
5205function call, and they are completely free to run when you use commands
5206like @samp{continue}, @samp{until}, or @samp{finish}. However, unless another
5207thread hits a breakpoint during its timeslice, @value{GDBN} does not change
5208the current thread away from the thread that you are debugging.
5209
5210@item show scheduler-locking
5211Display the current scheduler locking mode.
5212@end table
5213
5214@cindex resume threads of multiple processes simultaneously
5215By default, when you issue one of the execution commands such as
5216@code{continue}, @code{next} or @code{step}, @value{GDBN} allows only
5217threads of the current inferior to run. For example, if @value{GDBN}
5218is attached to two inferiors, each with two threads, the
5219@code{continue} command resumes only the two threads of the current
5220inferior. This is useful, for example, when you debug a program that
5221forks and you want to hold the parent stopped (so that, for instance,
5222it doesn't run to exit), while you debug the child. In other
5223situations, you may not be interested in inspecting the current state
5224of any of the processes @value{GDBN} is attached to, and you may want
5225to resume them all until some breakpoint is hit. In the latter case,
5226you can instruct @value{GDBN} to allow all threads of all the
5227inferiors to run with the @w{@code{set schedule-multiple}} command.
5228
5229@table @code
5230@kindex set schedule-multiple
5231@item set schedule-multiple
5232Set the mode for allowing threads of multiple processes to be resumed
5233when an execution command is issued. When @code{on}, all threads of
5234all processes are allowed to run. When @code{off}, only the threads
5235of the current process are resumed. The default is @code{off}. The
5236@code{scheduler-locking} mode takes precedence when set to @code{on},
5237or while you are stepping and set to @code{step}.
5238
5239@item show schedule-multiple
5240Display the current mode for resuming the execution of threads of
5241multiple processes.
5242@end table
5243
5244@node Non-Stop Mode
5245@subsection Non-Stop Mode
5246
5247@cindex non-stop mode
5248
5249@c This section is really only a place-holder, and needs to be expanded
5250@c with more details.
5251
5252For some multi-threaded targets, @value{GDBN} supports an optional
5253mode of operation in which you can examine stopped program threads in
5254the debugger while other threads continue to execute freely. This
5255minimizes intrusion when debugging live systems, such as programs
5256where some threads have real-time constraints or must continue to
5257respond to external events. This is referred to as @dfn{non-stop} mode.
5258
5259In non-stop mode, when a thread stops to report a debugging event,
5260@emph{only} that thread is stopped; @value{GDBN} does not stop other
5261threads as well, in contrast to the all-stop mode behavior. Additionally,
5262execution commands such as @code{continue} and @code{step} apply by default
5263only to the current thread in non-stop mode, rather than all threads as
5264in all-stop mode. This allows you to control threads explicitly in
5265ways that are not possible in all-stop mode --- for example, stepping
5266one thread while allowing others to run freely, stepping
5267one thread while holding all others stopped, or stepping several threads
5268independently and simultaneously.
5269
5270To enter non-stop mode, use this sequence of commands before you run
5271or attach to your program:
5272
5273@smallexample
5274# Enable the async interface.
5275set target-async 1
5276
5277# If using the CLI, pagination breaks non-stop.
5278set pagination off
5279
5280# Finally, turn it on!
5281set non-stop on
5282@end smallexample
5283
5284You can use these commands to manipulate the non-stop mode setting:
5285
5286@table @code
5287@kindex set non-stop
5288@item set non-stop on
5289Enable selection of non-stop mode.
5290@item set non-stop off
5291Disable selection of non-stop mode.
5292@kindex show non-stop
5293@item show non-stop
5294Show the current non-stop enablement setting.
5295@end table
5296
5297Note these commands only reflect whether non-stop mode is enabled,
5298not whether the currently-executing program is being run in non-stop mode.
5299In particular, the @code{set non-stop} preference is only consulted when
5300@value{GDBN} starts or connects to the target program, and it is generally
5301not possible to switch modes once debugging has started. Furthermore,
5302since not all targets support non-stop mode, even when you have enabled
5303non-stop mode, @value{GDBN} may still fall back to all-stop operation by
5304default.
5305
5306In non-stop mode, all execution commands apply only to the current thread
5307by default. That is, @code{continue} only continues one thread.
5308To continue all threads, issue @code{continue -a} or @code{c -a}.
5309
5310You can use @value{GDBN}'s background execution commands
5311(@pxref{Background Execution}) to run some threads in the background
5312while you continue to examine or step others from @value{GDBN}.
5313The MI execution commands (@pxref{GDB/MI Program Execution}) are
5314always executed asynchronously in non-stop mode.
5315
5316Suspending execution is done with the @code{interrupt} command when
5317running in the background, or @kbd{Ctrl-c} during foreground execution.
5318In all-stop mode, this stops the whole process;
5319but in non-stop mode the interrupt applies only to the current thread.
5320To stop the whole program, use @code{interrupt -a}.
5321
5322Other execution commands do not currently support the @code{-a} option.
5323
5324In non-stop mode, when a thread stops, @value{GDBN} doesn't automatically make
5325that thread current, as it does in all-stop mode. This is because the
5326thread stop notifications are asynchronous with respect to @value{GDBN}'s
5327command interpreter, and it would be confusing if @value{GDBN} unexpectedly
5328changed to a different thread just as you entered a command to operate on the
5329previously current thread.
5330
5331@node Background Execution
5332@subsection Background Execution
5333
5334@cindex foreground execution
5335@cindex background execution
5336@cindex asynchronous execution
5337@cindex execution, foreground, background and asynchronous
5338
5339@value{GDBN}'s execution commands have two variants: the normal
5340foreground (synchronous) behavior, and a background
5341(asynchronous) behavior. In foreground execution, @value{GDBN} waits for
5342the program to report that some thread has stopped before prompting for
5343another command. In background execution, @value{GDBN} immediately gives
5344a command prompt so that you can issue other commands while your program runs.
5345
5346You need to explicitly enable asynchronous mode before you can use
5347background execution commands. You can use these commands to
5348manipulate the asynchronous mode setting:
5349
5350@table @code
5351@kindex set target-async
5352@item set target-async on
5353Enable asynchronous mode.
5354@item set target-async off
5355Disable asynchronous mode.
5356@kindex show target-async
5357@item show target-async
5358Show the current target-async setting.
5359@end table
5360
5361If the target doesn't support async mode, @value{GDBN} issues an error
5362message if you attempt to use the background execution commands.
5363
5364To specify background execution, add a @code{&} to the command. For example,
5365the background form of the @code{continue} command is @code{continue&}, or
5366just @code{c&}. The execution commands that accept background execution
5367are:
5368
5369@table @code
5370@kindex run&
5371@item run
5372@xref{Starting, , Starting your Program}.
5373
5374@item attach
5375@kindex attach&
5376@xref{Attach, , Debugging an Already-running Process}.
5377
5378@item step
5379@kindex step&
5380@xref{Continuing and Stepping, step}.
5381
5382@item stepi
5383@kindex stepi&
5384@xref{Continuing and Stepping, stepi}.
5385
5386@item next
5387@kindex next&
5388@xref{Continuing and Stepping, next}.
5389
5390@item nexti
5391@kindex nexti&
5392@xref{Continuing and Stepping, nexti}.
5393
5394@item continue
5395@kindex continue&
5396@xref{Continuing and Stepping, continue}.
5397
5398@item finish
5399@kindex finish&
5400@xref{Continuing and Stepping, finish}.
5401
5402@item until
5403@kindex until&
5404@xref{Continuing and Stepping, until}.
5405
5406@end table
5407
5408Background execution is especially useful in conjunction with non-stop
5409mode for debugging programs with multiple threads; see @ref{Non-Stop Mode}.
5410However, you can also use these commands in the normal all-stop mode with
5411the restriction that you cannot issue another execution command until the
5412previous one finishes. Examples of commands that are valid in all-stop
5413mode while the program is running include @code{help} and @code{info break}.
5414
5415You can interrupt your program while it is running in the background by
5416using the @code{interrupt} command.
5417
5418@table @code
5419@kindex interrupt
5420@item interrupt
5421@itemx interrupt -a
5422
5423Suspend execution of the running program. In all-stop mode,
5424@code{interrupt} stops the whole process, but in non-stop mode, it stops
5425only the current thread. To stop the whole program in non-stop mode,
5426use @code{interrupt -a}.
5427@end table
5428
5429@node Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5430@subsection Thread-Specific Breakpoints
5431
5432When your program has multiple threads (@pxref{Threads,, Debugging
5433Programs with Multiple Threads}), you can choose whether to set
5434breakpoints on all threads, or on a particular thread.
5435
5436@table @code
5437@cindex breakpoints and threads
5438@cindex thread breakpoints
5439@kindex break @dots{} thread @var{threadno}
5440@item break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno}
5441@itemx break @var{linespec} thread @var{threadno} if @dots{}
5442@var{linespec} specifies source lines; there are several ways of
5443writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always to
5444specify some source line.
5445
5446Use the qualifier @samp{thread @var{threadno}} with a breakpoint command
5447to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
5448particular thread reaches this breakpoint. @var{threadno} is one of the
5449numeric thread identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
5450column of the @samp{info threads} display.
5451
5452If you do not specify @samp{thread @var{threadno}} when you set a
5453breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} threads of your
5454program.
5455
5456You can use the @code{thread} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
5457well; in this case, place @samp{thread @var{threadno}} before or
5458after the breakpoint condition, like this:
5459
5460@smallexample
5461(@value{GDBP}) break frik.c:13 thread 28 if bartab > lim
5462@end smallexample
5463
5464@end table
5465
5466@node Interrupted System Calls
5467@subsection Interrupted System Calls
5468
5469@cindex thread breakpoints and system calls
5470@cindex system calls and thread breakpoints
5471@cindex premature return from system calls
5472There is an unfortunate side effect when using @value{GDBN} to debug
5473multi-threaded programs. If one thread stops for a
5474breakpoint, or for some other reason, and another thread is blocked in a
5475system call, then the system call may return prematurely. This is a
5476consequence of the interaction between multiple threads and the signals
5477that @value{GDBN} uses to implement breakpoints and other events that
5478stop execution.
5479
5480To handle this problem, your program should check the return value of
5481each system call and react appropriately. This is good programming
5482style anyways.
5483
5484For example, do not write code like this:
5485
5486@smallexample
5487 sleep (10);
5488@end smallexample
5489
5490The call to @code{sleep} will return early if a different thread stops
5491at a breakpoint or for some other reason.
5492
5493Instead, write this:
5494
5495@smallexample
5496 int unslept = 10;
5497 while (unslept > 0)
5498 unslept = sleep (unslept);
5499@end smallexample
5500
5501A system call is allowed to return early, so the system is still
5502conforming to its specification. But @value{GDBN} does cause your
5503multi-threaded program to behave differently than it would without
5504@value{GDBN}.
5505
5506Also, @value{GDBN} uses internal breakpoints in the thread library to
5507monitor certain events such as thread creation and thread destruction.
5508When such an event happens, a system call in another thread may return
5509prematurely, even though your program does not appear to stop.
5510
5511@node Observer Mode
5512@subsection Observer Mode
5513
5514If you want to build on non-stop mode and observe program behavior
5515without any chance of disruption by @value{GDBN}, you can set
5516variables to disable all of the debugger's attempts to modify state,
5517whether by writing memory, inserting breakpoints, etc. These operate
5518at a low level, intercepting operations from all commands.
5519
5520When all of these are set to @code{off}, then @value{GDBN} is said to
5521be @dfn{observer mode}. As a convenience, the variable
5522@code{observer} can be set to disable these, plus enable non-stop
5523mode.
5524
5525Note that @value{GDBN} will not prevent you from making nonsensical
5526combinations of these settings. For instance, if you have enabled
5527@code{may-insert-breakpoints} but disabled @code{may-write-memory},
5528then breakpoints that work by writing trap instructions into the code
5529stream will still not be able to be placed.
5530
5531@table @code
5532
5533@kindex observer
5534@item set observer on
5535@itemx set observer off
5536When set to @code{on}, this disables all the permission variables
5537below (except for @code{insert-fast-tracepoints}), plus enables
5538non-stop debugging. Setting this to @code{off} switches back to
5539normal debugging, though remaining in non-stop mode.
5540
5541@item show observer
5542Show whether observer mode is on or off.
5543
5544@kindex may-write-registers
5545@item set may-write-registers on
5546@itemx set may-write-registers off
5547This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the values of
5548registers, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}, or the
5549@code{jump} command. It defaults to @code{on}.
5550
5551@item show may-write-registers
5552Show the current permission to write registers.
5553
5554@kindex may-write-memory
5555@item set may-write-memory on
5556@itemx set may-write-memory off
5557This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to alter the contents
5558of memory, such as with assignment expressions in @code{print}. It
5559defaults to @code{on}.
5560
5561@item show may-write-memory
5562Show the current permission to write memory.
5563
5564@kindex may-insert-breakpoints
5565@item set may-insert-breakpoints on
5566@itemx set may-insert-breakpoints off
5567This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert breakpoints.
5568This affects all breakpoints, including internal breakpoints defined
5569by @value{GDBN}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5570
5571@item show may-insert-breakpoints
5572Show the current permission to insert breakpoints.
5573
5574@kindex may-insert-tracepoints
5575@item set may-insert-tracepoints on
5576@itemx set may-insert-tracepoints off
5577This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert (regular)
5578tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
5579non-fast tracepoints, fast tracepoints being under the control of
5580@code{may-insert-fast-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5581
5582@item show may-insert-tracepoints
5583Show the current permission to insert tracepoints.
5584
5585@kindex may-insert-fast-tracepoints
5586@item set may-insert-fast-tracepoints on
5587@itemx set may-insert-fast-tracepoints off
5588This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to insert fast
5589tracepoints at the beginning of a tracing experiment. It affects only
5590fast tracepoints, regular (non-fast) tracepoints being under the
5591control of @code{may-insert-tracepoints}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5592
5593@item show may-insert-fast-tracepoints
5594Show the current permission to insert fast tracepoints.
5595
5596@kindex may-interrupt
5597@item set may-interrupt on
5598@itemx set may-interrupt off
5599This controls whether @value{GDBN} will attempt to interrupt or stop
5600program execution. When this variable is @code{off}, the
5601@code{interrupt} command will have no effect, nor will
5602@kbd{Ctrl-c}. It defaults to @code{on}.
5603
5604@item show may-interrupt
5605Show the current permission to interrupt or stop the program.
5606
5607@end table
5608
5609@node Reverse Execution
5610@chapter Running programs backward
5611@cindex reverse execution
5612@cindex running programs backward
5613
5614When you are debugging a program, it is not unusual to realize that
5615you have gone too far, and some event of interest has already happened.
5616If the target environment supports it, @value{GDBN} can allow you to
5617``rewind'' the program by running it backward.
5618
5619A target environment that supports reverse execution should be able
5620to ``undo'' the changes in machine state that have taken place as the
5621program was executing normally. Variables, registers etc.@: should
5622revert to their previous values. Obviously this requires a great
5623deal of sophistication on the part of the target environment; not
5624all target environments can support reverse execution.
5625
5626When a program is executed in reverse, the instructions that
5627have most recently been executed are ``un-executed'', in reverse
5628order. The program counter runs backward, following the previous
5629thread of execution in reverse. As each instruction is ``un-executed'',
5630the values of memory and/or registers that were changed by that
5631instruction are reverted to their previous states. After executing
5632a piece of source code in reverse, all side effects of that code
5633should be ``undone'', and all variables should be returned to their
5634prior values@footnote{
5635Note that some side effects are easier to undo than others. For instance,
5636memory and registers are relatively easy, but device I/O is hard. Some
5637targets may be able undo things like device I/O, and some may not.
5638
5639The contract between @value{GDBN} and the reverse executing target
5640requires only that the target do something reasonable when
5641@value{GDBN} tells it to execute backwards, and then report the
5642results back to @value{GDBN}. Whatever the target reports back to
5643@value{GDBN}, @value{GDBN} will report back to the user. @value{GDBN}
5644assumes that the memory and registers that the target reports are in a
5645consistant state, but @value{GDBN} accepts whatever it is given.
5646}.
5647
5648If you are debugging in a target environment that supports
5649reverse execution, @value{GDBN} provides the following commands.
5650
5651@table @code
5652@kindex reverse-continue
5653@kindex rc @r{(@code{reverse-continue})}
5654@item reverse-continue @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5655@itemx rc @r{[}@var{ignore-count}@r{]}
5656Beginning at the point where your program last stopped, start executing
5657in reverse. Reverse execution will stop for breakpoints and synchronous
5658exceptions (signals), just like normal execution. Behavior of
5659asynchronous signals depends on the target environment.
5660
5661@kindex reverse-step
5662@kindex rs @r{(@code{step})}
5663@item reverse-step @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5664Run the program backward until control reaches the start of a
5665different source line; then stop it, and return control to @value{GDBN}.
5666
5667Like the @code{step} command, @code{reverse-step} will only stop
5668at the beginning of a source line. It ``un-executes'' the previously
5669executed source line. If the previous source line included calls to
5670debuggable functions, @code{reverse-step} will step (backward) into
5671the called function, stopping at the beginning of the @emph{last}
5672statement in the called function (typically a return statement).
5673
5674Also, as with the @code{step} command, if non-debuggable functions are
5675called, @code{reverse-step} will run thru them backward without stopping.
5676
5677@kindex reverse-stepi
5678@kindex rsi @r{(@code{reverse-stepi})}
5679@item reverse-stepi @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5680Reverse-execute one machine instruction. Note that the instruction
5681to be reverse-executed is @emph{not} the one pointed to by the program
5682counter, but the instruction executed prior to that one. For instance,
5683if the last instruction was a jump, @code{reverse-stepi} will take you
5684back from the destination of the jump to the jump instruction itself.
5685
5686@kindex reverse-next
5687@kindex rn @r{(@code{reverse-next})}
5688@item reverse-next @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5689Run backward to the beginning of the previous line executed in
5690the current (innermost) stack frame. If the line contains function
5691calls, they will be ``un-executed'' without stopping. Starting from
5692the first line of a function, @code{reverse-next} will take you back
5693to the caller of that function, @emph{before} the function was called,
5694just as the normal @code{next} command would take you from the last
5695line of a function back to its return to its caller
5696@footnote{Unless the code is too heavily optimized.}.
5697
5698@kindex reverse-nexti
5699@kindex rni @r{(@code{reverse-nexti})}
5700@item reverse-nexti @r{[}@var{count}@r{]}
5701Like @code{nexti}, @code{reverse-nexti} executes a single instruction
5702in reverse, except that called functions are ``un-executed'' atomically.
5703That is, if the previously executed instruction was a return from
5704another function, @code{reverse-nexti} will continue to execute
5705in reverse until the call to that function (from the current stack
5706frame) is reached.
5707
5708@kindex reverse-finish
5709@item reverse-finish
5710Just as the @code{finish} command takes you to the point where the
5711current function returns, @code{reverse-finish} takes you to the point
5712where it was called. Instead of ending up at the end of the current
5713function invocation, you end up at the beginning.
5714
5715@kindex set exec-direction
5716@item set exec-direction
5717Set the direction of target execution.
5718@itemx set exec-direction reverse
5719@cindex execute forward or backward in time
5720@value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in reverse, until the
5721exec-direction mode is changed to ``forward''. Affected commands include
5722@code{step, stepi, next, nexti, continue, and finish}. The @code{return}
5723command cannot be used in reverse mode.
5724@item set exec-direction forward
5725@value{GDBN} will perform all execution commands in the normal fashion.
5726This is the default.
5727@end table
5728
5729
5730@node Process Record and Replay
5731@chapter Recording Inferior's Execution and Replaying It
5732@cindex process record and replay
5733@cindex recording inferior's execution and replaying it
5734
5735On some platforms, @value{GDBN} provides a special @dfn{process record
5736and replay} target that can record a log of the process execution, and
5737replay it later with both forward and reverse execution commands.
5738
5739@cindex replay mode
5740When this target is in use, if the execution log includes the record
5741for the next instruction, @value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{replay
5742mode}. In the replay mode, the inferior does not really execute code
5743instructions. Instead, all the events that normally happen during
5744code execution are taken from the execution log. While code is not
5745really executed in replay mode, the values of registers (including the
5746program counter register) and the memory of the inferior are still
5747changed as they normally would. Their contents are taken from the
5748execution log.
5749
5750@cindex record mode
5751If the record for the next instruction is not in the execution log,
5752@value{GDBN} will debug in @dfn{record mode}. In this mode, the
5753inferior executes normally, and @value{GDBN} records the execution log
5754for future replay.
5755
5756The process record and replay target supports reverse execution
5757(@pxref{Reverse Execution}), even if the platform on which the
5758inferior runs does not. However, the reverse execution is limited in
5759this case by the range of the instructions recorded in the execution
5760log. In other words, reverse execution on platforms that don't
5761support it directly can only be done in the replay mode.
5762
5763When debugging in the reverse direction, @value{GDBN} will work in
5764replay mode as long as the execution log includes the record for the
5765previous instruction; otherwise, it will work in record mode, if the
5766platform supports reverse execution, or stop if not.
5767
5768For architecture environments that support process record and replay,
5769@value{GDBN} provides the following commands:
5770
5771@table @code
5772@kindex target record
5773@kindex record
5774@kindex rec
5775@item target record
5776This command starts the process record and replay target. The process
5777record and replay target can only debug a process that is already
5778running. Therefore, you need first to start the process with the
5779@kbd{run} or @kbd{start} commands, and then start the recording with
5780the @kbd{target record} command.
5781
5782Both @code{record} and @code{rec} are aliases of @code{target record}.
5783
5784@cindex displaced stepping, and process record and replay
5785Displaced stepping (@pxref{Maintenance Commands,, displaced stepping})
5786will be automatically disabled when process record and replay target
5787is started. That's because the process record and replay target
5788doesn't support displaced stepping.
5789
5790@cindex non-stop mode, and process record and replay
5791@cindex asynchronous execution, and process record and replay
5792If the inferior is in the non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) or in
5793the asynchronous execution mode (@pxref{Background Execution}), the
5794process record and replay target cannot be started because it doesn't
5795support these two modes.
5796
5797@kindex record stop
5798@kindex rec s
5799@item record stop
5800Stop the process record and replay target. When process record and
5801replay target stops, the entire execution log will be deleted and the
5802inferior will either be terminated, or will remain in its final state.
5803
5804When you stop the process record and replay target in record mode (at
5805the end of the execution log), the inferior will be stopped at the
5806next instruction that would have been recorded. In other words, if
5807you record for a while and then stop recording, the inferior process
5808will be left in the same state as if the recording never happened.
5809
5810On the other hand, if the process record and replay target is stopped
5811while in replay mode (that is, not at the end of the execution log,
5812but at some earlier point), the inferior process will become ``live''
5813at that earlier state, and it will then be possible to continue the
5814usual ``live'' debugging of the process from that state.
5815
5816When the inferior process exits, or @value{GDBN} detaches from it,
5817process record and replay target will automatically stop itself.
5818
5819@kindex record save
5820@item record save @var{filename}
5821Save the execution log to a file @file{@var{filename}}.
5822Default filename is @file{gdb_record.@var{process_id}}, where
5823@var{process_id} is the process ID of the inferior.
5824
5825@kindex record restore
5826@item record restore @var{filename}
5827Restore the execution log from a file @file{@var{filename}}.
5828File must have been created with @code{record save}.
5829
5830@kindex set record insn-number-max
5831@item set record insn-number-max @var{limit}
5832Set the limit of instructions to be recorded. Default value is 200000.
5833
5834If @var{limit} is a positive number, then @value{GDBN} will start
5835deleting instructions from the log once the number of the record
5836instructions becomes greater than @var{limit}. For every new recorded
5837instruction, @value{GDBN} will delete the earliest recorded
5838instruction to keep the number of recorded instructions at the limit.
5839(Since deleting recorded instructions loses information, @value{GDBN}
5840lets you control what happens when the limit is reached, by means of
5841the @code{stop-at-limit} option, described below.)
5842
5843If @var{limit} is zero, @value{GDBN} will never delete recorded
5844instructions from the execution log. The number of recorded
5845instructions is unlimited in this case.
5846
5847@kindex show record insn-number-max
5848@item show record insn-number-max
5849Show the limit of instructions to be recorded.
5850
5851@kindex set record stop-at-limit
5852@item set record stop-at-limit
5853Control the behavior when the number of recorded instructions reaches
5854the limit. If ON (the default), @value{GDBN} will stop when the limit
5855is reached for the first time and ask you whether you want to stop the
5856inferior or continue running it and recording the execution log. If
5857you decide to continue recording, each new recorded instruction will
5858cause the oldest one to be deleted.
5859
5860If this option is OFF, @value{GDBN} will automatically delete the
5861oldest record to make room for each new one, without asking.
5862
5863@kindex show record stop-at-limit
5864@item show record stop-at-limit
5865Show the current setting of @code{stop-at-limit}.
5866
5867@kindex set record memory-query
5868@item set record memory-query
5869Control the behavior when @value{GDBN} is unable to record memory
5870changes caused by an instruction. If ON, @value{GDBN} will query
5871whether to stop the inferior in that case.
5872
5873If this option is OFF (the default), @value{GDBN} will automatically
5874ignore the effect of such instructions on memory. Later, when
5875@value{GDBN} replays this execution log, it will mark the log of this
5876instruction as not accessible, and it will not affect the replay
5877results.
5878
5879@kindex show record memory-query
5880@item show record memory-query
5881Show the current setting of @code{memory-query}.
5882
5883@kindex info record
5884@item info record
5885Show various statistics about the state of process record and its
5886in-memory execution log buffer, including:
5887
5888@itemize @bullet
5889@item
5890Whether in record mode or replay mode.
5891@item
5892Lowest recorded instruction number (counting from when the current execution log started recording instructions).
5893@item
5894Highest recorded instruction number.
5895@item
5896Current instruction about to be replayed (if in replay mode).
5897@item
5898Number of instructions contained in the execution log.
5899@item
5900Maximum number of instructions that may be contained in the execution log.
5901@end itemize
5902
5903@kindex record delete
5904@kindex rec del
5905@item record delete
5906When record target runs in replay mode (``in the past''), delete the
5907subsequent execution log and begin to record a new execution log starting
5908from the current address. This means you will abandon the previously
5909recorded ``future'' and begin recording a new ``future''.
5910@end table
5911
5912
5913@node Stack
5914@chapter Examining the Stack
5915
5916When your program has stopped, the first thing you need to know is where it
5917stopped and how it got there.
5918
5919@cindex call stack
5920Each time your program performs a function call, information about the call
5921is generated.
5922That information includes the location of the call in your program,
5923the arguments of the call,
5924and the local variables of the function being called.
5925The information is saved in a block of data called a @dfn{stack frame}.
5926The stack frames are allocated in a region of memory called the @dfn{call
5927stack}.
5928
5929When your program stops, the @value{GDBN} commands for examining the
5930stack allow you to see all of this information.
5931
5932@cindex selected frame
5933One of the stack frames is @dfn{selected} by @value{GDBN} and many
5934@value{GDBN} commands refer implicitly to the selected frame. In
5935particular, whenever you ask @value{GDBN} for the value of a variable in
5936your program, the value is found in the selected frame. There are
5937special @value{GDBN} commands to select whichever frame you are
5938interested in. @xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
5939
5940When your program stops, @value{GDBN} automatically selects the
5941currently executing frame and describes it briefly, similar to the
5942@code{frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}).
5943
5944@menu
5945* Frames:: Stack frames
5946* Backtrace:: Backtraces
5947* Selection:: Selecting a frame
5948* Frame Info:: Information on a frame
5949
5950@end menu
5951
5952@node Frames
5953@section Stack Frames
5954
5955@cindex frame, definition
5956@cindex stack frame
5957The call stack is divided up into contiguous pieces called @dfn{stack
5958frames}, or @dfn{frames} for short; each frame is the data associated
5959with one call to one function. The frame contains the arguments given
5960to the function, the function's local variables, and the address at
5961which the function is executing.
5962
5963@cindex initial frame
5964@cindex outermost frame
5965@cindex innermost frame
5966When your program is started, the stack has only one frame, that of the
5967function @code{main}. This is called the @dfn{initial} frame or the
5968@dfn{outermost} frame. Each time a function is called, a new frame is
5969made. Each time a function returns, the frame for that function invocation
5970is eliminated. If a function is recursive, there can be many frames for
5971the same function. The frame for the function in which execution is
5972actually occurring is called the @dfn{innermost} frame. This is the most
5973recently created of all the stack frames that still exist.
5974
5975@cindex frame pointer
5976Inside your program, stack frames are identified by their addresses. A
5977stack frame consists of many bytes, each of which has its own address; each
5978kind of computer has a convention for choosing one byte whose
5979address serves as the address of the frame. Usually this address is kept
5980in a register called the @dfn{frame pointer register}
5981(@pxref{Registers, $fp}) while execution is going on in that frame.
5982
5983@cindex frame number
5984@value{GDBN} assigns numbers to all existing stack frames, starting with
5985zero for the innermost frame, one for the frame that called it,
5986and so on upward. These numbers do not really exist in your program;
5987they are assigned by @value{GDBN} to give you a way of designating stack
5988frames in @value{GDBN} commands.
5989
5990@c The -fomit-frame-pointer below perennially causes hbox overflow
5991@c underflow problems.
5992@cindex frameless execution
5993Some compilers provide a way to compile functions so that they operate
5994without stack frames. (For example, the @value{NGCC} option
5995@smallexample
5996@samp{-fomit-frame-pointer}
5997@end smallexample
5998generates functions without a frame.)
5999This is occasionally done with heavily used library functions to save
6000the frame setup time. @value{GDBN} has limited facilities for dealing
6001with these function invocations. If the innermost function invocation
6002has no stack frame, @value{GDBN} nevertheless regards it as though
6003it had a separate frame, which is numbered zero as usual, allowing
6004correct tracing of the function call chain. However, @value{GDBN} has
6005no provision for frameless functions elsewhere in the stack.
6006
6007@table @code
6008@kindex frame@r{, command}
6009@cindex current stack frame
6010@item frame @var{args}
6011The @code{frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame to another,
6012and to print the stack frame you select. @var{args} may be either the
6013address of the frame or the stack frame number. Without an argument,
6014@code{frame} prints the current stack frame.
6015
6016@kindex select-frame
6017@cindex selecting frame silently
6018@item select-frame
6019The @code{select-frame} command allows you to move from one stack frame
6020to another without printing the frame. This is the silent version of
6021@code{frame}.
6022@end table
6023
6024@node Backtrace
6025@section Backtraces
6026
6027@cindex traceback
6028@cindex call stack traces
6029A backtrace is a summary of how your program got where it is. It shows one
6030line per frame, for many frames, starting with the currently executing
6031frame (frame zero), followed by its caller (frame one), and on up the
6032stack.
6033
6034@table @code
6035@kindex backtrace
6036@kindex bt @r{(@code{backtrace})}
6037@item backtrace
6038@itemx bt
6039Print a backtrace of the entire stack: one line per frame for all
6040frames in the stack.
6041
6042You can stop the backtrace at any time by typing the system interrupt
6043character, normally @kbd{Ctrl-c}.
6044
6045@item backtrace @var{n}
6046@itemx bt @var{n}
6047Similar, but print only the innermost @var{n} frames.
6048
6049@item backtrace -@var{n}
6050@itemx bt -@var{n}
6051Similar, but print only the outermost @var{n} frames.
6052
6053@item backtrace full
6054@itemx bt full
6055@itemx bt full @var{n}
6056@itemx bt full -@var{n}
6057Print the values of the local variables also. @var{n} specifies the
6058number of frames to print, as described above.
6059@end table
6060
6061@kindex where
6062@kindex info stack
6063The names @code{where} and @code{info stack} (abbreviated @code{info s})
6064are additional aliases for @code{backtrace}.
6065
6066@cindex multiple threads, backtrace
6067In a multi-threaded program, @value{GDBN} by default shows the
6068backtrace only for the current thread. To display the backtrace for
6069several or all of the threads, use the command @code{thread apply}
6070(@pxref{Threads, thread apply}). For example, if you type @kbd{thread
6071apply all backtrace}, @value{GDBN} will display the backtrace for all
6072the threads; this is handy when you debug a core dump of a
6073multi-threaded program.
6074
6075Each line in the backtrace shows the frame number and the function name.
6076The program counter value is also shown---unless you use @code{set
6077print address off}. The backtrace also shows the source file name and
6078line number, as well as the arguments to the function. The program
6079counter value is omitted if it is at the beginning of the code for that
6080line number.
6081
6082Here is an example of a backtrace. It was made with the command
6083@samp{bt 3}, so it shows the innermost three frames.
6084
6085@smallexample
6086@group
6087#0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
6088 at builtin.c:993
6089#1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=0x2b600, data=...) at macro.c:242
6090#2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=177664, td=0xf7fffb08)
6091 at macro.c:71
6092(More stack frames follow...)
6093@end group
6094@end smallexample
6095
6096@noindent
6097The display for frame zero does not begin with a program counter
6098value, indicating that your program has stopped at the beginning of the
6099code for line @code{993} of @code{builtin.c}.
6100
6101@noindent
6102The value of parameter @code{data} in frame 1 has been replaced by
6103@code{@dots{}}. By default, @value{GDBN} prints the value of a parameter
6104only if it is a scalar (integer, pointer, enumeration, etc). See command
6105@kbd{set print frame-arguments} in @ref{Print Settings} for more details
6106on how to configure the way function parameter values are printed.
6107
6108@cindex optimized out, in backtrace
6109@cindex function call arguments, optimized out
6110If your program was compiled with optimizations, some compilers will
6111optimize away arguments passed to functions if those arguments are
6112never used after the call. Such optimizations generate code that
6113passes arguments through registers, but doesn't store those arguments
6114in the stack frame. @value{GDBN} has no way of displaying such
6115arguments in stack frames other than the innermost one. Here's what
6116such a backtrace might look like:
6117
6118@smallexample
6119@group
6120#0 m4_traceon (obs=0x24eb0, argc=1, argv=0x2b8c8)
6121 at builtin.c:993
6122#1 0x6e38 in expand_macro (sym=<optimized out>) at macro.c:242
6123#2 0x6840 in expand_token (obs=0x0, t=<optimized out>, td=0xf7fffb08)
6124 at macro.c:71
6125(More stack frames follow...)
6126@end group
6127@end smallexample
6128
6129@noindent
6130The values of arguments that were not saved in their stack frames are
6131shown as @samp{<optimized out>}.
6132
6133If you need to display the values of such optimized-out arguments,
6134either deduce that from other variables whose values depend on the one
6135you are interested in, or recompile without optimizations.
6136
6137@cindex backtrace beyond @code{main} function
6138@cindex program entry point
6139@cindex startup code, and backtrace
6140Most programs have a standard user entry point---a place where system
6141libraries and startup code transition into user code. For C this is
6142@code{main}@footnote{
6143Note that embedded programs (the so-called ``free-standing''
6144environment) are not required to have a @code{main} function as the
6145entry point. They could even have multiple entry points.}.
6146When @value{GDBN} finds the entry function in a backtrace
6147it will terminate the backtrace, to avoid tracing into highly
6148system-specific (and generally uninteresting) code.
6149
6150If you need to examine the startup code, or limit the number of levels
6151in a backtrace, you can change this behavior:
6152
6153@table @code
6154@item set backtrace past-main
6155@itemx set backtrace past-main on
6156@kindex set backtrace
6157Backtraces will continue past the user entry point.
6158
6159@item set backtrace past-main off
6160Backtraces will stop when they encounter the user entry point. This is the
6161default.
6162
6163@item show backtrace past-main
6164@kindex show backtrace
6165Display the current user entry point backtrace policy.
6166
6167@item set backtrace past-entry
6168@itemx set backtrace past-entry on
6169Backtraces will continue past the internal entry point of an application.
6170This entry point is encoded by the linker when the application is built,
6171and is likely before the user entry point @code{main} (or equivalent) is called.
6172
6173@item set backtrace past-entry off
6174Backtraces will stop when they encounter the internal entry point of an
6175application. This is the default.
6176
6177@item show backtrace past-entry
6178Display the current internal entry point backtrace policy.
6179
6180@item set backtrace limit @var{n}
6181@itemx set backtrace limit 0
6182@cindex backtrace limit
6183Limit the backtrace to @var{n} levels. A value of zero means
6184unlimited.
6185
6186@item show backtrace limit
6187Display the current limit on backtrace levels.
6188@end table
6189
6190@node Selection
6191@section Selecting a Frame
6192
6193Most commands for examining the stack and other data in your program work on
6194whichever stack frame is selected at the moment. Here are the commands for
6195selecting a stack frame; all of them finish by printing a brief description
6196of the stack frame just selected.
6197
6198@table @code
6199@kindex frame@r{, selecting}
6200@kindex f @r{(@code{frame})}
6201@item frame @var{n}
6202@itemx f @var{n}
6203Select frame number @var{n}. Recall that frame zero is the innermost
6204(currently executing) frame, frame one is the frame that called the
6205innermost one, and so on. The highest-numbered frame is the one for
6206@code{main}.
6207
6208@item frame @var{addr}
6209@itemx f @var{addr}
6210Select the frame at address @var{addr}. This is useful mainly if the
6211chaining of stack frames has been damaged by a bug, making it
6212impossible for @value{GDBN} to assign numbers properly to all frames. In
6213addition, this can be useful when your program has multiple stacks and
6214switches between them.
6215
6216On the SPARC architecture, @code{frame} needs two addresses to
6217select an arbitrary frame: a frame pointer and a stack pointer.
6218
6219On the MIPS and Alpha architecture, it needs two addresses: a stack
6220pointer and a program counter.
6221
6222On the 29k architecture, it needs three addresses: a register stack
6223pointer, a program counter, and a memory stack pointer.
6224
6225@kindex up
6226@item up @var{n}
6227Move @var{n} frames up the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
6228advances toward the outermost frame, to higher frame numbers, to frames
6229that have existed longer. @var{n} defaults to one.
6230
6231@kindex down
6232@kindex do @r{(@code{down})}
6233@item down @var{n}
6234Move @var{n} frames down the stack. For positive numbers @var{n}, this
6235advances toward the innermost frame, to lower frame numbers, to frames
6236that were created more recently. @var{n} defaults to one. You may
6237abbreviate @code{down} as @code{do}.
6238@end table
6239
6240All of these commands end by printing two lines of output describing the
6241frame. The first line shows the frame number, the function name, the
6242arguments, and the source file and line number of execution in that
6243frame. The second line shows the text of that source line.
6244
6245@need 1000
6246For example:
6247
6248@smallexample
6249@group
6250(@value{GDBP}) up
6251#1 0x22f0 in main (argc=1, argv=0xf7fffbf4, env=0xf7fffbfc)
6252 at env.c:10
625310 read_input_file (argv[i]);
6254@end group
6255@end smallexample
6256
6257After such a printout, the @code{list} command with no arguments
6258prints ten lines centered on the point of execution in the frame.
6259You can also edit the program at the point of execution with your favorite
6260editing program by typing @code{edit}.
6261@xref{List, ,Printing Source Lines},
6262for details.
6263
6264@table @code
6265@kindex down-silently
6266@kindex up-silently
6267@item up-silently @var{n}
6268@itemx down-silently @var{n}
6269These two commands are variants of @code{up} and @code{down},
6270respectively; they differ in that they do their work silently, without
6271causing display of the new frame. They are intended primarily for use
6272in @value{GDBN} command scripts, where the output might be unnecessary and
6273distracting.
6274@end table
6275
6276@node Frame Info
6277@section Information About a Frame
6278
6279There are several other commands to print information about the selected
6280stack frame.
6281
6282@table @code
6283@item frame
6284@itemx f
6285When used without any argument, this command does not change which
6286frame is selected, but prints a brief description of the currently
6287selected stack frame. It can be abbreviated @code{f}. With an
6288argument, this command is used to select a stack frame.
6289@xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6290
6291@kindex info frame
6292@kindex info f @r{(@code{info frame})}
6293@item info frame
6294@itemx info f
6295This command prints a verbose description of the selected stack frame,
6296including:
6297
6298@itemize @bullet
6299@item
6300the address of the frame
6301@item
6302the address of the next frame down (called by this frame)
6303@item
6304the address of the next frame up (caller of this frame)
6305@item
6306the language in which the source code corresponding to this frame is written
6307@item
6308the address of the frame's arguments
6309@item
6310the address of the frame's local variables
6311@item
6312the program counter saved in it (the address of execution in the caller frame)
6313@item
6314which registers were saved in the frame
6315@end itemize
6316
6317@noindent The verbose description is useful when
6318something has gone wrong that has made the stack format fail to fit
6319the usual conventions.
6320
6321@item info frame @var{addr}
6322@itemx info f @var{addr}
6323Print a verbose description of the frame at address @var{addr}, without
6324selecting that frame. The selected frame remains unchanged by this
6325command. This requires the same kind of address (more than one for some
6326architectures) that you specify in the @code{frame} command.
6327@xref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}.
6328
6329@kindex info args
6330@item info args
6331Print the arguments of the selected frame, each on a separate line.
6332
6333@item info locals
6334@kindex info locals
6335Print the local variables of the selected frame, each on a separate
6336line. These are all variables (declared either static or automatic)
6337accessible at the point of execution of the selected frame.
6338
6339@kindex info catch
6340@cindex catch exceptions, list active handlers
6341@cindex exception handlers, how to list
6342@item info catch
6343Print a list of all the exception handlers that are active in the
6344current stack frame at the current point of execution. To see other
6345exception handlers, visit the associated frame (using the @code{up},
6346@code{down}, or @code{frame} commands); then type @code{info catch}.
6347@xref{Set Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
6348
6349@end table
6350
6351
6352@node Source
6353@chapter Examining Source Files
6354
6355@value{GDBN} can print parts of your program's source, since the debugging
6356information recorded in the program tells @value{GDBN} what source files were
6357used to build it. When your program stops, @value{GDBN} spontaneously prints
6358the line where it stopped. Likewise, when you select a stack frame
6359(@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}), @value{GDBN} prints the line where
6360execution in that frame has stopped. You can print other portions of
6361source files by explicit command.
6362
6363If you use @value{GDBN} through its @sc{gnu} Emacs interface, you may
6364prefer to use Emacs facilities to view source; see @ref{Emacs, ,Using
6365@value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs}.
6366
6367@menu
6368* List:: Printing source lines
6369* Specify Location:: How to specify code locations
6370* Edit:: Editing source files
6371* Search:: Searching source files
6372* Source Path:: Specifying source directories
6373* Machine Code:: Source and machine code
6374@end menu
6375
6376@node List
6377@section Printing Source Lines
6378
6379@kindex list
6380@kindex l @r{(@code{list})}
6381To print lines from a source file, use the @code{list} command
6382(abbreviated @code{l}). By default, ten lines are printed.
6383There are several ways to specify what part of the file you want to
6384print; see @ref{Specify Location}, for the full list.
6385
6386Here are the forms of the @code{list} command most commonly used:
6387
6388@table @code
6389@item list @var{linenum}
6390Print lines centered around line number @var{linenum} in the
6391current source file.
6392
6393@item list @var{function}
6394Print lines centered around the beginning of function
6395@var{function}.
6396
6397@item list
6398Print more lines. If the last lines printed were printed with a
6399@code{list} command, this prints lines following the last lines
6400printed; however, if the last line printed was a solitary line printed
6401as part of displaying a stack frame (@pxref{Stack, ,Examining the
6402Stack}), this prints lines centered around that line.
6403
6404@item list -
6405Print lines just before the lines last printed.
6406@end table
6407
6408@cindex @code{list}, how many lines to display
6409By default, @value{GDBN} prints ten source lines with any of these forms of
6410the @code{list} command. You can change this using @code{set listsize}:
6411
6412@table @code
6413@kindex set listsize
6414@item set listsize @var{count}
6415Make the @code{list} command display @var{count} source lines (unless
6416the @code{list} argument explicitly specifies some other number).
6417
6418@kindex show listsize
6419@item show listsize
6420Display the number of lines that @code{list} prints.
6421@end table
6422
6423Repeating a @code{list} command with @key{RET} discards the argument,
6424so it is equivalent to typing just @code{list}. This is more useful
6425than listing the same lines again. An exception is made for an
6426argument of @samp{-}; that argument is preserved in repetition so that
6427each repetition moves up in the source file.
6428
6429In general, the @code{list} command expects you to supply zero, one or two
6430@dfn{linespecs}. Linespecs specify source lines; there are several ways
6431of writing them (@pxref{Specify Location}), but the effect is always
6432to specify some source line.
6433
6434Here is a complete description of the possible arguments for @code{list}:
6435
6436@table @code
6437@item list @var{linespec}
6438Print lines centered around the line specified by @var{linespec}.
6439
6440@item list @var{first},@var{last}
6441Print lines from @var{first} to @var{last}. Both arguments are
6442linespecs. When a @code{list} command has two linespecs, and the
6443source file of the second linespec is omitted, this refers to
6444the same source file as the first linespec.
6445
6446@item list ,@var{last}
6447Print lines ending with @var{last}.
6448
6449@item list @var{first},
6450Print lines starting with @var{first}.
6451
6452@item list +
6453Print lines just after the lines last printed.
6454
6455@item list -
6456Print lines just before the lines last printed.
6457
6458@item list
6459As described in the preceding table.
6460@end table
6461
6462@node Specify Location
6463@section Specifying a Location
6464@cindex specifying location
6465@cindex linespec
6466
6467Several @value{GDBN} commands accept arguments that specify a location
6468of your program's code. Since @value{GDBN} is a source-level
6469debugger, a location usually specifies some line in the source code;
6470for that reason, locations are also known as @dfn{linespecs}.
6471
6472Here are all the different ways of specifying a code location that
6473@value{GDBN} understands:
6474
6475@table @code
6476@item @var{linenum}
6477Specifies the line number @var{linenum} of the current source file.
6478
6479@item -@var{offset}
6480@itemx +@var{offset}
6481Specifies the line @var{offset} lines before or after the @dfn{current
6482line}. For the @code{list} command, the current line is the last one
6483printed; for the breakpoint commands, this is the line at which
6484execution stopped in the currently selected @dfn{stack frame}
6485(@pxref{Frames, ,Frames}, for a description of stack frames.) When
6486used as the second of the two linespecs in a @code{list} command,
6487this specifies the line @var{offset} lines up or down from the first
6488linespec.
6489
6490@item @var{filename}:@var{linenum}
6491Specifies the line @var{linenum} in the source file @var{filename}.
6492
6493@item @var{function}
6494Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}.
6495For example, in C, this is the line with the open brace.
6496
6497@item @var{function}:@var{label}
6498Specifies the line where @var{label} appears in @var{function}.
6499
6500@item @var{filename}:@var{function}
6501Specifies the line that begins the body of the function @var{function}
6502in the file @var{filename}. You only need the file name with a
6503function name to avoid ambiguity when there are identically named
6504functions in different source files.
6505
6506@item @var{label}
6507Specifies the line at which the label named @var{label} appears.
6508@value{GDBN} searches for the label in the function corresponding to
6509the currently selected stack frame. If there is no current selected
6510stack frame (for instance, if the inferior is not running), then
6511@value{GDBN} will not search for a label.
6512
6513@item *@var{address}
6514Specifies the program address @var{address}. For line-oriented
6515commands, such as @code{list} and @code{edit}, this specifies a source
6516line that contains @var{address}. For @code{break} and other
6517breakpoint oriented commands, this can be used to set breakpoints in
6518parts of your program which do not have debugging information or
6519source files.
6520
6521Here @var{address} may be any expression valid in the current working
6522language (@pxref{Languages, working language}) that specifies a code
6523address. In addition, as a convenience, @value{GDBN} extends the
6524semantics of expressions used in locations to cover the situations
6525that frequently happen during debugging. Here are the various forms
6526of @var{address}:
6527
6528@table @code
6529@item @var{expression}
6530Any expression valid in the current working language.
6531
6532@item @var{funcaddr}
6533An address of a function or procedure derived from its name. In C,
6534C@t{++}, Java, Objective-C, Fortran, minimal, and assembly, this is
6535simply the function's name @var{function} (and actually a special case
6536of a valid expression). In Pascal and Modula-2, this is
6537@code{&@var{function}}. In Ada, this is @code{@var{function}'Address}
6538(although the Pascal form also works).
6539
6540This form specifies the address of the function's first instruction,
6541before the stack frame and arguments have been set up.
6542
6543@item '@var{filename}'::@var{funcaddr}
6544Like @var{funcaddr} above, but also specifies the name of the source
6545file explicitly. This is useful if the name of the function does not
6546specify the function unambiguously, e.g., if there are several
6547functions with identical names in different source files.
6548@end table
6549
6550@end table
6551
6552
6553@node Edit
6554@section Editing Source Files
6555@cindex editing source files
6556
6557@kindex edit
6558@kindex e @r{(@code{edit})}
6559To edit the lines in a source file, use the @code{edit} command.
6560The editing program of your choice
6561is invoked with the current line set to
6562the active line in the program.
6563Alternatively, there are several ways to specify what part of the file you
6564want to print if you want to see other parts of the program:
6565
6566@table @code
6567@item edit @var{location}
6568Edit the source file specified by @code{location}. Editing starts at
6569that @var{location}, e.g., at the specified source line of the
6570specified file. @xref{Specify Location}, for all the possible forms
6571of the @var{location} argument; here are the forms of the @code{edit}
6572command most commonly used:
6573
6574@table @code
6575@item edit @var{number}
6576Edit the current source file with @var{number} as the active line number.
6577
6578@item edit @var{function}
6579Edit the file containing @var{function} at the beginning of its definition.
6580@end table
6581
6582@end table
6583
6584@subsection Choosing your Editor
6585You can customize @value{GDBN} to use any editor you want
6586@footnote{
6587The only restriction is that your editor (say @code{ex}), recognizes the
6588following command-line syntax:
6589@smallexample
6590ex +@var{number} file
6591@end smallexample
6592The optional numeric value +@var{number} specifies the number of the line in
6593the file where to start editing.}.
6594By default, it is @file{@value{EDITOR}}, but you can change this
6595by setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} before using
6596@value{GDBN}. For example, to configure @value{GDBN} to use the
6597@code{vi} editor, you could use these commands with the @code{sh} shell:
6598@smallexample
6599EDITOR=/usr/bin/vi
6600export EDITOR
6601gdb @dots{}
6602@end smallexample
6603or in the @code{csh} shell,
6604@smallexample
6605setenv EDITOR /usr/bin/vi
6606gdb @dots{}
6607@end smallexample
6608
6609@node Search
6610@section Searching Source Files
6611@cindex searching source files
6612
6613There are two commands for searching through the current source file for a
6614regular expression.
6615
6616@table @code
6617@kindex search
6618@kindex forward-search
6619@item forward-search @var{regexp}
6620@itemx search @var{regexp}
6621The command @samp{forward-search @var{regexp}} checks each line,
6622starting with the one following the last line listed, for a match for
6623@var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can use the
6624synonym @samp{search @var{regexp}} or abbreviate the command name as
6625@code{fo}.
6626
6627@kindex reverse-search
6628@item reverse-search @var{regexp}
6629The command @samp{reverse-search @var{regexp}} checks each line, starting
6630with the one before the last line listed and going backward, for a match
6631for @var{regexp}. It lists the line that is found. You can abbreviate
6632this command as @code{rev}.
6633@end table
6634
6635@node Source Path
6636@section Specifying Source Directories
6637
6638@cindex source path
6639@cindex directories for source files
6640Executable programs sometimes do not record the directories of the source
6641files from which they were compiled, just the names. Even when they do,
6642the directories could be moved between the compilation and your debugging
6643session. @value{GDBN} has a list of directories to search for source files;
6644this is called the @dfn{source path}. Each time @value{GDBN} wants a source file,
6645it tries all the directories in the list, in the order they are present
6646in the list, until it finds a file with the desired name.
6647
6648For example, suppose an executable references the file
6649@file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}, and our source path is
6650@file{/mnt/cross}. The file is first looked up literally; if this
6651fails, @file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} is tried; if this
6652fails, @file{/mnt/cross/foo.c} is opened; if this fails, an error
6653message is printed. @value{GDBN} does not look up the parts of the
6654source file name, such as @file{/mnt/cross/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}.
6655Likewise, the subdirectories of the source path are not searched: if
6656the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the binary refers to
6657@file{foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would not find it under
6658@file{/mnt/cross/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib}.
6659
6660Plain file names, relative file names with leading directories, file
6661names containing dots, etc.@: are all treated as described above; for
6662instance, if the source path is @file{/mnt/cross}, and the source file
6663is recorded as @file{../lib/foo.c}, @value{GDBN} would first try
6664@file{../lib/foo.c}, then @file{/mnt/cross/../lib/foo.c}, and after
6665that---@file{/mnt/cross/foo.c}.
6666
6667Note that the executable search path is @emph{not} used to locate the
6668source files.
6669
6670Whenever you reset or rearrange the source path, @value{GDBN} clears out
6671any information it has cached about where source files are found and where
6672each line is in the file.
6673
6674@kindex directory
6675@kindex dir
6676When you start @value{GDBN}, its source path includes only @samp{cdir}
6677and @samp{cwd}, in that order.
6678To add other directories, use the @code{directory} command.
6679
6680The search path is used to find both program source files and @value{GDBN}
6681script files (read using the @samp{-command} option and @samp{source} command).
6682
6683In addition to the source path, @value{GDBN} provides a set of commands
6684that manage a list of source path substitution rules. A @dfn{substitution
6685rule} specifies how to rewrite source directories stored in the program's
6686debug information in case the sources were moved to a different
6687directory between compilation and debugging. A rule is made of
6688two strings, the first specifying what needs to be rewritten in
6689the path, and the second specifying how it should be rewritten.
6690In @ref{set substitute-path}, we name these two parts @var{from} and
6691@var{to} respectively. @value{GDBN} does a simple string replacement
6692of @var{from} with @var{to} at the start of the directory part of the
6693source file name, and uses that result instead of the original file
6694name to look up the sources.
6695
6696Using the previous example, suppose the @file{foo-1.0} tree has been
6697moved from @file{/usr/src} to @file{/mnt/cross}, then you can tell
6698@value{GDBN} to replace @file{/usr/src} in all source path names with
6699@file{/mnt/cross}. The first lookup will then be
6700@file{/mnt/cross/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c} in place of the original location
6701of @file{/usr/src/foo-1.0/lib/foo.c}. To define a source path
6702substitution rule, use the @code{set substitute-path} command
6703(@pxref{set substitute-path}).
6704
6705To avoid unexpected substitution results, a rule is applied only if the
6706@var{from} part of the directory name ends at a directory separator.
6707For instance, a rule substituting @file{/usr/source} into
6708@file{/mnt/cross} will be applied to @file{/usr/source/foo-1.0} but
6709not to @file{/usr/sourceware/foo-2.0}. And because the substitution
6710is applied only at the beginning of the directory name, this rule will
6711not be applied to @file{/root/usr/source/baz.c} either.
6712
6713In many cases, you can achieve the same result using the @code{directory}
6714command. However, @code{set substitute-path} can be more efficient in
6715the case where the sources are organized in a complex tree with multiple
6716subdirectories. With the @code{directory} command, you need to add each
6717subdirectory of your project. If you moved the entire tree while
6718preserving its internal organization, then @code{set substitute-path}
6719allows you to direct the debugger to all the sources with one single
6720command.
6721
6722@code{set substitute-path} is also more than just a shortcut command.
6723The source path is only used if the file at the original location no
6724longer exists. On the other hand, @code{set substitute-path} modifies
6725the debugger behavior to look at the rewritten location instead. So, if
6726for any reason a source file that is not relevant to your executable is
6727located at the original location, a substitution rule is the only
6728method available to point @value{GDBN} at the new location.
6729
6730@cindex @samp{--with-relocated-sources}
6731@cindex default source path substitution
6732You can configure a default source path substitution rule by
6733configuring @value{GDBN} with the
6734@samp{--with-relocated-sources=@var{dir}} option. The @var{dir}
6735should be the name of a directory under @value{GDBN}'s configured
6736prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or @samp{--exec-prefix}), and
6737directory names in debug information under @var{dir} will be adjusted
6738automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
6739location. This is useful if @value{GDBN}, libraries or executables
6740with debug information and corresponding source code are being moved
6741together.
6742
6743@table @code
6744@item directory @var{dirname} @dots{}
6745@item dir @var{dirname} @dots{}
6746Add directory @var{dirname} to the front of the source path. Several
6747directory names may be given to this command, separated by @samp{:}
6748(@samp{;} on MS-DOS and MS-Windows, where @samp{:} usually appears as
6749part of absolute file names) or
6750whitespace. You may specify a directory that is already in the source
6751path; this moves it forward, so @value{GDBN} searches it sooner.
6752
6753@kindex cdir
6754@kindex cwd
6755@vindex $cdir@r{, convenience variable}
6756@vindex $cwd@r{, convenience variable}
6757@cindex compilation directory
6758@cindex current directory
6759@cindex working directory
6760@cindex directory, current
6761@cindex directory, compilation
6762You can use the string @samp{$cdir} to refer to the compilation
6763directory (if one is recorded), and @samp{$cwd} to refer to the current
6764working directory. @samp{$cwd} is not the same as @samp{.}---the former
6765tracks the current working directory as it changes during your @value{GDBN}
6766session, while the latter is immediately expanded to the current
6767directory at the time you add an entry to the source path.
6768
6769@item directory
6770Reset the source path to its default value (@samp{$cdir:$cwd} on Unix systems). This requires confirmation.
6771
6772@c RET-repeat for @code{directory} is explicitly disabled, but since
6773@c repeating it would be a no-op we do not say that. (thanks to RMS)
6774
6775@item set directories @var{path-list}
6776@kindex set directories
6777Set the source path to @var{path-list}.
6778@samp{$cdir:$cwd} are added if missing.
6779
6780@item show directories
6781@kindex show directories
6782Print the source path: show which directories it contains.
6783
6784@anchor{set substitute-path}
6785@item set substitute-path @var{from} @var{to}
6786@kindex set substitute-path
6787Define a source path substitution rule, and add it at the end of the
6788current list of existing substitution rules. If a rule with the same
6789@var{from} was already defined, then the old rule is also deleted.
6790
6791For example, if the file @file{/foo/bar/baz.c} was moved to
6792@file{/mnt/cross/baz.c}, then the command
6793
6794@smallexample
6795(@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/cross
6796@end smallexample
6797
6798@noindent
6799will tell @value{GDBN} to replace @samp{/usr/src} with
6800@samp{/mnt/cross}, which will allow @value{GDBN} to find the file
6801@file{baz.c} even though it was moved.
6802
6803In the case when more than one substitution rule have been defined,
6804the rules are evaluated one by one in the order where they have been
6805defined. The first one matching, if any, is selected to perform
6806the substitution.
6807
6808For instance, if we had entered the following commands:
6809
6810@smallexample
6811(@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src/include /mnt/include
6812(@value{GDBP}) set substitute-path /usr/src /mnt/src
6813@end smallexample
6814
6815@noindent
6816@value{GDBN} would then rewrite @file{/usr/src/include/defs.h} into
6817@file{/mnt/include/defs.h} by using the first rule. However, it would
6818use the second rule to rewrite @file{/usr/src/lib/foo.c} into
6819@file{/mnt/src/lib/foo.c}.
6820
6821
6822@item unset substitute-path [path]
6823@kindex unset substitute-path
6824If a path is specified, search the current list of substitution rules
6825for a rule that would rewrite that path. Delete that rule if found.
6826A warning is emitted by the debugger if no rule could be found.
6827
6828If no path is specified, then all substitution rules are deleted.
6829
6830@item show substitute-path [path]
6831@kindex show substitute-path
6832If a path is specified, then print the source path substitution rule
6833which would rewrite that path, if any.
6834
6835If no path is specified, then print all existing source path substitution
6836rules.
6837
6838@end table
6839
6840If your source path is cluttered with directories that are no longer of
6841interest, @value{GDBN} may sometimes cause confusion by finding the wrong
6842versions of source. You can correct the situation as follows:
6843
6844@enumerate
6845@item
6846Use @code{directory} with no argument to reset the source path to its default value.
6847
6848@item
6849Use @code{directory} with suitable arguments to reinstall the
6850directories you want in the source path. You can add all the
6851directories in one command.
6852@end enumerate
6853
6854@node Machine Code
6855@section Source and Machine Code
6856@cindex source line and its code address
6857
6858You can use the command @code{info line} to map source lines to program
6859addresses (and vice versa), and the command @code{disassemble} to display
6860a range of addresses as machine instructions. You can use the command
6861@code{set disassemble-next-line} to set whether to disassemble next
6862source line when execution stops. When run under @sc{gnu} Emacs
6863mode, the @code{info line} command causes the arrow to point to the
6864line specified. Also, @code{info line} prints addresses in symbolic form as
6865well as hex.
6866
6867@table @code
6868@kindex info line
6869@item info line @var{linespec}
6870Print the starting and ending addresses of the compiled code for
6871source line @var{linespec}. You can specify source lines in any of
6872the ways documented in @ref{Specify Location}.
6873@end table
6874
6875For example, we can use @code{info line} to discover the location of
6876the object code for the first line of function
6877@code{m4_changequote}:
6878
6879@c FIXME: I think this example should also show the addresses in
6880@c symbolic form, as they usually would be displayed.
6881@smallexample
6882(@value{GDBP}) info line m4_changequote
6883Line 895 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x634c and ends at 0x6350.
6884@end smallexample
6885
6886@noindent
6887@cindex code address and its source line
6888We can also inquire (using @code{*@var{addr}} as the form for
6889@var{linespec}) what source line covers a particular address:
6890@smallexample
6891(@value{GDBP}) info line *0x63ff
6892Line 926 of "builtin.c" starts at pc 0x63e4 and ends at 0x6404.
6893@end smallexample
6894
6895@cindex @code{$_} and @code{info line}
6896@cindex @code{x} command, default address
6897@kindex x@r{(examine), and} info line
6898After @code{info line}, the default address for the @code{x} command
6899is changed to the starting address of the line, so that @samp{x/i} is
6900sufficient to begin examining the machine code (@pxref{Memory,
6901,Examining Memory}). Also, this address is saved as the value of the
6902convenience variable @code{$_} (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
6903Variables}).
6904
6905@table @code
6906@kindex disassemble
6907@cindex assembly instructions
6908@cindex instructions, assembly
6909@cindex machine instructions
6910@cindex listing machine instructions
6911@item disassemble
6912@itemx disassemble /m
6913@itemx disassemble /r
6914This specialized command dumps a range of memory as machine
6915instructions. It can also print mixed source+disassembly by specifying
6916the @code{/m} modifier and print the raw instructions in hex as well as
6917in symbolic form by specifying the @code{/r}.
6918The default memory range is the function surrounding the
6919program counter of the selected frame. A single argument to this
6920command is a program counter value; @value{GDBN} dumps the function
6921surrounding this value. When two arguments are given, they should
6922be separated by a comma, possibly surrounded by whitespace. The
6923arguments specify a range of addresses to dump, in one of two forms:
6924
6925@table @code
6926@item @var{start},@var{end}
6927the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to @var{end} (exclusive)
6928@item @var{start},+@var{length}
6929the addresses from @var{start} (inclusive) to
6930@code{@var{start}+@var{length}} (exclusive).
6931@end table
6932
6933@noindent
6934When 2 arguments are specified, the name of the function is also
6935printed (since there could be several functions in the given range).
6936
6937The argument(s) can be any expression yielding a numeric value, such as
6938@samp{0x32c4}, @samp{&main+10} or @samp{$pc - 8}.
6939
6940If the range of memory being disassembled contains current program counter,
6941the instruction at that location is shown with a @code{=>} marker.
6942@end table
6943
6944The following example shows the disassembly of a range of addresses of
6945HP PA-RISC 2.0 code:
6946
6947@smallexample
6948(@value{GDBP}) disas 0x32c4, 0x32e4
6949Dump of assembler code from 0x32c4 to 0x32e4:
6950 0x32c4 <main+204>: addil 0,dp
6951 0x32c8 <main+208>: ldw 0x22c(sr0,r1),r26
6952 0x32cc <main+212>: ldil 0x3000,r31
6953 0x32d0 <main+216>: ble 0x3f8(sr4,r31)
6954 0x32d4 <main+220>: ldo 0(r31),rp
6955 0x32d8 <main+224>: addil -0x800,dp
6956 0x32dc <main+228>: ldo 0x588(r1),r26
6957 0x32e0 <main+232>: ldil 0x3000,r31
6958End of assembler dump.
6959@end smallexample
6960
6961Here is an example showing mixed source+assembly for Intel x86, when the
6962program is stopped just after function prologue:
6963
6964@smallexample
6965(@value{GDBP}) disas /m main
6966Dump of assembler code for function main:
69675 @{
6968 0x08048330 <+0>: push %ebp
6969 0x08048331 <+1>: mov %esp,%ebp
6970 0x08048333 <+3>: sub $0x8,%esp
6971 0x08048336 <+6>: and $0xfffffff0,%esp
6972 0x08048339 <+9>: sub $0x10,%esp
6973
69746 printf ("Hello.\n");
6975=> 0x0804833c <+12>: movl $0x8048440,(%esp)
6976 0x08048343 <+19>: call 0x8048284 <puts@@plt>
6977
69787 return 0;
69798 @}
6980 0x08048348 <+24>: mov $0x0,%eax
6981 0x0804834d <+29>: leave
6982 0x0804834e <+30>: ret
6983
6984End of assembler dump.
6985@end smallexample
6986
6987Here is another example showing raw instructions in hex for AMD x86-64,
6988
6989@smallexample
6990(gdb) disas /r 0x400281,+10
6991Dump of assembler code from 0x400281 to 0x40028b:
6992 0x0000000000400281: 38 36 cmp %dh,(%rsi)
6993 0x0000000000400283: 2d 36 34 2e 73 sub $0x732e3436,%eax
6994 0x0000000000400288: 6f outsl %ds:(%rsi),(%dx)
6995 0x0000000000400289: 2e 32 00 xor %cs:(%rax),%al
6996End of assembler dump.
6997@end smallexample
6998
6999Some architectures have more than one commonly-used set of instruction
7000mnemonics or other syntax.
7001
7002For programs that were dynamically linked and use shared libraries,
7003instructions that call functions or branch to locations in the shared
7004libraries might show a seemingly bogus location---it's actually a
7005location of the relocation table. On some architectures, @value{GDBN}
7006might be able to resolve these to actual function names.
7007
7008@table @code
7009@kindex set disassembly-flavor
7010@cindex Intel disassembly flavor
7011@cindex AT&T disassembly flavor
7012@item set disassembly-flavor @var{instruction-set}
7013Select the instruction set to use when disassembling the
7014program via the @code{disassemble} or @code{x/i} commands.
7015
7016Currently this command is only defined for the Intel x86 family. You
7017can set @var{instruction-set} to either @code{intel} or @code{att}.
7018The default is @code{att}, the AT&T flavor used by default by Unix
7019assemblers for x86-based targets.
7020
7021@kindex show disassembly-flavor
7022@item show disassembly-flavor
7023Show the current setting of the disassembly flavor.
7024@end table
7025
7026@table @code
7027@kindex set disassemble-next-line
7028@kindex show disassemble-next-line
7029@item set disassemble-next-line
7030@itemx show disassemble-next-line
7031Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will disassemble the next source
7032line or instruction when execution stops. If ON, @value{GDBN} will
7033display disassembly of the next source line when execution of the
7034program being debugged stops. This is @emph{in addition} to
7035displaying the source line itself, which @value{GDBN} always does if
7036possible. If the next source line cannot be displayed for some reason
7037(e.g., if @value{GDBN} cannot find the source file, or there's no line
7038info in the debug info), @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of the
7039next @emph{instruction} instead of showing the next source line. If
7040AUTO, @value{GDBN} will display disassembly of next instruction only
7041if the source line cannot be displayed. This setting causes
7042@value{GDBN} to display some feedback when you step through a function
7043with no line info or whose source file is unavailable. The default is
7044OFF, which means never display the disassembly of the next line or
7045instruction.
7046@end table
7047
7048
7049@node Data
7050@chapter Examining Data
7051
7052@cindex printing data
7053@cindex examining data
7054@kindex print
7055@kindex inspect
7056@c "inspect" is not quite a synonym if you are using Epoch, which we do not
7057@c document because it is nonstandard... Under Epoch it displays in a
7058@c different window or something like that.
7059The usual way to examine data in your program is with the @code{print}
7060command (abbreviated @code{p}), or its synonym @code{inspect}. It
7061evaluates and prints the value of an expression of the language your
7062program is written in (@pxref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with
7063Different Languages}). It may also print the expression using a
7064Python-based pretty-printer (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
7065
7066@table @code
7067@item print @var{expr}
7068@itemx print /@var{f} @var{expr}
7069@var{expr} is an expression (in the source language). By default the
7070value of @var{expr} is printed in a format appropriate to its data type;
7071you can choose a different format by specifying @samp{/@var{f}}, where
7072@var{f} is a letter specifying the format; see @ref{Output Formats,,Output
7073Formats}.
7074
7075@item print
7076@itemx print /@var{f}
7077@cindex reprint the last value
7078If you omit @var{expr}, @value{GDBN} displays the last value again (from the
7079@dfn{value history}; @pxref{Value History, ,Value History}). This allows you to
7080conveniently inspect the same value in an alternative format.
7081@end table
7082
7083A more low-level way of examining data is with the @code{x} command.
7084It examines data in memory at a specified address and prints it in a
7085specified format. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
7086
7087If you are interested in information about types, or about how the
7088fields of a struct or a class are declared, use the @code{ptype @var{exp}}
7089command rather than @code{print}. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol
7090Table}.
7091
7092@menu
7093* Expressions:: Expressions
7094* Ambiguous Expressions:: Ambiguous Expressions
7095* Variables:: Program variables
7096* Arrays:: Artificial arrays
7097* Output Formats:: Output formats
7098* Memory:: Examining memory
7099* Auto Display:: Automatic display
7100* Print Settings:: Print settings
7101* Pretty Printing:: Python pretty printing
7102* Value History:: Value history
7103* Convenience Vars:: Convenience variables
7104* Registers:: Registers
7105* Floating Point Hardware:: Floating point hardware
7106* Vector Unit:: Vector Unit
7107* OS Information:: Auxiliary data provided by operating system
7108* Memory Region Attributes:: Memory region attributes
7109* Dump/Restore Files:: Copy between memory and a file
7110* Core File Generation:: Cause a program dump its core
7111* Character Sets:: Debugging programs that use a different
7112 character set than GDB does
7113* Caching Remote Data:: Data caching for remote targets
7114* Searching Memory:: Searching memory for a sequence of bytes
7115@end menu
7116
7117@node Expressions
7118@section Expressions
7119
7120@cindex expressions
7121@code{print} and many other @value{GDBN} commands accept an expression and
7122compute its value. Any kind of constant, variable or operator defined
7123by the programming language you are using is valid in an expression in
7124@value{GDBN}. This includes conditional expressions, function calls,
7125casts, and string constants. It also includes preprocessor macros, if
7126you compiled your program to include this information; see
7127@ref{Compilation}.
7128
7129@cindex arrays in expressions
7130@value{GDBN} supports array constants in expressions input by
7131the user. The syntax is @{@var{element}, @var{element}@dots{}@}. For example,
7132you can use the command @code{print @{1, 2, 3@}} to create an array
7133of three integers. If you pass an array to a function or assign it
7134to a program variable, @value{GDBN} copies the array to memory that
7135is @code{malloc}ed in the target program.
7136
7137Because C is so widespread, most of the expressions shown in examples in
7138this manual are in C. @xref{Languages, , Using @value{GDBN} with Different
7139Languages}, for information on how to use expressions in other
7140languages.
7141
7142In this section, we discuss operators that you can use in @value{GDBN}
7143expressions regardless of your programming language.
7144
7145@cindex casts, in expressions
7146Casts are supported in all languages, not just in C, because it is so
7147useful to cast a number into a pointer in order to examine a structure
7148at that address in memory.
7149@c FIXME: casts supported---Mod2 true?
7150
7151@value{GDBN} supports these operators, in addition to those common
7152to programming languages:
7153
7154@table @code
7155@item @@
7156@samp{@@} is a binary operator for treating parts of memory as arrays.
7157@xref{Arrays, ,Artificial Arrays}, for more information.
7158
7159@item ::
7160@samp{::} allows you to specify a variable in terms of the file or
7161function where it is defined. @xref{Variables, ,Program Variables}.
7162
7163@cindex @{@var{type}@}
7164@cindex type casting memory
7165@cindex memory, viewing as typed object
7166@cindex casts, to view memory
7167@item @{@var{type}@} @var{addr}
7168Refers to an object of type @var{type} stored at address @var{addr} in
7169memory. @var{addr} may be any expression whose value is an integer or
7170pointer (but parentheses are required around binary operators, just as in
7171a cast). This construct is allowed regardless of what kind of data is
7172normally supposed to reside at @var{addr}.
7173@end table
7174
7175@node Ambiguous Expressions
7176@section Ambiguous Expressions
7177@cindex ambiguous expressions
7178
7179Expressions can sometimes contain some ambiguous elements. For instance,
7180some programming languages (notably Ada, C@t{++} and Objective-C) permit
7181a single function name to be defined several times, for application in
7182different contexts. This is called @dfn{overloading}. Another example
7183involving Ada is generics. A @dfn{generic package} is similar to C@t{++}
7184templates and is typically instantiated several times, resulting in
7185the same function name being defined in different contexts.
7186
7187In some cases and depending on the language, it is possible to adjust
7188the expression to remove the ambiguity. For instance in C@t{++}, you
7189can specify the signature of the function you want to break on, as in
7190@kbd{break @var{function}(@var{types})}. In Ada, using the fully
7191qualified name of your function often makes the expression unambiguous
7192as well.
7193
7194When an ambiguity that needs to be resolved is detected, the debugger
7195has the capability to display a menu of numbered choices for each
7196possibility, and then waits for the selection with the prompt @samp{>}.
7197The first option is always @samp{[0] cancel}, and typing @kbd{0 @key{RET}}
7198aborts the current command. If the command in which the expression was
7199used allows more than one choice to be selected, the next option in the
7200menu is @samp{[1] all}, and typing @kbd{1 @key{RET}} selects all possible
7201choices.
7202
7203For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
7204breakpoint at the overloaded symbol @code{String::after}.
7205We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
7206
7207@c FIXME! This is likely to change to show arg type lists, at least
7208@smallexample
7209@group
7210(@value{GDBP}) b String::after
7211[0] cancel
7212[1] all
7213[2] file:String.cc; line number:867
7214[3] file:String.cc; line number:860
7215[4] file:String.cc; line number:875
7216[5] file:String.cc; line number:853
7217[6] file:String.cc; line number:846
7218[7] file:String.cc; line number:735
7219> 2 4 6
7220Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
7221Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
7222Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
7223Multiple breakpoints were set.
7224Use the "delete" command to delete unwanted
7225 breakpoints.
7226(@value{GDBP})
7227@end group
7228@end smallexample
7229
7230@table @code
7231@kindex set multiple-symbols
7232@item set multiple-symbols @var{mode}
7233@cindex multiple-symbols menu
7234
7235This option allows you to adjust the debugger behavior when an expression
7236is ambiguous.
7237
7238By default, @var{mode} is set to @code{all}. If the command with which
7239the expression is used allows more than one choice, then @value{GDBN}
7240automatically selects all possible choices. For instance, inserting
7241a breakpoint on a function using an ambiguous name results in a breakpoint
7242inserted on each possible match. However, if a unique choice must be made,
7243then @value{GDBN} uses the menu to help you disambiguate the expression.
7244For instance, printing the address of an overloaded function will result
7245in the use of the menu.
7246
7247When @var{mode} is set to @code{ask}, the debugger always uses the menu
7248when an ambiguity is detected.
7249
7250Finally, when @var{mode} is set to @code{cancel}, the debugger reports
7251an error due to the ambiguity and the command is aborted.
7252
7253@kindex show multiple-symbols
7254@item show multiple-symbols
7255Show the current value of the @code{multiple-symbols} setting.
7256@end table
7257
7258@node Variables
7259@section Program Variables
7260
7261The most common kind of expression to use is the name of a variable
7262in your program.
7263
7264Variables in expressions are understood in the selected stack frame
7265(@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}); they must be either:
7266
7267@itemize @bullet
7268@item
7269global (or file-static)
7270@end itemize
7271
7272@noindent or
7273
7274@itemize @bullet
7275@item
7276visible according to the scope rules of the
7277programming language from the point of execution in that frame
7278@end itemize
7279
7280@noindent This means that in the function
7281
7282@smallexample
7283foo (a)
7284 int a;
7285@{
7286 bar (a);
7287 @{
7288 int b = test ();
7289 bar (b);
7290 @}
7291@}
7292@end smallexample
7293
7294@noindent
7295you can examine and use the variable @code{a} whenever your program is
7296executing within the function @code{foo}, but you can only use or
7297examine the variable @code{b} while your program is executing inside
7298the block where @code{b} is declared.
7299
7300@cindex variable name conflict
7301There is an exception: you can refer to a variable or function whose
7302scope is a single source file even if the current execution point is not
7303in this file. But it is possible to have more than one such variable or
7304function with the same name (in different source files). If that
7305happens, referring to that name has unpredictable effects. If you wish,
7306you can specify a static variable in a particular function or file,
7307using the colon-colon (@code{::}) notation:
7308
7309@cindex colon-colon, context for variables/functions
7310@ifnotinfo
7311@c info cannot cope with a :: index entry, but why deprive hard copy readers?
7312@cindex @code{::}, context for variables/functions
7313@end ifnotinfo
7314@smallexample
7315@var{file}::@var{variable}
7316@var{function}::@var{variable}
7317@end smallexample
7318
7319@noindent
7320Here @var{file} or @var{function} is the name of the context for the
7321static @var{variable}. In the case of file names, you can use quotes to
7322make sure @value{GDBN} parses the file name as a single word---for example,
7323to print a global value of @code{x} defined in @file{f2.c}:
7324
7325@smallexample
7326(@value{GDBP}) p 'f2.c'::x
7327@end smallexample
7328
7329@cindex C@t{++} scope resolution
7330This use of @samp{::} is very rarely in conflict with the very similar
7331use of the same notation in C@t{++}. @value{GDBN} also supports use of the C@t{++}
7332scope resolution operator in @value{GDBN} expressions.
7333@c FIXME: Um, so what happens in one of those rare cases where it's in
7334@c conflict?? --mew
7335
7336@cindex wrong values
7337@cindex variable values, wrong
7338@cindex function entry/exit, wrong values of variables
7339@cindex optimized code, wrong values of variables
7340@quotation
7341@emph{Warning:} Occasionally, a local variable may appear to have the
7342wrong value at certain points in a function---just after entry to a new
7343scope, and just before exit.
7344@end quotation
7345You may see this problem when you are stepping by machine instructions.
7346This is because, on most machines, it takes more than one instruction to
7347set up a stack frame (including local variable definitions); if you are
7348stepping by machine instructions, variables may appear to have the wrong
7349values until the stack frame is completely built. On exit, it usually
7350also takes more than one machine instruction to destroy a stack frame;
7351after you begin stepping through that group of instructions, local
7352variable definitions may be gone.
7353
7354This may also happen when the compiler does significant optimizations.
7355To be sure of always seeing accurate values, turn off all optimization
7356when compiling.
7357
7358@cindex ``No symbol "foo" in current context''
7359Another possible effect of compiler optimizations is to optimize
7360unused variables out of existence, or assign variables to registers (as
7361opposed to memory addresses). Depending on the support for such cases
7362offered by the debug info format used by the compiler, @value{GDBN}
7363might not be able to display values for such local variables. If that
7364happens, @value{GDBN} will print a message like this:
7365
7366@smallexample
7367No symbol "foo" in current context.
7368@end smallexample
7369
7370To solve such problems, either recompile without optimizations, or use a
7371different debug info format, if the compiler supports several such
7372formats. For example, @value{NGCC}, the @sc{gnu} C/C@t{++} compiler,
7373usually supports the @option{-gstabs+} option. @option{-gstabs+}
7374produces debug info in a format that is superior to formats such as
7375COFF. You may be able to use DWARF 2 (@option{-gdwarf-2}), which is also
7376an effective form for debug info. @xref{Debugging Options,,Options
7377for Debugging Your Program or GCC, gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu}
7378Compiler Collection (GCC)}.
7379@xref{C, ,C and C@t{++}}, for more information about debug info formats
7380that are best suited to C@t{++} programs.
7381
7382If you ask to print an object whose contents are unknown to
7383@value{GDBN}, e.g., because its data type is not completely specified
7384by the debug information, @value{GDBN} will say @samp{<incomplete
7385type>}. @xref{Symbols, incomplete type}, for more about this.
7386
7387If you append @kbd{@@entry} string to a function parameter name you get its
7388value at the time the function got called. If the value is not available an
7389error message is printed. Entry values are available only with some compilers.
7390Entry values are normally also printed at the function parameter list according
7391to @ref{set print entry-values}.
7392
7393@smallexample
7394Breakpoint 1, d (i=30) at gdb.base/entry-value.c:29
739529 i++;
7396(gdb) next
739730 e (i);
7398(gdb) print i
7399$1 = 31
7400(gdb) print i@@entry
7401$2 = 30
7402@end smallexample
7403
7404Strings are identified as arrays of @code{char} values without specified
7405signedness. Arrays of either @code{signed char} or @code{unsigned char} get
7406printed as arrays of 1 byte sized integers. @code{-fsigned-char} or
7407@code{-funsigned-char} @value{NGCC} options have no effect as @value{GDBN}
7408defines literal string type @code{"char"} as @code{char} without a sign.
7409For program code
7410
7411@smallexample
7412char var0[] = "A";
7413signed char var1[] = "A";
7414@end smallexample
7415
7416You get during debugging
7417@smallexample
7418(gdb) print var0
7419$1 = "A"
7420(gdb) print var1
7421$2 = @{65 'A', 0 '\0'@}
7422@end smallexample
7423
7424@node Arrays
7425@section Artificial Arrays
7426
7427@cindex artificial array
7428@cindex arrays
7429@kindex @@@r{, referencing memory as an array}
7430It is often useful to print out several successive objects of the
7431same type in memory; a section of an array, or an array of
7432dynamically determined size for which only a pointer exists in the
7433program.
7434
7435You can do this by referring to a contiguous span of memory as an
7436@dfn{artificial array}, using the binary operator @samp{@@}. The left
7437operand of @samp{@@} should be the first element of the desired array
7438and be an individual object. The right operand should be the desired length
7439of the array. The result is an array value whose elements are all of
7440the type of the left argument. The first element is actually the left
7441argument; the second element comes from bytes of memory immediately
7442following those that hold the first element, and so on. Here is an
7443example. If a program says
7444
7445@smallexample
7446int *array = (int *) malloc (len * sizeof (int));
7447@end smallexample
7448
7449@noindent
7450you can print the contents of @code{array} with
7451
7452@smallexample
7453p *array@@len
7454@end smallexample
7455
7456The left operand of @samp{@@} must reside in memory. Array values made
7457with @samp{@@} in this way behave just like other arrays in terms of
7458subscripting, and are coerced to pointers when used in expressions.
7459Artificial arrays most often appear in expressions via the value history
7460(@pxref{Value History, ,Value History}), after printing one out.
7461
7462Another way to create an artificial array is to use a cast.
7463This re-interprets a value as if it were an array.
7464The value need not be in memory:
7465@smallexample
7466(@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[2])0x12345678
7467$1 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
7468@end smallexample
7469
7470As a convenience, if you leave the array length out (as in
7471@samp{(@var{type}[])@var{value}}) @value{GDBN} calculates the size to fill
7472the value (as @samp{sizeof(@var{value})/sizeof(@var{type})}:
7473@smallexample
7474(@value{GDBP}) p/x (short[])0x12345678
7475$2 = @{0x1234, 0x5678@}
7476@end smallexample
7477
7478Sometimes the artificial array mechanism is not quite enough; in
7479moderately complex data structures, the elements of interest may not
7480actually be adjacent---for example, if you are interested in the values
7481of pointers in an array. One useful work-around in this situation is
7482to use a convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars, ,Convenience
7483Variables}) as a counter in an expression that prints the first
7484interesting value, and then repeat that expression via @key{RET}. For
7485instance, suppose you have an array @code{dtab} of pointers to
7486structures, and you are interested in the values of a field @code{fv}
7487in each structure. Here is an example of what you might type:
7488
7489@smallexample
7490set $i = 0
7491p dtab[$i++]->fv
7492@key{RET}
7493@key{RET}
7494@dots{}
7495@end smallexample
7496
7497@node Output Formats
7498@section Output Formats
7499
7500@cindex formatted output
7501@cindex output formats
7502By default, @value{GDBN} prints a value according to its data type. Sometimes
7503this is not what you want. For example, you might want to print a number
7504in hex, or a pointer in decimal. Or you might want to view data in memory
7505at a certain address as a character string or as an instruction. To do
7506these things, specify an @dfn{output format} when you print a value.
7507
7508The simplest use of output formats is to say how to print a value
7509already computed. This is done by starting the arguments of the
7510@code{print} command with a slash and a format letter. The format
7511letters supported are:
7512
7513@table @code
7514@item x
7515Regard the bits of the value as an integer, and print the integer in
7516hexadecimal.
7517
7518@item d
7519Print as integer in signed decimal.
7520
7521@item u
7522Print as integer in unsigned decimal.
7523
7524@item o
7525Print as integer in octal.
7526
7527@item t
7528Print as integer in binary. The letter @samp{t} stands for ``two''.
7529@footnote{@samp{b} cannot be used because these format letters are also
7530used with the @code{x} command, where @samp{b} stands for ``byte'';
7531see @ref{Memory,,Examining Memory}.}
7532
7533@item a
7534@cindex unknown address, locating
7535@cindex locate address
7536Print as an address, both absolute in hexadecimal and as an offset from
7537the nearest preceding symbol. You can use this format used to discover
7538where (in what function) an unknown address is located:
7539
7540@smallexample
7541(@value{GDBP}) p/a 0x54320
7542$3 = 0x54320 <_initialize_vx+396>
7543@end smallexample
7544
7545@noindent
7546The command @code{info symbol 0x54320} yields similar results.
7547@xref{Symbols, info symbol}.
7548
7549@item c
7550Regard as an integer and print it as a character constant. This
7551prints both the numerical value and its character representation. The
7552character representation is replaced with the octal escape @samp{\nnn}
7553for characters outside the 7-bit @sc{ascii} range.
7554
7555Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays @code{char},
7556@w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} data as character
7557constants. Single-byte members of vectors are displayed as integer
7558data.
7559
7560@item f
7561Regard the bits of the value as a floating point number and print
7562using typical floating point syntax.
7563
7564@item s
7565@cindex printing strings
7566@cindex printing byte arrays
7567Regard as a string, if possible. With this format, pointers to single-byte
7568data are displayed as null-terminated strings and arrays of single-byte data
7569are displayed as fixed-length strings. Other values are displayed in their
7570natural types.
7571
7572Without this format, @value{GDBN} displays pointers to and arrays of
7573@code{char}, @w{@code{unsigned char}}, and @w{@code{signed char}} as
7574strings. Single-byte members of a vector are displayed as an integer
7575array.
7576
7577@item r
7578@cindex raw printing
7579Print using the @samp{raw} formatting. By default, @value{GDBN} will
7580use a Python-based pretty-printer, if one is available (@pxref{Pretty
7581Printing}). This typically results in a higher-level display of the
7582value's contents. The @samp{r} format bypasses any Python
7583pretty-printer which might exist.
7584@end table
7585
7586For example, to print the program counter in hex (@pxref{Registers}), type
7587
7588@smallexample
7589p/x $pc
7590@end smallexample
7591
7592@noindent
7593Note that no space is required before the slash; this is because command
7594names in @value{GDBN} cannot contain a slash.
7595
7596To reprint the last value in the value history with a different format,
7597you can use the @code{print} command with just a format and no
7598expression. For example, @samp{p/x} reprints the last value in hex.
7599
7600@node Memory
7601@section Examining Memory
7602
7603You can use the command @code{x} (for ``examine'') to examine memory in
7604any of several formats, independently of your program's data types.
7605
7606@cindex examining memory
7607@table @code
7608@kindex x @r{(examine memory)}
7609@item x/@var{nfu} @var{addr}
7610@itemx x @var{addr}
7611@itemx x
7612Use the @code{x} command to examine memory.
7613@end table
7614
7615@var{n}, @var{f}, and @var{u} are all optional parameters that specify how
7616much memory to display and how to format it; @var{addr} is an
7617expression giving the address where you want to start displaying memory.
7618If you use defaults for @var{nfu}, you need not type the slash @samp{/}.
7619Several commands set convenient defaults for @var{addr}.
7620
7621@table @r
7622@item @var{n}, the repeat count
7623The repeat count is a decimal integer; the default is 1. It specifies
7624how much memory (counting by units @var{u}) to display.
7625@c This really is **decimal**; unaffected by 'set radix' as of GDB
7626@c 4.1.2.
7627
7628@item @var{f}, the display format
7629The display format is one of the formats used by @code{print}
7630(@samp{x}, @samp{d}, @samp{u}, @samp{o}, @samp{t}, @samp{a}, @samp{c},
7631@samp{f}, @samp{s}), and in addition @samp{i} (for machine instructions).
7632The default is @samp{x} (hexadecimal) initially. The default changes
7633each time you use either @code{x} or @code{print}.
7634
7635@item @var{u}, the unit size
7636The unit size is any of
7637
7638@table @code
7639@item b
7640Bytes.
7641@item h
7642Halfwords (two bytes).
7643@item w
7644Words (four bytes). This is the initial default.
7645@item g
7646Giant words (eight bytes).
7647@end table
7648
7649Each time you specify a unit size with @code{x}, that size becomes the
7650default unit the next time you use @code{x}. For the @samp{i} format,
7651the unit size is ignored and is normally not written. For the @samp{s} format,
7652the unit size defaults to @samp{b}, unless it is explicitly given.
7653Use @kbd{x /hs} to display 16-bit char strings and @kbd{x /ws} to display
765432-bit strings. The next use of @kbd{x /s} will again display 8-bit strings.
7655Note that the results depend on the programming language of the
7656current compilation unit. If the language is C, the @samp{s}
7657modifier will use the UTF-16 encoding while @samp{w} will use
7658UTF-32. The encoding is set by the programming language and cannot
7659be altered.
7660
7661@item @var{addr}, starting display address
7662@var{addr} is the address where you want @value{GDBN} to begin displaying
7663memory. The expression need not have a pointer value (though it may);
7664it is always interpreted as an integer address of a byte of memory.
7665@xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information on expressions. The default for
7666@var{addr} is usually just after the last address examined---but several
7667other commands also set the default address: @code{info breakpoints} (to
7668the address of the last breakpoint listed), @code{info line} (to the
7669starting address of a line), and @code{print} (if you use it to display
7670a value from memory).
7671@end table
7672
7673For example, @samp{x/3uh 0x54320} is a request to display three halfwords
7674(@code{h}) of memory, formatted as unsigned decimal integers (@samp{u}),
7675starting at address @code{0x54320}. @samp{x/4xw $sp} prints the four
7676words (@samp{w}) of memory above the stack pointer (here, @samp{$sp};
7677@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}) in hexadecimal (@samp{x}).
7678
7679Since the letters indicating unit sizes are all distinct from the
7680letters specifying output formats, you do not have to remember whether
7681unit size or format comes first; either order works. The output
7682specifications @samp{4xw} and @samp{4wx} mean exactly the same thing.
7683(However, the count @var{n} must come first; @samp{wx4} does not work.)
7684
7685Even though the unit size @var{u} is ignored for the formats @samp{s}
7686and @samp{i}, you might still want to use a count @var{n}; for example,
7687@samp{3i} specifies that you want to see three machine instructions,
7688including any operands. For convenience, especially when used with
7689the @code{display} command, the @samp{i} format also prints branch delay
7690slot instructions, if any, beyond the count specified, which immediately
7691follow the last instruction that is within the count. The command
7692@code{disassemble} gives an alternative way of inspecting machine
7693instructions; see @ref{Machine Code,,Source and Machine Code}.
7694
7695All the defaults for the arguments to @code{x} are designed to make it
7696easy to continue scanning memory with minimal specifications each time
7697you use @code{x}. For example, after you have inspected three machine
7698instructions with @samp{x/3i @var{addr}}, you can inspect the next seven
7699with just @samp{x/7}. If you use @key{RET} to repeat the @code{x} command,
7700the repeat count @var{n} is used again; the other arguments default as
7701for successive uses of @code{x}.
7702
7703When examining machine instructions, the instruction at current program
7704counter is shown with a @code{=>} marker. For example:
7705
7706@smallexample
7707(@value{GDBP}) x/5i $pc-6
7708 0x804837f <main+11>: mov %esp,%ebp
7709 0x8048381 <main+13>: push %ecx
7710 0x8048382 <main+14>: sub $0x4,%esp
7711=> 0x8048385 <main+17>: movl $0x8048460,(%esp)
7712 0x804838c <main+24>: call 0x80482d4 <puts@@plt>
7713@end smallexample
7714
7715@cindex @code{$_}, @code{$__}, and value history
7716The addresses and contents printed by the @code{x} command are not saved
7717in the value history because there is often too much of them and they
7718would get in the way. Instead, @value{GDBN} makes these values available for
7719subsequent use in expressions as values of the convenience variables
7720@code{$_} and @code{$__}. After an @code{x} command, the last address
7721examined is available for use in expressions in the convenience variable
7722@code{$_}. The contents of that address, as examined, are available in
7723the convenience variable @code{$__}.
7724
7725If the @code{x} command has a repeat count, the address and contents saved
7726are from the last memory unit printed; this is not the same as the last
7727address printed if several units were printed on the last line of output.
7728
7729@cindex remote memory comparison
7730@cindex verify remote memory image
7731When you are debugging a program running on a remote target machine
7732(@pxref{Remote Debugging}), you may wish to verify the program's image in the
7733remote machine's memory against the executable file you downloaded to
7734the target. The @code{compare-sections} command is provided for such
7735situations.
7736
7737@table @code
7738@kindex compare-sections
7739@item compare-sections @r{[}@var{section-name}@r{]}
7740Compare the data of a loadable section @var{section-name} in the
7741executable file of the program being debugged with the same section in
7742the remote machine's memory, and report any mismatches. With no
7743arguments, compares all loadable sections. This command's
7744availability depends on the target's support for the @code{"qCRC"}
7745remote request.
7746@end table
7747
7748@node Auto Display
7749@section Automatic Display
7750@cindex automatic display
7751@cindex display of expressions
7752
7753If you find that you want to print the value of an expression frequently
7754(to see how it changes), you might want to add it to the @dfn{automatic
7755display list} so that @value{GDBN} prints its value each time your program stops.
7756Each expression added to the list is given a number to identify it;
7757to remove an expression from the list, you specify that number.
7758The automatic display looks like this:
7759
7760@smallexample
77612: foo = 38
77623: bar[5] = (struct hack *) 0x3804
7763@end smallexample
7764
7765@noindent
7766This display shows item numbers, expressions and their current values. As with
7767displays you request manually using @code{x} or @code{print}, you can
7768specify the output format you prefer; in fact, @code{display} decides
7769whether to use @code{print} or @code{x} depending your format
7770specification---it uses @code{x} if you specify either the @samp{i}
7771or @samp{s} format, or a unit size; otherwise it uses @code{print}.
7772
7773@table @code
7774@kindex display
7775@item display @var{expr}
7776Add the expression @var{expr} to the list of expressions to display
7777each time your program stops. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
7778
7779@code{display} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
7780
7781@item display/@var{fmt} @var{expr}
7782For @var{fmt} specifying only a display format and not a size or
7783count, add the expression @var{expr} to the auto-display list but
7784arrange to display it each time in the specified format @var{fmt}.
7785@xref{Output Formats,,Output Formats}.
7786
7787@item display/@var{fmt} @var{addr}
7788For @var{fmt} @samp{i} or @samp{s}, or including a unit-size or a
7789number of units, add the expression @var{addr} as a memory address to
7790be examined each time your program stops. Examining means in effect
7791doing @samp{x/@var{fmt} @var{addr}}. @xref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}.
7792@end table
7793
7794For example, @samp{display/i $pc} can be helpful, to see the machine
7795instruction about to be executed each time execution stops (@samp{$pc}
7796is a common name for the program counter; @pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
7797
7798@table @code
7799@kindex delete display
7800@kindex undisplay
7801@item undisplay @var{dnums}@dots{}
7802@itemx delete display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7803Remove items from the list of expressions to display. Specify the
7804numbers of the displays that you want affected with the command
7805argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one of the
7806numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display} display;
7807or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
7808
7809@code{undisplay} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
7810(Otherwise you would just get the error @samp{No display number @dots{}}.)
7811
7812@kindex disable display
7813@item disable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7814Disable the display of item numbers @var{dnums}. A disabled display
7815item is not printed automatically, but is not forgotten. It may be
7816enabled again later. Specify the numbers of the displays that you
7817want affected with the command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a
7818single display number, one of the numbers shown in the first field of
7819the @samp{info display} display; or it could be a range of display
7820numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
7821
7822@kindex enable display
7823@item enable display @var{dnums}@dots{}
7824Enable display of item numbers @var{dnums}. It becomes effective once
7825again in auto display of its expression, until you specify otherwise.
7826Specify the numbers of the displays that you want affected with the
7827command argument @var{dnums}. It can be a single display number, one
7828of the numbers shown in the first field of the @samp{info display}
7829display; or it could be a range of display numbers, as in @code{2-4}.
7830
7831@item display
7832Display the current values of the expressions on the list, just as is
7833done when your program stops.
7834
7835@kindex info display
7836@item info display
7837Print the list of expressions previously set up to display
7838automatically, each one with its item number, but without showing the
7839values. This includes disabled expressions, which are marked as such.
7840It also includes expressions which would not be displayed right now
7841because they refer to automatic variables not currently available.
7842@end table
7843
7844@cindex display disabled out of scope
7845If a display expression refers to local variables, then it does not make
7846sense outside the lexical context for which it was set up. Such an
7847expression is disabled when execution enters a context where one of its
7848variables is not defined. For example, if you give the command
7849@code{display last_char} while inside a function with an argument
7850@code{last_char}, @value{GDBN} displays this argument while your program
7851continues to stop inside that function. When it stops elsewhere---where
7852there is no variable @code{last_char}---the display is disabled
7853automatically. The next time your program stops where @code{last_char}
7854is meaningful, you can enable the display expression once again.
7855
7856@node Print Settings
7857@section Print Settings
7858
7859@cindex format options
7860@cindex print settings
7861@value{GDBN} provides the following ways to control how arrays, structures,
7862and symbols are printed.
7863
7864@noindent
7865These settings are useful for debugging programs in any language:
7866
7867@table @code
7868@kindex set print
7869@item set print address
7870@itemx set print address on
7871@cindex print/don't print memory addresses
7872@value{GDBN} prints memory addresses showing the location of stack
7873traces, structure values, pointer values, breakpoints, and so forth,
7874even when it also displays the contents of those addresses. The default
7875is @code{on}. For example, this is what a stack frame display looks like with
7876@code{set print address on}:
7877
7878@smallexample
7879@group
7880(@value{GDBP}) f
7881#0 set_quotes (lq=0x34c78 "<<", rq=0x34c88 ">>")
7882 at input.c:530
7883530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
7884@end group
7885@end smallexample
7886
7887@item set print address off
7888Do not print addresses when displaying their contents. For example,
7889this is the same stack frame displayed with @code{set print address off}:
7890
7891@smallexample
7892@group
7893(@value{GDBP}) set print addr off
7894(@value{GDBP}) f
7895#0 set_quotes (lq="<<", rq=">>") at input.c:530
7896530 if (lquote != def_lquote)
7897@end group
7898@end smallexample
7899
7900You can use @samp{set print address off} to eliminate all machine
7901dependent displays from the @value{GDBN} interface. For example, with
7902@code{print address off}, you should get the same text for backtraces on
7903all machines---whether or not they involve pointer arguments.
7904
7905@kindex show print
7906@item show print address
7907Show whether or not addresses are to be printed.
7908@end table
7909
7910When @value{GDBN} prints a symbolic address, it normally prints the
7911closest earlier symbol plus an offset. If that symbol does not uniquely
7912identify the address (for example, it is a name whose scope is a single
7913source file), you may need to clarify. One way to do this is with
7914@code{info line}, for example @samp{info line *0x4537}. Alternately,
7915you can set @value{GDBN} to print the source file and line number when
7916it prints a symbolic address:
7917
7918@table @code
7919@item set print symbol-filename on
7920@cindex source file and line of a symbol
7921@cindex symbol, source file and line
7922Tell @value{GDBN} to print the source file name and line number of a
7923symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
7924
7925@item set print symbol-filename off
7926Do not print source file name and line number of a symbol. This is the
7927default.
7928
7929@item show print symbol-filename
7930Show whether or not @value{GDBN} will print the source file name and
7931line number of a symbol in the symbolic form of an address.
7932@end table
7933
7934Another situation where it is helpful to show symbol filenames and line
7935numbers is when disassembling code; @value{GDBN} shows you the line
7936number and source file that corresponds to each instruction.
7937
7938Also, you may wish to see the symbolic form only if the address being
7939printed is reasonably close to the closest earlier symbol:
7940
7941@table @code
7942@item set print max-symbolic-offset @var{max-offset}
7943@cindex maximum value for offset of closest symbol
7944Tell @value{GDBN} to only display the symbolic form of an address if the
7945offset between the closest earlier symbol and the address is less than
7946@var{max-offset}. The default is 0, which tells @value{GDBN}
7947to always print the symbolic form of an address if any symbol precedes it.
7948
7949@item show print max-symbolic-offset
7950Ask how large the maximum offset is that @value{GDBN} prints in a
7951symbolic address.
7952@end table
7953
7954@cindex wild pointer, interpreting
7955@cindex pointer, finding referent
7956If you have a pointer and you are not sure where it points, try
7957@samp{set print symbol-filename on}. Then you can determine the name
7958and source file location of the variable where it points, using
7959@samp{p/a @var{pointer}}. This interprets the address in symbolic form.
7960For example, here @value{GDBN} shows that a variable @code{ptt} points
7961at another variable @code{t}, defined in @file{hi2.c}:
7962
7963@smallexample
7964(@value{GDBP}) set print symbol-filename on
7965(@value{GDBP}) p/a ptt
7966$4 = 0xe008 <t in hi2.c>
7967@end smallexample
7968
7969@quotation
7970@emph{Warning:} For pointers that point to a local variable, @samp{p/a}
7971does not show the symbol name and filename of the referent, even with
7972the appropriate @code{set print} options turned on.
7973@end quotation
7974
7975Other settings control how different kinds of objects are printed:
7976
7977@table @code
7978@item set print array
7979@itemx set print array on
7980@cindex pretty print arrays
7981Pretty print arrays. This format is more convenient to read,
7982but uses more space. The default is off.
7983
7984@item set print array off
7985Return to compressed format for arrays.
7986
7987@item show print array
7988Show whether compressed or pretty format is selected for displaying
7989arrays.
7990
7991@cindex print array indexes
7992@item set print array-indexes
7993@itemx set print array-indexes on
7994Print the index of each element when displaying arrays. May be more
7995convenient to locate a given element in the array or quickly find the
7996index of a given element in that printed array. The default is off.
7997
7998@item set print array-indexes off
7999Stop printing element indexes when displaying arrays.
8000
8001@item show print array-indexes
8002Show whether the index of each element is printed when displaying
8003arrays.
8004
8005@item set print elements @var{number-of-elements}
8006@cindex number of array elements to print
8007@cindex limit on number of printed array elements
8008Set a limit on how many elements of an array @value{GDBN} will print.
8009If @value{GDBN} is printing a large array, it stops printing after it has
8010printed the number of elements set by the @code{set print elements} command.
8011This limit also applies to the display of strings.
8012When @value{GDBN} starts, this limit is set to 200.
8013Setting @var{number-of-elements} to zero means that the printing is unlimited.
8014
8015@item show print elements
8016Display the number of elements of a large array that @value{GDBN} will print.
8017If the number is 0, then the printing is unlimited.
8018
8019@item set print frame-arguments @var{value}
8020@kindex set print frame-arguments
8021@cindex printing frame argument values
8022@cindex print all frame argument values
8023@cindex print frame argument values for scalars only
8024@cindex do not print frame argument values
8025This command allows to control how the values of arguments are printed
8026when the debugger prints a frame (@pxref{Frames}). The possible
8027values are:
8028
8029@table @code
8030@item all
8031The values of all arguments are printed.
8032
8033@item scalars
8034Print the value of an argument only if it is a scalar. The value of more
8035complex arguments such as arrays, structures, unions, etc, is replaced
8036by @code{@dots{}}. This is the default. Here is an example where
8037only scalar arguments are shown:
8038
8039@smallexample
8040#1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=3, s=@dots{}, ss=0xbf8d508c, u=@dots{}, e=green)
8041 at frame-args.c:23
8042@end smallexample
8043
8044@item none
8045None of the argument values are printed. Instead, the value of each argument
8046is replaced by @code{@dots{}}. In this case, the example above now becomes:
8047
8048@smallexample
8049#1 0x08048361 in call_me (i=@dots{}, s=@dots{}, ss=@dots{}, u=@dots{}, e=@dots{})
8050 at frame-args.c:23
8051@end smallexample
8052@end table
8053
8054By default, only scalar arguments are printed. This command can be used
8055to configure the debugger to print the value of all arguments, regardless
8056of their type. However, it is often advantageous to not print the value
8057of more complex parameters. For instance, it reduces the amount of
8058information printed in each frame, making the backtrace more readable.
8059Also, it improves performance when displaying Ada frames, because
8060the computation of large arguments can sometimes be CPU-intensive,
8061especially in large applications. Setting @code{print frame-arguments}
8062to @code{scalars} (the default) or @code{none} avoids this computation,
8063thus speeding up the display of each Ada frame.
8064
8065@item show print frame-arguments
8066Show how the value of arguments should be displayed when printing a frame.
8067
8068@anchor{set print entry-values}
8069@item set print entry-values @var{value}
8070@kindex set print entry-values
8071Set printing of frame argument values at function entry. In some cases
8072@value{GDBN} can determine the value of function argument which was passed by
8073the function caller, even if the value was modified inside the called function
8074and therefore is different. With optimized code, the current value could be
8075unavailable, but the entry value may still be known.
8076
8077The default value is @code{default} (see below for its description). Older
8078@value{GDBN} behaved as with the setting @code{no}. Compilers not supporting
8079this feature will behave in the @code{default} setting the same way as with the
8080@code{no} setting.
8081
8082This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
8083the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
8084@value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
8085this information.
8086
8087The @var{value} parameter can be one of the following:
8088
8089@table @code
8090@item no
8091Print only actual parameter values, never print values from function entry
8092point.
8093@smallexample
8094#0 equal (val=5)
8095#0 different (val=6)
8096#0 lost (val=<optimized out>)
8097#0 born (val=10)
8098#0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8099@end smallexample
8100
8101@item only
8102Print only parameter values from function entry point. The actual parameter
8103values are never printed.
8104@smallexample
8105#0 equal (val@@entry=5)
8106#0 different (val@@entry=5)
8107#0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8108#0 born (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8109#0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8110@end smallexample
8111
8112@item preferred
8113Print only parameter values from function entry point. If value from function
8114entry point is not known while the actual value is known, print the actual
8115value for such parameter.
8116@smallexample
8117#0 equal (val@@entry=5)
8118#0 different (val@@entry=5)
8119#0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8120#0 born (val=10)
8121#0 invalid (val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8122@end smallexample
8123
8124@item if-needed
8125Print actual parameter values. If actual parameter value is not known while
8126value from function entry point is known, print the entry point value for such
8127parameter.
8128@smallexample
8129#0 equal (val=5)
8130#0 different (val=6)
8131#0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8132#0 born (val=10)
8133#0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8134@end smallexample
8135
8136@item both
8137Always print both the actual parameter value and its value from function entry
8138point, even if values of one or both are not available due to compiler
8139optimizations.
8140@smallexample
8141#0 equal (val=5, val@@entry=5)
8142#0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
8143#0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
8144#0 born (val=10, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8145#0 invalid (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=<optimized out>)
8146@end smallexample
8147
8148@item compact
8149Print the actual parameter value if it is known and also its value from
8150function entry point if it is known. If neither is known, print for the actual
8151value @code{<optimized out>}. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and if both
8152values are known and identical, print the shortened
8153@code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
8154@smallexample
8155#0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
8156#0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
8157#0 lost (val@@entry=5)
8158#0 born (val=10)
8159#0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8160@end smallexample
8161
8162@item default
8163Always print the actual parameter value. Print also its value from function
8164entry point, but only if it is known. If not in MI mode (@pxref{GDB/MI}) and
8165if both values are known and identical, print the shortened
8166@code{param=param@@entry=VALUE} notation.
8167@smallexample
8168#0 equal (val=val@@entry=5)
8169#0 different (val=6, val@@entry=5)
8170#0 lost (val=<optimized out>, val@@entry=5)
8171#0 born (val=10)
8172#0 invalid (val=<optimized out>)
8173@end smallexample
8174@end table
8175
8176For analysis messages on possible failures of frame argument values at function
8177entry resolution see @ref{set debug entry-values}.
8178
8179@item show print entry-values
8180Show the method being used for printing of frame argument values at function
8181entry.
8182
8183@item set print repeats
8184@cindex repeated array elements
8185Set the threshold for suppressing display of repeated array
8186elements. When the number of consecutive identical elements of an
8187array exceeds the threshold, @value{GDBN} prints the string
8188@code{"<repeats @var{n} times>"}, where @var{n} is the number of
8189identical repetitions, instead of displaying the identical elements
8190themselves. Setting the threshold to zero will cause all elements to
8191be individually printed. The default threshold is 10.
8192
8193@item show print repeats
8194Display the current threshold for printing repeated identical
8195elements.
8196
8197@item set print null-stop
8198@cindex @sc{null} elements in arrays
8199Cause @value{GDBN} to stop printing the characters of an array when the first
8200@sc{null} is encountered. This is useful when large arrays actually
8201contain only short strings.
8202The default is off.
8203
8204@item show print null-stop
8205Show whether @value{GDBN} stops printing an array on the first
8206@sc{null} character.
8207
8208@item set print pretty on
8209@cindex print structures in indented form
8210@cindex indentation in structure display
8211Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in an indented format with one member
8212per line, like this:
8213
8214@smallexample
8215@group
8216$1 = @{
8217 next = 0x0,
8218 flags = @{
8219 sweet = 1,
8220 sour = 1
8221 @},
8222 meat = 0x54 "Pork"
8223@}
8224@end group
8225@end smallexample
8226
8227@item set print pretty off
8228Cause @value{GDBN} to print structures in a compact format, like this:
8229
8230@smallexample
8231@group
8232$1 = @{next = 0x0, flags = @{sweet = 1, sour = 1@}, \
8233meat = 0x54 "Pork"@}
8234@end group
8235@end smallexample
8236
8237@noindent
8238This is the default format.
8239
8240@item show print pretty
8241Show which format @value{GDBN} is using to print structures.
8242
8243@item set print sevenbit-strings on
8244@cindex eight-bit characters in strings
8245@cindex octal escapes in strings
8246Print using only seven-bit characters; if this option is set,
8247@value{GDBN} displays any eight-bit characters (in strings or
8248character values) using the notation @code{\}@var{nnn}. This setting is
8249best if you are working in English (@sc{ascii}) and you use the
8250high-order bit of characters as a marker or ``meta'' bit.
8251
8252@item set print sevenbit-strings off
8253Print full eight-bit characters. This allows the use of more
8254international character sets, and is the default.
8255
8256@item show print sevenbit-strings
8257Show whether or not @value{GDBN} is printing only seven-bit characters.
8258
8259@item set print union on
8260@cindex unions in structures, printing
8261Tell @value{GDBN} to print unions which are contained in structures
8262and other unions. This is the default setting.
8263
8264@item set print union off
8265Tell @value{GDBN} not to print unions which are contained in
8266structures and other unions. @value{GDBN} will print @code{"@{...@}"}
8267instead.
8268
8269@item show print union
8270Ask @value{GDBN} whether or not it will print unions which are contained in
8271structures and other unions.
8272
8273For example, given the declarations
8274
8275@smallexample
8276typedef enum @{Tree, Bug@} Species;
8277typedef enum @{Big_tree, Acorn, Seedling@} Tree_forms;
8278typedef enum @{Caterpillar, Cocoon, Butterfly@}
8279 Bug_forms;
8280
8281struct thing @{
8282 Species it;
8283 union @{
8284 Tree_forms tree;
8285 Bug_forms bug;
8286 @} form;
8287@};
8288
8289struct thing foo = @{Tree, @{Acorn@}@};
8290@end smallexample
8291
8292@noindent
8293with @code{set print union on} in effect @samp{p foo} would print
8294
8295@smallexample
8296$1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{tree = Acorn, bug = Cocoon@}@}
8297@end smallexample
8298
8299@noindent
8300and with @code{set print union off} in effect it would print
8301
8302@smallexample
8303$1 = @{it = Tree, form = @{...@}@}
8304@end smallexample
8305
8306@noindent
8307@code{set print union} affects programs written in C-like languages
8308and in Pascal.
8309@end table
8310
8311@need 1000
8312@noindent
8313These settings are of interest when debugging C@t{++} programs:
8314
8315@table @code
8316@cindex demangling C@t{++} names
8317@item set print demangle
8318@itemx set print demangle on
8319Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than in the encoded
8320(``mangled'') form passed to the assembler and linker for type-safe
8321linkage. The default is on.
8322
8323@item show print demangle
8324Show whether C@t{++} names are printed in mangled or demangled form.
8325
8326@item set print asm-demangle
8327@itemx set print asm-demangle on
8328Print C@t{++} names in their source form rather than their mangled form, even
8329in assembler code printouts such as instruction disassemblies.
8330The default is off.
8331
8332@item show print asm-demangle
8333Show whether C@t{++} names in assembly listings are printed in mangled
8334or demangled form.
8335
8336@cindex C@t{++} symbol decoding style
8337@cindex symbol decoding style, C@t{++}
8338@kindex set demangle-style
8339@item set demangle-style @var{style}
8340Choose among several encoding schemes used by different compilers to
8341represent C@t{++} names. The choices for @var{style} are currently:
8342
8343@table @code
8344@item auto
8345Allow @value{GDBN} to choose a decoding style by inspecting your program.
8346
8347@item gnu
8348Decode based on the @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler (@code{g++}) encoding algorithm.
8349This is the default.
8350
8351@item hp
8352Decode based on the HP ANSI C@t{++} (@code{aCC}) encoding algorithm.
8353
8354@item lucid
8355Decode based on the Lucid C@t{++} compiler (@code{lcc}) encoding algorithm.
8356
8357@item arm
8358Decode using the algorithm in the @cite{C@t{++} Annotated Reference Manual}.
8359@strong{Warning:} this setting alone is not sufficient to allow
8360debugging @code{cfront}-generated executables. @value{GDBN} would
8361require further enhancement to permit that.
8362
8363@end table
8364If you omit @var{style}, you will see a list of possible formats.
8365
8366@item show demangle-style
8367Display the encoding style currently in use for decoding C@t{++} symbols.
8368
8369@item set print object
8370@itemx set print object on
8371@cindex derived type of an object, printing
8372@cindex display derived types
8373When displaying a pointer to an object, identify the @emph{actual}
8374(derived) type of the object rather than the @emph{declared} type, using
8375the virtual function table. Note that the virtual function table is
8376required---this feature can only work for objects that have run-time
8377type identification; a single virtual method in the object's declared
8378type is sufficient.
8379
8380@item set print object off
8381Display only the declared type of objects, without reference to the
8382virtual function table. This is the default setting.
8383
8384@item show print object
8385Show whether actual, or declared, object types are displayed.
8386
8387@item set print static-members
8388@itemx set print static-members on
8389@cindex static members of C@t{++} objects
8390Print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object. The default is on.
8391
8392@item set print static-members off
8393Do not print static members when displaying a C@t{++} object.
8394
8395@item show print static-members
8396Show whether C@t{++} static members are printed or not.
8397
8398@item set print pascal_static-members
8399@itemx set print pascal_static-members on
8400@cindex static members of Pascal objects
8401@cindex Pascal objects, static members display
8402Print static members when displaying a Pascal object. The default is on.
8403
8404@item set print pascal_static-members off
8405Do not print static members when displaying a Pascal object.
8406
8407@item show print pascal_static-members
8408Show whether Pascal static members are printed or not.
8409
8410@c These don't work with HP ANSI C++ yet.
8411@item set print vtbl
8412@itemx set print vtbl on
8413@cindex pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables
8414@cindex virtual functions (C@t{++}) display
8415@cindex VTBL display
8416Pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables. The default is off.
8417(The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
8418ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
8419
8420@item set print vtbl off
8421Do not pretty print C@t{++} virtual function tables.
8422
8423@item show print vtbl
8424Show whether C@t{++} virtual function tables are pretty printed, or not.
8425@end table
8426
8427@node Pretty Printing
8428@section Pretty Printing
8429
8430@value{GDBN} provides a mechanism to allow pretty-printing of values using
8431Python code. It greatly simplifies the display of complex objects. This
8432mechanism works for both MI and the CLI.
8433
8434@menu
8435* Pretty-Printer Introduction:: Introduction to pretty-printers
8436* Pretty-Printer Example:: An example pretty-printer
8437* Pretty-Printer Commands:: Pretty-printer commands
8438@end menu
8439
8440@node Pretty-Printer Introduction
8441@subsection Pretty-Printer Introduction
8442
8443When @value{GDBN} prints a value, it first sees if there is a pretty-printer
8444registered for the value. If there is then @value{GDBN} invokes the
8445pretty-printer to print the value. Otherwise the value is printed normally.
8446
8447Pretty-printers are normally named. This makes them easy to manage.
8448The @samp{info pretty-printer} command will list all the installed
8449pretty-printers with their names.
8450If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
8451@dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
8452Each such subprinter has its own name.
8453The format of the name is @var{printer-name};@var{subprinter-name}.
8454
8455Pretty-printers are installed by @dfn{registering} them with @value{GDBN}.
8456Typically they are automatically loaded and registered when the corresponding
8457debug information is loaded, thus making them available without having to
8458do anything special.
8459
8460There are three places where a pretty-printer can be registered.
8461
8462@itemize @bullet
8463@item
8464Pretty-printers registered globally are available when debugging
8465all inferiors.
8466
8467@item
8468Pretty-printers registered with a program space are available only
8469when debugging that program.
8470@xref{Progspaces In Python}, for more details on program spaces in Python.
8471
8472@item
8473Pretty-printers registered with an objfile are loaded and unloaded
8474with the corresponding objfile (e.g., shared library).
8475@xref{Objfiles In Python}, for more details on objfiles in Python.
8476@end itemize
8477
8478@xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for further information on how
8479pretty-printers are selected,
8480
8481@xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for implementing pretty printers
8482for new types.
8483
8484@node Pretty-Printer Example
8485@subsection Pretty-Printer Example
8486
8487Here is how a C@t{++} @code{std::string} looks without a pretty-printer:
8488
8489@smallexample
8490(@value{GDBP}) print s
8491$1 = @{
8492 static npos = 4294967295,
8493 _M_dataplus = @{
8494 <std::allocator<char>> = @{
8495 <__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<char>> = @{
8496 <No data fields>@}, <No data fields>
8497 @},
8498 members of std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>,
8499 std::allocator<char> >::_Alloc_hider:
8500 _M_p = 0x804a014 "abcd"
8501 @}
8502@}
8503@end smallexample
8504
8505With a pretty-printer for @code{std::string} only the contents are printed:
8506
8507@smallexample
8508(@value{GDBP}) print s
8509$2 = "abcd"
8510@end smallexample
8511
8512@node Pretty-Printer Commands
8513@subsection Pretty-Printer Commands
8514@cindex pretty-printer commands
8515
8516@table @code
8517@kindex info pretty-printer
8518@item info pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
8519Print the list of installed pretty-printers.
8520This includes disabled pretty-printers, which are marked as such.
8521
8522@var{object-regexp} is a regular expression matching the objects
8523whose pretty-printers to list.
8524Objects can be @code{global}, the program space's file
8525(@pxref{Progspaces In Python}),
8526and the object files within that program space (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}).
8527@xref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}, for details on how @value{GDBN}
8528looks up a printer from these three objects.
8529
8530@var{name-regexp} is a regular expression matching the name of the printers
8531to list.
8532
8533@kindex disable pretty-printer
8534@item disable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
8535Disable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
8536A disabled pretty-printer is not forgotten, it may be enabled again later.
8537
8538@kindex enable pretty-printer
8539@item enable pretty-printer [@var{object-regexp} [@var{name-regexp}]]
8540Enable pretty-printers matching @var{object-regexp} and @var{name-regexp}.
8541@end table
8542
8543Example:
8544
8545Suppose we have three pretty-printers installed: one from library1.so
8546named @code{foo} that prints objects of type @code{foo}, and
8547another from library2.so named @code{bar} that prints two types of objects,
8548@code{bar1} and @code{bar2}.
8549
8550@smallexample
8551(gdb) info pretty-printer
8552library1.so:
8553 foo
8554library2.so:
8555 bar
8556 bar1
8557 bar2
8558(gdb) info pretty-printer library2
8559library2.so:
8560 bar
8561 bar1
8562 bar2
8563(gdb) disable pretty-printer library1
85641 printer disabled
85652 of 3 printers enabled
8566(gdb) info pretty-printer
8567library1.so:
8568 foo [disabled]
8569library2.so:
8570 bar
8571 bar1
8572 bar2
8573(gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar:bar1
85741 printer disabled
85751 of 3 printers enabled
8576(gdb) info pretty-printer library2
8577library1.so:
8578 foo [disabled]
8579library2.so:
8580 bar
8581 bar1 [disabled]
8582 bar2
8583(gdb) disable pretty-printer library2 bar
85841 printer disabled
85850 of 3 printers enabled
8586(gdb) info pretty-printer library2
8587library1.so:
8588 foo [disabled]
8589library2.so:
8590 bar [disabled]
8591 bar1 [disabled]
8592 bar2
8593@end smallexample
8594
8595Note that for @code{bar} the entire printer can be disabled,
8596as can each individual subprinter.
8597
8598@node Value History
8599@section Value History
8600
8601@cindex value history
8602@cindex history of values printed by @value{GDBN}
8603Values printed by the @code{print} command are saved in the @value{GDBN}
8604@dfn{value history}. This allows you to refer to them in other expressions.
8605Values are kept until the symbol table is re-read or discarded
8606(for example with the @code{file} or @code{symbol-file} commands).
8607When the symbol table changes, the value history is discarded,
8608since the values may contain pointers back to the types defined in the
8609symbol table.
8610
8611@cindex @code{$}
8612@cindex @code{$$}
8613@cindex history number
8614The values printed are given @dfn{history numbers} by which you can
8615refer to them. These are successive integers starting with one.
8616@code{print} shows you the history number assigned to a value by
8617printing @samp{$@var{num} = } before the value; here @var{num} is the
8618history number.
8619
8620To refer to any previous value, use @samp{$} followed by the value's
8621history number. The way @code{print} labels its output is designed to
8622remind you of this. Just @code{$} refers to the most recent value in
8623the history, and @code{$$} refers to the value before that.
8624@code{$$@var{n}} refers to the @var{n}th value from the end; @code{$$2}
8625is the value just prior to @code{$$}, @code{$$1} is equivalent to
8626@code{$$}, and @code{$$0} is equivalent to @code{$}.
8627
8628For example, suppose you have just printed a pointer to a structure and
8629want to see the contents of the structure. It suffices to type
8630
8631@smallexample
8632p *$
8633@end smallexample
8634
8635If you have a chain of structures where the component @code{next} points
8636to the next one, you can print the contents of the next one with this:
8637
8638@smallexample
8639p *$.next
8640@end smallexample
8641
8642@noindent
8643You can print successive links in the chain by repeating this
8644command---which you can do by just typing @key{RET}.
8645
8646Note that the history records values, not expressions. If the value of
8647@code{x} is 4 and you type these commands:
8648
8649@smallexample
8650print x
8651set x=5
8652@end smallexample
8653
8654@noindent
8655then the value recorded in the value history by the @code{print} command
8656remains 4 even though the value of @code{x} has changed.
8657
8658@table @code
8659@kindex show values
8660@item show values
8661Print the last ten values in the value history, with their item numbers.
8662This is like @samp{p@ $$9} repeated ten times, except that @code{show
8663values} does not change the history.
8664
8665@item show values @var{n}
8666Print ten history values centered on history item number @var{n}.
8667
8668@item show values +
8669Print ten history values just after the values last printed. If no more
8670values are available, @code{show values +} produces no display.
8671@end table
8672
8673Pressing @key{RET} to repeat @code{show values @var{n}} has exactly the
8674same effect as @samp{show values +}.
8675
8676@node Convenience Vars
8677@section Convenience Variables
8678
8679@cindex convenience variables
8680@cindex user-defined variables
8681@value{GDBN} provides @dfn{convenience variables} that you can use within
8682@value{GDBN} to hold on to a value and refer to it later. These variables
8683exist entirely within @value{GDBN}; they are not part of your program, and
8684setting a convenience variable has no direct effect on further execution
8685of your program. That is why you can use them freely.
8686
8687Convenience variables are prefixed with @samp{$}. Any name preceded by
8688@samp{$} can be used for a convenience variable, unless it is one of
8689the predefined machine-specific register names (@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}).
8690(Value history references, in contrast, are @emph{numbers} preceded
8691by @samp{$}. @xref{Value History, ,Value History}.)
8692
8693You can save a value in a convenience variable with an assignment
8694expression, just as you would set a variable in your program.
8695For example:
8696
8697@smallexample
8698set $foo = *object_ptr
8699@end smallexample
8700
8701@noindent
8702would save in @code{$foo} the value contained in the object pointed to by
8703@code{object_ptr}.
8704
8705Using a convenience variable for the first time creates it, but its
8706value is @code{void} until you assign a new value. You can alter the
8707value with another assignment at any time.
8708
8709Convenience variables have no fixed types. You can assign a convenience
8710variable any type of value, including structures and arrays, even if
8711that variable already has a value of a different type. The convenience
8712variable, when used as an expression, has the type of its current value.
8713
8714@table @code
8715@kindex show convenience
8716@cindex show all user variables
8717@item show convenience
8718Print a list of convenience variables used so far, and their values.
8719Abbreviated @code{show conv}.
8720
8721@kindex init-if-undefined
8722@cindex convenience variables, initializing
8723@item init-if-undefined $@var{variable} = @var{expression}
8724Set a convenience variable if it has not already been set. This is useful
8725for user-defined commands that keep some state. It is similar, in concept,
8726to using local static variables with initializers in C (except that
8727convenience variables are global). It can also be used to allow users to
8728override default values used in a command script.
8729
8730If the variable is already defined then the expression is not evaluated so
8731any side-effects do not occur.
8732@end table
8733
8734One of the ways to use a convenience variable is as a counter to be
8735incremented or a pointer to be advanced. For example, to print
8736a field from successive elements of an array of structures:
8737
8738@smallexample
8739set $i = 0
8740print bar[$i++]->contents
8741@end smallexample
8742
8743@noindent
8744Repeat that command by typing @key{RET}.
8745
8746Some convenience variables are created automatically by @value{GDBN} and given
8747values likely to be useful.
8748
8749@table @code
8750@vindex $_@r{, convenience variable}
8751@item $_
8752The variable @code{$_} is automatically set by the @code{x} command to
8753the last address examined (@pxref{Memory, ,Examining Memory}). Other
8754commands which provide a default address for @code{x} to examine also
8755set @code{$_} to that address; these commands include @code{info line}
8756and @code{info breakpoint}. The type of @code{$_} is @code{void *}
8757except when set by the @code{x} command, in which case it is a pointer
8758to the type of @code{$__}.
8759
8760@vindex $__@r{, convenience variable}
8761@item $__
8762The variable @code{$__} is automatically set by the @code{x} command
8763to the value found in the last address examined. Its type is chosen
8764to match the format in which the data was printed.
8765
8766@item $_exitcode
8767@vindex $_exitcode@r{, convenience variable}
8768The variable @code{$_exitcode} is automatically set to the exit code when
8769the program being debugged terminates.
8770
8771@item $_sdata
8772@vindex $_sdata@r{, inspect, convenience variable}
8773The variable @code{$_sdata} contains extra collected static tracepoint
8774data. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}. Note that
8775@code{$_sdata} could be empty, if not inspecting a trace buffer, or
8776if extra static tracepoint data has not been collected.
8777
8778@item $_siginfo
8779@vindex $_siginfo@r{, convenience variable}
8780The variable @code{$_siginfo} contains extra signal information
8781(@pxref{extra signal information}). Note that @code{$_siginfo}
8782could be empty, if the application has not yet received any signals.
8783For example, it will be empty before you execute the @code{run} command.
8784
8785@item $_tlb
8786@vindex $_tlb@r{, convenience variable}
8787The variable @code{$_tlb} is automatically set when debugging
8788applications running on MS-Windows in native mode or connected to
8789gdbserver that supports the @code{qGetTIBAddr} request.
8790@xref{General Query Packets}.
8791This variable contains the address of the thread information block.
8792
8793@end table
8794
8795On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
8796begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
8797name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
8798
8799@cindex convenience functions
8800@value{GDBN} also supplies some @dfn{convenience functions}. These
8801have a syntax similar to convenience variables. A convenience
8802function can be used in an expression just like an ordinary function;
8803however, a convenience function is implemented internally to
8804@value{GDBN}.
8805
8806@table @code
8807@item help function
8808@kindex help function
8809@cindex show all convenience functions
8810Print a list of all convenience functions.
8811@end table
8812
8813@node Registers
8814@section Registers
8815
8816@cindex registers
8817You can refer to machine register contents, in expressions, as variables
8818with names starting with @samp{$}. The names of registers are different
8819for each machine; use @code{info registers} to see the names used on
8820your machine.
8821
8822@table @code
8823@kindex info registers
8824@item info registers
8825Print the names and values of all registers except floating-point
8826and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
8827
8828@kindex info all-registers
8829@cindex floating point registers
8830@item info all-registers
8831Print the names and values of all registers, including floating-point
8832and vector registers (in the selected stack frame).
8833
8834@item info registers @var{regname} @dots{}
8835Print the @dfn{relativized} value of each specified register @var{regname}.
8836As discussed in detail below, register values are normally relative to
8837the selected stack frame. @var{regname} may be any register name valid on
8838the machine you are using, with or without the initial @samp{$}.
8839@end table
8840
8841@cindex stack pointer register
8842@cindex program counter register
8843@cindex process status register
8844@cindex frame pointer register
8845@cindex standard registers
8846@value{GDBN} has four ``standard'' register names that are available (in
8847expressions) on most machines---whenever they do not conflict with an
8848architecture's canonical mnemonics for registers. The register names
8849@code{$pc} and @code{$sp} are used for the program counter register and
8850the stack pointer. @code{$fp} is used for a register that contains a
8851pointer to the current stack frame, and @code{$ps} is used for a
8852register that contains the processor status. For example,
8853you could print the program counter in hex with
8854
8855@smallexample
8856p/x $pc
8857@end smallexample
8858
8859@noindent
8860or print the instruction to be executed next with
8861
8862@smallexample
8863x/i $pc
8864@end smallexample
8865
8866@noindent
8867or add four to the stack pointer@footnote{This is a way of removing
8868one word from the stack, on machines where stacks grow downward in
8869memory (most machines, nowadays). This assumes that the innermost
8870stack frame is selected; setting @code{$sp} is not allowed when other
8871stack frames are selected. To pop entire frames off the stack,
8872regardless of machine architecture, use @code{return};
8873see @ref{Returning, ,Returning from a Function}.} with
8874
8875@smallexample
8876set $sp += 4
8877@end smallexample
8878
8879Whenever possible, these four standard register names are available on
8880your machine even though the machine has different canonical mnemonics,
8881so long as there is no conflict. The @code{info registers} command
8882shows the canonical names. For example, on the SPARC, @code{info
8883registers} displays the processor status register as @code{$psr} but you
8884can also refer to it as @code{$ps}; and on x86-based machines @code{$ps}
8885is an alias for the @sc{eflags} register.
8886
8887@value{GDBN} always considers the contents of an ordinary register as an
8888integer when the register is examined in this way. Some machines have
8889special registers which can hold nothing but floating point; these
8890registers are considered to have floating point values. There is no way
8891to refer to the contents of an ordinary register as floating point value
8892(although you can @emph{print} it as a floating point value with
8893@samp{print/f $@var{regname}}).
8894
8895Some registers have distinct ``raw'' and ``virtual'' data formats. This
8896means that the data format in which the register contents are saved by
8897the operating system is not the same one that your program normally
8898sees. For example, the registers of the 68881 floating point
8899coprocessor are always saved in ``extended'' (raw) format, but all C
8900programs expect to work with ``double'' (virtual) format. In such
8901cases, @value{GDBN} normally works with the virtual format only (the format
8902that makes sense for your program), but the @code{info registers} command
8903prints the data in both formats.
8904
8905@cindex SSE registers (x86)
8906@cindex MMX registers (x86)
8907Some machines have special registers whose contents can be interpreted
8908in several different ways. For example, modern x86-based machines
8909have SSE and MMX registers that can hold several values packed
8910together in several different formats. @value{GDBN} refers to such
8911registers in @code{struct} notation:
8912
8913@smallexample
8914(@value{GDBP}) print $xmm1
8915$1 = @{
8916 v4_float = @{0, 3.43859137e-038, 1.54142831e-044, 1.821688e-044@},
8917 v2_double = @{9.92129282474342e-303, 2.7585945287983262e-313@},
8918 v16_int8 = "\000\000\000\000\3706;\001\v\000\000\000\r\000\000",
8919 v8_int16 = @{0, 0, 14072, 315, 11, 0, 13, 0@},
8920 v4_int32 = @{0, 20657912, 11, 13@},
8921 v2_int64 = @{88725056443645952, 55834574859@},
8922 uint128 = 0x0000000d0000000b013b36f800000000
8923@}
8924@end smallexample
8925
8926@noindent
8927To set values of such registers, you need to tell @value{GDBN} which
8928view of the register you wish to change, as if you were assigning
8929value to a @code{struct} member:
8930
8931@smallexample
8932 (@value{GDBP}) set $xmm1.uint128 = 0x000000000000000000000000FFFFFFFF
8933@end smallexample
8934
8935Normally, register values are relative to the selected stack frame
8936(@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a Frame}). This means that you get the
8937value that the register would contain if all stack frames farther in
8938were exited and their saved registers restored. In order to see the
8939true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
8940frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
8941
8942However, @value{GDBN} must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
8943code generated by your compiler. If some registers are not saved, or if
8944@value{GDBN} is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack
8945frame makes no difference.
8946
8947@node Floating Point Hardware
8948@section Floating Point Hardware
8949@cindex floating point
8950
8951Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give
8952you more information about the status of the floating point hardware.
8953
8954@table @code
8955@kindex info float
8956@item info float
8957Display hardware-dependent information about the floating
8958point unit. The exact contents and layout vary depending on the
8959floating point chip. Currently, @samp{info float} is supported on
8960the ARM and x86 machines.
8961@end table
8962
8963@node Vector Unit
8964@section Vector Unit
8965@cindex vector unit
8966
8967Depending on the configuration, @value{GDBN} may be able to give you
8968more information about the status of the vector unit.
8969
8970@table @code
8971@kindex info vector
8972@item info vector
8973Display information about the vector unit. The exact contents and
8974layout vary depending on the hardware.
8975@end table
8976
8977@node OS Information
8978@section Operating System Auxiliary Information
8979@cindex OS information
8980
8981@value{GDBN} provides interfaces to useful OS facilities that can help
8982you debug your program.
8983
8984@cindex @code{ptrace} system call
8985@cindex @code{struct user} contents
8986When @value{GDBN} runs on a @dfn{Posix system} (such as GNU or Unix
8987machines), it interfaces with the inferior via the @code{ptrace}
8988system call. The operating system creates a special sata structure,
8989called @code{struct user}, for this interface. You can use the
8990command @code{info udot} to display the contents of this data
8991structure.
8992
8993@table @code
8994@item info udot
8995@kindex info udot
8996Display the contents of the @code{struct user} maintained by the OS
8997kernel for the program being debugged. @value{GDBN} displays the
8998contents of @code{struct user} as a list of hex numbers, similar to
8999the @code{examine} command.
9000@end table
9001
9002@cindex auxiliary vector
9003@cindex vector, auxiliary
9004Some operating systems supply an @dfn{auxiliary vector} to programs at
9005startup. This is akin to the arguments and environment that you
9006specify for a program, but contains a system-dependent variety of
9007binary values that tell system libraries important details about the
9008hardware, operating system, and process. Each value's purpose is
9009identified by an integer tag; the meanings are well-known but system-specific.
9010Depending on the configuration and operating system facilities,
9011@value{GDBN} may be able to show you this information. For remote
9012targets, this functionality may further depend on the remote stub's
9013support of the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet, see
9014@ref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}.
9015
9016@table @code
9017@kindex info auxv
9018@item info auxv
9019Display the auxiliary vector of the inferior, which can be either a
9020live process or a core dump file. @value{GDBN} prints each tag value
9021numerically, and also shows names and text descriptions for recognized
9022tags. Some values in the vector are numbers, some bit masks, and some
9023pointers to strings or other data. @value{GDBN} displays each value in the
9024most appropriate form for a recognized tag, and in hexadecimal for
9025an unrecognized tag.
9026@end table
9027
9028On some targets, @value{GDBN} can access operating-system-specific information
9029and display it to user, without interpretation. For remote targets,
9030this functionality depends on the remote stub's support of the
9031@samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet, see @ref{qXfer osdata read}.
9032
9033@table @code
9034@kindex info os
9035@item info os
9036List the types of OS information available for the target. If the
9037target does not return a list of possible types, this command will
9038report an error.
9039
9040@kindex info os processes
9041@item info os processes
9042Display the list of processes on the target. For each process,
9043@value{GDBN} prints the process identifier, the name of the user, and
9044the command corresponding to the process.
9045@end table
9046
9047@node Memory Region Attributes
9048@section Memory Region Attributes
9049@cindex memory region attributes
9050
9051@dfn{Memory region attributes} allow you to describe special handling
9052required by regions of your target's memory. @value{GDBN} uses
9053attributes to determine whether to allow certain types of memory
9054accesses; whether to use specific width accesses; and whether to cache
9055target memory. By default the description of memory regions is
9056fetched from the target (if the current target supports this), but the
9057user can override the fetched regions.
9058
9059Defined memory regions can be individually enabled and disabled. When a
9060memory region is disabled, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when
9061accessing memory in that region. Similarly, if no memory regions have
9062been defined, @value{GDBN} uses the default attributes when accessing
9063all memory.
9064
9065When a memory region is defined, it is given a number to identify it;
9066to enable, disable, or remove a memory region, you specify that number.
9067
9068@table @code
9069@kindex mem
9070@item mem @var{lower} @var{upper} @var{attributes}@dots{}
9071Define a memory region bounded by @var{lower} and @var{upper} with
9072attributes @var{attributes}@dots{}, and add it to the list of regions
9073monitored by @value{GDBN}. Note that @var{upper} == 0 is a special
9074case: it is treated as the target's maximum memory address.
9075(0xffff on 16 bit targets, 0xffffffff on 32 bit targets, etc.)
9076
9077@item mem auto
9078Discard any user changes to the memory regions and use target-supplied
9079regions, if available, or no regions if the target does not support.
9080
9081@kindex delete mem
9082@item delete mem @var{nums}@dots{}
9083Remove memory regions @var{nums}@dots{} from the list of regions
9084monitored by @value{GDBN}.
9085
9086@kindex disable mem
9087@item disable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
9088Disable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
9089A disabled memory region is not forgotten.
9090It may be enabled again later.
9091
9092@kindex enable mem
9093@item enable mem @var{nums}@dots{}
9094Enable monitoring of memory regions @var{nums}@dots{}.
9095
9096@kindex info mem
9097@item info mem
9098Print a table of all defined memory regions, with the following columns
9099for each region:
9100
9101@table @emph
9102@item Memory Region Number
9103@item Enabled or Disabled.
9104Enabled memory regions are marked with @samp{y}.
9105Disabled memory regions are marked with @samp{n}.
9106
9107@item Lo Address
9108The address defining the inclusive lower bound of the memory region.
9109
9110@item Hi Address
9111The address defining the exclusive upper bound of the memory region.
9112
9113@item Attributes
9114The list of attributes set for this memory region.
9115@end table
9116@end table
9117
9118
9119@subsection Attributes
9120
9121@subsubsection Memory Access Mode
9122The access mode attributes set whether @value{GDBN} may make read or
9123write accesses to a memory region.
9124
9125While these attributes prevent @value{GDBN} from performing invalid
9126memory accesses, they do nothing to prevent the target system, I/O DMA,
9127etc.@: from accessing memory.
9128
9129@table @code
9130@item ro
9131Memory is read only.
9132@item wo
9133Memory is write only.
9134@item rw
9135Memory is read/write. This is the default.
9136@end table
9137
9138@subsubsection Memory Access Size
9139The access size attribute tells @value{GDBN} to use specific sized
9140accesses in the memory region. Often memory mapped device registers
9141require specific sized accesses. If no access size attribute is
9142specified, @value{GDBN} may use accesses of any size.
9143
9144@table @code
9145@item 8
9146Use 8 bit memory accesses.
9147@item 16
9148Use 16 bit memory accesses.
9149@item 32
9150Use 32 bit memory accesses.
9151@item 64
9152Use 64 bit memory accesses.
9153@end table
9154
9155@c @subsubsection Hardware/Software Breakpoints
9156@c The hardware/software breakpoint attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
9157@c will use hardware or software breakpoints for the internal breakpoints
9158@c used by the step, next, finish, until, etc. commands.
9159@c
9160@c @table @code
9161@c @item hwbreak
9162@c Always use hardware breakpoints
9163@c @item swbreak (default)
9164@c @end table
9165
9166@subsubsection Data Cache
9167The data cache attributes set whether @value{GDBN} will cache target
9168memory. While this generally improves performance by reducing debug
9169protocol overhead, it can lead to incorrect results because @value{GDBN}
9170does not know about volatile variables or memory mapped device
9171registers.
9172
9173@table @code
9174@item cache
9175Enable @value{GDBN} to cache target memory.
9176@item nocache
9177Disable @value{GDBN} from caching target memory. This is the default.
9178@end table
9179
9180@subsection Memory Access Checking
9181@value{GDBN} can be instructed to refuse accesses to memory that is
9182not explicitly described. This can be useful if accessing such
9183regions has undesired effects for a specific target, or to provide
9184better error checking. The following commands control this behaviour.
9185
9186@table @code
9187@kindex set mem inaccessible-by-default
9188@item set mem inaccessible-by-default [on|off]
9189If @code{on} is specified, make @value{GDBN} treat memory not
9190explicitly described by the memory ranges as non-existent and refuse accesses
9191to such memory. The checks are only performed if there's at least one
9192memory range defined. If @code{off} is specified, make @value{GDBN}
9193treat the memory not explicitly described by the memory ranges as RAM.
9194The default value is @code{on}.
9195@kindex show mem inaccessible-by-default
9196@item show mem inaccessible-by-default
9197Show the current handling of accesses to unknown memory.
9198@end table
9199
9200
9201@c @subsubsection Memory Write Verification
9202@c The memory write verification attributes set whether @value{GDBN}
9203@c will re-reads data after each write to verify the write was successful.
9204@c
9205@c @table @code
9206@c @item verify
9207@c @item noverify (default)
9208@c @end table
9209
9210@node Dump/Restore Files
9211@section Copy Between Memory and a File
9212@cindex dump/restore files
9213@cindex append data to a file
9214@cindex dump data to a file
9215@cindex restore data from a file
9216
9217You can use the commands @code{dump}, @code{append}, and
9218@code{restore} to copy data between target memory and a file. The
9219@code{dump} and @code{append} commands write data to a file, and the
9220@code{restore} command reads data from a file back into the inferior's
9221memory. Files may be in binary, Motorola S-record, Intel hex, or
9222Tektronix Hex format; however, @value{GDBN} can only append to binary
9223files.
9224
9225@table @code
9226
9227@kindex dump
9228@item dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
9229@itemx dump @r{[}@var{format}@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
9230Dump the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
9231or the value of @var{expr}, to @var{filename} in the given format.
9232
9233The @var{format} parameter may be any one of:
9234@table @code
9235@item binary
9236Raw binary form.
9237@item ihex
9238Intel hex format.
9239@item srec
9240Motorola S-record format.
9241@item tekhex
9242Tektronix Hex format.
9243@end table
9244
9245@value{GDBN} uses the same definitions of these formats as the
9246@sc{gnu} binary utilities, like @samp{objdump} and @samp{objcopy}. If
9247@var{format} is omitted, @value{GDBN} dumps the data in raw binary
9248form.
9249
9250@kindex append
9251@item append @r{[}binary@r{]} memory @var{filename} @var{start_addr} @var{end_addr}
9252@itemx append @r{[}binary@r{]} value @var{filename} @var{expr}
9253Append the contents of memory from @var{start_addr} to @var{end_addr},
9254or the value of @var{expr}, to the file @var{filename}, in raw binary form.
9255(@value{GDBN} can only append data to files in raw binary form.)
9256
9257@kindex restore
9258@item restore @var{filename} @r{[}binary@r{]} @var{bias} @var{start} @var{end}
9259Restore the contents of file @var{filename} into memory. The
9260@code{restore} command can automatically recognize any known @sc{bfd}
9261file format, except for raw binary. To restore a raw binary file you
9262must specify the optional keyword @code{binary} after the filename.
9263
9264If @var{bias} is non-zero, its value will be added to the addresses
9265contained in the file. Binary files always start at address zero, so
9266they will be restored at address @var{bias}. Other bfd files have
9267a built-in location; they will be restored at offset @var{bias}
9268from that location.
9269
9270If @var{start} and/or @var{end} are non-zero, then only data between
9271file offset @var{start} and file offset @var{end} will be restored.
9272These offsets are relative to the addresses in the file, before
9273the @var{bias} argument is applied.
9274
9275@end table
9276
9277@node Core File Generation
9278@section How to Produce a Core File from Your Program
9279@cindex dump core from inferior
9280
9281A @dfn{core file} or @dfn{core dump} is a file that records the memory
9282image of a running process and its process status (register values
9283etc.). Its primary use is post-mortem debugging of a program that
9284crashed while it ran outside a debugger. A program that crashes
9285automatically produces a core file, unless this feature is disabled by
9286the user. @xref{Files}, for information on invoking @value{GDBN} in
9287the post-mortem debugging mode.
9288
9289Occasionally, you may wish to produce a core file of the program you
9290are debugging in order to preserve a snapshot of its state.
9291@value{GDBN} has a special command for that.
9292
9293@table @code
9294@kindex gcore
9295@kindex generate-core-file
9296@item generate-core-file [@var{file}]
9297@itemx gcore [@var{file}]
9298Produce a core dump of the inferior process. The optional argument
9299@var{file} specifies the file name where to put the core dump. If not
9300specified, the file name defaults to @file{core.@var{pid}}, where
9301@var{pid} is the inferior process ID.
9302
9303Note that this command is implemented only for some systems (as of
9304this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, Unixware, and S390).
9305@end table
9306
9307@node Character Sets
9308@section Character Sets
9309@cindex character sets
9310@cindex charset
9311@cindex translating between character sets
9312@cindex host character set
9313@cindex target character set
9314
9315If the program you are debugging uses a different character set to
9316represent characters and strings than the one @value{GDBN} uses itself,
9317@value{GDBN} can automatically translate between the character sets for
9318you. The character set @value{GDBN} uses we call the @dfn{host
9319character set}; the one the inferior program uses we call the
9320@dfn{target character set}.
9321
9322For example, if you are running @value{GDBN} on a @sc{gnu}/Linux system, which
9323uses the ISO Latin 1 character set, but you are using @value{GDBN}'s
9324remote protocol (@pxref{Remote Debugging}) to debug a program
9325running on an IBM mainframe, which uses the @sc{ebcdic} character set,
9326then the host character set is Latin-1, and the target character set is
9327@sc{ebcdic}. If you give @value{GDBN} the command @code{set
9328target-charset EBCDIC-US}, then @value{GDBN} translates between
9329@sc{ebcdic} and Latin 1 as you print character or string values, or use
9330character and string literals in expressions.
9331
9332@value{GDBN} has no way to automatically recognize which character set
9333the inferior program uses; you must tell it, using the @code{set
9334target-charset} command, described below.
9335
9336Here are the commands for controlling @value{GDBN}'s character set
9337support:
9338
9339@table @code
9340@item set target-charset @var{charset}
9341@kindex set target-charset
9342Set the current target character set to @var{charset}. To display the
9343list of supported target character sets, type
9344@kbd{@w{set target-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
9345
9346@item set host-charset @var{charset}
9347@kindex set host-charset
9348Set the current host character set to @var{charset}.
9349
9350By default, @value{GDBN} uses a host character set appropriate to the
9351system it is running on; you can override that default using the
9352@code{set host-charset} command. On some systems, @value{GDBN} cannot
9353automatically determine the appropriate host character set. In this
9354case, @value{GDBN} uses @samp{UTF-8}.
9355
9356@value{GDBN} can only use certain character sets as its host character
9357set. If you type @kbd{@w{set host-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
9358@value{GDBN} will list the host character sets it supports.
9359
9360@item set charset @var{charset}
9361@kindex set charset
9362Set the current host and target character sets to @var{charset}. As
9363above, if you type @kbd{@w{set charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}},
9364@value{GDBN} will list the names of the character sets that can be used
9365for both host and target.
9366
9367@item show charset
9368@kindex show charset
9369Show the names of the current host and target character sets.
9370
9371@item show host-charset
9372@kindex show host-charset
9373Show the name of the current host character set.
9374
9375@item show target-charset
9376@kindex show target-charset
9377Show the name of the current target character set.
9378
9379@item set target-wide-charset @var{charset}
9380@kindex set target-wide-charset
9381Set the current target's wide character set to @var{charset}. This is
9382the character set used by the target's @code{wchar_t} type. To
9383display the list of supported wide character sets, type
9384@kbd{@w{set target-wide-charset @key{TAB}@key{TAB}}}.
9385
9386@item show target-wide-charset
9387@kindex show target-wide-charset
9388Show the name of the current target's wide character set.
9389@end table
9390
9391Here is an example of @value{GDBN}'s character set support in action.
9392Assume that the following source code has been placed in the file
9393@file{charset-test.c}:
9394
9395@smallexample
9396#include <stdio.h>
9397
9398char ascii_hello[]
9399 = @{72, 101, 108, 108, 111, 44, 32, 119,
9400 111, 114, 108, 100, 33, 10, 0@};
9401char ibm1047_hello[]
9402 = @{200, 133, 147, 147, 150, 107, 64, 166,
9403 150, 153, 147, 132, 90, 37, 0@};
9404
9405main ()
9406@{
9407 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
9408@}
9409@end smallexample
9410
9411In this program, @code{ascii_hello} and @code{ibm1047_hello} are arrays
9412containing the string @samp{Hello, world!} followed by a newline,
9413encoded in the @sc{ascii} and @sc{ibm1047} character sets.
9414
9415We compile the program, and invoke the debugger on it:
9416
9417@smallexample
9418$ gcc -g charset-test.c -o charset-test
9419$ gdb -nw charset-test
9420GNU gdb 2001-12-19-cvs
9421Copyright 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
9422@dots{}
9423(@value{GDBP})
9424@end smallexample
9425
9426We can use the @code{show charset} command to see what character sets
9427@value{GDBN} is currently using to interpret and display characters and
9428strings:
9429
9430@smallexample
9431(@value{GDBP}) show charset
9432The current host and target character set is `ISO-8859-1'.
9433(@value{GDBP})
9434@end smallexample
9435
9436For the sake of printing this manual, let's use @sc{ascii} as our
9437initial character set:
9438@smallexample
9439(@value{GDBP}) set charset ASCII
9440(@value{GDBP}) show charset
9441The current host and target character set is `ASCII'.
9442(@value{GDBP})
9443@end smallexample
9444
9445Let's assume that @sc{ascii} is indeed the correct character set for our
9446host system --- in other words, let's assume that if @value{GDBN} prints
9447characters using the @sc{ascii} character set, our terminal will display
9448them properly. Since our current target character set is also
9449@sc{ascii}, the contents of @code{ascii_hello} print legibly:
9450
9451@smallexample
9452(@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
9453$1 = 0x401698 "Hello, world!\n"
9454(@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
9455$2 = 72 'H'
9456(@value{GDBP})
9457@end smallexample
9458
9459@value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and string
9460literals you use in expressions:
9461
9462@smallexample
9463(@value{GDBP}) print '+'
9464$3 = 43 '+'
9465(@value{GDBP})
9466@end smallexample
9467
9468The @sc{ascii} character set uses the number 43 to encode the @samp{+}
9469character.
9470
9471@value{GDBN} relies on the user to tell it which character set the
9472target program uses. If we print @code{ibm1047_hello} while our target
9473character set is still @sc{ascii}, we get jibberish:
9474
9475@smallexample
9476(@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
9477$4 = 0x4016a8 "\310\205\223\223\226k@@\246\226\231\223\204Z%"
9478(@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
9479$5 = 200 '\310'
9480(@value{GDBP})
9481@end smallexample
9482
9483If we invoke the @code{set target-charset} followed by @key{TAB}@key{TAB},
9484@value{GDBN} tells us the character sets it supports:
9485
9486@smallexample
9487(@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
9488ASCII EBCDIC-US IBM1047 ISO-8859-1
9489(@value{GDBP}) set target-charset
9490@end smallexample
9491
9492We can select @sc{ibm1047} as our target character set, and examine the
9493program's strings again. Now the @sc{ascii} string is wrong, but
9494@value{GDBN} translates the contents of @code{ibm1047_hello} from the
9495target character set, @sc{ibm1047}, to the host character set,
9496@sc{ascii}, and they display correctly:
9497
9498@smallexample
9499(@value{GDBP}) set target-charset IBM1047
9500(@value{GDBP}) show charset
9501The current host character set is `ASCII'.
9502The current target character set is `IBM1047'.
9503(@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello
9504$6 = 0x401698 "\110\145%%?\054\040\167?\162%\144\041\012"
9505(@value{GDBP}) print ascii_hello[0]
9506$7 = 72 '\110'
9507(@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello
9508$8 = 0x4016a8 "Hello, world!\n"
9509(@value{GDBP}) print ibm1047_hello[0]
9510$9 = 200 'H'
9511(@value{GDBP})
9512@end smallexample
9513
9514As above, @value{GDBN} uses the target character set for character and
9515string literals you use in expressions:
9516
9517@smallexample
9518(@value{GDBP}) print '+'
9519$10 = 78 '+'
9520(@value{GDBP})
9521@end smallexample
9522
9523The @sc{ibm1047} character set uses the number 78 to encode the @samp{+}
9524character.
9525
9526@node Caching Remote Data
9527@section Caching Data of Remote Targets
9528@cindex caching data of remote targets
9529
9530@value{GDBN} caches data exchanged between the debugger and a
9531remote target (@pxref{Remote Debugging}). Such caching generally improves
9532performance, because it reduces the overhead of the remote protocol by
9533bundling memory reads and writes into large chunks. Unfortunately, simply
9534caching everything would lead to incorrect results, since @value{GDBN}
9535does not necessarily know anything about volatile values, memory-mapped I/O
9536addresses, etc. Furthermore, in non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode})
9537memory can be changed @emph{while} a gdb command is executing.
9538Therefore, by default, @value{GDBN} only caches data
9539known to be on the stack@footnote{In non-stop mode, it is moderately
9540rare for a running thread to modify the stack of a stopped thread
9541in a way that would interfere with a backtrace, and caching of
9542stack reads provides a significant speed up of remote backtraces.}.
9543Other regions of memory can be explicitly marked as
9544cacheable; see @pxref{Memory Region Attributes}.
9545
9546@table @code
9547@kindex set remotecache
9548@item set remotecache on
9549@itemx set remotecache off
9550This option no longer does anything; it exists for compatibility
9551with old scripts.
9552
9553@kindex show remotecache
9554@item show remotecache
9555Show the current state of the obsolete remotecache flag.
9556
9557@kindex set stack-cache
9558@item set stack-cache on
9559@itemx set stack-cache off
9560Enable or disable caching of stack accesses. When @code{ON}, use
9561caching. By default, this option is @code{ON}.
9562
9563@kindex show stack-cache
9564@item show stack-cache
9565Show the current state of data caching for memory accesses.
9566
9567@kindex info dcache
9568@item info dcache @r{[}line@r{]}
9569Print the information about the data cache performance. The
9570information displayed includes the dcache width and depth, and for
9571each cache line, its number, address, and how many times it was
9572referenced. This command is useful for debugging the data cache
9573operation.
9574
9575If a line number is specified, the contents of that line will be
9576printed in hex.
9577
9578@item set dcache size @var{size}
9579@cindex dcache size
9580@kindex set dcache size
9581Set maximum number of entries in dcache (dcache depth above).
9582
9583@item set dcache line-size @var{line-size}
9584@cindex dcache line-size
9585@kindex set dcache line-size
9586Set number of bytes each dcache entry caches (dcache width above).
9587Must be a power of 2.
9588
9589@item show dcache size
9590@kindex show dcache size
9591Show maximum number of dcache entries. See also @ref{Caching Remote Data, info dcache}.
9592
9593@item show dcache line-size
9594@kindex show dcache line-size
9595Show default size of dcache lines. See also @ref{Caching Remote Data, info dcache}.
9596
9597@end table
9598
9599@node Searching Memory
9600@section Search Memory
9601@cindex searching memory
9602
9603Memory can be searched for a particular sequence of bytes with the
9604@code{find} command.
9605
9606@table @code
9607@kindex find
9608@item find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, +@var{len}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
9609@itemx find @r{[}/@var{sn}@r{]} @var{start_addr}, @var{end_addr}, @var{val1} @r{[}, @var{val2}, @dots{}@r{]}
9610Search memory for the sequence of bytes specified by @var{val1}, @var{val2},
9611etc. The search begins at address @var{start_addr} and continues for either
9612@var{len} bytes or through to @var{end_addr} inclusive.
9613@end table
9614
9615@var{s} and @var{n} are optional parameters.
9616They may be specified in either order, apart or together.
9617
9618@table @r
9619@item @var{s}, search query size
9620The size of each search query value.
9621
9622@table @code
9623@item b
9624bytes
9625@item h
9626halfwords (two bytes)
9627@item w
9628words (four bytes)
9629@item g
9630giant words (eight bytes)
9631@end table
9632
9633All values are interpreted in the current language.
9634This means, for example, that if the current source language is C/C@t{++}
9635then searching for the string ``hello'' includes the trailing '\0'.
9636
9637If the value size is not specified, it is taken from the
9638value's type in the current language.
9639This is useful when one wants to specify the search
9640pattern as a mixture of types.
9641Note that this means, for example, that in the case of C-like languages
9642a search for an untyped 0x42 will search for @samp{(int) 0x42}
9643which is typically four bytes.
9644
9645@item @var{n}, maximum number of finds
9646The maximum number of matches to print. The default is to print all finds.
9647@end table
9648
9649You can use strings as search values. Quote them with double-quotes
9650 (@code{"}).
9651The string value is copied into the search pattern byte by byte,
9652regardless of the endianness of the target and the size specification.
9653
9654The address of each match found is printed as well as a count of the
9655number of matches found.
9656
9657The address of the last value found is stored in convenience variable
9658@samp{$_}.
9659A count of the number of matches is stored in @samp{$numfound}.
9660
9661For example, if stopped at the @code{printf} in this function:
9662
9663@smallexample
9664void
9665hello ()
9666@{
9667 static char hello[] = "hello-hello";
9668 static struct @{ char c; short s; int i; @}
9669 __attribute__ ((packed)) mixed
9670 = @{ 'c', 0x1234, 0x87654321 @};
9671 printf ("%s\n", hello);
9672@}
9673@end smallexample
9674
9675@noindent
9676you get during debugging:
9677
9678@smallexample
9679(gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), "hello"
96800x804956d <hello.1620+6>
96811 pattern found
9682(gdb) find &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o'
96830x8049567 <hello.1620>
96840x804956d <hello.1620+6>
96852 patterns found
9686(gdb) find /b1 &hello[0], +sizeof(hello), 'h', 0x65, 'l'
96870x8049567 <hello.1620>
96881 pattern found
9689(gdb) find &mixed, +sizeof(mixed), (char) 'c', (short) 0x1234, (int) 0x87654321
96900x8049560 <mixed.1625>
96911 pattern found
9692(gdb) print $numfound
9693$1 = 1
9694(gdb) print $_
9695$2 = (void *) 0x8049560
9696@end smallexample
9697
9698@node Optimized Code
9699@chapter Debugging Optimized Code
9700@cindex optimized code, debugging
9701@cindex debugging optimized code
9702
9703Almost all compilers support optimization. With optimization
9704disabled, the compiler generates assembly code that corresponds
9705directly to your source code, in a simplistic way. As the compiler
9706applies more powerful optimizations, the generated assembly code
9707diverges from your original source code. With help from debugging
9708information generated by the compiler, @value{GDBN} can map from
9709the running program back to constructs from your original source.
9710
9711@value{GDBN} is more accurate with optimization disabled. If you
9712can recompile without optimization, it is easier to follow the
9713progress of your program during debugging. But, there are many cases
9714where you may need to debug an optimized version.
9715
9716When you debug a program compiled with @samp{-g -O}, remember that the
9717optimizer has rearranged your code; the debugger shows you what is
9718really there. Do not be too surprised when the execution path does not
9719exactly match your source file! An extreme example: if you define a
9720variable, but never use it, @value{GDBN} never sees that
9721variable---because the compiler optimizes it out of existence.
9722
9723Some things do not work as well with @samp{-g -O} as with just
9724@samp{-g}, particularly on machines with instruction scheduling. If in
9725doubt, recompile with @samp{-g} alone, and if this fixes the problem,
9726please report it to us as a bug (including a test case!).
9727@xref{Variables}, for more information about debugging optimized code.
9728
9729@menu
9730* Inline Functions:: How @value{GDBN} presents inlining
9731* Tail Call Frames:: @value{GDBN} analysis of jumps to functions
9732@end menu
9733
9734@node Inline Functions
9735@section Inline Functions
9736@cindex inline functions, debugging
9737
9738@dfn{Inlining} is an optimization that inserts a copy of the function
9739body directly at each call site, instead of jumping to a shared
9740routine. @value{GDBN} displays inlined functions just like
9741non-inlined functions. They appear in backtraces. You can view their
9742arguments and local variables, step into them with @code{step}, skip
9743them with @code{next}, and escape from them with @code{finish}.
9744You can check whether a function was inlined by using the
9745@code{info frame} command.
9746
9747For @value{GDBN} to support inlined functions, the compiler must
9748record information about inlining in the debug information ---
9749@value{NGCC} using the @sc{dwarf 2} format does this, and several
9750other compilers do also. @value{GDBN} only supports inlined functions
9751when using @sc{dwarf 2}. Versions of @value{NGCC} before 4.1
9752do not emit two required attributes (@samp{DW_AT_call_file} and
9753@samp{DW_AT_call_line}); @value{GDBN} does not display inlined
9754function calls with earlier versions of @value{NGCC}. It instead
9755displays the arguments and local variables of inlined functions as
9756local variables in the caller.
9757
9758The body of an inlined function is directly included at its call site;
9759unlike a non-inlined function, there are no instructions devoted to
9760the call. @value{GDBN} still pretends that the call site and the
9761start of the inlined function are different instructions. Stepping to
9762the call site shows the call site, and then stepping again shows
9763the first line of the inlined function, even though no additional
9764instructions are executed.
9765
9766This makes source-level debugging much clearer; you can see both the
9767context of the call and then the effect of the call. Only stepping by
9768a single instruction using @code{stepi} or @code{nexti} does not do
9769this; single instruction steps always show the inlined body.
9770
9771There are some ways that @value{GDBN} does not pretend that inlined
9772function calls are the same as normal calls:
9773
9774@itemize @bullet
9775@item
9776You cannot set breakpoints on inlined functions. @value{GDBN}
9777either reports that there is no symbol with that name, or else sets the
9778breakpoint only on non-inlined copies of the function. This limitation
9779will be removed in a future version of @value{GDBN}; until then,
9780set a breakpoint by line number on the first line of the inlined
9781function instead.
9782
9783@item
9784Setting breakpoints at the call site of an inlined function may not
9785work, because the call site does not contain any code. @value{GDBN}
9786may incorrectly move the breakpoint to the next line of the enclosing
9787function, after the call. This limitation will be removed in a future
9788version of @value{GDBN}; until then, set a breakpoint on an earlier line
9789or inside the inlined function instead.
9790
9791@item
9792@value{GDBN} cannot locate the return value of inlined calls after
9793using the @code{finish} command. This is a limitation of compiler-generated
9794debugging information; after @code{finish}, you can step to the next line
9795and print a variable where your program stored the return value.
9796
9797@end itemize
9798
9799@node Tail Call Frames
9800@section Tail Call Frames
9801@cindex tail call frames, debugging
9802
9803Function @code{B} can call function @code{C} in its very last statement. In
9804unoptimized compilation the call of @code{C} is immediately followed by return
9805instruction at the end of @code{B} code. Optimizing compiler may replace the
9806call and return in function @code{B} into one jump to function @code{C}
9807instead. Such use of a jump instruction is called @dfn{tail call}.
9808
9809During execution of function @code{C}, there will be no indication in the
9810function call stack frames that it was tail-called from @code{B}. If function
9811@code{A} regularly calls function @code{B} which tail-calls function @code{C},
9812then @value{GDBN} will see @code{A} as the caller of @code{C}. However, in
9813some cases @value{GDBN} can determine that @code{C} was tail-called from
9814@code{B}, and it will then create fictitious call frame for that, with the
9815return address set up as if @code{B} called @code{C} normally.
9816
9817This functionality is currently supported only by DWARF 2 debugging format and
9818the compiler has to produce @samp{DW_TAG_GNU_call_site} tags. With
9819@value{NGCC}, you need to specify @option{-O -g} during compilation, to get
9820this information.
9821
9822@kbd{info frame} command (@pxref{Frame Info}) will indicate the tail call frame
9823kind by text @code{tail call frame} such as in this sample @value{GDBN} output:
9824
9825@smallexample
9826(gdb) x/i $pc - 2
9827 0x40066b <b(int, double)+11>: jmp 0x400640 <c(int, double)>
9828(gdb) info frame
9829Stack level 1, frame at 0x7fffffffda30:
9830 rip = 0x40066d in b (amd64-entry-value.cc:59); saved rip 0x4004c5
9831 tail call frame, caller of frame at 0x7fffffffda30
9832 source language c++.
9833 Arglist at unknown address.
9834 Locals at unknown address, Previous frame's sp is 0x7fffffffda30
9835@end smallexample
9836
9837The detection of all the possible code path executions can find them ambiguous.
9838There is no execution history stored (possible @ref{Reverse Execution} is never
9839used for this purpose) and the last known caller could have reached the known
9840callee by multiple different jump sequences. In such case @value{GDBN} still
9841tries to show at least all the unambiguous top tail callers and all the
9842unambiguous bottom tail calees, if any.
9843
9844@table @code
9845@anchor{set debug entry-values}
9846@item set debug entry-values
9847@kindex set debug entry-values
9848When set to on, enables printing of analysis messages for both frame argument
9849values at function entry and tail calls. It will show all the possible valid
9850tail calls code paths it has considered. It will also print the intersection
9851of them with the final unambiguous (possibly partial or even empty) code path
9852result.
9853
9854@item show debug entry-values
9855@kindex show debug entry-values
9856Show the current state of analysis messages printing for both frame argument
9857values at function entry and tail calls.
9858@end table
9859
9860The analysis messages for tail calls can for example show why the virtual tail
9861call frame for function @code{c} has not been recognized (due to the indirect
9862reference by variable @code{x}):
9863
9864@smallexample
9865static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void);
9866void (*x) (void) = c;
9867static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
9868static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ a (); @}
9869int main (void) @{ x (); return 0; @}
9870
9871Breakpoint 1, DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving cannot find
9872DW_TAG_GNU_call_site 0x40039a in main
9873a () at t.c:3
98743 static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ x++; @}
9875(gdb) bt
9876#0 a () at t.c:3
9877#1 0x000000000040039a in main () at t.c:5
9878@end smallexample
9879
9880Another possibility is an ambiguous virtual tail call frames resolution:
9881
9882@smallexample
9883int i;
9884static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) f (void) @{ i++; @}
9885static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) e (void) @{ f (); @}
9886static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) d (void) @{ f (); @}
9887static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (void) @{ d (); @}
9888static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (void)
9889@{ if (i) c (); else e (); @}
9890static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (void) @{ b (); @}
9891int main (void) @{ a (); return 0; @}
9892
9893tailcall: initial: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004ce(b) 0x4004b2(c) 0x4004a2(d)
9894tailcall: compare: 0x4004d2(a) 0x4004cc(b) 0x400492(e)
9895tailcall: reduced: 0x4004d2(a) |
9896(gdb) bt
9897#0 f () at t.c:2
9898#1 0x00000000004004d2 in a () at t.c:8
9899#2 0x0000000000400395 in main () at t.c:9
9900@end smallexample
9901
9902@set CALLSEQ1A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}c@value{ARROW}d@value{ARROW}f}
9903@set CALLSEQ2A @code{main@value{ARROW}a@value{ARROW}b@value{ARROW}e@value{ARROW}f}
9904
9905@c Convert CALLSEQ#A to CALLSEQ#B depending on HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK.
9906@ifset HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
9907@set ARROW @click{}
9908@set CALLSEQ1B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ1A}}
9909@set CALLSEQ2B @clicksequence{@value{CALLSEQ2A}}
9910@end ifset
9911@ifclear HAVE_MAKEINFO_CLICK
9912@set ARROW ->
9913@set CALLSEQ1B @value{CALLSEQ1A}
9914@set CALLSEQ2B @value{CALLSEQ2A}
9915@end ifclear
9916
9917Frames #0 and #2 are real, #1 is a virtual tail call frame.
9918The code can have possible execution paths @value{CALLSEQ1B} or
9919@value{CALLSEQ2B}, @value{GDBN} cannot find which one from the inferior state.
9920
9921@code{initial:} state shows some random possible calling sequence @value{GDBN}
9922has found. It then finds another possible calling sequcen - that one is
9923prefixed by @code{compare:}. The non-ambiguous intersection of these two is
9924printed as the @code{reduced:} calling sequence. That one could have many
9925futher @code{compare:} and @code{reduced:} statements as long as there remain
9926any non-ambiguous sequence entries.
9927
9928For the frame of function @code{b} in both cases there are different possible
9929@code{$pc} values (@code{0x4004cc} or @code{0x4004ce}), therefore this frame is
9930also ambigous. The only non-ambiguous frame is the one for function @code{a},
9931therefore this one is displayed to the user while the ambiguous frames are
9932omitted.
9933
9934There can be also reasons why printing of frame argument values at function
9935entry may fail:
9936
9937@smallexample
9938int v;
9939static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) c (int i) @{ v++; @}
9940static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i);
9941static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) b (int i) @{ a (i); @}
9942static void __attribute__((noinline, noclone)) a (int i)
9943@{ if (i) b (i - 1); else c (0); @}
9944int main (void) @{ a (5); return 0; @}
9945
9946(gdb) bt
9947#0 c (i=i@@entry=0) at t.c:2
9948#1 0x0000000000400428 in a (DW_OP_GNU_entry_value resolving has found
9949function "a" at 0x400420 can call itself via tail calls
9950i=<optimized out>) at t.c:6
9951#2 0x000000000040036e in main () at t.c:7
9952@end smallexample
9953
9954@value{GDBN} cannot find out from the inferior state if and how many times did
9955function @code{a} call itself (via function @code{b}) as these calls would be
9956tail calls. Such tail calls would modify thue @code{i} variable, therefore
9957@value{GDBN} cannot be sure the value it knows would be right - @value{GDBN}
9958prints @code{<optimized out>} instead.
9959
9960@node Macros
9961@chapter C Preprocessor Macros
9962
9963Some languages, such as C and C@t{++}, provide a way to define and invoke
9964``preprocessor macros'' which expand into strings of tokens.
9965@value{GDBN} can evaluate expressions containing macro invocations, show
9966the result of macro expansion, and show a macro's definition, including
9967where it was defined.
9968
9969You may need to compile your program specially to provide @value{GDBN}
9970with information about preprocessor macros. Most compilers do not
9971include macros in their debugging information, even when you compile
9972with the @option{-g} flag. @xref{Compilation}.
9973
9974A program may define a macro at one point, remove that definition later,
9975and then provide a different definition after that. Thus, at different
9976points in the program, a macro may have different definitions, or have
9977no definition at all. If there is a current stack frame, @value{GDBN}
9978uses the macros in scope at that frame's source code line. Otherwise,
9979@value{GDBN} uses the macros in scope at the current listing location;
9980see @ref{List}.
9981
9982Whenever @value{GDBN} evaluates an expression, it always expands any
9983macro invocations present in the expression. @value{GDBN} also provides
9984the following commands for working with macros explicitly.
9985
9986@table @code
9987
9988@kindex macro expand
9989@cindex macro expansion, showing the results of preprocessor
9990@cindex preprocessor macro expansion, showing the results of
9991@cindex expanding preprocessor macros
9992@item macro expand @var{expression}
9993@itemx macro exp @var{expression}
9994Show the results of expanding all preprocessor macro invocations in
9995@var{expression}. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does
9996not parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression;
9997it can be any string of tokens.
9998
9999@kindex macro exp1
10000@item macro expand-once @var{expression}
10001@itemx macro exp1 @var{expression}
10002@cindex expand macro once
10003@i{(This command is not yet implemented.)} Show the results of
10004expanding those preprocessor macro invocations that appear explicitly in
10005@var{expression}. Macro invocations appearing in that expansion are
10006left unchanged. This command allows you to see the effect of a
10007particular macro more clearly, without being confused by further
10008expansions. Since @value{GDBN} simply expands macros, but does not
10009parse the result, @var{expression} need not be a valid expression; it
10010can be any string of tokens.
10011
10012@kindex info macro
10013@cindex macro definition, showing
10014@cindex definition of a macro, showing
10015@cindex macros, from debug info
10016@item info macro @var{macro}
10017Show the current definition of the named @var{macro}, and describe the
10018source location or compiler command-line where that definition was established.
10019
10020@kindex info macros
10021@item info macros @var{linespec}
10022Show all macro definitions that are in effect at the location specified
10023by @var{linespec}, and describe the source location or compiler
10024command-line where those definitions were established.
10025
10026@kindex info definitions
10027@item info definitions @var{macro}
10028Show all definitions of the named @var{macro} that are defined in the current
10029compilation unit, and describe the source location or compiler command-line
10030where those definitions were established.
10031
10032@kindex macro define
10033@cindex user-defined macros
10034@cindex defining macros interactively
10035@cindex macros, user-defined
10036@item macro define @var{macro} @var{replacement-list}
10037@itemx macro define @var{macro}(@var{arglist}) @var{replacement-list}
10038Introduce a definition for a preprocessor macro named @var{macro},
10039invocations of which are replaced by the tokens given in
10040@var{replacement-list}. The first form of this command defines an
10041``object-like'' macro, which takes no arguments; the second form
10042defines a ``function-like'' macro, which takes the arguments given in
10043@var{arglist}.
10044
10045A definition introduced by this command is in scope in every
10046expression evaluated in @value{GDBN}, until it is removed with the
10047@code{macro undef} command, described below. The definition overrides
10048all definitions for @var{macro} present in the program being debugged,
10049as well as any previous user-supplied definition.
10050
10051@kindex macro undef
10052@item macro undef @var{macro}
10053Remove any user-supplied definition for the macro named @var{macro}.
10054This command only affects definitions provided with the @code{macro
10055define} command, described above; it cannot remove definitions present
10056in the program being debugged.
10057
10058@kindex macro list
10059@item macro list
10060List all the macros defined using the @code{macro define} command.
10061@end table
10062
10063@cindex macros, example of debugging with
10064Here is a transcript showing the above commands in action. First, we
10065show our source files:
10066
10067@smallexample
10068$ cat sample.c
10069#include <stdio.h>
10070#include "sample.h"
10071
10072#define M 42
10073#define ADD(x) (M + x)
10074
10075main ()
10076@{
10077#define N 28
10078 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
10079#undef N
10080 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
10081#define N 1729
10082 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
10083@}
10084$ cat sample.h
10085#define Q <
10086$
10087@end smallexample
10088
10089Now, we compile the program using the @sc{gnu} C compiler, @value{NGCC}.
10090We pass the @option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-g3} flags to ensure the
10091compiler includes information about preprocessor macros in the debugging
10092information.
10093
10094@smallexample
10095$ gcc -gdwarf-2 -g3 sample.c -o sample
10096$
10097@end smallexample
10098
10099Now, we start @value{GDBN} on our sample program:
10100
10101@smallexample
10102$ gdb -nw sample
10103GNU gdb 2002-05-06-cvs
10104Copyright 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
10105GDB is free software, @dots{}
10106(@value{GDBP})
10107@end smallexample
10108
10109We can expand macros and examine their definitions, even when the
10110program is not running. @value{GDBN} uses the current listing position
10111to decide which macro definitions are in scope:
10112
10113@smallexample
10114(@value{GDBP}) list main
101153
101164 #define M 42
101175 #define ADD(x) (M + x)
101186
101197 main ()
101208 @{
101219 #define N 28
1012210 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
1012311 #undef N
1012412 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
10125(@value{GDBP}) info macro ADD
10126Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:5
10127#define ADD(x) (M + x)
10128(@value{GDBP}) info macro Q
10129Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.h:1
10130 included at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:2
10131#define Q <
10132(@value{GDBP}) macro expand ADD(1)
10133expands to: (42 + 1)
10134(@value{GDBP}) macro expand-once ADD(1)
10135expands to: once (M + 1)
10136(@value{GDBP})
10137@end smallexample
10138
10139In the example above, note that @code{macro expand-once} expands only
10140the macro invocation explicit in the original text --- the invocation of
10141@code{ADD} --- but does not expand the invocation of the macro @code{M},
10142which was introduced by @code{ADD}.
10143
10144Once the program is running, @value{GDBN} uses the macro definitions in
10145force at the source line of the current stack frame:
10146
10147@smallexample
10148(@value{GDBP}) break main
10149Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048370: file sample.c, line 10.
10150(@value{GDBP}) run
10151Starting program: /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample
10152
10153Breakpoint 1, main () at sample.c:10
1015410 printf ("Hello, world!\n");
10155(@value{GDBP})
10156@end smallexample
10157
10158At line 10, the definition of the macro @code{N} at line 9 is in force:
10159
10160@smallexample
10161(@value{GDBP}) info macro N
10162Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:9
10163#define N 28
10164(@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
10165expands to: 28 < 42
10166(@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
10167$1 = 1
10168(@value{GDBP})
10169@end smallexample
10170
10171As we step over directives that remove @code{N}'s definition, and then
10172give it a new definition, @value{GDBN} finds the definition (or lack
10173thereof) in force at each point:
10174
10175@smallexample
10176(@value{GDBP}) next
10177Hello, world!
1017812 printf ("We're so creative.\n");
10179(@value{GDBP}) info macro N
10180The symbol `N' has no definition as a C/C++ preprocessor macro
10181at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:12
10182(@value{GDBP}) next
10183We're so creative.
1018414 printf ("Goodbye, world!\n");
10185(@value{GDBP}) info macro N
10186Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:13
10187#define N 1729
10188(@value{GDBP}) macro expand N Q M
10189expands to: 1729 < 42
10190(@value{GDBP}) print N Q M
10191$2 = 0
10192(@value{GDBP})
10193@end smallexample
10194
10195In addition to source files, macros can be defined on the compilation command
10196line using the @option{-D@var{name}=@var{value}} syntax. For macros defined in
10197such a way, @value{GDBN} displays the location of their definition as line zero
10198of the source file submitted to the compiler.
10199
10200@smallexample
10201(@value{GDBP}) info macro __STDC__
10202Defined at /home/jimb/gdb/macros/play/sample.c:0
10203-D__STDC__=1
10204(@value{GDBP})
10205@end smallexample
10206
10207
10208@node Tracepoints
10209@chapter Tracepoints
10210@c This chapter is based on the documentation written by Michael
10211@c Snyder, David Taylor, Jim Blandy, and Elena Zannoni.
10212
10213@cindex tracepoints
10214In some applications, it is not feasible for the debugger to interrupt
10215the program's execution long enough for the developer to learn
10216anything helpful about its behavior. If the program's correctness
10217depends on its real-time behavior, delays introduced by a debugger
10218might cause the program to change its behavior drastically, or perhaps
10219fail, even when the code itself is correct. It is useful to be able
10220to observe the program's behavior without interrupting it.
10221
10222Using @value{GDBN}'s @code{trace} and @code{collect} commands, you can
10223specify locations in the program, called @dfn{tracepoints}, and
10224arbitrary expressions to evaluate when those tracepoints are reached.
10225Later, using the @code{tfind} command, you can examine the values
10226those expressions had when the program hit the tracepoints. The
10227expressions may also denote objects in memory---structures or arrays,
10228for example---whose values @value{GDBN} should record; while visiting
10229a particular tracepoint, you may inspect those objects as if they were
10230in memory at that moment. However, because @value{GDBN} records these
10231values without interacting with you, it can do so quickly and
10232unobtrusively, hopefully not disturbing the program's behavior.
10233
10234The tracepoint facility is currently available only for remote
10235targets. @xref{Targets}. In addition, your remote target must know
10236how to collect trace data. This functionality is implemented in the
10237remote stub; however, none of the stubs distributed with @value{GDBN}
10238support tracepoints as of this writing. The format of the remote
10239packets used to implement tracepoints are described in @ref{Tracepoint
10240Packets}.
10241
10242It is also possible to get trace data from a file, in a manner reminiscent
10243of corefiles; you specify the filename, and use @code{tfind} to search
10244through the file. @xref{Trace Files}, for more details.
10245
10246This chapter describes the tracepoint commands and features.
10247
10248@menu
10249* Set Tracepoints::
10250* Analyze Collected Data::
10251* Tracepoint Variables::
10252* Trace Files::
10253@end menu
10254
10255@node Set Tracepoints
10256@section Commands to Set Tracepoints
10257
10258Before running such a @dfn{trace experiment}, an arbitrary number of
10259tracepoints can be set. A tracepoint is actually a special type of
10260breakpoint (@pxref{Set Breaks}), so you can manipulate it using
10261standard breakpoint commands. For instance, as with breakpoints,
10262tracepoint numbers are successive integers starting from one, and many
10263of the commands associated with tracepoints take the tracepoint number
10264as their argument, to identify which tracepoint to work on.
10265
10266For each tracepoint, you can specify, in advance, some arbitrary set
10267of data that you want the target to collect in the trace buffer when
10268it hits that tracepoint. The collected data can include registers,
10269local variables, or global data. Later, you can use @value{GDBN}
10270commands to examine the values these data had at the time the
10271tracepoint was hit.
10272
10273Tracepoints do not support every breakpoint feature. Ignore counts on
10274tracepoints have no effect, and tracepoints cannot run @value{GDBN}
10275commands when they are hit. Tracepoints may not be thread-specific
10276either.
10277
10278@cindex fast tracepoints
10279Some targets may support @dfn{fast tracepoints}, which are inserted in
10280a different way (such as with a jump instead of a trap), that is
10281faster but possibly restricted in where they may be installed.
10282
10283@cindex static tracepoints
10284@cindex markers, static tracepoints
10285@cindex probing markers, static tracepoints
10286Regular and fast tracepoints are dynamic tracing facilities, meaning
10287that they can be used to insert tracepoints at (almost) any location
10288in the target. Some targets may also support controlling @dfn{static
10289tracepoints} from @value{GDBN}. With static tracing, a set of
10290instrumentation points, also known as @dfn{markers}, are embedded in
10291the target program, and can be activated or deactivated by name or
10292address. These are usually placed at locations which facilitate
10293investigating what the target is actually doing. @value{GDBN}'s
10294support for static tracing includes being able to list instrumentation
10295points, and attach them with @value{GDBN} defined high level
10296tracepoints that expose the whole range of convenience of
10297@value{GDBN}'s tracepoints support. Namely, support for collecting
10298registers values and values of global or local (to the instrumentation
10299point) variables; tracepoint conditions and trace state variables.
10300The act of installing a @value{GDBN} static tracepoint on an
10301instrumentation point, or marker, is referred to as @dfn{probing} a
10302static tracepoint marker.
10303
10304@code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints on some target systems.
10305@xref{Server,,Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}}.
10306
10307This section describes commands to set tracepoints and associated
10308conditions and actions.
10309
10310@menu
10311* Create and Delete Tracepoints::
10312* Enable and Disable Tracepoints::
10313* Tracepoint Passcounts::
10314* Tracepoint Conditions::
10315* Trace State Variables::
10316* Tracepoint Actions::
10317* Listing Tracepoints::
10318* Listing Static Tracepoint Markers::
10319* Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments::
10320* Tracepoint Restrictions::
10321@end menu
10322
10323@node Create and Delete Tracepoints
10324@subsection Create and Delete Tracepoints
10325
10326@table @code
10327@cindex set tracepoint
10328@kindex trace
10329@item trace @var{location}
10330The @code{trace} command is very similar to the @code{break} command.
10331Its argument @var{location} can be a source line, a function name, or
10332an address in the target program. @xref{Specify Location}. The
10333@code{trace} command defines a tracepoint, which is a point in the
10334target program where the debugger will briefly stop, collect some
10335data, and then allow the program to continue. Setting a tracepoint or
10336changing its actions doesn't take effect until the next @code{tstart}
10337command, and once a trace experiment is running, further changes will
10338not have any effect until the next trace experiment starts.
10339
10340Here are some examples of using the @code{trace} command:
10341
10342@smallexample
10343(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo.c:121} // a source file and line number
10344
10345(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace +2} // 2 lines forward
10346
10347(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace my_function} // first source line of function
10348
10349(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *my_function} // EXACT start address of function
10350
10351(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace *0x2117c4} // an address
10352@end smallexample
10353
10354@noindent
10355You can abbreviate @code{trace} as @code{tr}.
10356
10357@item trace @var{location} if @var{cond}
10358Set a tracepoint with condition @var{cond}; evaluate the expression
10359@var{cond} each time the tracepoint is reached, and collect data only
10360if the value is nonzero---that is, if @var{cond} evaluates as true.
10361@xref{Tracepoint Conditions, ,Tracepoint Conditions}, for more
10362information on tracepoint conditions.
10363
10364@item ftrace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
10365@cindex set fast tracepoint
10366@cindex fast tracepoints, setting
10367@kindex ftrace
10368The @code{ftrace} command sets a fast tracepoint. For targets that
10369support them, fast tracepoints will use a more efficient but possibly
10370less general technique to trigger data collection, such as a jump
10371instruction instead of a trap, or some sort of hardware support. It
10372may not be possible to create a fast tracepoint at the desired
10373location, in which case the command will exit with an explanatory
10374message.
10375
10376@value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{ftrace} exactly as for
10377@code{trace}.
10378
10379@item strace @var{location} [ if @var{cond} ]
10380@cindex set static tracepoint
10381@cindex static tracepoints, setting
10382@cindex probe static tracepoint marker
10383@kindex strace
10384The @code{strace} command sets a static tracepoint. For targets that
10385support it, setting a static tracepoint probes a static
10386instrumentation point, or marker, found at @var{location}. It may not
10387be possible to set a static tracepoint at the desired location, in
10388which case the command will exit with an explanatory message.
10389
10390@value{GDBN} handles arguments to @code{strace} exactly as for
10391@code{trace}, with the addition that the user can also specify
10392@code{-m @var{marker}} as @var{location}. This probes the marker
10393identified by the @var{marker} string identifier. This identifier
10394depends on the static tracepoint backend library your program is
10395using. You can find all the marker identifiers in the @samp{ID} field
10396of the @code{info static-tracepoint-markers} command output.
10397@xref{Listing Static Tracepoint Markers,,Listing Static Tracepoint
10398Markers}. For example, in the following small program using the UST
10399tracing engine:
10400
10401@smallexample
10402main ()
10403@{
10404 trace_mark(ust, bar33, "str %s", "FOOBAZ");
10405@}
10406@end smallexample
10407
10408@noindent
10409the marker id is composed of joining the first two arguments to the
10410@code{trace_mark} call with a slash, which translates to:
10411
10412@smallexample
10413(@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
10414Cnt Enb ID Address What
104151 n ust/bar33 0x0000000000400ddc in main at stexample.c:22
10416 Data: "str %s"
10417[etc...]
10418@end smallexample
10419
10420@noindent
10421so you may probe the marker above with:
10422
10423@smallexample
10424(@value{GDBP}) strace -m ust/bar33
10425@end smallexample
10426
10427Static tracepoints accept an extra collect action --- @code{collect
10428$_sdata}. This collects arbitrary user data passed in the probe point
10429call to the tracing library. In the UST example above, you'll see
10430that the third argument to @code{trace_mark} is a printf-like format
10431string. The user data is then the result of running that formating
10432string against the following arguments. Note that @code{info
10433static-tracepoint-markers} command output lists that format string in
10434the @samp{Data:} field.
10435
10436You can inspect this data when analyzing the trace buffer, by printing
10437the $_sdata variable like any other variable available to
10438@value{GDBN}. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action Lists}.
10439
10440@vindex $tpnum
10441@cindex last tracepoint number
10442@cindex recent tracepoint number
10443@cindex tracepoint number
10444The convenience variable @code{$tpnum} records the tracepoint number
10445of the most recently set tracepoint.
10446
10447@kindex delete tracepoint
10448@cindex tracepoint deletion
10449@item delete tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10450Permanently delete one or more tracepoints. With no argument, the
10451default is to delete all tracepoints. Note that the regular
10452@code{delete} command can remove tracepoints also.
10453
10454Examples:
10455
10456@smallexample
10457(@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace 1 2 3} // remove three tracepoints
10458
10459(@value{GDBP}) @b{delete trace} // remove all tracepoints
10460@end smallexample
10461
10462@noindent
10463You can abbreviate this command as @code{del tr}.
10464@end table
10465
10466@node Enable and Disable Tracepoints
10467@subsection Enable and Disable Tracepoints
10468
10469These commands are deprecated; they are equivalent to plain @code{disable} and @code{enable}.
10470
10471@table @code
10472@kindex disable tracepoint
10473@item disable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10474Disable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints if no argument
10475@var{num} is given. A disabled tracepoint will have no effect during
10476a trace experiment, but it is not forgotten. You can re-enable
10477a disabled tracepoint using the @code{enable tracepoint} command.
10478If the command is issued during a trace experiment and the debug target
10479has support for disabling tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the
10480change will be effective immediately. Otherwise, it will be applied to the
10481next trace experiment.
10482
10483@kindex enable tracepoint
10484@item enable tracepoint @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10485Enable tracepoint @var{num}, or all tracepoints. If this command is
10486issued during a trace experiment and the debug target supports enabling
10487tracepoints during a trace experiment, then the enabled tracepoints will
10488become effective immediately. Otherwise, they will become effective the
10489next time a trace experiment is run.
10490@end table
10491
10492@node Tracepoint Passcounts
10493@subsection Tracepoint Passcounts
10494
10495@table @code
10496@kindex passcount
10497@cindex tracepoint pass count
10498@item passcount @r{[}@var{n} @r{[}@var{num}@r{]]}
10499Set the @dfn{passcount} of a tracepoint. The passcount is a way to
10500automatically stop a trace experiment. If a tracepoint's passcount is
10501@var{n}, then the trace experiment will be automatically stopped on
10502the @var{n}'th time that tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number
10503@var{num} is not specified, the @code{passcount} command sets the
10504passcount of the most recently defined tracepoint. If no passcount is
10505given, the trace experiment will run until stopped explicitly by the
10506user.
10507
10508Examples:
10509
10510@smallexample
10511(@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 5 2} // Stop on the 5th execution of
10512@exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// tracepoint 2}
10513
10514(@value{GDBP}) @b{passcount 12} // Stop on the 12th execution of the
10515@exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// most recently defined tracepoint.}
10516(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
10517(@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 3}
10518(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace bar}
10519(@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 2}
10520(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace baz}
10521(@value{GDBP}) @b{pass 1} // Stop tracing when foo has been
10522@exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// executed 3 times OR when bar has}
10523@exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// been executed 2 times}
10524@exdent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @code{// OR when baz has been executed 1 time.}
10525@end smallexample
10526@end table
10527
10528@node Tracepoint Conditions
10529@subsection Tracepoint Conditions
10530@cindex conditional tracepoints
10531@cindex tracepoint conditions
10532
10533The simplest sort of tracepoint collects data every time your program
10534reaches a specified place. You can also specify a @dfn{condition} for
10535a tracepoint. A condition is just a Boolean expression in your
10536programming language (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). A
10537tracepoint with a condition evaluates the expression each time your
10538program reaches it, and data collection happens only if the condition
10539is true.
10540
10541Tracepoint conditions can be specified when a tracepoint is set, by
10542using @samp{if} in the arguments to the @code{trace} command.
10543@xref{Create and Delete Tracepoints, ,Setting Tracepoints}. They can
10544also be set or changed at any time with the @code{condition} command,
10545just as with breakpoints.
10546
10547Unlike breakpoint conditions, @value{GDBN} does not actually evaluate
10548the conditional expression itself. Instead, @value{GDBN} encodes the
10549expression into an agent expression (@pxref{Agent Expressions})
10550suitable for execution on the target, independently of @value{GDBN}.
10551Global variables become raw memory locations, locals become stack
10552accesses, and so forth.
10553
10554For instance, suppose you have a function that is usually called
10555frequently, but should not be called after an error has occurred. You
10556could use the following tracepoint command to collect data about calls
10557of that function that happen while the error code is propagating
10558through the program; an unconditional tracepoint could end up
10559collecting thousands of useless trace frames that you would have to
10560search through.
10561
10562@smallexample
10563(@value{GDBP}) @kbd{trace normal_operation if errcode > 0}
10564@end smallexample
10565
10566@node Trace State Variables
10567@subsection Trace State Variables
10568@cindex trace state variables
10569
10570A @dfn{trace state variable} is a special type of variable that is
10571created and managed by target-side code. The syntax is the same as
10572that for GDB's convenience variables (a string prefixed with ``$''),
10573but they are stored on the target. They must be created explicitly,
10574using a @code{tvariable} command. They are always 64-bit signed
10575integers.
10576
10577Trace state variables are remembered by @value{GDBN}, and downloaded
10578to the target along with tracepoint information when the trace
10579experiment starts. There are no intrinsic limits on the number of
10580trace state variables, beyond memory limitations of the target.
10581
10582@cindex convenience variables, and trace state variables
10583Although trace state variables are managed by the target, you can use
10584them in print commands and expressions as if they were convenience
10585variables; @value{GDBN} will get the current value from the target
10586while the trace experiment is running. Trace state variables share
10587the same namespace as other ``$'' variables, which means that you
10588cannot have trace state variables with names like @code{$23} or
10589@code{$pc}, nor can you have a trace state variable and a convenience
10590variable with the same name.
10591
10592@table @code
10593
10594@item tvariable $@var{name} [ = @var{expression} ]
10595@kindex tvariable
10596The @code{tvariable} command creates a new trace state variable named
10597@code{$@var{name}}, and optionally gives it an initial value of
10598@var{expression}. @var{expression} is evaluated when this command is
10599entered; the result will be converted to an integer if possible,
10600otherwise @value{GDBN} will report an error. A subsequent
10601@code{tvariable} command specifying the same name does not create a
10602variable, but instead assigns the supplied initial value to the
10603existing variable of that name, overwriting any previous initial
10604value. The default initial value is 0.
10605
10606@item info tvariables
10607@kindex info tvariables
10608List all the trace state variables along with their initial values.
10609Their current values may also be displayed, if the trace experiment is
10610currently running.
10611
10612@item delete tvariable @r{[} $@var{name} @dots{} @r{]}
10613@kindex delete tvariable
10614Delete the given trace state variables, or all of them if no arguments
10615are specified.
10616
10617@end table
10618
10619@node Tracepoint Actions
10620@subsection Tracepoint Action Lists
10621
10622@table @code
10623@kindex actions
10624@cindex tracepoint actions
10625@item actions @r{[}@var{num}@r{]}
10626This command will prompt for a list of actions to be taken when the
10627tracepoint is hit. If the tracepoint number @var{num} is not
10628specified, this command sets the actions for the one that was most
10629recently defined (so that you can define a tracepoint and then say
10630@code{actions} without bothering about its number). You specify the
10631actions themselves on the following lines, one action at a time, and
10632terminate the actions list with a line containing just @code{end}. So
10633far, the only defined actions are @code{collect}, @code{teval}, and
10634@code{while-stepping}.
10635
10636@code{actions} is actually equivalent to @code{commands} (@pxref{Break
10637Commands, ,Breakpoint Command Lists}), except that only the defined
10638actions are allowed; any other @value{GDBN} command is rejected.
10639
10640@cindex remove actions from a tracepoint
10641To remove all actions from a tracepoint, type @samp{actions @var{num}}
10642and follow it immediately with @samp{end}.
10643
10644@smallexample
10645(@value{GDBP}) @b{collect @var{data}} // collect some data
10646
10647(@value{GDBP}) @b{while-stepping 5} // single-step 5 times, collect data
10648
10649(@value{GDBP}) @b{end} // signals the end of actions.
10650@end smallexample
10651
10652In the following example, the action list begins with @code{collect}
10653commands indicating the things to be collected when the tracepoint is
10654hit. Then, in order to single-step and collect additional data
10655following the tracepoint, a @code{while-stepping} command is used,
10656followed by the list of things to be collected after each step in a
10657sequence of single steps. The @code{while-stepping} command is
10658terminated by its own separate @code{end} command. Lastly, the action
10659list is terminated by an @code{end} command.
10660
10661@smallexample
10662(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace foo}
10663(@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
10664Enter actions for tracepoint 1, one per line:
10665> collect bar,baz
10666> collect $regs
10667> while-stepping 12
10668 > collect $pc, arr[i]
10669 > end
10670end
10671@end smallexample
10672
10673@kindex collect @r{(tracepoints)}
10674@item collect@r{[}/@var{mods}@r{]} @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10675Collect values of the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit.
10676This command accepts a comma-separated list of any valid expressions.
10677In addition to global, static, or local variables, the following
10678special arguments are supported:
10679
10680@table @code
10681@item $regs
10682Collect all registers.
10683
10684@item $args
10685Collect all function arguments.
10686
10687@item $locals
10688Collect all local variables.
10689
10690@item $_ret
10691Collect the return address. This is helpful if you want to see more
10692of a backtrace.
10693
10694@item $_sdata
10695@vindex $_sdata@r{, collect}
10696Collect static tracepoint marker specific data. Only available for
10697static tracepoints. @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint Action
10698Lists}. On the UST static tracepoints library backend, an
10699instrumentation point resembles a @code{printf} function call. The
10700tracing library is able to collect user specified data formatted to a
10701character string using the format provided by the programmer that
10702instrumented the program. Other backends have similar mechanisms.
10703Here's an example of a UST marker call:
10704
10705@smallexample
10706 const char master_name[] = "$your_name";
10707 trace_mark(channel1, marker1, "hello %s", master_name)
10708@end smallexample
10709
10710In this case, collecting @code{$_sdata} collects the string
10711@samp{hello $yourname}. When analyzing the trace buffer, you can
10712inspect @samp{$_sdata} like any other variable available to
10713@value{GDBN}.
10714@end table
10715
10716You can give several consecutive @code{collect} commands, each one
10717with a single argument, or one @code{collect} command with several
10718arguments separated by commas; the effect is the same.
10719
10720The optional @var{mods} changes the usual handling of the arguments.
10721@code{s} requests that pointers to chars be handled as strings, in
10722particular collecting the contents of the memory being pointed at, up
10723to the first zero. The upper bound is by default the value of the
10724@code{print elements} variable; if @code{s} is followed by a decimal
10725number, that is the upper bound instead. So for instance
10726@samp{collect/s25 mystr} collects as many as 25 characters at
10727@samp{mystr}.
10728
10729The command @code{info scope} (@pxref{Symbols, info scope}) is
10730particularly useful for figuring out what data to collect.
10731
10732@kindex teval @r{(tracepoints)}
10733@item teval @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10734Evaluate the given expressions when the tracepoint is hit. This
10735command accepts a comma-separated list of expressions. The results
10736are discarded, so this is mainly useful for assigning values to trace
10737state variables (@pxref{Trace State Variables}) without adding those
10738values to the trace buffer, as would be the case if the @code{collect}
10739action were used.
10740
10741@kindex while-stepping @r{(tracepoints)}
10742@item while-stepping @var{n}
10743Perform @var{n} single-step instruction traces after the tracepoint,
10744collecting new data after each step. The @code{while-stepping}
10745command is followed by the list of what to collect while stepping
10746(followed by its own @code{end} command):
10747
10748@smallexample
10749> while-stepping 12
10750 > collect $regs, myglobal
10751 > end
10752>
10753@end smallexample
10754
10755@noindent
10756Note that @code{$pc} is not automatically collected by
10757@code{while-stepping}; you need to explicitly collect that register if
10758you need it. You may abbreviate @code{while-stepping} as @code{ws} or
10759@code{stepping}.
10760
10761@item set default-collect @var{expr1}, @var{expr2}, @dots{}
10762@kindex set default-collect
10763@cindex default collection action
10764This variable is a list of expressions to collect at each tracepoint
10765hit. It is effectively an additional @code{collect} action prepended
10766to every tracepoint action list. The expressions are parsed
10767individually for each tracepoint, so for instance a variable named
10768@code{xyz} may be interpreted as a global for one tracepoint, and a
10769local for another, as appropriate to the tracepoint's location.
10770
10771@item show default-collect
10772@kindex show default-collect
10773Show the list of expressions that are collected by default at each
10774tracepoint hit.
10775
10776@end table
10777
10778@node Listing Tracepoints
10779@subsection Listing Tracepoints
10780
10781@table @code
10782@kindex info tracepoints @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
10783@kindex info tp @r{[}@var{n}@dots{}@r{]}
10784@cindex information about tracepoints
10785@item info tracepoints @r{[}@var{num}@dots{}@r{]}
10786Display information about the tracepoint @var{num}. If you don't
10787specify a tracepoint number, displays information about all the
10788tracepoints defined so far. The format is similar to that used for
10789@code{info breakpoints}; in fact, @code{info tracepoints} is the same
10790command, simply restricting itself to tracepoints.
10791
10792A tracepoint's listing may include additional information specific to
10793tracing:
10794
10795@itemize @bullet
10796@item
10797its passcount as given by the @code{passcount @var{n}} command
10798@end itemize
10799
10800@smallexample
10801(@value{GDBP}) @b{info trace}
10802Num Type Disp Enb Address What
108031 tracepoint keep y 0x0804ab57 in foo() at main.cxx:7
10804 while-stepping 20
10805 collect globfoo, $regs
10806 end
10807 collect globfoo2
10808 end
10809 pass count 1200
10810(@value{GDBP})
10811@end smallexample
10812
10813@noindent
10814This command can be abbreviated @code{info tp}.
10815@end table
10816
10817@node Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
10818@subsection Listing Static Tracepoint Markers
10819
10820@table @code
10821@kindex info static-tracepoint-markers
10822@cindex information about static tracepoint markers
10823@item info static-tracepoint-markers
10824Display information about all static tracepoint markers defined in the
10825program.
10826
10827For each marker, the following columns are printed:
10828
10829@table @emph
10830@item Count
10831An incrementing counter, output to help readability. This is not a
10832stable identifier.
10833@item ID
10834The marker ID, as reported by the target.
10835@item Enabled or Disabled
10836Probed markers are tagged with @samp{y}. @samp{n} identifies marks
10837that are not enabled.
10838@item Address
10839Where the marker is in your program, as a memory address.
10840@item What
10841Where the marker is in the source for your program, as a file and line
10842number. If the debug information included in the program does not
10843allow @value{GDBN} to locate the source of the marker, this column
10844will be left blank.
10845@end table
10846
10847@noindent
10848In addition, the following information may be printed for each marker:
10849
10850@table @emph
10851@item Data
10852User data passed to the tracing library by the marker call. In the
10853UST backend, this is the format string passed as argument to the
10854marker call.
10855@item Static tracepoints probing the marker
10856The list of static tracepoints attached to the marker.
10857@end table
10858
10859@smallexample
10860(@value{GDBP}) info static-tracepoint-markers
10861Cnt ID Enb Address What
108621 ust/bar2 y 0x0000000000400e1a in main at stexample.c:25
10863 Data: number1 %d number2 %d
10864 Probed by static tracepoints: #2
108652 ust/bar33 n 0x0000000000400c87 in main at stexample.c:24
10866 Data: str %s
10867(@value{GDBP})
10868@end smallexample
10869@end table
10870
10871@node Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
10872@subsection Starting and Stopping Trace Experiments
10873
10874@table @code
10875@kindex tstart
10876@cindex start a new trace experiment
10877@cindex collected data discarded
10878@item tstart
10879This command takes no arguments. It starts the trace experiment, and
10880begins collecting data. This has the side effect of discarding all
10881the data collected in the trace buffer during the previous trace
10882experiment.
10883
10884@kindex tstop
10885@cindex stop a running trace experiment
10886@item tstop
10887This command takes no arguments. It ends the trace experiment, and
10888stops collecting data.
10889
10890@strong{Note}: a trace experiment and data collection may stop
10891automatically if any tracepoint's passcount is reached
10892(@pxref{Tracepoint Passcounts}), or if the trace buffer becomes full.
10893
10894@kindex tstatus
10895@cindex status of trace data collection
10896@cindex trace experiment, status of
10897@item tstatus
10898This command displays the status of the current trace data
10899collection.
10900@end table
10901
10902Here is an example of the commands we described so far:
10903
10904@smallexample
10905(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace gdb_c_test}
10906(@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
10907Enter actions for tracepoint #1, one per line.
10908> collect $regs,$locals,$args
10909> while-stepping 11
10910 > collect $regs
10911 > end
10912> end
10913(@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
10914 [time passes @dots{}]
10915(@value{GDBP}) @b{tstop}
10916@end smallexample
10917
10918@anchor{disconnected tracing}
10919@cindex disconnected tracing
10920You can choose to continue running the trace experiment even if
10921@value{GDBN} disconnects from the target, voluntarily or
10922involuntarily. For commands such as @code{detach}, the debugger will
10923ask what you want to do with the trace. But for unexpected
10924terminations (@value{GDBN} crash, network outage), it would be
10925unfortunate to lose hard-won trace data, so the variable
10926@code{disconnected-tracing} lets you decide whether the trace should
10927continue running without @value{GDBN}.
10928
10929@table @code
10930@item set disconnected-tracing on
10931@itemx set disconnected-tracing off
10932@kindex set disconnected-tracing
10933Choose whether a tracing run should continue to run if @value{GDBN}
10934has disconnected from the target. Note that @code{detach} or
10935@code{quit} will ask you directly what to do about a running trace no
10936matter what this variable's setting, so the variable is mainly useful
10937for handling unexpected situations, such as loss of the network.
10938
10939@item show disconnected-tracing
10940@kindex show disconnected-tracing
10941Show the current choice for disconnected tracing.
10942
10943@end table
10944
10945When you reconnect to the target, the trace experiment may or may not
10946still be running; it might have filled the trace buffer in the
10947meantime, or stopped for one of the other reasons. If it is running,
10948it will continue after reconnection.
10949
10950Upon reconnection, the target will upload information about the
10951tracepoints in effect. @value{GDBN} will then compare that
10952information to the set of tracepoints currently defined, and attempt
10953to match them up, allowing for the possibility that the numbers may
10954have changed due to creation and deletion in the meantime. If one of
10955the target's tracepoints does not match any in @value{GDBN}, the
10956debugger will create a new tracepoint, so that you have a number with
10957which to specify that tracepoint. This matching-up process is
10958necessarily heuristic, and it may result in useless tracepoints being
10959created; you may simply delete them if they are of no use.
10960
10961@cindex circular trace buffer
10962If your target agent supports a @dfn{circular trace buffer}, then you
10963can run a trace experiment indefinitely without filling the trace
10964buffer; when space runs out, the agent deletes already-collected trace
10965frames, oldest first, until there is enough room to continue
10966collecting. This is especially useful if your tracepoints are being
10967hit too often, and your trace gets terminated prematurely because the
10968buffer is full. To ask for a circular trace buffer, simply set
10969@samp{circular-trace-buffer} to on. You can set this at any time,
10970including during tracing; if the agent can do it, it will change
10971buffer handling on the fly, otherwise it will not take effect until
10972the next run.
10973
10974@table @code
10975@item set circular-trace-buffer on
10976@itemx set circular-trace-buffer off
10977@kindex set circular-trace-buffer
10978Choose whether a tracing run should use a linear or circular buffer
10979for trace data. A linear buffer will not lose any trace data, but may
10980fill up prematurely, while a circular buffer will discard old trace
10981data, but it will have always room for the latest tracepoint hits.
10982
10983@item show circular-trace-buffer
10984@kindex show circular-trace-buffer
10985Show the current choice for the trace buffer. Note that this may not
10986match the agent's current buffer handling, nor is it guaranteed to
10987match the setting that might have been in effect during a past run,
10988for instance if you are looking at frames from a trace file.
10989
10990@end table
10991
10992@node Tracepoint Restrictions
10993@subsection Tracepoint Restrictions
10994
10995@cindex tracepoint restrictions
10996There are a number of restrictions on the use of tracepoints. As
10997described above, tracepoint data gathering occurs on the target
10998without interaction from @value{GDBN}. Thus the full capabilities of
10999the debugger are not available during data gathering, and then at data
11000examination time, you will be limited by only having what was
11001collected. The following items describe some common problems, but it
11002is not exhaustive, and you may run into additional difficulties not
11003mentioned here.
11004
11005@itemize @bullet
11006
11007@item
11008Tracepoint expressions are intended to gather objects (lvalues). Thus
11009the full flexibility of GDB's expression evaluator is not available.
11010You cannot call functions, cast objects to aggregate types, access
11011convenience variables or modify values (except by assignment to trace
11012state variables). Some language features may implicitly call
11013functions (for instance Objective-C fields with accessors), and therefore
11014cannot be collected either.
11015
11016@item
11017Collection of local variables, either individually or in bulk with
11018@code{$locals} or @code{$args}, during @code{while-stepping} may
11019behave erratically. The stepping action may enter a new scope (for
11020instance by stepping into a function), or the location of the variable
11021may change (for instance it is loaded into a register). The
11022tracepoint data recorded uses the location information for the
11023variables that is correct for the tracepoint location. When the
11024tracepoint is created, it is not possible, in general, to determine
11025where the steps of a @code{while-stepping} sequence will advance the
11026program---particularly if a conditional branch is stepped.
11027
11028@item
11029Collection of an incompletely-initialized or partially-destroyed object
11030may result in something that @value{GDBN} cannot display, or displays
11031in a misleading way.
11032
11033@item
11034When @value{GDBN} displays a pointer to character it automatically
11035dereferences the pointer to also display characters of the string
11036being pointed to. However, collecting the pointer during tracing does
11037not automatically collect the string. You need to explicitly
11038dereference the pointer and provide size information if you want to
11039collect not only the pointer, but the memory pointed to. For example,
11040@code{*ptr@@50} can be used to collect the 50 element array pointed to
11041by @code{ptr}.
11042
11043@item
11044It is not possible to collect a complete stack backtrace at a
11045tracepoint. Instead, you may collect the registers and a few hundred
11046bytes from the stack pointer with something like @code{*(unsigned char *)$esp@@300}
11047(adjust to use the name of the actual stack pointer register on your
11048target architecture, and the amount of stack you wish to capture).
11049Then the @code{backtrace} command will show a partial backtrace when
11050using a trace frame. The number of stack frames that can be examined
11051depends on the sizes of the frames in the collected stack. Note that
11052if you ask for a block so large that it goes past the bottom of the
11053stack, the target agent may report an error trying to read from an
11054invalid address.
11055
11056@item
11057If you do not collect registers at a tracepoint, @value{GDBN} can
11058infer that the value of @code{$pc} must be the same as the address of
11059the tracepoint and use that when you are looking at a trace frame
11060for that tracepoint. However, this cannot work if the tracepoint has
11061multiple locations (for instance if it was set in a function that was
11062inlined), or if it has a @code{while-stepping} loop. In those cases
11063@value{GDBN} will warn you that it can't infer @code{$pc}, and default
11064it to zero.
11065
11066@end itemize
11067
11068@node Analyze Collected Data
11069@section Using the Collected Data
11070
11071After the tracepoint experiment ends, you use @value{GDBN} commands
11072for examining the trace data. The basic idea is that each tracepoint
11073collects a trace @dfn{snapshot} every time it is hit and another
11074snapshot every time it single-steps. All these snapshots are
11075consecutively numbered from zero and go into a buffer, and you can
11076examine them later. The way you examine them is to @dfn{focus} on a
11077specific trace snapshot. When the remote stub is focused on a trace
11078snapshot, it will respond to all @value{GDBN} requests for memory and
11079registers by reading from the buffer which belongs to that snapshot,
11080rather than from @emph{real} memory or registers of the program being
11081debugged. This means that @strong{all} @value{GDBN} commands
11082(@code{print}, @code{info registers}, @code{backtrace}, etc.) will
11083behave as if we were currently debugging the program state as it was
11084when the tracepoint occurred. Any requests for data that are not in
11085the buffer will fail.
11086
11087@menu
11088* tfind:: How to select a trace snapshot
11089* tdump:: How to display all data for a snapshot
11090* save tracepoints:: How to save tracepoints for a future run
11091@end menu
11092
11093@node tfind
11094@subsection @code{tfind @var{n}}
11095
11096@kindex tfind
11097@cindex select trace snapshot
11098@cindex find trace snapshot
11099The basic command for selecting a trace snapshot from the buffer is
11100@code{tfind @var{n}}, which finds trace snapshot number @var{n},
11101counting from zero. If no argument @var{n} is given, the next
11102snapshot is selected.
11103
11104Here are the various forms of using the @code{tfind} command.
11105
11106@table @code
11107@item tfind start
11108Find the first snapshot in the buffer. This is a synonym for
11109@code{tfind 0} (since 0 is the number of the first snapshot).
11110
11111@item tfind none
11112Stop debugging trace snapshots, resume @emph{live} debugging.
11113
11114@item tfind end
11115Same as @samp{tfind none}.
11116
11117@item tfind
11118No argument means find the next trace snapshot.
11119
11120@item tfind -
11121Find the previous trace snapshot before the current one. This permits
11122retracing earlier steps.
11123
11124@item tfind tracepoint @var{num}
11125Find the next snapshot associated with tracepoint @var{num}. Search
11126proceeds forward from the last examined trace snapshot. If no
11127argument @var{num} is given, it means find the next snapshot collected
11128for the same tracepoint as the current snapshot.
11129
11130@item tfind pc @var{addr}
11131Find the next snapshot associated with the value @var{addr} of the
11132program counter. Search proceeds forward from the last examined trace
11133snapshot. If no argument @var{addr} is given, it means find the next
11134snapshot with the same value of PC as the current snapshot.
11135
11136@item tfind outside @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
11137Find the next snapshot whose PC is outside the given range of
11138addresses (exclusive).
11139
11140@item tfind range @var{addr1}, @var{addr2}
11141Find the next snapshot whose PC is between @var{addr1} and
11142@var{addr2} (inclusive).
11143
11144@item tfind line @r{[}@var{file}:@r{]}@var{n}
11145Find the next snapshot associated with the source line @var{n}. If
11146the optional argument @var{file} is given, refer to line @var{n} in
11147that source file. Search proceeds forward from the last examined
11148trace snapshot. If no argument @var{n} is given, it means find the
11149next line other than the one currently being examined; thus saying
11150@code{tfind line} repeatedly can appear to have the same effect as
11151stepping from line to line in a @emph{live} debugging session.
11152@end table
11153
11154The default arguments for the @code{tfind} commands are specifically
11155designed to make it easy to scan through the trace buffer. For
11156instance, @code{tfind} with no argument selects the next trace
11157snapshot, and @code{tfind -} with no argument selects the previous
11158trace snapshot. So, by giving one @code{tfind} command, and then
11159simply hitting @key{RET} repeatedly you can examine all the trace
11160snapshots in order. Or, by saying @code{tfind -} and then hitting
11161@key{RET} repeatedly you can examine the snapshots in reverse order.
11162The @code{tfind line} command with no argument selects the snapshot
11163for the next source line executed. The @code{tfind pc} command with
11164no argument selects the next snapshot with the same program counter
11165(PC) as the current frame. The @code{tfind tracepoint} command with
11166no argument selects the next trace snapshot collected by the same
11167tracepoint as the current one.
11168
11169In addition to letting you scan through the trace buffer manually,
11170these commands make it easy to construct @value{GDBN} scripts that
11171scan through the trace buffer and print out whatever collected data
11172you are interested in. Thus, if we want to examine the PC, FP, and SP
11173registers from each trace frame in the buffer, we can say this:
11174
11175@smallexample
11176(@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
11177(@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
11178> printf "Frame %d, PC = %08X, SP = %08X, FP = %08X\n", \
11179 $trace_frame, $pc, $sp, $fp
11180> tfind
11181> end
11182
11183Frame 0, PC = 0020DC64, SP = 0030BF3C, FP = 0030BF44
11184Frame 1, PC = 0020DC6C, SP = 0030BF38, FP = 0030BF44
11185Frame 2, PC = 0020DC70, SP = 0030BF34, FP = 0030BF44
11186Frame 3, PC = 0020DC74, SP = 0030BF30, FP = 0030BF44
11187Frame 4, PC = 0020DC78, SP = 0030BF2C, FP = 0030BF44
11188Frame 5, PC = 0020DC7C, SP = 0030BF28, FP = 0030BF44
11189Frame 6, PC = 0020DC80, SP = 0030BF24, FP = 0030BF44
11190Frame 7, PC = 0020DC84, SP = 0030BF20, FP = 0030BF44
11191Frame 8, PC = 0020DC88, SP = 0030BF1C, FP = 0030BF44
11192Frame 9, PC = 0020DC8E, SP = 0030BF18, FP = 0030BF44
11193Frame 10, PC = 00203F6C, SP = 0030BE3C, FP = 0030BF14
11194@end smallexample
11195
11196Or, if we want to examine the variable @code{X} at each source line in
11197the buffer:
11198
11199@smallexample
11200(@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
11201(@value{GDBP}) @b{while ($trace_frame != -1)}
11202> printf "Frame %d, X == %d\n", $trace_frame, X
11203> tfind line
11204> end
11205
11206Frame 0, X = 1
11207Frame 7, X = 2
11208Frame 13, X = 255
11209@end smallexample
11210
11211@node tdump
11212@subsection @code{tdump}
11213@kindex tdump
11214@cindex dump all data collected at tracepoint
11215@cindex tracepoint data, display
11216
11217This command takes no arguments. It prints all the data collected at
11218the current trace snapshot.
11219
11220@smallexample
11221(@value{GDBP}) @b{trace 444}
11222(@value{GDBP}) @b{actions}
11223Enter actions for tracepoint #2, one per line:
11224> collect $regs, $locals, $args, gdb_long_test
11225> end
11226
11227(@value{GDBP}) @b{tstart}
11228
11229(@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind line 444}
11230#0 gdb_test (p1=0x11, p2=0x22, p3=0x33, p4=0x44, p5=0x55, p6=0x66)
11231at gdb_test.c:444
11232444 printp( "%s: arguments = 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X 0x%X\n", )
11233
11234(@value{GDBP}) @b{tdump}
11235Data collected at tracepoint 2, trace frame 1:
11236d0 0xc4aa0085 -995491707
11237d1 0x18 24
11238d2 0x80 128
11239d3 0x33 51
11240d4 0x71aea3d 119204413
11241d5 0x22 34
11242d6 0xe0 224
11243d7 0x380035 3670069
11244a0 0x19e24a 1696330
11245a1 0x3000668 50333288
11246a2 0x100 256
11247a3 0x322000 3284992
11248a4 0x3000698 50333336
11249a5 0x1ad3cc 1758156
11250fp 0x30bf3c 0x30bf3c
11251sp 0x30bf34 0x30bf34
11252ps 0x0 0
11253pc 0x20b2c8 0x20b2c8
11254fpcontrol 0x0 0
11255fpstatus 0x0 0
11256fpiaddr 0x0 0
11257p = 0x20e5b4 "gdb-test"
11258p1 = (void *) 0x11
11259p2 = (void *) 0x22
11260p3 = (void *) 0x33
11261p4 = (void *) 0x44
11262p5 = (void *) 0x55
11263p6 = (void *) 0x66
11264gdb_long_test = 17 '\021'
11265
11266(@value{GDBP})
11267@end smallexample
11268
11269@code{tdump} works by scanning the tracepoint's current collection
11270actions and printing the value of each expression listed. So
11271@code{tdump} can fail, if after a run, you change the tracepoint's
11272actions to mention variables that were not collected during the run.
11273
11274Also, for tracepoints with @code{while-stepping} loops, @code{tdump}
11275uses the collected value of @code{$pc} to distinguish between trace
11276frames that were collected at the tracepoint hit, and frames that were
11277collected while stepping. This allows it to correctly choose whether
11278to display the basic list of collections, or the collections from the
11279body of the while-stepping loop. However, if @code{$pc} was not collected,
11280then @code{tdump} will always attempt to dump using the basic collection
11281list, and may fail if a while-stepping frame does not include all the
11282same data that is collected at the tracepoint hit.
11283@c This is getting pretty arcane, example would be good.
11284
11285@node save tracepoints
11286@subsection @code{save tracepoints @var{filename}}
11287@kindex save tracepoints
11288@kindex save-tracepoints
11289@cindex save tracepoints for future sessions
11290
11291This command saves all current tracepoint definitions together with
11292their actions and passcounts, into a file @file{@var{filename}}
11293suitable for use in a later debugging session. To read the saved
11294tracepoint definitions, use the @code{source} command (@pxref{Command
11295Files}). The @w{@code{save-tracepoints}} command is a deprecated
11296alias for @w{@code{save tracepoints}}
11297
11298@node Tracepoint Variables
11299@section Convenience Variables for Tracepoints
11300@cindex tracepoint variables
11301@cindex convenience variables for tracepoints
11302
11303@table @code
11304@vindex $trace_frame
11305@item (int) $trace_frame
11306The current trace snapshot (a.k.a.@: @dfn{frame}) number, or -1 if no
11307snapshot is selected.
11308
11309@vindex $tracepoint
11310@item (int) $tracepoint
11311The tracepoint for the current trace snapshot.
11312
11313@vindex $trace_line
11314@item (int) $trace_line
11315The line number for the current trace snapshot.
11316
11317@vindex $trace_file
11318@item (char []) $trace_file
11319The source file for the current trace snapshot.
11320
11321@vindex $trace_func
11322@item (char []) $trace_func
11323The name of the function containing @code{$tracepoint}.
11324@end table
11325
11326Note: @code{$trace_file} is not suitable for use in @code{printf},
11327use @code{output} instead.
11328
11329Here's a simple example of using these convenience variables for
11330stepping through all the trace snapshots and printing some of their
11331data. Note that these are not the same as trace state variables,
11332which are managed by the target.
11333
11334@smallexample
11335(@value{GDBP}) @b{tfind start}
11336
11337(@value{GDBP}) @b{while $trace_frame != -1}
11338> output $trace_file
11339> printf ", line %d (tracepoint #%d)\n", $trace_line, $tracepoint
11340> tfind
11341> end
11342@end smallexample
11343
11344@node Trace Files
11345@section Using Trace Files
11346@cindex trace files
11347
11348In some situations, the target running a trace experiment may no
11349longer be available; perhaps it crashed, or the hardware was needed
11350for a different activity. To handle these cases, you can arrange to
11351dump the trace data into a file, and later use that file as a source
11352of trace data, via the @code{target tfile} command.
11353
11354@table @code
11355
11356@kindex tsave
11357@item tsave [ -r ] @var{filename}
11358Save the trace data to @var{filename}. By default, this command
11359assumes that @var{filename} refers to the host filesystem, so if
11360necessary @value{GDBN} will copy raw trace data up from the target and
11361then save it. If the target supports it, you can also supply the
11362optional argument @code{-r} (``remote'') to direct the target to save
11363the data directly into @var{filename} in its own filesystem, which may be
11364more efficient if the trace buffer is very large. (Note, however, that
11365@code{target tfile} can only read from files accessible to the host.)
11366
11367@kindex target tfile
11368@kindex tfile
11369@item target tfile @var{filename}
11370Use the file named @var{filename} as a source of trace data. Commands
11371that examine data work as they do with a live target, but it is not
11372possible to run any new trace experiments. @code{tstatus} will report
11373the state of the trace run at the moment the data was saved, as well
11374as the current trace frame you are examining. @var{filename} must be
11375on a filesystem accessible to the host.
11376
11377@end table
11378
11379@node Overlays
11380@chapter Debugging Programs That Use Overlays
11381@cindex overlays
11382
11383If your program is too large to fit completely in your target system's
11384memory, you can sometimes use @dfn{overlays} to work around this
11385problem. @value{GDBN} provides some support for debugging programs that
11386use overlays.
11387
11388@menu
11389* How Overlays Work:: A general explanation of overlays.
11390* Overlay Commands:: Managing overlays in @value{GDBN}.
11391* Automatic Overlay Debugging:: @value{GDBN} can find out which overlays are
11392 mapped by asking the inferior.
11393* Overlay Sample Program:: A sample program using overlays.
11394@end menu
11395
11396@node How Overlays Work
11397@section How Overlays Work
11398@cindex mapped overlays
11399@cindex unmapped overlays
11400@cindex load address, overlay's
11401@cindex mapped address
11402@cindex overlay area
11403
11404Suppose you have a computer whose instruction address space is only 64
11405kilobytes long, but which has much more memory which can be accessed by
11406other means: special instructions, segment registers, or memory
11407management hardware, for example. Suppose further that you want to
11408adapt a program which is larger than 64 kilobytes to run on this system.
11409
11410One solution is to identify modules of your program which are relatively
11411independent, and need not call each other directly; call these modules
11412@dfn{overlays}. Separate the overlays from the main program, and place
11413their machine code in the larger memory. Place your main program in
11414instruction memory, but leave at least enough space there to hold the
11415largest overlay as well.
11416
11417Now, to call a function located in an overlay, you must first copy that
11418overlay's machine code from the large memory into the space set aside
11419for it in the instruction memory, and then jump to its entry point
11420there.
11421
11422@c NB: In the below the mapped area's size is greater or equal to the
11423@c size of all overlays. This is intentional to remind the developer
11424@c that overlays don't necessarily need to be the same size.
11425
11426@smallexample
11427@group
11428 Data Instruction Larger
11429Address Space Address Space Address Space
11430+-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
11431| | | | | |
11432+-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+<-- overlay 1
11433| program | | main | .----| overlay 1 | load address
11434| variables | | program | | +-----------+
11435| and heap | | | | | |
11436+-----------+ | | | +-----------+<-- overlay 2
11437| | +-----------+ | | | load address
11438+-----------+ | | | .-| overlay 2 |
11439 | | | | | |
11440 mapped --->+-----------+ | | +-----------+
11441 address | | | | | |
11442 | overlay | <-' | | |
11443 | area | <---' +-----------+<-- overlay 3
11444 | | <---. | | load address
11445 +-----------+ `--| overlay 3 |
11446 | | | |
11447 +-----------+ | |
11448 +-----------+
11449 | |
11450 +-----------+
11451
11452 @anchor{A code overlay}A code overlay
11453@end group
11454@end smallexample
11455
11456The diagram (@pxref{A code overlay}) shows a system with separate data
11457and instruction address spaces. To map an overlay, the program copies
11458its code from the larger address space to the instruction address space.
11459Since the overlays shown here all use the same mapped address, only one
11460may be mapped at a time. For a system with a single address space for
11461data and instructions, the diagram would be similar, except that the
11462program variables and heap would share an address space with the main
11463program and the overlay area.
11464
11465An overlay loaded into instruction memory and ready for use is called a
11466@dfn{mapped} overlay; its @dfn{mapped address} is its address in the
11467instruction memory. An overlay not present (or only partially present)
11468in instruction memory is called @dfn{unmapped}; its @dfn{load address}
11469is its address in the larger memory. The mapped address is also called
11470the @dfn{virtual memory address}, or @dfn{VMA}; the load address is also
11471called the @dfn{load memory address}, or @dfn{LMA}.
11472
11473Unfortunately, overlays are not a completely transparent way to adapt a
11474program to limited instruction memory. They introduce a new set of
11475global constraints you must keep in mind as you design your program:
11476
11477@itemize @bullet
11478
11479@item
11480Before calling or returning to a function in an overlay, your program
11481must make sure that overlay is actually mapped. Otherwise, the call or
11482return will transfer control to the right address, but in the wrong
11483overlay, and your program will probably crash.
11484
11485@item
11486If the process of mapping an overlay is expensive on your system, you
11487will need to choose your overlays carefully to minimize their effect on
11488your program's performance.
11489
11490@item
11491The executable file you load onto your system must contain each
11492overlay's instructions, appearing at the overlay's load address, not its
11493mapped address. However, each overlay's instructions must be relocated
11494and its symbols defined as if the overlay were at its mapped address.
11495You can use GNU linker scripts to specify different load and relocation
11496addresses for pieces of your program; see @ref{Overlay Description,,,
11497ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}.
11498
11499@item
11500The procedure for loading executable files onto your system must be able
11501to load their contents into the larger address space as well as the
11502instruction and data spaces.
11503
11504@end itemize
11505
11506The overlay system described above is rather simple, and could be
11507improved in many ways:
11508
11509@itemize @bullet
11510
11511@item
11512If your system has suitable bank switch registers or memory management
11513hardware, you could use those facilities to make an overlay's load area
11514contents simply appear at their mapped address in instruction space.
11515This would probably be faster than copying the overlay to its mapped
11516area in the usual way.
11517
11518@item
11519If your overlays are small enough, you could set aside more than one
11520overlay area, and have more than one overlay mapped at a time.
11521
11522@item
11523You can use overlays to manage data, as well as instructions. In
11524general, data overlays are even less transparent to your design than
11525code overlays: whereas code overlays only require care when you call or
11526return to functions, data overlays require care every time you access
11527the data. Also, if you change the contents of a data overlay, you
11528must copy its contents back out to its load address before you can copy a
11529different data overlay into the same mapped area.
11530
11531@end itemize
11532
11533
11534@node Overlay Commands
11535@section Overlay Commands
11536
11537To use @value{GDBN}'s overlay support, each overlay in your program must
11538correspond to a separate section of the executable file. The section's
11539virtual memory address and load memory address must be the overlay's
11540mapped and load addresses. Identifying overlays with sections allows
11541@value{GDBN} to determine the appropriate address of a function or
11542variable, depending on whether the overlay is mapped or not.
11543
11544@value{GDBN}'s overlay commands all start with the word @code{overlay};
11545you can abbreviate this as @code{ov} or @code{ovly}. The commands are:
11546
11547@table @code
11548@item overlay off
11549@kindex overlay
11550Disable @value{GDBN}'s overlay support. When overlay support is
11551disabled, @value{GDBN} assumes that all functions and variables are
11552always present at their mapped addresses. By default, @value{GDBN}'s
11553overlay support is disabled.
11554
11555@item overlay manual
11556@cindex manual overlay debugging
11557Enable @dfn{manual} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
11558relies on you to tell it which overlays are mapped, and which are not,
11559using the @code{overlay map-overlay} and @code{overlay unmap-overlay}
11560commands described below.
11561
11562@item overlay map-overlay @var{overlay}
11563@itemx overlay map @var{overlay}
11564@cindex map an overlay
11565Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is now mapped; @var{overlay} must
11566be the name of the object file section containing the overlay. When an
11567overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the overlay's
11568functions and variables at their mapped addresses. @value{GDBN} assumes
11569that any other overlays whose mapped ranges overlap that of
11570@var{overlay} are now unmapped.
11571
11572@item overlay unmap-overlay @var{overlay}
11573@itemx overlay unmap @var{overlay}
11574@cindex unmap an overlay
11575Tell @value{GDBN} that @var{overlay} is no longer mapped; @var{overlay}
11576must be the name of the object file section containing the overlay.
11577When an overlay is unmapped, @value{GDBN} assumes it can find the
11578overlay's functions and variables at their load addresses.
11579
11580@item overlay auto
11581Enable @dfn{automatic} overlay debugging. In this mode, @value{GDBN}
11582consults a data structure the overlay manager maintains in the inferior
11583to see which overlays are mapped. For details, see @ref{Automatic
11584Overlay Debugging}.
11585
11586@item overlay load-target
11587@itemx overlay load
11588@cindex reloading the overlay table
11589Re-read the overlay table from the inferior. Normally, @value{GDBN}
11590re-reads the table @value{GDBN} automatically each time the inferior
11591stops, so this command should only be necessary if you have changed the
11592overlay mapping yourself using @value{GDBN}. This command is only
11593useful when using automatic overlay debugging.
11594
11595@item overlay list-overlays
11596@itemx overlay list
11597@cindex listing mapped overlays
11598Display a list of the overlays currently mapped, along with their mapped
11599addresses, load addresses, and sizes.
11600
11601@end table
11602
11603Normally, when @value{GDBN} prints a code address, it includes the name
11604of the function the address falls in:
11605
11606@smallexample
11607(@value{GDBP}) print main
11608$3 = @{int ()@} 0x11a0 <main>
11609@end smallexample
11610@noindent
11611When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} recognizes code in
11612unmapped overlays, and prints the names of unmapped functions with
11613asterisks around them. For example, if @code{foo} is a function in an
11614unmapped overlay, @value{GDBN} prints it this way:
11615
11616@smallexample
11617(@value{GDBP}) overlay list
11618No sections are mapped.
11619(@value{GDBP}) print foo
11620$5 = @{int (int)@} 0x100000 <*foo*>
11621@end smallexample
11622@noindent
11623When @code{foo}'s overlay is mapped, @value{GDBN} prints the function's
11624name normally:
11625
11626@smallexample
11627(@value{GDBP}) overlay list
11628Section .ov.foo.text, loaded at 0x100000 - 0x100034,
11629 mapped at 0x1016 - 0x104a
11630(@value{GDBP}) print foo
11631$6 = @{int (int)@} 0x1016 <foo>
11632@end smallexample
11633
11634When overlay debugging is enabled, @value{GDBN} can find the correct
11635address for functions and variables in an overlay, whether or not the
11636overlay is mapped. This allows most @value{GDBN} commands, like
11637@code{break} and @code{disassemble}, to work normally, even on unmapped
11638code. However, @value{GDBN}'s breakpoint support has some limitations:
11639
11640@itemize @bullet
11641@item
11642@cindex breakpoints in overlays
11643@cindex overlays, setting breakpoints in
11644You can set breakpoints in functions in unmapped overlays, as long as
11645@value{GDBN} can write to the overlay at its load address.
11646@item
11647@value{GDBN} can not set hardware or simulator-based breakpoints in
11648unmapped overlays. However, if you set a breakpoint at the end of your
11649overlay manager (and tell @value{GDBN} which overlays are now mapped, if
11650you are using manual overlay management), @value{GDBN} will re-set its
11651breakpoints properly.
11652@end itemize
11653
11654
11655@node Automatic Overlay Debugging
11656@section Automatic Overlay Debugging
11657@cindex automatic overlay debugging
11658
11659@value{GDBN} can automatically track which overlays are mapped and which
11660are not, given some simple co-operation from the overlay manager in the
11661inferior. If you enable automatic overlay debugging with the
11662@code{overlay auto} command (@pxref{Overlay Commands}), @value{GDBN}
11663looks in the inferior's memory for certain variables describing the
11664current state of the overlays.
11665
11666Here are the variables your overlay manager must define to support
11667@value{GDBN}'s automatic overlay debugging:
11668
11669@table @asis
11670
11671@item @code{_ovly_table}:
11672This variable must be an array of the following structures:
11673
11674@smallexample
11675struct
11676@{
11677 /* The overlay's mapped address. */
11678 unsigned long vma;
11679
11680 /* The size of the overlay, in bytes. */
11681 unsigned long size;
11682
11683 /* The overlay's load address. */
11684 unsigned long lma;
11685
11686 /* Non-zero if the overlay is currently mapped;
11687 zero otherwise. */
11688 unsigned long mapped;
11689@}
11690@end smallexample
11691
11692@item @code{_novlys}:
11693This variable must be a four-byte signed integer, holding the total
11694number of elements in @code{_ovly_table}.
11695
11696@end table
11697
11698To decide whether a particular overlay is mapped or not, @value{GDBN}
11699looks for an entry in @w{@code{_ovly_table}} whose @code{vma} and
11700@code{lma} members equal the VMA and LMA of the overlay's section in the
11701executable file. When @value{GDBN} finds a matching entry, it consults
11702the entry's @code{mapped} member to determine whether the overlay is
11703currently mapped.
11704
11705In addition, your overlay manager may define a function called
11706@code{_ovly_debug_event}. If this function is defined, @value{GDBN}
11707will silently set a breakpoint there. If the overlay manager then
11708calls this function whenever it has changed the overlay table, this
11709will enable @value{GDBN} to accurately keep track of which overlays
11710are in program memory, and update any breakpoints that may be set
11711in overlays. This will allow breakpoints to work even if the
11712overlays are kept in ROM or other non-writable memory while they
11713are not being executed.
11714
11715@node Overlay Sample Program
11716@section Overlay Sample Program
11717@cindex overlay example program
11718
11719When linking a program which uses overlays, you must place the overlays
11720at their load addresses, while relocating them to run at their mapped
11721addresses. To do this, you must write a linker script (@pxref{Overlay
11722Description,,, ld.info, Using ld: the GNU linker}). Unfortunately,
11723since linker scripts are specific to a particular host system, target
11724architecture, and target memory layout, this manual cannot provide
11725portable sample code demonstrating @value{GDBN}'s overlay support.
11726
11727However, the @value{GDBN} source distribution does contain an overlaid
11728program, with linker scripts for a few systems, as part of its test
11729suite. The program consists of the following files from
11730@file{gdb/testsuite/gdb.base}:
11731
11732@table @file
11733@item overlays.c
11734The main program file.
11735@item ovlymgr.c
11736A simple overlay manager, used by @file{overlays.c}.
11737@item foo.c
11738@itemx bar.c
11739@itemx baz.c
11740@itemx grbx.c
11741Overlay modules, loaded and used by @file{overlays.c}.
11742@item d10v.ld
11743@itemx m32r.ld
11744Linker scripts for linking the test program on the @code{d10v-elf}
11745and @code{m32r-elf} targets.
11746@end table
11747
11748You can build the test program using the @code{d10v-elf} GCC
11749cross-compiler like this:
11750
11751@smallexample
11752$ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c overlays.c
11753$ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c ovlymgr.c
11754$ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c foo.c
11755$ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c bar.c
11756$ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c baz.c
11757$ d10v-elf-gcc -g -c grbx.c
11758$ d10v-elf-gcc -g overlays.o ovlymgr.o foo.o bar.o \
11759 baz.o grbx.o -Wl,-Td10v.ld -o overlays
11760@end smallexample
11761
11762The build process is identical for any other architecture, except that
11763you must substitute the appropriate compiler and linker script for the
11764target system for @code{d10v-elf-gcc} and @code{d10v.ld}.
11765
11766
11767@node Languages
11768@chapter Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages
11769@cindex languages
11770
11771Although programming languages generally have common aspects, they are
11772rarely expressed in the same manner. For instance, in ANSI C,
11773dereferencing a pointer @code{p} is accomplished by @code{*p}, but in
11774Modula-2, it is accomplished by @code{p^}. Values can also be
11775represented (and displayed) differently. Hex numbers in C appear as
11776@samp{0x1ae}, while in Modula-2 they appear as @samp{1AEH}.
11777
11778@cindex working language
11779Language-specific information is built into @value{GDBN} for some languages,
11780allowing you to express operations like the above in your program's
11781native language, and allowing @value{GDBN} to output values in a manner
11782consistent with the syntax of your program's native language. The
11783language you use to build expressions is called the @dfn{working
11784language}.
11785
11786@menu
11787* Setting:: Switching between source languages
11788* Show:: Displaying the language
11789* Checks:: Type and range checks
11790* Supported Languages:: Supported languages
11791* Unsupported Languages:: Unsupported languages
11792@end menu
11793
11794@node Setting
11795@section Switching Between Source Languages
11796
11797There are two ways to control the working language---either have @value{GDBN}
11798set it automatically, or select it manually yourself. You can use the
11799@code{set language} command for either purpose. On startup, @value{GDBN}
11800defaults to setting the language automatically. The working language is
11801used to determine how expressions you type are interpreted, how values
11802are printed, etc.
11803
11804In addition to the working language, every source file that
11805@value{GDBN} knows about has its own working language. For some object
11806file formats, the compiler might indicate which language a particular
11807source file is in. However, most of the time @value{GDBN} infers the
11808language from the name of the file. The language of a source file
11809controls whether C@t{++} names are demangled---this way @code{backtrace} can
11810show each frame appropriately for its own language. There is no way to
11811set the language of a source file from within @value{GDBN}, but you can
11812set the language associated with a filename extension. @xref{Show, ,
11813Displaying the Language}.
11814
11815This is most commonly a problem when you use a program, such
11816as @code{cfront} or @code{f2c}, that generates C but is written in
11817another language. In that case, make the
11818program use @code{#line} directives in its C output; that way
11819@value{GDBN} will know the correct language of the source code of the original
11820program, and will display that source code, not the generated C code.
11821
11822@menu
11823* Filenames:: Filename extensions and languages.
11824* Manually:: Setting the working language manually
11825* Automatically:: Having @value{GDBN} infer the source language
11826@end menu
11827
11828@node Filenames
11829@subsection List of Filename Extensions and Languages
11830
11831If a source file name ends in one of the following extensions, then
11832@value{GDBN} infers that its language is the one indicated.
11833
11834@table @file
11835@item .ada
11836@itemx .ads
11837@itemx .adb
11838@itemx .a
11839Ada source file.
11840
11841@item .c
11842C source file
11843
11844@item .C
11845@itemx .cc
11846@itemx .cp
11847@itemx .cpp
11848@itemx .cxx
11849@itemx .c++
11850C@t{++} source file
11851
11852@item .d
11853D source file
11854
11855@item .m
11856Objective-C source file
11857
11858@item .f
11859@itemx .F
11860Fortran source file
11861
11862@item .mod
11863Modula-2 source file
11864
11865@item .s
11866@itemx .S
11867Assembler source file. This actually behaves almost like C, but
11868@value{GDBN} does not skip over function prologues when stepping.
11869@end table
11870
11871In addition, you may set the language associated with a filename
11872extension. @xref{Show, , Displaying the Language}.
11873
11874@node Manually
11875@subsection Setting the Working Language
11876
11877If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically,
11878expressions are interpreted the same way in your debugging session and
11879your program.
11880
11881@kindex set language
11882If you wish, you may set the language manually. To do this, issue the
11883command @samp{set language @var{lang}}, where @var{lang} is the name of
11884a language, such as
11885@code{c} or @code{modula-2}.
11886For a list of the supported languages, type @samp{set language}.
11887
11888Setting the language manually prevents @value{GDBN} from updating the working
11889language automatically. This can lead to confusion if you try
11890to debug a program when the working language is not the same as the
11891source language, when an expression is acceptable to both
11892languages---but means different things. For instance, if the current
11893source file were written in C, and @value{GDBN} was parsing Modula-2, a
11894command such as:
11895
11896@smallexample
11897print a = b + c
11898@end smallexample
11899
11900@noindent
11901might not have the effect you intended. In C, this means to add
11902@code{b} and @code{c} and place the result in @code{a}. The result
11903printed would be the value of @code{a}. In Modula-2, this means to compare
11904@code{a} to the result of @code{b+c}, yielding a @code{BOOLEAN} value.
11905
11906@node Automatically
11907@subsection Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language
11908
11909To have @value{GDBN} set the working language automatically, use
11910@samp{set language local} or @samp{set language auto}. @value{GDBN}
11911then infers the working language. That is, when your program stops in a
11912frame (usually by encountering a breakpoint), @value{GDBN} sets the
11913working language to the language recorded for the function in that
11914frame. If the language for a frame is unknown (that is, if the function
11915or block corresponding to the frame was defined in a source file that
11916does not have a recognized extension), the current working language is
11917not changed, and @value{GDBN} issues a warning.
11918
11919This may not seem necessary for most programs, which are written
11920entirely in one source language. However, program modules and libraries
11921written in one source language can be used by a main program written in
11922a different source language. Using @samp{set language auto} in this
11923case frees you from having to set the working language manually.
11924
11925@node Show
11926@section Displaying the Language
11927
11928The following commands help you find out which language is the
11929working language, and also what language source files were written in.
11930
11931@table @code
11932@item show language
11933@kindex show language
11934Display the current working language. This is the
11935language you can use with commands such as @code{print} to
11936build and compute expressions that may involve variables in your program.
11937
11938@item info frame
11939@kindex info frame@r{, show the source language}
11940Display the source language for this frame. This language becomes the
11941working language if you use an identifier from this frame.
11942@xref{Frame Info, ,Information about a Frame}, to identify the other
11943information listed here.
11944
11945@item info source
11946@kindex info source@r{, show the source language}
11947Display the source language of this source file.
11948@xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, to identify the other
11949information listed here.
11950@end table
11951
11952In unusual circumstances, you may have source files with extensions
11953not in the standard list. You can then set the extension associated
11954with a language explicitly:
11955
11956@table @code
11957@item set extension-language @var{ext} @var{language}
11958@kindex set extension-language
11959Tell @value{GDBN} that source files with extension @var{ext} are to be
11960assumed as written in the source language @var{language}.
11961
11962@item info extensions
11963@kindex info extensions
11964List all the filename extensions and the associated languages.
11965@end table
11966
11967@node Checks
11968@section Type and Range Checking
11969
11970@quotation
11971@emph{Warning:} In this release, the @value{GDBN} commands for type and range
11972checking are included, but they do not yet have any effect. This
11973section documents the intended facilities.
11974@end quotation
11975@c FIXME remove warning when type/range code added
11976
11977Some languages are designed to guard you against making seemingly common
11978errors through a series of compile- and run-time checks. These include
11979checking the type of arguments to functions and operators, and making
11980sure mathematical overflows are caught at run time. Checks such as
11981these help to ensure a program's correctness once it has been compiled
11982by eliminating type mismatches, and providing active checks for range
11983errors when your program is running.
11984
11985@value{GDBN} can check for conditions like the above if you wish.
11986Although @value{GDBN} does not check the statements in your program,
11987it can check expressions entered directly into @value{GDBN} for
11988evaluation via the @code{print} command, for example. As with the
11989working language, @value{GDBN} can also decide whether or not to check
11990automatically based on your program's source language.
11991@xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default
11992settings of supported languages.
11993
11994@menu
11995* Type Checking:: An overview of type checking
11996* Range Checking:: An overview of range checking
11997@end menu
11998
11999@cindex type checking
12000@cindex checks, type
12001@node Type Checking
12002@subsection An Overview of Type Checking
12003
12004Some languages, such as Modula-2, are strongly typed, meaning that the
12005arguments to operators and functions have to be of the correct type,
12006otherwise an error occurs. These checks prevent type mismatch
12007errors from ever causing any run-time problems. For example,
12008
12009@smallexample
120101 + 2 @result{} 3
12011@exdent but
12012@error{} 1 + 2.3
12013@end smallexample
12014
12015The second example fails because the @code{CARDINAL} 1 is not
12016type-compatible with the @code{REAL} 2.3.
12017
12018For the expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell the
12019@value{GDBN} type checker to skip checking;
12020to treat any mismatches as errors and abandon the expression;
12021or to only issue warnings when type mismatches occur,
12022but evaluate the expression anyway. When you choose the last of
12023these, @value{GDBN} evaluates expressions like the second example above, but
12024also issues a warning.
12025
12026Even if you turn type checking off, there may be other reasons
12027related to type that prevent @value{GDBN} from evaluating an expression.
12028For instance, @value{GDBN} does not know how to add an @code{int} and
12029a @code{struct foo}. These particular type errors have nothing to do
12030with the language in use, and usually arise from expressions, such as
12031the one described above, which make little sense to evaluate anyway.
12032
12033Each language defines to what degree it is strict about type. For
12034instance, both Modula-2 and C require the arguments to arithmetical
12035operators to be numbers. In C, enumerated types and pointers can be
12036represented as numbers, so that they are valid arguments to mathematical
12037operators. @xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for further
12038details on specific languages.
12039
12040@value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the type checker:
12041
12042@kindex set check type
12043@kindex show check type
12044@table @code
12045@item set check type auto
12046Set type checking on or off based on the current working language.
12047@xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
12048each language.
12049
12050@item set check type on
12051@itemx set check type off
12052Set type checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
12053current working language. Issue a warning if the setting does not
12054match the language default. If any type mismatches occur in
12055evaluating an expression while type checking is on, @value{GDBN} prints a
12056message and aborts evaluation of the expression.
12057
12058@item set check type warn
12059Cause the type checker to issue warnings, but to always attempt to
12060evaluate the expression. Evaluating the expression may still
12061be impossible for other reasons. For example, @value{GDBN} cannot add
12062numbers and structures.
12063
12064@item show type
12065Show the current setting of the type checker, and whether or not @value{GDBN}
12066is setting it automatically.
12067@end table
12068
12069@cindex range checking
12070@cindex checks, range
12071@node Range Checking
12072@subsection An Overview of Range Checking
12073
12074In some languages (such as Modula-2), it is an error to exceed the
12075bounds of a type; this is enforced with run-time checks. Such range
12076checking is meant to ensure program correctness by making sure
12077computations do not overflow, or indices on an array element access do
12078not exceed the bounds of the array.
12079
12080For expressions you use in @value{GDBN} commands, you can tell
12081@value{GDBN} to treat range errors in one of three ways: ignore them,
12082always treat them as errors and abandon the expression, or issue
12083warnings but evaluate the expression anyway.
12084
12085A range error can result from numerical overflow, from exceeding an
12086array index bound, or when you type a constant that is not a member
12087of any type. Some languages, however, do not treat overflows as an
12088error. In many implementations of C, mathematical overflow causes the
12089result to ``wrap around'' to lower values---for example, if @var{m} is
12090the largest integer value, and @var{s} is the smallest, then
12091
12092@smallexample
12093@var{m} + 1 @result{} @var{s}
12094@end smallexample
12095
12096This, too, is specific to individual languages, and in some cases
12097specific to individual compilers or machines. @xref{Supported Languages, ,
12098Supported Languages}, for further details on specific languages.
12099
12100@value{GDBN} provides some additional commands for controlling the range checker:
12101
12102@kindex set check range
12103@kindex show check range
12104@table @code
12105@item set check range auto
12106Set range checking on or off based on the current working language.
12107@xref{Supported Languages, ,Supported Languages}, for the default settings for
12108each language.
12109
12110@item set check range on
12111@itemx set check range off
12112Set range checking on or off, overriding the default setting for the
12113current working language. A warning is issued if the setting does not
12114match the language default. If a range error occurs and range checking is on,
12115then a message is printed and evaluation of the expression is aborted.
12116
12117@item set check range warn
12118Output messages when the @value{GDBN} range checker detects a range error,
12119but attempt to evaluate the expression anyway. Evaluating the
12120expression may still be impossible for other reasons, such as accessing
12121memory that the process does not own (a typical example from many Unix
12122systems).
12123
12124@item show range
12125Show the current setting of the range checker, and whether or not it is
12126being set automatically by @value{GDBN}.
12127@end table
12128
12129@node Supported Languages
12130@section Supported Languages
12131
12132@value{GDBN} supports C, C@t{++}, D, Objective-C, Fortran, Java, OpenCL C, Pascal,
12133assembly, Modula-2, and Ada.
12134@c This is false ...
12135Some @value{GDBN} features may be used in expressions regardless of the
12136language you use: the @value{GDBN} @code{@@} and @code{::} operators,
12137and the @samp{@{type@}addr} construct (@pxref{Expressions,
12138,Expressions}) can be used with the constructs of any supported
12139language.
12140
12141The following sections detail to what degree each source language is
12142supported by @value{GDBN}. These sections are not meant to be language
12143tutorials or references, but serve only as a reference guide to what the
12144@value{GDBN} expression parser accepts, and what input and output
12145formats should look like for different languages. There are many good
12146books written on each of these languages; please look to these for a
12147language reference or tutorial.
12148
12149@menu
12150* C:: C and C@t{++}
12151* D:: D
12152* Objective-C:: Objective-C
12153* OpenCL C:: OpenCL C
12154* Fortran:: Fortran
12155* Pascal:: Pascal
12156* Modula-2:: Modula-2
12157* Ada:: Ada
12158@end menu
12159
12160@node C
12161@subsection C and C@t{++}
12162
12163@cindex C and C@t{++}
12164@cindex expressions in C or C@t{++}
12165
12166Since C and C@t{++} are so closely related, many features of @value{GDBN} apply
12167to both languages. Whenever this is the case, we discuss those languages
12168together.
12169
12170@cindex C@t{++}
12171@cindex @code{g++}, @sc{gnu} C@t{++} compiler
12172@cindex @sc{gnu} C@t{++}
12173The C@t{++} debugging facilities are jointly implemented by the C@t{++}
12174compiler and @value{GDBN}. Therefore, to debug your C@t{++} code
12175effectively, you must compile your C@t{++} programs with a supported
12176C@t{++} compiler, such as @sc{gnu} @code{g++}, or the HP ANSI C@t{++}
12177compiler (@code{aCC}).
12178
12179For best results when using @sc{gnu} C@t{++}, use the DWARF 2 debugging
12180format; if it doesn't work on your system, try the stabs+ debugging
12181format. You can select those formats explicitly with the @code{g++}
12182command-line options @option{-gdwarf-2} and @option{-gstabs+}.
12183@xref{Debugging Options,,Options for Debugging Your Program or GCC,
12184gcc.info, Using the @sc{gnu} Compiler Collection (GCC)}.
12185
12186@menu
12187* C Operators:: C and C@t{++} operators
12188* C Constants:: C and C@t{++} constants
12189* C Plus Plus Expressions:: C@t{++} expressions
12190* C Defaults:: Default settings for C and C@t{++}
12191* C Checks:: C and C@t{++} type and range checks
12192* Debugging C:: @value{GDBN} and C
12193* Debugging C Plus Plus:: @value{GDBN} features for C@t{++}
12194* Decimal Floating Point:: Numbers in Decimal Floating Point format
12195@end menu
12196
12197@node C Operators
12198@subsubsection C and C@t{++} Operators
12199
12200@cindex C and C@t{++} operators
12201
12202Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
12203@code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
12204often defined on groups of types.
12205
12206For the purposes of C and C@t{++}, the following definitions hold:
12207
12208@itemize @bullet
12209
12210@item
12211@emph{Integral types} include @code{int} with any of its storage-class
12212specifiers; @code{char}; @code{enum}; and, for C@t{++}, @code{bool}.
12213
12214@item
12215@emph{Floating-point types} include @code{float}, @code{double}, and
12216@code{long double} (if supported by the target platform).
12217
12218@item
12219@emph{Pointer types} include all types defined as @code{(@var{type} *)}.
12220
12221@item
12222@emph{Scalar types} include all of the above.
12223
12224@end itemize
12225
12226@noindent
12227The following operators are supported. They are listed here
12228in order of increasing precedence:
12229
12230@table @code
12231@item ,
12232The comma or sequencing operator. Expressions in a comma-separated list
12233are evaluated from left to right, with the result of the entire
12234expression being the last expression evaluated.
12235
12236@item =
12237Assignment. The value of an assignment expression is the value
12238assigned. Defined on scalar types.
12239
12240@item @var{op}=
12241Used in an expression of the form @w{@code{@var{a} @var{op}= @var{b}}},
12242and translated to @w{@code{@var{a} = @var{a op b}}}.
12243@w{@code{@var{op}=}} and @code{=} have the same precedence.
12244@var{op} is any one of the operators @code{|}, @code{^}, @code{&},
12245@code{<<}, @code{>>}, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{%}.
12246
12247@item ?:
12248The ternary operator. @code{@var{a} ? @var{b} : @var{c}} can be thought
12249of as: if @var{a} then @var{b} else @var{c}. @var{a} should be of an
12250integral type.
12251
12252@item ||
12253Logical @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
12254
12255@item &&
12256Logical @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
12257
12258@item |
12259Bitwise @sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
12260
12261@item ^
12262Bitwise exclusive-@sc{or}. Defined on integral types.
12263
12264@item &
12265Bitwise @sc{and}. Defined on integral types.
12266
12267@item ==@r{, }!=
12268Equality and inequality. Defined on scalar types. The value of these
12269expressions is 0 for false and non-zero for true.
12270
12271@item <@r{, }>@r{, }<=@r{, }>=
12272Less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal.
12273Defined on scalar types. The value of these expressions is 0 for false
12274and non-zero for true.
12275
12276@item <<@r{, }>>
12277left shift, and right shift. Defined on integral types.
12278
12279@item @@
12280The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
12281
12282@item +@r{, }-
12283Addition and subtraction. Defined on integral types, floating-point types and
12284pointer types.
12285
12286@item *@r{, }/@r{, }%
12287Multiplication, division, and modulus. Multiplication and division are
12288defined on integral and floating-point types. Modulus is defined on
12289integral types.
12290
12291@item ++@r{, }--
12292Increment and decrement. When appearing before a variable, the
12293operation is performed before the variable is used in an expression;
12294when appearing after it, the variable's value is used before the
12295operation takes place.
12296
12297@item *
12298Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types. Same precedence as
12299@code{++}.
12300
12301@item &
12302Address operator. Defined on variables. Same precedence as @code{++}.
12303
12304For debugging C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} implements a use of @samp{&} beyond what is
12305allowed in the C@t{++} language itself: you can use @samp{&(&@var{ref})}
12306to examine the address
12307where a C@t{++} reference variable (declared with @samp{&@var{ref}}) is
12308stored.
12309
12310@item -
12311Negative. Defined on integral and floating-point types. Same
12312precedence as @code{++}.
12313
12314@item !
12315Logical negation. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
12316@code{++}.
12317
12318@item ~
12319Bitwise complement operator. Defined on integral types. Same precedence as
12320@code{++}.
12321
12322
12323@item .@r{, }->
12324Structure member, and pointer-to-structure member. For convenience,
12325@value{GDBN} regards the two as equivalent, choosing whether to dereference a
12326pointer based on the stored type information.
12327Defined on @code{struct} and @code{union} data.
12328
12329@item .*@r{, }->*
12330Dereferences of pointers to members.
12331
12332@item []
12333Array indexing. @code{@var{a}[@var{i}]} is defined as
12334@code{*(@var{a}+@var{i})}. Same precedence as @code{->}.
12335
12336@item ()
12337Function parameter list. Same precedence as @code{->}.
12338
12339@item ::
12340C@t{++} scope resolution operator. Defined on @code{struct}, @code{union},
12341and @code{class} types.
12342
12343@item ::
12344Doubled colons also represent the @value{GDBN} scope operator
12345(@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). Same precedence as @code{::},
12346above.
12347@end table
12348
12349If an operator is redefined in the user code, @value{GDBN} usually
12350attempts to invoke the redefined version instead of using the operator's
12351predefined meaning.
12352
12353@node C Constants
12354@subsubsection C and C@t{++} Constants
12355
12356@cindex C and C@t{++} constants
12357
12358@value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of C and C@t{++} in the
12359following ways:
12360
12361@itemize @bullet
12362@item
12363Integer constants are a sequence of digits. Octal constants are
12364specified by a leading @samp{0} (i.e.@: zero), and hexadecimal constants
12365by a leading @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. Constants may also end with a letter
12366@samp{l}, specifying that the constant should be treated as a
12367@code{long} value.
12368
12369@item
12370Floating point constants are a sequence of digits, followed by a decimal
12371point, followed by a sequence of digits, and optionally followed by an
12372exponent. An exponent is of the form:
12373@samp{@w{e@r{[[}+@r{]|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}}, where @var{nnn} is another
12374sequence of digits. The @samp{+} is optional for positive exponents.
12375A floating-point constant may also end with a letter @samp{f} or
12376@samp{F}, specifying that the constant should be treated as being of
12377the @code{float} (as opposed to the default @code{double}) type; or with
12378a letter @samp{l} or @samp{L}, which specifies a @code{long double}
12379constant.
12380
12381@item
12382Enumerated constants consist of enumerated identifiers, or their
12383integral equivalents.
12384
12385@item
12386Character constants are a single character surrounded by single quotes
12387(@code{'}), or a number---the ordinal value of the corresponding character
12388(usually its @sc{ascii} value). Within quotes, the single character may
12389be represented by a letter or by @dfn{escape sequences}, which are of
12390the form @samp{\@var{nnn}}, where @var{nnn} is the octal representation
12391of the character's ordinal value; or of the form @samp{\@var{x}}, where
12392@samp{@var{x}} is a predefined special character---for example,
12393@samp{\n} for newline.
12394
12395@item
12396String constants are a sequence of character constants surrounded by
12397double quotes (@code{"}). Any valid character constant (as described
12398above) may appear. Double quotes within the string must be preceded by
12399a backslash, so for instance @samp{"a\"b'c"} is a string of five
12400characters.
12401
12402@item
12403Pointer constants are an integral value. You can also write pointers
12404to constants using the C operator @samp{&}.
12405
12406@item
12407Array constants are comma-separated lists surrounded by braces @samp{@{}
12408and @samp{@}}; for example, @samp{@{1,2,3@}} is a three-element array of
12409integers, @samp{@{@{1,2@}, @{3,4@}, @{5,6@}@}} is a three-by-two array,
12410and @samp{@{&"hi", &"there", &"fred"@}} is a three-element array of pointers.
12411@end itemize
12412
12413@node C Plus Plus Expressions
12414@subsubsection C@t{++} Expressions
12415
12416@cindex expressions in C@t{++}
12417@value{GDBN} expression handling can interpret most C@t{++} expressions.
12418
12419@cindex debugging C@t{++} programs
12420@cindex C@t{++} compilers
12421@cindex debug formats and C@t{++}
12422@cindex @value{NGCC} and C@t{++}
12423@quotation
12424@emph{Warning:} @value{GDBN} can only debug C@t{++} code if you use the
12425proper compiler and the proper debug format. Currently, @value{GDBN}
12426works best when debugging C@t{++} code that is compiled with
12427@value{NGCC} 2.95.3 or with @value{NGCC} 3.1 or newer, using the options
12428@option{-gdwarf-2} or @option{-gstabs+}. DWARF 2 is preferred over
12429stabs+. Most configurations of @value{NGCC} emit either DWARF 2 or
12430stabs+ as their default debug format, so you usually don't need to
12431specify a debug format explicitly. Other compilers and/or debug formats
12432are likely to work badly or not at all when using @value{GDBN} to debug
12433C@t{++} code.
12434@end quotation
12435
12436@enumerate
12437
12438@cindex member functions
12439@item
12440Member function calls are allowed; you can use expressions like
12441
12442@smallexample
12443count = aml->GetOriginal(x, y)
12444@end smallexample
12445
12446@vindex this@r{, inside C@t{++} member functions}
12447@cindex namespace in C@t{++}
12448@item
12449While a member function is active (in the selected stack frame), your
12450expressions have the same namespace available as the member function;
12451that is, @value{GDBN} allows implicit references to the class instance
12452pointer @code{this} following the same rules as C@t{++}.
12453
12454@cindex call overloaded functions
12455@cindex overloaded functions, calling
12456@cindex type conversions in C@t{++}
12457@item
12458You can call overloaded functions; @value{GDBN} resolves the function
12459call to the right definition, with some restrictions. @value{GDBN} does not
12460perform overload resolution involving user-defined type conversions,
12461calls to constructors, or instantiations of templates that do not exist
12462in the program. It also cannot handle ellipsis argument lists or
12463default arguments.
12464
12465It does perform integral conversions and promotions, floating-point
12466promotions, arithmetic conversions, pointer conversions, conversions of
12467class objects to base classes, and standard conversions such as those of
12468functions or arrays to pointers; it requires an exact match on the
12469number of function arguments.
12470
12471Overload resolution is always performed, unless you have specified
12472@code{set overload-resolution off}. @xref{Debugging C Plus Plus,
12473,@value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}}.
12474
12475You must specify @code{set overload-resolution off} in order to use an
12476explicit function signature to call an overloaded function, as in
12477@smallexample
12478p 'foo(char,int)'('x', 13)
12479@end smallexample
12480
12481The @value{GDBN} command-completion facility can simplify this;
12482see @ref{Completion, ,Command Completion}.
12483
12484@cindex reference declarations
12485@item
12486@value{GDBN} understands variables declared as C@t{++} references; you can use
12487them in expressions just as you do in C@t{++} source---they are automatically
12488dereferenced.
12489
12490In the parameter list shown when @value{GDBN} displays a frame, the values of
12491reference variables are not displayed (unlike other variables); this
12492avoids clutter, since references are often used for large structures.
12493The @emph{address} of a reference variable is always shown, unless
12494you have specified @samp{set print address off}.
12495
12496@item
12497@value{GDBN} supports the C@t{++} name resolution operator @code{::}---your
12498expressions can use it just as expressions in your program do. Since
12499one scope may be defined in another, you can use @code{::} repeatedly if
12500necessary, for example in an expression like
12501@samp{@var{scope1}::@var{scope2}::@var{name}}. @value{GDBN} also allows
12502resolving name scope by reference to source files, in both C and C@t{++}
12503debugging (@pxref{Variables, ,Program Variables}).
12504@end enumerate
12505
12506In addition, when used with HP's C@t{++} compiler, @value{GDBN} supports
12507calling virtual functions correctly, printing out virtual bases of
12508objects, calling functions in a base subobject, casting objects, and
12509invoking user-defined operators.
12510
12511@node C Defaults
12512@subsubsection C and C@t{++} Defaults
12513
12514@cindex C and C@t{++} defaults
12515
12516If you allow @value{GDBN} to set type and range checking automatically, they
12517both default to @code{off} whenever the working language changes to
12518C or C@t{++}. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
12519selects the working language.
12520
12521If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, it
12522recognizes source files whose names end with @file{.c}, @file{.C}, or
12523@file{.cc}, etc, and when @value{GDBN} enters code compiled from one of
12524these files, it sets the working language to C or C@t{++}.
12525@xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN} Infer the Source Language},
12526for further details.
12527
12528@c Type checking is (a) primarily motivated by Modula-2, and (b)
12529@c unimplemented. If (b) changes, it might make sense to let this node
12530@c appear even if Mod-2 does not, but meanwhile ignore it. roland 16jul93.
12531
12532@node C Checks
12533@subsubsection C and C@t{++} Type and Range Checks
12534
12535@cindex C and C@t{++} checks
12536
12537By default, when @value{GDBN} parses C or C@t{++} expressions, type checking
12538is not used. However, if you turn type checking on, @value{GDBN}
12539considers two variables type equivalent if:
12540
12541@itemize @bullet
12542@item
12543The two variables are structured and have the same structure, union, or
12544enumerated tag.
12545
12546@item
12547The two variables have the same type name, or types that have been
12548declared equivalent through @code{typedef}.
12549
12550@ignore
12551@c leaving this out because neither J Gilmore nor R Pesch understand it.
12552@c FIXME--beers?
12553@item
12554The two @code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} variables are
12555declared in the same declaration. (Note: this may not be true for all C
12556compilers.)
12557@end ignore
12558@end itemize
12559
12560Range checking, if turned on, is done on mathematical operations. Array
12561indices are not checked, since they are often used to index a pointer
12562that is not itself an array.
12563
12564@node Debugging C
12565@subsubsection @value{GDBN} and C
12566
12567The @code{set print union} and @code{show print union} commands apply to
12568the @code{union} type. When set to @samp{on}, any @code{union} that is
12569inside a @code{struct} or @code{class} is also printed. Otherwise, it
12570appears as @samp{@{...@}}.
12571
12572The @code{@@} operator aids in the debugging of dynamic arrays, formed
12573with pointers and a memory allocation function. @xref{Expressions,
12574,Expressions}.
12575
12576@node Debugging C Plus Plus
12577@subsubsection @value{GDBN} Features for C@t{++}
12578
12579@cindex commands for C@t{++}
12580
12581Some @value{GDBN} commands are particularly useful with C@t{++}, and some are
12582designed specifically for use with C@t{++}. Here is a summary:
12583
12584@table @code
12585@cindex break in overloaded functions
12586@item @r{breakpoint menus}
12587When you want a breakpoint in a function whose name is overloaded,
12588@value{GDBN} has the capability to display a menu of possible breakpoint
12589locations to help you specify which function definition you want.
12590@xref{Ambiguous Expressions,,Ambiguous Expressions}.
12591
12592@cindex overloading in C@t{++}
12593@item rbreak @var{regex}
12594Setting breakpoints using regular expressions is helpful for setting
12595breakpoints on overloaded functions that are not members of any special
12596classes.
12597@xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
12598
12599@cindex C@t{++} exception handling
12600@item catch throw
12601@itemx catch catch
12602Debug C@t{++} exception handling using these commands. @xref{Set
12603Catchpoints, , Setting Catchpoints}.
12604
12605@cindex inheritance
12606@item ptype @var{typename}
12607Print inheritance relationships as well as other information for type
12608@var{typename}.
12609@xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
12610
12611@cindex C@t{++} symbol display
12612@item set print demangle
12613@itemx show print demangle
12614@itemx set print asm-demangle
12615@itemx show print asm-demangle
12616Control whether C@t{++} symbols display in their source form, both when
12617displaying code as C@t{++} source and when displaying disassemblies.
12618@xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
12619
12620@item set print object
12621@itemx show print object
12622Choose whether to print derived (actual) or declared types of objects.
12623@xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
12624
12625@item set print vtbl
12626@itemx show print vtbl
12627Control the format for printing virtual function tables.
12628@xref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}.
12629(The @code{vtbl} commands do not work on programs compiled with the HP
12630ANSI C@t{++} compiler (@code{aCC}).)
12631
12632@kindex set overload-resolution
12633@cindex overloaded functions, overload resolution
12634@item set overload-resolution on
12635Enable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. The default
12636is on. For overloaded functions, @value{GDBN} evaluates the arguments
12637and searches for a function whose signature matches the argument types,
12638using the standard C@t{++} conversion rules (see @ref{C Plus Plus
12639Expressions, ,C@t{++} Expressions}, for details).
12640If it cannot find a match, it emits a message.
12641
12642@item set overload-resolution off
12643Disable overload resolution for C@t{++} expression evaluation. For
12644overloaded functions that are not class member functions, @value{GDBN}
12645chooses the first function of the specified name that it finds in the
12646symbol table, whether or not its arguments are of the correct type. For
12647overloaded functions that are class member functions, @value{GDBN}
12648searches for a function whose signature @emph{exactly} matches the
12649argument types.
12650
12651@kindex show overload-resolution
12652@item show overload-resolution
12653Show the current setting of overload resolution.
12654
12655@item @r{Overloaded symbol names}
12656You can specify a particular definition of an overloaded symbol, using
12657the same notation that is used to declare such symbols in C@t{++}: type
12658@code{@var{symbol}(@var{types})} rather than just @var{symbol}. You can
12659also use the @value{GDBN} command-line word completion facilities to list the
12660available choices, or to finish the type list for you.
12661@xref{Completion,, Command Completion}, for details on how to do this.
12662@end table
12663
12664@node Decimal Floating Point
12665@subsubsection Decimal Floating Point format
12666@cindex decimal floating point format
12667
12668@value{GDBN} can examine, set and perform computations with numbers in
12669decimal floating point format, which in the C language correspond to the
12670@code{_Decimal32}, @code{_Decimal64} and @code{_Decimal128} types as
12671specified by the extension to support decimal floating-point arithmetic.
12672
12673There are two encodings in use, depending on the architecture: BID (Binary
12674Integer Decimal) for x86 and x86-64, and DPD (Densely Packed Decimal) for
12675PowerPC. @value{GDBN} will use the appropriate encoding for the configured
12676target.
12677
12678Because of a limitation in @file{libdecnumber}, the library used by @value{GDBN}
12679to manipulate decimal floating point numbers, it is not possible to convert
12680(using a cast, for example) integers wider than 32-bit to decimal float.
12681
12682In addition, in order to imitate @value{GDBN}'s behaviour with binary floating
12683point computations, error checking in decimal float operations ignores
12684underflow, overflow and divide by zero exceptions.
12685
12686In the PowerPC architecture, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers
12687to inspect @code{_Decimal128} values stored in floating point registers.
12688See @ref{PowerPC,,PowerPC} for more details.
12689
12690@node D
12691@subsection D
12692
12693@cindex D
12694@value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in D and compiled with
12695GDC, LDC or DMD compilers. Currently @value{GDBN} supports only one D
12696specific feature --- dynamic arrays.
12697
12698@node Objective-C
12699@subsection Objective-C
12700
12701@cindex Objective-C
12702This section provides information about some commands and command
12703options that are useful for debugging Objective-C code. See also
12704@ref{Symbols, info classes}, and @ref{Symbols, info selectors}, for a
12705few more commands specific to Objective-C support.
12706
12707@menu
12708* Method Names in Commands::
12709* The Print Command with Objective-C::
12710@end menu
12711
12712@node Method Names in Commands
12713@subsubsection Method Names in Commands
12714
12715The following commands have been extended to accept Objective-C method
12716names as line specifications:
12717
12718@kindex clear@r{, and Objective-C}
12719@kindex break@r{, and Objective-C}
12720@kindex info line@r{, and Objective-C}
12721@kindex jump@r{, and Objective-C}
12722@kindex list@r{, and Objective-C}
12723@itemize
12724@item @code{clear}
12725@item @code{break}
12726@item @code{info line}
12727@item @code{jump}
12728@item @code{list}
12729@end itemize
12730
12731A fully qualified Objective-C method name is specified as
12732
12733@smallexample
12734-[@var{Class} @var{methodName}]
12735@end smallexample
12736
12737where the minus sign is used to indicate an instance method and a
12738plus sign (not shown) is used to indicate a class method. The class
12739name @var{Class} and method name @var{methodName} are enclosed in
12740brackets, similar to the way messages are specified in Objective-C
12741source code. For example, to set a breakpoint at the @code{create}
12742instance method of class @code{Fruit} in the program currently being
12743debugged, enter:
12744
12745@smallexample
12746break -[Fruit create]
12747@end smallexample
12748
12749To list ten program lines around the @code{initialize} class method,
12750enter:
12751
12752@smallexample
12753list +[NSText initialize]
12754@end smallexample
12755
12756In the current version of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus sign is
12757required. In future versions of @value{GDBN}, the plus or minus
12758sign will be optional, but you can use it to narrow the search. It
12759is also possible to specify just a method name:
12760
12761@smallexample
12762break create
12763@end smallexample
12764
12765You must specify the complete method name, including any colons. If
12766your program's source files contain more than one @code{create} method,
12767you'll be presented with a numbered list of classes that implement that
12768method. Indicate your choice by number, or type @samp{0} to exit if
12769none apply.
12770
12771As another example, to clear a breakpoint established at the
12772@code{makeKeyAndOrderFront:} method of the @code{NSWindow} class, enter:
12773
12774@smallexample
12775clear -[NSWindow makeKeyAndOrderFront:]
12776@end smallexample
12777
12778@node The Print Command with Objective-C
12779@subsubsection The Print Command With Objective-C
12780@cindex Objective-C, print objects
12781@kindex print-object
12782@kindex po @r{(@code{print-object})}
12783
12784The print command has also been extended to accept methods. For example:
12785
12786@smallexample
12787print -[@var{object} hash]
12788@end smallexample
12789
12790@cindex print an Objective-C object description
12791@cindex @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, and printing Objective-C objects
12792@noindent
12793will tell @value{GDBN} to send the @code{hash} message to @var{object}
12794and print the result. Also, an additional command has been added,
12795@code{print-object} or @code{po} for short, which is meant to print
12796the description of an object. However, this command may only work
12797with certain Objective-C libraries that have a particular hook
12798function, @code{_NSPrintForDebugger}, defined.
12799
12800@node OpenCL C
12801@subsection OpenCL C
12802
12803@cindex OpenCL C
12804This section provides information about @value{GDBN}s OpenCL C support.
12805
12806@menu
12807* OpenCL C Datatypes::
12808* OpenCL C Expressions::
12809* OpenCL C Operators::
12810@end menu
12811
12812@node OpenCL C Datatypes
12813@subsubsection OpenCL C Datatypes
12814
12815@cindex OpenCL C Datatypes
12816@value{GDBN} supports the builtin scalar and vector datatypes specified
12817by OpenCL 1.1. In addition the half- and double-precision floating point
12818data types of the @code{cl_khr_fp16} and @code{cl_khr_fp64} OpenCL
12819extensions are also known to @value{GDBN}.
12820
12821@node OpenCL C Expressions
12822@subsubsection OpenCL C Expressions
12823
12824@cindex OpenCL C Expressions
12825@value{GDBN} supports accesses to vector components including the access as
12826lvalue where possible. Since OpenCL C is based on C99 most C expressions
12827supported by @value{GDBN} can be used as well.
12828
12829@node OpenCL C Operators
12830@subsubsection OpenCL C Operators
12831
12832@cindex OpenCL C Operators
12833@value{GDBN} supports the operators specified by OpenCL 1.1 for scalar and
12834vector data types.
12835
12836@node Fortran
12837@subsection Fortran
12838@cindex Fortran-specific support in @value{GDBN}
12839
12840@value{GDBN} can be used to debug programs written in Fortran, but it
12841currently supports only the features of Fortran 77 language.
12842
12843@cindex trailing underscore, in Fortran symbols
12844Some Fortran compilers (@sc{gnu} Fortran 77 and Fortran 95 compilers
12845among them) append an underscore to the names of variables and
12846functions. When you debug programs compiled by those compilers, you
12847will need to refer to variables and functions with a trailing
12848underscore.
12849
12850@menu
12851* Fortran Operators:: Fortran operators and expressions
12852* Fortran Defaults:: Default settings for Fortran
12853* Special Fortran Commands:: Special @value{GDBN} commands for Fortran
12854@end menu
12855
12856@node Fortran Operators
12857@subsubsection Fortran Operators and Expressions
12858
12859@cindex Fortran operators and expressions
12860
12861Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
12862@code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on characters or other non-
12863arithmetic types. Operators are often defined on groups of types.
12864
12865@table @code
12866@item **
12867The exponentiation operator. It raises the first operand to the power
12868of the second one.
12869
12870@item :
12871The range operator. Normally used in the form of array(low:high) to
12872represent a section of array.
12873
12874@item %
12875The access component operator. Normally used to access elements in derived
12876types. Also suitable for unions. As unions aren't part of regular Fortran,
12877this can only happen when accessing a register that uses a gdbarch-defined
12878union type.
12879@end table
12880
12881@node Fortran Defaults
12882@subsubsection Fortran Defaults
12883
12884@cindex Fortran Defaults
12885
12886Fortran symbols are usually case-insensitive, so @value{GDBN} by
12887default uses case-insensitive matches for Fortran symbols. You can
12888change that with the @samp{set case-insensitive} command, see
12889@ref{Symbols}, for the details.
12890
12891@node Special Fortran Commands
12892@subsubsection Special Fortran Commands
12893
12894@cindex Special Fortran commands
12895
12896@value{GDBN} has some commands to support Fortran-specific features,
12897such as displaying common blocks.
12898
12899@table @code
12900@cindex @code{COMMON} blocks, Fortran
12901@kindex info common
12902@item info common @r{[}@var{common-name}@r{]}
12903This command prints the values contained in the Fortran @code{COMMON}
12904block whose name is @var{common-name}. With no argument, the names of
12905all @code{COMMON} blocks visible at the current program location are
12906printed.
12907@end table
12908
12909@node Pascal
12910@subsection Pascal
12911
12912@cindex Pascal support in @value{GDBN}, limitations
12913Debugging Pascal programs which use sets, subranges, file variables, or
12914nested functions does not currently work. @value{GDBN} does not support
12915entering expressions, printing values, or similar features using Pascal
12916syntax.
12917
12918The Pascal-specific command @code{set print pascal_static-members}
12919controls whether static members of Pascal objects are displayed.
12920@xref{Print Settings, pascal_static-members}.
12921
12922@node Modula-2
12923@subsection Modula-2
12924
12925@cindex Modula-2, @value{GDBN} support
12926
12927The extensions made to @value{GDBN} to support Modula-2 only support
12928output from the @sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler (which is currently being
12929developed). Other Modula-2 compilers are not currently supported, and
12930attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
12931to give an error as @value{GDBN} reads in the executable's symbol
12932table.
12933
12934@cindex expressions in Modula-2
12935@menu
12936* M2 Operators:: Built-in operators
12937* Built-In Func/Proc:: Built-in functions and procedures
12938* M2 Constants:: Modula-2 constants
12939* M2 Types:: Modula-2 types
12940* M2 Defaults:: Default settings for Modula-2
12941* Deviations:: Deviations from standard Modula-2
12942* M2 Checks:: Modula-2 type and range checks
12943* M2 Scope:: The scope operators @code{::} and @code{.}
12944* GDB/M2:: @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
12945@end menu
12946
12947@node M2 Operators
12948@subsubsection Operators
12949@cindex Modula-2 operators
12950
12951Operators must be defined on values of specific types. For instance,
12952@code{+} is defined on numbers, but not on structures. Operators are
12953often defined on groups of types. For the purposes of Modula-2, the
12954following definitions hold:
12955
12956@itemize @bullet
12957
12958@item
12959@emph{Integral types} consist of @code{INTEGER}, @code{CARDINAL}, and
12960their subranges.
12961
12962@item
12963@emph{Character types} consist of @code{CHAR} and its subranges.
12964
12965@item
12966@emph{Floating-point types} consist of @code{REAL}.
12967
12968@item
12969@emph{Pointer types} consist of anything declared as @code{POINTER TO
12970@var{type}}.
12971
12972@item
12973@emph{Scalar types} consist of all of the above.
12974
12975@item
12976@emph{Set types} consist of @code{SET} and @code{BITSET} types.
12977
12978@item
12979@emph{Boolean types} consist of @code{BOOLEAN}.
12980@end itemize
12981
12982@noindent
12983The following operators are supported, and appear in order of
12984increasing precedence:
12985
12986@table @code
12987@item ,
12988Function argument or array index separator.
12989
12990@item :=
12991Assignment. The value of @var{var} @code{:=} @var{value} is
12992@var{value}.
12993
12994@item <@r{, }>
12995Less than, greater than on integral, floating-point, or enumerated
12996types.
12997
12998@item <=@r{, }>=
12999Less than or equal to, greater than or equal to
13000on integral, floating-point and enumerated types, or set inclusion on
13001set types. Same precedence as @code{<}.
13002
13003@item =@r{, }<>@r{, }#
13004Equality and two ways of expressing inequality, valid on scalar types.
13005Same precedence as @code{<}. In @value{GDBN} scripts, only @code{<>} is
13006available for inequality, since @code{#} conflicts with the script
13007comment character.
13008
13009@item IN
13010Set membership. Defined on set types and the types of their members.
13011Same precedence as @code{<}.
13012
13013@item OR
13014Boolean disjunction. Defined on boolean types.
13015
13016@item AND@r{, }&
13017Boolean conjunction. Defined on boolean types.
13018
13019@item @@
13020The @value{GDBN} ``artificial array'' operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}).
13021
13022@item +@r{, }-
13023Addition and subtraction on integral and floating-point types, or union
13024and difference on set types.
13025
13026@item *
13027Multiplication on integral and floating-point types, or set intersection
13028on set types.
13029
13030@item /
13031Division on floating-point types, or symmetric set difference on set
13032types. Same precedence as @code{*}.
13033
13034@item DIV@r{, }MOD
13035Integer division and remainder. Defined on integral types. Same
13036precedence as @code{*}.
13037
13038@item -
13039Negative. Defined on @code{INTEGER} and @code{REAL} data.
13040
13041@item ^
13042Pointer dereferencing. Defined on pointer types.
13043
13044@item NOT
13045Boolean negation. Defined on boolean types. Same precedence as
13046@code{^}.
13047
13048@item .
13049@code{RECORD} field selector. Defined on @code{RECORD} data. Same
13050precedence as @code{^}.
13051
13052@item []
13053Array indexing. Defined on @code{ARRAY} data. Same precedence as @code{^}.
13054
13055@item ()
13056Procedure argument list. Defined on @code{PROCEDURE} objects. Same precedence
13057as @code{^}.
13058
13059@item ::@r{, }.
13060@value{GDBN} and Modula-2 scope operators.
13061@end table
13062
13063@quotation
13064@emph{Warning:} Set expressions and their operations are not yet supported, so @value{GDBN}
13065treats the use of the operator @code{IN}, or the use of operators
13066@code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*}, @code{/}, @code{=}, , @code{<>}, @code{#},
13067@code{<=}, and @code{>=} on sets as an error.
13068@end quotation
13069
13070
13071@node Built-In Func/Proc
13072@subsubsection Built-in Functions and Procedures
13073@cindex Modula-2 built-ins
13074
13075Modula-2 also makes available several built-in procedures and functions.
13076In describing these, the following metavariables are used:
13077
13078@table @var
13079
13080@item a
13081represents an @code{ARRAY} variable.
13082
13083@item c
13084represents a @code{CHAR} constant or variable.
13085
13086@item i
13087represents a variable or constant of integral type.
13088
13089@item m
13090represents an identifier that belongs to a set. Generally used in the
13091same function with the metavariable @var{s}. The type of @var{s} should
13092be @code{SET OF @var{mtype}} (where @var{mtype} is the type of @var{m}).
13093
13094@item n
13095represents a variable or constant of integral or floating-point type.
13096
13097@item r
13098represents a variable or constant of floating-point type.
13099
13100@item t
13101represents a type.
13102
13103@item v
13104represents a variable.
13105
13106@item x
13107represents a variable or constant of one of many types. See the
13108explanation of the function for details.
13109@end table
13110
13111All Modula-2 built-in procedures also return a result, described below.
13112
13113@table @code
13114@item ABS(@var{n})
13115Returns the absolute value of @var{n}.
13116
13117@item CAP(@var{c})
13118If @var{c} is a lower case letter, it returns its upper case
13119equivalent, otherwise it returns its argument.
13120
13121@item CHR(@var{i})
13122Returns the character whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
13123
13124@item DEC(@var{v})
13125Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
13126
13127@item DEC(@var{v},@var{i})
13128Decrements the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
13129new value.
13130
13131@item EXCL(@var{m},@var{s})
13132Removes the element @var{m} from the set @var{s}. Returns the new
13133set.
13134
13135@item FLOAT(@var{i})
13136Returns the floating point equivalent of the integer @var{i}.
13137
13138@item HIGH(@var{a})
13139Returns the index of the last member of @var{a}.
13140
13141@item INC(@var{v})
13142Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by one. Returns the new value.
13143
13144@item INC(@var{v},@var{i})
13145Increments the value in the variable @var{v} by @var{i}. Returns the
13146new value.
13147
13148@item INCL(@var{m},@var{s})
13149Adds the element @var{m} to the set @var{s} if it is not already
13150there. Returns the new set.
13151
13152@item MAX(@var{t})
13153Returns the maximum value of the type @var{t}.
13154
13155@item MIN(@var{t})
13156Returns the minimum value of the type @var{t}.
13157
13158@item ODD(@var{i})
13159Returns boolean TRUE if @var{i} is an odd number.
13160
13161@item ORD(@var{x})
13162Returns the ordinal value of its argument. For example, the ordinal
13163value of a character is its @sc{ascii} value (on machines supporting the
13164@sc{ascii} character set). @var{x} must be of an ordered type, which include
13165integral, character and enumerated types.
13166
13167@item SIZE(@var{x})
13168Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
13169
13170@item TRUNC(@var{r})
13171Returns the integral part of @var{r}.
13172
13173@item TSIZE(@var{x})
13174Returns the size of its argument. @var{x} can be a variable or a type.
13175
13176@item VAL(@var{t},@var{i})
13177Returns the member of the type @var{t} whose ordinal value is @var{i}.
13178@end table
13179
13180@quotation
13181@emph{Warning:} Sets and their operations are not yet supported, so
13182@value{GDBN} treats the use of procedures @code{INCL} and @code{EXCL} as
13183an error.
13184@end quotation
13185
13186@cindex Modula-2 constants
13187@node M2 Constants
13188@subsubsection Constants
13189
13190@value{GDBN} allows you to express the constants of Modula-2 in the following
13191ways:
13192
13193@itemize @bullet
13194
13195@item
13196Integer constants are simply a sequence of digits. When used in an
13197expression, a constant is interpreted to be type-compatible with the
13198rest of the expression. Hexadecimal integers are specified by a
13199trailing @samp{H}, and octal integers by a trailing @samp{B}.
13200
13201@item
13202Floating point constants appear as a sequence of digits, followed by a
13203decimal point and another sequence of digits. An optional exponent can
13204then be specified, in the form @samp{E@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}}, where
13205@samp{@r{[}+@r{|}-@r{]}@var{nnn}} is the desired exponent. All of the
13206digits of the floating point constant must be valid decimal (base 10)
13207digits.
13208
13209@item
13210Character constants consist of a single character enclosed by a pair of
13211like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}). They may
13212also be expressed by their ordinal value (their @sc{ascii} value, usually)
13213followed by a @samp{C}.
13214
13215@item
13216String constants consist of a sequence of characters enclosed by a
13217pair of like quotes, either single (@code{'}) or double (@code{"}).
13218Escape sequences in the style of C are also allowed. @xref{C
13219Constants, ,C and C@t{++} Constants}, for a brief explanation of escape
13220sequences.
13221
13222@item
13223Enumerated constants consist of an enumerated identifier.
13224
13225@item
13226Boolean constants consist of the identifiers @code{TRUE} and
13227@code{FALSE}.
13228
13229@item
13230Pointer constants consist of integral values only.
13231
13232@item
13233Set constants are not yet supported.
13234@end itemize
13235
13236@node M2 Types
13237@subsubsection Modula-2 Types
13238@cindex Modula-2 types
13239
13240Currently @value{GDBN} can print the following data types in Modula-2
13241syntax: array types, record types, set types, pointer types, procedure
13242types, enumerated types, subrange types and base types. You can also
13243print the contents of variables declared using these type.
13244This section gives a number of simple source code examples together with
13245sample @value{GDBN} sessions.
13246
13247The first example contains the following section of code:
13248
13249@smallexample
13250VAR
13251 s: SET OF CHAR ;
13252 r: [20..40] ;
13253@end smallexample
13254
13255@noindent
13256and you can request @value{GDBN} to interrogate the type and value of
13257@code{r} and @code{s}.
13258
13259@smallexample
13260(@value{GDBP}) print s
13261@{'A'..'C', 'Z'@}
13262(@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13263SET OF CHAR
13264(@value{GDBP}) print r
1326521
13266(@value{GDBP}) ptype r
13267[20..40]
13268@end smallexample
13269
13270@noindent
13271Likewise if your source code declares @code{s} as:
13272
13273@smallexample
13274VAR
13275 s: SET ['A'..'Z'] ;
13276@end smallexample
13277
13278@noindent
13279then you may query the type of @code{s} by:
13280
13281@smallexample
13282(@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13283type = SET ['A'..'Z']
13284@end smallexample
13285
13286@noindent
13287Note that at present you cannot interactively manipulate set
13288expressions using the debugger.
13289
13290The following example shows how you might declare an array in Modula-2
13291and how you can interact with @value{GDBN} to print its type and contents:
13292
13293@smallexample
13294VAR
13295 s: ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR ;
13296@end smallexample
13297
13298@smallexample
13299(@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13300ARRAY [-10..10] OF CHAR
13301@end smallexample
13302
13303Note that the array handling is not yet complete and although the type
13304is printed correctly, expression handling still assumes that all
13305arrays have a lower bound of zero and not @code{-10} as in the example
13306above.
13307
13308Here are some more type related Modula-2 examples:
13309
13310@smallexample
13311TYPE
13312 colour = (blue, red, yellow, green) ;
13313 t = [blue..yellow] ;
13314VAR
13315 s: t ;
13316BEGIN
13317 s := blue ;
13318@end smallexample
13319
13320@noindent
13321The @value{GDBN} interaction shows how you can query the data type
13322and value of a variable.
13323
13324@smallexample
13325(@value{GDBP}) print s
13326$1 = blue
13327(@value{GDBP}) ptype t
13328type = [blue..yellow]
13329@end smallexample
13330
13331@noindent
13332In this example a Modula-2 array is declared and its contents
13333displayed. Observe that the contents are written in the same way as
13334their @code{C} counterparts.
13335
13336@smallexample
13337VAR
13338 s: ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
13339BEGIN
13340 s[1] := 1 ;
13341@end smallexample
13342
13343@smallexample
13344(@value{GDBP}) print s
13345$1 = @{1, 0, 0, 0, 0@}
13346(@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13347type = ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
13348@end smallexample
13349
13350The Modula-2 language interface to @value{GDBN} also understands
13351pointer types as shown in this example:
13352
13353@smallexample
13354VAR
13355 s: POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL ;
13356BEGIN
13357 NEW(s) ;
13358 s^[1] := 1 ;
13359@end smallexample
13360
13361@noindent
13362and you can request that @value{GDBN} describes the type of @code{s}.
13363
13364@smallexample
13365(@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13366type = POINTER TO ARRAY [1..5] OF CARDINAL
13367@end smallexample
13368
13369@value{GDBN} handles compound types as we can see in this example.
13370Here we combine array types, record types, pointer types and subrange
13371types:
13372
13373@smallexample
13374TYPE
13375 foo = RECORD
13376 f1: CARDINAL ;
13377 f2: CHAR ;
13378 f3: myarray ;
13379 END ;
13380
13381 myarray = ARRAY myrange OF CARDINAL ;
13382 myrange = [-2..2] ;
13383VAR
13384 s: POINTER TO ARRAY myrange OF foo ;
13385@end smallexample
13386
13387@noindent
13388and you can ask @value{GDBN} to describe the type of @code{s} as shown
13389below.
13390
13391@smallexample
13392(@value{GDBP}) ptype s
13393type = POINTER TO ARRAY [-2..2] OF foo = RECORD
13394 f1 : CARDINAL;
13395 f2 : CHAR;
13396 f3 : ARRAY [-2..2] OF CARDINAL;
13397END
13398@end smallexample
13399
13400@node M2 Defaults
13401@subsubsection Modula-2 Defaults
13402@cindex Modula-2 defaults
13403
13404If type and range checking are set automatically by @value{GDBN}, they
13405both default to @code{on} whenever the working language changes to
13406Modula-2. This happens regardless of whether you or @value{GDBN}
13407selected the working language.
13408
13409If you allow @value{GDBN} to set the language automatically, then entering
13410code compiled from a file whose name ends with @file{.mod} sets the
13411working language to Modula-2. @xref{Automatically, ,Having @value{GDBN}
13412Infer the Source Language}, for further details.
13413
13414@node Deviations
13415@subsubsection Deviations from Standard Modula-2
13416@cindex Modula-2, deviations from
13417
13418A few changes have been made to make Modula-2 programs easier to debug.
13419This is done primarily via loosening its type strictness:
13420
13421@itemize @bullet
13422@item
13423Unlike in standard Modula-2, pointer constants can be formed by
13424integers. This allows you to modify pointer variables during
13425debugging. (In standard Modula-2, the actual address contained in a
13426pointer variable is hidden from you; it can only be modified
13427through direct assignment to another pointer variable or expression that
13428returned a pointer.)
13429
13430@item
13431C escape sequences can be used in strings and characters to represent
13432non-printable characters. @value{GDBN} prints out strings with these
13433escape sequences embedded. Single non-printable characters are
13434printed using the @samp{CHR(@var{nnn})} format.
13435
13436@item
13437The assignment operator (@code{:=}) returns the value of its right-hand
13438argument.
13439
13440@item
13441All built-in procedures both modify @emph{and} return their argument.
13442@end itemize
13443
13444@node M2 Checks
13445@subsubsection Modula-2 Type and Range Checks
13446@cindex Modula-2 checks
13447
13448@quotation
13449@emph{Warning:} in this release, @value{GDBN} does not yet perform type or
13450range checking.
13451@end quotation
13452@c FIXME remove warning when type/range checks added
13453
13454@value{GDBN} considers two Modula-2 variables type equivalent if:
13455
13456@itemize @bullet
13457@item
13458They are of types that have been declared equivalent via a @code{TYPE
13459@var{t1} = @var{t2}} statement
13460
13461@item
13462They have been declared on the same line. (Note: This is true of the
13463@sc{gnu} Modula-2 compiler, but it may not be true of other compilers.)
13464@end itemize
13465
13466As long as type checking is enabled, any attempt to combine variables
13467whose types are not equivalent is an error.
13468
13469Range checking is done on all mathematical operations, assignment, array
13470index bounds, and all built-in functions and procedures.
13471
13472@node M2 Scope
13473@subsubsection The Scope Operators @code{::} and @code{.}
13474@cindex scope
13475@cindex @code{.}, Modula-2 scope operator
13476@cindex colon, doubled as scope operator
13477@ifinfo
13478@vindex colon-colon@r{, in Modula-2}
13479@c Info cannot handle :: but TeX can.
13480@end ifinfo
13481@ifnotinfo
13482@vindex ::@r{, in Modula-2}
13483@end ifnotinfo
13484
13485There are a few subtle differences between the Modula-2 scope operator
13486(@code{.}) and the @value{GDBN} scope operator (@code{::}). The two have
13487similar syntax:
13488
13489@smallexample
13490
13491@var{module} . @var{id}
13492@var{scope} :: @var{id}
13493@end smallexample
13494
13495@noindent
13496where @var{scope} is the name of a module or a procedure,
13497@var{module} the name of a module, and @var{id} is any declared
13498identifier within your program, except another module.
13499
13500Using the @code{::} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the scope
13501specified by @var{scope} for the identifier @var{id}. If it is not
13502found in the specified scope, then @value{GDBN} searches all scopes
13503enclosing the one specified by @var{scope}.
13504
13505Using the @code{.} operator makes @value{GDBN} search the current scope for
13506the identifier specified by @var{id} that was imported from the
13507definition module specified by @var{module}. With this operator, it is
13508an error if the identifier @var{id} was not imported from definition
13509module @var{module}, or if @var{id} is not an identifier in
13510@var{module}.
13511
13512@node GDB/M2
13513@subsubsection @value{GDBN} and Modula-2
13514
13515Some @value{GDBN} commands have little use when debugging Modula-2 programs.
13516Five subcommands of @code{set print} and @code{show print} apply
13517specifically to C and C@t{++}: @samp{vtbl}, @samp{demangle},
13518@samp{asm-demangle}, @samp{object}, and @samp{union}. The first four
13519apply to C@t{++}, and the last to the C @code{union} type, which has no direct
13520analogue in Modula-2.
13521
13522The @code{@@} operator (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), while available
13523with any language, is not useful with Modula-2. Its
13524intent is to aid the debugging of @dfn{dynamic arrays}, which cannot be
13525created in Modula-2 as they can in C or C@t{++}. However, because an
13526address can be specified by an integral constant, the construct
13527@samp{@{@var{type}@}@var{adrexp}} is still useful.
13528
13529@cindex @code{#} in Modula-2
13530In @value{GDBN} scripts, the Modula-2 inequality operator @code{#} is
13531interpreted as the beginning of a comment. Use @code{<>} instead.
13532
13533@node Ada
13534@subsection Ada
13535@cindex Ada
13536
13537The extensions made to @value{GDBN} for Ada only support
13538output from the @sc{gnu} Ada (GNAT) compiler.
13539Other Ada compilers are not currently supported, and
13540attempting to debug executables produced by them is most likely
13541to be difficult.
13542
13543
13544@cindex expressions in Ada
13545@menu
13546* Ada Mode Intro:: General remarks on the Ada syntax
13547 and semantics supported by Ada mode
13548 in @value{GDBN}.
13549* Omissions from Ada:: Restrictions on the Ada expression syntax.
13550* Additions to Ada:: Extensions of the Ada expression syntax.
13551* Stopping Before Main Program:: Debugging the program during elaboration.
13552* Ada Tasks:: Listing and setting breakpoints in tasks.
13553* Ada Tasks and Core Files:: Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
13554* Ravenscar Profile:: Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar
13555 Profile
13556* Ada Glitches:: Known peculiarities of Ada mode.
13557@end menu
13558
13559@node Ada Mode Intro
13560@subsubsection Introduction
13561@cindex Ada mode, general
13562
13563The Ada mode of @value{GDBN} supports a fairly large subset of Ada expression
13564syntax, with some extensions.
13565The philosophy behind the design of this subset is
13566
13567@itemize @bullet
13568@item
13569That @value{GDBN} should provide basic literals and access to operations for
13570arithmetic, dereferencing, field selection, indexing, and subprogram calls,
13571leaving more sophisticated computations to subprograms written into the
13572program (which therefore may be called from @value{GDBN}).
13573
13574@item
13575That type safety and strict adherence to Ada language restrictions
13576are not particularly important to the @value{GDBN} user.
13577
13578@item
13579That brevity is important to the @value{GDBN} user.
13580@end itemize
13581
13582Thus, for brevity, the debugger acts as if all names declared in
13583user-written packages are directly visible, even if they are not visible
13584according to Ada rules, thus making it unnecessary to fully qualify most
13585names with their packages, regardless of context. Where this causes
13586ambiguity, @value{GDBN} asks the user's intent.
13587
13588The debugger will start in Ada mode if it detects an Ada main program.
13589As for other languages, it will enter Ada mode when stopped in a program that
13590was translated from an Ada source file.
13591
13592While in Ada mode, you may use `@t{--}' for comments. This is useful
13593mostly for documenting command files. The standard @value{GDBN} comment
13594(@samp{#}) still works at the beginning of a line in Ada mode, but not in the
13595middle (to allow based literals).
13596
13597The debugger supports limited overloading. Given a subprogram call in which
13598the function symbol has multiple definitions, it will use the number of
13599actual parameters and some information about their types to attempt to narrow
13600the set of definitions. It also makes very limited use of context, preferring
13601procedures to functions in the context of the @code{call} command, and
13602functions to procedures elsewhere.
13603
13604@node Omissions from Ada
13605@subsubsection Omissions from Ada
13606@cindex Ada, omissions from
13607
13608Here are the notable omissions from the subset:
13609
13610@itemize @bullet
13611@item
13612Only a subset of the attributes are supported:
13613
13614@itemize @minus
13615@item
13616@t{'First}, @t{'Last}, and @t{'Length}
13617 on array objects (not on types and subtypes).
13618
13619@item
13620@t{'Min} and @t{'Max}.
13621
13622@item
13623@t{'Pos} and @t{'Val}.
13624
13625@item
13626@t{'Tag}.
13627
13628@item
13629@t{'Range} on array objects (not subtypes), but only as the right
13630operand of the membership (@code{in}) operator.
13631
13632@item
13633@t{'Access}, @t{'Unchecked_Access}, and
13634@t{'Unrestricted_Access} (a GNAT extension).
13635
13636@item
13637@t{'Address}.
13638@end itemize
13639
13640@item
13641The names in
13642@code{Characters.Latin_1} are not available and
13643concatenation is not implemented. Thus, escape characters in strings are
13644not currently available.
13645
13646@item
13647Equality tests (@samp{=} and @samp{/=}) on arrays test for bitwise
13648equality of representations. They will generally work correctly
13649for strings and arrays whose elements have integer or enumeration types.
13650They may not work correctly for arrays whose element
13651types have user-defined equality, for arrays of real values
13652(in particular, IEEE-conformant floating point, because of negative
13653zeroes and NaNs), and for arrays whose elements contain unused bits with
13654indeterminate values.
13655
13656@item
13657The other component-by-component array operations (@code{and}, @code{or},
13658@code{xor}, @code{not}, and relational tests other than equality)
13659are not implemented.
13660
13661@item
13662@cindex array aggregates (Ada)
13663@cindex record aggregates (Ada)
13664@cindex aggregates (Ada)
13665There is limited support for array and record aggregates. They are
13666permitted only on the right sides of assignments, as in these examples:
13667
13668@smallexample
13669(@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
13670(@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (1, others => 0)
13671(@value{GDBP}) set An_Array := (0|4 => 1, 1..3 => 2, 5 => 6)
13672(@value{GDBP}) set A_2D_Array := ((1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9))
13673(@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (1, "Peter", True);
13674(@value{GDBP}) set A_Record := (Name => "Peter", Id => 1, Alive => True)
13675@end smallexample
13676
13677Changing a
13678discriminant's value by assigning an aggregate has an
13679undefined effect if that discriminant is used within the record.
13680However, you can first modify discriminants by directly assigning to
13681them (which normally would not be allowed in Ada), and then performing an
13682aggregate assignment. For example, given a variable @code{A_Rec}
13683declared to have a type such as:
13684
13685@smallexample
13686type Rec (Len : Small_Integer := 0) is record
13687 Id : Integer;
13688 Vals : IntArray (1 .. Len);
13689end record;
13690@end smallexample
13691
13692you can assign a value with a different size of @code{Vals} with two
13693assignments:
13694
13695@smallexample
13696(@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec.Len := 4
13697(@value{GDBP}) set A_Rec := (Id => 42, Vals => (1, 2, 3, 4))
13698@end smallexample
13699
13700As this example also illustrates, @value{GDBN} is very loose about the usual
13701rules concerning aggregates. You may leave out some of the
13702components of an array or record aggregate (such as the @code{Len}
13703component in the assignment to @code{A_Rec} above); they will retain their
13704original values upon assignment. You may freely use dynamic values as
13705indices in component associations. You may even use overlapping or
13706redundant component associations, although which component values are
13707assigned in such cases is not defined.
13708
13709@item
13710Calls to dispatching subprograms are not implemented.
13711
13712@item
13713The overloading algorithm is much more limited (i.e., less selective)
13714than that of real Ada. It makes only limited use of the context in
13715which a subexpression appears to resolve its meaning, and it is much
13716looser in its rules for allowing type matches. As a result, some
13717function calls will be ambiguous, and the user will be asked to choose
13718the proper resolution.
13719
13720@item
13721The @code{new} operator is not implemented.
13722
13723@item
13724Entry calls are not implemented.
13725
13726@item
13727Aside from printing, arithmetic operations on the native VAX floating-point
13728formats are not supported.
13729
13730@item
13731It is not possible to slice a packed array.
13732
13733@item
13734The names @code{True} and @code{False}, when not part of a qualified name,
13735are interpreted as if implicitly prefixed by @code{Standard}, regardless of
13736context.
13737Should your program
13738redefine these names in a package or procedure (at best a dubious practice),
13739you will have to use fully qualified names to access their new definitions.
13740@end itemize
13741
13742@node Additions to Ada
13743@subsubsection Additions to Ada
13744@cindex Ada, deviations from
13745
13746As it does for other languages, @value{GDBN} makes certain generic
13747extensions to Ada (@pxref{Expressions}):
13748
13749@itemize @bullet
13750@item
13751If the expression @var{E} is a variable residing in memory (typically
13752a local variable or array element) and @var{N} is a positive integer,
13753then @code{@var{E}@@@var{N}} displays the values of @var{E} and the
13754@var{N}-1 adjacent variables following it in memory as an array. In
13755Ada, this operator is generally not necessary, since its prime use is
13756in displaying parts of an array, and slicing will usually do this in
13757Ada. However, there are occasional uses when debugging programs in
13758which certain debugging information has been optimized away.
13759
13760@item
13761@code{@var{B}::@var{var}} means ``the variable named @var{var} that
13762appears in function or file @var{B}.'' When @var{B} is a file name,
13763you must typically surround it in single quotes.
13764
13765@item
13766The expression @code{@{@var{type}@} @var{addr}} means ``the variable of type
13767@var{type} that appears at address @var{addr}.''
13768
13769@item
13770A name starting with @samp{$} is a convenience variable
13771(@pxref{Convenience Vars}) or a machine register (@pxref{Registers}).
13772@end itemize
13773
13774In addition, @value{GDBN} provides a few other shortcuts and outright
13775additions specific to Ada:
13776
13777@itemize @bullet
13778@item
13779The assignment statement is allowed as an expression, returning
13780its right-hand operand as its value. Thus, you may enter
13781
13782@smallexample
13783(@value{GDBP}) set x := y + 3
13784(@value{GDBP}) print A(tmp := y + 1)
13785@end smallexample
13786
13787@item
13788The semicolon is allowed as an ``operator,'' returning as its value
13789the value of its right-hand operand.
13790This allows, for example,
13791complex conditional breaks:
13792
13793@smallexample
13794(@value{GDBP}) break f
13795(@value{GDBP}) condition 1 (report(i); k += 1; A(k) > 100)
13796@end smallexample
13797
13798@item
13799Rather than use catenation and symbolic character names to introduce special
13800characters into strings, one may instead use a special bracket notation,
13801which is also used to print strings. A sequence of characters of the form
13802@samp{["@var{XX}"]} within a string or character literal denotes the
13803(single) character whose numeric encoding is @var{XX} in hexadecimal. The
13804sequence of characters @samp{["""]} also denotes a single quotation mark
13805in strings. For example,
13806@smallexample
13807 "One line.["0a"]Next line.["0a"]"
13808@end smallexample
13809@noindent
13810contains an ASCII newline character (@code{Ada.Characters.Latin_1.LF})
13811after each period.
13812
13813@item
13814The subtype used as a prefix for the attributes @t{'Pos}, @t{'Min}, and
13815@t{'Max} is optional (and is ignored in any case). For example, it is valid
13816to write
13817
13818@smallexample
13819(@value{GDBP}) print 'max(x, y)
13820@end smallexample
13821
13822@item
13823When printing arrays, @value{GDBN} uses positional notation when the
13824array has a lower bound of 1, and uses a modified named notation otherwise.
13825For example, a one-dimensional array of three integers with a lower bound
13826of 3 might print as
13827
13828@smallexample
13829(3 => 10, 17, 1)
13830@end smallexample
13831
13832@noindent
13833That is, in contrast to valid Ada, only the first component has a @code{=>}
13834clause.
13835
13836@item
13837You may abbreviate attributes in expressions with any unique,
13838multi-character subsequence of
13839their names (an exact match gets preference).
13840For example, you may use @t{a'len}, @t{a'gth}, or @t{a'lh}
13841in place of @t{a'length}.
13842
13843@item
13844@cindex quoting Ada internal identifiers
13845Since Ada is case-insensitive, the debugger normally maps identifiers you type
13846to lower case. The GNAT compiler uses upper-case characters for
13847some of its internal identifiers, which are normally of no interest to users.
13848For the rare occasions when you actually have to look at them,
13849enclose them in angle brackets to avoid the lower-case mapping.
13850For example,
13851@smallexample
13852(@value{GDBP}) print <JMPBUF_SAVE>[0]
13853@end smallexample
13854
13855@item
13856Printing an object of class-wide type or dereferencing an
13857access-to-class-wide value will display all the components of the object's
13858specific type (as indicated by its run-time tag). Likewise, component
13859selection on such a value will operate on the specific type of the
13860object.
13861
13862@end itemize
13863
13864@node Stopping Before Main Program
13865@subsubsection Stopping at the Very Beginning
13866
13867@cindex breakpointing Ada elaboration code
13868It is sometimes necessary to debug the program during elaboration, and
13869before reaching the main procedure.
13870As defined in the Ada Reference
13871Manual, the elaboration code is invoked from a procedure called
13872@code{adainit}. To run your program up to the beginning of
13873elaboration, simply use the following two commands:
13874@code{tbreak adainit} and @code{run}.
13875
13876@node Ada Tasks
13877@subsubsection Extensions for Ada Tasks
13878@cindex Ada, tasking
13879
13880Support for Ada tasks is analogous to that for threads (@pxref{Threads}).
13881@value{GDBN} provides the following task-related commands:
13882
13883@table @code
13884@kindex info tasks
13885@item info tasks
13886This command shows a list of current Ada tasks, as in the following example:
13887
13888
13889@smallexample
13890@iftex
13891@leftskip=0.5cm
13892@end iftex
13893(@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13894 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13895 1 8088000 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13896 2 80a4000 1 15 Accept Statement b
13897 3 809a800 1 15 Child Activation Wait a
13898* 4 80ae800 3 15 Runnable c
13899
13900@end smallexample
13901
13902@noindent
13903In this listing, the asterisk before the last task indicates it to be the
13904task currently being inspected.
13905
13906@table @asis
13907@item ID
13908Represents @value{GDBN}'s internal task number.
13909
13910@item TID
13911The Ada task ID.
13912
13913@item P-ID
13914The parent's task ID (@value{GDBN}'s internal task number).
13915
13916@item Pri
13917The base priority of the task.
13918
13919@item State
13920Current state of the task.
13921
13922@table @code
13923@item Unactivated
13924The task has been created but has not been activated. It cannot be
13925executing.
13926
13927@item Runnable
13928The task is not blocked for any reason known to Ada. (It may be waiting
13929for a mutex, though.) It is conceptually "executing" in normal mode.
13930
13931@item Terminated
13932The task is terminated, in the sense of ARM 9.3 (5). Any dependents
13933that were waiting on terminate alternatives have been awakened and have
13934terminated themselves.
13935
13936@item Child Activation Wait
13937The task is waiting for created tasks to complete activation.
13938
13939@item Accept Statement
13940The task is waiting on an accept or selective wait statement.
13941
13942@item Waiting on entry call
13943The task is waiting on an entry call.
13944
13945@item Async Select Wait
13946The task is waiting to start the abortable part of an asynchronous
13947select statement.
13948
13949@item Delay Sleep
13950The task is waiting on a select statement with only a delay
13951alternative open.
13952
13953@item Child Termination Wait
13954The task is sleeping having completed a master within itself, and is
13955waiting for the tasks dependent on that master to become terminated or
13956waiting on a terminate Phase.
13957
13958@item Wait Child in Term Alt
13959The task is sleeping waiting for tasks on terminate alternatives to
13960finish terminating.
13961
13962@item Accepting RV with @var{taskno}
13963The task is accepting a rendez-vous with the task @var{taskno}.
13964@end table
13965
13966@item Name
13967Name of the task in the program.
13968
13969@end table
13970
13971@kindex info task @var{taskno}
13972@item info task @var{taskno}
13973This command shows detailled informations on the specified task, as in
13974the following example:
13975@smallexample
13976@iftex
13977@leftskip=0.5cm
13978@end iftex
13979(@value{GDBP}) info tasks
13980 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
13981 1 8077880 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
13982* 2 807c468 1 15 Runnable task_1
13983(@value{GDBP}) info task 2
13984Ada Task: 0x807c468
13985Name: task_1
13986Thread: 0x807f378
13987Parent: 1 (main_task)
13988Base Priority: 15
13989State: Runnable
13990@end smallexample
13991
13992@item task
13993@kindex task@r{ (Ada)}
13994@cindex current Ada task ID
13995This command prints the ID of the current task.
13996
13997@smallexample
13998@iftex
13999@leftskip=0.5cm
14000@end iftex
14001(@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14002 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14003 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14004* 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
14005(@value{GDBP}) task
14006[Current task is 2]
14007@end smallexample
14008
14009@item task @var{taskno}
14010@cindex Ada task switching
14011This command is like the @code{thread @var{threadno}}
14012command (@pxref{Threads}). It switches the context of debugging
14013from the current task to the given task.
14014
14015@smallexample
14016@iftex
14017@leftskip=0.5cm
14018@end iftex
14019(@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14020 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14021 1 8077870 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14022* 2 807c458 1 15 Runnable t
14023(@value{GDBP}) task 1
14024[Switching to task 1]
14025#0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
14026(@value{GDBP}) bt
14027#0 0x8067726 in pthread_cond_wait ()
14028#1 0x8056714 in system.os_interface.pthread_cond_wait ()
14029#2 0x805cb63 in system.task_primitives.operations.sleep ()
14030#3 0x806153e in system.tasking.stages.activate_tasks ()
14031#4 0x804aacc in un () at un.adb:5
14032@end smallexample
14033
14034@item break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno}
14035@itemx break @var{linespec} task @var{taskno} if @dots{}
14036@cindex breakpoints and tasks, in Ada
14037@cindex task breakpoints, in Ada
14038@kindex break @dots{} task @var{taskno}@r{ (Ada)}
14039These commands are like the @code{break @dots{} thread @dots{}}
14040command (@pxref{Thread Stops}).
14041@var{linespec} specifies source lines, as described
14042in @ref{Specify Location}.
14043
14044Use the qualifier @samp{task @var{taskno}} with a breakpoint command
14045to specify that you only want @value{GDBN} to stop the program when a
14046particular Ada task reaches this breakpoint. @var{taskno} is one of the
14047numeric task identifiers assigned by @value{GDBN}, shown in the first
14048column of the @samp{info tasks} display.
14049
14050If you do not specify @samp{task @var{taskno}} when you set a
14051breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} tasks of your
14052program.
14053
14054You can use the @code{task} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
14055well; in this case, place @samp{task @var{taskno}} before the
14056breakpoint condition (before the @code{if}).
14057
14058For example,
14059
14060@smallexample
14061@iftex
14062@leftskip=0.5cm
14063@end iftex
14064(@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14065 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14066 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14067 2 140045060 1 15 Accept/Select Wait t2
14068 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
14069* 4 140056040 1 15 Runnable t3
14070(@value{GDBP}) b 15 task 2
14071Breakpoint 5 at 0x120044cb0: file test_task_debug.adb, line 15.
14072(@value{GDBP}) cont
14073Continuing.
14074task # 1 running
14075task # 2 running
14076
14077Breakpoint 5, test_task_debug () at test_task_debug.adb:15
1407815 flush;
14079(@value{GDBP}) info tasks
14080 ID TID P-ID Pri State Name
14081 1 140022020 0 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
14082* 2 140045060 1 15 Runnable t2
14083 3 140044840 1 15 Runnable t1
14084 4 140056040 1 15 Delay Sleep t3
14085@end smallexample
14086@end table
14087
14088@node Ada Tasks and Core Files
14089@subsubsection Tasking Support when Debugging Core Files
14090@cindex Ada tasking and core file debugging
14091
14092When inspecting a core file, as opposed to debugging a live program,
14093tasking support may be limited or even unavailable, depending on
14094the platform being used.
14095For instance, on x86-linux, the list of tasks is available, but task
14096switching is not supported. On Tru64, however, task switching will work
14097as usual.
14098
14099On certain platforms, including Tru64, the debugger needs to perform some
14100memory writes in order to provide Ada tasking support. When inspecting
14101a core file, this means that the core file must be opened with read-write
14102privileges, using the command @samp{"set write on"} (@pxref{Patching}).
14103Under these circumstances, you should make a backup copy of the core
14104file before inspecting it with @value{GDBN}.
14105
14106@node Ravenscar Profile
14107@subsubsection Tasking Support when using the Ravenscar Profile
14108@cindex Ravenscar Profile
14109
14110The @dfn{Ravenscar Profile} is a subset of the Ada tasking features,
14111specifically designed for systems with safety-critical real-time
14112requirements.
14113
14114@table @code
14115@kindex set ravenscar task-switching on
14116@cindex task switching with program using Ravenscar Profile
14117@item set ravenscar task-switching on
14118Allows task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
14119Profile. This is the default.
14120
14121@kindex set ravenscar task-switching off
14122@item set ravenscar task-switching off
14123Turn off task switching when debugging a program that uses the Ravenscar
14124Profile. This is mostly intended to disable the code that adds support
14125for the Ravenscar Profile, in case a bug in either @value{GDBN} or in
14126the Ravenscar runtime is preventing @value{GDBN} from working properly.
14127To be effective, this command should be run before the program is started.
14128
14129@kindex show ravenscar task-switching
14130@item show ravenscar task-switching
14131Show whether it is possible to switch from task to task in a program
14132using the Ravenscar Profile.
14133
14134@end table
14135
14136@node Ada Glitches
14137@subsubsection Known Peculiarities of Ada Mode
14138@cindex Ada, problems
14139
14140Besides the omissions listed previously (@pxref{Omissions from Ada}),
14141we know of several problems with and limitations of Ada mode in
14142@value{GDBN},
14143some of which will be fixed with planned future releases of the debugger
14144and the GNU Ada compiler.
14145
14146@itemize @bullet
14147@item
14148Static constants that the compiler chooses not to materialize as objects in
14149storage are invisible to the debugger.
14150
14151@item
14152Named parameter associations in function argument lists are ignored (the
14153argument lists are treated as positional).
14154
14155@item
14156Many useful library packages are currently invisible to the debugger.
14157
14158@item
14159Fixed-point arithmetic, conversions, input, and output is carried out using
14160floating-point arithmetic, and may give results that only approximate those on
14161the host machine.
14162
14163@item
14164The GNAT compiler never generates the prefix @code{Standard} for any of
14165the standard symbols defined by the Ada language. @value{GDBN} knows about
14166this: it will strip the prefix from names when you use it, and will never
14167look for a name you have so qualified among local symbols, nor match against
14168symbols in other packages or subprograms. If you have
14169defined entities anywhere in your program other than parameters and
14170local variables whose simple names match names in @code{Standard},
14171GNAT's lack of qualification here can cause confusion. When this happens,
14172you can usually resolve the confusion
14173by qualifying the problematic names with package
14174@code{Standard} explicitly.
14175@end itemize
14176
14177Older versions of the compiler sometimes generate erroneous debugging
14178information, resulting in the debugger incorrectly printing the value
14179of affected entities. In some cases, the debugger is able to work
14180around an issue automatically. In other cases, the debugger is able
14181to work around the issue, but the work-around has to be specifically
14182enabled.
14183
14184@kindex set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
14185@kindex show ada trust-PAD-over-XVS
14186@table @code
14187
14188@item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS on
14189Configure GDB to strictly follow the GNAT encoding when computing the
14190value of Ada entities, particularly when @code{PAD} and @code{PAD___XVS}
14191types are involved (see @code{ada/exp_dbug.ads} in the GCC sources for
14192a complete description of the encoding used by the GNAT compiler).
14193This is the default.
14194
14195@item set ada trust-PAD-over-XVS off
14196This is related to the encoding using by the GNAT compiler. If @value{GDBN}
14197sometimes prints the wrong value for certain entities, changing @code{ada
14198trust-PAD-over-XVS} to @code{off} activates a work-around which may fix
14199the issue. It is always safe to set @code{ada trust-PAD-over-XVS} to
14200@code{off}, but this incurs a slight performance penalty, so it is
14201recommended to leave this setting to @code{on} unless necessary.
14202
14203@end table
14204
14205@node Unsupported Languages
14206@section Unsupported Languages
14207
14208@cindex unsupported languages
14209@cindex minimal language
14210In addition to the other fully-supported programming languages,
14211@value{GDBN} also provides a pseudo-language, called @code{minimal}.
14212It does not represent a real programming language, but provides a set
14213of capabilities close to what the C or assembly languages provide.
14214This should allow most simple operations to be performed while debugging
14215an application that uses a language currently not supported by @value{GDBN}.
14216
14217If the language is set to @code{auto}, @value{GDBN} will automatically
14218select this language if the current frame corresponds to an unsupported
14219language.
14220
14221@node Symbols
14222@chapter Examining the Symbol Table
14223
14224The commands described in this chapter allow you to inquire about the
14225symbols (names of variables, functions and types) defined in your
14226program. This information is inherent in the text of your program and
14227does not change as your program executes. @value{GDBN} finds it in your
14228program's symbol table, in the file indicated when you started @value{GDBN}
14229(@pxref{File Options, ,Choosing Files}), or by one of the
14230file-management commands (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
14231
14232@cindex symbol names
14233@cindex names of symbols
14234@cindex quoting names
14235Occasionally, you may need to refer to symbols that contain unusual
14236characters, which @value{GDBN} ordinarily treats as word delimiters. The
14237most frequent case is in referring to static variables in other
14238source files (@pxref{Variables,,Program Variables}). File names
14239are recorded in object files as debugging symbols, but @value{GDBN} would
14240ordinarily parse a typical file name, like @file{foo.c}, as the three words
14241@samp{foo} @samp{.} @samp{c}. To allow @value{GDBN} to recognize
14242@samp{foo.c} as a single symbol, enclose it in single quotes; for example,
14243
14244@smallexample
14245p 'foo.c'::x
14246@end smallexample
14247
14248@noindent
14249looks up the value of @code{x} in the scope of the file @file{foo.c}.
14250
14251@table @code
14252@cindex case-insensitive symbol names
14253@cindex case sensitivity in symbol names
14254@kindex set case-sensitive
14255@item set case-sensitive on
14256@itemx set case-sensitive off
14257@itemx set case-sensitive auto
14258Normally, when @value{GDBN} looks up symbols, it matches their names
14259with case sensitivity determined by the current source language.
14260Occasionally, you may wish to control that. The command @code{set
14261case-sensitive} lets you do that by specifying @code{on} for
14262case-sensitive matches or @code{off} for case-insensitive ones. If
14263you specify @code{auto}, case sensitivity is reset to the default
14264suitable for the source language. The default is case-sensitive
14265matches for all languages except for Fortran, for which the default is
14266case-insensitive matches.
14267
14268@kindex show case-sensitive
14269@item show case-sensitive
14270This command shows the current setting of case sensitivity for symbols
14271lookups.
14272
14273@kindex info address
14274@cindex address of a symbol
14275@item info address @var{symbol}
14276Describe where the data for @var{symbol} is stored. For a register
14277variable, this says which register it is kept in. For a non-register
14278local variable, this prints the stack-frame offset at which the variable
14279is always stored.
14280
14281Note the contrast with @samp{print &@var{symbol}}, which does not work
14282at all for a register variable, and for a stack local variable prints
14283the exact address of the current instantiation of the variable.
14284
14285@kindex info symbol
14286@cindex symbol from address
14287@cindex closest symbol and offset for an address
14288@item info symbol @var{addr}
14289Print the name of a symbol which is stored at the address @var{addr}.
14290If no symbol is stored exactly at @var{addr}, @value{GDBN} prints the
14291nearest symbol and an offset from it:
14292
14293@smallexample
14294(@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x54320
14295_initialize_vx + 396 in section .text
14296@end smallexample
14297
14298@noindent
14299This is the opposite of the @code{info address} command. You can use
14300it to find out the name of a variable or a function given its address.
14301
14302For dynamically linked executables, the name of executable or shared
14303library containing the symbol is also printed:
14304
14305@smallexample
14306(@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x400225
14307_start + 5 in section .text of /tmp/a.out
14308(@value{GDBP}) info symbol 0x2aaaac2811cf
14309__read_nocancel + 6 in section .text of /usr/lib64/libc.so.6
14310@end smallexample
14311
14312@kindex whatis
14313@item whatis [@var{arg}]
14314Print the data type of @var{arg}, which can be either an expression
14315or a name of a data type. With no argument, print the data type of
14316@code{$}, the last value in the value history.
14317
14318If @var{arg} is an expression (@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}), it
14319is not actually evaluated, and any side-effecting operations (such as
14320assignments or function calls) inside it do not take place.
14321
14322If @var{arg} is a variable or an expression, @code{whatis} prints its
14323literal type as it is used in the source code. If the type was
14324defined using a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will @emph{not} print
14325the data type underlying the @code{typedef}. If the type of the
14326variable or the expression is a compound data type, such as
14327@code{struct} or @code{class}, @code{whatis} never prints their
14328fields or methods. It just prints the @code{struct}/@code{class}
14329name (a.k.a.@: its @dfn{tag}). If you want to see the members of
14330such a compound data type, use @code{ptype}.
14331
14332If @var{arg} is a type name that was defined using @code{typedef},
14333@code{whatis} @dfn{unrolls} only one level of that @code{typedef}.
14334Unrolling means that @code{whatis} will show the underlying type used
14335in the @code{typedef} declaration of @var{arg}. However, if that
14336underlying type is also a @code{typedef}, @code{whatis} will not
14337unroll it.
14338
14339For C code, the type names may also have the form @samp{class
14340@var{class-name}}, @samp{struct @var{struct-tag}}, @samp{union
14341@var{union-tag}} or @samp{enum @var{enum-tag}}.
14342
14343@kindex ptype
14344@item ptype [@var{arg}]
14345@code{ptype} accepts the same arguments as @code{whatis}, but prints a
14346detailed description of the type, instead of just the name of the type.
14347@xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}.
14348
14349Contrary to @code{whatis}, @code{ptype} always unrolls any
14350@code{typedef}s in its argument declaration, whether the argument is
14351a variable, expression, or a data type. This means that @code{ptype}
14352of a variable or an expression will not print literally its type as
14353present in the source code---use @code{whatis} for that. @code{typedef}s at
14354the pointer or reference targets are also unrolled. Only @code{typedef}s of
14355fields, methods and inner @code{class typedef}s of @code{struct}s,
14356@code{class}es and @code{union}s are not unrolled even with @code{ptype}.
14357
14358For example, for this variable declaration:
14359
14360@smallexample
14361typedef double real_t;
14362struct complex @{ real_t real; double imag; @};
14363typedef struct complex complex_t;
14364complex_t var;
14365real_t *real_pointer_var;
14366@end smallexample
14367
14368@noindent
14369the two commands give this output:
14370
14371@smallexample
14372@group
14373(@value{GDBP}) whatis var
14374type = complex_t
14375(@value{GDBP}) ptype var
14376type = struct complex @{
14377 real_t real;
14378 double imag;
14379@}
14380(@value{GDBP}) whatis complex_t
14381type = struct complex
14382(@value{GDBP}) whatis struct complex
14383type = struct complex
14384(@value{GDBP}) ptype struct complex
14385type = struct complex @{
14386 real_t real;
14387 double imag;
14388@}
14389(@value{GDBP}) whatis real_pointer_var
14390type = real_t *
14391(@value{GDBP}) ptype real_pointer_var
14392type = double *
14393@end group
14394@end smallexample
14395
14396@noindent
14397As with @code{whatis}, using @code{ptype} without an argument refers to
14398the type of @code{$}, the last value in the value history.
14399
14400@cindex incomplete type
14401Sometimes, programs use opaque data types or incomplete specifications
14402of complex data structure. If the debug information included in the
14403program does not allow @value{GDBN} to display a full declaration of
14404the data type, it will say @samp{<incomplete type>}. For example,
14405given these declarations:
14406
14407@smallexample
14408 struct foo;
14409 struct foo *fooptr;
14410@end smallexample
14411
14412@noindent
14413but no definition for @code{struct foo} itself, @value{GDBN} will say:
14414
14415@smallexample
14416 (@value{GDBP}) ptype foo
14417 $1 = <incomplete type>
14418@end smallexample
14419
14420@noindent
14421``Incomplete type'' is C terminology for data types that are not
14422completely specified.
14423
14424@kindex info types
14425@item info types @var{regexp}
14426@itemx info types
14427Print a brief description of all types whose names match the regular
14428expression @var{regexp} (or all types in your program, if you supply
14429no argument). Each complete typename is matched as though it were a
14430complete line; thus, @samp{i type value} gives information on all
14431types in your program whose names include the string @code{value}, but
14432@samp{i type ^value$} gives information only on types whose complete
14433name is @code{value}.
14434
14435This command differs from @code{ptype} in two ways: first, like
14436@code{whatis}, it does not print a detailed description; second, it
14437lists all source files where a type is defined.
14438
14439@kindex info scope
14440@cindex local variables
14441@item info scope @var{location}
14442List all the variables local to a particular scope. This command
14443accepts a @var{location} argument---a function name, a source line, or
14444an address preceded by a @samp{*}, and prints all the variables local
14445to the scope defined by that location. (@xref{Specify Location}, for
14446details about supported forms of @var{location}.) For example:
14447
14448@smallexample
14449(@value{GDBP}) @b{info scope command_line_handler}
14450Scope for command_line_handler:
14451Symbol rl is an argument at stack/frame offset 8, length 4.
14452Symbol linebuffer is in static storage at address 0x150a18, length 4.
14453Symbol linelength is in static storage at address 0x150a1c, length 4.
14454Symbol p is a local variable in register $esi, length 4.
14455Symbol p1 is a local variable in register $ebx, length 4.
14456Symbol nline is a local variable in register $edx, length 4.
14457Symbol repeat is a local variable at frame offset -8, length 4.
14458@end smallexample
14459
14460@noindent
14461This command is especially useful for determining what data to collect
14462during a @dfn{trace experiment}, see @ref{Tracepoint Actions,
14463collect}.
14464
14465@kindex info source
14466@item info source
14467Show information about the current source file---that is, the source file for
14468the function containing the current point of execution:
14469@itemize @bullet
14470@item
14471the name of the source file, and the directory containing it,
14472@item
14473the directory it was compiled in,
14474@item
14475its length, in lines,
14476@item
14477which programming language it is written in,
14478@item
14479whether the executable includes debugging information for that file, and
14480if so, what format the information is in (e.g., STABS, Dwarf 2, etc.), and
14481@item
14482whether the debugging information includes information about
14483preprocessor macros.
14484@end itemize
14485
14486
14487@kindex info sources
14488@item info sources
14489Print the names of all source files in your program for which there is
14490debugging information, organized into two lists: files whose symbols
14491have already been read, and files whose symbols will be read when needed.
14492
14493@kindex info functions
14494@item info functions
14495Print the names and data types of all defined functions.
14496
14497@item info functions @var{regexp}
14498Print the names and data types of all defined functions
14499whose names contain a match for regular expression @var{regexp}.
14500Thus, @samp{info fun step} finds all functions whose names
14501include @code{step}; @samp{info fun ^step} finds those whose names
14502start with @code{step}. If a function name contains characters
14503that conflict with the regular expression language (e.g.@:
14504@samp{operator*()}), they may be quoted with a backslash.
14505
14506@kindex info variables
14507@item info variables
14508Print the names and data types of all variables that are defined
14509outside of functions (i.e.@: excluding local variables).
14510
14511@item info variables @var{regexp}
14512Print the names and data types of all variables (except for local
14513variables) whose names contain a match for regular expression
14514@var{regexp}.
14515
14516@kindex info classes
14517@cindex Objective-C, classes and selectors
14518@item info classes
14519@itemx info classes @var{regexp}
14520Display all Objective-C classes in your program, or
14521(with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
14522expression.
14523
14524@kindex info selectors
14525@item info selectors
14526@itemx info selectors @var{regexp}
14527Display all Objective-C selectors in your program, or
14528(with the @var{regexp} argument) all those matching a particular regular
14529expression.
14530
14531@ignore
14532This was never implemented.
14533@kindex info methods
14534@item info methods
14535@itemx info methods @var{regexp}
14536The @code{info methods} command permits the user to examine all defined
14537methods within C@t{++} program, or (with the @var{regexp} argument) a
14538specific set of methods found in the various C@t{++} classes. Many
14539C@t{++} classes provide a large number of methods. Thus, the output
14540from the @code{ptype} command can be overwhelming and hard to use. The
14541@code{info-methods} command filters the methods, printing only those
14542which match the regular-expression @var{regexp}.
14543@end ignore
14544
14545@cindex reloading symbols
14546Some systems allow individual object files that make up your program to
14547be replaced without stopping and restarting your program. For example,
14548in VxWorks you can simply recompile a defective object file and keep on
14549running. If you are running on one of these systems, you can allow
14550@value{GDBN} to reload the symbols for automatically relinked modules:
14551
14552@table @code
14553@kindex set symbol-reloading
14554@item set symbol-reloading on
14555Replace symbol definitions for the corresponding source file when an
14556object file with a particular name is seen again.
14557
14558@item set symbol-reloading off
14559Do not replace symbol definitions when encountering object files of the
14560same name more than once. This is the default state; if you are not
14561running on a system that permits automatic relinking of modules, you
14562should leave @code{symbol-reloading} off, since otherwise @value{GDBN}
14563may discard symbols when linking large programs, that may contain
14564several modules (from different directories or libraries) with the same
14565name.
14566
14567@kindex show symbol-reloading
14568@item show symbol-reloading
14569Show the current @code{on} or @code{off} setting.
14570@end table
14571
14572@cindex opaque data types
14573@kindex set opaque-type-resolution
14574@item set opaque-type-resolution on
14575Tell @value{GDBN} to resolve opaque types. An opaque type is a type
14576declared as a pointer to a @code{struct}, @code{class}, or
14577@code{union}---for example, @code{struct MyType *}---that is used in one
14578source file although the full declaration of @code{struct MyType} is in
14579another source file. The default is on.
14580
14581A change in the setting of this subcommand will not take effect until
14582the next time symbols for a file are loaded.
14583
14584@item set opaque-type-resolution off
14585Tell @value{GDBN} not to resolve opaque types. In this case, the type
14586is printed as follows:
14587@smallexample
14588@{<no data fields>@}
14589@end smallexample
14590
14591@kindex show opaque-type-resolution
14592@item show opaque-type-resolution
14593Show whether opaque types are resolved or not.
14594
14595@kindex maint print symbols
14596@cindex symbol dump
14597@kindex maint print psymbols
14598@cindex partial symbol dump
14599@item maint print symbols @var{filename}
14600@itemx maint print psymbols @var{filename}
14601@itemx maint print msymbols @var{filename}
14602Write a dump of debugging symbol data into the file @var{filename}.
14603These commands are used to debug the @value{GDBN} symbol-reading code. Only
14604symbols with debugging data are included. If you use @samp{maint print
14605symbols}, @value{GDBN} includes all the symbols for which it has already
14606collected full details: that is, @var{filename} reflects symbols for
14607only those files whose symbols @value{GDBN} has read. You can use the
14608command @code{info sources} to find out which files these are. If you
14609use @samp{maint print psymbols} instead, the dump shows information about
14610symbols that @value{GDBN} only knows partially---that is, symbols defined in
14611files that @value{GDBN} has skimmed, but not yet read completely. Finally,
14612@samp{maint print msymbols} dumps just the minimal symbol information
14613required for each object file from which @value{GDBN} has read some symbols.
14614@xref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}, for a discussion of how
14615@value{GDBN} reads symbols (in the description of @code{symbol-file}).
14616
14617@kindex maint info symtabs
14618@kindex maint info psymtabs
14619@cindex listing @value{GDBN}'s internal symbol tables
14620@cindex symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
14621@cindex full symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
14622@cindex partial symbol tables, listing @value{GDBN}'s internal
14623@item maint info symtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
14624@itemx maint info psymtabs @r{[} @var{regexp} @r{]}
14625
14626List the @code{struct symtab} or @code{struct partial_symtab}
14627structures whose names match @var{regexp}. If @var{regexp} is not
14628given, list them all. The output includes expressions which you can
14629copy into a @value{GDBN} debugging this one to examine a particular
14630structure in more detail. For example:
14631
14632@smallexample
14633(@value{GDBP}) maint info psymtabs dwarf2read
14634@{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
14635 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
14636 @{ psymtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
14637 ((struct partial_symtab *) 0x8474b10)
14638 readin no
14639 fullname (null)
14640 text addresses 0x814d3c8 -- 0x8158074
14641 globals (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x8507a08 @@ 9)
14642 statics (* (struct partial_symbol **) 0x40e95b78 @@ 2882)
14643 dependencies (none)
14644 @}
14645@}
14646(@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
14647(@value{GDBP})
14648@end smallexample
14649@noindent
14650We see that there is one partial symbol table whose filename contains
14651the string @samp{dwarf2read}, belonging to the @samp{gdb} executable;
14652and we see that @value{GDBN} has not read in any symtabs yet at all.
14653If we set a breakpoint on a function, that will cause @value{GDBN} to
14654read the symtab for the compilation unit containing that function:
14655
14656@smallexample
14657(@value{GDBP}) break dwarf2_psymtab_to_symtab
14658Breakpoint 1 at 0x814e5da: file /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c,
14659line 1574.
14660(@value{GDBP}) maint info symtabs
14661@{ objfile /home/gnu/build/gdb/gdb
14662 ((struct objfile *) 0x82e69d0)
14663 @{ symtab /home/gnu/src/gdb/dwarf2read.c
14664 ((struct symtab *) 0x86c1f38)
14665 dirname (null)
14666 fullname (null)
14667 blockvector ((struct blockvector *) 0x86c1bd0) (primary)
14668 linetable ((struct linetable *) 0x8370fa0)
14669 debugformat DWARF 2
14670 @}
14671@}
14672(@value{GDBP})
14673@end smallexample
14674@end table
14675
14676
14677@node Altering
14678@chapter Altering Execution
14679
14680Once you think you have found an error in your program, you might want to
14681find out for certain whether correcting the apparent error would lead to
14682correct results in the rest of the run. You can find the answer by
14683experiment, using the @value{GDBN} features for altering execution of the
14684program.
14685
14686For example, you can store new values into variables or memory
14687locations, give your program a signal, restart it at a different
14688address, or even return prematurely from a function.
14689
14690@menu
14691* Assignment:: Assignment to variables
14692* Jumping:: Continuing at a different address
14693* Signaling:: Giving your program a signal
14694* Returning:: Returning from a function
14695* Calling:: Calling your program's functions
14696* Patching:: Patching your program
14697@end menu
14698
14699@node Assignment
14700@section Assignment to Variables
14701
14702@cindex assignment
14703@cindex setting variables
14704To alter the value of a variable, evaluate an assignment expression.
14705@xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}. For example,
14706
14707@smallexample
14708print x=4
14709@end smallexample
14710
14711@noindent
14712stores the value 4 into the variable @code{x}, and then prints the
14713value of the assignment expression (which is 4).
14714@xref{Languages, ,Using @value{GDBN} with Different Languages}, for more
14715information on operators in supported languages.
14716
14717@kindex set variable
14718@cindex variables, setting
14719If you are not interested in seeing the value of the assignment, use the
14720@code{set} command instead of the @code{print} command. @code{set} is
14721really the same as @code{print} except that the expression's value is
14722not printed and is not put in the value history (@pxref{Value History,
14723,Value History}). The expression is evaluated only for its effects.
14724
14725If the beginning of the argument string of the @code{set} command
14726appears identical to a @code{set} subcommand, use the @code{set
14727variable} command instead of just @code{set}. This command is identical
14728to @code{set} except for its lack of subcommands. For example, if your
14729program has a variable @code{width}, you get an error if you try to set
14730a new value with just @samp{set width=13}, because @value{GDBN} has the
14731command @code{set width}:
14732
14733@smallexample
14734(@value{GDBP}) whatis width
14735type = double
14736(@value{GDBP}) p width
14737$4 = 13
14738(@value{GDBP}) set width=47
14739Invalid syntax in expression.
14740@end smallexample
14741
14742@noindent
14743The invalid expression, of course, is @samp{=47}. In
14744order to actually set the program's variable @code{width}, use
14745
14746@smallexample
14747(@value{GDBP}) set var width=47
14748@end smallexample
14749
14750Because the @code{set} command has many subcommands that can conflict
14751with the names of program variables, it is a good idea to use the
14752@code{set variable} command instead of just @code{set}. For example, if
14753your program has a variable @code{g}, you run into problems if you try
14754to set a new value with just @samp{set g=4}, because @value{GDBN} has
14755the command @code{set gnutarget}, abbreviated @code{set g}:
14756
14757@smallexample
14758@group
14759(@value{GDBP}) whatis g
14760type = double
14761(@value{GDBP}) p g
14762$1 = 1
14763(@value{GDBP}) set g=4
14764(@value{GDBP}) p g
14765$2 = 1
14766(@value{GDBP}) r
14767The program being debugged has been started already.
14768Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
14769Starting program: /home/smith/cc_progs/a.out
14770"/home/smith/cc_progs/a.out": can't open to read symbols:
14771 Invalid bfd target.
14772(@value{GDBP}) show g
14773The current BFD target is "=4".
14774@end group
14775@end smallexample
14776
14777@noindent
14778The program variable @code{g} did not change, and you silently set the
14779@code{gnutarget} to an invalid value. In order to set the variable
14780@code{g}, use
14781
14782@smallexample
14783(@value{GDBP}) set var g=4
14784@end smallexample
14785
14786@value{GDBN} allows more implicit conversions in assignments than C; you can
14787freely store an integer value into a pointer variable or vice versa,
14788and you can convert any structure to any other structure that is the
14789same length or shorter.
14790@comment FIXME: how do structs align/pad in these conversions?
14791@comment /doc@cygnus.com 18dec1990
14792
14793To store values into arbitrary places in memory, use the @samp{@{@dots{}@}}
14794construct to generate a value of specified type at a specified address
14795(@pxref{Expressions, ,Expressions}). For example, @code{@{int@}0x83040} refers
14796to memory location @code{0x83040} as an integer (which implies a certain size
14797and representation in memory), and
14798
14799@smallexample
14800set @{int@}0x83040 = 4
14801@end smallexample
14802
14803@noindent
14804stores the value 4 into that memory location.
14805
14806@node Jumping
14807@section Continuing at a Different Address
14808
14809Ordinarily, when you continue your program, you do so at the place where
14810it stopped, with the @code{continue} command. You can instead continue at
14811an address of your own choosing, with the following commands:
14812
14813@table @code
14814@kindex jump
14815@item jump @var{linespec}
14816@itemx jump @var{location}
14817Resume execution at line @var{linespec} or at address given by
14818@var{location}. Execution stops again immediately if there is a
14819breakpoint there. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
14820different forms of @var{linespec} and @var{location}. It is common
14821practice to use the @code{tbreak} command in conjunction with
14822@code{jump}. @xref{Set Breaks, ,Setting Breakpoints}.
14823
14824The @code{jump} command does not change the current stack frame, or
14825the stack pointer, or the contents of any memory location or any
14826register other than the program counter. If line @var{linespec} is in
14827a different function from the one currently executing, the results may
14828be bizarre if the two functions expect different patterns of arguments or
14829of local variables. For this reason, the @code{jump} command requests
14830confirmation if the specified line is not in the function currently
14831executing. However, even bizarre results are predictable if you are
14832well acquainted with the machine-language code of your program.
14833@end table
14834
14835@c Doesn't work on HP-UX; have to set $pcoqh and $pcoqt.
14836On many systems, you can get much the same effect as the @code{jump}
14837command by storing a new value into the register @code{$pc}. The
14838difference is that this does not start your program running; it only
14839changes the address of where it @emph{will} run when you continue. For
14840example,
14841
14842@smallexample
14843set $pc = 0x485
14844@end smallexample
14845
14846@noindent
14847makes the next @code{continue} command or stepping command execute at
14848address @code{0x485}, rather than at the address where your program stopped.
14849@xref{Continuing and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}.
14850
14851The most common occasion to use the @code{jump} command is to back
14852up---perhaps with more breakpoints set---over a portion of a program
14853that has already executed, in order to examine its execution in more
14854detail.
14855
14856@c @group
14857@node Signaling
14858@section Giving your Program a Signal
14859@cindex deliver a signal to a program
14860
14861@table @code
14862@kindex signal
14863@item signal @var{signal}
14864Resume execution where your program stopped, but immediately give it the
14865signal @var{signal}. @var{signal} can be the name or the number of a
14866signal. For example, on many systems @code{signal 2} and @code{signal
14867SIGINT} are both ways of sending an interrupt signal.
14868
14869Alternatively, if @var{signal} is zero, continue execution without
14870giving a signal. This is useful when your program stopped on account of
14871a signal and would ordinary see the signal when resumed with the
14872@code{continue} command; @samp{signal 0} causes it to resume without a
14873signal.
14874
14875@code{signal} does not repeat when you press @key{RET} a second time
14876after executing the command.
14877@end table
14878@c @end group
14879
14880Invoking the @code{signal} command is not the same as invoking the
14881@code{kill} utility from the shell. Sending a signal with @code{kill}
14882causes @value{GDBN} to decide what to do with the signal depending on
14883the signal handling tables (@pxref{Signals}). The @code{signal} command
14884passes the signal directly to your program.
14885
14886
14887@node Returning
14888@section Returning from a Function
14889
14890@table @code
14891@cindex returning from a function
14892@kindex return
14893@item return
14894@itemx return @var{expression}
14895You can cancel execution of a function call with the @code{return}
14896command. If you give an
14897@var{expression} argument, its value is used as the function's return
14898value.
14899@end table
14900
14901When you use @code{return}, @value{GDBN} discards the selected stack frame
14902(and all frames within it). You can think of this as making the
14903discarded frame return prematurely. If you wish to specify a value to
14904be returned, give that value as the argument to @code{return}.
14905
14906This pops the selected stack frame (@pxref{Selection, ,Selecting a
14907Frame}), and any other frames inside of it, leaving its caller as the
14908innermost remaining frame. That frame becomes selected. The
14909specified value is stored in the registers used for returning values
14910of functions.
14911
14912The @code{return} command does not resume execution; it leaves the
14913program stopped in the state that would exist if the function had just
14914returned. In contrast, the @code{finish} command (@pxref{Continuing
14915and Stepping, ,Continuing and Stepping}) resumes execution until the
14916selected stack frame returns naturally.
14917
14918@value{GDBN} needs to know how the @var{expression} argument should be set for
14919the inferior. The concrete registers assignment depends on the OS ABI and the
14920type being returned by the selected stack frame. For example it is common for
14921OS ABI to return floating point values in FPU registers while integer values in
14922CPU registers. Still some ABIs return even floating point values in CPU
14923registers. Larger integer widths (such as @code{long long int}) also have
14924specific placement rules. @value{GDBN} already knows the OS ABI from its
14925current target so it needs to find out also the type being returned to make the
14926assignment into the right register(s).
14927
14928Normally, the selected stack frame has debug info. @value{GDBN} will always
14929use the debug info instead of the implicit type of @var{expression} when the
14930debug info is available. For example, if you type @kbd{return -1}, and the
14931function in the current stack frame is declared to return a @code{long long
14932int}, @value{GDBN} transparently converts the implicit @code{int} value of -1
14933into a @code{long long int}:
14934
14935@smallexample
14936Breakpoint 1, func () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:29
1493729 return 31;
14938(@value{GDBP}) return -1
14939Make func return now? (y or n) y
14940#0 0x004004f6 in main () at gdb.base/return-nodebug.c:43
1494143 printf ("result=%lld\n", func ());
14942(@value{GDBP})
14943@end smallexample
14944
14945However, if the selected stack frame does not have a debug info, e.g., if the
14946function was compiled without debug info, @value{GDBN} has to find out the type
14947to return from user. Specifying a different type by mistake may set the value
14948in different inferior registers than the caller code expects. For example,
14949typing @kbd{return -1} with its implicit type @code{int} would set only a part
14950of a @code{long long int} result for a debug info less function (on 32-bit
14951architectures). Therefore the user is required to specify the return type by
14952an appropriate cast explicitly:
14953
14954@smallexample
14955Breakpoint 2, 0x0040050b in func ()
14956(@value{GDBP}) return -1
14957Return value type not available for selected stack frame.
14958Please use an explicit cast of the value to return.
14959(@value{GDBP}) return (long long int) -1
14960Make selected stack frame return now? (y or n) y
14961#0 0x00400526 in main ()
14962(@value{GDBP})
14963@end smallexample
14964
14965@node Calling
14966@section Calling Program Functions
14967
14968@table @code
14969@cindex calling functions
14970@cindex inferior functions, calling
14971@item print @var{expr}
14972Evaluate the expression @var{expr} and display the resulting value.
14973@var{expr} may include calls to functions in the program being
14974debugged.
14975
14976@kindex call
14977@item call @var{expr}
14978Evaluate the expression @var{expr} without displaying @code{void}
14979returned values.
14980
14981You can use this variant of the @code{print} command if you want to
14982execute a function from your program that does not return anything
14983(a.k.a.@: @dfn{a void function}), but without cluttering the output
14984with @code{void} returned values that @value{GDBN} will otherwise
14985print. If the result is not void, it is printed and saved in the
14986value history.
14987@end table
14988
14989It is possible for the function you call via the @code{print} or
14990@code{call} command to generate a signal (e.g., if there's a bug in
14991the function, or if you passed it incorrect arguments). What happens
14992in that case is controlled by the @code{set unwindonsignal} command.
14993
14994Similarly, with a C@t{++} program it is possible for the function you
14995call via the @code{print} or @code{call} command to generate an
14996exception that is not handled due to the constraints of the dummy
14997frame. In this case, any exception that is raised in the frame, but has
14998an out-of-frame exception handler will not be found. GDB builds a
14999dummy-frame for the inferior function call, and the unwinder cannot
15000seek for exception handlers outside of this dummy-frame. What happens
15001in that case is controlled by the
15002@code{set unwind-on-terminating-exception} command.
15003
15004@table @code
15005@item set unwindonsignal
15006@kindex set unwindonsignal
15007@cindex unwind stack in called functions
15008@cindex call dummy stack unwinding
15009Set unwinding of the stack if a signal is received while in a function
15010that @value{GDBN} called in the program being debugged. If set to on,
15011@value{GDBN} unwinds the stack it created for the call and restores
15012the context to what it was before the call. If set to off (the
15013default), @value{GDBN} stops in the frame where the signal was
15014received.
15015
15016@item show unwindonsignal
15017@kindex show unwindonsignal
15018Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
15019@value{GDBN}.
15020
15021@item set unwind-on-terminating-exception
15022@kindex set unwind-on-terminating-exception
15023@cindex unwind stack in called functions with unhandled exceptions
15024@cindex call dummy stack unwinding on unhandled exception.
15025Set unwinding of the stack if a C@t{++} exception is raised, but left
15026unhandled while in a function that @value{GDBN} called in the program being
15027debugged. If set to on (the default), @value{GDBN} unwinds the stack
15028it created for the call and restores the context to what it was before
15029the call. If set to off, @value{GDBN} the exception is delivered to
15030the default C@t{++} exception handler and the inferior terminated.
15031
15032@item show unwind-on-terminating-exception
15033@kindex show unwind-on-terminating-exception
15034Show the current setting of stack unwinding in the functions called by
15035@value{GDBN}.
15036
15037@end table
15038
15039@cindex weak alias functions
15040Sometimes, a function you wish to call is actually a @dfn{weak alias}
15041for another function. In such case, @value{GDBN} might not pick up
15042the type information, including the types of the function arguments,
15043which causes @value{GDBN} to call the inferior function incorrectly.
15044As a result, the called function will function erroneously and may
15045even crash. A solution to that is to use the name of the aliased
15046function instead.
15047
15048@node Patching
15049@section Patching Programs
15050
15051@cindex patching binaries
15052@cindex writing into executables
15053@cindex writing into corefiles
15054
15055By default, @value{GDBN} opens the file containing your program's
15056executable code (or the corefile) read-only. This prevents accidental
15057alterations to machine code; but it also prevents you from intentionally
15058patching your program's binary.
15059
15060If you'd like to be able to patch the binary, you can specify that
15061explicitly with the @code{set write} command. For example, you might
15062want to turn on internal debugging flags, or even to make emergency
15063repairs.
15064
15065@table @code
15066@kindex set write
15067@item set write on
15068@itemx set write off
15069If you specify @samp{set write on}, @value{GDBN} opens executable and
15070core files for both reading and writing; if you specify @kbd{set write
15071off} (the default), @value{GDBN} opens them read-only.
15072
15073If you have already loaded a file, you must load it again (using the
15074@code{exec-file} or @code{core-file} command) after changing @code{set
15075write}, for your new setting to take effect.
15076
15077@item show write
15078@kindex show write
15079Display whether executable files and core files are opened for writing
15080as well as reading.
15081@end table
15082
15083@node GDB Files
15084@chapter @value{GDBN} Files
15085
15086@value{GDBN} needs to know the file name of the program to be debugged,
15087both in order to read its symbol table and in order to start your
15088program. To debug a core dump of a previous run, you must also tell
15089@value{GDBN} the name of the core dump file.
15090
15091@menu
15092* Files:: Commands to specify files
15093* Separate Debug Files:: Debugging information in separate files
15094* Index Files:: Index files speed up GDB
15095* Symbol Errors:: Errors reading symbol files
15096* Data Files:: GDB data files
15097@end menu
15098
15099@node Files
15100@section Commands to Specify Files
15101
15102@cindex symbol table
15103@cindex core dump file
15104
15105You may want to specify executable and core dump file names. The usual
15106way to do this is at start-up time, using the arguments to
15107@value{GDBN}'s start-up commands (@pxref{Invocation, , Getting In and
15108Out of @value{GDBN}}).
15109
15110Occasionally it is necessary to change to a different file during a
15111@value{GDBN} session. Or you may run @value{GDBN} and forget to
15112specify a file you want to use. Or you are debugging a remote target
15113via @code{gdbserver} (@pxref{Server, file, Using the @code{gdbserver}
15114Program}). In these situations the @value{GDBN} commands to specify
15115new files are useful.
15116
15117@table @code
15118@cindex executable file
15119@kindex file
15120@item file @var{filename}
15121Use @var{filename} as the program to be debugged. It is read for its
15122symbols and for the contents of pure memory. It is also the program
15123executed when you use the @code{run} command. If you do not specify a
15124directory and the file is not found in the @value{GDBN} working directory,
15125@value{GDBN} uses the environment variable @code{PATH} as a list of
15126directories to search, just as the shell does when looking for a program
15127to run. You can change the value of this variable, for both @value{GDBN}
15128and your program, using the @code{path} command.
15129
15130@cindex unlinked object files
15131@cindex patching object files
15132You can load unlinked object @file{.o} files into @value{GDBN} using
15133the @code{file} command. You will not be able to ``run'' an object
15134file, but you can disassemble functions and inspect variables. Also,
15135if the underlying BFD functionality supports it, you could use
15136@kbd{gdb -write} to patch object files using this technique. Note
15137that @value{GDBN} can neither interpret nor modify relocations in this
15138case, so branches and some initialized variables will appear to go to
15139the wrong place. But this feature is still handy from time to time.
15140
15141@item file
15142@code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it
15143has on both executable file and the symbol table.
15144
15145@kindex exec-file
15146@item exec-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
15147Specify that the program to be run (but not the symbol table) is found
15148in @var{filename}. @value{GDBN} searches the environment variable @code{PATH}
15149if necessary to locate your program. Omitting @var{filename} means to
15150discard information on the executable file.
15151
15152@kindex symbol-file
15153@item symbol-file @r{[} @var{filename} @r{]}
15154Read symbol table information from file @var{filename}. @code{PATH} is
15155searched when necessary. Use the @code{file} command to get both symbol
15156table and program to run from the same file.
15157
15158@code{symbol-file} with no argument clears out @value{GDBN} information on your
15159program's symbol table.
15160
15161The @code{symbol-file} command causes @value{GDBN} to forget the contents of
15162some breakpoints and auto-display expressions. This is because they may
15163contain pointers to the internal data recording symbols and data types,
15164which are part of the old symbol table data being discarded inside
15165@value{GDBN}.
15166
15167@code{symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after
15168executing it once.
15169
15170When @value{GDBN} is configured for a particular environment, it
15171understands debugging information in whatever format is the standard
15172generated for that environment; you may use either a @sc{gnu} compiler, or
15173other compilers that adhere to the local conventions.
15174Best results are usually obtained from @sc{gnu} compilers; for example,
15175using @code{@value{NGCC}} you can generate debugging information for
15176optimized code.
15177
15178For most kinds of object files, with the exception of old SVR3 systems
15179using COFF, the @code{symbol-file} command does not normally read the
15180symbol table in full right away. Instead, it scans the symbol table
15181quickly to find which source files and which symbols are present. The
15182details are read later, one source file at a time, as they are needed.
15183
15184The purpose of this two-stage reading strategy is to make @value{GDBN}
15185start up faster. For the most part, it is invisible except for
15186occasional pauses while the symbol table details for a particular source
15187file are being read. (The @code{set verbose} command can turn these
15188pauses into messages if desired. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional
15189Warnings and Messages}.)
15190
15191We have not implemented the two-stage strategy for COFF yet. When the
15192symbol table is stored in COFF format, @code{symbol-file} reads the
15193symbol table data in full right away. Note that ``stabs-in-COFF''
15194still does the two-stage strategy, since the debug info is actually
15195in stabs format.
15196
15197@kindex readnow
15198@cindex reading symbols immediately
15199@cindex symbols, reading immediately
15200@item symbol-file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
15201@itemx file @r{[} -readnow @r{]} @var{filename}
15202You can override the @value{GDBN} two-stage strategy for reading symbol
15203tables by using the @samp{-readnow} option with any of the commands that
15204load symbol table information, if you want to be sure @value{GDBN} has the
15205entire symbol table available.
15206
15207@c FIXME: for now no mention of directories, since this seems to be in
15208@c flux. 13mar1992 status is that in theory GDB would look either in
15209@c current dir or in same dir as myprog; but issues like competing
15210@c GDB's, or clutter in system dirs, mean that in practice right now
15211@c only current dir is used. FFish says maybe a special GDB hierarchy
15212@c (eg rooted in val of env var GDBSYMS) could exist for mappable symbol
15213@c files.
15214
15215@kindex core-file
15216@item core-file @r{[}@var{filename}@r{]}
15217@itemx core
15218Specify the whereabouts of a core dump file to be used as the ``contents
15219of memory''. Traditionally, core files contain only some parts of the
15220address space of the process that generated them; @value{GDBN} can access the
15221executable file itself for other parts.
15222
15223@code{core-file} with no argument specifies that no core file is
15224to be used.
15225
15226Note that the core file is ignored when your program is actually running
15227under @value{GDBN}. So, if you have been running your program and you
15228wish to debug a core file instead, you must kill the subprocess in which
15229the program is running. To do this, use the @code{kill} command
15230(@pxref{Kill Process, ,Killing the Child Process}).
15231
15232@kindex add-symbol-file
15233@cindex dynamic linking
15234@item add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address}
15235@itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} @r{[} -readnow @r{]}
15236@itemx add-symbol-file @var{filename} @var{address} -s @var{section} @var{address} @dots{}
15237The @code{add-symbol-file} command reads additional symbol table
15238information from the file @var{filename}. You would use this command
15239when @var{filename} has been dynamically loaded (by some other means)
15240into the program that is running. @var{address} should be the memory
15241address at which the file has been loaded; @value{GDBN} cannot figure
15242this out for itself. You can additionally specify an arbitrary number
15243of @samp{-s @var{section} @var{address}} pairs, to give an explicit
15244section name and base address for that section. You can specify any
15245@var{address} as an expression.
15246
15247The symbol table of the file @var{filename} is added to the symbol table
15248originally read with the @code{symbol-file} command. You can use the
15249@code{add-symbol-file} command any number of times; the new symbol data
15250thus read keeps adding to the old. To discard all old symbol data
15251instead, use the @code{symbol-file} command without any arguments.
15252
15253@cindex relocatable object files, reading symbols from
15254@cindex object files, relocatable, reading symbols from
15255@cindex reading symbols from relocatable object files
15256@cindex symbols, reading from relocatable object files
15257@cindex @file{.o} files, reading symbols from
15258Although @var{filename} is typically a shared library file, an
15259executable file, or some other object file which has been fully
15260relocated for loading into a process, you can also load symbolic
15261information from relocatable @file{.o} files, as long as:
15262
15263@itemize @bullet
15264@item
15265the file's symbolic information refers only to linker symbols defined in
15266that file, not to symbols defined by other object files,
15267@item
15268every section the file's symbolic information refers to has actually
15269been loaded into the inferior, as it appears in the file, and
15270@item
15271you can determine the address at which every section was loaded, and
15272provide these to the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
15273@end itemize
15274
15275@noindent
15276Some embedded operating systems, like Sun Chorus and VxWorks, can load
15277relocatable files into an already running program; such systems
15278typically make the requirements above easy to meet. However, it's
15279important to recognize that many native systems use complex link
15280procedures (@code{.linkonce} section factoring and C@t{++} constructor table
15281assembly, for example) that make the requirements difficult to meet. In
15282general, one cannot assume that using @code{add-symbol-file} to read a
15283relocatable object file's symbolic information will have the same effect
15284as linking the relocatable object file into the program in the normal
15285way.
15286
15287@code{add-symbol-file} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} after using it.
15288
15289@kindex add-symbol-file-from-memory
15290@cindex @code{syscall DSO}
15291@cindex load symbols from memory
15292@item add-symbol-file-from-memory @var{address}
15293Load symbols from the given @var{address} in a dynamically loaded
15294object file whose image is mapped directly into the inferior's memory.
15295For example, the Linux kernel maps a @code{syscall DSO} into each
15296process's address space; this DSO provides kernel-specific code for
15297some system calls. The argument can be any expression whose
15298evaluation yields the address of the file's shared object file header.
15299For this command to work, you must have used @code{symbol-file} or
15300@code{exec-file} commands in advance.
15301
15302@kindex add-shared-symbol-files
15303@kindex assf
15304@item add-shared-symbol-files @var{library-file}
15305@itemx assf @var{library-file}
15306The @code{add-shared-symbol-files} command can currently be used only
15307in the Cygwin build of @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows OS, where it is an
15308alias for the @code{dll-symbols} command (@pxref{Cygwin Native}).
15309@value{GDBN} automatically looks for shared libraries, however if
15310@value{GDBN} does not find yours, you can invoke
15311@code{add-shared-symbol-files}. It takes one argument: the shared
15312library's file name. @code{assf} is a shorthand alias for
15313@code{add-shared-symbol-files}.
15314
15315@kindex section
15316@item section @var{section} @var{addr}
15317The @code{section} command changes the base address of the named
15318@var{section} of the exec file to @var{addr}. This can be used if the
15319exec file does not contain section addresses, (such as in the
15320@code{a.out} format), or when the addresses specified in the file
15321itself are wrong. Each section must be changed separately. The
15322@code{info files} command, described below, lists all the sections and
15323their addresses.
15324
15325@kindex info files
15326@kindex info target
15327@item info files
15328@itemx info target
15329@code{info files} and @code{info target} are synonymous; both print the
15330current target (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}),
15331including the names of the executable and core dump files currently in
15332use by @value{GDBN}, and the files from which symbols were loaded. The
15333command @code{help target} lists all possible targets rather than
15334current ones.
15335
15336@kindex maint info sections
15337@item maint info sections
15338Another command that can give you extra information about program sections
15339is @code{maint info sections}. In addition to the section information
15340displayed by @code{info files}, this command displays the flags and file
15341offset of each section in the executable and core dump files. In addition,
15342@code{maint info sections} provides the following command options (which
15343may be arbitrarily combined):
15344
15345@table @code
15346@item ALLOBJ
15347Display sections for all loaded object files, including shared libraries.
15348@item @var{sections}
15349Display info only for named @var{sections}.
15350@item @var{section-flags}
15351Display info only for sections for which @var{section-flags} are true.
15352The section flags that @value{GDBN} currently knows about are:
15353@table @code
15354@item ALLOC
15355Section will have space allocated in the process when loaded.
15356Set for all sections except those containing debug information.
15357@item LOAD
15358Section will be loaded from the file into the child process memory.
15359Set for pre-initialized code and data, clear for @code{.bss} sections.
15360@item RELOC
15361Section needs to be relocated before loading.
15362@item READONLY
15363Section cannot be modified by the child process.
15364@item CODE
15365Section contains executable code only.
15366@item DATA
15367Section contains data only (no executable code).
15368@item ROM
15369Section will reside in ROM.
15370@item CONSTRUCTOR
15371Section contains data for constructor/destructor lists.
15372@item HAS_CONTENTS
15373Section is not empty.
15374@item NEVER_LOAD
15375An instruction to the linker to not output the section.
15376@item COFF_SHARED_LIBRARY
15377A notification to the linker that the section contains
15378COFF shared library information.
15379@item IS_COMMON
15380Section contains common symbols.
15381@end table
15382@end table
15383@kindex set trust-readonly-sections
15384@cindex read-only sections
15385@item set trust-readonly-sections on
15386Tell @value{GDBN} that readonly sections in your object file
15387really are read-only (i.e.@: that their contents will not change).
15388In that case, @value{GDBN} can fetch values from these sections
15389out of the object file, rather than from the target program.
15390For some targets (notably embedded ones), this can be a significant
15391enhancement to debugging performance.
15392
15393The default is off.
15394
15395@item set trust-readonly-sections off
15396Tell @value{GDBN} not to trust readonly sections. This means that
15397the contents of the section might change while the program is running,
15398and must therefore be fetched from the target when needed.
15399
15400@item show trust-readonly-sections
15401Show the current setting of trusting readonly sections.
15402@end table
15403
15404All file-specifying commands allow both absolute and relative file names
15405as arguments. @value{GDBN} always converts the file name to an absolute file
15406name and remembers it that way.
15407
15408@cindex shared libraries
15409@anchor{Shared Libraries}
15410@value{GDBN} supports @sc{gnu}/Linux, MS-Windows, HP-UX, SunOS, SVr4, Irix,
15411and IBM RS/6000 AIX shared libraries.
15412
15413On MS-Windows @value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support
15414shared libraries. @xref{Expat}.
15415
15416@value{GDBN} automatically loads symbol definitions from shared libraries
15417when you use the @code{run} command, or when you examine a core file.
15418(Before you issue the @code{run} command, @value{GDBN} does not understand
15419references to a function in a shared library, however---unless you are
15420debugging a core file).
15421
15422On HP-UX, if the program loads a library explicitly, @value{GDBN}
15423automatically loads the symbols at the time of the @code{shl_load} call.
15424
15425@c FIXME: some @value{GDBN} release may permit some refs to undef
15426@c FIXME...symbols---eg in a break cmd---assuming they are from a shared
15427@c FIXME...lib; check this from time to time when updating manual
15428
15429There are times, however, when you may wish to not automatically load
15430symbol definitions from shared libraries, such as when they are
15431particularly large or there are many of them.
15432
15433To control the automatic loading of shared library symbols, use the
15434commands:
15435
15436@table @code
15437@kindex set auto-solib-add
15438@item set auto-solib-add @var{mode}
15439If @var{mode} is @code{on}, symbols from all shared object libraries
15440will be loaded automatically when the inferior begins execution, you
15441attach to an independently started inferior, or when the dynamic linker
15442informs @value{GDBN} that a new library has been loaded. If @var{mode}
15443is @code{off}, symbols must be loaded manually, using the
15444@code{sharedlibrary} command. The default value is @code{on}.
15445
15446@cindex memory used for symbol tables
15447If your program uses lots of shared libraries with debug info that
15448takes large amounts of memory, you can decrease the @value{GDBN}
15449memory footprint by preventing it from automatically loading the
15450symbols from shared libraries. To that end, type @kbd{set
15451auto-solib-add off} before running the inferior, then load each
15452library whose debug symbols you do need with @kbd{sharedlibrary
15453@var{regexp}}, where @var{regexp} is a regular expression that matches
15454the libraries whose symbols you want to be loaded.
15455
15456@kindex show auto-solib-add
15457@item show auto-solib-add
15458Display the current autoloading mode.
15459@end table
15460
15461@cindex load shared library
15462To explicitly load shared library symbols, use the @code{sharedlibrary}
15463command:
15464
15465@table @code
15466@kindex info sharedlibrary
15467@kindex info share
15468@item info share @var{regex}
15469@itemx info sharedlibrary @var{regex}
15470Print the names of the shared libraries which are currently loaded
15471that match @var{regex}. If @var{regex} is omitted then print
15472all shared libraries that are loaded.
15473
15474@kindex sharedlibrary
15475@kindex share
15476@item sharedlibrary @var{regex}
15477@itemx share @var{regex}
15478Load shared object library symbols for files matching a
15479Unix regular expression.
15480As with files loaded automatically, it only loads shared libraries
15481required by your program for a core file or after typing @code{run}. If
15482@var{regex} is omitted all shared libraries required by your program are
15483loaded.
15484
15485@item nosharedlibrary
15486@kindex nosharedlibrary
15487@cindex unload symbols from shared libraries
15488Unload all shared object library symbols. This discards all symbols
15489that have been loaded from all shared libraries. Symbols from shared
15490libraries that were loaded by explicit user requests are not
15491discarded.
15492@end table
15493
15494Sometimes you may wish that @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control
15495when any of shared library events happen. Use the @code{set
15496stop-on-solib-events} command for this:
15497
15498@table @code
15499@item set stop-on-solib-events
15500@kindex set stop-on-solib-events
15501This command controls whether @value{GDBN} should give you control
15502when the dynamic linker notifies it about some shared library event.
15503The most common event of interest is loading or unloading of a new
15504shared library.
15505
15506@item show stop-on-solib-events
15507@kindex show stop-on-solib-events
15508Show whether @value{GDBN} stops and gives you control when shared
15509library events happen.
15510@end table
15511
15512Shared libraries are also supported in many cross or remote debugging
15513configurations. @value{GDBN} needs to have access to the target's libraries;
15514this can be accomplished either by providing copies of the libraries
15515on the host system, or by asking @value{GDBN} to automatically retrieve the
15516libraries from the target. If copies of the target libraries are
15517provided, they need to be the same as the target libraries, although the
15518copies on the target can be stripped as long as the copies on the host are
15519not.
15520
15521@cindex where to look for shared libraries
15522For remote debugging, you need to tell @value{GDBN} where the target
15523libraries are, so that it can load the correct copies---otherwise, it
15524may try to load the host's libraries. @value{GDBN} has two variables
15525to specify the search directories for target libraries.
15526
15527@table @code
15528@cindex prefix for shared library file names
15529@cindex system root, alternate
15530@kindex set solib-absolute-prefix
15531@kindex set sysroot
15532@item set sysroot @var{path}
15533Use @var{path} as the system root for the program being debugged. Any
15534absolute shared library paths will be prefixed with @var{path}; many
15535runtime loaders store the absolute paths to the shared library in the
15536target program's memory. If you use @code{set sysroot} to find shared
15537libraries, they need to be laid out in the same way that they are on
15538the target, with e.g.@: a @file{/lib} and @file{/usr/lib} hierarchy
15539under @var{path}.
15540
15541If @var{path} starts with the sequence @file{remote:}, @value{GDBN} will
15542retrieve the target libraries from the remote system. This is only
15543supported when using a remote target that supports the @code{remote get}
15544command (@pxref{File Transfer,,Sending files to a remote system}).
15545The part of @var{path} following the initial @file{remote:}
15546(if present) is used as system root prefix on the remote file system.
15547@footnote{If you want to specify a local system root using a directory
15548that happens to be named @file{remote:}, you need to use some equivalent
15549variant of the name like @file{./remote:}.}
15550
15551For targets with an MS-DOS based filesystem, such as MS-Windows and
15552SymbianOS, @value{GDBN} tries prefixing a few variants of the target
15553absolute file name with @var{path}. But first, on Unix hosts,
15554@value{GDBN} converts all backslash directory separators into forward
15555slashes, because the backslash is not a directory separator on Unix:
15556
15557@smallexample
15558 c:\foo\bar.dll @result{} c:/foo/bar.dll
15559@end smallexample
15560
15561Then, @value{GDBN} attempts prefixing the target file name with
15562@var{path}, and looks for the resulting file name in the host file
15563system:
15564
15565@smallexample
15566 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c:/foo/bar.dll
15567@end smallexample
15568
15569If that does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries removing
15570the @samp{:} character from the drive spec, both for convenience, and,
15571for the case of the host file system not supporting file names with
15572colons:
15573
15574@smallexample
15575 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/c/foo/bar.dll
15576@end smallexample
15577
15578This makes it possible to have a system root that mirrors a target
15579with more than one drive. E.g., you may want to setup your local
15580copies of the target system shared libraries like so (note @samp{c} vs
15581@samp{z}):
15582
15583@smallexample
15584 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/foo.dll}
15585 @file{/path/to/sysroot/c/sys/bin/bar.dll}
15586 @file{/path/to/sysroot/z/sys/bin/bar.dll}
15587@end smallexample
15588
15589@noindent
15590and point the system root at @file{/path/to/sysroot}, so that
15591@value{GDBN} can find the correct copies of both
15592@file{c:\sys\bin\foo.dll}, and @file{z:\sys\bin\bar.dll}.
15593
15594If that still does not find the shared library, @value{GDBN} tries
15595removing the whole drive spec from the target file name:
15596
15597@smallexample
15598 c:/foo/bar.dll @result{} /path/to/sysroot/foo/bar.dll
15599@end smallexample
15600
15601This last lookup makes it possible to not care about the drive name,
15602if you don't want or need to.
15603
15604The @code{set solib-absolute-prefix} command is an alias for @code{set
15605sysroot}.
15606
15607@cindex default system root
15608@cindex @samp{--with-sysroot}
15609You can set the default system root by using the configure-time
15610@samp{--with-sysroot} option. If the system root is inside
15611@value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
15612@samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default system root will be updated
15613automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
15614location.
15615
15616@kindex show sysroot
15617@item show sysroot
15618Display the current shared library prefix.
15619
15620@kindex set solib-search-path
15621@item set solib-search-path @var{path}
15622If this variable is set, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
15623directories to search for shared libraries. @samp{solib-search-path}
15624is used after @samp{sysroot} fails to locate the library, or if the
15625path to the library is relative instead of absolute. If you want to
15626use @samp{solib-search-path} instead of @samp{sysroot}, be sure to set
15627@samp{sysroot} to a nonexistent directory to prevent @value{GDBN} from
15628finding your host's libraries. @samp{sysroot} is preferred; setting
15629it to a nonexistent directory may interfere with automatic loading
15630of shared library symbols.
15631
15632@kindex show solib-search-path
15633@item show solib-search-path
15634Display the current shared library search path.
15635
15636@cindex DOS file-name semantics of file names.
15637@kindex set target-file-system-kind (unix|dos-based|auto)
15638@kindex show target-file-system-kind
15639@item set target-file-system-kind @var{kind}
15640Set assumed file system kind for target reported file names.
15641
15642Shared library file names as reported by the target system may not
15643make sense as is on the system @value{GDBN} is running on. For
15644example, when remote debugging a target that has MS-DOS based file
15645system semantics, from a Unix host, the target may be reporting to
15646@value{GDBN} a list of loaded shared libraries with file names such as
15647@file{c:\Windows\kernel32.dll}. On Unix hosts, there's no concept of
15648drive letters, so the @samp{c:\} prefix is not normally understood as
15649indicating an absolute file name, and neither is the backslash
15650normally considered a directory separator character. In that case,
15651the native file system would interpret this whole absolute file name
15652as a relative file name with no directory components. This would make
15653it impossible to point @value{GDBN} at a copy of the remote target's
15654shared libraries on the host using @code{set sysroot}, and impractical
15655with @code{set solib-search-path}. Setting
15656@code{target-file-system-kind} to @code{dos-based} tells @value{GDBN}
15657to interpret such file names similarly to how the target would, and to
15658map them to file names valid on @value{GDBN}'s native file system
15659semantics. The value of @var{kind} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition
15660to one of the supported file system kinds. In that case, @value{GDBN}
15661tries to determine the appropriate file system variant based on the
15662current target's operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the
15663Current ABI}). The supported file system settings are:
15664
15665@table @code
15666@item unix
15667Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is of Unix
15668kind. Only file names starting the forward slash (@samp{/}) character
15669are considered absolute, and the directory separator character is also
15670the forward slash.
15671
15672@item dos-based
15673Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target file system is DOS based.
15674File names starting with either a forward slash, or a drive letter
15675followed by a colon (e.g., @samp{c:}), are considered absolute, and
15676both the slash (@samp{/}) and the backslash (@samp{\\}) characters are
15677considered directory separators.
15678
15679@item auto
15680Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the file system kind associated with the
15681target operating system (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
15682This is the default.
15683@end table
15684@end table
15685
15686
15687@node Separate Debug Files
15688@section Debugging Information in Separate Files
15689@cindex separate debugging information files
15690@cindex debugging information in separate files
15691@cindex @file{.debug} subdirectories
15692@cindex debugging information directory, global
15693@cindex global debugging information directory
15694@cindex build ID, and separate debugging files
15695@cindex @file{.build-id} directory
15696
15697@value{GDBN} allows you to put a program's debugging information in a
15698file separate from the executable itself, in a way that allows
15699@value{GDBN} to find and load the debugging information automatically.
15700Since debugging information can be very large---sometimes larger
15701than the executable code itself---some systems distribute debugging
15702information for their executables in separate files, which users can
15703install only when they need to debug a problem.
15704
15705@value{GDBN} supports two ways of specifying the separate debug info
15706file:
15707
15708@itemize @bullet
15709@item
15710The executable contains a @dfn{debug link} that specifies the name of
15711the separate debug info file. The separate debug file's name is
15712usually @file{@var{executable}.debug}, where @var{executable} is the
15713name of the corresponding executable file without leading directories
15714(e.g., @file{ls.debug} for @file{/usr/bin/ls}). In addition, the
15715debug link specifies a 32-bit @dfn{Cyclic Redundancy Check} (CRC)
15716checksum for the debug file, which @value{GDBN} uses to validate that
15717the executable and the debug file came from the same build.
15718
15719@item
15720The executable contains a @dfn{build ID}, a unique bit string that is
15721also present in the corresponding debug info file. (This is supported
15722only on some operating systems, notably those which use the ELF format
15723for binary files and the @sc{gnu} Binutils.) For more details about
15724this feature, see the description of the @option{--build-id}
15725command-line option in @ref{Options, , Command Line Options, ld.info,
15726The GNU Linker}. The debug info file's name is not specified
15727explicitly by the build ID, but can be computed from the build ID, see
15728below.
15729@end itemize
15730
15731Depending on the way the debug info file is specified, @value{GDBN}
15732uses two different methods of looking for the debug file:
15733
15734@itemize @bullet
15735@item
15736For the ``debug link'' method, @value{GDBN} looks up the named file in
15737the directory of the executable file, then in a subdirectory of that
15738directory named @file{.debug}, and finally under the global debug
15739directory, in a subdirectory whose name is identical to the leading
15740directories of the executable's absolute file name.
15741
15742@item
15743For the ``build ID'' method, @value{GDBN} looks in the
15744@file{.build-id} subdirectory of the global debug directory for a file
15745named @file{@var{nn}/@var{nnnnnnnn}.debug}, where @var{nn} are the
15746first 2 hex characters of the build ID bit string, and @var{nnnnnnnn}
15747are the rest of the bit string. (Real build ID strings are 32 or more
15748hex characters, not 10.)
15749@end itemize
15750
15751So, for example, suppose you ask @value{GDBN} to debug
15752@file{/usr/bin/ls}, which has a debug link that specifies the
15753file @file{ls.debug}, and a build ID whose value in hex is
15754@code{abcdef1234}. If the global debug directory is
15755@file{/usr/lib/debug}, then @value{GDBN} will look for the following
15756debug information files, in the indicated order:
15757
15758@itemize @minus
15759@item
15760@file{/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/ab/cdef1234.debug}
15761@item
15762@file{/usr/bin/ls.debug}
15763@item
15764@file{/usr/bin/.debug/ls.debug}
15765@item
15766@file{/usr/lib/debug/usr/bin/ls.debug}.
15767@end itemize
15768
15769You can set the global debugging info directory's name, and view the
15770name @value{GDBN} is currently using.
15771
15772@table @code
15773
15774@kindex set debug-file-directory
15775@item set debug-file-directory @var{directories}
15776Set the directories which @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
15777information files to @var{directory}. Multiple directory components can be set
15778concatenating them by a directory separator.
15779
15780@kindex show debug-file-directory
15781@item show debug-file-directory
15782Show the directories @value{GDBN} searches for separate debugging
15783information files.
15784
15785@end table
15786
15787@cindex @code{.gnu_debuglink} sections
15788@cindex debug link sections
15789A debug link is a special section of the executable file named
15790@code{.gnu_debuglink}. The section must contain:
15791
15792@itemize
15793@item
15794A filename, with any leading directory components removed, followed by
15795a zero byte,
15796@item
15797zero to three bytes of padding, as needed to reach the next four-byte
15798boundary within the section, and
15799@item
15800a four-byte CRC checksum, stored in the same endianness used for the
15801executable file itself. The checksum is computed on the debugging
15802information file's full contents by the function given below, passing
15803zero as the @var{crc} argument.
15804@end itemize
15805
15806Any executable file format can carry a debug link, as long as it can
15807contain a section named @code{.gnu_debuglink} with the contents
15808described above.
15809
15810@cindex @code{.note.gnu.build-id} sections
15811@cindex build ID sections
15812The build ID is a special section in the executable file (and in other
15813ELF binary files that @value{GDBN} may consider). This section is
15814often named @code{.note.gnu.build-id}, but that name is not mandatory.
15815It contains unique identification for the built files---the ID remains
15816the same across multiple builds of the same build tree. The default
15817algorithm SHA1 produces 160 bits (40 hexadecimal characters) of the
15818content for the build ID string. The same section with an identical
15819value is present in the original built binary with symbols, in its
15820stripped variant, and in the separate debugging information file.
15821
15822The debugging information file itself should be an ordinary
15823executable, containing a full set of linker symbols, sections, and
15824debugging information. The sections of the debugging information file
15825should have the same names, addresses, and sizes as the original file,
15826but they need not contain any data---much like a @code{.bss} section
15827in an ordinary executable.
15828
15829The @sc{gnu} binary utilities (Binutils) package includes the
15830@samp{objcopy} utility that can produce
15831the separated executable / debugging information file pairs using the
15832following commands:
15833
15834@smallexample
15835@kbd{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.debug}
15836@kbd{strip -g foo}
15837@end smallexample
15838
15839@noindent
15840These commands remove the debugging
15841information from the executable file @file{foo} and place it in the file
15842@file{foo.debug}. You can use the first, second or both methods to link the
15843two files:
15844
15845@itemize @bullet
15846@item
15847The debug link method needs the following additional command to also leave
15848behind a debug link in @file{foo}:
15849
15850@smallexample
15851@kbd{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug foo}
15852@end smallexample
15853
15854Ulrich Drepper's @file{elfutils} package, starting with version 0.53, contains
15855a version of the @code{strip} command such that the command @kbd{strip foo -f
15856foo.debug} has the same functionality as the two @code{objcopy} commands and
15857the @code{ln -s} command above, together.
15858
15859@item
15860Build ID gets embedded into the main executable using @code{ld --build-id} or
15861the @value{NGCC} counterpart @code{gcc -Wl,--build-id}. Build ID support plus
15862compatibility fixes for debug files separation are present in @sc{gnu} binary
15863utilities (Binutils) package since version 2.18.
15864@end itemize
15865
15866@noindent
15867
15868@cindex CRC algorithm definition
15869The CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink} is the CRC-32 defined in
15870IEEE 802.3 using the polynomial:
15871
15872@c TexInfo requires naked braces for multi-digit exponents for Tex
15873@c output, but this causes HTML output to barf. HTML has to be set using
15874@c raw commands. So we end up having to specify this equation in 2
15875@c different ways!
15876@ifhtml
15877@display
15878@html
15879 <em>x</em><sup>32</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>26</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>23</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>22</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>16</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>12</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>11</sup>
15880 + <em>x</em><sup>10</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>8</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>7</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>5</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>4</sup> + <em>x</em><sup>2</sup> + <em>x</em> + 1
15881@end html
15882@end display
15883@end ifhtml
15884@ifnothtml
15885@display
15886 @math{x^{32} + x^{26} + x^{23} + x^{22} + x^{16} + x^{12} + x^{11}}
15887 @math{+ x^{10} + x^8 + x^7 + x^5 + x^4 + x^2 + x + 1}
15888@end display
15889@end ifnothtml
15890
15891The function is computed byte at a time, taking the least
15892significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern
15893@code{0xffffffff} is used, to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC and
15894the final result is inverted to ensure trailing zeros also affect the
15895CRC.
15896
15897@emph{Note:} This is the same CRC polynomial as used in handling the
15898@dfn{Remote Serial Protocol} @code{qCRC} packet (@pxref{Remote Protocol,
15899, @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol}). However in the
15900case of the Remote Serial Protocol, the CRC is computed @emph{most}
15901significant bit first, and the result is not inverted, so trailing
15902zeros have no effect on the CRC value.
15903
15904To complete the description, we show below the code of the function
15905which produces the CRC used in @code{.gnu_debuglink}. Inverting the
15906initially supplied @code{crc} argument means that an initial call to
15907this function passing in zero will start computing the CRC using
15908@code{0xffffffff}.
15909
15910@kindex gnu_debuglink_crc32
15911@smallexample
15912unsigned long
15913gnu_debuglink_crc32 (unsigned long crc,
15914 unsigned char *buf, size_t len)
15915@{
15916 static const unsigned long crc32_table[256] =
15917 @{
15918 0x00000000, 0x77073096, 0xee0e612c, 0x990951ba, 0x076dc419,
15919 0x706af48f, 0xe963a535, 0x9e6495a3, 0x0edb8832, 0x79dcb8a4,
15920 0xe0d5e91e, 0x97d2d988, 0x09b64c2b, 0x7eb17cbd, 0xe7b82d07,
15921 0x90bf1d91, 0x1db71064, 0x6ab020f2, 0xf3b97148, 0x84be41de,
15922 0x1adad47d, 0x6ddde4eb, 0xf4d4b551, 0x83d385c7, 0x136c9856,
15923 0x646ba8c0, 0xfd62f97a, 0x8a65c9ec, 0x14015c4f, 0x63066cd9,
15924 0xfa0f3d63, 0x8d080df5, 0x3b6e20c8, 0x4c69105e, 0xd56041e4,
15925 0xa2677172, 0x3c03e4d1, 0x4b04d447, 0xd20d85fd, 0xa50ab56b,
15926 0x35b5a8fa, 0x42b2986c, 0xdbbbc9d6, 0xacbcf940, 0x32d86ce3,
15927 0x45df5c75, 0xdcd60dcf, 0xabd13d59, 0x26d930ac, 0x51de003a,
15928 0xc8d75180, 0xbfd06116, 0x21b4f4b5, 0x56b3c423, 0xcfba9599,
15929 0xb8bda50f, 0x2802b89e, 0x5f058808, 0xc60cd9b2, 0xb10be924,
15930 0x2f6f7c87, 0x58684c11, 0xc1611dab, 0xb6662d3d, 0x76dc4190,
15931 0x01db7106, 0x98d220bc, 0xefd5102a, 0x71b18589, 0x06b6b51f,
15932 0x9fbfe4a5, 0xe8b8d433, 0x7807c9a2, 0x0f00f934, 0x9609a88e,
15933 0xe10e9818, 0x7f6a0dbb, 0x086d3d2d, 0x91646c97, 0xe6635c01,
15934 0x6b6b51f4, 0x1c6c6162, 0x856530d8, 0xf262004e, 0x6c0695ed,
15935 0x1b01a57b, 0x8208f4c1, 0xf50fc457, 0x65b0d9c6, 0x12b7e950,
15936 0x8bbeb8ea, 0xfcb9887c, 0x62dd1ddf, 0x15da2d49, 0x8cd37cf3,
15937 0xfbd44c65, 0x4db26158, 0x3ab551ce, 0xa3bc0074, 0xd4bb30e2,
15938 0x4adfa541, 0x3dd895d7, 0xa4d1c46d, 0xd3d6f4fb, 0x4369e96a,
15939 0x346ed9fc, 0xad678846, 0xda60b8d0, 0x44042d73, 0x33031de5,
15940 0xaa0a4c5f, 0xdd0d7cc9, 0x5005713c, 0x270241aa, 0xbe0b1010,
15941 0xc90c2086, 0x5768b525, 0x206f85b3, 0xb966d409, 0xce61e49f,
15942 0x5edef90e, 0x29d9c998, 0xb0d09822, 0xc7d7a8b4, 0x59b33d17,
15943 0x2eb40d81, 0xb7bd5c3b, 0xc0ba6cad, 0xedb88320, 0x9abfb3b6,
15944 0x03b6e20c, 0x74b1d29a, 0xead54739, 0x9dd277af, 0x04db2615,
15945 0x73dc1683, 0xe3630b12, 0x94643b84, 0x0d6d6a3e, 0x7a6a5aa8,
15946 0xe40ecf0b, 0x9309ff9d, 0x0a00ae27, 0x7d079eb1, 0xf00f9344,
15947 0x8708a3d2, 0x1e01f268, 0x6906c2fe, 0xf762575d, 0x806567cb,
15948 0x196c3671, 0x6e6b06e7, 0xfed41b76, 0x89d32be0, 0x10da7a5a,
15949 0x67dd4acc, 0xf9b9df6f, 0x8ebeeff9, 0x17b7be43, 0x60b08ed5,
15950 0xd6d6a3e8, 0xa1d1937e, 0x38d8c2c4, 0x4fdff252, 0xd1bb67f1,
15951 0xa6bc5767, 0x3fb506dd, 0x48b2364b, 0xd80d2bda, 0xaf0a1b4c,
15952 0x36034af6, 0x41047a60, 0xdf60efc3, 0xa867df55, 0x316e8eef,
15953 0x4669be79, 0xcb61b38c, 0xbc66831a, 0x256fd2a0, 0x5268e236,
15954 0xcc0c7795, 0xbb0b4703, 0x220216b9, 0x5505262f, 0xc5ba3bbe,
15955 0xb2bd0b28, 0x2bb45a92, 0x5cb36a04, 0xc2d7ffa7, 0xb5d0cf31,
15956 0x2cd99e8b, 0x5bdeae1d, 0x9b64c2b0, 0xec63f226, 0x756aa39c,
15957 0x026d930a, 0x9c0906a9, 0xeb0e363f, 0x72076785, 0x05005713,
15958 0x95bf4a82, 0xe2b87a14, 0x7bb12bae, 0x0cb61b38, 0x92d28e9b,
15959 0xe5d5be0d, 0x7cdcefb7, 0x0bdbdf21, 0x86d3d2d4, 0xf1d4e242,
15960 0x68ddb3f8, 0x1fda836e, 0x81be16cd, 0xf6b9265b, 0x6fb077e1,
15961 0x18b74777, 0x88085ae6, 0xff0f6a70, 0x66063bca, 0x11010b5c,
15962 0x8f659eff, 0xf862ae69, 0x616bffd3, 0x166ccf45, 0xa00ae278,
15963 0xd70dd2ee, 0x4e048354, 0x3903b3c2, 0xa7672661, 0xd06016f7,
15964 0x4969474d, 0x3e6e77db, 0xaed16a4a, 0xd9d65adc, 0x40df0b66,
15965 0x37d83bf0, 0xa9bcae53, 0xdebb9ec5, 0x47b2cf7f, 0x30b5ffe9,
15966 0xbdbdf21c, 0xcabac28a, 0x53b39330, 0x24b4a3a6, 0xbad03605,
15967 0xcdd70693, 0x54de5729, 0x23d967bf, 0xb3667a2e, 0xc4614ab8,
15968 0x5d681b02, 0x2a6f2b94, 0xb40bbe37, 0xc30c8ea1, 0x5a05df1b,
15969 0x2d02ef8d
15970 @};
15971 unsigned char *end;
15972
15973 crc = ~crc & 0xffffffff;
15974 for (end = buf + len; buf < end; ++buf)
15975 crc = crc32_table[(crc ^ *buf) & 0xff] ^ (crc >> 8);
15976 return ~crc & 0xffffffff;
15977@}
15978@end smallexample
15979
15980@noindent
15981This computation does not apply to the ``build ID'' method.
15982
15983
15984@node Index Files
15985@section Index Files Speed Up @value{GDBN}
15986@cindex index files
15987@cindex @samp{.gdb_index} section
15988
15989When @value{GDBN} finds a symbol file, it scans the symbols in the
15990file in order to construct an internal symbol table. This lets most
15991@value{GDBN} operations work quickly---at the cost of a delay early
15992on. For large programs, this delay can be quite lengthy, so
15993@value{GDBN} provides a way to build an index, which speeds up
15994startup.
15995
15996The index is stored as a section in the symbol file. @value{GDBN} can
15997write the index to a file, then you can put it into the symbol file
15998using @command{objcopy}.
15999
16000To create an index file, use the @code{save gdb-index} command:
16001
16002@table @code
16003@item save gdb-index @var{directory}
16004@kindex save gdb-index
16005Create an index file for each symbol file currently known by
16006@value{GDBN}. Each file is named after its corresponding symbol file,
16007with @samp{.gdb-index} appended, and is written into the given
16008@var{directory}.
16009@end table
16010
16011Once you have created an index file you can merge it into your symbol
16012file, here named @file{symfile}, using @command{objcopy}:
16013
16014@smallexample
16015$ objcopy --add-section .gdb_index=symfile.gdb-index \
16016 --set-section-flags .gdb_index=readonly symfile symfile
16017@end smallexample
16018
16019There are currently some limitation on indices. They only work when
16020for DWARF debugging information, not stabs. And, they do not
16021currently work for programs using Ada.
16022
16023@node Symbol Errors
16024@section Errors Reading Symbol Files
16025
16026While reading a symbol file, @value{GDBN} occasionally encounters problems,
16027such as symbol types it does not recognize, or known bugs in compiler
16028output. By default, @value{GDBN} does not notify you of such problems, since
16029they are relatively common and primarily of interest to people
16030debugging compilers. If you are interested in seeing information
16031about ill-constructed symbol tables, you can either ask @value{GDBN} to print
16032only one message about each such type of problem, no matter how many
16033times the problem occurs; or you can ask @value{GDBN} to print more messages,
16034to see how many times the problems occur, with the @code{set
16035complaints} command (@pxref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
16036Messages}).
16037
16038The messages currently printed, and their meanings, include:
16039
16040@table @code
16041@item inner block not inside outer block in @var{symbol}
16042
16043The symbol information shows where symbol scopes begin and end
16044(such as at the start of a function or a block of statements). This
16045error indicates that an inner scope block is not fully contained
16046in its outer scope blocks.
16047
16048@value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the inner block as if it had
16049the same scope as the outer block. In the error message, @var{symbol}
16050may be shown as ``@code{(don't know)}'' if the outer block is not a
16051function.
16052
16053@item block at @var{address} out of order
16054
16055The symbol information for symbol scope blocks should occur in
16056order of increasing addresses. This error indicates that it does not
16057do so.
16058
16059@value{GDBN} does not circumvent this problem, and has trouble
16060locating symbols in the source file whose symbols it is reading. (You
16061can often determine what source file is affected by specifying
16062@code{set verbose on}. @xref{Messages/Warnings, ,Optional Warnings and
16063Messages}.)
16064
16065@item bad block start address patched
16066
16067The symbol information for a symbol scope block has a start address
16068smaller than the address of the preceding source line. This is known
16069to occur in the SunOS 4.1.1 (and earlier) C compiler.
16070
16071@value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by treating the symbol scope block as
16072starting on the previous source line.
16073
16074@item bad string table offset in symbol @var{n}
16075
16076@cindex foo
16077Symbol number @var{n} contains a pointer into the string table which is
16078larger than the size of the string table.
16079
16080@value{GDBN} circumvents the problem by considering the symbol to have the
16081name @code{foo}, which may cause other problems if many symbols end up
16082with this name.
16083
16084@item unknown symbol type @code{0x@var{nn}}
16085
16086The symbol information contains new data types that @value{GDBN} does
16087not yet know how to read. @code{0x@var{nn}} is the symbol type of the
16088uncomprehended information, in hexadecimal.
16089
16090@value{GDBN} circumvents the error by ignoring this symbol information.
16091This usually allows you to debug your program, though certain symbols
16092are not accessible. If you encounter such a problem and feel like
16093debugging it, you can debug @code{@value{GDBP}} with itself, breakpoint
16094on @code{complain}, then go up to the function @code{read_dbx_symtab}
16095and examine @code{*bufp} to see the symbol.
16096
16097@item stub type has NULL name
16098
16099@value{GDBN} could not find the full definition for a struct or class.
16100
16101@item const/volatile indicator missing (ok if using g++ v1.x), got@dots{}
16102The symbol information for a C@t{++} member function is missing some
16103information that recent versions of the compiler should have output for
16104it.
16105
16106@item info mismatch between compiler and debugger
16107
16108@value{GDBN} could not parse a type specification output by the compiler.
16109
16110@end table
16111
16112@node Data Files
16113@section GDB Data Files
16114
16115@cindex prefix for data files
16116@value{GDBN} will sometimes read an auxiliary data file. These files
16117are kept in a directory known as the @dfn{data directory}.
16118
16119You can set the data directory's name, and view the name @value{GDBN}
16120is currently using.
16121
16122@table @code
16123@kindex set data-directory
16124@item set data-directory @var{directory}
16125Set the directory which @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files
16126to @var{directory}.
16127
16128@kindex show data-directory
16129@item show data-directory
16130Show the directory @value{GDBN} searches for auxiliary data files.
16131@end table
16132
16133@cindex default data directory
16134@cindex @samp{--with-gdb-datadir}
16135You can set the default data directory by using the configure-time
16136@samp{--with-gdb-datadir} option. If the data directory is inside
16137@value{GDBN}'s configured binary prefix (set with @samp{--prefix} or
16138@samp{--exec-prefix}), then the default data directory will be updated
16139automatically if the installed @value{GDBN} is moved to a new
16140location.
16141
16142The data directory may also be specified with the
16143@code{--data-directory} command line option.
16144@xref{Mode Options}.
16145
16146@node Targets
16147@chapter Specifying a Debugging Target
16148
16149@cindex debugging target
16150A @dfn{target} is the execution environment occupied by your program.
16151
16152Often, @value{GDBN} runs in the same host environment as your program;
16153in that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when
16154you use the @code{file} or @code{core} commands. When you need more
16155flexibility---for example, running @value{GDBN} on a physically separate
16156host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
16157realtime system over a TCP/IP connection---you can use the @code{target}
16158command to specify one of the target types configured for @value{GDBN}
16159(@pxref{Target Commands, ,Commands for Managing Targets}).
16160
16161@cindex target architecture
16162It is possible to build @value{GDBN} for several different @dfn{target
16163architectures}. When @value{GDBN} is built like that, you can choose
16164one of the available architectures with the @kbd{set architecture}
16165command.
16166
16167@table @code
16168@kindex set architecture
16169@kindex show architecture
16170@item set architecture @var{arch}
16171This command sets the current target architecture to @var{arch}. The
16172value of @var{arch} can be @code{"auto"}, in addition to one of the
16173supported architectures.
16174
16175@item show architecture
16176Show the current target architecture.
16177
16178@item set processor
16179@itemx processor
16180@kindex set processor
16181@kindex show processor
16182These are alias commands for, respectively, @code{set architecture}
16183and @code{show architecture}.
16184@end table
16185
16186@menu
16187* Active Targets:: Active targets
16188* Target Commands:: Commands for managing targets
16189* Byte Order:: Choosing target byte order
16190@end menu
16191
16192@node Active Targets
16193@section Active Targets
16194
16195@cindex stacking targets
16196@cindex active targets
16197@cindex multiple targets
16198
16199There are multiple classes of targets such as: processes, executable files or
16200recording sessions. Core files belong to the process class, making core file
16201and process mutually exclusive. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} can work concurrently
16202on multiple active targets, one in each class. This allows you to (for
16203example) start a process and inspect its activity, while still having access to
16204the executable file after the process finishes. Or if you start process
16205recording (@pxref{Reverse Execution}) and @code{reverse-step} there, you are
16206presented a virtual layer of the recording target, while the process target
16207remains stopped at the chronologically last point of the process execution.
16208
16209Use the @code{core-file} and @code{exec-file} commands to select a new core
16210file or executable target (@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}). To
16211specify as a target a process that is already running, use the @code{attach}
16212command (@pxref{Attach, ,Debugging an Already-running Process}).
16213
16214@node Target Commands
16215@section Commands for Managing Targets
16216
16217@table @code
16218@item target @var{type} @var{parameters}
16219Connects the @value{GDBN} host environment to a target machine or
16220process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging
16221facilities. You use the argument @var{type} to specify the type or
16222protocol of the target machine.
16223
16224Further @var{parameters} are interpreted by the target protocol, but
16225typically include things like device names or host names to connect
16226with, process numbers, and baud rates.
16227
16228The @code{target} command does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again
16229after executing the command.
16230
16231@kindex help target
16232@item help target
16233Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
16234currently selected, use either @code{info target} or @code{info files}
16235(@pxref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}).
16236
16237@item help target @var{name}
16238Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
16239select it.
16240
16241@kindex set gnutarget
16242@item set gnutarget @var{args}
16243@value{GDBN} uses its own library BFD to read your files. @value{GDBN}
16244knows whether it is reading an @dfn{executable},
16245a @dfn{core}, or a @dfn{.o} file; however, you can specify the file format
16246with the @code{set gnutarget} command. Unlike most @code{target} commands,
16247with @code{gnutarget} the @code{target} refers to a program, not a machine.
16248
16249@quotation
16250@emph{Warning:} To specify a file format with @code{set gnutarget},
16251you must know the actual BFD name.
16252@end quotation
16253
16254@noindent
16255@xref{Files, , Commands to Specify Files}.
16256
16257@kindex show gnutarget
16258@item show gnutarget
16259Use the @code{show gnutarget} command to display what file format
16260@code{gnutarget} is set to read. If you have not set @code{gnutarget},
16261@value{GDBN} will determine the file format for each file automatically,
16262and @code{show gnutarget} displays @samp{The current BDF target is "auto"}.
16263@end table
16264
16265@cindex common targets
16266Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
16267configuration):
16268
16269@table @code
16270@kindex target
16271@item target exec @var{program}
16272@cindex executable file target
16273An executable file. @samp{target exec @var{program}} is the same as
16274@samp{exec-file @var{program}}.
16275
16276@item target core @var{filename}
16277@cindex core dump file target
16278A core dump file. @samp{target core @var{filename}} is the same as
16279@samp{core-file @var{filename}}.
16280
16281@item target remote @var{medium}
16282@cindex remote target
16283A remote system connected to @value{GDBN} via a serial line or network
16284connection. This command tells @value{GDBN} to use its own remote
16285protocol over @var{medium} for debugging. @xref{Remote Debugging}.
16286
16287For example, if you have a board connected to @file{/dev/ttya} on the
16288machine running @value{GDBN}, you could say:
16289
16290@smallexample
16291target remote /dev/ttya
16292@end smallexample
16293
16294@code{target remote} supports the @code{load} command. This is only
16295useful if you have some other way of getting the stub to the target
16296system, and you can put it somewhere in memory where it won't get
16297clobbered by the download.
16298
16299@item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
16300@cindex built-in simulator target
16301Builtin CPU simulator. @value{GDBN} includes simulators for most architectures.
16302In general,
16303@smallexample
16304 target sim
16305 load
16306 run
16307@end smallexample
16308@noindent
16309works; however, you cannot assume that a specific memory map, device
16310drivers, or even basic I/O is available, although some simulators do
16311provide these. For info about any processor-specific simulator details,
16312see the appropriate section in @ref{Embedded Processors, ,Embedded
16313Processors}.
16314
16315@end table
16316
16317Some configurations may include these targets as well:
16318
16319@table @code
16320
16321@item target nrom @var{dev}
16322@cindex NetROM ROM emulator target
16323NetROM ROM emulator. This target only supports downloading.
16324
16325@end table
16326
16327Different targets are available on different configurations of @value{GDBN};
16328your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
16329
16330Many remote targets require you to download the executable's code once
16331you've successfully established a connection. You may wish to control
16332various aspects of this process.
16333
16334@table @code
16335
16336@item set hash
16337@kindex set hash@r{, for remote monitors}
16338@cindex hash mark while downloading
16339This command controls whether a hash mark @samp{#} is displayed while
16340downloading a file to the remote monitor. If on, a hash mark is
16341displayed after each S-record is successfully downloaded to the
16342monitor.
16343
16344@item show hash
16345@kindex show hash@r{, for remote monitors}
16346Show the current status of displaying the hash mark.
16347
16348@item set debug monitor
16349@kindex set debug monitor
16350@cindex display remote monitor communications
16351Enable or disable display of communications messages between
16352@value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
16353
16354@item show debug monitor
16355@kindex show debug monitor
16356Show the current status of displaying communications between
16357@value{GDBN} and the remote monitor.
16358@end table
16359
16360@table @code
16361
16362@kindex load @var{filename}
16363@item load @var{filename}
16364@anchor{load}
16365Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
16366@value{GDBN}, the @code{load} command may be available. Where it exists, it
16367is meant to make @var{filename} (an executable) available for debugging
16368on the remote system---by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
16369@code{load} also records the @var{filename} symbol table in @value{GDBN}, like
16370the @code{add-symbol-file} command.
16371
16372If your @value{GDBN} does not have a @code{load} command, attempting to
16373execute it gets the error message ``@code{You can't do that when your
16374target is @dots{}}''
16375
16376The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
16377For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
16378link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
16379specifies a fixed address.
16380@c FIXME! This would be a good place for an xref to the GNU linker doc.
16381
16382Depending on the remote side capabilities, @value{GDBN} may be able to
16383load programs into flash memory.
16384
16385@code{load} does not repeat if you press @key{RET} again after using it.
16386@end table
16387
16388@node Byte Order
16389@section Choosing Target Byte Order
16390
16391@cindex choosing target byte order
16392@cindex target byte order
16393
16394Some types of processors, such as the MIPS, PowerPC, and Renesas SH,
16395offer the ability to run either big-endian or little-endian byte
16396orders. Usually the executable or symbol will include a bit to
16397designate the endian-ness, and you will not need to worry about
16398which to use. However, you may still find it useful to adjust
16399@value{GDBN}'s idea of processor endian-ness manually.
16400
16401@table @code
16402@kindex set endian
16403@item set endian big
16404Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is big-endian.
16405
16406@item set endian little
16407Instruct @value{GDBN} to assume the target is little-endian.
16408
16409@item set endian auto
16410Instruct @value{GDBN} to use the byte order associated with the
16411executable.
16412
16413@item show endian
16414Display @value{GDBN}'s current idea of the target byte order.
16415
16416@end table
16417
16418Note that these commands merely adjust interpretation of symbolic
16419data on the host, and that they have absolutely no effect on the
16420target system.
16421
16422
16423@node Remote Debugging
16424@chapter Debugging Remote Programs
16425@cindex remote debugging
16426
16427If you are trying to debug a program running on a machine that cannot run
16428@value{GDBN} in the usual way, it is often useful to use remote debugging.
16429For example, you might use remote debugging on an operating system kernel,
16430or on a small system which does not have a general purpose operating system
16431powerful enough to run a full-featured debugger.
16432
16433Some configurations of @value{GDBN} have special serial or TCP/IP interfaces
16434to make this work with particular debugging targets. In addition,
16435@value{GDBN} comes with a generic serial protocol (specific to @value{GDBN},
16436but not specific to any particular target system) which you can use if you
16437write the remote stubs---the code that runs on the remote system to
16438communicate with @value{GDBN}.
16439
16440Other remote targets may be available in your
16441configuration of @value{GDBN}; use @code{help target} to list them.
16442
16443@menu
16444* Connecting:: Connecting to a remote target
16445* File Transfer:: Sending files to a remote system
16446* Server:: Using the gdbserver program
16447* Remote Configuration:: Remote configuration
16448* Remote Stub:: Implementing a remote stub
16449@end menu
16450
16451@node Connecting
16452@section Connecting to a Remote Target
16453
16454On the @value{GDBN} host machine, you will need an unstripped copy of
16455your program, since @value{GDBN} needs symbol and debugging information.
16456Start up @value{GDBN} as usual, using the name of the local copy of your
16457program as the first argument.
16458
16459@cindex @code{target remote}
16460@value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, or
16461over an @acronym{IP} network using @acronym{TCP} or @acronym{UDP}. In
16462each case, @value{GDBN} uses the same protocol for debugging your
16463program; only the medium carrying the debugging packets varies. The
16464@code{target remote} command establishes a connection to the target.
16465Its arguments indicate which medium to use:
16466
16467@table @code
16468
16469@item target remote @var{serial-device}
16470@cindex serial line, @code{target remote}
16471Use @var{serial-device} to communicate with the target. For example,
16472to use a serial line connected to the device named @file{/dev/ttyb}:
16473
16474@smallexample
16475target remote /dev/ttyb
16476@end smallexample
16477
16478If you're using a serial line, you may want to give @value{GDBN} the
16479@w{@samp{--baud}} option, or use the @code{set remotebaud} command
16480(@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remotebaud}) before the
16481@code{target} command.
16482
16483@item target remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
16484@itemx target remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
16485@cindex @acronym{TCP} port, @code{target remote}
16486Debug using a @acronym{TCP} connection to @var{port} on @var{host}.
16487The @var{host} may be either a host name or a numeric @acronym{IP}
16488address; @var{port} must be a decimal number. The @var{host} could be
16489the target machine itself, if it is directly connected to the net, or
16490it might be a terminal server which in turn has a serial line to the
16491target.
16492
16493For example, to connect to port 2828 on a terminal server named
16494@code{manyfarms}:
16495
16496@smallexample
16497target remote manyfarms:2828
16498@end smallexample
16499
16500If your remote target is actually running on the same machine as your
16501debugger session (e.g.@: a simulator for your target running on the
16502same host), you can omit the hostname. For example, to connect to
16503port 1234 on your local machine:
16504
16505@smallexample
16506target remote :1234
16507@end smallexample
16508@noindent
16509
16510Note that the colon is still required here.
16511
16512@item target remote @code{udp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
16513@cindex @acronym{UDP} port, @code{target remote}
16514Debug using @acronym{UDP} packets to @var{port} on @var{host}. For example, to
16515connect to @acronym{UDP} port 2828 on a terminal server named @code{manyfarms}:
16516
16517@smallexample
16518target remote udp:manyfarms:2828
16519@end smallexample
16520
16521When using a @acronym{UDP} connection for remote debugging, you should
16522keep in mind that the `U' stands for ``Unreliable''. @acronym{UDP}
16523can silently drop packets on busy or unreliable networks, which will
16524cause havoc with your debugging session.
16525
16526@item target remote | @var{command}
16527@cindex pipe, @code{target remote} to
16528Run @var{command} in the background and communicate with it using a
16529pipe. The @var{command} is a shell command, to be parsed and expanded
16530by the system's command shell, @code{/bin/sh}; it should expect remote
16531protocol packets on its standard input, and send replies on its
16532standard output. You could use this to run a stand-alone simulator
16533that speaks the remote debugging protocol, to make net connections
16534using programs like @code{ssh}, or for other similar tricks.
16535
16536If @var{command} closes its standard output (perhaps by exiting),
16537@value{GDBN} will try to send it a @code{SIGTERM} signal. (If the
16538program has already exited, this will have no effect.)
16539
16540@end table
16541
16542Once the connection has been established, you can use all the usual
16543commands to examine and change data. The remote program is already
16544running; you can use @kbd{step} and @kbd{continue}, and you do not
16545need to use @kbd{run}.
16546
16547@cindex interrupting remote programs
16548@cindex remote programs, interrupting
16549Whenever @value{GDBN} is waiting for the remote program, if you type the
16550interrupt character (often @kbd{Ctrl-c}), @value{GDBN} attempts to stop the
16551program. This may or may not succeed, depending in part on the hardware
16552and the serial drivers the remote system uses. If you type the
16553interrupt character once again, @value{GDBN} displays this prompt:
16554
16555@smallexample
16556Interrupted while waiting for the program.
16557Give up (and stop debugging it)? (y or n)
16558@end smallexample
16559
16560If you type @kbd{y}, @value{GDBN} abandons the remote debugging session.
16561(If you decide you want to try again later, you can use @samp{target
16562remote} again to connect once more.) If you type @kbd{n}, @value{GDBN}
16563goes back to waiting.
16564
16565@table @code
16566@kindex detach (remote)
16567@item detach
16568When you have finished debugging the remote program, you can use the
16569@code{detach} command to release it from @value{GDBN} control.
16570Detaching from the target normally resumes its execution, but the results
16571will depend on your particular remote stub. After the @code{detach}
16572command, @value{GDBN} is free to connect to another target.
16573
16574@kindex disconnect
16575@item disconnect
16576The @code{disconnect} command behaves like @code{detach}, except that
16577the target is generally not resumed. It will wait for @value{GDBN}
16578(this instance or another one) to connect and continue debugging. After
16579the @code{disconnect} command, @value{GDBN} is again free to connect to
16580another target.
16581
16582@cindex send command to remote monitor
16583@cindex extend @value{GDBN} for remote targets
16584@cindex add new commands for external monitor
16585@kindex monitor
16586@item monitor @var{cmd}
16587This command allows you to send arbitrary commands directly to the
16588remote monitor. Since @value{GDBN} doesn't care about the commands it
16589sends like this, this command is the way to extend @value{GDBN}---you
16590can add new commands that only the external monitor will understand
16591and implement.
16592@end table
16593
16594@node File Transfer
16595@section Sending files to a remote system
16596@cindex remote target, file transfer
16597@cindex file transfer
16598@cindex sending files to remote systems
16599
16600Some remote targets offer the ability to transfer files over the same
16601connection used to communicate with @value{GDBN}. This is convenient
16602for targets accessible through other means, e.g.@: @sc{gnu}/Linux systems
16603running @code{gdbserver} over a network interface. For other targets,
16604e.g.@: embedded devices with only a single serial port, this may be
16605the only way to upload or download files.
16606
16607Not all remote targets support these commands.
16608
16609@table @code
16610@kindex remote put
16611@item remote put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
16612Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
16613@value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
16614
16615@kindex remote get
16616@item remote get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
16617Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
16618on the host system.
16619
16620@kindex remote delete
16621@item remote delete @var{targetfile}
16622Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
16623
16624@end table
16625
16626@node Server
16627@section Using the @code{gdbserver} Program
16628
16629@kindex gdbserver
16630@cindex remote connection without stubs
16631@code{gdbserver} is a control program for Unix-like systems, which
16632allows you to connect your program with a remote @value{GDBN} via
16633@code{target remote}---but without linking in the usual debugging stub.
16634
16635@code{gdbserver} is not a complete replacement for the debugging stubs,
16636because it requires essentially the same operating-system facilities
16637that @value{GDBN} itself does. In fact, a system that can run
16638@code{gdbserver} to connect to a remote @value{GDBN} could also run
16639@value{GDBN} locally! @code{gdbserver} is sometimes useful nevertheless,
16640because it is a much smaller program than @value{GDBN} itself. It is
16641also easier to port than all of @value{GDBN}, so you may be able to get
16642started more quickly on a new system by using @code{gdbserver}.
16643Finally, if you develop code for real-time systems, you may find that
16644the tradeoffs involved in real-time operation make it more convenient to
16645do as much development work as possible on another system, for example
16646by cross-compiling. You can use @code{gdbserver} to make a similar
16647choice for debugging.
16648
16649@value{GDBN} and @code{gdbserver} communicate via either a serial line
16650or a TCP connection, using the standard @value{GDBN} remote serial
16651protocol.
16652
16653@quotation
16654@emph{Warning:} @code{gdbserver} does not have any built-in security.
16655Do not run @code{gdbserver} connected to any public network; a
16656@value{GDBN} connection to @code{gdbserver} provides access to the
16657target system with the same privileges as the user running
16658@code{gdbserver}.
16659@end quotation
16660
16661@subsection Running @code{gdbserver}
16662@cindex arguments, to @code{gdbserver}
16663@cindex @code{gdbserver}, command-line arguments
16664
16665Run @code{gdbserver} on the target system. You need a copy of the
16666program you want to debug, including any libraries it requires.
16667@code{gdbserver} does not need your program's symbol table, so you can
16668strip the program if necessary to save space. @value{GDBN} on the host
16669system does all the symbol handling.
16670
16671To use the server, you must tell it how to communicate with @value{GDBN};
16672the name of your program; and the arguments for your program. The usual
16673syntax is:
16674
16675@smallexample
16676target> gdbserver @var{comm} @var{program} [ @var{args} @dots{} ]
16677@end smallexample
16678
16679@var{comm} is either a device name (to use a serial line) or a TCP
16680hostname and portnumber. For example, to debug Emacs with the argument
16681@samp{foo.txt} and communicate with @value{GDBN} over the serial port
16682@file{/dev/com1}:
16683
16684@smallexample
16685target> gdbserver /dev/com1 emacs foo.txt
16686@end smallexample
16687
16688@code{gdbserver} waits passively for the host @value{GDBN} to communicate
16689with it.
16690
16691To use a TCP connection instead of a serial line:
16692
16693@smallexample
16694target> gdbserver host:2345 emacs foo.txt
16695@end smallexample
16696
16697The only difference from the previous example is the first argument,
16698specifying that you are communicating with the host @value{GDBN} via
16699TCP. The @samp{host:2345} argument means that @code{gdbserver} is to
16700expect a TCP connection from machine @samp{host} to local TCP port 2345.
16701(Currently, the @samp{host} part is ignored.) You can choose any number
16702you want for the port number as long as it does not conflict with any
16703TCP ports already in use on the target system (for example, @code{23} is
16704reserved for @code{telnet}).@footnote{If you choose a port number that
16705conflicts with another service, @code{gdbserver} prints an error message
16706and exits.} You must use the same port number with the host @value{GDBN}
16707@code{target remote} command.
16708
16709@subsubsection Attaching to a Running Program
16710@cindex attach to a program, @code{gdbserver}
16711@cindex @option{--attach}, @code{gdbserver} option
16712
16713On some targets, @code{gdbserver} can also attach to running programs.
16714This is accomplished via the @code{--attach} argument. The syntax is:
16715
16716@smallexample
16717target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} @var{pid}
16718@end smallexample
16719
16720@var{pid} is the process ID of a currently running process. It isn't necessary
16721to point @code{gdbserver} at a binary for the running process.
16722
16723@pindex pidof
16724You can debug processes by name instead of process ID if your target has the
16725@code{pidof} utility:
16726
16727@smallexample
16728target> gdbserver --attach @var{comm} `pidof @var{program}`
16729@end smallexample
16730
16731In case more than one copy of @var{program} is running, or @var{program}
16732has multiple threads, most versions of @code{pidof} support the
16733@code{-s} option to only return the first process ID.
16734
16735@subsubsection Multi-Process Mode for @code{gdbserver}
16736@cindex @code{gdbserver}, multiple processes
16737@cindex multiple processes with @code{gdbserver}
16738
16739When you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target remote},
16740@code{gdbserver} debugs the specified program only once. When the
16741program exits, or you detach from it, @value{GDBN} closes the connection
16742and @code{gdbserver} exits.
16743
16744If you connect using @kbd{target extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver}
16745enters multi-process mode. When the debugged program exits, or you
16746detach from it, @value{GDBN} stays connected to @code{gdbserver} even
16747though no program is running. The @code{run} and @code{attach}
16748commands instruct @code{gdbserver} to run or attach to a new program.
16749The @code{run} command uses @code{set remote exec-file} (@pxref{set
16750remote exec-file}) to select the program to run. Command line
16751arguments are supported, except for wildcard expansion and I/O
16752redirection (@pxref{Arguments}).
16753
16754@cindex @option{--multi}, @code{gdbserver} option
16755To start @code{gdbserver} without supplying an initial command to run
16756or process ID to attach, use the @option{--multi} command line option.
16757Then you can connect using @kbd{target extended-remote} and start
16758the program you want to debug.
16759
16760In multi-process mode @code{gdbserver} does not automatically exit unless you
16761use the option @option{--once}. You can terminate it by using
16762@code{monitor exit} (@pxref{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}). Note that the
16763conditions under which @code{gdbserver} terminates depend on how @value{GDBN}
16764connects to it (@kbd{target remote} or @kbd{target extended-remote}). The
16765@option{--multi} option to @code{gdbserver} has no influence on that.
16766
16767@subsubsection TCP port allocation lifecycle of @code{gdbserver}
16768
16769This section applies only when @code{gdbserver} is run to listen on a TCP port.
16770
16771@code{gdbserver} normally terminates after all of its debugged processes have
16772terminated in @kbd{target remote} mode. On the other hand, for @kbd{target
16773extended-remote}, @code{gdbserver} stays running even with no processes left.
16774@value{GDBN} normally terminates the spawned debugged process on its exit,
16775which normally also terminates @code{gdbserver} in the @kbd{target remote}
16776mode. Therefore, when the connection drops unexpectedly, and @value{GDBN}
16777cannot ask @code{gdbserver} to kill its debugged processes, @code{gdbserver}
16778stays running even in the @kbd{target remote} mode.
16779
16780When @code{gdbserver} stays running, @value{GDBN} can connect to it again later.
16781Such reconnecting is useful for features like @ref{disconnected tracing}. For
16782completeness, at most one @value{GDBN} can be connected at a time.
16783
16784@cindex @option{--once}, @code{gdbserver} option
16785By default, @code{gdbserver} keeps the listening TCP port open, so that
16786additional connections are possible. However, if you start @code{gdbserver}
16787with the @option{--once} option, it will stop listening for any further
16788connection attempts after connecting to the first @value{GDBN} session. This
16789means no further connections to @code{gdbserver} will be possible after the
16790first one. It also means @code{gdbserver} will terminate after the first
16791connection with remote @value{GDBN} has closed, even for unexpectedly closed
16792connections and even in the @kbd{target extended-remote} mode. The
16793@option{--once} option allows reusing the same port number for connecting to
16794multiple instances of @code{gdbserver} running on the same host, since each
16795instance closes its port after the first connection.
16796
16797@subsubsection Other Command-Line Arguments for @code{gdbserver}
16798
16799@cindex @option{--debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
16800The @option{--debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display extra
16801status information about the debugging process.
16802@cindex @option{--remote-debug}, @code{gdbserver} option
16803The @option{--remote-debug} option tells @code{gdbserver} to display
16804remote protocol debug output. These options are intended for
16805@code{gdbserver} development and for bug reports to the developers.
16806
16807@cindex @option{--wrapper}, @code{gdbserver} option
16808The @option{--wrapper} option specifies a wrapper to launch programs
16809for debugging. The option should be followed by the name of the
16810wrapper, then any command-line arguments to pass to the wrapper, then
16811@kbd{--} indicating the end of the wrapper arguments.
16812
16813@code{gdbserver} runs the specified wrapper program with a combined
16814command line including the wrapper arguments, then the name of the
16815program to debug, then any arguments to the program. The wrapper
16816runs until it executes your program, and then @value{GDBN} gains control.
16817
16818You can use any program that eventually calls @code{execve} with
16819its arguments as a wrapper. Several standard Unix utilities do
16820this, e.g.@: @code{env} and @code{nohup}. Any Unix shell script ending
16821with @code{exec "$@@"} will also work.
16822
16823For example, you can use @code{env} to pass an environment variable to
16824the debugged program, without setting the variable in @code{gdbserver}'s
16825environment:
16826
16827@smallexample
16828$ gdbserver --wrapper env LD_PRELOAD=libtest.so -- :2222 ./testprog
16829@end smallexample
16830
16831@subsection Connecting to @code{gdbserver}
16832
16833Run @value{GDBN} on the host system.
16834
16835First make sure you have the necessary symbol files. Load symbols for
16836your application using the @code{file} command before you connect. Use
16837@code{set sysroot} to locate target libraries (unless your @value{GDBN}
16838was compiled with the correct sysroot using @code{--with-sysroot}).
16839
16840The symbol file and target libraries must exactly match the executable
16841and libraries on the target, with one exception: the files on the host
16842system should not be stripped, even if the files on the target system
16843are. Mismatched or missing files will lead to confusing results
16844during debugging. On @sc{gnu}/Linux targets, mismatched or missing
16845files may also prevent @code{gdbserver} from debugging multi-threaded
16846programs.
16847
16848Connect to your target (@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
16849For TCP connections, you must start up @code{gdbserver} prior to using
16850the @code{target remote} command. Otherwise you may get an error whose
16851text depends on the host system, but which usually looks something like
16852@samp{Connection refused}. Don't use the @code{load}
16853command in @value{GDBN} when using @code{gdbserver}, since the program is
16854already on the target.
16855
16856@subsection Monitor Commands for @code{gdbserver}
16857@cindex monitor commands, for @code{gdbserver}
16858@anchor{Monitor Commands for gdbserver}
16859
16860During a @value{GDBN} session using @code{gdbserver}, you can use the
16861@code{monitor} command to send special requests to @code{gdbserver}.
16862Here are the available commands.
16863
16864@table @code
16865@item monitor help
16866List the available monitor commands.
16867
16868@item monitor set debug 0
16869@itemx monitor set debug 1
16870Disable or enable general debugging messages.
16871
16872@item monitor set remote-debug 0
16873@itemx monitor set remote-debug 1
16874Disable or enable specific debugging messages associated with the remote
16875protocol (@pxref{Remote Protocol}).
16876
16877@item monitor set libthread-db-search-path [PATH]
16878@cindex gdbserver, search path for @code{libthread_db}
16879When this command is issued, @var{path} is a colon-separated list of
16880directories to search for @code{libthread_db} (@pxref{Threads,,set
16881libthread-db-search-path}). If you omit @var{path},
16882@samp{libthread-db-search-path} will be reset to its default value.
16883
16884The special entry @samp{$pdir} for @samp{libthread-db-search-path} is
16885not supported in @code{gdbserver}.
16886
16887@item monitor exit
16888Tell gdbserver to exit immediately. This command should be followed by
16889@code{disconnect} to close the debugging session. @code{gdbserver} will
16890detach from any attached processes and kill any processes it created.
16891Use @code{monitor exit} to terminate @code{gdbserver} at the end
16892of a multi-process mode debug session.
16893
16894@end table
16895
16896@subsection Tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
16897@cindex tracepoints support in @code{gdbserver}
16898
16899On some targets, @code{gdbserver} supports tracepoints, fast
16900tracepoints and static tracepoints.
16901
16902For fast or static tracepoints to work, a special library called the
16903@dfn{in-process agent} (IPA), must be loaded in the inferior process.
16904This library is built and distributed as an integral part of
16905@code{gdbserver}. In addition, support for static tracepoints
16906requires building the in-process agent library with static tracepoints
16907support. At present, the UST (LTTng Userspace Tracer,
16908@url{http://lttng.org/ust}) tracing engine is supported. This support
16909is automatically available if UST development headers are found in the
16910standard include path when @code{gdbserver} is built, or if
16911@code{gdbserver} was explicitly configured using @option{--with-ust}
16912to point at such headers. You can explicitly disable the support
16913using @option{--with-ust=no}.
16914
16915There are several ways to load the in-process agent in your program:
16916
16917@table @code
16918@item Specifying it as dependency at link time
16919
16920You can link your program dynamically with the in-process agent
16921library. On most systems, this is accomplished by adding
16922@code{-linproctrace} to the link command.
16923
16924@item Using the system's preloading mechanisms
16925
16926You can force loading the in-process agent at startup time by using
16927your system's support for preloading shared libraries. Many Unixes
16928support the concept of preloading user defined libraries. In most
16929cases, you do that by specifying @code{LD_PRELOAD=libinproctrace.so}
16930in the environment. See also the description of @code{gdbserver}'s
16931@option{--wrapper} command line option.
16932
16933@item Using @value{GDBN} to force loading the agent at run time
16934
16935On some systems, you can force the inferior to load a shared library,
16936by calling a dynamic loader function in the inferior that takes care
16937of dynamically looking up and loading a shared library. On most Unix
16938systems, the function is @code{dlopen}. You'll use the @code{call}
16939command for that. For example:
16940
16941@smallexample
16942(@value{GDBP}) call dlopen ("libinproctrace.so", ...)
16943@end smallexample
16944
16945Note that on most Unix systems, for the @code{dlopen} function to be
16946available, the program needs to be linked with @code{-ldl}.
16947@end table
16948
16949On systems that have a userspace dynamic loader, like most Unix
16950systems, when you connect to @code{gdbserver} using @code{target
16951remote}, you'll find that the program is stopped at the dynamic
16952loader's entry point, and no shared library has been loaded in the
16953program's address space yet, including the in-process agent. In that
16954case, before being able to use any of the fast or static tracepoints
16955features, you need to let the loader run and load the shared
16956libraries. The simplest way to do that is to run the program to the
16957main procedure. E.g., if debugging a C or C@t{++} program, start
16958@code{gdbserver} like so:
16959
16960@smallexample
16961$ gdbserver :9999 myprogram
16962@end smallexample
16963
16964Start GDB and connect to @code{gdbserver} like so, and run to main:
16965
16966@smallexample
16967$ gdb myprogram
16968(@value{GDBP}) target remote myhost:9999
169690x00007f215893ba60 in ?? () from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
16970(@value{GDBP}) b main
16971(@value{GDBP}) continue
16972@end smallexample
16973
16974The in-process tracing agent library should now be loaded into the
16975process; you can confirm it with the @code{info sharedlibrary}
16976command, which will list @file{libinproctrace.so} as loaded in the
16977process. You are now ready to install fast tracepoints, list static
16978tracepoint markers, probe static tracepoints markers, and start
16979tracing.
16980
16981@node Remote Configuration
16982@section Remote Configuration
16983
16984@kindex set remote
16985@kindex show remote
16986This section documents the configuration options available when
16987debugging remote programs. For the options related to the File I/O
16988extensions of the remote protocol, see @ref{system,
16989system-call-allowed}.
16990
16991@table @code
16992@item set remoteaddresssize @var{bits}
16993@cindex address size for remote targets
16994@cindex bits in remote address
16995Set the maximum size of address in a memory packet to the specified
16996number of bits. @value{GDBN} will mask off the address bits above
16997that number, when it passes addresses to the remote target. The
16998default value is the number of bits in the target's address.
16999
17000@item show remoteaddresssize
17001Show the current value of remote address size in bits.
17002
17003@item set remotebaud @var{n}
17004@cindex baud rate for remote targets
17005Set the baud rate for the remote serial I/O to @var{n} baud. The
17006value is used to set the speed of the serial port used for debugging
17007remote targets.
17008
17009@item show remotebaud
17010Show the current speed of the remote connection.
17011
17012@item set remotebreak
17013@cindex interrupt remote programs
17014@cindex BREAK signal instead of Ctrl-C
17015@anchor{set remotebreak}
17016If set to on, @value{GDBN} sends a @code{BREAK} signal to the remote
17017when you type @kbd{Ctrl-c} to interrupt the program running
17018on the remote. If set to off, @value{GDBN} sends the @samp{Ctrl-C}
17019character instead. The default is off, since most remote systems
17020expect to see @samp{Ctrl-C} as the interrupt signal.
17021
17022@item show remotebreak
17023Show whether @value{GDBN} sends @code{BREAK} or @samp{Ctrl-C} to
17024interrupt the remote program.
17025
17026@item set remoteflow on
17027@itemx set remoteflow off
17028@kindex set remoteflow
17029Enable or disable hardware flow control (@code{RTS}/@code{CTS})
17030on the serial port used to communicate to the remote target.
17031
17032@item show remoteflow
17033@kindex show remoteflow
17034Show the current setting of hardware flow control.
17035
17036@item set remotelogbase @var{base}
17037Set the base (a.k.a.@: radix) of logging serial protocol
17038communications to @var{base}. Supported values of @var{base} are:
17039@code{ascii}, @code{octal}, and @code{hex}. The default is
17040@code{ascii}.
17041
17042@item show remotelogbase
17043Show the current setting of the radix for logging remote serial
17044protocol.
17045
17046@item set remotelogfile @var{file}
17047@cindex record serial communications on file
17048Record remote serial communications on the named @var{file}. The
17049default is not to record at all.
17050
17051@item show remotelogfile.
17052Show the current setting of the file name on which to record the
17053serial communications.
17054
17055@item set remotetimeout @var{num}
17056@cindex timeout for serial communications
17057@cindex remote timeout
17058Set the timeout limit to wait for the remote target to respond to
17059@var{num} seconds. The default is 2 seconds.
17060
17061@item show remotetimeout
17062Show the current number of seconds to wait for the remote target
17063responses.
17064
17065@cindex limit hardware breakpoints and watchpoints
17066@cindex remote target, limit break- and watchpoints
17067@anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit}
17068@anchor{set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit}
17069@item set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit @var{limit}
17070@itemx set remote hardware-breakpoint-limit @var{limit}
17071Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} remote hardware breakpoint or
17072watchpoints. A limit of -1, the default, is treated as unlimited.
17073
17074@cindex limit hardware watchpoints length
17075@cindex remote target, limit watchpoints length
17076@anchor{set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit}
17077@item set remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit @var{limit}
17078Restrict @value{GDBN} to using @var{limit} bytes for the maximum length of
17079a remote hardware watchpoint. A limit of -1, the default, is treated
17080as unlimited.
17081
17082@item show remote hardware-watchpoint-length-limit
17083Show the current limit (in bytes) of the maximum length of
17084a remote hardware watchpoint.
17085
17086@item set remote exec-file @var{filename}
17087@itemx show remote exec-file
17088@anchor{set remote exec-file}
17089@cindex executable file, for remote target
17090Select the file used for @code{run} with @code{target
17091extended-remote}. This should be set to a filename valid on the
17092target system. If it is not set, the target will use a default
17093filename (e.g.@: the last program run).
17094
17095@item set remote interrupt-sequence
17096@cindex interrupt remote programs
17097@cindex select Ctrl-C, BREAK or BREAK-g
17098Allow the user to select one of @samp{Ctrl-C}, a @code{BREAK} or
17099@samp{BREAK-g} as the
17100sequence to the remote target in order to interrupt the execution.
17101@samp{Ctrl-C} is a default. Some system prefers @code{BREAK} which
17102is high level of serial line for some certain time.
17103Linux kernel prefers @samp{BREAK-g}, a.k.a Magic SysRq g.
17104It is @code{BREAK} signal followed by character @code{g}.
17105
17106@item show interrupt-sequence
17107Show which of @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or @code{BREAK-g}
17108is sent by @value{GDBN} to interrupt the remote program.
17109@code{BREAK-g} is BREAK signal followed by @code{g} and
17110also known as Magic SysRq g.
17111
17112@item set remote interrupt-on-connect
17113@cindex send interrupt-sequence on start
17114Specify whether interrupt-sequence is sent to remote target when
17115@value{GDBN} connects to it. This is mostly needed when you debug
17116Linux kernel. Linux kernel expects @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g}
17117which is known as Magic SysRq g in order to connect @value{GDBN}.
17118
17119@item show interrupt-on-connect
17120Show whether interrupt-sequence is sent
17121to remote target when @value{GDBN} connects to it.
17122
17123@kindex set tcp
17124@kindex show tcp
17125@item set tcp auto-retry on
17126@cindex auto-retry, for remote TCP target
17127Enable auto-retry for remote TCP connections. This is useful if the remote
17128debugging agent is launched in parallel with @value{GDBN}; there is a race
17129condition because the agent may not become ready to accept the connection
17130before @value{GDBN} attempts to connect. When auto-retry is
17131enabled, if the initial attempt to connect fails, @value{GDBN} reattempts
17132to establish the connection using the timeout specified by
17133@code{set tcp connect-timeout}.
17134
17135@item set tcp auto-retry off
17136Do not auto-retry failed TCP connections.
17137
17138@item show tcp auto-retry
17139Show the current auto-retry setting.
17140
17141@item set tcp connect-timeout @var{seconds}
17142@cindex connection timeout, for remote TCP target
17143@cindex timeout, for remote target connection
17144Set the timeout for establishing a TCP connection to the remote target to
17145@var{seconds}. The timeout affects both polling to retry failed connections
17146(enabled by @code{set tcp auto-retry on}) and waiting for connections
17147that are merely slow to complete, and represents an approximate cumulative
17148value.
17149
17150@item show tcp connect-timeout
17151Show the current connection timeout setting.
17152@end table
17153
17154@cindex remote packets, enabling and disabling
17155The @value{GDBN} remote protocol autodetects the packets supported by
17156your debugging stub. If you need to override the autodetection, you
17157can use these commands to enable or disable individual packets. Each
17158packet can be set to @samp{on} (the remote target supports this
17159packet), @samp{off} (the remote target does not support this packet),
17160or @samp{auto} (detect remote target support for this packet). They
17161all default to @samp{auto}. For more information about each packet,
17162see @ref{Remote Protocol}.
17163
17164During normal use, you should not have to use any of these commands.
17165If you do, that may be a bug in your remote debugging stub, or a bug
17166in @value{GDBN}. You may want to report the problem to the
17167@value{GDBN} developers.
17168
17169For each packet @var{name}, the command to enable or disable the
17170packet is @code{set remote @var{name}-packet}. The available settings
17171are:
17172
17173@multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.32 0.25
17174@item Command Name
17175@tab Remote Packet
17176@tab Related Features
17177
17178@item @code{fetch-register}
17179@tab @code{p}
17180@tab @code{info registers}
17181
17182@item @code{set-register}
17183@tab @code{P}
17184@tab @code{set}
17185
17186@item @code{binary-download}
17187@tab @code{X}
17188@tab @code{load}, @code{set}
17189
17190@item @code{read-aux-vector}
17191@tab @code{qXfer:auxv:read}
17192@tab @code{info auxv}
17193
17194@item @code{symbol-lookup}
17195@tab @code{qSymbol}
17196@tab Detecting multiple threads
17197
17198@item @code{attach}
17199@tab @code{vAttach}
17200@tab @code{attach}
17201
17202@item @code{verbose-resume}
17203@tab @code{vCont}
17204@tab Stepping or resuming multiple threads
17205
17206@item @code{run}
17207@tab @code{vRun}
17208@tab @code{run}
17209
17210@item @code{software-breakpoint}
17211@tab @code{Z0}
17212@tab @code{break}
17213
17214@item @code{hardware-breakpoint}
17215@tab @code{Z1}
17216@tab @code{hbreak}
17217
17218@item @code{write-watchpoint}
17219@tab @code{Z2}
17220@tab @code{watch}
17221
17222@item @code{read-watchpoint}
17223@tab @code{Z3}
17224@tab @code{rwatch}
17225
17226@item @code{access-watchpoint}
17227@tab @code{Z4}
17228@tab @code{awatch}
17229
17230@item @code{target-features}
17231@tab @code{qXfer:features:read}
17232@tab @code{set architecture}
17233
17234@item @code{library-info}
17235@tab @code{qXfer:libraries:read}
17236@tab @code{info sharedlibrary}
17237
17238@item @code{memory-map}
17239@tab @code{qXfer:memory-map:read}
17240@tab @code{info mem}
17241
17242@item @code{read-sdata-object}
17243@tab @code{qXfer:sdata:read}
17244@tab @code{print $_sdata}
17245
17246@item @code{read-spu-object}
17247@tab @code{qXfer:spu:read}
17248@tab @code{info spu}
17249
17250@item @code{write-spu-object}
17251@tab @code{qXfer:spu:write}
17252@tab @code{info spu}
17253
17254@item @code{read-siginfo-object}
17255@tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:read}
17256@tab @code{print $_siginfo}
17257
17258@item @code{write-siginfo-object}
17259@tab @code{qXfer:siginfo:write}
17260@tab @code{set $_siginfo}
17261
17262@item @code{threads}
17263@tab @code{qXfer:threads:read}
17264@tab @code{info threads}
17265
17266@item @code{get-thread-local-@*storage-address}
17267@tab @code{qGetTLSAddr}
17268@tab Displaying @code{__thread} variables
17269
17270@item @code{get-thread-information-block-address}
17271@tab @code{qGetTIBAddr}
17272@tab Display MS-Windows Thread Information Block.
17273
17274@item @code{search-memory}
17275@tab @code{qSearch:memory}
17276@tab @code{find}
17277
17278@item @code{supported-packets}
17279@tab @code{qSupported}
17280@tab Remote communications parameters
17281
17282@item @code{pass-signals}
17283@tab @code{QPassSignals}
17284@tab @code{handle @var{signal}}
17285
17286@item @code{hostio-close-packet}
17287@tab @code{vFile:close}
17288@tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17289
17290@item @code{hostio-open-packet}
17291@tab @code{vFile:open}
17292@tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17293
17294@item @code{hostio-pread-packet}
17295@tab @code{vFile:pread}
17296@tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17297
17298@item @code{hostio-pwrite-packet}
17299@tab @code{vFile:pwrite}
17300@tab @code{remote get}, @code{remote put}
17301
17302@item @code{hostio-unlink-packet}
17303@tab @code{vFile:unlink}
17304@tab @code{remote delete}
17305
17306@item @code{noack-packet}
17307@tab @code{QStartNoAckMode}
17308@tab Packet acknowledgment
17309
17310@item @code{osdata}
17311@tab @code{qXfer:osdata:read}
17312@tab @code{info os}
17313
17314@item @code{query-attached}
17315@tab @code{qAttached}
17316@tab Querying remote process attach state.
17317
17318@item @code{traceframe-info}
17319@tab @code{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
17320@tab Traceframe info
17321
17322@item @code{disable-randomization}
17323@tab @code{QDisableRandomization}
17324@tab @code{set disable-randomization}
17325@end multitable
17326
17327@node Remote Stub
17328@section Implementing a Remote Stub
17329
17330@cindex debugging stub, example
17331@cindex remote stub, example
17332@cindex stub example, remote debugging
17333The stub files provided with @value{GDBN} implement the target side of the
17334communication protocol, and the @value{GDBN} side is implemented in the
17335@value{GDBN} source file @file{remote.c}. Normally, you can simply allow
17336these subroutines to communicate, and ignore the details. (If you're
17337implementing your own stub file, you can still ignore the details: start
17338with one of the existing stub files. @file{sparc-stub.c} is the best
17339organized, and therefore the easiest to read.)
17340
17341@cindex remote serial debugging, overview
17342To debug a program running on another machine (the debugging
17343@dfn{target} machine), you must first arrange for all the usual
17344prerequisites for the program to run by itself. For example, for a C
17345program, you need:
17346
17347@enumerate
17348@item
17349A startup routine to set up the C runtime environment; these usually
17350have a name like @file{crt0}. The startup routine may be supplied by
17351your hardware supplier, or you may have to write your own.
17352
17353@item
17354A C subroutine library to support your program's
17355subroutine calls, notably managing input and output.
17356
17357@item
17358A way of getting your program to the other machine---for example, a
17359download program. These are often supplied by the hardware
17360manufacturer, but you may have to write your own from hardware
17361documentation.
17362@end enumerate
17363
17364The next step is to arrange for your program to use a serial port to
17365communicate with the machine where @value{GDBN} is running (the @dfn{host}
17366machine). In general terms, the scheme looks like this:
17367
17368@table @emph
17369@item On the host,
17370@value{GDBN} already understands how to use this protocol; when everything
17371else is set up, you can simply use the @samp{target remote} command
17372(@pxref{Targets,,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
17373
17374@item On the target,
17375you must link with your program a few special-purpose subroutines that
17376implement the @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol. The file containing these
17377subroutines is called a @dfn{debugging stub}.
17378
17379On certain remote targets, you can use an auxiliary program
17380@code{gdbserver} instead of linking a stub into your program.
17381@xref{Server,,Using the @code{gdbserver} Program}, for details.
17382@end table
17383
17384The debugging stub is specific to the architecture of the remote
17385machine; for example, use @file{sparc-stub.c} to debug programs on
17386@sc{sparc} boards.
17387
17388@cindex remote serial stub list
17389These working remote stubs are distributed with @value{GDBN}:
17390
17391@table @code
17392
17393@item i386-stub.c
17394@cindex @file{i386-stub.c}
17395@cindex Intel
17396@cindex i386
17397For Intel 386 and compatible architectures.
17398
17399@item m68k-stub.c
17400@cindex @file{m68k-stub.c}
17401@cindex Motorola 680x0
17402@cindex m680x0
17403For Motorola 680x0 architectures.
17404
17405@item sh-stub.c
17406@cindex @file{sh-stub.c}
17407@cindex Renesas
17408@cindex SH
17409For Renesas SH architectures.
17410
17411@item sparc-stub.c
17412@cindex @file{sparc-stub.c}
17413@cindex Sparc
17414For @sc{sparc} architectures.
17415
17416@item sparcl-stub.c
17417@cindex @file{sparcl-stub.c}
17418@cindex Fujitsu
17419@cindex SparcLite
17420For Fujitsu @sc{sparclite} architectures.
17421
17422@end table
17423
17424The @file{README} file in the @value{GDBN} distribution may list other
17425recently added stubs.
17426
17427@menu
17428* Stub Contents:: What the stub can do for you
17429* Bootstrapping:: What you must do for the stub
17430* Debug Session:: Putting it all together
17431@end menu
17432
17433@node Stub Contents
17434@subsection What the Stub Can Do for You
17435
17436@cindex remote serial stub
17437The debugging stub for your architecture supplies these three
17438subroutines:
17439
17440@table @code
17441@item set_debug_traps
17442@findex set_debug_traps
17443@cindex remote serial stub, initialization
17444This routine arranges for @code{handle_exception} to run when your
17445program stops. You must call this subroutine explicitly near the
17446beginning of your program.
17447
17448@item handle_exception
17449@findex handle_exception
17450@cindex remote serial stub, main routine
17451This is the central workhorse, but your program never calls it
17452explicitly---the setup code arranges for @code{handle_exception} to
17453run when a trap is triggered.
17454
17455@code{handle_exception} takes control when your program stops during
17456execution (for example, on a breakpoint), and mediates communications
17457with @value{GDBN} on the host machine. This is where the communications
17458protocol is implemented; @code{handle_exception} acts as the @value{GDBN}
17459representative on the target machine. It begins by sending summary
17460information on the state of your program, then continues to execute,
17461retrieving and transmitting any information @value{GDBN} needs, until you
17462execute a @value{GDBN} command that makes your program resume; at that point,
17463@code{handle_exception} returns control to your own code on the target
17464machine.
17465
17466@item breakpoint
17467@cindex @code{breakpoint} subroutine, remote
17468Use this auxiliary subroutine to make your program contain a
17469breakpoint. Depending on the particular situation, this may be the only
17470way for @value{GDBN} to get control. For instance, if your target
17471machine has some sort of interrupt button, you won't need to call this;
17472pressing the interrupt button transfers control to
17473@code{handle_exception}---in effect, to @value{GDBN}. On some machines,
17474simply receiving characters on the serial port may also trigger a trap;
17475again, in that situation, you don't need to call @code{breakpoint} from
17476your own program---simply running @samp{target remote} from the host
17477@value{GDBN} session gets control.
17478
17479Call @code{breakpoint} if none of these is true, or if you simply want
17480to make certain your program stops at a predetermined point for the
17481start of your debugging session.
17482@end table
17483
17484@node Bootstrapping
17485@subsection What You Must Do for the Stub
17486
17487@cindex remote stub, support routines
17488The debugging stubs that come with @value{GDBN} are set up for a particular
17489chip architecture, but they have no information about the rest of your
17490debugging target machine.
17491
17492First of all you need to tell the stub how to communicate with the
17493serial port.
17494
17495@table @code
17496@item int getDebugChar()
17497@findex getDebugChar
17498Write this subroutine to read a single character from the serial port.
17499It may be identical to @code{getchar} for your target system; a
17500different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
17501
17502@item void putDebugChar(int)
17503@findex putDebugChar
17504Write this subroutine to write a single character to the serial port.
17505It may be identical to @code{putchar} for your target system; a
17506different name is used to allow you to distinguish the two if you wish.
17507@end table
17508
17509@cindex control C, and remote debugging
17510@cindex interrupting remote targets
17511If you want @value{GDBN} to be able to stop your program while it is
17512running, you need to use an interrupt-driven serial driver, and arrange
17513for it to stop when it receives a @code{^C} (@samp{\003}, the control-C
17514character). That is the character which @value{GDBN} uses to tell the
17515remote system to stop.
17516
17517Getting the debugging target to return the proper status to @value{GDBN}
17518probably requires changes to the standard stub; one quick and dirty way
17519is to just execute a breakpoint instruction (the ``dirty'' part is that
17520@value{GDBN} reports a @code{SIGTRAP} instead of a @code{SIGINT}).
17521
17522Other routines you need to supply are:
17523
17524@table @code
17525@item void exceptionHandler (int @var{exception_number}, void *@var{exception_address})
17526@findex exceptionHandler
17527Write this function to install @var{exception_address} in the exception
17528handling tables. You need to do this because the stub does not have any
17529way of knowing what the exception handling tables on your target system
17530are like (for example, the processor's table might be in @sc{rom},
17531containing entries which point to a table in @sc{ram}).
17532@var{exception_number} is the exception number which should be changed;
17533its meaning is architecture-dependent (for example, different numbers
17534might represent divide by zero, misaligned access, etc). When this
17535exception occurs, control should be transferred directly to
17536@var{exception_address}, and the processor state (stack, registers,
17537and so on) should be just as it is when a processor exception occurs. So if
17538you want to use a jump instruction to reach @var{exception_address}, it
17539should be a simple jump, not a jump to subroutine.
17540
17541For the 386, @var{exception_address} should be installed as an interrupt
17542gate so that interrupts are masked while the handler runs. The gate
17543should be at privilege level 0 (the most privileged level). The
17544@sc{sparc} and 68k stubs are able to mask interrupts themselves without
17545help from @code{exceptionHandler}.
17546
17547@item void flush_i_cache()
17548@findex flush_i_cache
17549On @sc{sparc} and @sc{sparclite} only, write this subroutine to flush the
17550instruction cache, if any, on your target machine. If there is no
17551instruction cache, this subroutine may be a no-op.
17552
17553On target machines that have instruction caches, @value{GDBN} requires this
17554function to make certain that the state of your program is stable.
17555@end table
17556
17557@noindent
17558You must also make sure this library routine is available:
17559
17560@table @code
17561@item void *memset(void *, int, int)
17562@findex memset
17563This is the standard library function @code{memset} that sets an area of
17564memory to a known value. If you have one of the free versions of
17565@code{libc.a}, @code{memset} can be found there; otherwise, you must
17566either obtain it from your hardware manufacturer, or write your own.
17567@end table
17568
17569If you do not use the GNU C compiler, you may need other standard
17570library subroutines as well; this varies from one stub to another,
17571but in general the stubs are likely to use any of the common library
17572subroutines which @code{@value{NGCC}} generates as inline code.
17573
17574
17575@node Debug Session
17576@subsection Putting it All Together
17577
17578@cindex remote serial debugging summary
17579In summary, when your program is ready to debug, you must follow these
17580steps.
17581
17582@enumerate
17583@item
17584Make sure you have defined the supporting low-level routines
17585(@pxref{Bootstrapping,,What You Must Do for the Stub}):
17586@display
17587@code{getDebugChar}, @code{putDebugChar},
17588@code{flush_i_cache}, @code{memset}, @code{exceptionHandler}.
17589@end display
17590
17591@item
17592Insert these lines near the top of your program:
17593
17594@smallexample
17595set_debug_traps();
17596breakpoint();
17597@end smallexample
17598
17599@item
17600For the 680x0 stub only, you need to provide a variable called
17601@code{exceptionHook}. Normally you just use:
17602
17603@smallexample
17604void (*exceptionHook)() = 0;
17605@end smallexample
17606
17607@noindent
17608but if before calling @code{set_debug_traps}, you set it to point to a
17609function in your program, that function is called when
17610@code{@value{GDBN}} continues after stopping on a trap (for example, bus
17611error). The function indicated by @code{exceptionHook} is called with
17612one parameter: an @code{int} which is the exception number.
17613
17614@item
17615Compile and link together: your program, the @value{GDBN} debugging stub for
17616your target architecture, and the supporting subroutines.
17617
17618@item
17619Make sure you have a serial connection between your target machine and
17620the @value{GDBN} host, and identify the serial port on the host.
17621
17622@item
17623@c The "remote" target now provides a `load' command, so we should
17624@c document that. FIXME.
17625Download your program to your target machine (or get it there by
17626whatever means the manufacturer provides), and start it.
17627
17628@item
17629Start @value{GDBN} on the host, and connect to the target
17630(@pxref{Connecting,,Connecting to a Remote Target}).
17631
17632@end enumerate
17633
17634@node Configurations
17635@chapter Configuration-Specific Information
17636
17637While nearly all @value{GDBN} commands are available for all native and
17638cross versions of the debugger, there are some exceptions. This chapter
17639describes things that are only available in certain configurations.
17640
17641There are three major categories of configurations: native
17642configurations, where the host and target are the same, embedded
17643operating system configurations, which are usually the same for several
17644different processor architectures, and bare embedded processors, which
17645are quite different from each other.
17646
17647@menu
17648* Native::
17649* Embedded OS::
17650* Embedded Processors::
17651* Architectures::
17652@end menu
17653
17654@node Native
17655@section Native
17656
17657This section describes details specific to particular native
17658configurations.
17659
17660@menu
17661* HP-UX:: HP-UX
17662* BSD libkvm Interface:: Debugging BSD kernel memory images
17663* SVR4 Process Information:: SVR4 process information
17664* DJGPP Native:: Features specific to the DJGPP port
17665* Cygwin Native:: Features specific to the Cygwin port
17666* Hurd Native:: Features specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd
17667* Neutrino:: Features specific to QNX Neutrino
17668* Darwin:: Features specific to Darwin
17669@end menu
17670
17671@node HP-UX
17672@subsection HP-UX
17673
17674On HP-UX systems, if you refer to a function or variable name that
17675begins with a dollar sign, @value{GDBN} searches for a user or system
17676name first, before it searches for a convenience variable.
17677
17678
17679@node BSD libkvm Interface
17680@subsection BSD libkvm Interface
17681
17682@cindex libkvm
17683@cindex kernel memory image
17684@cindex kernel crash dump
17685
17686BSD-derived systems (FreeBSD/NetBSD/OpenBSD) have a kernel memory
17687interface that provides a uniform interface for accessing kernel virtual
17688memory images, including live systems and crash dumps. @value{GDBN}
17689uses this interface to allow you to debug live kernels and kernel crash
17690dumps on many native BSD configurations. This is implemented as a
17691special @code{kvm} debugging target. For debugging a live system, load
17692the currently running kernel into @value{GDBN} and connect to the
17693@code{kvm} target:
17694
17695@smallexample
17696(@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm}
17697@end smallexample
17698
17699For debugging crash dumps, provide the file name of the crash dump as an
17700argument:
17701
17702@smallexample
17703(@value{GDBP}) @b{target kvm /var/crash/bsd.0}
17704@end smallexample
17705
17706Once connected to the @code{kvm} target, the following commands are
17707available:
17708
17709@table @code
17710@kindex kvm
17711@item kvm pcb
17712Set current context from the @dfn{Process Control Block} (PCB) address.
17713
17714@item kvm proc
17715Set current context from proc address. This command isn't available on
17716modern FreeBSD systems.
17717@end table
17718
17719@node SVR4 Process Information
17720@subsection SVR4 Process Information
17721@cindex /proc
17722@cindex examine process image
17723@cindex process info via @file{/proc}
17724
17725Many versions of SVR4 and compatible systems provide a facility called
17726@samp{/proc} that can be used to examine the image of a running
17727process using file-system subroutines. If @value{GDBN} is configured
17728for an operating system with this facility, the command @code{info
17729proc} is available to report information about the process running
17730your program, or about any process running on your system. @code{info
17731proc} works only on SVR4 systems that include the @code{procfs} code.
17732This includes, as of this writing, @sc{gnu}/Linux, OSF/1 (Digital
17733Unix), Solaris, Irix, and Unixware, but not HP-UX, for example.
17734
17735@table @code
17736@kindex info proc
17737@cindex process ID
17738@item info proc
17739@itemx info proc @var{process-id}
17740Summarize available information about any running process. If a
17741process ID is specified by @var{process-id}, display information about
17742that process; otherwise display information about the program being
17743debugged. The summary includes the debugged process ID, the command
17744line used to invoke it, its current working directory, and its
17745executable file's absolute file name.
17746
17747On some systems, @var{process-id} can be of the form
17748@samp{[@var{pid}]/@var{tid}} which specifies a certain thread ID
17749within a process. If the optional @var{pid} part is missing, it means
17750a thread from the process being debugged (the leading @samp{/} still
17751needs to be present, or else @value{GDBN} will interpret the number as
17752a process ID rather than a thread ID).
17753
17754@item info proc mappings
17755@cindex memory address space mappings
17756Report the memory address space ranges accessible in the program, with
17757information on whether the process has read, write, or execute access
17758rights to each range. On @sc{gnu}/Linux systems, each memory range
17759includes the object file which is mapped to that range, instead of the
17760memory access rights to that range.
17761
17762@item info proc stat
17763@itemx info proc status
17764@cindex process detailed status information
17765These subcommands are specific to @sc{gnu}/Linux systems. They show
17766the process-related information, including the user ID and group ID;
17767how many threads are there in the process; its virtual memory usage;
17768the signals that are pending, blocked, and ignored; its TTY; its
17769consumption of system and user time; its stack size; its @samp{nice}
17770value; etc. For more information, see the @samp{proc} man page
17771(type @kbd{man 5 proc} from your shell prompt).
17772
17773@item info proc all
17774Show all the information about the process described under all of the
17775above @code{info proc} subcommands.
17776
17777@ignore
17778@comment These sub-options of 'info proc' were not included when
17779@comment procfs.c was re-written. Keep their descriptions around
17780@comment against the day when someone finds the time to put them back in.
17781@kindex info proc times
17782@item info proc times
17783Starting time, user CPU time, and system CPU time for your program and
17784its children.
17785
17786@kindex info proc id
17787@item info proc id
17788Report on the process IDs related to your program: its own process ID,
17789the ID of its parent, the process group ID, and the session ID.
17790@end ignore
17791
17792@item set procfs-trace
17793@kindex set procfs-trace
17794@cindex @code{procfs} API calls
17795This command enables and disables tracing of @code{procfs} API calls.
17796
17797@item show procfs-trace
17798@kindex show procfs-trace
17799Show the current state of @code{procfs} API call tracing.
17800
17801@item set procfs-file @var{file}
17802@kindex set procfs-file
17803Tell @value{GDBN} to write @code{procfs} API trace to the named
17804@var{file}. @value{GDBN} appends the trace info to the previous
17805contents of the file. The default is to display the trace on the
17806standard output.
17807
17808@item show procfs-file
17809@kindex show procfs-file
17810Show the file to which @code{procfs} API trace is written.
17811
17812@item proc-trace-entry
17813@itemx proc-trace-exit
17814@itemx proc-untrace-entry
17815@itemx proc-untrace-exit
17816@kindex proc-trace-entry
17817@kindex proc-trace-exit
17818@kindex proc-untrace-entry
17819@kindex proc-untrace-exit
17820These commands enable and disable tracing of entries into and exits
17821from the @code{syscall} interface.
17822
17823@item info pidlist
17824@kindex info pidlist
17825@cindex process list, QNX Neutrino
17826For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all the
17827processes and all the threads within each process.
17828
17829@item info meminfo
17830@kindex info meminfo
17831@cindex mapinfo list, QNX Neutrino
17832For QNX Neutrino only, this command displays the list of all mapinfos.
17833@end table
17834
17835@node DJGPP Native
17836@subsection Features for Debugging @sc{djgpp} Programs
17837@cindex @sc{djgpp} debugging
17838@cindex native @sc{djgpp} debugging
17839@cindex MS-DOS-specific commands
17840
17841@cindex DPMI
17842@sc{djgpp} is a port of the @sc{gnu} development tools to MS-DOS and
17843MS-Windows. @sc{djgpp} programs are 32-bit protected-mode programs
17844that use the @dfn{DPMI} (DOS Protected-Mode Interface) API to run on
17845top of real-mode DOS systems and their emulations.
17846
17847@value{GDBN} supports native debugging of @sc{djgpp} programs, and
17848defines a few commands specific to the @sc{djgpp} port. This
17849subsection describes those commands.
17850
17851@table @code
17852@kindex info dos
17853@item info dos
17854This is a prefix of @sc{djgpp}-specific commands which print
17855information about the target system and important OS structures.
17856
17857@kindex sysinfo
17858@cindex MS-DOS system info
17859@cindex free memory information (MS-DOS)
17860@item info dos sysinfo
17861This command displays assorted information about the underlying
17862platform: the CPU type and features, the OS version and flavor, the
17863DPMI version, and the available conventional and DPMI memory.
17864
17865@cindex GDT
17866@cindex LDT
17867@cindex IDT
17868@cindex segment descriptor tables
17869@cindex descriptor tables display
17870@item info dos gdt
17871@itemx info dos ldt
17872@itemx info dos idt
17873These 3 commands display entries from, respectively, Global, Local,
17874and Interrupt Descriptor Tables (GDT, LDT, and IDT). The descriptor
17875tables are data structures which store a descriptor for each segment
17876that is currently in use. The segment's selector is an index into a
17877descriptor table; the table entry for that index holds the
17878descriptor's base address and limit, and its attributes and access
17879rights.
17880
17881A typical @sc{djgpp} program uses 3 segments: a code segment, a data
17882segment (used for both data and the stack), and a DOS segment (which
17883allows access to DOS/BIOS data structures and absolute addresses in
17884conventional memory). However, the DPMI host will usually define
17885additional segments in order to support the DPMI environment.
17886
17887@cindex garbled pointers
17888These commands allow to display entries from the descriptor tables.
17889Without an argument, all entries from the specified table are
17890displayed. An argument, which should be an integer expression, means
17891display a single entry whose index is given by the argument. For
17892example, here's a convenient way to display information about the
17893debugged program's data segment:
17894
17895@smallexample
17896@exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos ldt $ds}
17897@exdent @code{0x13f: base=0x11970000 limit=0x0009ffff 32-Bit Data (Read/Write, Exp-up)}
17898@end smallexample
17899
17900@noindent
17901This comes in handy when you want to see whether a pointer is outside
17902the data segment's limit (i.e.@: @dfn{garbled}).
17903
17904@cindex page tables display (MS-DOS)
17905@item info dos pde
17906@itemx info dos pte
17907These two commands display entries from, respectively, the Page
17908Directory and the Page Tables. Page Directories and Page Tables are
17909data structures which control how virtual memory addresses are mapped
17910into physical addresses. A Page Table includes an entry for every
17911page of memory that is mapped into the program's address space; there
17912may be several Page Tables, each one holding up to 4096 entries. A
17913Page Directory has up to 4096 entries, one each for every Page Table
17914that is currently in use.
17915
17916Without an argument, @kbd{info dos pde} displays the entire Page
17917Directory, and @kbd{info dos pte} displays all the entries in all of
17918the Page Tables. An argument, an integer expression, given to the
17919@kbd{info dos pde} command means display only that entry from the Page
17920Directory table. An argument given to the @kbd{info dos pte} command
17921means display entries from a single Page Table, the one pointed to by
17922the specified entry in the Page Directory.
17923
17924@cindex direct memory access (DMA) on MS-DOS
17925These commands are useful when your program uses @dfn{DMA} (Direct
17926Memory Access), which needs physical addresses to program the DMA
17927controller.
17928
17929These commands are supported only with some DPMI servers.
17930
17931@cindex physical address from linear address
17932@item info dos address-pte @var{addr}
17933This command displays the Page Table entry for a specified linear
17934address. The argument @var{addr} is a linear address which should
17935already have the appropriate segment's base address added to it,
17936because this command accepts addresses which may belong to @emph{any}
17937segment. For example, here's how to display the Page Table entry for
17938the page where a variable @code{i} is stored:
17939
17940@smallexample
17941@exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte __djgpp_base_address + (char *)&i}
17942@exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x11a00d30:}
17943@exdent @code{Base=0x02698000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0xd30}
17944@end smallexample
17945
17946@noindent
17947This says that @code{i} is stored at offset @code{0xd30} from the page
17948whose physical base address is @code{0x02698000}, and shows all the
17949attributes of that page.
17950
17951Note that you must cast the addresses of variables to a @code{char *},
17952since otherwise the value of @code{__djgpp_base_address}, the base
17953address of all variables and functions in a @sc{djgpp} program, will
17954be added using the rules of C pointer arithmetics: if @code{i} is
17955declared an @code{int}, @value{GDBN} will add 4 times the value of
17956@code{__djgpp_base_address} to the address of @code{i}.
17957
17958Here's another example, it displays the Page Table entry for the
17959transfer buffer:
17960
17961@smallexample
17962@exdent @code{(@value{GDBP}) info dos address-pte *((unsigned *)&_go32_info_block + 3)}
17963@exdent @code{Page Table entry for address 0x29110:}
17964@exdent @code{Base=0x00029000 Dirty Acc. Not-Cached Write-Back Usr Read-Write +0x110}
17965@end smallexample
17966
17967@noindent
17968(The @code{+ 3} offset is because the transfer buffer's address is the
179693rd member of the @code{_go32_info_block} structure.) The output
17970clearly shows that this DPMI server maps the addresses in conventional
17971memory 1:1, i.e.@: the physical (@code{0x00029000} + @code{0x110}) and
17972linear (@code{0x29110}) addresses are identical.
17973
17974This command is supported only with some DPMI servers.
17975@end table
17976
17977@cindex DOS serial data link, remote debugging
17978In addition to native debugging, the DJGPP port supports remote
17979debugging via a serial data link. The following commands are specific
17980to remote serial debugging in the DJGPP port of @value{GDBN}.
17981
17982@table @code
17983@kindex set com1base
17984@kindex set com1irq
17985@kindex set com2base
17986@kindex set com2irq
17987@kindex set com3base
17988@kindex set com3irq
17989@kindex set com4base
17990@kindex set com4irq
17991@item set com1base @var{addr}
17992This command sets the base I/O port address of the @file{COM1} serial
17993port.
17994
17995@item set com1irq @var{irq}
17996This command sets the @dfn{Interrupt Request} (@code{IRQ}) line to use
17997for the @file{COM1} serial port.
17998
17999There are similar commands @samp{set com2base}, @samp{set com3irq},
18000etc.@: for setting the port address and the @code{IRQ} lines for the
18001other 3 COM ports.
18002
18003@kindex show com1base
18004@kindex show com1irq
18005@kindex show com2base
18006@kindex show com2irq
18007@kindex show com3base
18008@kindex show com3irq
18009@kindex show com4base
18010@kindex show com4irq
18011The related commands @samp{show com1base}, @samp{show com1irq} etc.@:
18012display the current settings of the base address and the @code{IRQ}
18013lines used by the COM ports.
18014
18015@item info serial
18016@kindex info serial
18017@cindex DOS serial port status
18018This command prints the status of the 4 DOS serial ports. For each
18019port, it prints whether it's active or not, its I/O base address and
18020IRQ number, whether it uses a 16550-style FIFO, its baudrate, and the
18021counts of various errors encountered so far.
18022@end table
18023
18024
18025@node Cygwin Native
18026@subsection Features for Debugging MS Windows PE Executables
18027@cindex MS Windows debugging
18028@cindex native Cygwin debugging
18029@cindex Cygwin-specific commands
18030
18031@value{GDBN} supports native debugging of MS Windows programs, including
18032DLLs with and without symbolic debugging information.
18033
18034@cindex Ctrl-BREAK, MS-Windows
18035@cindex interrupt debuggee on MS-Windows
18036MS-Windows programs that call @code{SetConsoleMode} to switch off the
18037special meaning of the @samp{Ctrl-C} keystroke cannot be interrupted
18038by typing @kbd{C-c}. For this reason, @value{GDBN} on MS-Windows
18039supports @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} as an alternative interrupt key
18040sequence, which can be used to interrupt the debuggee even if it
18041ignores @kbd{C-c}.
18042
18043There are various additional Cygwin-specific commands, described in
18044this section. Working with DLLs that have no debugging symbols is
18045described in @ref{Non-debug DLL Symbols}.
18046
18047@table @code
18048@kindex info w32
18049@item info w32
18050This is a prefix of MS Windows-specific commands which print
18051information about the target system and important OS structures.
18052
18053@item info w32 selector
18054This command displays information returned by
18055the Win32 API @code{GetThreadSelectorEntry} function.
18056It takes an optional argument that is evaluated to
18057a long value to give the information about this given selector.
18058Without argument, this command displays information
18059about the six segment registers.
18060
18061@item info w32 thread-information-block
18062This command displays thread specific information stored in the
18063Thread Information Block (readable on the X86 CPU family using @code{$fs}
18064selector for 32-bit programs and @code{$gs} for 64-bit programs).
18065
18066@kindex info dll
18067@item info dll
18068This is a Cygwin-specific alias of @code{info shared}.
18069
18070@kindex dll-symbols
18071@item dll-symbols
18072This command loads symbols from a dll similarly to
18073add-sym command but without the need to specify a base address.
18074
18075@kindex set cygwin-exceptions
18076@cindex debugging the Cygwin DLL
18077@cindex Cygwin DLL, debugging
18078@item set cygwin-exceptions @var{mode}
18079If @var{mode} is @code{on}, @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that
18080happen inside the Cygwin DLL. If @var{mode} is @code{off},
18081@value{GDBN} will delay recognition of exceptions, and may ignore some
18082exceptions which seem to be caused by internal Cygwin DLL
18083``bookkeeping''. This option is meant primarily for debugging the
18084Cygwin DLL itself; the default value is @code{off} to avoid annoying
18085@value{GDBN} users with false @code{SIGSEGV} signals.
18086
18087@kindex show cygwin-exceptions
18088@item show cygwin-exceptions
18089Displays whether @value{GDBN} will break on exceptions that happen
18090inside the Cygwin DLL itself.
18091
18092@kindex set new-console
18093@item set new-console @var{mode}
18094If @var{mode} is @code{on} the debuggee will
18095be started in a new console on next start.
18096If @var{mode} is @code{off}, the debuggee will
18097be started in the same console as the debugger.
18098
18099@kindex show new-console
18100@item show new-console
18101Displays whether a new console is used
18102when the debuggee is started.
18103
18104@kindex set new-group
18105@item set new-group @var{mode}
18106This boolean value controls whether the debuggee should
18107start a new group or stay in the same group as the debugger.
18108This affects the way the Windows OS handles
18109@samp{Ctrl-C}.
18110
18111@kindex show new-group
18112@item show new-group
18113Displays current value of new-group boolean.
18114
18115@kindex set debugevents
18116@item set debugevents
18117This boolean value adds debug output concerning kernel events related
18118to the debuggee seen by the debugger. This includes events that
18119signal thread and process creation and exit, DLL loading and
18120unloading, console interrupts, and debugging messages produced by the
18121Windows @code{OutputDebugString} API call.
18122
18123@kindex set debugexec
18124@item set debugexec
18125This boolean value adds debug output concerning execute events
18126(such as resume thread) seen by the debugger.
18127
18128@kindex set debugexceptions
18129@item set debugexceptions
18130This boolean value adds debug output concerning exceptions in the
18131debuggee seen by the debugger.
18132
18133@kindex set debugmemory
18134@item set debugmemory
18135This boolean value adds debug output concerning debuggee memory reads
18136and writes by the debugger.
18137
18138@kindex set shell
18139@item set shell
18140This boolean values specifies whether the debuggee is called
18141via a shell or directly (default value is on).
18142
18143@kindex show shell
18144@item show shell
18145Displays if the debuggee will be started with a shell.
18146
18147@end table
18148
18149@menu
18150* Non-debug DLL Symbols:: Support for DLLs without debugging symbols
18151@end menu
18152
18153@node Non-debug DLL Symbols
18154@subsubsection Support for DLLs without Debugging Symbols
18155@cindex DLLs with no debugging symbols
18156@cindex Minimal symbols and DLLs
18157
18158Very often on windows, some of the DLLs that your program relies on do
18159not include symbolic debugging information (for example,
18160@file{kernel32.dll}). When @value{GDBN} doesn't recognize any debugging
18161symbols in a DLL, it relies on the minimal amount of symbolic
18162information contained in the DLL's export table. This section
18163describes working with such symbols, known internally to @value{GDBN} as
18164``minimal symbols''.
18165
18166Note that before the debugged program has started execution, no DLLs
18167will have been loaded. The easiest way around this problem is simply to
18168start the program --- either by setting a breakpoint or letting the
18169program run once to completion. It is also possible to force
18170@value{GDBN} to load a particular DLL before starting the executable ---
18171see the shared library information in @ref{Files}, or the
18172@code{dll-symbols} command in @ref{Cygwin Native}. Currently,
18173explicitly loading symbols from a DLL with no debugging information will
18174cause the symbol names to be duplicated in @value{GDBN}'s lookup table,
18175which may adversely affect symbol lookup performance.
18176
18177@subsubsection DLL Name Prefixes
18178
18179In keeping with the naming conventions used by the Microsoft debugging
18180tools, DLL export symbols are made available with a prefix based on the
18181DLL name, for instance @code{KERNEL32!CreateFileA}. The plain name is
18182also entered into the symbol table, so @code{CreateFileA} is often
18183sufficient. In some cases there will be name clashes within a program
18184(particularly if the executable itself includes full debugging symbols)
18185necessitating the use of the fully qualified name when referring to the
18186contents of the DLL. Use single-quotes around the name to avoid the
18187exclamation mark (``!'') being interpreted as a language operator.
18188
18189Note that the internal name of the DLL may be all upper-case, even
18190though the file name of the DLL is lower-case, or vice-versa. Since
18191symbols within @value{GDBN} are @emph{case-sensitive} this may cause
18192some confusion. If in doubt, try the @code{info functions} and
18193@code{info variables} commands or even @code{maint print msymbols}
18194(@pxref{Symbols}). Here's an example:
18195
18196@smallexample
18197(@value{GDBP}) info function CreateFileA
18198All functions matching regular expression "CreateFileA":
18199
18200Non-debugging symbols:
182010x77e885f4 CreateFileA
182020x77e885f4 KERNEL32!CreateFileA
18203@end smallexample
18204
18205@smallexample
18206(@value{GDBP}) info function !
18207All functions matching regular expression "!":
18208
18209Non-debugging symbols:
182100x6100114c cygwin1!__assert
182110x61004034 cygwin1!_dll_crt0@@0
182120x61004240 cygwin1!dll_crt0(per_process *)
18213[etc...]
18214@end smallexample
18215
18216@subsubsection Working with Minimal Symbols
18217
18218Symbols extracted from a DLL's export table do not contain very much
18219type information. All that @value{GDBN} can do is guess whether a symbol
18220refers to a function or variable depending on the linker section that
18221contains the symbol. Also note that the actual contents of the memory
18222contained in a DLL are not available unless the program is running. This
18223means that you cannot examine the contents of a variable or disassemble
18224a function within a DLL without a running program.
18225
18226Variables are generally treated as pointers and dereferenced
18227automatically. For this reason, it is often necessary to prefix a
18228variable name with the address-of operator (``&'') and provide explicit
18229type information in the command. Here's an example of the type of
18230problem:
18231
18232@smallexample
18233(@value{GDBP}) print 'cygwin1!__argv'
18234$1 = 268572168
18235@end smallexample
18236
18237@smallexample
18238(@value{GDBP}) x 'cygwin1!__argv'
182390x10021610: "\230y\""
18240@end smallexample
18241
18242And two possible solutions:
18243
18244@smallexample
18245(@value{GDBP}) print ((char **)'cygwin1!__argv')[0]
18246$2 = 0x22fd98 "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
18247@end smallexample
18248
18249@smallexample
18250(@value{GDBP}) x/2x &'cygwin1!__argv'
182510x610c0aa8 <cygwin1!__argv>: 0x10021608 0x00000000
18252(@value{GDBP}) x/x 0x10021608
182530x10021608: 0x0022fd98
18254(@value{GDBP}) x/s 0x0022fd98
182550x22fd98: "/cygdrive/c/mydirectory/myprogram"
18256@end smallexample
18257
18258Setting a break point within a DLL is possible even before the program
18259starts execution. However, under these circumstances, @value{GDBN} can't
18260examine the initial instructions of the function in order to skip the
18261function's frame set-up code. You can work around this by using ``*&''
18262to set the breakpoint at a raw memory address:
18263
18264@smallexample
18265(@value{GDBP}) break *&'python22!PyOS_Readline'
18266Breakpoint 1 at 0x1e04eff0
18267@end smallexample
18268
18269The author of these extensions is not entirely convinced that setting a
18270break point within a shared DLL like @file{kernel32.dll} is completely
18271safe.
18272
18273@node Hurd Native
18274@subsection Commands Specific to @sc{gnu} Hurd Systems
18275@cindex @sc{gnu} Hurd debugging
18276
18277This subsection describes @value{GDBN} commands specific to the
18278@sc{gnu} Hurd native debugging.
18279
18280@table @code
18281@item set signals
18282@itemx set sigs
18283@kindex set signals@r{, Hurd command}
18284@kindex set sigs@r{, Hurd command}
18285This command toggles the state of inferior signal interception by
18286@value{GDBN}. Mach exceptions, such as breakpoint traps, are not
18287affected by this command. @code{sigs} is a shorthand alias for
18288@code{signals}.
18289
18290@item show signals
18291@itemx show sigs
18292@kindex show signals@r{, Hurd command}
18293@kindex show sigs@r{, Hurd command}
18294Show the current state of intercepting inferior's signals.
18295
18296@item set signal-thread
18297@itemx set sigthread
18298@kindex set signal-thread
18299@kindex set sigthread
18300This command tells @value{GDBN} which thread is the @code{libc} signal
18301thread. That thread is run when a signal is delivered to a running
18302process. @code{set sigthread} is the shorthand alias of @code{set
18303signal-thread}.
18304
18305@item show signal-thread
18306@itemx show sigthread
18307@kindex show signal-thread
18308@kindex show sigthread
18309These two commands show which thread will run when the inferior is
18310delivered a signal.
18311
18312@item set stopped
18313@kindex set stopped@r{, Hurd command}
18314This commands tells @value{GDBN} that the inferior process is stopped,
18315as with the @code{SIGSTOP} signal. The stopped process can be
18316continued by delivering a signal to it.
18317
18318@item show stopped
18319@kindex show stopped@r{, Hurd command}
18320This command shows whether @value{GDBN} thinks the debuggee is
18321stopped.
18322
18323@item set exceptions
18324@kindex set exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
18325Use this command to turn off trapping of exceptions in the inferior.
18326When exception trapping is off, neither breakpoints nor
18327single-stepping will work. To restore the default, set exception
18328trapping on.
18329
18330@item show exceptions
18331@kindex show exceptions@r{, Hurd command}
18332Show the current state of trapping exceptions in the inferior.
18333
18334@item set task pause
18335@kindex set task@r{, Hurd commands}
18336@cindex task attributes (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
18337@cindex pause current task (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
18338This command toggles task suspension when @value{GDBN} has control.
18339Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the task is suspended
18340whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to off will take
18341effect the next time the inferior is continued. If this option is set
18342to off, you can use @code{set thread default pause on} or @code{set
18343thread pause on} (see below) to pause individual threads.
18344
18345@item show task pause
18346@kindex show task@r{, Hurd commands}
18347Show the current state of task suspension.
18348
18349@item set task detach-suspend-count
18350@cindex task suspend count
18351@cindex detach from task, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18352This command sets the suspend count the task will be left with when
18353@value{GDBN} detaches from it.
18354
18355@item show task detach-suspend-count
18356Show the suspend count the task will be left with when detaching.
18357
18358@item set task exception-port
18359@itemx set task excp
18360@cindex task exception port, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18361This command sets the task exception port to which @value{GDBN} will
18362forward exceptions. The argument should be the value of the @dfn{send
18363rights} of the task. @code{set task excp} is a shorthand alias.
18364
18365@item set noninvasive
18366@cindex noninvasive task options
18367This command switches @value{GDBN} to a mode that is the least
18368invasive as far as interfering with the inferior is concerned. This
18369is the same as using @code{set task pause}, @code{set exceptions}, and
18370@code{set signals} to values opposite to the defaults.
18371
18372@item info send-rights
18373@itemx info receive-rights
18374@itemx info port-rights
18375@itemx info port-sets
18376@itemx info dead-names
18377@itemx info ports
18378@itemx info psets
18379@cindex send rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18380@cindex receive rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18381@cindex port rights, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18382@cindex port sets, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18383@cindex dead names, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18384These commands display information about, respectively, send rights,
18385receive rights, port rights, port sets, and dead names of a task.
18386There are also shorthand aliases: @code{info ports} for @code{info
18387port-rights} and @code{info psets} for @code{info port-sets}.
18388
18389@item set thread pause
18390@kindex set thread@r{, Hurd command}
18391@cindex thread properties, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18392@cindex pause current thread (@sc{gnu} Hurd)
18393This command toggles current thread suspension when @value{GDBN} has
18394control. Setting it to on takes effect immediately, and the current
18395thread is suspended whenever @value{GDBN} gets control. Setting it to
18396off will take effect the next time the inferior is continued.
18397Normally, this command has no effect, since when @value{GDBN} has
18398control, the whole task is suspended. However, if you used @code{set
18399task pause off} (see above), this command comes in handy to suspend
18400only the current thread.
18401
18402@item show thread pause
18403@kindex show thread@r{, Hurd command}
18404This command shows the state of current thread suspension.
18405
18406@item set thread run
18407This command sets whether the current thread is allowed to run.
18408
18409@item show thread run
18410Show whether the current thread is allowed to run.
18411
18412@item set thread detach-suspend-count
18413@cindex thread suspend count, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18414@cindex detach from thread, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18415This command sets the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on a
18416thread when detaching. This number is relative to the suspend count
18417found by @value{GDBN} when it notices the thread; use @code{set thread
18418takeover-suspend-count} to force it to an absolute value.
18419
18420@item show thread detach-suspend-count
18421Show the suspend count @value{GDBN} will leave on the thread when
18422detaching.
18423
18424@item set thread exception-port
18425@itemx set thread excp
18426Set the thread exception port to which to forward exceptions. This
18427overrides the port set by @code{set task exception-port} (see above).
18428@code{set thread excp} is the shorthand alias.
18429
18430@item set thread takeover-suspend-count
18431Normally, @value{GDBN}'s thread suspend counts are relative to the
18432value @value{GDBN} finds when it notices each thread. This command
18433changes the suspend counts to be absolute instead.
18434
18435@item set thread default
18436@itemx show thread default
18437@cindex thread default settings, @sc{gnu} Hurd
18438Each of the above @code{set thread} commands has a @code{set thread
18439default} counterpart (e.g., @code{set thread default pause}, @code{set
18440thread default exception-port}, etc.). The @code{thread default}
18441variety of commands sets the default thread properties for all
18442threads; you can then change the properties of individual threads with
18443the non-default commands.
18444@end table
18445
18446
18447@node Neutrino
18448@subsection QNX Neutrino
18449@cindex QNX Neutrino
18450
18451@value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the QNX
18452Neutrino target:
18453
18454@table @code
18455@item set debug nto-debug
18456@kindex set debug nto-debug
18457When set to on, enables debugging messages specific to the QNX
18458Neutrino support.
18459
18460@item show debug nto-debug
18461@kindex show debug nto-debug
18462Show the current state of QNX Neutrino messages.
18463@end table
18464
18465@node Darwin
18466@subsection Darwin
18467@cindex Darwin
18468
18469@value{GDBN} provides the following commands specific to the Darwin target:
18470
18471@table @code
18472@item set debug darwin @var{num}
18473@kindex set debug darwin
18474When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages specific to
18475the Darwin support. Higher values produce more verbose output.
18476
18477@item show debug darwin
18478@kindex show debug darwin
18479Show the current state of Darwin messages.
18480
18481@item set debug mach-o @var{num}
18482@kindex set debug mach-o
18483When set to a non zero value, enables debugging messages while
18484@value{GDBN} is reading Darwin object files. (@dfn{Mach-O} is the
18485file format used on Darwin for object and executable files.) Higher
18486values produce more verbose output. This is a command to diagnose
18487problems internal to @value{GDBN} and should not be needed in normal
18488usage.
18489
18490@item show debug mach-o
18491@kindex show debug mach-o
18492Show the current state of Mach-O file messages.
18493
18494@item set mach-exceptions on
18495@itemx set mach-exceptions off
18496@kindex set mach-exceptions
18497On Darwin, faults are first reported as a Mach exception and are then
18498mapped to a Posix signal. Use this command to turn on trapping of
18499Mach exceptions in the inferior. This might be sometimes useful to
18500better understand the cause of a fault. The default is off.
18501
18502@item show mach-exceptions
18503@kindex show mach-exceptions
18504Show the current state of exceptions trapping.
18505@end table
18506
18507
18508@node Embedded OS
18509@section Embedded Operating Systems
18510
18511This section describes configurations involving the debugging of
18512embedded operating systems that are available for several different
18513architectures.
18514
18515@menu
18516* VxWorks:: Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
18517@end menu
18518
18519@value{GDBN} includes the ability to debug programs running on
18520various real-time operating systems.
18521
18522@node VxWorks
18523@subsection Using @value{GDBN} with VxWorks
18524
18525@cindex VxWorks
18526
18527@table @code
18528
18529@kindex target vxworks
18530@item target vxworks @var{machinename}
18531A VxWorks system, attached via TCP/IP. The argument @var{machinename}
18532is the target system's machine name or IP address.
18533
18534@end table
18535
18536On VxWorks, @code{load} links @var{filename} dynamically on the
18537current target system as well as adding its symbols in @value{GDBN}.
18538
18539@value{GDBN} enables developers to spawn and debug tasks running on networked
18540VxWorks targets from a Unix host. Already-running tasks spawned from
18541the VxWorks shell can also be debugged. @value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
18542both the Unix host and on the VxWorks target. The program
18543@code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host. (It may be
18544installed with the name @code{vxgdb}, to distinguish it from a
18545@value{GDBN} for debugging programs on the host itself.)
18546
18547@table @code
18548@item VxWorks-timeout @var{args}
18549@kindex vxworks-timeout
18550All VxWorks-based targets now support the option @code{vxworks-timeout}.
18551This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
18552seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses to rpc's. You might use this if
18553your VxWorks target is a slow software simulator or is on the far side
18554of a thin network line.
18555@end table
18556
18557The following information on connecting to VxWorks was current when
18558this manual was produced; newer releases of VxWorks may use revised
18559procedures.
18560
18561@findex INCLUDE_RDB
18562To use @value{GDBN} with VxWorks, you must rebuild your VxWorks kernel
18563to include the remote debugging interface routines in the VxWorks
18564library @file{rdb.a}. To do this, define @code{INCLUDE_RDB} in the
18565VxWorks configuration file @file{configAll.h} and rebuild your VxWorks
18566kernel. The resulting kernel contains @file{rdb.a}, and spawns the
18567source debugging task @code{tRdbTask} when VxWorks is booted. For more
18568information on configuring and remaking VxWorks, see the manufacturer's
18569manual.
18570@c VxWorks, see the @cite{VxWorks Programmer's Guide}.
18571
18572Once you have included @file{rdb.a} in your VxWorks system image and set
18573your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
18574run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}} (or
18575@code{vxgdb}, depending on your installation).
18576
18577@value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
18578
18579@smallexample
18580(vxgdb)
18581@end smallexample
18582
18583@menu
18584* VxWorks Connection:: Connecting to VxWorks
18585* VxWorks Download:: VxWorks download
18586* VxWorks Attach:: Running tasks
18587@end menu
18588
18589@node VxWorks Connection
18590@subsubsection Connecting to VxWorks
18591
18592The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a VxWorks target on the
18593network. To connect to a target whose host name is ``@code{tt}'', type:
18594
18595@smallexample
18596(vxgdb) target vxworks tt
18597@end smallexample
18598
18599@need 750
18600@value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
18601
18602@smallexample
18603Attaching remote machine across net...
18604Connected to tt.
18605@end smallexample
18606
18607@need 1000
18608@value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol tables of any object modules
18609loaded into the VxWorks target since it was last booted. @value{GDBN} locates
18610these files by searching the directories listed in the command search
18611path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}); if it fails
18612to find an object file, it displays a message such as:
18613
18614@smallexample
18615prog.o: No such file or directory.
18616@end smallexample
18617
18618When this happens, add the appropriate directory to the search path with
18619the @value{GDBN} command @code{path}, and execute the @code{target}
18620command again.
18621
18622@node VxWorks Download
18623@subsubsection VxWorks Download
18624
18625@cindex download to VxWorks
18626If you have connected to the VxWorks target and you want to debug an
18627object that has not yet been loaded, you can use the @value{GDBN}
18628@code{load} command to download a file from Unix to VxWorks
18629incrementally. The object file given as an argument to the @code{load}
18630command is actually opened twice: first by the VxWorks target in order
18631to download the code, then by @value{GDBN} in order to read the symbol
18632table. This can lead to problems if the current working directories on
18633the two systems differ. If both systems have NFS mounted the same
18634filesystems, you can avoid these problems by using absolute paths.
18635Otherwise, it is simplest to set the working directory on both systems
18636to the directory in which the object file resides, and then to reference
18637the file by its name, without any path. For instance, a program
18638@file{prog.o} may reside in @file{@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb} in VxWorks
18639and in @file{@var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb} on the host. To load this
18640program, type this on VxWorks:
18641
18642@smallexample
18643-> cd "@var{vxpath}/vw/demo/rdb"
18644@end smallexample
18645
18646@noindent
18647Then, in @value{GDBN}, type:
18648
18649@smallexample
18650(vxgdb) cd @var{hostpath}/vw/demo/rdb
18651(vxgdb) load prog.o
18652@end smallexample
18653
18654@value{GDBN} displays a response similar to this:
18655
18656@smallexample
18657Reading symbol data from wherever/vw/demo/rdb/prog.o... done.
18658@end smallexample
18659
18660You can also use the @code{load} command to reload an object module
18661after editing and recompiling the corresponding source file. Note that
18662this makes @value{GDBN} delete all currently-defined breakpoints,
18663auto-displays, and convenience variables, and to clear the value
18664history. (This is necessary in order to preserve the integrity of
18665debugger's data structures that reference the target system's symbol
18666table.)
18667
18668@node VxWorks Attach
18669@subsubsection Running Tasks
18670
18671@cindex running VxWorks tasks
18672You can also attach to an existing task using the @code{attach} command as
18673follows:
18674
18675@smallexample
18676(vxgdb) attach @var{task}
18677@end smallexample
18678
18679@noindent
18680where @var{task} is the VxWorks hexadecimal task ID. The task can be running
18681or suspended when you attach to it. Running tasks are suspended at
18682the time of attachment.
18683
18684@node Embedded Processors
18685@section Embedded Processors
18686
18687This section goes into details specific to particular embedded
18688configurations.
18689
18690@cindex send command to simulator
18691Whenever a specific embedded processor has a simulator, @value{GDBN}
18692allows to send an arbitrary command to the simulator.
18693
18694@table @code
18695@item sim @var{command}
18696@kindex sim@r{, a command}
18697Send an arbitrary @var{command} string to the simulator. Consult the
18698documentation for the specific simulator in use for information about
18699acceptable commands.
18700@end table
18701
18702
18703@menu
18704* ARM:: ARM RDI
18705* M32R/D:: Renesas M32R/D
18706* M68K:: Motorola M68K
18707* MicroBlaze:: Xilinx MicroBlaze
18708* MIPS Embedded:: MIPS Embedded
18709* OpenRISC 1000:: OpenRisc 1000
18710* PA:: HP PA Embedded
18711* PowerPC Embedded:: PowerPC Embedded
18712* Sparclet:: Tsqware Sparclet
18713* Sparclite:: Fujitsu Sparclite
18714* Z8000:: Zilog Z8000
18715* AVR:: Atmel AVR
18716* CRIS:: CRIS
18717* Super-H:: Renesas Super-H
18718@end menu
18719
18720@node ARM
18721@subsection ARM
18722@cindex ARM RDI
18723
18724@table @code
18725@kindex target rdi
18726@item target rdi @var{dev}
18727ARM Angel monitor, via RDI library interface to ADP protocol. You may
18728use this target to communicate with both boards running the Angel
18729monitor, or with the EmbeddedICE JTAG debug device.
18730
18731@kindex target rdp
18732@item target rdp @var{dev}
18733ARM Demon monitor.
18734
18735@end table
18736
18737@value{GDBN} provides the following ARM-specific commands:
18738
18739@table @code
18740@item set arm disassembler
18741@kindex set arm
18742This commands selects from a list of disassembly styles. The
18743@code{"std"} style is the standard style.
18744
18745@item show arm disassembler
18746@kindex show arm
18747Show the current disassembly style.
18748
18749@item set arm apcs32
18750@cindex ARM 32-bit mode
18751This command toggles ARM operation mode between 32-bit and 26-bit.
18752
18753@item show arm apcs32
18754Display the current usage of the ARM 32-bit mode.
18755
18756@item set arm fpu @var{fputype}
18757This command sets the ARM floating-point unit (FPU) type. The
18758argument @var{fputype} can be one of these:
18759
18760@table @code
18761@item auto
18762Determine the FPU type by querying the OS ABI.
18763@item softfpa
18764Software FPU, with mixed-endian doubles on little-endian ARM
18765processors.
18766@item fpa
18767GCC-compiled FPA co-processor.
18768@item softvfp
18769Software FPU with pure-endian doubles.
18770@item vfp
18771VFP co-processor.
18772@end table
18773
18774@item show arm fpu
18775Show the current type of the FPU.
18776
18777@item set arm abi
18778This command forces @value{GDBN} to use the specified ABI.
18779
18780@item show arm abi
18781Show the currently used ABI.
18782
18783@item set arm fallback-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
18784@value{GDBN} uses the symbol table, when available, to determine
18785whether instructions are ARM or Thumb. This command controls
18786@value{GDBN}'s default behavior when the symbol table is not
18787available. The default is @samp{auto}, which causes @value{GDBN} to
18788use the current execution mode (from the @code{T} bit in the @code{CPSR}
18789register).
18790
18791@item show arm fallback-mode
18792Show the current fallback instruction mode.
18793
18794@item set arm force-mode (arm|thumb|auto)
18795This command overrides use of the symbol table to determine whether
18796instructions are ARM or Thumb. The default is @samp{auto}, which
18797causes @value{GDBN} to use the symbol table and then the setting
18798of @samp{set arm fallback-mode}.
18799
18800@item show arm force-mode
18801Show the current forced instruction mode.
18802
18803@item set debug arm
18804Toggle whether to display ARM-specific debugging messages from the ARM
18805target support subsystem.
18806
18807@item show debug arm
18808Show whether ARM-specific debugging messages are enabled.
18809@end table
18810
18811The following commands are available when an ARM target is debugged
18812using the RDI interface:
18813
18814@table @code
18815@item rdilogfile @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
18816@kindex rdilogfile
18817@cindex ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) logging
18818Set the filename for the ADP (Angel Debugger Protocol) packet log.
18819With an argument, sets the log file to the specified @var{file}. With
18820no argument, show the current log file name. The default log file is
18821@file{rdi.log}.
18822
18823@item rdilogenable @r{[}@var{arg}@r{]}
18824@kindex rdilogenable
18825Control logging of ADP packets. With an argument of 1 or @code{"yes"}
18826enables logging, with an argument 0 or @code{"no"} disables it. With
18827no arguments displays the current setting. When logging is enabled,
18828ADP packets exchanged between @value{GDBN} and the RDI target device
18829are logged to a file.
18830
18831@item set rdiromatzero
18832@kindex set rdiromatzero
18833@cindex ROM at zero address, RDI
18834Tell @value{GDBN} whether the target has ROM at address 0. If on,
18835vector catching is disabled, so that zero address can be used. If off
18836(the default), vector catching is enabled. For this command to take
18837effect, it needs to be invoked prior to the @code{target rdi} command.
18838
18839@item show rdiromatzero
18840@kindex show rdiromatzero
18841Show the current setting of ROM at zero address.
18842
18843@item set rdiheartbeat
18844@kindex set rdiheartbeat
18845@cindex RDI heartbeat
18846Enable or disable RDI heartbeat packets. It is not recommended to
18847turn on this option, since it confuses ARM and EPI JTAG interface, as
18848well as the Angel monitor.
18849
18850@item show rdiheartbeat
18851@kindex show rdiheartbeat
18852Show the setting of RDI heartbeat packets.
18853@end table
18854
18855@table @code
18856@item target sim @r{[}@var{simargs}@r{]} @dots{}
18857The @value{GDBN} ARM simulator accepts the following optional arguments.
18858
18859@table @code
18860@item --swi-support=@var{type}
18861Tell the simulator which SWI interfaces to support.
18862@var{type} may be a comma separated list of the following values.
18863The default value is @code{all}.
18864
18865@table @code
18866@item none
18867@item demon
18868@item angel
18869@item redboot
18870@item all
18871@end table
18872@end table
18873@end table
18874
18875@node M32R/D
18876@subsection Renesas M32R/D and M32R/SDI
18877
18878@table @code
18879@kindex target m32r
18880@item target m32r @var{dev}
18881Renesas M32R/D ROM monitor.
18882
18883@kindex target m32rsdi
18884@item target m32rsdi @var{dev}
18885Renesas M32R SDI server, connected via parallel port to the board.
18886@end table
18887
18888The following @value{GDBN} commands are specific to the M32R monitor:
18889
18890@table @code
18891@item set download-path @var{path}
18892@kindex set download-path
18893@cindex find downloadable @sc{srec} files (M32R)
18894Set the default path for finding downloadable @sc{srec} files.
18895
18896@item show download-path
18897@kindex show download-path
18898Show the default path for downloadable @sc{srec} files.
18899
18900@item set board-address @var{addr}
18901@kindex set board-address
18902@cindex M32-EVA target board address
18903Set the IP address for the M32R-EVA target board.
18904
18905@item show board-address
18906@kindex show board-address
18907Show the current IP address of the target board.
18908
18909@item set server-address @var{addr}
18910@kindex set server-address
18911@cindex download server address (M32R)
18912Set the IP address for the download server, which is the @value{GDBN}'s
18913host machine.
18914
18915@item show server-address
18916@kindex show server-address
18917Display the IP address of the download server.
18918
18919@item upload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
18920@kindex upload@r{, M32R}
18921Upload the specified @sc{srec} @var{file} via the monitor's Ethernet
18922upload capability. If no @var{file} argument is given, the current
18923executable file is uploaded.
18924
18925@item tload @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
18926@kindex tload@r{, M32R}
18927Test the @code{upload} command.
18928@end table
18929
18930The following commands are available for M32R/SDI:
18931
18932@table @code
18933@item sdireset
18934@kindex sdireset
18935@cindex reset SDI connection, M32R
18936This command resets the SDI connection.
18937
18938@item sdistatus
18939@kindex sdistatus
18940This command shows the SDI connection status.
18941
18942@item debug_chaos
18943@kindex debug_chaos
18944@cindex M32R/Chaos debugging
18945Instructs the remote that M32R/Chaos debugging is to be used.
18946
18947@item use_debug_dma
18948@kindex use_debug_dma
18949Instructs the remote to use the DEBUG_DMA method of accessing memory.
18950
18951@item use_mon_code
18952@kindex use_mon_code
18953Instructs the remote to use the MON_CODE method of accessing memory.
18954
18955@item use_ib_break
18956@kindex use_ib_break
18957Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by IB break.
18958
18959@item use_dbt_break
18960@kindex use_dbt_break
18961Instructs the remote to set breakpoints by DBT.
18962@end table
18963
18964@node M68K
18965@subsection M68k
18966
18967The Motorola m68k configuration includes ColdFire support, and a
18968target command for the following ROM monitor.
18969
18970@table @code
18971
18972@kindex target dbug
18973@item target dbug @var{dev}
18974dBUG ROM monitor for Motorola ColdFire.
18975
18976@end table
18977
18978@node MicroBlaze
18979@subsection MicroBlaze
18980@cindex Xilinx MicroBlaze
18981@cindex XMD, Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger
18982
18983The MicroBlaze is a soft-core processor supported on various Xilinx
18984FPGAs, such as Spartan or Virtex series. Boards with these processors
18985usually have JTAG ports which connect to a host system running the Xilinx
18986Embedded Development Kit (EDK) or Software Development Kit (SDK).
18987This host system is used to download the configuration bitstream to
18988the target FPGA. The Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger (XMD) program
18989communicates with the target board using the JTAG interface and
18990presents a @code{gdbserver} interface to the board. By default
18991@code{xmd} uses port @code{1234}. (While it is possible to change
18992this default port, it requires the use of undocumented @code{xmd}
18993commands. Contact Xilinx support if you need to do this.)
18994
18995Use these GDB commands to connect to the MicroBlaze target processor.
18996
18997@table @code
18998@item target remote :1234
18999Use this command to connect to the target if you are running @value{GDBN}
19000on the same system as @code{xmd}.
19001
19002@item target remote @var{xmd-host}:1234
19003Use this command to connect to the target if it is connected to @code{xmd}
19004running on a different system named @var{xmd-host}.
19005
19006@item load
19007Use this command to download a program to the MicroBlaze target.
19008
19009@item set debug microblaze @var{n}
19010Enable MicroBlaze-specific debugging messages if non-zero.
19011
19012@item show debug microblaze @var{n}
19013Show MicroBlaze-specific debugging level.
19014@end table
19015
19016@node MIPS Embedded
19017@subsection MIPS Embedded
19018
19019@cindex MIPS boards
19020@value{GDBN} can use the MIPS remote debugging protocol to talk to a
19021MIPS board attached to a serial line. This is available when
19022you configure @value{GDBN} with @samp{--target=mips-idt-ecoff}.
19023
19024@need 1000
19025Use these @value{GDBN} commands to specify the connection to your target board:
19026
19027@table @code
19028@item target mips @var{port}
19029@kindex target mips @var{port}
19030To run a program on the board, start up @code{@value{GDBP}} with the
19031name of your program as the argument. To connect to the board, use the
19032command @samp{target mips @var{port}}, where @var{port} is the name of
19033the serial port connected to the board. If the program has not already
19034been downloaded to the board, you may use the @code{load} command to
19035download it. You can then use all the usual @value{GDBN} commands.
19036
19037For example, this sequence connects to the target board through a serial
19038port, and loads and runs a program called @var{prog} through the
19039debugger:
19040
19041@smallexample
19042host$ @value{GDBP} @var{prog}
19043@value{GDBN} is free software and @dots{}
19044(@value{GDBP}) target mips /dev/ttyb
19045(@value{GDBP}) load @var{prog}
19046(@value{GDBP}) run
19047@end smallexample
19048
19049@item target mips @var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}
19050On some @value{GDBN} host configurations, you can specify a TCP
19051connection (for instance, to a serial line managed by a terminal
19052concentrator) instead of a serial port, using the syntax
19053@samp{@var{hostname}:@var{portnumber}}.
19054
19055@item target pmon @var{port}
19056@kindex target pmon @var{port}
19057PMON ROM monitor.
19058
19059@item target ddb @var{port}
19060@kindex target ddb @var{port}
19061NEC's DDB variant of PMON for Vr4300.
19062
19063@item target lsi @var{port}
19064@kindex target lsi @var{port}
19065LSI variant of PMON.
19066
19067@kindex target r3900
19068@item target r3900 @var{dev}
19069Densan DVE-R3900 ROM monitor for Toshiba R3900 Mips.
19070
19071@kindex target array
19072@item target array @var{dev}
19073Array Tech LSI33K RAID controller board.
19074
19075@end table
19076
19077
19078@noindent
19079@value{GDBN} also supports these special commands for MIPS targets:
19080
19081@table @code
19082@item set mipsfpu double
19083@itemx set mipsfpu single
19084@itemx set mipsfpu none
19085@itemx set mipsfpu auto
19086@itemx show mipsfpu
19087@kindex set mipsfpu
19088@kindex show mipsfpu
19089@cindex MIPS remote floating point
19090@cindex floating point, MIPS remote
19091If your target board does not support the MIPS floating point
19092coprocessor, you should use the command @samp{set mipsfpu none} (if you
19093need this, you may wish to put the command in your @value{GDBN} init
19094file). This tells @value{GDBN} how to find the return value of
19095functions which return floating point values. It also allows
19096@value{GDBN} to avoid saving the floating point registers when calling
19097functions on the board. If you are using a floating point coprocessor
19098with only single precision floating point support, as on the @sc{r4650}
19099processor, use the command @samp{set mipsfpu single}. The default
19100double precision floating point coprocessor may be selected using
19101@samp{set mipsfpu double}.
19102
19103In previous versions the only choices were double precision or no
19104floating point, so @samp{set mipsfpu on} will select double precision
19105and @samp{set mipsfpu off} will select no floating point.
19106
19107As usual, you can inquire about the @code{mipsfpu} variable with
19108@samp{show mipsfpu}.
19109
19110@item set timeout @var{seconds}
19111@itemx set retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}
19112@itemx show timeout
19113@itemx show retransmit-timeout
19114@cindex @code{timeout}, MIPS protocol
19115@cindex @code{retransmit-timeout}, MIPS protocol
19116@kindex set timeout
19117@kindex show timeout
19118@kindex set retransmit-timeout
19119@kindex show retransmit-timeout
19120You can control the timeout used while waiting for a packet, in the MIPS
19121remote protocol, with the @code{set timeout @var{seconds}} command. The
19122default is 5 seconds. Similarly, you can control the timeout used while
19123waiting for an acknowledgment of a packet with the @code{set
19124retransmit-timeout @var{seconds}} command. The default is 3 seconds.
19125You can inspect both values with @code{show timeout} and @code{show
19126retransmit-timeout}. (These commands are @emph{only} available when
19127@value{GDBN} is configured for @samp{--target=mips-idt-ecoff}.)
19128
19129The timeout set by @code{set timeout} does not apply when @value{GDBN}
19130is waiting for your program to stop. In that case, @value{GDBN} waits
19131forever because it has no way of knowing how long the program is going
19132to run before stopping.
19133
19134@item set syn-garbage-limit @var{num}
19135@kindex set syn-garbage-limit@r{, MIPS remote}
19136@cindex synchronize with remote MIPS target
19137Limit the maximum number of characters @value{GDBN} should ignore when
19138it tries to synchronize with the remote target. The default is 10
19139characters. Setting the limit to -1 means there's no limit.
19140
19141@item show syn-garbage-limit
19142@kindex show syn-garbage-limit@r{, MIPS remote}
19143Show the current limit on the number of characters to ignore when
19144trying to synchronize with the remote system.
19145
19146@item set monitor-prompt @var{prompt}
19147@kindex set monitor-prompt@r{, MIPS remote}
19148@cindex remote monitor prompt
19149Tell @value{GDBN} to expect the specified @var{prompt} string from the
19150remote monitor. The default depends on the target:
19151@table @asis
19152@item pmon target
19153@samp{PMON}
19154@item ddb target
19155@samp{NEC010}
19156@item lsi target
19157@samp{PMON>}
19158@end table
19159
19160@item show monitor-prompt
19161@kindex show monitor-prompt@r{, MIPS remote}
19162Show the current strings @value{GDBN} expects as the prompt from the
19163remote monitor.
19164
19165@item set monitor-warnings
19166@kindex set monitor-warnings@r{, MIPS remote}
19167Enable or disable monitor warnings about hardware breakpoints. This
19168has effect only for the @code{lsi} target. When on, @value{GDBN} will
19169display warning messages whose codes are returned by the @code{lsi}
19170PMON monitor for breakpoint commands.
19171
19172@item show monitor-warnings
19173@kindex show monitor-warnings@r{, MIPS remote}
19174Show the current setting of printing monitor warnings.
19175
19176@item pmon @var{command}
19177@kindex pmon@r{, MIPS remote}
19178@cindex send PMON command
19179This command allows sending an arbitrary @var{command} string to the
19180monitor. The monitor must be in debug mode for this to work.
19181@end table
19182
19183@node OpenRISC 1000
19184@subsection OpenRISC 1000
19185@cindex OpenRISC 1000
19186
19187@cindex or1k boards
19188See OR1k Architecture document (@uref{www.opencores.org}) for more information
19189about platform and commands.
19190
19191@table @code
19192
19193@kindex target jtag
19194@item target jtag jtag://@var{host}:@var{port}
19195
19196Connects to remote JTAG server.
19197JTAG remote server can be either an or1ksim or JTAG server,
19198connected via parallel port to the board.
19199
19200Example: @code{target jtag jtag://localhost:9999}
19201
19202@kindex or1ksim
19203@item or1ksim @var{command}
19204If connected to @code{or1ksim} OpenRISC 1000 Architectural
19205Simulator, proprietary commands can be executed.
19206
19207@kindex info or1k spr
19208@item info or1k spr
19209Displays spr groups.
19210
19211@item info or1k spr @var{group}
19212@itemx info or1k spr @var{groupno}
19213Displays register names in selected group.
19214
19215@item info or1k spr @var{group} @var{register}
19216@itemx info or1k spr @var{register}
19217@itemx info or1k spr @var{groupno} @var{registerno}
19218@itemx info or1k spr @var{registerno}
19219Shows information about specified spr register.
19220
19221@kindex spr
19222@item spr @var{group} @var{register} @var{value}
19223@itemx spr @var{register @var{value}}
19224@itemx spr @var{groupno} @var{registerno @var{value}}
19225@itemx spr @var{registerno @var{value}}
19226Writes @var{value} to specified spr register.
19227@end table
19228
19229Some implementations of OpenRISC 1000 Architecture also have hardware trace.
19230It is very similar to @value{GDBN} trace, except it does not interfere with normal
19231program execution and is thus much faster. Hardware breakpoints/watchpoint
19232triggers can be set using:
19233@table @code
19234@item $LEA/$LDATA
19235Load effective address/data
19236@item $SEA/$SDATA
19237Store effective address/data
19238@item $AEA/$ADATA
19239Access effective address ($SEA or $LEA) or data ($SDATA/$LDATA)
19240@item $FETCH
19241Fetch data
19242@end table
19243
19244When triggered, it can capture low level data, like: @code{PC}, @code{LSEA},
19245@code{LDATA}, @code{SDATA}, @code{READSPR}, @code{WRITESPR}, @code{INSTR}.
19246
19247@code{htrace} commands:
19248@cindex OpenRISC 1000 htrace
19249@table @code
19250@kindex hwatch
19251@item hwatch @var{conditional}
19252Set hardware watchpoint on combination of Load/Store Effective Address(es)
19253or Data. For example:
19254
19255@code{hwatch ($LEA == my_var) && ($LDATA < 50) || ($SEA == my_var) && ($SDATA >= 50)}
19256
19257@code{hwatch ($LEA == my_var) && ($LDATA < 50) || ($SEA == my_var) && ($SDATA >= 50)}
19258
19259@kindex htrace
19260@item htrace info
19261Display information about current HW trace configuration.
19262
19263@item htrace trigger @var{conditional}
19264Set starting criteria for HW trace.
19265
19266@item htrace qualifier @var{conditional}
19267Set acquisition qualifier for HW trace.
19268
19269@item htrace stop @var{conditional}
19270Set HW trace stopping criteria.
19271
19272@item htrace record [@var{data}]*
19273Selects the data to be recorded, when qualifier is met and HW trace was
19274triggered.
19275
19276@item htrace enable
19277@itemx htrace disable
19278Enables/disables the HW trace.
19279
19280@item htrace rewind [@var{filename}]
19281Clears currently recorded trace data.
19282
19283If filename is specified, new trace file is made and any newly collected data
19284will be written there.
19285
19286@item htrace print [@var{start} [@var{len}]]
19287Prints trace buffer, using current record configuration.
19288
19289@item htrace mode continuous
19290Set continuous trace mode.
19291
19292@item htrace mode suspend
19293Set suspend trace mode.
19294
19295@end table
19296
19297@node PowerPC Embedded
19298@subsection PowerPC Embedded
19299
19300@cindex DVC register
19301@value{GDBN} supports using the DVC (Data Value Compare) register to
19302implement in hardware simple hardware watchpoint conditions of the form:
19303
19304@smallexample
19305(@value{GDBP}) watch @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} \
19306 if @var{ADDRESS|VARIABLE} == @var{CONSTANT EXPRESSION}
19307@end smallexample
19308
19309The DVC register will be automatically used when @value{GDBN} detects
19310such pattern in a condition expression, and the created watchpoint uses one
19311debug register (either the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on and the
19312variable is scalar, or the variable has a length of one byte). This feature
19313is available in native @value{GDBN} running on a Linux kernel version 2.6.34
19314or newer.
19315
19316When running on PowerPC embedded processors, @value{GDBN} automatically uses
19317ranged hardware watchpoints, unless the @code{exact-watchpoints} option is on,
19318in which case watchpoints using only one debug register are created when
19319watching variables of scalar types.
19320
19321You can create an artificial array to watch an arbitrary memory
19322region using one of the following commands (@pxref{Expressions}):
19323
19324@smallexample
19325(@value{GDBP}) watch *((char *) @var{address})@@@var{length}
19326(@value{GDBP}) watch @{char[@var{length}]@} @var{address}
19327@end smallexample
19328
19329PowerPC embedded processors support masked watchpoints. See the discussion
19330about the @code{mask} argument in @ref{Set Watchpoints}.
19331
19332@cindex ranged breakpoint
19333PowerPC embedded processors support hardware accelerated
19334@dfn{ranged breakpoints}. A ranged breakpoint stops execution of
19335the inferior whenever it executes an instruction at any address within
19336the range it specifies. To set a ranged breakpoint in @value{GDBN},
19337use the @code{break-range} command.
19338
19339@value{GDBN} provides the following PowerPC-specific commands:
19340
19341@table @code
19342@kindex break-range
19343@item break-range @var{start-location}, @var{end-location}
19344Set a breakpoint for an address range.
19345@var{start-location} and @var{end-location} can specify a function name,
19346a line number, an offset of lines from the current line or from the start
19347location, or an address of an instruction (see @ref{Specify Location},
19348for a list of all the possible ways to specify a @var{location}.)
19349The breakpoint will stop execution of the inferior whenever it
19350executes an instruction at any address within the specified range,
19351(including @var{start-location} and @var{end-location}.)
19352
19353@kindex set powerpc
19354@item set powerpc soft-float
19355@itemx show powerpc soft-float
19356Force @value{GDBN} to use (or not use) a software floating point calling
19357convention. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention based
19358on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
19359
19360@item set powerpc vector-abi
19361@itemx show powerpc vector-abi
19362Force @value{GDBN} to use the specified calling convention for vector
19363arguments and return values. The valid options are @samp{auto};
19364@samp{generic}, to avoid vector registers even if they are present;
19365@samp{altivec}, to use AltiVec registers; and @samp{spe} to use SPE
19366registers. By default, @value{GDBN} selects the calling convention
19367based on the selected architecture and the provided executable file.
19368
19369@item set powerpc exact-watchpoints
19370@itemx show powerpc exact-watchpoints
19371Allow @value{GDBN} to use only one debug register when watching a variable
19372of scalar type, thus assuming that the variable is accessed through the
19373address of its first byte.
19374
19375@kindex target dink32
19376@item target dink32 @var{dev}
19377DINK32 ROM monitor.
19378
19379@kindex target ppcbug
19380@item target ppcbug @var{dev}
19381@kindex target ppcbug1
19382@item target ppcbug1 @var{dev}
19383PPCBUG ROM monitor for PowerPC.
19384
19385@kindex target sds
19386@item target sds @var{dev}
19387SDS monitor, running on a PowerPC board (such as Motorola's ADS).
19388@end table
19389
19390@cindex SDS protocol
19391The following commands specific to the SDS protocol are supported
19392by @value{GDBN}:
19393
19394@table @code
19395@item set sdstimeout @var{nsec}
19396@kindex set sdstimeout
19397Set the timeout for SDS protocol reads to be @var{nsec} seconds. The
19398default is 2 seconds.
19399
19400@item show sdstimeout
19401@kindex show sdstimeout
19402Show the current value of the SDS timeout.
19403
19404@item sds @var{command}
19405@kindex sds@r{, a command}
19406Send the specified @var{command} string to the SDS monitor.
19407@end table
19408
19409
19410@node PA
19411@subsection HP PA Embedded
19412
19413@table @code
19414
19415@kindex target op50n
19416@item target op50n @var{dev}
19417OP50N monitor, running on an OKI HPPA board.
19418
19419@kindex target w89k
19420@item target w89k @var{dev}
19421W89K monitor, running on a Winbond HPPA board.
19422
19423@end table
19424
19425@node Sparclet
19426@subsection Tsqware Sparclet
19427
19428@cindex Sparclet
19429
19430@value{GDBN} enables developers to debug tasks running on
19431Sparclet targets from a Unix host.
19432@value{GDBN} uses code that runs on
19433both the Unix host and on the Sparclet target. The program
19434@code{@value{GDBP}} is installed and executed on the Unix host.
19435
19436@table @code
19437@item remotetimeout @var{args}
19438@kindex remotetimeout
19439@value{GDBN} supports the option @code{remotetimeout}.
19440This option is set by the user, and @var{args} represents the number of
19441seconds @value{GDBN} waits for responses.
19442@end table
19443
19444@cindex compiling, on Sparclet
19445When compiling for debugging, include the options @samp{-g} to get debug
19446information and @samp{-Ttext} to relocate the program to where you wish to
19447load it on the target. You may also want to add the options @samp{-n} or
19448@samp{-N} in order to reduce the size of the sections. Example:
19449
19450@smallexample
19451sparclet-aout-gcc prog.c -Ttext 0x12010000 -g -o prog -N
19452@end smallexample
19453
19454You can use @code{objdump} to verify that the addresses are what you intended:
19455
19456@smallexample
19457sparclet-aout-objdump --headers --syms prog
19458@end smallexample
19459
19460@cindex running, on Sparclet
19461Once you have set
19462your Unix execution search path to find @value{GDBN}, you are ready to
19463run @value{GDBN}. From your Unix host, run @code{@value{GDBP}}
19464(or @code{sparclet-aout-gdb}, depending on your installation).
19465
19466@value{GDBN} comes up showing the prompt:
19467
19468@smallexample
19469(gdbslet)
19470@end smallexample
19471
19472@menu
19473* Sparclet File:: Setting the file to debug
19474* Sparclet Connection:: Connecting to Sparclet
19475* Sparclet Download:: Sparclet download
19476* Sparclet Execution:: Running and debugging
19477@end menu
19478
19479@node Sparclet File
19480@subsubsection Setting File to Debug
19481
19482The @value{GDBN} command @code{file} lets you choose with program to debug.
19483
19484@smallexample
19485(gdbslet) file prog
19486@end smallexample
19487
19488@need 1000
19489@value{GDBN} then attempts to read the symbol table of @file{prog}.
19490@value{GDBN} locates
19491the file by searching the directories listed in the command search
19492path.
19493If the file was compiled with debug information (option @samp{-g}), source
19494files will be searched as well.
19495@value{GDBN} locates
19496the source files by searching the directories listed in the directory search
19497path (@pxref{Environment, ,Your Program's Environment}).
19498If it fails
19499to find a file, it displays a message such as:
19500
19501@smallexample
19502prog: No such file or directory.
19503@end smallexample
19504
19505When this happens, add the appropriate directories to the search paths with
19506the @value{GDBN} commands @code{path} and @code{dir}, and execute the
19507@code{target} command again.
19508
19509@node Sparclet Connection
19510@subsubsection Connecting to Sparclet
19511
19512The @value{GDBN} command @code{target} lets you connect to a Sparclet target.
19513To connect to a target on serial port ``@code{ttya}'', type:
19514
19515@smallexample
19516(gdbslet) target sparclet /dev/ttya
19517Remote target sparclet connected to /dev/ttya
19518main () at ../prog.c:3
19519@end smallexample
19520
19521@need 750
19522@value{GDBN} displays messages like these:
19523
19524@smallexample
19525Connected to ttya.
19526@end smallexample
19527
19528@node Sparclet Download
19529@subsubsection Sparclet Download
19530
19531@cindex download to Sparclet
19532Once connected to the Sparclet target,
19533you can use the @value{GDBN}
19534@code{load} command to download the file from the host to the target.
19535The file name and load offset should be given as arguments to the @code{load}
19536command.
19537Since the file format is aout, the program must be loaded to the starting
19538address. You can use @code{objdump} to find out what this value is. The load
19539offset is an offset which is added to the VMA (virtual memory address)
19540of each of the file's sections.
19541For instance, if the program
19542@file{prog} was linked to text address 0x1201000, with data at 0x12010160
19543and bss at 0x12010170, in @value{GDBN}, type:
19544
19545@smallexample
19546(gdbslet) load prog 0x12010000
19547Loading section .text, size 0xdb0 vma 0x12010000
19548@end smallexample
19549
19550If the code is loaded at a different address then what the program was linked
19551to, you may need to use the @code{section} and @code{add-symbol-file} commands
19552to tell @value{GDBN} where to map the symbol table.
19553
19554@node Sparclet Execution
19555@subsubsection Running and Debugging
19556
19557@cindex running and debugging Sparclet programs
19558You can now begin debugging the task using @value{GDBN}'s execution control
19559commands, @code{b}, @code{step}, @code{run}, etc. See the @value{GDBN}
19560manual for the list of commands.
19561
19562@smallexample
19563(gdbslet) b main
19564Breakpoint 1 at 0x12010000: file prog.c, line 3.
19565(gdbslet) run
19566Starting program: prog
19567Breakpoint 1, main (argc=1, argv=0xeffff21c) at prog.c:3
195683 char *symarg = 0;
19569(gdbslet) step
195704 char *execarg = "hello!";
19571(gdbslet)
19572@end smallexample
19573
19574@node Sparclite
19575@subsection Fujitsu Sparclite
19576
19577@table @code
19578
19579@kindex target sparclite
19580@item target sparclite @var{dev}
19581Fujitsu sparclite boards, used only for the purpose of loading.
19582You must use an additional command to debug the program.
19583For example: target remote @var{dev} using @value{GDBN} standard
19584remote protocol.
19585
19586@end table
19587
19588@node Z8000
19589@subsection Zilog Z8000
19590
19591@cindex Z8000
19592@cindex simulator, Z8000
19593@cindex Zilog Z8000 simulator
19594
19595When configured for debugging Zilog Z8000 targets, @value{GDBN} includes
19596a Z8000 simulator.
19597
19598For the Z8000 family, @samp{target sim} simulates either the Z8002 (the
19599unsegmented variant of the Z8000 architecture) or the Z8001 (the
19600segmented variant). The simulator recognizes which architecture is
19601appropriate by inspecting the object code.
19602
19603@table @code
19604@item target sim @var{args}
19605@kindex sim
19606@kindex target sim@r{, with Z8000}
19607Debug programs on a simulated CPU. If the simulator supports setup
19608options, specify them via @var{args}.
19609@end table
19610
19611@noindent
19612After specifying this target, you can debug programs for the simulated
19613CPU in the same style as programs for your host computer; use the
19614@code{file} command to load a new program image, the @code{run} command
19615to run your program, and so on.
19616
19617As well as making available all the usual machine registers
19618(@pxref{Registers, ,Registers}), the Z8000 simulator provides three
19619additional items of information as specially named registers:
19620
19621@table @code
19622
19623@item cycles
19624Counts clock-ticks in the simulator.
19625
19626@item insts
19627Counts instructions run in the simulator.
19628
19629@item time
19630Execution time in 60ths of a second.
19631
19632@end table
19633
19634You can refer to these values in @value{GDBN} expressions with the usual
19635conventions; for example, @w{@samp{b fputc if $cycles>5000}} sets a
19636conditional breakpoint that suspends only after at least 5000
19637simulated clock ticks.
19638
19639@node AVR
19640@subsection Atmel AVR
19641@cindex AVR
19642
19643When configured for debugging the Atmel AVR, @value{GDBN} supports the
19644following AVR-specific commands:
19645
19646@table @code
19647@item info io_registers
19648@kindex info io_registers@r{, AVR}
19649@cindex I/O registers (Atmel AVR)
19650This command displays information about the AVR I/O registers. For
19651each register, @value{GDBN} prints its number and value.
19652@end table
19653
19654@node CRIS
19655@subsection CRIS
19656@cindex CRIS
19657
19658When configured for debugging CRIS, @value{GDBN} provides the
19659following CRIS-specific commands:
19660
19661@table @code
19662@item set cris-version @var{ver}
19663@cindex CRIS version
19664Set the current CRIS version to @var{ver}, either @samp{10} or @samp{32}.
19665The CRIS version affects register names and sizes. This command is useful in
19666case autodetection of the CRIS version fails.
19667
19668@item show cris-version
19669Show the current CRIS version.
19670
19671@item set cris-dwarf2-cfi
19672@cindex DWARF-2 CFI and CRIS
19673Set the usage of DWARF-2 CFI for CRIS debugging. The default is @samp{on}.
19674Change to @samp{off} when using @code{gcc-cris} whose version is below
19675@code{R59}.
19676
19677@item show cris-dwarf2-cfi
19678Show the current state of using DWARF-2 CFI.
19679
19680@item set cris-mode @var{mode}
19681@cindex CRIS mode
19682Set the current CRIS mode to @var{mode}. It should only be changed when
19683debugging in guru mode, in which case it should be set to
19684@samp{guru} (the default is @samp{normal}).
19685
19686@item show cris-mode
19687Show the current CRIS mode.
19688@end table
19689
19690@node Super-H
19691@subsection Renesas Super-H
19692@cindex Super-H
19693
19694For the Renesas Super-H processor, @value{GDBN} provides these
19695commands:
19696
19697@table @code
19698@item regs
19699@kindex regs@r{, Super-H}
19700Show the values of all Super-H registers.
19701
19702@item set sh calling-convention @var{convention}
19703@kindex set sh calling-convention
19704Set the calling-convention used when calling functions from @value{GDBN}.
19705Allowed values are @samp{gcc}, which is the default setting, and @samp{renesas}.
19706With the @samp{gcc} setting, functions are called using the @value{NGCC} calling
19707convention. If the DWARF-2 information of the called function specifies
19708that the function follows the Renesas calling convention, the function
19709is called using the Renesas calling convention. If the calling convention
19710is set to @samp{renesas}, the Renesas calling convention is always used,
19711regardless of the DWARF-2 information. This can be used to override the
19712default of @samp{gcc} if debug information is missing, or the compiler
19713does not emit the DWARF-2 calling convention entry for a function.
19714
19715@item show sh calling-convention
19716@kindex show sh calling-convention
19717Show the current calling convention setting.
19718
19719@end table
19720
19721
19722@node Architectures
19723@section Architectures
19724
19725This section describes characteristics of architectures that affect
19726all uses of @value{GDBN} with the architecture, both native and cross.
19727
19728@menu
19729* i386::
19730* A29K::
19731* Alpha::
19732* MIPS::
19733* HPPA:: HP PA architecture
19734* SPU:: Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
19735* PowerPC::
19736@end menu
19737
19738@node i386
19739@subsection x86 Architecture-specific Issues
19740
19741@table @code
19742@item set struct-convention @var{mode}
19743@kindex set struct-convention
19744@cindex struct return convention
19745@cindex struct/union returned in registers
19746Set the convention used by the inferior to return @code{struct}s and
19747@code{union}s from functions to @var{mode}. Possible values of
19748@var{mode} are @code{"pcc"}, @code{"reg"}, and @code{"default"} (the
19749default). @code{"default"} or @code{"pcc"} means that @code{struct}s
19750are returned on the stack, while @code{"reg"} means that a
19751@code{struct} or a @code{union} whose size is 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes will
19752be returned in a register.
19753
19754@item show struct-convention
19755@kindex show struct-convention
19756Show the current setting of the convention to return @code{struct}s
19757from functions.
19758@end table
19759
19760@node A29K
19761@subsection A29K
19762
19763@table @code
19764
19765@kindex set rstack_high_address
19766@cindex AMD 29K register stack
19767@cindex register stack, AMD29K
19768@item set rstack_high_address @var{address}
19769On AMD 29000 family processors, registers are saved in a separate
19770@dfn{register stack}. There is no way for @value{GDBN} to determine the
19771extent of this stack. Normally, @value{GDBN} just assumes that the
19772stack is ``large enough''. This may result in @value{GDBN} referencing
19773memory locations that do not exist. If necessary, you can get around
19774this problem by specifying the ending address of the register stack with
19775the @code{set rstack_high_address} command. The argument should be an
19776address, which you probably want to precede with @samp{0x} to specify in
19777hexadecimal.
19778
19779@kindex show rstack_high_address
19780@item show rstack_high_address
19781Display the current limit of the register stack, on AMD 29000 family
19782processors.
19783
19784@end table
19785
19786@node Alpha
19787@subsection Alpha
19788
19789See the following section.
19790
19791@node MIPS
19792@subsection MIPS
19793
19794@cindex stack on Alpha
19795@cindex stack on MIPS
19796@cindex Alpha stack
19797@cindex MIPS stack
19798Alpha- and MIPS-based computers use an unusual stack frame, which
19799sometimes requires @value{GDBN} to search backward in the object code to
19800find the beginning of a function.
19801
19802@cindex response time, MIPS debugging
19803To improve response time (especially for embedded applications, where
19804@value{GDBN} may be restricted to a slow serial line for this search)
19805you may want to limit the size of this search, using one of these
19806commands:
19807
19808@table @code
19809@cindex @code{heuristic-fence-post} (Alpha, MIPS)
19810@item set heuristic-fence-post @var{limit}
19811Restrict @value{GDBN} to examining at most @var{limit} bytes in its
19812search for the beginning of a function. A value of @var{0} (the
19813default) means there is no limit. However, except for @var{0}, the
19814larger the limit the more bytes @code{heuristic-fence-post} must search
19815and therefore the longer it takes to run. You should only need to use
19816this command when debugging a stripped executable.
19817
19818@item show heuristic-fence-post
19819Display the current limit.
19820@end table
19821
19822@noindent
19823These commands are available @emph{only} when @value{GDBN} is configured
19824for debugging programs on Alpha or MIPS processors.
19825
19826Several MIPS-specific commands are available when debugging MIPS
19827programs:
19828
19829@table @code
19830@item set mips abi @var{arg}
19831@kindex set mips abi
19832@cindex set ABI for MIPS
19833Tell @value{GDBN} which MIPS ABI is used by the inferior. Possible
19834values of @var{arg} are:
19835
19836@table @samp
19837@item auto
19838The default ABI associated with the current binary (this is the
19839default).
19840@item o32
19841@item o64
19842@item n32
19843@item n64
19844@item eabi32
19845@item eabi64
19846@end table
19847
19848@item show mips abi
19849@kindex show mips abi
19850Show the MIPS ABI used by @value{GDBN} to debug the inferior.
19851
19852@item set mipsfpu
19853@itemx show mipsfpu
19854@xref{MIPS Embedded, set mipsfpu}.
19855
19856@item set mips mask-address @var{arg}
19857@kindex set mips mask-address
19858@cindex MIPS addresses, masking
19859This command determines whether the most-significant 32 bits of 64-bit
19860MIPS addresses are masked off. The argument @var{arg} can be
19861@samp{on}, @samp{off}, or @samp{auto}. The latter is the default
19862setting, which lets @value{GDBN} determine the correct value.
19863
19864@item show mips mask-address
19865@kindex show mips mask-address
19866Show whether the upper 32 bits of MIPS addresses are masked off or
19867not.
19868
19869@item set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
19870@kindex set remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
19871This command controls compatibility with 64-bit MIPS targets that
19872transfer data in 32-bit quantities. If you have an old MIPS 64 target
19873that transfers 32 bits for some registers, like @sc{sr} and @sc{fsr},
19874and 64 bits for other registers, set this option to @samp{on}.
19875
19876@item show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
19877@kindex show remote-mips64-transfers-32bit-regs
19878Show the current setting of compatibility with older MIPS 64 targets.
19879
19880@item set debug mips
19881@kindex set debug mips
19882This command turns on and off debugging messages for the MIPS-specific
19883target code in @value{GDBN}.
19884
19885@item show debug mips
19886@kindex show debug mips
19887Show the current setting of MIPS debugging messages.
19888@end table
19889
19890
19891@node HPPA
19892@subsection HPPA
19893@cindex HPPA support
19894
19895When @value{GDBN} is debugging the HP PA architecture, it provides the
19896following special commands:
19897
19898@table @code
19899@item set debug hppa
19900@kindex set debug hppa
19901This command determines whether HPPA architecture-specific debugging
19902messages are to be displayed.
19903
19904@item show debug hppa
19905Show whether HPPA debugging messages are displayed.
19906
19907@item maint print unwind @var{address}
19908@kindex maint print unwind@r{, HPPA}
19909This command displays the contents of the unwind table entry at the
19910given @var{address}.
19911
19912@end table
19913
19914
19915@node SPU
19916@subsection Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture
19917@cindex Cell Broadband Engine
19918@cindex SPU
19919
19920When @value{GDBN} is debugging the Cell Broadband Engine SPU architecture,
19921it provides the following special commands:
19922
19923@table @code
19924@item info spu event
19925@kindex info spu
19926Display SPU event facility status. Shows current event mask
19927and pending event status.
19928
19929@item info spu signal
19930Display SPU signal notification facility status. Shows pending
19931signal-control word and signal notification mode of both signal
19932notification channels.
19933
19934@item info spu mailbox
19935Display SPU mailbox facility status. Shows all pending entries,
19936in order of processing, in each of the SPU Write Outbound,
19937SPU Write Outbound Interrupt, and SPU Read Inbound mailboxes.
19938
19939@item info spu dma
19940Display MFC DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
19941DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
19942and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
19943
19944@item info spu proxydma
19945Display MFC Proxy-DMA status. Shows all pending commands in the MFC
19946Proxy-DMA queue. For each entry, opcode, tag, class IDs, effective
19947and local store addresses and transfer size are shown.
19948
19949@end table
19950
19951When @value{GDBN} is debugging a combined PowerPC/SPU application
19952on the Cell Broadband Engine, it provides in addition the following
19953special commands:
19954
19955@table @code
19956@item set spu stop-on-load @var{arg}
19957@kindex set spu
19958Set whether to stop for new SPE threads. When set to @code{on}, @value{GDBN}
19959will give control to the user when a new SPE thread enters its @code{main}
19960function. The default is @code{off}.
19961
19962@item show spu stop-on-load
19963@kindex show spu
19964Show whether to stop for new SPE threads.
19965
19966@item set spu auto-flush-cache @var{arg}
19967Set whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache. When set to
19968@code{on}, @value{GDBN} will automatically cause the SPE software-managed
19969cache to be flushed whenever SPE execution stops. This provides a consistent
19970view of PowerPC memory that is accessed via the cache. If an application
19971does not use the software-managed cache, this option has no effect.
19972
19973@item show spu auto-flush-cache
19974Show whether to automatically flush the software-managed cache.
19975
19976@end table
19977
19978@node PowerPC
19979@subsection PowerPC
19980@cindex PowerPC architecture
19981
19982When @value{GDBN} is debugging the PowerPC architecture, it provides a set of
19983pseudo-registers to enable inspection of 128-bit wide Decimal Floating Point
19984numbers stored in the floating point registers. These values must be stored
19985in two consecutive registers, always starting at an even register like
19986@code{f0} or @code{f2}.
19987
19988The pseudo-registers go from @code{$dl0} through @code{$dl15}, and are formed
19989by joining the even/odd register pairs @code{f0} and @code{f1} for @code{$dl0},
19990@code{f2} and @code{f3} for @code{$dl1} and so on.
19991
19992For POWER7 processors, @value{GDBN} provides a set of pseudo-registers, the 64-bit
19993wide Extended Floating Point Registers (@samp{f32} through @samp{f63}).
19994
19995
19996@node Controlling GDB
19997@chapter Controlling @value{GDBN}
19998
19999You can alter the way @value{GDBN} interacts with you by using the
20000@code{set} command. For commands controlling how @value{GDBN} displays
20001data, see @ref{Print Settings, ,Print Settings}. Other settings are
20002described here.
20003
20004@menu
20005* Prompt:: Prompt
20006* Editing:: Command editing
20007* Command History:: Command history
20008* Screen Size:: Screen size
20009* Numbers:: Numbers
20010* ABI:: Configuring the current ABI
20011* Messages/Warnings:: Optional warnings and messages
20012* Debugging Output:: Optional messages about internal happenings
20013* Other Misc Settings:: Other Miscellaneous Settings
20014@end menu
20015
20016@node Prompt
20017@section Prompt
20018
20019@cindex prompt
20020
20021@value{GDBN} indicates its readiness to read a command by printing a string
20022called the @dfn{prompt}. This string is normally @samp{(@value{GDBP})}. You
20023can change the prompt string with the @code{set prompt} command. For
20024instance, when debugging @value{GDBN} with @value{GDBN}, it is useful to change
20025the prompt in one of the @value{GDBN} sessions so that you can always tell
20026which one you are talking to.
20027
20028@emph{Note:} @code{set prompt} does not add a space for you after the
20029prompt you set. This allows you to set a prompt which ends in a space
20030or a prompt that does not.
20031
20032@table @code
20033@kindex set prompt
20034@item set prompt @var{newprompt}
20035Directs @value{GDBN} to use @var{newprompt} as its prompt string henceforth.
20036
20037@kindex show prompt
20038@item show prompt
20039Prints a line of the form: @samp{Gdb's prompt is: @var{your-prompt}}
20040@end table
20041
20042Versions of @value{GDBN} that ship with Python scripting enabled have
20043prompt extensions. The commands for interacting with these extensions
20044are:
20045
20046@table @code
20047@kindex set extended-prompt
20048@item set extended-prompt @var{prompt}
20049Set an extended prompt that allows for substitutions.
20050@xref{gdb.prompt}, for a list of escape sequences that can be used for
20051substitution. Any escape sequences specified as part of the prompt
20052string are replaced with the corresponding strings each time the prompt
20053is displayed.
20054
20055For example:
20056
20057@smallexample
20058set extended-prompt Current working directory: \w (gdb)
20059@end smallexample
20060
20061Note that when an extended-prompt is set, it takes control of the
20062@var{prompt_hook} hook. @xref{prompt_hook}, for further information.
20063
20064@kindex show extended-prompt
20065@item show extended-prompt
20066Prints the extended prompt. Any escape sequences specified as part of
20067the prompt string with @code{set extended-prompt}, are replaced with the
20068corresponding strings each time the prompt is displayed.
20069@end table
20070
20071@node Editing
20072@section Command Editing
20073@cindex readline
20074@cindex command line editing
20075
20076@value{GDBN} reads its input commands via the @dfn{Readline} interface. This
20077@sc{gnu} library provides consistent behavior for programs which provide a
20078command line interface to the user. Advantages are @sc{gnu} Emacs-style
20079or @dfn{vi}-style inline editing of commands, @code{csh}-like history
20080substitution, and a storage and recall of command history across
20081debugging sessions.
20082
20083You may control the behavior of command line editing in @value{GDBN} with the
20084command @code{set}.
20085
20086@table @code
20087@kindex set editing
20088@cindex editing
20089@item set editing
20090@itemx set editing on
20091Enable command line editing (enabled by default).
20092
20093@item set editing off
20094Disable command line editing.
20095
20096@kindex show editing
20097@item show editing
20098Show whether command line editing is enabled.
20099@end table
20100
20101@ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
20102@xref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library},
20103@end ifset
20104@ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
20105@xref{Command Line Editing},
20106@end ifclear
20107for more details about the Readline
20108interface. Users unfamiliar with @sc{gnu} Emacs or @code{vi} are
20109encouraged to read that chapter.
20110
20111@node Command History
20112@section Command History
20113@cindex command history
20114
20115@value{GDBN} can keep track of the commands you type during your
20116debugging sessions, so that you can be certain of precisely what
20117happened. Use these commands to manage the @value{GDBN} command
20118history facility.
20119
20120@value{GDBN} uses the @sc{gnu} History library, a part of the Readline
20121package, to provide the history facility.
20122@ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
20123@xref{Using History Interactively, , , history, GNU History Library},
20124@end ifset
20125@ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
20126@xref{Using History Interactively},
20127@end ifclear
20128for the detailed description of the History library.
20129
20130To issue a command to @value{GDBN} without affecting certain aspects of
20131the state which is seen by users, prefix it with @samp{server }
20132(@pxref{Server Prefix}). This
20133means that this command will not affect the command history, nor will it
20134affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which command to repeat if @key{RET} is
20135pressed on a line by itself.
20136
20137@cindex @code{server}, command prefix
20138The server prefix does not affect the recording of values into the value
20139history; to print a value without recording it into the value history,
20140use the @code{output} command instead of the @code{print} command.
20141
20142Here is the description of @value{GDBN} commands related to command
20143history.
20144
20145@table @code
20146@cindex history substitution
20147@cindex history file
20148@kindex set history filename
20149@cindex @env{GDBHISTFILE}, environment variable
20150@item set history filename @var{fname}
20151Set the name of the @value{GDBN} command history file to @var{fname}.
20152This is the file where @value{GDBN} reads an initial command history
20153list, and where it writes the command history from this session when it
20154exits. You can access this list through history expansion or through
20155the history command editing characters listed below. This file defaults
20156to the value of the environment variable @code{GDBHISTFILE}, or to
20157@file{./.gdb_history} (@file{./_gdb_history} on MS-DOS) if this variable
20158is not set.
20159
20160@cindex save command history
20161@kindex set history save
20162@item set history save
20163@itemx set history save on
20164Record command history in a file, whose name may be specified with the
20165@code{set history filename} command. By default, this option is disabled.
20166
20167@item set history save off
20168Stop recording command history in a file.
20169
20170@cindex history size
20171@kindex set history size
20172@cindex @env{HISTSIZE}, environment variable
20173@item set history size @var{size}
20174Set the number of commands which @value{GDBN} keeps in its history list.
20175This defaults to the value of the environment variable
20176@code{HISTSIZE}, or to 256 if this variable is not set.
20177@end table
20178
20179History expansion assigns special meaning to the character @kbd{!}.
20180@ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
20181@xref{Event Designators, , , history, GNU History Library},
20182@end ifset
20183@ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
20184@xref{Event Designators},
20185@end ifclear
20186for more details.
20187
20188@cindex history expansion, turn on/off
20189Since @kbd{!} is also the logical not operator in C, history expansion
20190is off by default. If you decide to enable history expansion with the
20191@code{set history expansion on} command, you may sometimes need to
20192follow @kbd{!} (when it is used as logical not, in an expression) with
20193a space or a tab to prevent it from being expanded. The readline
20194history facilities do not attempt substitution on the strings
20195@kbd{!=} and @kbd{!(}, even when history expansion is enabled.
20196
20197The commands to control history expansion are:
20198
20199@table @code
20200@item set history expansion on
20201@itemx set history expansion
20202@kindex set history expansion
20203Enable history expansion. History expansion is off by default.
20204
20205@item set history expansion off
20206Disable history expansion.
20207
20208@c @group
20209@kindex show history
20210@item show history
20211@itemx show history filename
20212@itemx show history save
20213@itemx show history size
20214@itemx show history expansion
20215These commands display the state of the @value{GDBN} history parameters.
20216@code{show history} by itself displays all four states.
20217@c @end group
20218@end table
20219
20220@table @code
20221@kindex show commands
20222@cindex show last commands
20223@cindex display command history
20224@item show commands
20225Display the last ten commands in the command history.
20226
20227@item show commands @var{n}
20228Print ten commands centered on command number @var{n}.
20229
20230@item show commands +
20231Print ten commands just after the commands last printed.
20232@end table
20233
20234@node Screen Size
20235@section Screen Size
20236@cindex size of screen
20237@cindex pauses in output
20238
20239Certain commands to @value{GDBN} may produce large amounts of
20240information output to the screen. To help you read all of it,
20241@value{GDBN} pauses and asks you for input at the end of each page of
20242output. Type @key{RET} when you want to continue the output, or @kbd{q}
20243to discard the remaining output. Also, the screen width setting
20244determines when to wrap lines of output. Depending on what is being
20245printed, @value{GDBN} tries to break the line at a readable place,
20246rather than simply letting it overflow onto the following line.
20247
20248Normally @value{GDBN} knows the size of the screen from the terminal
20249driver software. For example, on Unix @value{GDBN} uses the termcap data base
20250together with the value of the @code{TERM} environment variable and the
20251@code{stty rows} and @code{stty cols} settings. If this is not correct,
20252you can override it with the @code{set height} and @code{set
20253width} commands:
20254
20255@table @code
20256@kindex set height
20257@kindex set width
20258@kindex show width
20259@kindex show height
20260@item set height @var{lpp}
20261@itemx show height
20262@itemx set width @var{cpl}
20263@itemx show width
20264These @code{set} commands specify a screen height of @var{lpp} lines and
20265a screen width of @var{cpl} characters. The associated @code{show}
20266commands display the current settings.
20267
20268If you specify a height of zero lines, @value{GDBN} does not pause during
20269output no matter how long the output is. This is useful if output is to a
20270file or to an editor buffer.
20271
20272Likewise, you can specify @samp{set width 0} to prevent @value{GDBN}
20273from wrapping its output.
20274
20275@item set pagination on
20276@itemx set pagination off
20277@kindex set pagination
20278Turn the output pagination on or off; the default is on. Turning
20279pagination off is the alternative to @code{set height 0}. Note that
20280running @value{GDBN} with the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode
20281Options, -batch}) also automatically disables pagination.
20282
20283@item show pagination
20284@kindex show pagination
20285Show the current pagination mode.
20286@end table
20287
20288@node Numbers
20289@section Numbers
20290@cindex number representation
20291@cindex entering numbers
20292
20293You can always enter numbers in octal, decimal, or hexadecimal in
20294@value{GDBN} by the usual conventions: octal numbers begin with
20295@samp{0}, decimal numbers end with @samp{.}, and hexadecimal numbers
20296begin with @samp{0x}. Numbers that neither begin with @samp{0} or
20297@samp{0x}, nor end with a @samp{.} are, by default, entered in base
2029810; likewise, the default display for numbers---when no particular
20299format is specified---is base 10. You can change the default base for
20300both input and output with the commands described below.
20301
20302@table @code
20303@kindex set input-radix
20304@item set input-radix @var{base}
20305Set the default base for numeric input. Supported choices
20306for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
20307specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix; for
20308example, any of
20309
20310@smallexample
20311set input-radix 012
20312set input-radix 10.
20313set input-radix 0xa
20314@end smallexample
20315
20316@noindent
20317sets the input base to decimal. On the other hand, @samp{set input-radix 10}
20318leaves the input radix unchanged, no matter what it was, since
20319@samp{10}, being without any leading or trailing signs of its base, is
20320interpreted in the current radix. Thus, if the current radix is 16,
20321@samp{10} is interpreted in hex, i.e.@: as 16 decimal, which doesn't
20322change the radix.
20323
20324@kindex set output-radix
20325@item set output-radix @var{base}
20326Set the default base for numeric display. Supported choices
20327for @var{base} are decimal 8, 10, or 16. @var{base} must itself be
20328specified either unambiguously or using the current input radix.
20329
20330@kindex show input-radix
20331@item show input-radix
20332Display the current default base for numeric input.
20333
20334@kindex show output-radix
20335@item show output-radix
20336Display the current default base for numeric display.
20337
20338@item set radix @r{[}@var{base}@r{]}
20339@itemx show radix
20340@kindex set radix
20341@kindex show radix
20342These commands set and show the default base for both input and output
20343of numbers. @code{set radix} sets the radix of input and output to
20344the same base; without an argument, it resets the radix back to its
20345default value of 10.
20346
20347@end table
20348
20349@node ABI
20350@section Configuring the Current ABI
20351
20352@value{GDBN} can determine the @dfn{ABI} (Application Binary Interface) of your
20353application automatically. However, sometimes you need to override its
20354conclusions. Use these commands to manage @value{GDBN}'s view of the
20355current ABI.
20356
20357@cindex OS ABI
20358@kindex set osabi
20359@kindex show osabi
20360
20361One @value{GDBN} configuration can debug binaries for multiple operating
20362system targets, either via remote debugging or native emulation.
20363@value{GDBN} will autodetect the @dfn{OS ABI} (Operating System ABI) in use,
20364but you can override its conclusion using the @code{set osabi} command.
20365One example where this is useful is in debugging of binaries which use
20366an alternate C library (e.g.@: @sc{uClibc} for @sc{gnu}/Linux) which does
20367not have the same identifying marks that the standard C library for your
20368platform provides.
20369
20370@table @code
20371@item show osabi
20372Show the OS ABI currently in use.
20373
20374@item set osabi
20375With no argument, show the list of registered available OS ABI's.
20376
20377@item set osabi @var{abi}
20378Set the current OS ABI to @var{abi}.
20379@end table
20380
20381@cindex float promotion
20382
20383Generally, the way that an argument of type @code{float} is passed to a
20384function depends on whether the function is prototyped. For a prototyped
20385(i.e.@: ANSI/ISO style) function, @code{float} arguments are passed unchanged,
20386according to the architecture's convention for @code{float}. For unprototyped
20387(i.e.@: K&R style) functions, @code{float} arguments are first promoted to type
20388@code{double} and then passed.
20389
20390Unfortunately, some forms of debug information do not reliably indicate whether
20391a function is prototyped. If @value{GDBN} calls a function that is not marked
20392as prototyped, it consults @kbd{set coerce-float-to-double}.
20393
20394@table @code
20395@kindex set coerce-float-to-double
20396@item set coerce-float-to-double
20397@itemx set coerce-float-to-double on
20398Arguments of type @code{float} will be promoted to @code{double} when passed
20399to an unprototyped function. This is the default setting.
20400
20401@item set coerce-float-to-double off
20402Arguments of type @code{float} will be passed directly to unprototyped
20403functions.
20404
20405@kindex show coerce-float-to-double
20406@item show coerce-float-to-double
20407Show the current setting of promoting @code{float} to @code{double}.
20408@end table
20409
20410@kindex set cp-abi
20411@kindex show cp-abi
20412@value{GDBN} needs to know the ABI used for your program's C@t{++}
20413objects. The correct C@t{++} ABI depends on which C@t{++} compiler was
20414used to build your application. @value{GDBN} only fully supports
20415programs with a single C@t{++} ABI; if your program contains code using
20416multiple C@t{++} ABI's or if @value{GDBN} can not identify your
20417program's ABI correctly, you can tell @value{GDBN} which ABI to use.
20418Currently supported ABI's include ``gnu-v2'', for @code{g++} versions
20419before 3.0, ``gnu-v3'', for @code{g++} versions 3.0 and later, and
20420``hpaCC'' for the HP ANSI C@t{++} compiler. Other C@t{++} compilers may
20421use the ``gnu-v2'' or ``gnu-v3'' ABI's as well. The default setting is
20422``auto''.
20423
20424@table @code
20425@item show cp-abi
20426Show the C@t{++} ABI currently in use.
20427
20428@item set cp-abi
20429With no argument, show the list of supported C@t{++} ABI's.
20430
20431@item set cp-abi @var{abi}
20432@itemx set cp-abi auto
20433Set the current C@t{++} ABI to @var{abi}, or return to automatic detection.
20434@end table
20435
20436@node Messages/Warnings
20437@section Optional Warnings and Messages
20438
20439@cindex verbose operation
20440@cindex optional warnings
20441By default, @value{GDBN} is silent about its inner workings. If you are
20442running on a slow machine, you may want to use the @code{set verbose}
20443command. This makes @value{GDBN} tell you when it does a lengthy
20444internal operation, so you will not think it has crashed.
20445
20446Currently, the messages controlled by @code{set verbose} are those
20447which announce that the symbol table for a source file is being read;
20448see @code{symbol-file} in @ref{Files, ,Commands to Specify Files}.
20449
20450@table @code
20451@kindex set verbose
20452@item set verbose on
20453Enables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
20454
20455@item set verbose off
20456Disables @value{GDBN} output of certain informational messages.
20457
20458@kindex show verbose
20459@item show verbose
20460Displays whether @code{set verbose} is on or off.
20461@end table
20462
20463By default, if @value{GDBN} encounters bugs in the symbol table of an
20464object file, it is silent; but if you are debugging a compiler, you may
20465find this information useful (@pxref{Symbol Errors, ,Errors Reading
20466Symbol Files}).
20467
20468@table @code
20469
20470@kindex set complaints
20471@item set complaints @var{limit}
20472Permits @value{GDBN} to output @var{limit} complaints about each type of
20473unusual symbols before becoming silent about the problem. Set
20474@var{limit} to zero to suppress all complaints; set it to a large number
20475to prevent complaints from being suppressed.
20476
20477@kindex show complaints
20478@item show complaints
20479Displays how many symbol complaints @value{GDBN} is permitted to produce.
20480
20481@end table
20482
20483@anchor{confirmation requests}
20484By default, @value{GDBN} is cautious, and asks what sometimes seems to be a
20485lot of stupid questions to confirm certain commands. For example, if
20486you try to run a program which is already running:
20487
20488@smallexample
20489(@value{GDBP}) run
20490The program being debugged has been started already.
20491Start it from the beginning? (y or n)
20492@end smallexample
20493
20494If you are willing to unflinchingly face the consequences of your own
20495commands, you can disable this ``feature'':
20496
20497@table @code
20498
20499@kindex set confirm
20500@cindex flinching
20501@cindex confirmation
20502@cindex stupid questions
20503@item set confirm off
20504Disables confirmation requests. Note that running @value{GDBN} with
20505the @option{--batch} option (@pxref{Mode Options, -batch}) also
20506automatically disables confirmation requests.
20507
20508@item set confirm on
20509Enables confirmation requests (the default).
20510
20511@kindex show confirm
20512@item show confirm
20513Displays state of confirmation requests.
20514
20515@end table
20516
20517@cindex command tracing
20518If you need to debug user-defined commands or sourced files you may find it
20519useful to enable @dfn{command tracing}. In this mode each command will be
20520printed as it is executed, prefixed with one or more @samp{+} symbols, the
20521quantity denoting the call depth of each command.
20522
20523@table @code
20524@kindex set trace-commands
20525@cindex command scripts, debugging
20526@item set trace-commands on
20527Enable command tracing.
20528@item set trace-commands off
20529Disable command tracing.
20530@item show trace-commands
20531Display the current state of command tracing.
20532@end table
20533
20534@node Debugging Output
20535@section Optional Messages about Internal Happenings
20536@cindex optional debugging messages
20537
20538@value{GDBN} has commands that enable optional debugging messages from
20539various @value{GDBN} subsystems; normally these commands are of
20540interest to @value{GDBN} maintainers, or when reporting a bug. This
20541section documents those commands.
20542
20543@table @code
20544@kindex set exec-done-display
20545@item set exec-done-display
20546Turns on or off the notification of asynchronous commands'
20547completion. When on, @value{GDBN} will print a message when an
20548asynchronous command finishes its execution. The default is off.
20549@kindex show exec-done-display
20550@item show exec-done-display
20551Displays the current setting of asynchronous command completion
20552notification.
20553@kindex set debug
20554@cindex gdbarch debugging info
20555@cindex architecture debugging info
20556@item set debug arch
20557Turns on or off display of gdbarch debugging info. The default is off
20558@kindex show debug
20559@item show debug arch
20560Displays the current state of displaying gdbarch debugging info.
20561@item set debug aix-thread
20562@cindex AIX threads
20563Display debugging messages about inner workings of the AIX thread
20564module.
20565@item show debug aix-thread
20566Show the current state of AIX thread debugging info display.
20567@item set debug check-physname
20568@cindex physname
20569Check the results of the ``physname'' computation. When reading DWARF
20570debugging information for C@t{++}, @value{GDBN} attempts to compute
20571each entity's name. @value{GDBN} can do this computation in two
20572different ways, depending on exactly what information is present.
20573When enabled, this setting causes @value{GDBN} to compute the names
20574both ways and display any discrepancies.
20575@item show debug check-physname
20576Show the current state of ``physname'' checking.
20577@item set debug dwarf2-die
20578@cindex DWARF2 DIEs
20579Dump DWARF2 DIEs after they are read in.
20580The value is the number of nesting levels to print.
20581A value of zero turns off the display.
20582@item show debug dwarf2-die
20583Show the current state of DWARF2 DIE debugging.
20584@item set debug displaced
20585@cindex displaced stepping debugging info
20586Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for the
20587displaced stepping support. The default is off.
20588@item show debug displaced
20589Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} debugging info
20590related to displaced stepping.
20591@item set debug event
20592@cindex event debugging info
20593Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} event debugging info. The
20594default is off.
20595@item show debug event
20596Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} event debugging
20597info.
20598@item set debug expression
20599@cindex expression debugging info
20600Turns on or off display of debugging info about @value{GDBN}
20601expression parsing. The default is off.
20602@item show debug expression
20603Displays the current state of displaying debugging info about
20604@value{GDBN} expression parsing.
20605@item set debug frame
20606@cindex frame debugging info
20607Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} frame debugging info. The
20608default is off.
20609@item show debug frame
20610Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} frame debugging
20611info.
20612@item set debug gnu-nat
20613@cindex @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug messages
20614Turns on or off debugging messages from the @sc{gnu}/Hurd debug support.
20615@item show debug gnu-nat
20616Show the current state of @sc{gnu}/Hurd debugging messages.
20617@item set debug infrun
20618@cindex inferior debugging info
20619Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} debugging info for running the inferior.
20620The default is off. @file{infrun.c} contains GDB's runtime state machine used
20621for implementing operations such as single-stepping the inferior.
20622@item show debug infrun
20623Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} inferior debugging.
20624@item set debug jit
20625@cindex just-in-time compilation, debugging messages
20626Turns on or off debugging messages from JIT debug support.
20627@item show debug jit
20628Displays the current state of @value{GDBN} JIT debugging.
20629@item set debug lin-lwp
20630@cindex @sc{gnu}/Linux LWP debug messages
20631@cindex Linux lightweight processes
20632Turns on or off debugging messages from the Linux LWP debug support.
20633@item show debug lin-lwp
20634Show the current state of Linux LWP debugging messages.
20635@item set debug observer
20636@cindex observer debugging info
20637Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} observer debugging. This
20638includes info such as the notification of observable events.
20639@item show debug observer
20640Displays the current state of observer debugging.
20641@item set debug overload
20642@cindex C@t{++} overload debugging info
20643Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload debugging
20644info. This includes info such as ranking of functions, etc. The default
20645is off.
20646@item show debug overload
20647Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} C@t{++} overload
20648debugging info.
20649@cindex expression parser, debugging info
20650@cindex debug expression parser
20651@item set debug parser
20652Turns on or off the display of expression parser debugging output.
20653Internally, this sets the @code{yydebug} variable in the expression
20654parser. @xref{Tracing, , Tracing Your Parser, bison, Bison}, for
20655details. The default is off.
20656@item show debug parser
20657Show the current state of expression parser debugging.
20658@cindex packets, reporting on stdout
20659@cindex serial connections, debugging
20660@cindex debug remote protocol
20661@cindex remote protocol debugging
20662@cindex display remote packets
20663@item set debug remote
20664Turns on or off display of reports on all packets sent back and forth across
20665the serial line to the remote machine. The info is printed on the
20666@value{GDBN} standard output stream. The default is off.
20667@item show debug remote
20668Displays the state of display of remote packets.
20669@item set debug serial
20670Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} serial debugging info. The
20671default is off.
20672@item show debug serial
20673Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} serial debugging
20674info.
20675@item set debug solib-frv
20676@cindex FR-V shared-library debugging
20677Turns on or off debugging messages for FR-V shared-library code.
20678@item show debug solib-frv
20679Display the current state of FR-V shared-library code debugging
20680messages.
20681@item set debug target
20682@cindex target debugging info
20683Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} target debugging info. This info
20684includes what is going on at the target level of GDB, as it happens. The
20685default is 0. Set it to 1 to track events, and to 2 to also track the
20686value of large memory transfers. Changes to this flag do not take effect
20687until the next time you connect to a target or use the @code{run} command.
20688@item show debug target
20689Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} target debugging
20690info.
20691@item set debug timestamp
20692@cindex timestampping debugging info
20693Turns on or off display of timestamps with @value{GDBN} debugging info.
20694When enabled, seconds and microseconds are displayed before each debugging
20695message.
20696@item show debug timestamp
20697Displays the current state of displaying timestamps with @value{GDBN}
20698debugging info.
20699@item set debugvarobj
20700@cindex variable object debugging info
20701Turns on or off display of @value{GDBN} variable object debugging
20702info. The default is off.
20703@item show debugvarobj
20704Displays the current state of displaying @value{GDBN} variable object
20705debugging info.
20706@item set debug xml
20707@cindex XML parser debugging
20708Turns on or off debugging messages for built-in XML parsers.
20709@item show debug xml
20710Displays the current state of XML debugging messages.
20711@end table
20712
20713@node Other Misc Settings
20714@section Other Miscellaneous Settings
20715@cindex miscellaneous settings
20716
20717@table @code
20718@kindex set interactive-mode
20719@item set interactive-mode
20720If @code{on}, forces @value{GDBN} to assume that GDB was started
20721in a terminal. In practice, this means that @value{GDBN} should wait
20722for the user to answer queries generated by commands entered at
20723the command prompt. If @code{off}, forces @value{GDBN} to operate
20724in the opposite mode, and it uses the default answers to all queries.
20725If @code{auto} (the default), @value{GDBN} tries to determine whether
20726its standard input is a terminal, and works in interactive-mode if it
20727is, non-interactively otherwise.
20728
20729In the vast majority of cases, the debugger should be able to guess
20730correctly which mode should be used. But this setting can be useful
20731in certain specific cases, such as running a MinGW @value{GDBN}
20732inside a cygwin window.
20733
20734@kindex show interactive-mode
20735@item show interactive-mode
20736Displays whether the debugger is operating in interactive mode or not.
20737@end table
20738
20739@node Extending GDB
20740@chapter Extending @value{GDBN}
20741@cindex extending GDB
20742
20743@value{GDBN} provides three mechanisms for extension. The first is based
20744on composition of @value{GDBN} commands, the second is based on the
20745Python scripting language, and the third is for defining new aliases of
20746existing commands.
20747
20748To facilitate the use of the first two extensions, @value{GDBN} is capable
20749of evaluating the contents of a file. When doing so, @value{GDBN}
20750can recognize which scripting language is being used by looking at
20751the filename extension. Files with an unrecognized filename extension
20752are always treated as a @value{GDBN} Command Files.
20753@xref{Command Files,, Command files}.
20754
20755You can control how @value{GDBN} evaluates these files with the following
20756setting:
20757
20758@table @code
20759@kindex set script-extension
20760@kindex show script-extension
20761@item set script-extension off
20762All scripts are always evaluated as @value{GDBN} Command Files.
20763
20764@item set script-extension soft
20765The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
20766extension. If this scripting language is supported, @value{GDBN}
20767evaluates the script using that language. Otherwise, it evaluates
20768the file as a @value{GDBN} Command File.
20769
20770@item set script-extension strict
20771The debugger determines the scripting language based on filename
20772extension, and evaluates the script using that language. If the
20773language is not supported, then the evaluation fails.
20774
20775@item show script-extension
20776Display the current value of the @code{script-extension} option.
20777
20778@end table
20779
20780@menu
20781* Sequences:: Canned Sequences of Commands
20782* Python:: Scripting @value{GDBN} using Python
20783* Aliases:: Creating new spellings of existing commands
20784@end menu
20785
20786@node Sequences
20787@section Canned Sequences of Commands
20788
20789Aside from breakpoint commands (@pxref{Break Commands, ,Breakpoint
20790Command Lists}), @value{GDBN} provides two ways to store sequences of
20791commands for execution as a unit: user-defined commands and command
20792files.
20793
20794@menu
20795* Define:: How to define your own commands
20796* Hooks:: Hooks for user-defined commands
20797* Command Files:: How to write scripts of commands to be stored in a file
20798* Output:: Commands for controlled output
20799@end menu
20800
20801@node Define
20802@subsection User-defined Commands
20803
20804@cindex user-defined command
20805@cindex arguments, to user-defined commands
20806A @dfn{user-defined command} is a sequence of @value{GDBN} commands to
20807which you assign a new name as a command. This is done with the
20808@code{define} command. User commands may accept up to 10 arguments
20809separated by whitespace. Arguments are accessed within the user command
20810via @code{$arg0@dots{}$arg9}. A trivial example:
20811
20812@smallexample
20813define adder
20814 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
20815end
20816@end smallexample
20817
20818@noindent
20819To execute the command use:
20820
20821@smallexample
20822adder 1 2 3
20823@end smallexample
20824
20825@noindent
20826This defines the command @code{adder}, which prints the sum of
20827its three arguments. Note the arguments are text substitutions, so they may
20828reference variables, use complex expressions, or even perform inferior
20829functions calls.
20830
20831@cindex argument count in user-defined commands
20832@cindex how many arguments (user-defined commands)
20833In addition, @code{$argc} may be used to find out how many arguments have
20834been passed. This expands to a number in the range 0@dots{}10.
20835
20836@smallexample
20837define adder
20838 if $argc == 2
20839 print $arg0 + $arg1
20840 end
20841 if $argc == 3
20842 print $arg0 + $arg1 + $arg2
20843 end
20844end
20845@end smallexample
20846
20847@table @code
20848
20849@kindex define
20850@item define @var{commandname}
20851Define a command named @var{commandname}. If there is already a command
20852by that name, you are asked to confirm that you want to redefine it.
20853@var{commandname} may be a bare command name consisting of letters,
20854numbers, dashes, and underscores. It may also start with any predefined
20855prefix command. For example, @samp{define target my-target} creates
20856a user-defined @samp{target my-target} command.
20857
20858The definition of the command is made up of other @value{GDBN} command lines,
20859which are given following the @code{define} command. The end of these
20860commands is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
20861
20862@kindex document
20863@kindex end@r{ (user-defined commands)}
20864@item document @var{commandname}
20865Document the user-defined command @var{commandname}, so that it can be
20866accessed by @code{help}. The command @var{commandname} must already be
20867defined. This command reads lines of documentation just as @code{define}
20868reads the lines of the command definition, ending with @code{end}.
20869After the @code{document} command is finished, @code{help} on command
20870@var{commandname} displays the documentation you have written.
20871
20872You may use the @code{document} command again to change the
20873documentation of a command. Redefining the command with @code{define}
20874does not change the documentation.
20875
20876@kindex dont-repeat
20877@cindex don't repeat command
20878@item dont-repeat
20879Used inside a user-defined command, this tells @value{GDBN} that this
20880command should not be repeated when the user hits @key{RET}
20881(@pxref{Command Syntax, repeat last command}).
20882
20883@kindex help user-defined
20884@item help user-defined
20885List all user-defined commands, with the first line of the documentation
20886(if any) for each.
20887
20888@kindex show user
20889@item show user
20890@itemx show user @var{commandname}
20891Display the @value{GDBN} commands used to define @var{commandname} (but
20892not its documentation). If no @var{commandname} is given, display the
20893definitions for all user-defined commands.
20894
20895@cindex infinite recursion in user-defined commands
20896@kindex show max-user-call-depth
20897@kindex set max-user-call-depth
20898@item show max-user-call-depth
20899@itemx set max-user-call-depth
20900The value of @code{max-user-call-depth} controls how many recursion
20901levels are allowed in user-defined commands before @value{GDBN} suspects an
20902infinite recursion and aborts the command.
20903@end table
20904
20905In addition to the above commands, user-defined commands frequently
20906use control flow commands, described in @ref{Command Files}.
20907
20908When user-defined commands are executed, the
20909commands of the definition are not printed. An error in any command
20910stops execution of the user-defined command.
20911
20912If used interactively, commands that would ask for confirmation proceed
20913without asking when used inside a user-defined command. Many @value{GDBN}
20914commands that normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the
20915messages when used in a user-defined command.
20916
20917@node Hooks
20918@subsection User-defined Command Hooks
20919@cindex command hooks
20920@cindex hooks, for commands
20921@cindex hooks, pre-command
20922
20923@kindex hook
20924You may define @dfn{hooks}, which are a special kind of user-defined
20925command. Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined
20926command @samp{hook-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments)
20927before that command.
20928
20929@cindex hooks, post-command
20930@kindex hookpost
20931A hook may also be defined which is run after the command you executed.
20932Whenever you run the command @samp{foo}, if the user-defined command
20933@samp{hookpost-foo} exists, it is executed (with no arguments) after
20934that command. Post-execution hooks may exist simultaneously with
20935pre-execution hooks, for the same command.
20936
20937It is valid for a hook to call the command which it hooks. If this
20938occurs, the hook is not re-executed, thereby avoiding infinite recursion.
20939
20940@c It would be nice if hookpost could be passed a parameter indicating
20941@c if the command it hooks executed properly or not. FIXME!
20942
20943@kindex stop@r{, a pseudo-command}
20944In addition, a pseudo-command, @samp{stop} exists. Defining
20945(@samp{hook-stop}) makes the associated commands execute every time
20946execution stops in your program: before breakpoint commands are run,
20947displays are printed, or the stack frame is printed.
20948
20949For example, to ignore @code{SIGALRM} signals while
20950single-stepping, but treat them normally during normal execution,
20951you could define:
20952
20953@smallexample
20954define hook-stop
20955handle SIGALRM nopass
20956end
20957
20958define hook-run
20959handle SIGALRM pass
20960end
20961
20962define hook-continue
20963handle SIGALRM pass
20964end
20965@end smallexample
20966
20967As a further example, to hook at the beginning and end of the @code{echo}
20968command, and to add extra text to the beginning and end of the message,
20969you could define:
20970
20971@smallexample
20972define hook-echo
20973echo <<<---
20974end
20975
20976define hookpost-echo
20977echo --->>>\n
20978end
20979
20980(@value{GDBP}) echo Hello World
20981<<<---Hello World--->>>
20982(@value{GDBP})
20983
20984@end smallexample
20985
20986You can define a hook for any single-word command in @value{GDBN}, but
20987not for command aliases; you should define a hook for the basic command
20988name, e.g.@: @code{backtrace} rather than @code{bt}.
20989@c FIXME! So how does Joe User discover whether a command is an alias
20990@c or not?
20991You can hook a multi-word command by adding @code{hook-} or
20992@code{hookpost-} to the last word of the command, e.g.@:
20993@samp{define target hook-remote} to add a hook to @samp{target remote}.
20994
20995If an error occurs during the execution of your hook, execution of
20996@value{GDBN} commands stops and @value{GDBN} issues a prompt
20997(before the command that you actually typed had a chance to run).
20998
20999If you try to define a hook which does not match any known command, you
21000get a warning from the @code{define} command.
21001
21002@node Command Files
21003@subsection Command Files
21004
21005@cindex command files
21006@cindex scripting commands
21007A command file for @value{GDBN} is a text file made of lines that are
21008@value{GDBN} commands. Comments (lines starting with @kbd{#}) may
21009also be included. An empty line in a command file does nothing; it
21010does not mean to repeat the last command, as it would from the
21011terminal.
21012
21013You can request the execution of a command file with the @code{source}
21014command. Note that the @code{source} command is also used to evaluate
21015scripts that are not Command Files. The exact behavior can be configured
21016using the @code{script-extension} setting.
21017@xref{Extending GDB,, Extending GDB}.
21018
21019@table @code
21020@kindex source
21021@cindex execute commands from a file
21022@item source [-s] [-v] @var{filename}
21023Execute the command file @var{filename}.
21024@end table
21025
21026The lines in a command file are generally executed sequentially,
21027unless the order of execution is changed by one of the
21028@emph{flow-control commands} described below. The commands are not
21029printed as they are executed. An error in any command terminates
21030execution of the command file and control is returned to the console.
21031
21032@value{GDBN} first searches for @var{filename} in the current directory.
21033If the file is not found there, and @var{filename} does not specify a
21034directory, then @value{GDBN} also looks for the file on the source search path
21035(specified with the @samp{directory} command);
21036except that @file{$cdir} is not searched because the compilation directory
21037is not relevant to scripts.
21038
21039If @code{-s} is specified, then @value{GDBN} searches for @var{filename}
21040on the search path even if @var{filename} specifies a directory.
21041The search is done by appending @var{filename} to each element of the
21042search path. So, for example, if @var{filename} is @file{mylib/myscript}
21043and the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
21044look for the script @file{/home/user/mylib/myscript}.
21045The search is also done if @var{filename} is an absolute path.
21046For example, if @var{filename} is @file{/tmp/myscript} and
21047the search path contains @file{/home/user} then @value{GDBN} will
21048look for the script @file{/home/user/tmp/myscript}.
21049For DOS-like systems, if @var{filename} contains a drive specification,
21050it is stripped before concatenation. For example, if @var{filename} is
21051@file{d:myscript} and the search path contains @file{c:/tmp} then @value{GDBN}
21052will look for the script @file{c:/tmp/myscript}.
21053
21054If @code{-v}, for verbose mode, is given then @value{GDBN} displays
21055each command as it is executed. The option must be given before
21056@var{filename}, and is interpreted as part of the filename anywhere else.
21057
21058Commands that would ask for confirmation if used interactively proceed
21059without asking when used in a command file. Many @value{GDBN} commands that
21060normally print messages to say what they are doing omit the messages
21061when called from command files.
21062
21063@value{GDBN} also accepts command input from standard input. In this
21064mode, normal output goes to standard output and error output goes to
21065standard error. Errors in a command file supplied on standard input do
21066not terminate execution of the command file---execution continues with
21067the next command.
21068
21069@smallexample
21070gdb < cmds > log 2>&1
21071@end smallexample
21072
21073(The syntax above will vary depending on the shell used.) This example
21074will execute commands from the file @file{cmds}. All output and errors
21075would be directed to @file{log}.
21076
21077Since commands stored on command files tend to be more general than
21078commands typed interactively, they frequently need to deal with
21079complicated situations, such as different or unexpected values of
21080variables and symbols, changes in how the program being debugged is
21081built, etc. @value{GDBN} provides a set of flow-control commands to
21082deal with these complexities. Using these commands, you can write
21083complex scripts that loop over data structures, execute commands
21084conditionally, etc.
21085
21086@table @code
21087@kindex if
21088@kindex else
21089@item if
21090@itemx else
21091This command allows to include in your script conditionally executed
21092commands. The @code{if} command takes a single argument, which is an
21093expression to evaluate. It is followed by a series of commands that
21094are executed only if the expression is true (its value is nonzero).
21095There can then optionally be an @code{else} line, followed by a series
21096of commands that are only executed if the expression was false. The
21097end of the list is marked by a line containing @code{end}.
21098
21099@kindex while
21100@item while
21101This command allows to write loops. Its syntax is similar to
21102@code{if}: the command takes a single argument, which is an expression
21103to evaluate, and must be followed by the commands to execute, one per
21104line, terminated by an @code{end}. These commands are called the
21105@dfn{body} of the loop. The commands in the body of @code{while} are
21106executed repeatedly as long as the expression evaluates to true.
21107
21108@kindex loop_break
21109@item loop_break
21110This command exits the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included.
21111Execution of the script continues after that @code{while}s @code{end}
21112line.
21113
21114@kindex loop_continue
21115@item loop_continue
21116This command skips the execution of the rest of the body of commands
21117in the @code{while} loop in whose body it is included. Execution
21118branches to the beginning of the @code{while} loop, where it evaluates
21119the controlling expression.
21120
21121@kindex end@r{ (if/else/while commands)}
21122@item end
21123Terminate the block of commands that are the body of @code{if},
21124@code{else}, or @code{while} flow-control commands.
21125@end table
21126
21127
21128@node Output
21129@subsection Commands for Controlled Output
21130
21131During the execution of a command file or a user-defined command, normal
21132@value{GDBN} output is suppressed; the only output that appears is what is
21133explicitly printed by the commands in the definition. This section
21134describes three commands useful for generating exactly the output you
21135want.
21136
21137@table @code
21138@kindex echo
21139@item echo @var{text}
21140@c I do not consider backslash-space a standard C escape sequence
21141@c because it is not in ANSI.
21142Print @var{text}. Nonprinting characters can be included in
21143@var{text} using C escape sequences, such as @samp{\n} to print a
21144newline. @strong{No newline is printed unless you specify one.}
21145In addition to the standard C escape sequences, a backslash followed
21146by a space stands for a space. This is useful for displaying a
21147string with spaces at the beginning or the end, since leading and
21148trailing spaces are otherwise trimmed from all arguments.
21149To print @samp{@w{ }and foo =@w{ }}, use the command
21150@samp{echo \@w{ }and foo = \@w{ }}.
21151
21152A backslash at the end of @var{text} can be used, as in C, to continue
21153the command onto subsequent lines. For example,
21154
21155@smallexample
21156echo This is some text\n\
21157which is continued\n\
21158onto several lines.\n
21159@end smallexample
21160
21161produces the same output as
21162
21163@smallexample
21164echo This is some text\n
21165echo which is continued\n
21166echo onto several lines.\n
21167@end smallexample
21168
21169@kindex output
21170@item output @var{expression}
21171Print the value of @var{expression} and nothing but that value: no
21172newlines, no @samp{$@var{nn} = }. The value is not entered in the
21173value history either. @xref{Expressions, ,Expressions}, for more information
21174on expressions.
21175
21176@item output/@var{fmt} @var{expression}
21177Print the value of @var{expression} in format @var{fmt}. You can use
21178the same formats as for @code{print}. @xref{Output Formats,,Output
21179Formats}, for more information.
21180
21181@kindex printf
21182@item printf @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
21183Print the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
21184the string @var{template}. To print several values, make
21185@var{expressions} be a comma-separated list of individual expressions,
21186which may be either numbers or pointers. Their values are printed as
21187specified by @var{template}, exactly as a C program would do by
21188executing the code below:
21189
21190@smallexample
21191printf (@var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{});
21192@end smallexample
21193
21194As in @code{C} @code{printf}, ordinary characters in @var{template}
21195are printed verbatim, while @dfn{conversion specification} introduced
21196by the @samp{%} character cause subsequent @var{expressions} to be
21197evaluated, their values converted and formatted according to type and
21198style information encoded in the conversion specifications, and then
21199printed.
21200
21201For example, you can print two values in hex like this:
21202
21203@smallexample
21204printf "foo, bar-foo = 0x%x, 0x%x\n", foo, bar-foo
21205@end smallexample
21206
21207@code{printf} supports all the standard @code{C} conversion
21208specifications, including the flags and modifiers between the @samp{%}
21209character and the conversion letter, with the following exceptions:
21210
21211@itemize @bullet
21212@item
21213The argument-ordering modifiers, such as @samp{2$}, are not supported.
21214
21215@item
21216The modifier @samp{*} is not supported for specifying precision or
21217width.
21218
21219@item
21220The @samp{'} flag (for separation of digits into groups according to
21221@code{LC_NUMERIC'}) is not supported.
21222
21223@item
21224The type modifiers @samp{hh}, @samp{j}, @samp{t}, and @samp{z} are not
21225supported.
21226
21227@item
21228The conversion letter @samp{n} (as in @samp{%n}) is not supported.
21229
21230@item
21231The conversion letters @samp{a} and @samp{A} are not supported.
21232@end itemize
21233
21234@noindent
21235Note that the @samp{ll} type modifier is supported only if the
21236underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} supports
21237the @code{long long int} type, and the @samp{L} type modifier is
21238supported only if @code{long double} type is available.
21239
21240As in @code{C}, @code{printf} supports simple backslash-escape
21241sequences, such as @code{\n}, @samp{\t}, @samp{\\}, @samp{\"},
21242@samp{\a}, and @samp{\f}, that consist of backslash followed by a
21243single character. Octal and hexadecimal escape sequences are not
21244supported.
21245
21246Additionally, @code{printf} supports conversion specifications for DFP
21247(@dfn{Decimal Floating Point}) types using the following length modifiers
21248together with a floating point specifier.
21249letters:
21250
21251@itemize @bullet
21252@item
21253@samp{H} for printing @code{Decimal32} types.
21254
21255@item
21256@samp{D} for printing @code{Decimal64} types.
21257
21258@item
21259@samp{DD} for printing @code{Decimal128} types.
21260@end itemize
21261
21262If the underlying @code{C} implementation used to build @value{GDBN} has
21263support for the three length modifiers for DFP types, other modifiers
21264such as width and precision will also be available for @value{GDBN} to use.
21265
21266In case there is no such @code{C} support, no additional modifiers will be
21267available and the value will be printed in the standard way.
21268
21269Here's an example of printing DFP types using the above conversion letters:
21270@smallexample
21271printf "D32: %Hf - D64: %Df - D128: %DDf\n",1.2345df,1.2E10dd,1.2E1dl
21272@end smallexample
21273
21274@kindex eval
21275@item eval @var{template}, @var{expressions}@dots{}
21276Convert the values of one or more @var{expressions} under the control of
21277the string @var{template} to a command line, and call it.
21278
21279@end table
21280
21281@node Python
21282@section Scripting @value{GDBN} using Python
21283@cindex python scripting
21284@cindex scripting with python
21285
21286You can script @value{GDBN} using the @uref{http://www.python.org/,
21287Python programming language}. This feature is available only if
21288@value{GDBN} was configured using @option{--with-python}.
21289
21290@cindex python directory
21291Python scripts used by @value{GDBN} should be installed in
21292@file{@var{data-directory}/python}, where @var{data-directory} is
21293the data directory as determined at @value{GDBN} startup (@pxref{Data Files}).
21294This directory, known as the @dfn{python directory},
21295is automatically added to the Python Search Path in order to allow
21296the Python interpreter to locate all scripts installed at this location.
21297
21298Additionally, @value{GDBN} commands and convenience functions which
21299are written in Python and are located in the
21300@file{@var{data-directory}/python/gdb/command} or
21301@file{@var{data-directory}/python/gdb/function} directories are
21302automatically imported when @value{GDBN} starts.
21303
21304@menu
21305* Python Commands:: Accessing Python from @value{GDBN}.
21306* Python API:: Accessing @value{GDBN} from Python.
21307* Auto-loading:: Automatically loading Python code.
21308* Python modules:: Python modules provided by @value{GDBN}.
21309@end menu
21310
21311@node Python Commands
21312@subsection Python Commands
21313@cindex python commands
21314@cindex commands to access python
21315
21316@value{GDBN} provides one command for accessing the Python interpreter,
21317and one related setting:
21318
21319@table @code
21320@kindex python
21321@item python @r{[}@var{code}@r{]}
21322The @code{python} command can be used to evaluate Python code.
21323
21324If given an argument, the @code{python} command will evaluate the
21325argument as a Python command. For example:
21326
21327@smallexample
21328(@value{GDBP}) python print 23
2132923
21330@end smallexample
21331
21332If you do not provide an argument to @code{python}, it will act as a
21333multi-line command, like @code{define}. In this case, the Python
21334script is made up of subsequent command lines, given after the
21335@code{python} command. This command list is terminated using a line
21336containing @code{end}. For example:
21337
21338@smallexample
21339(@value{GDBP}) python
21340Type python script
21341End with a line saying just "end".
21342>print 23
21343>end
2134423
21345@end smallexample
21346
21347@kindex maint set python print-stack
21348@item maint set python print-stack
21349This command is now deprecated. Instead use @code{set python
21350print-stack}
21351
21352@kindex set python print-stack
21353@item set python print-stack
21354By default, @value{GDBN} will not print a stack trace when an error
21355occurs in a Python script. This can be controlled using @code{set
21356python print-stack}: if @code{on}, then Python stack printing is
21357enabled; if @code{off}, the default, then Python stack printing is
21358disabled.
21359@end table
21360
21361It is also possible to execute a Python script from the @value{GDBN}
21362interpreter:
21363
21364@table @code
21365@item source @file{script-name}
21366The script name must end with @samp{.py} and @value{GDBN} must be configured
21367to recognize the script language based on filename extension using
21368the @code{script-extension} setting. @xref{Extending GDB, ,Extending GDB}.
21369
21370@item python execfile ("script-name")
21371This method is based on the @code{execfile} Python built-in function,
21372and thus is always available.
21373@end table
21374
21375@node Python API
21376@subsection Python API
21377@cindex python api
21378@cindex programming in python
21379
21380@cindex python stdout
21381@cindex python pagination
21382At startup, @value{GDBN} overrides Python's @code{sys.stdout} and
21383@code{sys.stderr} to print using @value{GDBN}'s output-paging streams.
21384A Python program which outputs to one of these streams may have its
21385output interrupted by the user (@pxref{Screen Size}). In this
21386situation, a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception is thrown.
21387
21388@menu
21389* Basic Python:: Basic Python Functions.
21390* Exception Handling:: How Python exceptions are translated.
21391* Values From Inferior:: Python representation of values.
21392* Types In Python:: Python representation of types.
21393* Pretty Printing API:: Pretty-printing values.
21394* Selecting Pretty-Printers:: How GDB chooses a pretty-printer.
21395* Writing a Pretty-Printer:: Writing a Pretty-Printer.
21396* Inferiors In Python:: Python representation of inferiors (processes)
21397* Events In Python:: Listening for events from @value{GDBN}.
21398* Threads In Python:: Accessing inferior threads from Python.
21399* Commands In Python:: Implementing new commands in Python.
21400* Parameters In Python:: Adding new @value{GDBN} parameters.
21401* Functions In Python:: Writing new convenience functions.
21402* Progspaces In Python:: Program spaces.
21403* Objfiles In Python:: Object files.
21404* Frames In Python:: Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
21405* Blocks In Python:: Accessing frame blocks from Python.
21406* Symbols In Python:: Python representation of symbols.
21407* Symbol Tables In Python:: Python representation of symbol tables.
21408* Lazy Strings In Python:: Python representation of lazy strings.
21409* Breakpoints In Python:: Manipulating breakpoints using Python.
21410@end menu
21411
21412@node Basic Python
21413@subsubsection Basic Python
21414
21415@cindex python functions
21416@cindex python module
21417@cindex gdb module
21418@value{GDBN} introduces a new Python module, named @code{gdb}. All
21419methods and classes added by @value{GDBN} are placed in this module.
21420@value{GDBN} automatically @code{import}s the @code{gdb} module for
21421use in all scripts evaluated by the @code{python} command.
21422
21423@findex gdb.PYTHONDIR
21424@defvar gdb.PYTHONDIR
21425A string containing the python directory (@pxref{Python}).
21426@end defvar
21427
21428@findex gdb.execute
21429@defun gdb.execute (command @r{[}, from_tty @r{[}, to_string@r{]]})
21430Evaluate @var{command}, a string, as a @value{GDBN} CLI command.
21431If a GDB exception happens while @var{command} runs, it is
21432translated as described in @ref{Exception Handling,,Exception Handling}.
21433
21434@var{from_tty} specifies whether @value{GDBN} ought to consider this
21435command as having originated from the user invoking it interactively.
21436It must be a boolean value. If omitted, it defaults to @code{False}.
21437
21438By default, any output produced by @var{command} is sent to
21439@value{GDBN}'s standard output. If the @var{to_string} parameter is
21440@code{True}, then output will be collected by @code{gdb.execute} and
21441returned as a string. The default is @code{False}, in which case the
21442return value is @code{None}. If @var{to_string} is @code{True}, the
21443@value{GDBN} virtual terminal will be temporarily set to unlimited width
21444and height, and its pagination will be disabled; @pxref{Screen Size}.
21445@end defun
21446
21447@findex gdb.breakpoints
21448@defun gdb.breakpoints ()
21449Return a sequence holding all of @value{GDBN}'s breakpoints.
21450@xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for more information.
21451@end defun
21452
21453@findex gdb.parameter
21454@defun gdb.parameter (parameter)
21455Return the value of a @value{GDBN} parameter. @var{parameter} is a
21456string naming the parameter to look up; @var{parameter} may contain
21457spaces if the parameter has a multi-part name. For example,
21458@samp{print object} is a valid parameter name.
21459
21460If the named parameter does not exist, this function throws a
21461@code{gdb.error} (@pxref{Exception Handling}). Otherwise, the
21462parameter's value is converted to a Python value of the appropriate
21463type, and returned.
21464@end defun
21465
21466@findex gdb.history
21467@defun gdb.history (number)
21468Return a value from @value{GDBN}'s value history (@pxref{Value
21469History}). @var{number} indicates which history element to return.
21470If @var{number} is negative, then @value{GDBN} will take its absolute value
21471and count backward from the last element (i.e., the most recent element) to
21472find the value to return. If @var{number} is zero, then @value{GDBN} will
21473return the most recent element. If the element specified by @var{number}
21474doesn't exist in the value history, a @code{gdb.error} exception will be
21475raised.
21476
21477If no exception is raised, the return value is always an instance of
21478@code{gdb.Value} (@pxref{Values From Inferior}).
21479@end defun
21480
21481@findex gdb.parse_and_eval
21482@defun gdb.parse_and_eval (expression)
21483Parse @var{expression} as an expression in the current language,
21484evaluate it, and return the result as a @code{gdb.Value}.
21485@var{expression} must be a string.
21486
21487This function can be useful when implementing a new command
21488(@pxref{Commands In Python}), as it provides a way to parse the
21489command's argument as an expression. It is also useful simply to
21490compute values, for example, it is the only way to get the value of a
21491convenience variable (@pxref{Convenience Vars}) as a @code{gdb.Value}.
21492@end defun
21493
21494@findex gdb.post_event
21495@defun gdb.post_event (event)
21496Put @var{event}, a callable object taking no arguments, into
21497@value{GDBN}'s internal event queue. This callable will be invoked at
21498some later point, during @value{GDBN}'s event processing. Events
21499posted using @code{post_event} will be run in the order in which they
21500were posted; however, there is no way to know when they will be
21501processed relative to other events inside @value{GDBN}.
21502
21503@value{GDBN} is not thread-safe. If your Python program uses multiple
21504threads, you must be careful to only call @value{GDBN}-specific
21505functions in the main @value{GDBN} thread. @code{post_event} ensures
21506this. For example:
21507
21508@smallexample
21509(@value{GDBP}) python
21510>import threading
21511>
21512>class Writer():
21513> def __init__(self, message):
21514> self.message = message;
21515> def __call__(self):
21516> gdb.write(self.message)
21517>
21518>class MyThread1 (threading.Thread):
21519> def run (self):
21520> gdb.post_event(Writer("Hello "))
21521>
21522>class MyThread2 (threading.Thread):
21523> def run (self):
21524> gdb.post_event(Writer("World\n"))
21525>
21526>MyThread1().start()
21527>MyThread2().start()
21528>end
21529(@value{GDBP}) Hello World
21530@end smallexample
21531@end defun
21532
21533@findex gdb.write
21534@defun gdb.write (string @r{[}, stream{]})
21535Print a string to @value{GDBN}'s paginated output stream. The
21536optional @var{stream} determines the stream to print to. The default
21537stream is @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream. Possible stream
21538values are:
21539
21540@table @code
21541@findex STDOUT
21542@findex gdb.STDOUT
21543@item gdb.STDOUT
21544@value{GDBN}'s standard output stream.
21545
21546@findex STDERR
21547@findex gdb.STDERR
21548@item gdb.STDERR
21549@value{GDBN}'s standard error stream.
21550
21551@findex STDLOG
21552@findex gdb.STDLOG
21553@item gdb.STDLOG
21554@value{GDBN}'s log stream (@pxref{Logging Output}).
21555@end table
21556
21557Writing to @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically
21558call this function and will automatically direct the output to the
21559relevant stream.
21560@end defun
21561
21562@findex gdb.flush
21563@defun gdb.flush ()
21564Flush the buffer of a @value{GDBN} paginated stream so that the
21565contents are displayed immediately. @value{GDBN} will flush the
21566contents of a stream automatically when it encounters a newline in the
21567buffer. The optional @var{stream} determines the stream to flush. The
21568default stream is @value{GDBN}'s standard output stream. Possible
21569stream values are:
21570
21571@table @code
21572@findex STDOUT
21573@findex gdb.STDOUT
21574@item gdb.STDOUT
21575@value{GDBN}'s standard output stream.
21576
21577@findex STDERR
21578@findex gdb.STDERR
21579@item gdb.STDERR
21580@value{GDBN}'s standard error stream.
21581
21582@findex STDLOG
21583@findex gdb.STDLOG
21584@item gdb.STDLOG
21585@value{GDBN}'s log stream (@pxref{Logging Output}).
21586
21587@end table
21588
21589Flushing @code{sys.stdout} or @code{sys.stderr} will automatically
21590call this function for the relevant stream.
21591@end defun
21592
21593@findex gdb.target_charset
21594@defun gdb.target_charset ()
21595Return the name of the current target character set (@pxref{Character
21596Sets}). This differs from @code{gdb.parameter('target-charset')} in
21597that @samp{auto} is never returned.
21598@end defun
21599
21600@findex gdb.target_wide_charset
21601@defun gdb.target_wide_charset ()
21602Return the name of the current target wide character set
21603(@pxref{Character Sets}). This differs from
21604@code{gdb.parameter('target-wide-charset')} in that @samp{auto} is
21605never returned.
21606@end defun
21607
21608@findex gdb.solib_name
21609@defun gdb.solib_name (address)
21610Return the name of the shared library holding the given @var{address}
21611as a string, or @code{None}.
21612@end defun
21613
21614@findex gdb.decode_line
21615@defun gdb.decode_line @r{[}expression@r{]}
21616Return locations of the line specified by @var{expression}, or of the
21617current line if no argument was given. This function returns a Python
21618tuple containing two elements. The first element contains a string
21619holding any unparsed section of @var{expression} (or @code{None} if
21620the expression has been fully parsed). The second element contains
21621either @code{None} or another tuple that contains all the locations
21622that match the expression represented as @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line}
21623objects (@pxref{Symbol Tables In Python}). If @var{expression} is
21624provided, it is decoded the way that @value{GDBN}'s inbuilt
21625@code{break} or @code{edit} commands do (@pxref{Specify Location}).
21626@end defun
21627
21628@defun gdb.prompt_hook (current_prompt)
21629@anchor{prompt_hook}
21630
21631If @var{prompt_hook} is callable, @value{GDBN} will call the method
21632assigned to this operation before a prompt is displayed by
21633@value{GDBN}.
21634
21635The parameter @code{current_prompt} contains the current @value{GDBN}
21636prompt. This method must return a Python string, or @code{None}. If
21637a string is returned, the @value{GDBN} prompt will be set to that
21638string. If @code{None} is returned, @value{GDBN} will continue to use
21639the current prompt.
21640
21641Some prompts cannot be substituted in @value{GDBN}. Secondary prompts
21642such as those used by readline for command input, and annotation
21643related prompts are prohibited from being changed.
21644@end defun
21645
21646@node Exception Handling
21647@subsubsection Exception Handling
21648@cindex python exceptions
21649@cindex exceptions, python
21650
21651When executing the @code{python} command, Python exceptions
21652uncaught within the Python code are translated to calls to
21653@value{GDBN} error-reporting mechanism. If the command that called
21654@code{python} does not handle the error, @value{GDBN} will
21655terminate it and print an error message containing the Python
21656exception name, the associated value, and the Python call stack
21657backtrace at the point where the exception was raised. Example:
21658
21659@smallexample
21660(@value{GDBP}) python print foo
21661Traceback (most recent call last):
21662 File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
21663NameError: name 'foo' is not defined
21664@end smallexample
21665
21666@value{GDBN} errors that happen in @value{GDBN} commands invoked by
21667Python code are converted to Python exceptions. The type of the
21668Python exception depends on the error.
21669
21670@ftable @code
21671@item gdb.error
21672This is the base class for most exceptions generated by @value{GDBN}.
21673It is derived from @code{RuntimeError}, for compatibility with earlier
21674versions of @value{GDBN}.
21675
21676If an error occurring in @value{GDBN} does not fit into some more
21677specific category, then the generated exception will have this type.
21678
21679@item gdb.MemoryError
21680This is a subclass of @code{gdb.error} which is thrown when an
21681operation tried to access invalid memory in the inferior.
21682
21683@item KeyboardInterrupt
21684User interrupt (via @kbd{C-c} or by typing @kbd{q} at a pagination
21685prompt) is translated to a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception.
21686@end ftable
21687
21688In all cases, your exception handler will see the @value{GDBN} error
21689message as its value and the Python call stack backtrace at the Python
21690statement closest to where the @value{GDBN} error occured as the
21691traceback.
21692
21693@findex gdb.GdbError
21694When implementing @value{GDBN} commands in Python via @code{gdb.Command},
21695it is useful to be able to throw an exception that doesn't cause a
21696traceback to be printed. For example, the user may have invoked the
21697command incorrectly. Use the @code{gdb.GdbError} exception
21698to handle this case. Example:
21699
21700@smallexample
21701(gdb) python
21702>class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
21703> """Greet the whole world."""
21704> def __init__ (self):
21705> super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)
21706> def invoke (self, args, from_tty):
21707> argv = gdb.string_to_argv (args)
21708> if len (argv) != 0:
21709> raise gdb.GdbError ("hello-world takes no arguments")
21710> print "Hello, World!"
21711>HelloWorld ()
21712>end
21713(gdb) hello-world 42
21714hello-world takes no arguments
21715@end smallexample
21716
21717@node Values From Inferior
21718@subsubsection Values From Inferior
21719@cindex values from inferior, with Python
21720@cindex python, working with values from inferior
21721
21722@cindex @code{gdb.Value}
21723@value{GDBN} provides values it obtains from the inferior program in
21724an object of type @code{gdb.Value}. @value{GDBN} uses this object
21725for its internal bookkeeping of the inferior's values, and for
21726fetching values when necessary.
21727
21728Inferior values that are simple scalars can be used directly in
21729Python expressions that are valid for the value's data type. Here's
21730an example for an integer or floating-point value @code{some_val}:
21731
21732@smallexample
21733bar = some_val + 2
21734@end smallexample
21735
21736@noindent
21737As result of this, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object
21738whose values are of the same type as those of @code{some_val}.
21739
21740Inferior values that are structures or instances of some class can
21741be accessed using the Python @dfn{dictionary syntax}. For example, if
21742@code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance holding a structure, you
21743can access its @code{foo} element with:
21744
21745@smallexample
21746bar = some_val['foo']
21747@end smallexample
21748
21749Again, @code{bar} will also be a @code{gdb.Value} object.
21750
21751A @code{gdb.Value} that represents a function can be executed via
21752inferior function call. Any arguments provided to the call must match
21753the function's prototype, and must be provided in the order specified
21754by that prototype.
21755
21756For example, @code{some_val} is a @code{gdb.Value} instance
21757representing a function that takes two integers as arguments. To
21758execute this function, call it like so:
21759
21760@smallexample
21761result = some_val (10,20)
21762@end smallexample
21763
21764Any values returned from a function call will be stored as a
21765@code{gdb.Value}.
21766
21767The following attributes are provided:
21768
21769@table @code
21770@defvar Value.address
21771If this object is addressable, this read-only attribute holds a
21772@code{gdb.Value} object representing the address. Otherwise,
21773this attribute holds @code{None}.
21774@end defvar
21775
21776@cindex optimized out value in Python
21777@defvar Value.is_optimized_out
21778This read-only boolean attribute is true if the compiler optimized out
21779this value, thus it is not available for fetching from the inferior.
21780@end defvar
21781
21782@defvar Value.type
21783The type of this @code{gdb.Value}. The value of this attribute is a
21784@code{gdb.Type} object (@pxref{Types In Python}).
21785@end defvar
21786
21787@defvar Value.dynamic_type
21788The dynamic type of this @code{gdb.Value}. This uses C@t{++} run-time
21789type information (@acronym{RTTI}) to determine the dynamic type of the
21790value. If this value is of class type, it will return the class in
21791which the value is embedded, if any. If this value is of pointer or
21792reference to a class type, it will compute the dynamic type of the
21793referenced object, and return a pointer or reference to that type,
21794respectively. In all other cases, it will return the value's static
21795type.
21796
21797Note that this feature will only work when debugging a C@t{++} program
21798that includes @acronym{RTTI} for the object in question. Otherwise,
21799it will just return the static type of the value as in @kbd{ptype foo}
21800(@pxref{Symbols, ptype}).
21801@end defvar
21802
21803@defvar Value.is_lazy
21804The value of this read-only boolean attribute is @code{True} if this
21805@code{gdb.Value} has not yet been fetched from the inferior.
21806@value{GDBN} does not fetch values until necessary, for efficiency.
21807For example:
21808
21809@smallexample
21810myval = gdb.parse_and_eval ('somevar')
21811@end smallexample
21812
21813The value of @code{somevar} is not fetched at this time. It will be
21814fetched when the value is needed, or when the @code{fetch_lazy}
21815method is invoked.
21816@end defvar
21817@end table
21818
21819The following methods are provided:
21820
21821@table @code
21822@defun Value.__init__ (@var{val})
21823Many Python values can be converted directly to a @code{gdb.Value} via
21824this object initializer. Specifically:
21825
21826@table @asis
21827@item Python boolean
21828A Python boolean is converted to the boolean type from the current
21829language.
21830
21831@item Python integer
21832A Python integer is converted to the C @code{long} type for the
21833current architecture.
21834
21835@item Python long
21836A Python long is converted to the C @code{long long} type for the
21837current architecture.
21838
21839@item Python float
21840A Python float is converted to the C @code{double} type for the
21841current architecture.
21842
21843@item Python string
21844A Python string is converted to a target string, using the current
21845target encoding.
21846
21847@item @code{gdb.Value}
21848If @code{val} is a @code{gdb.Value}, then a copy of the value is made.
21849
21850@item @code{gdb.LazyString}
21851If @code{val} is a @code{gdb.LazyString} (@pxref{Lazy Strings In
21852Python}), then the lazy string's @code{value} method is called, and
21853its result is used.
21854@end table
21855@end defun
21856
21857@defun Value.cast (type)
21858Return a new instance of @code{gdb.Value} that is the result of
21859casting this instance to the type described by @var{type}, which must
21860be a @code{gdb.Type} object. If the cast cannot be performed for some
21861reason, this method throws an exception.
21862@end defun
21863
21864@defun Value.dereference ()
21865For pointer data types, this method returns a new @code{gdb.Value} object
21866whose contents is the object pointed to by the pointer. For example, if
21867@code{foo} is a C pointer to an @code{int}, declared in your C program as
21868
21869@smallexample
21870int *foo;
21871@end smallexample
21872
21873@noindent
21874then you can use the corresponding @code{gdb.Value} to access what
21875@code{foo} points to like this:
21876
21877@smallexample
21878bar = foo.dereference ()
21879@end smallexample
21880
21881The result @code{bar} will be a @code{gdb.Value} object holding the
21882value pointed to by @code{foo}.
21883@end defun
21884
21885@defun Value.dynamic_cast (type)
21886Like @code{Value.cast}, but works as if the C@t{++} @code{dynamic_cast}
21887operator were used. Consult a C@t{++} reference for details.
21888@end defun
21889
21890@defun Value.reinterpret_cast (type)
21891Like @code{Value.cast}, but works as if the C@t{++} @code{reinterpret_cast}
21892operator were used. Consult a C@t{++} reference for details.
21893@end defun
21894
21895@defun Value.string (@r{[}encoding@r{[}, errors@r{[}, length@r{]]]})
21896If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
21897converts the contents to a Python string. Otherwise, this method will
21898throw an exception.
21899
21900Strings are recognized in a language-specific way; whether a given
21901@code{gdb.Value} represents a string is determined by the current
21902language.
21903
21904For C-like languages, a value is a string if it is a pointer to or an
21905array of characters or ints. The string is assumed to be terminated
21906by a zero of the appropriate width. However if the optional length
21907argument is given, the string will be converted to that given length,
21908ignoring any embedded zeros that the string may contain.
21909
21910If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
21911naming the encoding of the string in the @code{gdb.Value}, such as
21912@code{"ascii"}, @code{"iso-8859-6"} or @code{"utf-8"}. It accepts
21913the same encodings as the corresponding argument to Python's
21914@code{string.decode} method, and the Python codec machinery will be used
21915to convert the string. If @var{encoding} is not given, or if
21916@var{encoding} is the empty string, then either the @code{target-charset}
21917(@pxref{Character Sets}) will be used, or a language-specific encoding
21918will be used, if the current language is able to supply one.
21919
21920The optional @var{errors} argument is the same as the corresponding
21921argument to Python's @code{string.decode} method.
21922
21923If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
21924fetched and converted to the given length.
21925@end defun
21926
21927@defun Value.lazy_string (@r{[}encoding @r{[}, length@r{]]})
21928If this @code{gdb.Value} represents a string, then this method
21929converts the contents to a @code{gdb.LazyString} (@pxref{Lazy Strings
21930In Python}). Otherwise, this method will throw an exception.
21931
21932If the optional @var{encoding} argument is given, it must be a string
21933naming the encoding of the @code{gdb.LazyString}. Some examples are:
21934@samp{ascii}, @samp{iso-8859-6} or @samp{utf-8}. If the
21935@var{encoding} argument is an encoding that @value{GDBN} does
21936recognize, @value{GDBN} will raise an error.
21937
21938When a lazy string is printed, the @value{GDBN} encoding machinery is
21939used to convert the string during printing. If the optional
21940@var{encoding} argument is not provided, or is an empty string,
21941@value{GDBN} will automatically select the encoding most suitable for
21942the string type. For further information on encoding in @value{GDBN}
21943please see @ref{Character Sets}.
21944
21945If the optional @var{length} argument is given, the string will be
21946fetched and encoded to the length of characters specified. If
21947the @var{length} argument is not provided, the string will be fetched
21948and encoded until a null of appropriate width is found.
21949@end defun
21950
21951@defun Value.fetch_lazy ()
21952If the @code{gdb.Value} object is currently a lazy value
21953(@code{gdb.Value.is_lazy} is @code{True}), then the value is
21954fetched from the inferior. Any errors that occur in the process
21955will produce a Python exception.
21956
21957If the @code{gdb.Value} object is not a lazy value, this method
21958has no effect.
21959
21960This method does not return a value.
21961@end defun
21962
21963@end table
21964
21965@node Types In Python
21966@subsubsection Types In Python
21967@cindex types in Python
21968@cindex Python, working with types
21969
21970@tindex gdb.Type
21971@value{GDBN} represents types from the inferior using the class
21972@code{gdb.Type}.
21973
21974The following type-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
21975module:
21976
21977@findex gdb.lookup_type
21978@defun gdb.lookup_type (name @r{[}, block@r{]})
21979This function looks up a type by name. @var{name} is the name of the
21980type to look up. It must be a string.
21981
21982If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
21983Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
21984
21985Ordinarily, this function will return an instance of @code{gdb.Type}.
21986If the named type cannot be found, it will throw an exception.
21987@end defun
21988
21989If the type is a structure or class type, or an enum type, the fields
21990of that type can be accessed using the Python @dfn{dictionary syntax}.
21991For example, if @code{some_type} is a @code{gdb.Type} instance holding
21992a structure type, you can access its @code{foo} field with:
21993
21994@smallexample
21995bar = some_type['foo']
21996@end smallexample
21997
21998@code{bar} will be a @code{gdb.Field} object; see below under the
21999description of the @code{Type.fields} method for a description of the
22000@code{gdb.Field} class.
22001
22002An instance of @code{Type} has the following attributes:
22003
22004@table @code
22005@defvar Type.code
22006The type code for this type. The type code will be one of the
22007@code{TYPE_CODE_} constants defined below.
22008@end defvar
22009
22010@defvar Type.sizeof
22011The size of this type, in target @code{char} units. Usually, a
22012target's @code{char} type will be an 8-bit byte. However, on some
22013unusual platforms, this type may have a different size.
22014@end defvar
22015
22016@defvar Type.tag
22017The tag name for this type. The tag name is the name after
22018@code{struct}, @code{union}, or @code{enum} in C and C@t{++}; not all
22019languages have this concept. If this type has no tag name, then
22020@code{None} is returned.
22021@end defvar
22022@end table
22023
22024The following methods are provided:
22025
22026@table @code
22027@defun Type.fields ()
22028For structure and union types, this method returns the fields. Range
22029types have two fields, the minimum and maximum values. Enum types
22030have one field per enum constant. Function and method types have one
22031field per parameter. The base types of C@t{++} classes are also
22032represented as fields. If the type has no fields, or does not fit
22033into one of these categories, an empty sequence will be returned.
22034
22035Each field is a @code{gdb.Field} object, with some pre-defined attributes:
22036@table @code
22037@item bitpos
22038This attribute is not available for @code{static} fields (as in
22039C@t{++} or Java). For non-@code{static} fields, the value is the bit
22040position of the field. For @code{enum} fields, the value is the
22041enumeration member's integer representation.
22042
22043@item name
22044The name of the field, or @code{None} for anonymous fields.
22045
22046@item artificial
22047This is @code{True} if the field is artificial, usually meaning that
22048it was provided by the compiler and not the user. This attribute is
22049always provided, and is @code{False} if the field is not artificial.
22050
22051@item is_base_class
22052This is @code{True} if the field represents a base class of a C@t{++}
22053structure. This attribute is always provided, and is @code{False}
22054if the field is not a base class of the type that is the argument of
22055@code{fields}, or if that type was not a C@t{++} class.
22056
22057@item bitsize
22058If the field is packed, or is a bitfield, then this will have a
22059non-zero value, which is the size of the field in bits. Otherwise,
22060this will be zero; in this case the field's size is given by its type.
22061
22062@item type
22063The type of the field. This is usually an instance of @code{Type},
22064but it can be @code{None} in some situations.
22065@end table
22066@end defun
22067
22068@defun Type.array (@var{n1} @r{[}, @var{n2}@r{]})
22069Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents an array of this
22070type. If one argument is given, it is the inclusive upper bound of
22071the array; in this case the lower bound is zero. If two arguments are
22072given, the first argument is the lower bound of the array, and the
22073second argument is the upper bound of the array. An array's length
22074must not be negative, but the bounds can be.
22075@end defun
22076
22077@defun Type.const ()
22078Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
22079@code{const}-qualified variant of this type.
22080@end defun
22081
22082@defun Type.volatile ()
22083Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a
22084@code{volatile}-qualified variant of this type.
22085@end defun
22086
22087@defun Type.unqualified ()
22088Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents an unqualified
22089variant of this type. That is, the result is neither @code{const} nor
22090@code{volatile}.
22091@end defun
22092
22093@defun Type.range ()
22094Return a Python @code{Tuple} object that contains two elements: the
22095low bound of the argument type and the high bound of that type. If
22096the type does not have a range, @value{GDBN} will raise a
22097@code{gdb.error} exception (@pxref{Exception Handling}).
22098@end defun
22099
22100@defun Type.reference ()
22101Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a reference to this
22102type.
22103@end defun
22104
22105@defun Type.pointer ()
22106Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents a pointer to this
22107type.
22108@end defun
22109
22110@defun Type.strip_typedefs ()
22111Return a new @code{gdb.Type} that represents the real type,
22112after removing all layers of typedefs.
22113@end defun
22114
22115@defun Type.target ()
22116Return a new @code{gdb.Type} object which represents the target type
22117of this type.
22118
22119For a pointer type, the target type is the type of the pointed-to
22120object. For an array type (meaning C-like arrays), the target type is
22121the type of the elements of the array. For a function or method type,
22122the target type is the type of the return value. For a complex type,
22123the target type is the type of the elements. For a typedef, the
22124target type is the aliased type.
22125
22126If the type does not have a target, this method will throw an
22127exception.
22128@end defun
22129
22130@defun Type.template_argument (n @r{[}, block@r{]})
22131If this @code{gdb.Type} is an instantiation of a template, this will
22132return a new @code{gdb.Type} which represents the type of the
22133@var{n}th template argument.
22134
22135If this @code{gdb.Type} is not a template type, this will throw an
22136exception. Ordinarily, only C@t{++} code will have template types.
22137
22138If @var{block} is given, then @var{name} is looked up in that scope.
22139Otherwise, it is searched for globally.
22140@end defun
22141@end table
22142
22143
22144Each type has a code, which indicates what category this type falls
22145into. The available type categories are represented by constants
22146defined in the @code{gdb} module:
22147
22148@table @code
22149@findex TYPE_CODE_PTR
22150@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_PTR
22151@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_PTR
22152The type is a pointer.
22153
22154@findex TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
22155@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
22156@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
22157The type is an array.
22158
22159@findex TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
22160@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
22161@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRUCT
22162The type is a structure.
22163
22164@findex TYPE_CODE_UNION
22165@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_UNION
22166@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_UNION
22167The type is a union.
22168
22169@findex TYPE_CODE_ENUM
22170@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ENUM
22171@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ENUM
22172The type is an enum.
22173
22174@findex TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
22175@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
22176@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLAGS
22177A bit flags type, used for things such as status registers.
22178
22179@findex TYPE_CODE_FUNC
22180@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FUNC
22181@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FUNC
22182The type is a function.
22183
22184@findex TYPE_CODE_INT
22185@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INT
22186@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_INT
22187The type is an integer type.
22188
22189@findex TYPE_CODE_FLT
22190@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLT
22191@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_FLT
22192A floating point type.
22193
22194@findex TYPE_CODE_VOID
22195@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_VOID
22196@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_VOID
22197The special type @code{void}.
22198
22199@findex TYPE_CODE_SET
22200@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_SET
22201@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_SET
22202A Pascal set type.
22203
22204@findex TYPE_CODE_RANGE
22205@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_RANGE
22206@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_RANGE
22207A range type, that is, an integer type with bounds.
22208
22209@findex TYPE_CODE_STRING
22210@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRING
22211@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_STRING
22212A string type. Note that this is only used for certain languages with
22213language-defined string types; C strings are not represented this way.
22214
22215@findex TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
22216@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
22217@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_BITSTRING
22218A string of bits.
22219
22220@findex TYPE_CODE_ERROR
22221@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_ERROR
22222@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_ERROR
22223An unknown or erroneous type.
22224
22225@findex TYPE_CODE_METHOD
22226@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHOD
22227@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHOD
22228A method type, as found in C@t{++} or Java.
22229
22230@findex TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
22231@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
22232@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_METHODPTR
22233A pointer-to-member-function.
22234
22235@findex TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
22236@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
22237@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_MEMBERPTR
22238A pointer-to-member.
22239
22240@findex TYPE_CODE_REF
22241@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_REF
22242@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_REF
22243A reference type.
22244
22245@findex TYPE_CODE_CHAR
22246@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_CHAR
22247@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_CHAR
22248A character type.
22249
22250@findex TYPE_CODE_BOOL
22251@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_BOOL
22252@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_BOOL
22253A boolean type.
22254
22255@findex TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
22256@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
22257@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_COMPLEX
22258A complex float type.
22259
22260@findex TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
22261@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
22262@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_TYPEDEF
22263A typedef to some other type.
22264
22265@findex TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
22266@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
22267@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_NAMESPACE
22268A C@t{++} namespace.
22269
22270@findex TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
22271@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
22272@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_DECFLOAT
22273A decimal floating point type.
22274
22275@findex TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
22276@findex gdb.TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
22277@item gdb.TYPE_CODE_INTERNAL_FUNCTION
22278A function internal to @value{GDBN}. This is the type used to represent
22279convenience functions.
22280@end table
22281
22282Further support for types is provided in the @code{gdb.types}
22283Python module (@pxref{gdb.types}).
22284
22285@node Pretty Printing API
22286@subsubsection Pretty Printing API
22287
22288An example output is provided (@pxref{Pretty Printing}).
22289
22290A pretty-printer is just an object that holds a value and implements a
22291specific interface, defined here.
22292
22293@defun pretty_printer.children (self)
22294@value{GDBN} will call this method on a pretty-printer to compute the
22295children of the pretty-printer's value.
22296
22297This method must return an object conforming to the Python iterator
22298protocol. Each item returned by the iterator must be a tuple holding
22299two elements. The first element is the ``name'' of the child; the
22300second element is the child's value. The value can be any Python
22301object which is convertible to a @value{GDBN} value.
22302
22303This method is optional. If it does not exist, @value{GDBN} will act
22304as though the value has no children.
22305@end defun
22306
22307@defun pretty_printer.display_hint (self)
22308The CLI may call this method and use its result to change the
22309formatting of a value. The result will also be supplied to an MI
22310consumer as a @samp{displayhint} attribute of the variable being
22311printed.
22312
22313This method is optional. If it does exist, this method must return a
22314string.
22315
22316Some display hints are predefined by @value{GDBN}:
22317
22318@table @samp
22319@item array
22320Indicate that the object being printed is ``array-like''. The CLI
22321uses this to respect parameters such as @code{set print elements} and
22322@code{set print array}.
22323
22324@item map
22325Indicate that the object being printed is ``map-like'', and that the
22326children of this value can be assumed to alternate between keys and
22327values.
22328
22329@item string
22330Indicate that the object being printed is ``string-like''. If the
22331printer's @code{to_string} method returns a Python string of some
22332kind, then @value{GDBN} will call its internal language-specific
22333string-printing function to format the string. For the CLI this means
22334adding quotation marks, possibly escaping some characters, respecting
22335@code{set print elements}, and the like.
22336@end table
22337@end defun
22338
22339@defun pretty_printer.to_string (self)
22340@value{GDBN} will call this method to display the string
22341representation of the value passed to the object's constructor.
22342
22343When printing from the CLI, if the @code{to_string} method exists,
22344then @value{GDBN} will prepend its result to the values returned by
22345@code{children}. Exactly how this formatting is done is dependent on
22346the display hint, and may change as more hints are added. Also,
22347depending on the print settings (@pxref{Print Settings}), the CLI may
22348print just the result of @code{to_string} in a stack trace, omitting
22349the result of @code{children}.
22350
22351If this method returns a string, it is printed verbatim.
22352
22353Otherwise, if this method returns an instance of @code{gdb.Value},
22354then @value{GDBN} prints this value. This may result in a call to
22355another pretty-printer.
22356
22357If instead the method returns a Python value which is convertible to a
22358@code{gdb.Value}, then @value{GDBN} performs the conversion and prints
22359the resulting value. Again, this may result in a call to another
22360pretty-printer. Python scalars (integers, floats, and booleans) and
22361strings are convertible to @code{gdb.Value}; other types are not.
22362
22363Finally, if this method returns @code{None} then no further operations
22364are peformed in this method and nothing is printed.
22365
22366If the result is not one of these types, an exception is raised.
22367@end defun
22368
22369@value{GDBN} provides a function which can be used to look up the
22370default pretty-printer for a @code{gdb.Value}:
22371
22372@findex gdb.default_visualizer
22373@defun gdb.default_visualizer (value)
22374This function takes a @code{gdb.Value} object as an argument. If a
22375pretty-printer for this value exists, then it is returned. If no such
22376printer exists, then this returns @code{None}.
22377@end defun
22378
22379@node Selecting Pretty-Printers
22380@subsubsection Selecting Pretty-Printers
22381
22382The Python list @code{gdb.pretty_printers} contains an array of
22383functions or callable objects that have been registered via addition
22384as a pretty-printer. Printers in this list are called @code{global}
22385printers, they're available when debugging all inferiors.
22386Each @code{gdb.Progspace} contains a @code{pretty_printers} attribute.
22387Each @code{gdb.Objfile} also contains a @code{pretty_printers}
22388attribute.
22389
22390Each function on these lists is passed a single @code{gdb.Value}
22391argument and should return a pretty-printer object conforming to the
22392interface definition above (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}). If a function
22393cannot create a pretty-printer for the value, it should return
22394@code{None}.
22395
22396@value{GDBN} first checks the @code{pretty_printers} attribute of each
22397@code{gdb.Objfile} in the current program space and iteratively calls
22398each enabled lookup routine in the list for that @code{gdb.Objfile}
22399until it receives a pretty-printer object.
22400If no pretty-printer is found in the objfile lists, @value{GDBN} then
22401searches the pretty-printer list of the current program space,
22402calling each enabled function until an object is returned.
22403After these lists have been exhausted, it tries the global
22404@code{gdb.pretty_printers} list, again calling each enabled function until an
22405object is returned.
22406
22407The order in which the objfiles are searched is not specified. For a
22408given list, functions are always invoked from the head of the list,
22409and iterated over sequentially until the end of the list, or a printer
22410object is returned.
22411
22412For various reasons a pretty-printer may not work.
22413For example, the underlying data structure may have changed and
22414the pretty-printer is out of date.
22415
22416The consequences of a broken pretty-printer are severe enough that
22417@value{GDBN} provides support for enabling and disabling individual
22418printers. For example, if @code{print frame-arguments} is on,
22419a backtrace can become highly illegible if any argument is printed
22420with a broken printer.
22421
22422Pretty-printers are enabled and disabled by attaching an @code{enabled}
22423attribute to the registered function or callable object. If this attribute
22424is present and its value is @code{False}, the printer is disabled, otherwise
22425the printer is enabled.
22426
22427@node Writing a Pretty-Printer
22428@subsubsection Writing a Pretty-Printer
22429@cindex writing a pretty-printer
22430
22431A pretty-printer consists of two parts: a lookup function to detect
22432if the type is supported, and the printer itself.
22433
22434Here is an example showing how a @code{std::string} printer might be
22435written. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for details on the API this class
22436must provide.
22437
22438@smallexample
22439class StdStringPrinter(object):
22440 "Print a std::string"
22441
22442 def __init__(self, val):
22443 self.val = val
22444
22445 def to_string(self):
22446 return self.val['_M_dataplus']['_M_p']
22447
22448 def display_hint(self):
22449 return 'string'
22450@end smallexample
22451
22452And here is an example showing how a lookup function for the printer
22453example above might be written.
22454
22455@smallexample
22456def str_lookup_function(val):
22457 lookup_tag = val.type.tag
22458 if lookup_tag == None:
22459 return None
22460 regex = re.compile("^std::basic_string<char,.*>$")
22461 if regex.match(lookup_tag):
22462 return StdStringPrinter(val)
22463 return None
22464@end smallexample
22465
22466The example lookup function extracts the value's type, and attempts to
22467match it to a type that it can pretty-print. If it is a type the
22468printer can pretty-print, it will return a printer object. If not, it
22469returns @code{None}.
22470
22471We recommend that you put your core pretty-printers into a Python
22472package. If your pretty-printers are for use with a library, we
22473further recommend embedding a version number into the package name.
22474This practice will enable @value{GDBN} to load multiple versions of
22475your pretty-printers at the same time, because they will have
22476different names.
22477
22478You should write auto-loaded code (@pxref{Auto-loading}) such that it
22479can be evaluated multiple times without changing its meaning. An
22480ideal auto-load file will consist solely of @code{import}s of your
22481printer modules, followed by a call to a register pretty-printers with
22482the current objfile.
22483
22484Taken as a whole, this approach will scale nicely to multiple
22485inferiors, each potentially using a different library version.
22486Embedding a version number in the Python package name will ensure that
22487@value{GDBN} is able to load both sets of printers simultaneously.
22488Then, because the search for pretty-printers is done by objfile, and
22489because your auto-loaded code took care to register your library's
22490printers with a specific objfile, @value{GDBN} will find the correct
22491printers for the specific version of the library used by each
22492inferior.
22493
22494To continue the @code{std::string} example (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}),
22495this code might appear in @code{gdb.libstdcxx.v6}:
22496
22497@smallexample
22498def register_printers(objfile):
22499 objfile.pretty_printers.add(str_lookup_function)
22500@end smallexample
22501
22502@noindent
22503And then the corresponding contents of the auto-load file would be:
22504
22505@smallexample
22506import gdb.libstdcxx.v6
22507gdb.libstdcxx.v6.register_printers(gdb.current_objfile())
22508@end smallexample
22509
22510The previous example illustrates a basic pretty-printer.
22511There are a few things that can be improved on.
22512The printer doesn't have a name, making it hard to identify in a
22513list of installed printers. The lookup function has a name, but
22514lookup functions can have arbitrary, even identical, names.
22515
22516Second, the printer only handles one type, whereas a library typically has
22517several types. One could install a lookup function for each desired type
22518in the library, but one could also have a single lookup function recognize
22519several types. The latter is the conventional way this is handled.
22520If a pretty-printer can handle multiple data types, then its
22521@dfn{subprinters} are the printers for the individual data types.
22522
22523The @code{gdb.printing} module provides a formal way of solving these
22524problems (@pxref{gdb.printing}).
22525Here is another example that handles multiple types.
22526
22527These are the types we are going to pretty-print:
22528
22529@smallexample
22530struct foo @{ int a, b; @};
22531struct bar @{ struct foo x, y; @};
22532@end smallexample
22533
22534Here are the printers:
22535
22536@smallexample
22537class fooPrinter:
22538 """Print a foo object."""
22539
22540 def __init__(self, val):
22541 self.val = val
22542
22543 def to_string(self):
22544 return ("a=<" + str(self.val["a"]) +
22545 "> b=<" + str(self.val["b"]) + ">")
22546
22547class barPrinter:
22548 """Print a bar object."""
22549
22550 def __init__(self, val):
22551 self.val = val
22552
22553 def to_string(self):
22554 return ("x=<" + str(self.val["x"]) +
22555 "> y=<" + str(self.val["y"]) + ">")
22556@end smallexample
22557
22558This example doesn't need a lookup function, that is handled by the
22559@code{gdb.printing} module. Instead a function is provided to build up
22560the object that handles the lookup.
22561
22562@smallexample
22563import gdb.printing
22564
22565def build_pretty_printer():
22566 pp = gdb.printing.RegexpCollectionPrettyPrinter(
22567 "my_library")
22568 pp.add_printer('foo', '^foo$', fooPrinter)
22569 pp.add_printer('bar', '^bar$', barPrinter)
22570 return pp
22571@end smallexample
22572
22573And here is the autoload support:
22574
22575@smallexample
22576import gdb.printing
22577import my_library
22578gdb.printing.register_pretty_printer(
22579 gdb.current_objfile(),
22580 my_library.build_pretty_printer())
22581@end smallexample
22582
22583Finally, when this printer is loaded into @value{GDBN}, here is the
22584corresponding output of @samp{info pretty-printer}:
22585
22586@smallexample
22587(gdb) info pretty-printer
22588my_library.so:
22589 my_library
22590 foo
22591 bar
22592@end smallexample
22593
22594@node Inferiors In Python
22595@subsubsection Inferiors In Python
22596@cindex inferiors in Python
22597
22598@findex gdb.Inferior
22599Programs which are being run under @value{GDBN} are called inferiors
22600(@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). Python scripts can access
22601information about and manipulate inferiors controlled by @value{GDBN}
22602via objects of the @code{gdb.Inferior} class.
22603
22604The following inferior-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
22605module:
22606
22607@defun gdb.inferiors ()
22608Return a tuple containing all inferior objects.
22609@end defun
22610
22611@defun gdb.selected_inferior ()
22612Return an object representing the current inferior.
22613@end defun
22614
22615A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following attributes:
22616
22617@table @code
22618@defvar Inferior.num
22619ID of inferior, as assigned by GDB.
22620@end defvar
22621
22622@defvar Inferior.pid
22623Process ID of the inferior, as assigned by the underlying operating
22624system.
22625@end defvar
22626
22627@defvar Inferior.was_attached
22628Boolean signaling whether the inferior was created using `attach', or
22629started by @value{GDBN} itself.
22630@end defvar
22631@end table
22632
22633A @code{gdb.Inferior} object has the following methods:
22634
22635@table @code
22636@defun Inferior.is_valid ()
22637Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Inferior} object is valid,
22638@code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Inferior} object will become invalid
22639if the inferior no longer exists within @value{GDBN}. All other
22640@code{gdb.Inferior} methods will throw an exception if it is invalid
22641at the time the method is called.
22642@end defun
22643
22644@defun Inferior.threads ()
22645This method returns a tuple holding all the threads which are valid
22646when it is called. If there are no valid threads, the method will
22647return an empty tuple.
22648@end defun
22649
22650@findex gdb.read_memory
22651@defun Inferior.read_memory (address, length)
22652Read @var{length} bytes of memory from the inferior, starting at
22653@var{address}. Returns a buffer object, which behaves much like an array
22654or a string. It can be modified and given to the @code{gdb.write_memory}
22655function.
22656@end defun
22657
22658@findex gdb.write_memory
22659@defun Inferior.write_memory (address, buffer @r{[}, length@r{]})
22660Write the contents of @var{buffer} to the inferior, starting at
22661@var{address}. The @var{buffer} parameter must be a Python object
22662which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
22663object returned from @code{gdb.read_memory}. If given, @var{length}
22664determines the number of bytes from @var{buffer} to be written.
22665@end defun
22666
22667@findex gdb.search_memory
22668@defun Inferior.search_memory (address, length, pattern)
22669Search a region of the inferior memory starting at @var{address} with
22670the given @var{length} using the search pattern supplied in
22671@var{pattern}. The @var{pattern} parameter must be a Python object
22672which supports the buffer protocol, i.e., a string, an array or the
22673object returned from @code{gdb.read_memory}. Returns a Python @code{Long}
22674containing the address where the pattern was found, or @code{None} if
22675the pattern could not be found.
22676@end defun
22677@end table
22678
22679@node Events In Python
22680@subsubsection Events In Python
22681@cindex inferior events in Python
22682
22683@value{GDBN} provides a general event facility so that Python code can be
22684notified of various state changes, particularly changes that occur in
22685the inferior.
22686
22687An @dfn{event} is just an object that describes some state change. The
22688type of the object and its attributes will vary depending on the details
22689of the change. All the existing events are described below.
22690
22691In order to be notified of an event, you must register an event handler
22692with an @dfn{event registry}. An event registry is an object in the
22693@code{gdb.events} module which dispatches particular events. A registry
22694provides methods to register and unregister event handlers:
22695
22696@table @code
22697@defun EventRegistry.connect (object)
22698Add the given callable @var{object} to the registry. This object will be
22699called when an event corresponding to this registry occurs.
22700@end defun
22701
22702@defun EventRegistry.disconnect (object)
22703Remove the given @var{object} from the registry. Once removed, the object
22704will no longer receive notifications of events.
22705@end defun
22706@end table
22707
22708Here is an example:
22709
22710@smallexample
22711def exit_handler (event):
22712 print "event type: exit"
22713 print "exit code: %d" % (event.exit_code)
22714
22715gdb.events.exited.connect (exit_handler)
22716@end smallexample
22717
22718In the above example we connect our handler @code{exit_handler} to the
22719registry @code{events.exited}. Once connected, @code{exit_handler} gets
22720called when the inferior exits. The argument @dfn{event} in this example is
22721of type @code{gdb.ExitedEvent}. As you can see in the example the
22722@code{ExitedEvent} object has an attribute which indicates the exit code of
22723the inferior.
22724
22725The following is a listing of the event registries that are available and
22726details of the events they emit:
22727
22728@table @code
22729
22730@item events.cont
22731Emits @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
22732
22733Some events can be thread specific when @value{GDBN} is running in non-stop
22734mode. When represented in Python, these events all extend
22735@code{gdb.ThreadEvent}. Note, this event is not emitted directly; instead,
22736events which are emitted by this or other modules might extend this event.
22737Examples of these events are @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} and
22738@code{gdb.ContinueEvent}.
22739
22740@table @code
22741@defvar ThreadEvent.inferior_thread
22742In non-stop mode this attribute will be set to the specific thread which was
22743involved in the emitted event. Otherwise, it will be set to @code{None}.
22744@end defvar
22745@end table
22746
22747Emits @code{gdb.ContinueEvent} which extends @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
22748
22749This event indicates that the inferior has been continued after a stop. For
22750inherited attribute refer to @code{gdb.ThreadEvent} above.
22751
22752@item events.exited
22753Emits @code{events.ExitedEvent} which indicates that the inferior has exited.
22754@code{events.ExitedEvent} has two attributes:
22755@table @code
22756@defvar ExitedEvent.exit_code
22757An integer representing the exit code, if available, which the inferior
22758has returned. (The exit code could be unavailable if, for example,
22759@value{GDBN} detaches from the inferior.) If the exit code is unavailable,
22760the attribute does not exist.
22761@end defvar
22762@defvar ExitedEvent inferior
22763A reference to the inferior which triggered the @code{exited} event.
22764@end defvar
22765@end table
22766
22767@item events.stop
22768Emits @code{gdb.StopEvent} which extends @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}.
22769
22770Indicates that the inferior has stopped. All events emitted by this registry
22771extend StopEvent. As a child of @code{gdb.ThreadEvent}, @code{gdb.StopEvent}
22772will indicate the stopped thread when @value{GDBN} is running in non-stop
22773mode. Refer to @code{gdb.ThreadEvent} above for more details.
22774
22775Emits @code{gdb.SignalEvent} which extends @code{gdb.StopEvent}.
22776
22777This event indicates that the inferior or one of its threads has received as
22778signal. @code{gdb.SignalEvent} has the following attributes:
22779
22780@table @code
22781@defvar SignalEvent.stop_signal
22782A string representing the signal received by the inferior. A list of possible
22783signal values can be obtained by running the command @code{info signals} in
22784the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
22785@end defvar
22786@end table
22787
22788Also emits @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} which extends @code{gdb.StopEvent}.
22789
22790@code{gdb.BreakpointEvent} event indicates that one or more breakpoints have
22791been hit, and has the following attributes:
22792
22793@table @code
22794@defvar BreakpointEvent.breakpoints
22795A sequence containing references to all the breakpoints (type
22796@code{gdb.Breakpoint}) that were hit.
22797@xref{Breakpoints In Python}, for details of the @code{gdb.Breakpoint} object.
22798@end defvar
22799@defvar BreakpointEvent.breakpoint
22800A reference to the first breakpoint that was hit.
22801This function is maintained for backward compatibility and is now deprecated
22802in favor of the @code{gdb.BreakpointEvent.breakpoints} attribute.
22803@end defvar
22804@end table
22805
22806@item events.new_objfile
22807Emits @code{gdb.NewObjFileEvent} which indicates that a new object file has
22808been loaded by @value{GDBN}. @code{gdb.NewObjFileEvent} has one attribute:
22809
22810@table @code
22811@defvar NewObjFileEvent.new_objfile
22812A reference to the object file (@code{gdb.Objfile}) which has been loaded.
22813@xref{Objfiles In Python}, for details of the @code{gdb.Objfile} object.
22814@end defvar
22815@end table
22816
22817@end table
22818
22819@node Threads In Python
22820@subsubsection Threads In Python
22821@cindex threads in python
22822
22823@findex gdb.InferiorThread
22824Python scripts can access information about, and manipulate inferior threads
22825controlled by @value{GDBN}, via objects of the @code{gdb.InferiorThread} class.
22826
22827The following thread-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
22828module:
22829
22830@findex gdb.selected_thread
22831@defun gdb.selected_thread ()
22832This function returns the thread object for the selected thread. If there
22833is no selected thread, this will return @code{None}.
22834@end defun
22835
22836A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following attributes:
22837
22838@table @code
22839@defvar InferiorThread.name
22840The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using
22841@code{thread name}, then this returns that name. Otherwise, if an
22842OS-supplied name is available, then it is returned. Otherwise, this
22843returns @code{None}.
22844
22845This attribute can be assigned to. The new value must be a string
22846object, which sets the new name, or @code{None}, which removes any
22847user-specified thread name.
22848@end defvar
22849
22850@defvar InferiorThread.num
22851ID of the thread, as assigned by GDB.
22852@end defvar
22853
22854@defvar InferiorThread.ptid
22855ID of the thread, as assigned by the operating system. This attribute is a
22856tuple containing three integers. The first is the Process ID (PID); the second
22857is the Lightweight Process ID (LWPID), and the third is the Thread ID (TID).
22858Either the LWPID or TID may be 0, which indicates that the operating system
22859does not use that identifier.
22860@end defvar
22861@end table
22862
22863A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object has the following methods:
22864
22865@table @code
22866@defun InferiorThread.is_valid ()
22867Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object is valid,
22868@code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.InferiorThread} object will become
22869invalid if the thread exits, or the inferior that the thread belongs
22870is deleted. All other @code{gdb.InferiorThread} methods will throw an
22871exception if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
22872@end defun
22873
22874@defun InferiorThread.switch ()
22875This changes @value{GDBN}'s currently selected thread to the one represented
22876by this object.
22877@end defun
22878
22879@defun InferiorThread.is_stopped ()
22880Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is stopped.
22881@end defun
22882
22883@defun InferiorThread.is_running ()
22884Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is running.
22885@end defun
22886
22887@defun InferiorThread.is_exited ()
22888Return a Boolean indicating whether the thread is exited.
22889@end defun
22890@end table
22891
22892@node Commands In Python
22893@subsubsection Commands In Python
22894
22895@cindex commands in python
22896@cindex python commands
22897You can implement new @value{GDBN} CLI commands in Python. A CLI
22898command is implemented using an instance of the @code{gdb.Command}
22899class, most commonly using a subclass.
22900
22901@defun Command.__init__ (name, @var{command_class} @r{[}, @var{completer_class} @r{[}, @var{prefix}@r{]]})
22902The object initializer for @code{Command} registers the new command
22903with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked from the
22904subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
22905
22906@var{name} is the name of the command. If @var{name} consists of
22907multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
22908commands. In this case, if one of the prefix commands does not exist,
22909an exception is raised.
22910
22911There is no support for multi-line commands.
22912
22913@var{command_class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
22914defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to categorize the
22915new command in the help system.
22916
22917@var{completer_class} is an optional argument. If given, it should be
22918one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined below. This argument
22919tells @value{GDBN} how to perform completion for this command. If not
22920given, @value{GDBN} will attempt to complete using the object's
22921@code{complete} method (see below); if no such method is found, an
22922error will occur when completion is attempted.
22923
22924@var{prefix} is an optional argument. If @code{True}, then the new
22925command is a prefix command; sub-commands of this command may be
22926registered.
22927
22928The help text for the new command is taken from the Python
22929documentation string for the command's class, if there is one. If no
22930documentation string is provided, the default value ``This command is
22931not documented.'' is used.
22932@end defun
22933
22934@cindex don't repeat Python command
22935@defun Command.dont_repeat ()
22936By default, a @value{GDBN} command is repeated when the user enters a
22937blank line at the command prompt. A command can suppress this
22938behavior by invoking the @code{dont_repeat} method. This is similar
22939to the user command @code{dont-repeat}, see @ref{Define, dont-repeat}.
22940@end defun
22941
22942@defun Command.invoke (argument, from_tty)
22943This method is called by @value{GDBN} when this command is invoked.
22944
22945@var{argument} is a string. It is the argument to the command, after
22946leading and trailing whitespace has been stripped.
22947
22948@var{from_tty} is a boolean argument. When true, this means that the
22949command was entered by the user at the terminal; when false it means
22950that the command came from elsewhere.
22951
22952If this method throws an exception, it is turned into a @value{GDBN}
22953@code{error} call. Otherwise, the return value is ignored.
22954
22955@findex gdb.string_to_argv
22956To break @var{argument} up into an argv-like string use
22957@code{gdb.string_to_argv}. This function behaves identically to
22958@value{GDBN}'s internal argument lexer @code{buildargv}.
22959It is recommended to use this for consistency.
22960Arguments are separated by spaces and may be quoted.
22961Example:
22962
22963@smallexample
22964print gdb.string_to_argv ("1 2\ \\\"3 '4 \"5' \"6 '7\"")
22965['1', '2 "3', '4 "5', "6 '7"]
22966@end smallexample
22967
22968@end defun
22969
22970@cindex completion of Python commands
22971@defun Command.complete (text, word)
22972This method is called by @value{GDBN} when the user attempts
22973completion on this command. All forms of completion are handled by
22974this method, that is, the @key{TAB} and @key{M-?} key bindings
22975(@pxref{Completion}), and the @code{complete} command (@pxref{Help,
22976complete}).
22977
22978The arguments @var{text} and @var{word} are both strings. @var{text}
22979holds the complete command line up to the cursor's location.
22980@var{word} holds the last word of the command line; this is computed
22981using a word-breaking heuristic.
22982
22983The @code{complete} method can return several values:
22984@itemize @bullet
22985@item
22986If the return value is a sequence, the contents of the sequence are
22987used as the completions. It is up to @code{complete} to ensure that the
22988contents actually do complete the word. A zero-length sequence is
22989allowed, it means that there were no completions available. Only
22990string elements of the sequence are used; other elements in the
22991sequence are ignored.
22992
22993@item
22994If the return value is one of the @samp{COMPLETE_} constants defined
22995below, then the corresponding @value{GDBN}-internal completion
22996function is invoked, and its result is used.
22997
22998@item
22999All other results are treated as though there were no available
23000completions.
23001@end itemize
23002@end defun
23003
23004When a new command is registered, it must be declared as a member of
23005some general class of commands. This is used to classify top-level
23006commands in the on-line help system; note that prefix commands are not
23007listed under their own category but rather that of their top-level
23008command. The available classifications are represented by constants
23009defined in the @code{gdb} module:
23010
23011@table @code
23012@findex COMMAND_NONE
23013@findex gdb.COMMAND_NONE
23014@item gdb.COMMAND_NONE
23015The command does not belong to any particular class. A command in
23016this category will not be displayed in any of the help categories.
23017
23018@findex COMMAND_RUNNING
23019@findex gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING
23020@item gdb.COMMAND_RUNNING
23021The command is related to running the inferior. For example,
23022@code{start}, @code{step}, and @code{continue} are in this category.
23023Type @kbd{help running} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23024commands in this category.
23025
23026@findex COMMAND_DATA
23027@findex gdb.COMMAND_DATA
23028@item gdb.COMMAND_DATA
23029The command is related to data or variables. For example,
23030@code{call}, @code{find}, and @code{print} are in this category. Type
23031@kbd{help data} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands
23032in this category.
23033
23034@findex COMMAND_STACK
23035@findex gdb.COMMAND_STACK
23036@item gdb.COMMAND_STACK
23037The command has to do with manipulation of the stack. For example,
23038@code{backtrace}, @code{frame}, and @code{return} are in this
23039category. Type @kbd{help stack} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a
23040list of commands in this category.
23041
23042@findex COMMAND_FILES
23043@findex gdb.COMMAND_FILES
23044@item gdb.COMMAND_FILES
23045This class is used for file-related commands. For example,
23046@code{file}, @code{list} and @code{section} are in this category.
23047Type @kbd{help files} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23048commands in this category.
23049
23050@findex COMMAND_SUPPORT
23051@findex gdb.COMMAND_SUPPORT
23052@item gdb.COMMAND_SUPPORT
23053This should be used for ``support facilities'', generally meaning
23054things that are useful to the user when interacting with @value{GDBN},
23055but not related to the state of the inferior. For example,
23056@code{help}, @code{make}, and @code{shell} are in this category. Type
23057@kbd{help support} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23058commands in this category.
23059
23060@findex COMMAND_STATUS
23061@findex gdb.COMMAND_STATUS
23062@item gdb.COMMAND_STATUS
23063The command is an @samp{info}-related command, that is, related to the
23064state of @value{GDBN} itself. For example, @code{info}, @code{macro},
23065and @code{show} are in this category. Type @kbd{help status} at the
23066@value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this category.
23067
23068@findex COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
23069@findex gdb.COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
23070@item gdb.COMMAND_BREAKPOINTS
23071The command has to do with breakpoints. For example, @code{break},
23072@code{clear}, and @code{delete} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
23073breakpoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in
23074this category.
23075
23076@findex COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
23077@findex gdb.COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
23078@item gdb.COMMAND_TRACEPOINTS
23079The command has to do with tracepoints. For example, @code{trace},
23080@code{actions}, and @code{tfind} are in this category. Type
23081@kbd{help tracepoints} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23082commands in this category.
23083
23084@findex COMMAND_OBSCURE
23085@findex gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE
23086@item gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE
23087The command is only used in unusual circumstances, or is not of
23088general interest to users. For example, @code{checkpoint},
23089@code{fork}, and @code{stop} are in this category. Type @kbd{help
23090obscure} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of commands in this
23091category.
23092
23093@findex COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
23094@findex gdb.COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
23095@item gdb.COMMAND_MAINTENANCE
23096The command is only useful to @value{GDBN} maintainers. The
23097@code{maintenance} and @code{flushregs} commands are in this category.
23098Type @kbd{help internals} at the @value{GDBN} prompt to see a list of
23099commands in this category.
23100@end table
23101
23102A new command can use a predefined completion function, either by
23103specifying it via an argument at initialization, or by returning it
23104from the @code{complete} method. These predefined completion
23105constants are all defined in the @code{gdb} module:
23106
23107@table @code
23108@findex COMPLETE_NONE
23109@findex gdb.COMPLETE_NONE
23110@item gdb.COMPLETE_NONE
23111This constant means that no completion should be done.
23112
23113@findex COMPLETE_FILENAME
23114@findex gdb.COMPLETE_FILENAME
23115@item gdb.COMPLETE_FILENAME
23116This constant means that filename completion should be performed.
23117
23118@findex COMPLETE_LOCATION
23119@findex gdb.COMPLETE_LOCATION
23120@item gdb.COMPLETE_LOCATION
23121This constant means that location completion should be done.
23122@xref{Specify Location}.
23123
23124@findex COMPLETE_COMMAND
23125@findex gdb.COMPLETE_COMMAND
23126@item gdb.COMPLETE_COMMAND
23127This constant means that completion should examine @value{GDBN}
23128command names.
23129
23130@findex COMPLETE_SYMBOL
23131@findex gdb.COMPLETE_SYMBOL
23132@item gdb.COMPLETE_SYMBOL
23133This constant means that completion should be done using symbol names
23134as the source.
23135@end table
23136
23137The following code snippet shows how a trivial CLI command can be
23138implemented in Python:
23139
23140@smallexample
23141class HelloWorld (gdb.Command):
23142 """Greet the whole world."""
23143
23144 def __init__ (self):
23145 super (HelloWorld, self).__init__ ("hello-world", gdb.COMMAND_OBSCURE)
23146
23147 def invoke (self, arg, from_tty):
23148 print "Hello, World!"
23149
23150HelloWorld ()
23151@end smallexample
23152
23153The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
23154registration of the command with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
23155Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
23156@code{gdb} module explicitly.
23157
23158@node Parameters In Python
23159@subsubsection Parameters In Python
23160
23161@cindex parameters in python
23162@cindex python parameters
23163@tindex gdb.Parameter
23164@tindex Parameter
23165You can implement new @value{GDBN} parameters using Python. A new
23166parameter is implemented as an instance of the @code{gdb.Parameter}
23167class.
23168
23169Parameters are exposed to the user via the @code{set} and
23170@code{show} commands. @xref{Help}.
23171
23172There are many parameters that already exist and can be set in
23173@value{GDBN}. Two examples are: @code{set follow fork} and
23174@code{set charset}. Setting these parameters influences certain
23175behavior in @value{GDBN}. Similarly, you can define parameters that
23176can be used to influence behavior in custom Python scripts and commands.
23177
23178@defun Parameter.__init__ (name, @var{command-class}, @var{parameter-class} @r{[}, @var{enum-sequence}@r{]})
23179The object initializer for @code{Parameter} registers the new
23180parameter with @value{GDBN}. This initializer is normally invoked
23181from the subclass' own @code{__init__} method.
23182
23183@var{name} is the name of the new parameter. If @var{name} consists
23184of multiple words, then the initial words are looked for as prefix
23185parameters. An example of this can be illustrated with the
23186@code{set print} set of parameters. If @var{name} is
23187@code{print foo}, then @code{print} will be searched as the prefix
23188parameter. In this case the parameter can subsequently be accessed in
23189@value{GDBN} as @code{set print foo}.
23190
23191If @var{name} consists of multiple words, and no prefix parameter group
23192can be found, an exception is raised.
23193
23194@var{command-class} should be one of the @samp{COMMAND_} constants
23195(@pxref{Commands In Python}). This argument tells @value{GDBN} how to
23196categorize the new parameter in the help system.
23197
23198@var{parameter-class} should be one of the @samp{PARAM_} constants
23199defined below. This argument tells @value{GDBN} the type of the new
23200parameter; this information is used for input validation and
23201completion.
23202
23203If @var{parameter-class} is @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then
23204@var{enum-sequence} must be a sequence of strings. These strings
23205represent the possible values for the parameter.
23206
23207If @var{parameter-class} is not @code{PARAM_ENUM}, then the presence
23208of a fourth argument will cause an exception to be thrown.
23209
23210The help text for the new parameter is taken from the Python
23211documentation string for the parameter's class, if there is one. If
23212there is no documentation string, a default value is used.
23213@end defun
23214
23215@defvar Parameter.set_doc
23216If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
23217the help text for this parameter's @code{set} command. The value is
23218examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
23219have no effect.
23220@end defvar
23221
23222@defvar Parameter.show_doc
23223If this attribute exists, and is a string, then its value is used as
23224the help text for this parameter's @code{show} command. The value is
23225examined when @code{Parameter.__init__} is invoked; subsequent changes
23226have no effect.
23227@end defvar
23228
23229@defvar Parameter.value
23230The @code{value} attribute holds the underlying value of the
23231parameter. It can be read and assigned to just as any other
23232attribute. @value{GDBN} does validation when assignments are made.
23233@end defvar
23234
23235There are two methods that should be implemented in any
23236@code{Parameter} class. These are:
23237
23238@defun Parameter.get_set_string (self)
23239@value{GDBN} will call this method when a @var{parameter}'s value has
23240been changed via the @code{set} API (for example, @kbd{set foo off}).
23241The @code{value} attribute has already been populated with the new
23242value and may be used in output. This method must return a string.
23243@end defun
23244
23245@defun Parameter.get_show_string (self, svalue)
23246@value{GDBN} will call this method when a @var{parameter}'s
23247@code{show} API has been invoked (for example, @kbd{show foo}). The
23248argument @code{svalue} receives the string representation of the
23249current value. This method must return a string.
23250@end defun
23251
23252When a new parameter is defined, its type must be specified. The
23253available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
23254module:
23255
23256@table @code
23257@findex PARAM_BOOLEAN
23258@findex gdb.PARAM_BOOLEAN
23259@item gdb.PARAM_BOOLEAN
23260The value is a plain boolean. The Python boolean values, @code{True}
23261and @code{False} are the only valid values.
23262
23263@findex PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
23264@findex gdb.PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
23265@item gdb.PARAM_AUTO_BOOLEAN
23266The value has three possible states: true, false, and @samp{auto}. In
23267Python, true and false are represented using boolean constants, and
23268@samp{auto} is represented using @code{None}.
23269
23270@findex PARAM_UINTEGER
23271@findex gdb.PARAM_UINTEGER
23272@item gdb.PARAM_UINTEGER
23273The value is an unsigned integer. The value of 0 should be
23274interpreted to mean ``unlimited''.
23275
23276@findex PARAM_INTEGER
23277@findex gdb.PARAM_INTEGER
23278@item gdb.PARAM_INTEGER
23279The value is a signed integer. The value of 0 should be interpreted
23280to mean ``unlimited''.
23281
23282@findex PARAM_STRING
23283@findex gdb.PARAM_STRING
23284@item gdb.PARAM_STRING
23285The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, any escape
23286sequences, such as @samp{\t}, @samp{\f}, and octal escapes, are
23287translated into corresponding characters and encoded into the current
23288host charset.
23289
23290@findex PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
23291@findex gdb.PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
23292@item gdb.PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE
23293The value is a string. When the user modifies the string, escapes are
23294passed through untranslated.
23295
23296@findex PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
23297@findex gdb.PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
23298@item gdb.PARAM_OPTIONAL_FILENAME
23299The value is a either a filename (a string), or @code{None}.
23300
23301@findex PARAM_FILENAME
23302@findex gdb.PARAM_FILENAME
23303@item gdb.PARAM_FILENAME
23304The value is a filename. This is just like
23305@code{PARAM_STRING_NOESCAPE}, but uses file names for completion.
23306
23307@findex PARAM_ZINTEGER
23308@findex gdb.PARAM_ZINTEGER
23309@item gdb.PARAM_ZINTEGER
23310The value is an integer. This is like @code{PARAM_INTEGER}, except 0
23311is interpreted as itself.
23312
23313@findex PARAM_ENUM
23314@findex gdb.PARAM_ENUM
23315@item gdb.PARAM_ENUM
23316The value is a string, which must be one of a collection string
23317constants provided when the parameter is created.
23318@end table
23319
23320@node Functions In Python
23321@subsubsection Writing new convenience functions
23322
23323@cindex writing convenience functions
23324@cindex convenience functions in python
23325@cindex python convenience functions
23326@tindex gdb.Function
23327@tindex Function
23328You can implement new convenience functions (@pxref{Convenience Vars})
23329in Python. A convenience function is an instance of a subclass of the
23330class @code{gdb.Function}.
23331
23332@defun Function.__init__ (name)
23333The initializer for @code{Function} registers the new function with
23334@value{GDBN}. The argument @var{name} is the name of the function,
23335a string. The function will be visible to the user as a convenience
23336variable of type @code{internal function}, whose name is the same as
23337the given @var{name}.
23338
23339The documentation for the new function is taken from the documentation
23340string for the new class.
23341@end defun
23342
23343@defun Function.invoke (@var{*args})
23344When a convenience function is evaluated, its arguments are converted
23345to instances of @code{gdb.Value}, and then the function's
23346@code{invoke} method is called. Note that @value{GDBN} does not
23347predetermine the arity of convenience functions. Instead, all
23348available arguments are passed to @code{invoke}, following the
23349standard Python calling convention. In particular, a convenience
23350function can have default values for parameters without ill effect.
23351
23352The return value of this method is used as its value in the enclosing
23353expression. If an ordinary Python value is returned, it is converted
23354to a @code{gdb.Value} following the usual rules.
23355@end defun
23356
23357The following code snippet shows how a trivial convenience function can
23358be implemented in Python:
23359
23360@smallexample
23361class Greet (gdb.Function):
23362 """Return string to greet someone.
23363Takes a name as argument."""
23364
23365 def __init__ (self):
23366 super (Greet, self).__init__ ("greet")
23367
23368 def invoke (self, name):
23369 return "Hello, %s!" % name.string ()
23370
23371Greet ()
23372@end smallexample
23373
23374The last line instantiates the class, and is necessary to trigger the
23375registration of the function with @value{GDBN}. Depending on how the
23376Python code is read into @value{GDBN}, you may need to import the
23377@code{gdb} module explicitly.
23378
23379@node Progspaces In Python
23380@subsubsection Program Spaces In Python
23381
23382@cindex progspaces in python
23383@tindex gdb.Progspace
23384@tindex Progspace
23385A program space, or @dfn{progspace}, represents a symbolic view
23386of an address space.
23387It consists of all of the objfiles of the program.
23388@xref{Objfiles In Python}.
23389@xref{Inferiors and Programs, program spaces}, for more details
23390about program spaces.
23391
23392The following progspace-related functions are available in the
23393@code{gdb} module:
23394
23395@findex gdb.current_progspace
23396@defun gdb.current_progspace ()
23397This function returns the program space of the currently selected inferior.
23398@xref{Inferiors and Programs}.
23399@end defun
23400
23401@findex gdb.progspaces
23402@defun gdb.progspaces ()
23403Return a sequence of all the progspaces currently known to @value{GDBN}.
23404@end defun
23405
23406Each progspace is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Progspace}
23407class.
23408
23409@defvar Progspace.filename
23410The file name of the progspace as a string.
23411@end defvar
23412
23413@defvar Progspace.pretty_printers
23414The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
23415used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
23416function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
23417search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
23418which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
23419information.
23420@end defvar
23421
23422@node Objfiles In Python
23423@subsubsection Objfiles In Python
23424
23425@cindex objfiles in python
23426@tindex gdb.Objfile
23427@tindex Objfile
23428@value{GDBN} loads symbols for an inferior from various
23429symbol-containing files (@pxref{Files}). These include the primary
23430executable file, any shared libraries used by the inferior, and any
23431separate debug info files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}).
23432@value{GDBN} calls these symbol-containing files @dfn{objfiles}.
23433
23434The following objfile-related functions are available in the
23435@code{gdb} module:
23436
23437@findex gdb.current_objfile
23438@defun gdb.current_objfile ()
23439When auto-loading a Python script (@pxref{Auto-loading}), @value{GDBN}
23440sets the ``current objfile'' to the corresponding objfile. This
23441function returns the current objfile. If there is no current objfile,
23442this function returns @code{None}.
23443@end defun
23444
23445@findex gdb.objfiles
23446@defun gdb.objfiles ()
23447Return a sequence of all the objfiles current known to @value{GDBN}.
23448@xref{Objfiles In Python}.
23449@end defun
23450
23451Each objfile is represented by an instance of the @code{gdb.Objfile}
23452class.
23453
23454@defvar Objfile.filename
23455The file name of the objfile as a string.
23456@end defvar
23457
23458@defvar Objfile.pretty_printers
23459The @code{pretty_printers} attribute is a list of functions. It is
23460used to look up pretty-printers. A @code{Value} is passed to each
23461function in order; if the function returns @code{None}, then the
23462search continues. Otherwise, the return value should be an object
23463which is used to format the value. @xref{Pretty Printing API}, for more
23464information.
23465@end defvar
23466
23467A @code{gdb.Objfile} object has the following methods:
23468
23469@defun Objfile.is_valid ()
23470Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Objfile} object is valid,
23471@code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Objfile} object can become invalid
23472if the object file it refers to is not loaded in @value{GDBN} any
23473longer. All other @code{gdb.Objfile} methods will throw an exception
23474if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
23475@end defun
23476
23477@node Frames In Python
23478@subsubsection Accessing inferior stack frames from Python.
23479
23480@cindex frames in python
23481When the debugged program stops, @value{GDBN} is able to analyze its call
23482stack (@pxref{Frames,,Stack frames}). The @code{gdb.Frame} class
23483represents a frame in the stack. A @code{gdb.Frame} object is only valid
23484while its corresponding frame exists in the inferior's stack. If you try
23485to use an invalid frame object, @value{GDBN} will throw a @code{gdb.error}
23486exception (@pxref{Exception Handling}).
23487
23488Two @code{gdb.Frame} objects can be compared for equality with the @code{==}
23489operator, like:
23490
23491@smallexample
23492(@value{GDBP}) python print gdb.newest_frame() == gdb.selected_frame ()
23493True
23494@end smallexample
23495
23496The following frame-related functions are available in the @code{gdb} module:
23497
23498@findex gdb.selected_frame
23499@defun gdb.selected_frame ()
23500Return the selected frame object. (@pxref{Selection,,Selecting a Frame}).
23501@end defun
23502
23503@findex gdb.newest_frame
23504@defun gdb.newest_frame ()
23505Return the newest frame object for the selected thread.
23506@end defun
23507
23508@defun gdb.frame_stop_reason_string (reason)
23509Return a string explaining the reason why @value{GDBN} stopped unwinding
23510frames, as expressed by the given @var{reason} code (an integer, see the
23511@code{unwind_stop_reason} method further down in this section).
23512@end defun
23513
23514A @code{gdb.Frame} object has the following methods:
23515
23516@table @code
23517@defun Frame.is_valid ()
23518Returns true if the @code{gdb.Frame} object is valid, false if not.
23519A frame object can become invalid if the frame it refers to doesn't
23520exist anymore in the inferior. All @code{gdb.Frame} methods will throw
23521an exception if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
23522@end defun
23523
23524@defun Frame.name ()
23525Returns the function name of the frame, or @code{None} if it can't be
23526obtained.
23527@end defun
23528
23529@defun Frame.type ()
23530Returns the type of the frame. The value can be one of:
23531@table @code
23532@item gdb.NORMAL_FRAME
23533An ordinary stack frame.
23534
23535@item gdb.DUMMY_FRAME
23536A fake stack frame that was created by @value{GDBN} when performing an
23537inferior function call.
23538
23539@item gdb.INLINE_FRAME
23540A frame representing an inlined function. The function was inlined
23541into a @code{gdb.NORMAL_FRAME} that is older than this one.
23542
23543@item gdb.TAILCALL_FRAME
23544A frame representing a tail call. @xref{Tail Call Frames}.
23545
23546@item gdb.SIGTRAMP_FRAME
23547A signal trampoline frame. This is the frame created by the OS when
23548it calls into a signal handler.
23549
23550@item gdb.ARCH_FRAME
23551A fake stack frame representing a cross-architecture call.
23552
23553@item gdb.SENTINEL_FRAME
23554This is like @code{gdb.NORMAL_FRAME}, but it is only used for the
23555newest frame.
23556@end table
23557@end defun
23558
23559@defun Frame.unwind_stop_reason ()
23560Return an integer representing the reason why it's not possible to find
23561more frames toward the outermost frame. Use
23562@code{gdb.frame_stop_reason_string} to convert the value returned by this
23563function to a string. The value can be one of:
23564
23565@table @code
23566@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NO_REASON
23567No particular reason (older frames should be available).
23568
23569@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NULL_ID
23570The previous frame's analyzer returns an invalid result.
23571
23572@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_OUTERMOST
23573This frame is the outermost.
23574
23575@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_UNAVAILABLE
23576Cannot unwind further, because that would require knowing the
23577values of registers or memory that have not been collected.
23578
23579@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_INNER_ID
23580This frame ID looks like it ought to belong to a NEXT frame,
23581but we got it for a PREV frame. Normally, this is a sign of
23582unwinder failure. It could also indicate stack corruption.
23583
23584@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_SAME_ID
23585This frame has the same ID as the previous one. That means
23586that unwinding further would almost certainly give us another
23587frame with exactly the same ID, so break the chain. Normally,
23588this is a sign of unwinder failure. It could also indicate
23589stack corruption.
23590
23591@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_NO_SAVED_PC
23592The frame unwinder did not find any saved PC, but we needed
23593one to unwind further.
23594
23595@item gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_FIRST_ERROR
23596Any stop reason greater or equal to this value indicates some kind
23597of error. This special value facilitates writing code that tests
23598for errors in unwinding in a way that will work correctly even if
23599the list of the other values is modified in future @value{GDBN}
23600versions. Using it, you could write:
23601@smallexample
23602reason = gdb.selected_frame().unwind_stop_reason ()
23603reason_str = gdb.frame_stop_reason_string (reason)
23604if reason >= gdb.FRAME_UNWIND_FIRST_ERROR:
23605 print "An error occured: %s" % reason_str
23606@end smallexample
23607@end table
23608
23609@end defun
23610
23611@defun Frame.pc ()
23612Returns the frame's resume address.
23613@end defun
23614
23615@defun Frame.block ()
23616Return the frame's code block. @xref{Blocks In Python}.
23617@end defun
23618
23619@defun Frame.function ()
23620Return the symbol for the function corresponding to this frame.
23621@xref{Symbols In Python}.
23622@end defun
23623
23624@defun Frame.older ()
23625Return the frame that called this frame.
23626@end defun
23627
23628@defun Frame.newer ()
23629Return the frame called by this frame.
23630@end defun
23631
23632@defun Frame.find_sal ()
23633Return the frame's symtab and line object.
23634@xref{Symbol Tables In Python}.
23635@end defun
23636
23637@defun Frame.read_var (variable @r{[}, block@r{]})
23638Return the value of @var{variable} in this frame. If the optional
23639argument @var{block} is provided, search for the variable from that
23640block; otherwise start at the frame's current block (which is
23641determined by the frame's current program counter). @var{variable}
23642must be a string or a @code{gdb.Symbol} object. @var{block} must be a
23643@code{gdb.Block} object.
23644@end defun
23645
23646@defun Frame.select ()
23647Set this frame to be the selected frame. @xref{Stack, ,Examining the
23648Stack}.
23649@end defun
23650@end table
23651
23652@node Blocks In Python
23653@subsubsection Accessing frame blocks from Python.
23654
23655@cindex blocks in python
23656@tindex gdb.Block
23657
23658Within each frame, @value{GDBN} maintains information on each block
23659stored in that frame. These blocks are organized hierarchically, and
23660are represented individually in Python as a @code{gdb.Block}.
23661Please see @ref{Frames In Python}, for a more in-depth discussion on
23662frames. Furthermore, see @ref{Stack, ,Examining the Stack}, for more
23663detailed technical information on @value{GDBN}'s book-keeping of the
23664stack.
23665
23666The following block-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
23667module:
23668
23669@findex gdb.block_for_pc
23670@defun gdb.block_for_pc (pc)
23671Return the @code{gdb.Block} containing the given @var{pc} value. If the
23672block cannot be found for the @var{pc} value specified, the function
23673will return @code{None}.
23674@end defun
23675
23676A @code{gdb.Block} object has the following methods:
23677
23678@table @code
23679@defun Block.is_valid ()
23680Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is valid,
23681@code{False} if not. A block object can become invalid if the block it
23682refers to doesn't exist anymore in the inferior. All other
23683@code{gdb.Block} methods will throw an exception if it is invalid at
23684the time the method is called. This method is also made available to
23685the Python iterator object that @code{gdb.Block} provides in an iteration
23686context and via the Python @code{iter} built-in function.
23687@end defun
23688@end table
23689
23690A @code{gdb.Block} object has the following attributes:
23691
23692@table @code
23693@defvar Block.start
23694The start address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
23695@end defvar
23696
23697@defvar Block.end
23698The end address of the block. This attribute is not writable.
23699@end defvar
23700
23701@defvar Block.function
23702The name of the block represented as a @code{gdb.Symbol}. If the
23703block is not named, then this attribute holds @code{None}. This
23704attribute is not writable.
23705@end defvar
23706
23707@defvar Block.superblock
23708The block containing this block. If this parent block does not exist,
23709this attribute holds @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
23710@end defvar
23711
23712@defvar Block.global_block
23713The global block associated with this block. This attribute is not
23714writable.
23715@end defvar
23716
23717@defvar Block.static_block
23718The static block associated with this block. This attribute is not
23719writable.
23720@end defvar
23721
23722@defvar Block.is_global
23723@code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is a global block,
23724@code{False} if not. This attribute is not
23725writable.
23726@end defvar
23727
23728@defvar Block.is_static
23729@code{True} if the @code{gdb.Block} object is a static block,
23730@code{False} if not. This attribute is not writable.
23731@end defvar
23732@end table
23733
23734@node Symbols In Python
23735@subsubsection Python representation of Symbols.
23736
23737@cindex symbols in python
23738@tindex gdb.Symbol
23739
23740@value{GDBN} represents every variable, function and type as an
23741entry in a symbol table. @xref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}.
23742Similarly, Python represents these symbols in @value{GDBN} with the
23743@code{gdb.Symbol} object.
23744
23745The following symbol-related functions are available in the @code{gdb}
23746module:
23747
23748@findex gdb.lookup_symbol
23749@defun gdb.lookup_symbol (name @r{[}, block @r{[}, domain@r{]]})
23750This function searches for a symbol by name. The search scope can be
23751restricted to the parameters defined in the optional domain and block
23752arguments.
23753
23754@var{name} is the name of the symbol. It must be a string. The
23755optional @var{block} argument restricts the search to symbols visible
23756in that @var{block}. The @var{block} argument must be a
23757@code{gdb.Block} object. If omitted, the block for the current frame
23758is used. The optional @var{domain} argument restricts
23759the search to the domain type. The @var{domain} argument must be a
23760domain constant defined in the @code{gdb} module and described later
23761in this chapter.
23762
23763The result is a tuple of two elements.
23764The first element is a @code{gdb.Symbol} object or @code{None} if the symbol
23765is not found.
23766If the symbol is found, the second element is @code{True} if the symbol
23767is a field of a method's object (e.g., @code{this} in C@t{++}),
23768otherwise it is @code{False}.
23769If the symbol is not found, the second element is @code{False}.
23770@end defun
23771
23772@findex gdb.lookup_global_symbol
23773@defun gdb.lookup_global_symbol (name @r{[}, domain@r{]})
23774This function searches for a global symbol by name.
23775The search scope can be restricted to by the domain argument.
23776
23777@var{name} is the name of the symbol. It must be a string.
23778The optional @var{domain} argument restricts the search to the domain type.
23779The @var{domain} argument must be a domain constant defined in the @code{gdb}
23780module and described later in this chapter.
23781
23782The result is a @code{gdb.Symbol} object or @code{None} if the symbol
23783is not found.
23784@end defun
23785
23786A @code{gdb.Symbol} object has the following attributes:
23787
23788@table @code
23789@defvar Symbol.type
23790The type of the symbol or @code{None} if no type is recorded.
23791This attribute is represented as a @code{gdb.Type} object.
23792@xref{Types In Python}. This attribute is not writable.
23793@end defvar
23794
23795@defvar Symbol.symtab
23796The symbol table in which the symbol appears. This attribute is
23797represented as a @code{gdb.Symtab} object. @xref{Symbol Tables In
23798Python}. This attribute is not writable.
23799@end defvar
23800
23801@defvar Symbol.name
23802The name of the symbol as a string. This attribute is not writable.
23803@end defvar
23804
23805@defvar Symbol.linkage_name
23806The name of the symbol, as used by the linker (i.e., may be mangled).
23807This attribute is not writable.
23808@end defvar
23809
23810@defvar Symbol.print_name
23811The name of the symbol in a form suitable for output. This is either
23812@code{name} or @code{linkage_name}, depending on whether the user
23813asked @value{GDBN} to display demangled or mangled names.
23814@end defvar
23815
23816@defvar Symbol.addr_class
23817The address class of the symbol. This classifies how to find the value
23818of a symbol. Each address class is a constant defined in the
23819@code{gdb} module and described later in this chapter.
23820@end defvar
23821
23822@defvar Symbol.is_argument
23823@code{True} if the symbol is an argument of a function.
23824@end defvar
23825
23826@defvar Symbol.is_constant
23827@code{True} if the symbol is a constant.
23828@end defvar
23829
23830@defvar Symbol.is_function
23831@code{True} if the symbol is a function or a method.
23832@end defvar
23833
23834@defvar Symbol.is_variable
23835@code{True} if the symbol is a variable.
23836@end defvar
23837@end table
23838
23839A @code{gdb.Symbol} object has the following methods:
23840
23841@table @code
23842@defun Symbol.is_valid ()
23843Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symbol} object is valid,
23844@code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symbol} object can become invalid if
23845the symbol it refers to does not exist in @value{GDBN} any longer.
23846All other @code{gdb.Symbol} methods will throw an exception if it is
23847invalid at the time the method is called.
23848@end defun
23849@end table
23850
23851The available domain categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
23852as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
23853
23854@table @code
23855@findex SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
23856@findex gdb.SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
23857@item gdb.SYMBOL_UNDEF_DOMAIN
23858This is used when a domain has not been discovered or none of the
23859following domains apply. This usually indicates an error either
23860in the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
23861@findex SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
23862@findex gdb.SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
23863@item gdb.SYMBOL_VAR_DOMAIN
23864This domain contains variables, function names, typedef names and enum
23865type values.
23866@findex SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
23867@findex gdb.SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
23868@item gdb.SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN
23869This domain holds struct, union and enum type names.
23870@findex SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
23871@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
23872@item gdb.SYMBOL_LABEL_DOMAIN
23873This domain contains names of labels (for gotos).
23874@findex SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
23875@findex gdb.SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
23876@item gdb.SYMBOL_VARIABLES_DOMAIN
23877This domain holds a subset of the @code{SYMBOLS_VAR_DOMAIN}; it
23878contains everything minus functions and types.
23879@findex SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
23880@findex gdb.SYMBOL_FUNCTIONS_DOMAIN
23881@item gdb.SYMBOL_FUNCTION_DOMAIN
23882This domain contains all functions.
23883@findex SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
23884@findex gdb.SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
23885@item gdb.SYMBOL_TYPES_DOMAIN
23886This domain contains all types.
23887@end table
23888
23889The available address class categories in @code{gdb.Symbol} are represented
23890as constants in the @code{gdb} module:
23891
23892@table @code
23893@findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
23894@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
23895@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNDEF
23896If this is returned by address class, it indicates an error either in
23897the symbol information or in @value{GDBN}'s handling of symbols.
23898@findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
23899@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
23900@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST
23901Value is constant int.
23902@findex SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
23903@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
23904@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_STATIC
23905Value is at a fixed address.
23906@findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
23907@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
23908@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGISTER
23909Value is in a register.
23910@findex SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
23911@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
23912@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_ARG
23913Value is an argument. This value is at the offset stored within the
23914symbol inside the frame's argument list.
23915@findex SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
23916@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
23917@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REF_ARG
23918Value address is stored in the frame's argument list. Just like
23919@code{LOC_ARG} except that the value's address is stored at the
23920offset, not the value itself.
23921@findex SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
23922@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
23923@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_REGPARM_ADDR
23924Value is a specified register. Just like @code{LOC_REGISTER} except
23925the register holds the address of the argument instead of the argument
23926itself.
23927@findex SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
23928@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
23929@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_LOCAL
23930Value is a local variable.
23931@findex SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
23932@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
23933@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_TYPEDEF
23934Value not used. Symbols in the domain @code{SYMBOL_STRUCT_DOMAIN} all
23935have this class.
23936@findex SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
23937@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
23938@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_BLOCK
23939Value is a block.
23940@findex SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
23941@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
23942@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_CONST_BYTES
23943Value is a byte-sequence.
23944@findex SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
23945@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
23946@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_UNRESOLVED
23947Value is at a fixed address, but the address of the variable has to be
23948determined from the minimal symbol table whenever the variable is
23949referenced.
23950@findex SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
23951@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
23952@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_OPTIMIZED_OUT
23953The value does not actually exist in the program.
23954@findex SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
23955@findex gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
23956@item gdb.SYMBOL_LOC_COMPUTED
23957The value's address is a computed location.
23958@end table
23959
23960@node Symbol Tables In Python
23961@subsubsection Symbol table representation in Python.
23962
23963@cindex symbol tables in python
23964@tindex gdb.Symtab
23965@tindex gdb.Symtab_and_line
23966
23967Access to symbol table data maintained by @value{GDBN} on the inferior
23968is exposed to Python via two objects: @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} and
23969@code{gdb.Symtab}. Symbol table and line data for a frame is returned
23970from the @code{find_sal} method in @code{gdb.Frame} object.
23971@xref{Frames In Python}.
23972
23973For more information on @value{GDBN}'s symbol table management, see
23974@ref{Symbols, ,Examining the Symbol Table}, for more information.
23975
23976A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object has the following attributes:
23977
23978@table @code
23979@defvar Symtab_and_line.symtab
23980The symbol table object (@code{gdb.Symtab}) for this frame.
23981This attribute is not writable.
23982@end defvar
23983
23984@defvar Symtab_and_line.pc
23985Indicates the current program counter address. This attribute is not
23986writable.
23987@end defvar
23988
23989@defvar Symtab_and_line.line
23990Indicates the current line number for this object. This
23991attribute is not writable.
23992@end defvar
23993@end table
23994
23995A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object has the following methods:
23996
23997@table @code
23998@defun Symtab_and_line.is_valid ()
23999Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object is valid,
24000@code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} object can become
24001invalid if the Symbol table and line object it refers to does not
24002exist in @value{GDBN} any longer. All other
24003@code{gdb.Symtab_and_line} methods will throw an exception if it is
24004invalid at the time the method is called.
24005@end defun
24006@end table
24007
24008A @code{gdb.Symtab} object has the following attributes:
24009
24010@table @code
24011@defvar Symtab.filename
24012The symbol table's source filename. This attribute is not writable.
24013@end defvar
24014
24015@defvar Symtab.objfile
24016The symbol table's backing object file. @xref{Objfiles In Python}.
24017This attribute is not writable.
24018@end defvar
24019@end table
24020
24021A @code{gdb.Symtab} object has the following methods:
24022
24023@table @code
24024@defun Symtab.is_valid ()
24025Returns @code{True} if the @code{gdb.Symtab} object is valid,
24026@code{False} if not. A @code{gdb.Symtab} object can become invalid if
24027the symbol table it refers to does not exist in @value{GDBN} any
24028longer. All other @code{gdb.Symtab} methods will throw an exception
24029if it is invalid at the time the method is called.
24030@end defun
24031
24032@defun Symtab.fullname ()
24033Return the symbol table's source absolute file name.
24034@end defun
24035@end table
24036
24037@node Breakpoints In Python
24038@subsubsection Manipulating breakpoints using Python
24039
24040@cindex breakpoints in python
24041@tindex gdb.Breakpoint
24042
24043Python code can manipulate breakpoints via the @code{gdb.Breakpoint}
24044class.
24045
24046@defun Breakpoint.__init__ (spec @r{[}, type @r{[}, wp_class @r{[},internal@r{]]]})
24047Create a new breakpoint. @var{spec} is a string naming the
24048location of the breakpoint, or an expression that defines a
24049watchpoint. The contents can be any location recognized by the
24050@code{break} command, or in the case of a watchpoint, by the @code{watch}
24051command. The optional @var{type} denotes the breakpoint to create
24052from the types defined later in this chapter. This argument can be
24053either: @code{gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT} or @code{gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT}. @var{type}
24054defaults to @code{gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT}. The optional @var{internal} argument
24055allows the breakpoint to become invisible to the user. The breakpoint
24056will neither be reported when created, nor will it be listed in the
24057output from @code{info breakpoints} (but will be listed with the
24058@code{maint info breakpoints} command). The optional @var{wp_class}
24059argument defines the class of watchpoint to create, if @var{type} is
24060@code{gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT}. If a watchpoint class is not provided, it is
24061assumed to be a @code{gdb.WP_WRITE} class.
24062@end defun
24063
24064@defun Breakpoint.stop (self)
24065The @code{gdb.Breakpoint} class can be sub-classed and, in
24066particular, you may choose to implement the @code{stop} method.
24067If this method is defined as a sub-class of @code{gdb.Breakpoint},
24068it will be called when the inferior reaches any location of a
24069breakpoint which instantiates that sub-class. If the method returns
24070@code{True}, the inferior will be stopped at the location of the
24071breakpoint, otherwise the inferior will continue.
24072
24073If there are multiple breakpoints at the same location with a
24074@code{stop} method, each one will be called regardless of the
24075return status of the previous. This ensures that all @code{stop}
24076methods have a chance to execute at that location. In this scenario
24077if one of the methods returns @code{True} but the others return
24078@code{False}, the inferior will still be stopped.
24079
24080You should not alter the execution state of the inferior (i.e.@:, step,
24081next, etc.), alter the current frame context (i.e.@:, change the current
24082active frame), or alter, add or delete any breakpoint. As a general
24083rule, you should not alter any data within @value{GDBN} or the inferior
24084at this time.
24085
24086Example @code{stop} implementation:
24087
24088@smallexample
24089class MyBreakpoint (gdb.Breakpoint):
24090 def stop (self):
24091 inf_val = gdb.parse_and_eval("foo")
24092 if inf_val == 3:
24093 return True
24094 return False
24095@end smallexample
24096@end defun
24097
24098The available watchpoint types represented by constants are defined in the
24099@code{gdb} module:
24100
24101@table @code
24102@findex WP_READ
24103@findex gdb.WP_READ
24104@item gdb.WP_READ
24105Read only watchpoint.
24106
24107@findex WP_WRITE
24108@findex gdb.WP_WRITE
24109@item gdb.WP_WRITE
24110Write only watchpoint.
24111
24112@findex WP_ACCESS
24113@findex gdb.WP_ACCESS
24114@item gdb.WP_ACCESS
24115Read/Write watchpoint.
24116@end table
24117
24118@defun Breakpoint.is_valid ()
24119Return @code{True} if this @code{Breakpoint} object is valid,
24120@code{False} otherwise. A @code{Breakpoint} object can become invalid
24121if the user deletes the breakpoint. In this case, the object still
24122exists, but the underlying breakpoint does not. In the cases of
24123watchpoint scope, the watchpoint remains valid even if execution of the
24124inferior leaves the scope of that watchpoint.
24125@end defun
24126
24127@defun Breakpoint.delete
24128Permanently deletes the @value{GDBN} breakpoint. This also
24129invalidates the Python @code{Breakpoint} object. Any further access
24130to this object's attributes or methods will raise an error.
24131@end defun
24132
24133@defvar Breakpoint.enabled
24134This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is enabled, and
24135@code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
24136@end defvar
24137
24138@defvar Breakpoint.silent
24139This attribute is @code{True} if the breakpoint is silent, and
24140@code{False} otherwise. This attribute is writable.
24141
24142Note that a breakpoint can also be silent if it has commands and the
24143first command is @code{silent}. This is not reported by the
24144@code{silent} attribute.
24145@end defvar
24146
24147@defvar Breakpoint.thread
24148If the breakpoint is thread-specific, this attribute holds the thread
24149id. If the breakpoint is not thread-specific, this attribute is
24150@code{None}. This attribute is writable.
24151@end defvar
24152
24153@defvar Breakpoint.task
24154If the breakpoint is Ada task-specific, this attribute holds the Ada task
24155id. If the breakpoint is not task-specific (or the underlying
24156language is not Ada), this attribute is @code{None}. This attribute
24157is writable.
24158@end defvar
24159
24160@defvar Breakpoint.ignore_count
24161This attribute holds the ignore count for the breakpoint, an integer.
24162This attribute is writable.
24163@end defvar
24164
24165@defvar Breakpoint.number
24166This attribute holds the breakpoint's number --- the identifier used by
24167the user to manipulate the breakpoint. This attribute is not writable.
24168@end defvar
24169
24170@defvar Breakpoint.type
24171This attribute holds the breakpoint's type --- the identifier used to
24172determine the actual breakpoint type or use-case. This attribute is not
24173writable.
24174@end defvar
24175
24176@defvar Breakpoint.visible
24177This attribute tells whether the breakpoint is visible to the user
24178when set, or when the @samp{info breakpoints} command is run. This
24179attribute is not writable.
24180@end defvar
24181
24182The available types are represented by constants defined in the @code{gdb}
24183module:
24184
24185@table @code
24186@findex BP_BREAKPOINT
24187@findex gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT
24188@item gdb.BP_BREAKPOINT
24189Normal code breakpoint.
24190
24191@findex BP_WATCHPOINT
24192@findex gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT
24193@item gdb.BP_WATCHPOINT
24194Watchpoint breakpoint.
24195
24196@findex BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
24197@findex gdb.BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
24198@item gdb.BP_HARDWARE_WATCHPOINT
24199Hardware assisted watchpoint.
24200
24201@findex BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
24202@findex gdb.BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
24203@item gdb.BP_READ_WATCHPOINT
24204Hardware assisted read watchpoint.
24205
24206@findex BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
24207@findex gdb.BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
24208@item gdb.BP_ACCESS_WATCHPOINT
24209Hardware assisted access watchpoint.
24210@end table
24211
24212@defvar Breakpoint.hit_count
24213This attribute holds the hit count for the breakpoint, an integer.
24214This attribute is writable, but currently it can only be set to zero.
24215@end defvar
24216
24217@defvar Breakpoint.location
24218This attribute holds the location of the breakpoint, as specified by
24219the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have a location
24220(that is, it is a watchpoint) the attribute's value is @code{None}. This
24221attribute is not writable.
24222@end defvar
24223
24224@defvar Breakpoint.expression
24225This attribute holds a breakpoint expression, as specified by
24226the user. It is a string. If the breakpoint does not have an
24227expression (the breakpoint is not a watchpoint) the attribute's value
24228is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
24229@end defvar
24230
24231@defvar Breakpoint.condition
24232This attribute holds the condition of the breakpoint, as specified by
24233the user. It is a string. If there is no condition, this attribute's
24234value is @code{None}. This attribute is writable.
24235@end defvar
24236
24237@defvar Breakpoint.commands
24238This attribute holds the commands attached to the breakpoint. If
24239there are commands, this attribute's value is a string holding all the
24240commands, separated by newlines. If there are no commands, this
24241attribute is @code{None}. This attribute is not writable.
24242@end defvar
24243
24244@node Lazy Strings In Python
24245@subsubsection Python representation of lazy strings.
24246
24247@cindex lazy strings in python
24248@tindex gdb.LazyString
24249
24250A @dfn{lazy string} is a string whose contents is not retrieved or
24251encoded until it is needed.
24252
24253A @code{gdb.LazyString} is represented in @value{GDBN} as an
24254@code{address} that points to a region of memory, an @code{encoding}
24255that will be used to encode that region of memory, and a @code{length}
24256to delimit the region of memory that represents the string. The
24257difference between a @code{gdb.LazyString} and a string wrapped within
24258a @code{gdb.Value} is that a @code{gdb.LazyString} will be treated
24259differently by @value{GDBN} when printing. A @code{gdb.LazyString} is
24260retrieved and encoded during printing, while a @code{gdb.Value}
24261wrapping a string is immediately retrieved and encoded on creation.
24262
24263A @code{gdb.LazyString} object has the following functions:
24264
24265@defun LazyString.value ()
24266Convert the @code{gdb.LazyString} to a @code{gdb.Value}. This value
24267will point to the string in memory, but will lose all the delayed
24268retrieval, encoding and handling that @value{GDBN} applies to a
24269@code{gdb.LazyString}.
24270@end defun
24271
24272@defvar LazyString.address
24273This attribute holds the address of the string. This attribute is not
24274writable.
24275@end defvar
24276
24277@defvar LazyString.length
24278This attribute holds the length of the string in characters. If the
24279length is -1, then the string will be fetched and encoded up to the
24280first null of appropriate width. This attribute is not writable.
24281@end defvar
24282
24283@defvar LazyString.encoding
24284This attribute holds the encoding that will be applied to the string
24285when the string is printed by @value{GDBN}. If the encoding is not
24286set, or contains an empty string, then @value{GDBN} will select the
24287most appropriate encoding when the string is printed. This attribute
24288is not writable.
24289@end defvar
24290
24291@defvar LazyString.type
24292This attribute holds the type that is represented by the lazy string's
24293type. For a lazy string this will always be a pointer type. To
24294resolve this to the lazy string's character type, use the type's
24295@code{target} method. @xref{Types In Python}. This attribute is not
24296writable.
24297@end defvar
24298
24299@node Auto-loading
24300@subsection Auto-loading
24301@cindex auto-loading, Python
24302
24303When a new object file is read (for example, due to the @code{file}
24304command, or because the inferior has loaded a shared library),
24305@value{GDBN} will look for Python support scripts in several ways:
24306@file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} and @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section.
24307
24308@menu
24309* objfile-gdb.py file:: The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} file
24310* .debug_gdb_scripts section:: The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24311* Which flavor to choose?::
24312@end menu
24313
24314The auto-loading feature is useful for supplying application-specific
24315debugging commands and scripts.
24316
24317Auto-loading can be enabled or disabled,
24318and the list of auto-loaded scripts can be printed.
24319
24320@table @code
24321@kindex set auto-load-scripts
24322@item set auto-load-scripts [yes|no]
24323Enable or disable the auto-loading of Python scripts.
24324
24325@kindex show auto-load-scripts
24326@item show auto-load-scripts
24327Show whether auto-loading of Python scripts is enabled or disabled.
24328
24329@kindex info auto-load-scripts
24330@cindex print list of auto-loaded scripts
24331@item info auto-load-scripts [@var{regexp}]
24332Print the list of all scripts that @value{GDBN} auto-loaded.
24333
24334Also printed is the list of scripts that were mentioned in
24335the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section and were not found
24336(@pxref{.debug_gdb_scripts section}).
24337This is useful because their names are not printed when @value{GDBN}
24338tries to load them and fails. There may be many of them, and printing
24339an error message for each one is problematic.
24340
24341If @var{regexp} is supplied only scripts with matching names are printed.
24342
24343Example:
24344
24345@smallexample
24346(gdb) info auto-load-scripts
24347Loaded Script
24348Yes py-section-script.py
24349 full name: /tmp/py-section-script.py
24350Missing my-foo-pretty-printers.py
24351@end smallexample
24352@end table
24353
24354When reading an auto-loaded file, @value{GDBN} sets the
24355@dfn{current objfile}. This is available via the @code{gdb.current_objfile}
24356function (@pxref{Objfiles In Python}). This can be useful for
24357registering objfile-specific pretty-printers.
24358
24359@node objfile-gdb.py file
24360@subsubsection The @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py} file
24361@cindex @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py}
24362
24363When a new object file is read, @value{GDBN} looks for
24364a file named @file{@var{objfile}-gdb.py},
24365where @var{objfile} is the object file's real name, formed by ensuring
24366that the file name is absolute, following all symlinks, and resolving
24367@code{.} and @code{..} components. If this file exists and is
24368readable, @value{GDBN} will evaluate it as a Python script.
24369
24370If this file does not exist, and if the parameter
24371@code{debug-file-directory} is set (@pxref{Separate Debug Files}),
24372then @value{GDBN} will look for @var{real-name} in all of the
24373directories mentioned in the value of @code{debug-file-directory}.
24374
24375Finally, if this file does not exist, then @value{GDBN} will look for
24376a file named @file{@var{data-directory}/python/auto-load/@var{real-name}}, where
24377@var{data-directory} is @value{GDBN}'s data directory (available via
24378@code{show data-directory}, @pxref{Data Files}), and @var{real-name}
24379is the object file's real name, as described above.
24380
24381@value{GDBN} does not track which files it has already auto-loaded this way.
24382@value{GDBN} will load the associated script every time the corresponding
24383@var{objfile} is opened.
24384So your @file{-gdb.py} file should be careful to avoid errors if it
24385is evaluated more than once.
24386
24387@node .debug_gdb_scripts section
24388@subsubsection The @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24389@cindex @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section
24390
24391For systems using file formats like ELF and COFF,
24392when @value{GDBN} loads a new object file
24393it will look for a special section named @samp{.debug_gdb_scripts}.
24394If this section exists, its contents is a list of names of scripts to load.
24395
24396@value{GDBN} will look for each specified script file first in the
24397current directory and then along the source search path
24398(@pxref{Source Path, ,Specifying Source Directories}),
24399except that @file{$cdir} is not searched, since the compilation
24400directory is not relevant to scripts.
24401
24402Entries can be placed in section @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} with,
24403for example, this GCC macro:
24404
24405@example
24406/* Note: The "MS" section flags are to remove duplicates. */
24407#define DEFINE_GDB_SCRIPT(script_name) \
24408 asm("\
24409.pushsection \".debug_gdb_scripts\", \"MS\",@@progbits,1\n\
24410.byte 1\n\
24411.asciz \"" script_name "\"\n\
24412.popsection \n\
24413");
24414@end example
24415
24416@noindent
24417Then one can reference the macro in a header or source file like this:
24418
24419@example
24420DEFINE_GDB_SCRIPT ("my-app-scripts.py")
24421@end example
24422
24423The script name may include directories if desired.
24424
24425If the macro is put in a header, any application or library
24426using this header will get a reference to the specified script.
24427
24428@node Which flavor to choose?
24429@subsubsection Which flavor to choose?
24430
24431Given the multiple ways of auto-loading Python scripts, it might not always
24432be clear which one to choose. This section provides some guidance.
24433
24434Benefits of the @file{-gdb.py} way:
24435
24436@itemize @bullet
24437@item
24438Can be used with file formats that don't support multiple sections.
24439
24440@item
24441Ease of finding scripts for public libraries.
24442
24443Scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section are searched for
24444in the source search path.
24445For publicly installed libraries, e.g., @file{libstdc++}, there typically
24446isn't a source directory in which to find the script.
24447
24448@item
24449Doesn't require source code additions.
24450@end itemize
24451
24452Benefits of the @code{.debug_gdb_scripts} way:
24453
24454@itemize @bullet
24455@item
24456Works with static linking.
24457
24458Scripts for libraries done the @file{-gdb.py} way require an objfile to
24459trigger their loading. When an application is statically linked the only
24460objfile available is the executable, and it is cumbersome to attach all the
24461scripts from all the input libraries to the executable's @file{-gdb.py} script.
24462
24463@item
24464Works with classes that are entirely inlined.
24465
24466Some classes can be entirely inlined, and thus there may not be an associated
24467shared library to attach a @file{-gdb.py} script to.
24468
24469@item
24470Scripts needn't be copied out of the source tree.
24471
24472In some circumstances, apps can be built out of large collections of internal
24473libraries, and the build infrastructure necessary to install the
24474@file{-gdb.py} scripts in a place where @value{GDBN} can find them is
24475cumbersome. It may be easier to specify the scripts in the
24476@code{.debug_gdb_scripts} section as relative paths, and add a path to the
24477top of the source tree to the source search path.
24478@end itemize
24479
24480@node Python modules
24481@subsection Python modules
24482@cindex python modules
24483
24484@value{GDBN} comes with several modules to assist writing Python code.
24485
24486@menu
24487* gdb.printing:: Building and registering pretty-printers.
24488* gdb.types:: Utilities for working with types.
24489* gdb.prompt:: Utilities for prompt value substitution.
24490@end menu
24491
24492@node gdb.printing
24493@subsubsection gdb.printing
24494@cindex gdb.printing
24495
24496This module provides a collection of utilities for working with
24497pretty-printers.
24498
24499@table @code
24500@item PrettyPrinter (@var{name}, @var{subprinters}=None)
24501This class specifies the API that makes @samp{info pretty-printer},
24502@samp{enable pretty-printer} and @samp{disable pretty-printer} work.
24503Pretty-printers should generally inherit from this class.
24504
24505@item SubPrettyPrinter (@var{name})
24506For printers that handle multiple types, this class specifies the
24507corresponding API for the subprinters.
24508
24509@item RegexpCollectionPrettyPrinter (@var{name})
24510Utility class for handling multiple printers, all recognized via
24511regular expressions.
24512@xref{Writing a Pretty-Printer}, for an example.
24513
24514@item register_pretty_printer (@var{obj}, @var{printer}, @var{replace}=False)
24515Register @var{printer} with the pretty-printer list of @var{obj}.
24516If @var{replace} is @code{True} then any existing copy of the printer
24517is replaced. Otherwise a @code{RuntimeError} exception is raised
24518if a printer with the same name already exists.
24519@end table
24520
24521@node gdb.types
24522@subsubsection gdb.types
24523@cindex gdb.types
24524
24525This module provides a collection of utilities for working with
24526@code{gdb.Types} objects.
24527
24528@table @code
24529@item get_basic_type (@var{type})
24530Return @var{type} with const and volatile qualifiers stripped,
24531and with typedefs and C@t{++} references converted to the underlying type.
24532
24533C@t{++} example:
24534
24535@smallexample
24536typedef const int const_int;
24537const_int foo (3);
24538const_int& foo_ref (foo);
24539int main () @{ return 0; @}
24540@end smallexample
24541
24542Then in gdb:
24543
24544@smallexample
24545(gdb) start
24546(gdb) python import gdb.types
24547(gdb) python foo_ref = gdb.parse_and_eval("foo_ref")
24548(gdb) python print gdb.types.get_basic_type(foo_ref.type)
24549int
24550@end smallexample
24551
24552@item has_field (@var{type}, @var{field})
24553Return @code{True} if @var{type}, assumed to be a type with fields
24554(e.g., a structure or union), has field @var{field}.
24555
24556@item make_enum_dict (@var{enum_type})
24557Return a Python @code{dictionary} type produced from @var{enum_type}.
24558
24559@item deep_items (@var{type})
24560Returns a Python iterator similar to the standard
24561@code{gdb.Type.iteritems} method, except that the iterator returned
24562by @code{deep_items} will recursively traverse anonymous struct or
24563union fields. For example:
24564
24565@smallexample
24566struct A
24567@{
24568 int a;
24569 union @{
24570 int b0;
24571 int b1;
24572 @};
24573@};
24574@end smallexample
24575
24576@noindent
24577Then in @value{GDBN}:
24578@smallexample
24579(@value{GDBP}) python import gdb.types
24580(@value{GDBP}) python struct_a = gdb.lookup_type("struct A")
24581(@value{GDBP}) python print struct_a.keys ()
24582@{['a', '']@}
24583(@value{GDBP}) python print [k for k,v in gdb.types.deep_items(struct_a)]
24584@{['a', 'b0', 'b1']@}
24585@end smallexample
24586
24587@end table
24588
24589@node gdb.prompt
24590@subsubsection gdb.prompt
24591@cindex gdb.prompt
24592
24593This module provides a method for prompt value-substitution.
24594
24595@table @code
24596@item substitute_prompt (@var{string})
24597Return @var{string} with escape sequences substituted by values. Some
24598escape sequences take arguments. You can specify arguments inside
24599``@{@}'' immediately following the escape sequence.
24600
24601The escape sequences you can pass to this function are:
24602
24603@table @code
24604@item \\
24605Substitute a backslash.
24606@item \e
24607Substitute an ESC character.
24608@item \f
24609Substitute the selected frame; an argument names a frame parameter.
24610@item \n
24611Substitute a newline.
24612@item \p
24613Substitute a parameter's value; the argument names the parameter.
24614@item \r
24615Substitute a carriage return.
24616@item \t
24617Substitute the selected thread; an argument names a thread parameter.
24618@item \v
24619Substitute the version of GDB.
24620@item \w
24621Substitute the current working directory.
24622@item \[
24623Begin a sequence of non-printing characters. These sequences are
24624typically used with the ESC character, and are not counted in the string
24625length. Example: ``\[\e[0;34m\](gdb)\[\e[0m\]'' will return a
24626blue-colored ``(gdb)'' prompt where the length is five.
24627@item \]
24628End a sequence of non-printing characters.
24629@end table
24630
24631For example:
24632
24633@smallexample
24634substitute_prompt (``frame: \f,
24635 print arguments: \p@{print frame-arguments@}'')
24636@end smallexample
24637
24638@exdent will return the string:
24639
24640@smallexample
24641"frame: main, print arguments: scalars"
24642@end smallexample
24643@end table
24644
24645@node Aliases
24646@section Creating new spellings of existing commands
24647@cindex aliases for commands
24648
24649It is often useful to define alternate spellings of existing commands.
24650For example, if a new @value{GDBN} command defined in Python has
24651a long name to type, it is handy to have an abbreviated version of it
24652that involves less typing.
24653
24654@value{GDBN} itself uses aliases. For example @samp{s} is an alias
24655of the @samp{step} command even though it is otherwise an ambiguous
24656abbreviation of other commands like @samp{set} and @samp{show}.
24657
24658Aliases are also used to provide shortened or more common versions
24659of multi-word commands. For example, @value{GDBN} provides the
24660@samp{tty} alias of the @samp{set inferior-tty} command.
24661
24662You can define a new alias with the @samp{alias} command.
24663
24664@table @code
24665
24666@kindex alias
24667@item alias [-a] [--] @var{ALIAS} = @var{COMMAND}
24668
24669@end table
24670
24671@var{ALIAS} specifies the name of the new alias.
24672Each word of @var{ALIAS} must consist of letters, numbers, dashes and
24673underscores.
24674
24675@var{COMMAND} specifies the name of an existing command
24676that is being aliased.
24677
24678The @samp{-a} option specifies that the new alias is an abbreviation
24679of the command. Abbreviations are not shown in command
24680lists displayed by the @samp{help} command.
24681
24682The @samp{--} option specifies the end of options,
24683and is useful when @var{ALIAS} begins with a dash.
24684
24685Here is a simple example showing how to make an abbreviation
24686of a command so that there is less to type.
24687Suppose you were tired of typing @samp{disas}, the current
24688shortest unambiguous abbreviation of the @samp{disassemble} command
24689and you wanted an even shorter version named @samp{di}.
24690The following will accomplish this.
24691
24692@smallexample
24693(gdb) alias -a di = disas
24694@end smallexample
24695
24696Note that aliases are different from user-defined commands.
24697With a user-defined command, you also need to write documentation
24698for it with the @samp{document} command.
24699An alias automatically picks up the documentation of the existing command.
24700
24701Here is an example where we make @samp{elms} an abbreviation of
24702@samp{elements} in the @samp{set print elements} command.
24703This is to show that you can make an abbreviation of any part
24704of a command.
24705
24706@smallexample
24707(gdb) alias -a set print elms = set print elements
24708(gdb) alias -a show print elms = show print elements
24709(gdb) set p elms 20
24710(gdb) show p elms
24711Limit on string chars or array elements to print is 200.
24712@end smallexample
24713
24714Note that if you are defining an alias of a @samp{set} command,
24715and you want to have an alias for the corresponding @samp{show}
24716command, then you need to define the latter separately.
24717
24718Unambiguously abbreviated commands are allowed in @var{COMMAND} and
24719@var{ALIAS}, just as they are normally.
24720
24721@smallexample
24722(gdb) alias -a set pr elms = set p ele
24723@end smallexample
24724
24725Finally, here is an example showing the creation of a one word
24726alias for a more complex command.
24727This creates alias @samp{spe} of the command @samp{set print elements}.
24728
24729@smallexample
24730(gdb) alias spe = set print elements
24731(gdb) spe 20
24732@end smallexample
24733
24734@node Interpreters
24735@chapter Command Interpreters
24736@cindex command interpreters
24737
24738@value{GDBN} supports multiple command interpreters, and some command
24739infrastructure to allow users or user interface writers to switch
24740between interpreters or run commands in other interpreters.
24741
24742@value{GDBN} currently supports two command interpreters, the console
24743interpreter (sometimes called the command-line interpreter or @sc{cli})
24744and the machine interface interpreter (or @sc{gdb/mi}). This manual
24745describes both of these interfaces in great detail.
24746
24747By default, @value{GDBN} will start with the console interpreter.
24748However, the user may choose to start @value{GDBN} with another
24749interpreter by specifying the @option{-i} or @option{--interpreter}
24750startup options. Defined interpreters include:
24751
24752@table @code
24753@item console
24754@cindex console interpreter
24755The traditional console or command-line interpreter. This is the most often
24756used interpreter with @value{GDBN}. With no interpreter specified at runtime,
24757@value{GDBN} will use this interpreter.
24758
24759@item mi
24760@cindex mi interpreter
24761The newest @sc{gdb/mi} interface (currently @code{mi2}). Used primarily
24762by programs wishing to use @value{GDBN} as a backend for a debugger GUI
24763or an IDE. For more information, see @ref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi}
24764Interface}.
24765
24766@item mi2
24767@cindex mi2 interpreter
24768The current @sc{gdb/mi} interface.
24769
24770@item mi1
24771@cindex mi1 interpreter
24772The @sc{gdb/mi} interface included in @value{GDBN} 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.
24773
24774@end table
24775
24776@cindex invoke another interpreter
24777The interpreter being used by @value{GDBN} may not be dynamically
24778switched at runtime. Although possible, this could lead to a very
24779precarious situation. Consider an IDE using @sc{gdb/mi}. If a user
24780enters the command "interpreter-set console" in a console view,
24781@value{GDBN} would switch to using the console interpreter, rendering
24782the IDE inoperable!
24783
24784@kindex interpreter-exec
24785Although you may only choose a single interpreter at startup, you may execute
24786commands in any interpreter from the current interpreter using the appropriate
24787command. If you are running the console interpreter, simply use the
24788@code{interpreter-exec} command:
24789
24790@smallexample
24791interpreter-exec mi "-data-list-register-names"
24792@end smallexample
24793
24794@sc{gdb/mi} has a similar command, although it is only available in versions of
24795@value{GDBN} which support @sc{gdb/mi} version 2 (or greater).
24796
24797@node TUI
24798@chapter @value{GDBN} Text User Interface
24799@cindex TUI
24800@cindex Text User Interface
24801
24802@menu
24803* TUI Overview:: TUI overview
24804* TUI Keys:: TUI key bindings
24805* TUI Single Key Mode:: TUI single key mode
24806* TUI Commands:: TUI-specific commands
24807* TUI Configuration:: TUI configuration variables
24808@end menu
24809
24810The @value{GDBN} Text User Interface (TUI) is a terminal
24811interface which uses the @code{curses} library to show the source
24812file, the assembly output, the program registers and @value{GDBN}
24813commands in separate text windows. The TUI mode is supported only
24814on platforms where a suitable version of the @code{curses} library
24815is available.
24816
24817@pindex @value{GDBTUI}
24818The TUI mode is enabled by default when you invoke @value{GDBN} as
24819either @samp{@value{GDBTUI}} or @samp{@value{GDBP} -tui}.
24820You can also switch in and out of TUI mode while @value{GDBN} runs by
24821using various TUI commands and key bindings, such as @kbd{C-x C-a}.
24822@xref{TUI Keys, ,TUI Key Bindings}.
24823
24824@node TUI Overview
24825@section TUI Overview
24826
24827In TUI mode, @value{GDBN} can display several text windows:
24828
24829@table @emph
24830@item command
24831This window is the @value{GDBN} command window with the @value{GDBN}
24832prompt and the @value{GDBN} output. The @value{GDBN} input is still
24833managed using readline.
24834
24835@item source
24836The source window shows the source file of the program. The current
24837line and active breakpoints are displayed in this window.
24838
24839@item assembly
24840The assembly window shows the disassembly output of the program.
24841
24842@item register
24843This window shows the processor registers. Registers are highlighted
24844when their values change.
24845@end table
24846
24847The source and assembly windows show the current program position
24848by highlighting the current line and marking it with a @samp{>} marker.
24849Breakpoints are indicated with two markers. The first marker
24850indicates the breakpoint type:
24851
24852@table @code
24853@item B
24854Breakpoint which was hit at least once.
24855
24856@item b
24857Breakpoint which was never hit.
24858
24859@item H
24860Hardware breakpoint which was hit at least once.
24861
24862@item h
24863Hardware breakpoint which was never hit.
24864@end table
24865
24866The second marker indicates whether the breakpoint is enabled or not:
24867
24868@table @code
24869@item +
24870Breakpoint is enabled.
24871
24872@item -
24873Breakpoint is disabled.
24874@end table
24875
24876The source, assembly and register windows are updated when the current
24877thread changes, when the frame changes, or when the program counter
24878changes.
24879
24880These windows are not all visible at the same time. The command
24881window is always visible. The others can be arranged in several
24882layouts:
24883
24884@itemize @bullet
24885@item
24886source only,
24887
24888@item
24889assembly only,
24890
24891@item
24892source and assembly,
24893
24894@item
24895source and registers, or
24896
24897@item
24898assembly and registers.
24899@end itemize
24900
24901A status line above the command window shows the following information:
24902
24903@table @emph
24904@item target
24905Indicates the current @value{GDBN} target.
24906(@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
24907
24908@item process
24909Gives the current process or thread number.
24910When no process is being debugged, this field is set to @code{No process}.
24911
24912@item function
24913Gives the current function name for the selected frame.
24914The name is demangled if demangling is turned on (@pxref{Print Settings}).
24915When there is no symbol corresponding to the current program counter,
24916the string @code{??} is displayed.
24917
24918@item line
24919Indicates the current line number for the selected frame.
24920When the current line number is not known, the string @code{??} is displayed.
24921
24922@item pc
24923Indicates the current program counter address.
24924@end table
24925
24926@node TUI Keys
24927@section TUI Key Bindings
24928@cindex TUI key bindings
24929
24930The TUI installs several key bindings in the readline keymaps
24931@ifset SYSTEM_READLINE
24932(@pxref{Command Line Editing, , , rluserman, GNU Readline Library}).
24933@end ifset
24934@ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
24935(@pxref{Command Line Editing}).
24936@end ifclear
24937The following key bindings are installed for both TUI mode and the
24938@value{GDBN} standard mode.
24939
24940@table @kbd
24941@kindex C-x C-a
24942@item C-x C-a
24943@kindex C-x a
24944@itemx C-x a
24945@kindex C-x A
24946@itemx C-x A
24947Enter or leave the TUI mode. When leaving the TUI mode,
24948the curses window management stops and @value{GDBN} operates using
24949its standard mode, writing on the terminal directly. When reentering
24950the TUI mode, control is given back to the curses windows.
24951The screen is then refreshed.
24952
24953@kindex C-x 1
24954@item C-x 1
24955Use a TUI layout with only one window. The layout will
24956either be @samp{source} or @samp{assembly}. When the TUI mode
24957is not active, it will switch to the TUI mode.
24958
24959Think of this key binding as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 1} binding.
24960
24961@kindex C-x 2
24962@item C-x 2
24963Use a TUI layout with at least two windows. When the current
24964layout already has two windows, the next layout with two windows is used.
24965When a new layout is chosen, one window will always be common to the
24966previous layout and the new one.
24967
24968Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x 2} binding.
24969
24970@kindex C-x o
24971@item C-x o
24972Change the active window. The TUI associates several key bindings
24973(like scrolling and arrow keys) with the active window. This command
24974gives the focus to the next TUI window.
24975
24976Think of it as the Emacs @kbd{C-x o} binding.
24977
24978@kindex C-x s
24979@item C-x s
24980Switch in and out of the TUI SingleKey mode that binds single
24981keys to @value{GDBN} commands (@pxref{TUI Single Key Mode}).
24982@end table
24983
24984The following key bindings only work in the TUI mode:
24985
24986@table @asis
24987@kindex PgUp
24988@item @key{PgUp}
24989Scroll the active window one page up.
24990
24991@kindex PgDn
24992@item @key{PgDn}
24993Scroll the active window one page down.
24994
24995@kindex Up
24996@item @key{Up}
24997Scroll the active window one line up.
24998
24999@kindex Down
25000@item @key{Down}
25001Scroll the active window one line down.
25002
25003@kindex Left
25004@item @key{Left}
25005Scroll the active window one column left.
25006
25007@kindex Right
25008@item @key{Right}
25009Scroll the active window one column right.
25010
25011@kindex C-L
25012@item @kbd{C-L}
25013Refresh the screen.
25014@end table
25015
25016Because the arrow keys scroll the active window in the TUI mode, they
25017are not available for their normal use by readline unless the command
25018window has the focus. When another window is active, you must use
25019other readline key bindings such as @kbd{C-p}, @kbd{C-n}, @kbd{C-b}
25020and @kbd{C-f} to control the command window.
25021
25022@node TUI Single Key Mode
25023@section TUI Single Key Mode
25024@cindex TUI single key mode
25025
25026The TUI also provides a @dfn{SingleKey} mode, which binds several
25027frequently used @value{GDBN} commands to single keys. Type @kbd{C-x s} to
25028switch into this mode, where the following key bindings are used:
25029
25030@table @kbd
25031@kindex c @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25032@item c
25033continue
25034
25035@kindex d @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25036@item d
25037down
25038
25039@kindex f @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25040@item f
25041finish
25042
25043@kindex n @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25044@item n
25045next
25046
25047@kindex q @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25048@item q
25049exit the SingleKey mode.
25050
25051@kindex r @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25052@item r
25053run
25054
25055@kindex s @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25056@item s
25057step
25058
25059@kindex u @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25060@item u
25061up
25062
25063@kindex v @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25064@item v
25065info locals
25066
25067@kindex w @r{(SingleKey TUI key)}
25068@item w
25069where
25070@end table
25071
25072Other keys temporarily switch to the @value{GDBN} command prompt.
25073The key that was pressed is inserted in the editing buffer so that
25074it is possible to type most @value{GDBN} commands without interaction
25075with the TUI SingleKey mode. Once the command is entered the TUI
25076SingleKey mode is restored. The only way to permanently leave
25077this mode is by typing @kbd{q} or @kbd{C-x s}.
25078
25079
25080@node TUI Commands
25081@section TUI-specific Commands
25082@cindex TUI commands
25083
25084The TUI has specific commands to control the text windows.
25085These commands are always available, even when @value{GDBN} is not in
25086the TUI mode. When @value{GDBN} is in the standard mode, most
25087of these commands will automatically switch to the TUI mode.
25088
25089Note that if @value{GDBN}'s @code{stdout} is not connected to a
25090terminal, or @value{GDBN} has been started with the machine interface
25091interpreter (@pxref{GDB/MI, ,The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface}), most of
25092these commands will fail with an error, because it would not be
25093possible or desirable to enable curses window management.
25094
25095@table @code
25096@item info win
25097@kindex info win
25098List and give the size of all displayed windows.
25099
25100@item layout next
25101@kindex layout
25102Display the next layout.
25103
25104@item layout prev
25105Display the previous layout.
25106
25107@item layout src
25108Display the source window only.
25109
25110@item layout asm
25111Display the assembly window only.
25112
25113@item layout split
25114Display the source and assembly window.
25115
25116@item layout regs
25117Display the register window together with the source or assembly window.
25118
25119@item focus next
25120@kindex focus
25121Make the next window active for scrolling.
25122
25123@item focus prev
25124Make the previous window active for scrolling.
25125
25126@item focus src
25127Make the source window active for scrolling.
25128
25129@item focus asm
25130Make the assembly window active for scrolling.
25131
25132@item focus regs
25133Make the register window active for scrolling.
25134
25135@item focus cmd
25136Make the command window active for scrolling.
25137
25138@item refresh
25139@kindex refresh
25140Refresh the screen. This is similar to typing @kbd{C-L}.
25141
25142@item tui reg float
25143@kindex tui reg
25144Show the floating point registers in the register window.
25145
25146@item tui reg general
25147Show the general registers in the register window.
25148
25149@item tui reg next
25150Show the next register group. The list of register groups as well as
25151their order is target specific. The predefined register groups are the
25152following: @code{general}, @code{float}, @code{system}, @code{vector},
25153@code{all}, @code{save}, @code{restore}.
25154
25155@item tui reg system
25156Show the system registers in the register window.
25157
25158@item update
25159@kindex update
25160Update the source window and the current execution point.
25161
25162@item winheight @var{name} +@var{count}
25163@itemx winheight @var{name} -@var{count}
25164@kindex winheight
25165Change the height of the window @var{name} by @var{count}
25166lines. Positive counts increase the height, while negative counts
25167decrease it.
25168
25169@item tabset @var{nchars}
25170@kindex tabset
25171Set the width of tab stops to be @var{nchars} characters.
25172@end table
25173
25174@node TUI Configuration
25175@section TUI Configuration Variables
25176@cindex TUI configuration variables
25177
25178Several configuration variables control the appearance of TUI windows.
25179
25180@table @code
25181@item set tui border-kind @var{kind}
25182@kindex set tui border-kind
25183Select the border appearance for the source, assembly and register windows.
25184The possible values are the following:
25185@table @code
25186@item space
25187Use a space character to draw the border.
25188
25189@item ascii
25190Use @sc{ascii} characters @samp{+}, @samp{-} and @samp{|} to draw the border.
25191
25192@item acs
25193Use the Alternate Character Set to draw the border. The border is
25194drawn using character line graphics if the terminal supports them.
25195@end table
25196
25197@item set tui border-mode @var{mode}
25198@kindex set tui border-mode
25199@itemx set tui active-border-mode @var{mode}
25200@kindex set tui active-border-mode
25201Select the display attributes for the borders of the inactive windows
25202or the active window. The @var{mode} can be one of the following:
25203@table @code
25204@item normal
25205Use normal attributes to display the border.
25206
25207@item standout
25208Use standout mode.
25209
25210@item reverse
25211Use reverse video mode.
25212
25213@item half
25214Use half bright mode.
25215
25216@item half-standout
25217Use half bright and standout mode.
25218
25219@item bold
25220Use extra bright or bold mode.
25221
25222@item bold-standout
25223Use extra bright or bold and standout mode.
25224@end table
25225@end table
25226
25227@node Emacs
25228@chapter Using @value{GDBN} under @sc{gnu} Emacs
25229
25230@cindex Emacs
25231@cindex @sc{gnu} Emacs
25232A special interface allows you to use @sc{gnu} Emacs to view (and
25233edit) the source files for the program you are debugging with
25234@value{GDBN}.
25235
25236To use this interface, use the command @kbd{M-x gdb} in Emacs. Give the
25237executable file you want to debug as an argument. This command starts
25238@value{GDBN} as a subprocess of Emacs, with input and output through a newly
25239created Emacs buffer.
25240@c (Do not use the @code{-tui} option to run @value{GDBN} from Emacs.)
25241
25242Running @value{GDBN} under Emacs can be just like running @value{GDBN} normally except for two
25243things:
25244
25245@itemize @bullet
25246@item
25247All ``terminal'' input and output goes through an Emacs buffer, called
25248the GUD buffer.
25249
25250This applies both to @value{GDBN} commands and their output, and to the input
25251and output done by the program you are debugging.
25252
25253This is useful because it means that you can copy the text of previous
25254commands and input them again; you can even use parts of the output
25255in this way.
25256
25257All the facilities of Emacs' Shell mode are available for interacting
25258with your program. In particular, you can send signals the usual
25259way---for example, @kbd{C-c C-c} for an interrupt, @kbd{C-c C-z} for a
25260stop.
25261
25262@item
25263@value{GDBN} displays source code through Emacs.
25264
25265Each time @value{GDBN} displays a stack frame, Emacs automatically finds the
25266source file for that frame and puts an arrow (@samp{=>}) at the
25267left margin of the current line. Emacs uses a separate buffer for
25268source display, and splits the screen to show both your @value{GDBN} session
25269and the source.
25270
25271Explicit @value{GDBN} @code{list} or search commands still produce output as
25272usual, but you probably have no reason to use them from Emacs.
25273@end itemize
25274
25275We call this @dfn{text command mode}. Emacs 22.1, and later, also uses
25276a graphical mode, enabled by default, which provides further buffers
25277that can control the execution and describe the state of your program.
25278@xref{GDB Graphical Interface,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}.
25279
25280If you specify an absolute file name when prompted for the @kbd{M-x
25281gdb} argument, then Emacs sets your current working directory to where
25282your program resides. If you only specify the file name, then Emacs
25283sets your current working directory to the directory associated
25284with the previous buffer. In this case, @value{GDBN} may find your
25285program by searching your environment's @code{PATH} variable, but on
25286some operating systems it might not find the source. So, although the
25287@value{GDBN} input and output session proceeds normally, the auxiliary
25288buffer does not display the current source and line of execution.
25289
25290The initial working directory of @value{GDBN} is printed on the top
25291line of the GUD buffer and this serves as a default for the commands
25292that specify files for @value{GDBN} to operate on. @xref{Files,
25293,Commands to Specify Files}.
25294
25295By default, @kbd{M-x gdb} calls the program called @file{gdb}. If you
25296need to call @value{GDBN} by a different name (for example, if you
25297keep several configurations around, with different names) you can
25298customize the Emacs variable @code{gud-gdb-command-name} to run the
25299one you want.
25300
25301In the GUD buffer, you can use these special Emacs commands in
25302addition to the standard Shell mode commands:
25303
25304@table @kbd
25305@item C-h m
25306Describe the features of Emacs' GUD Mode.
25307
25308@item C-c C-s
25309Execute to another source line, like the @value{GDBN} @code{step} command; also
25310update the display window to show the current file and location.
25311
25312@item C-c C-n
25313Execute to next source line in this function, skipping all function
25314calls, like the @value{GDBN} @code{next} command. Then update the display window
25315to show the current file and location.
25316
25317@item C-c C-i
25318Execute one instruction, like the @value{GDBN} @code{stepi} command; update
25319display window accordingly.
25320
25321@item C-c C-f
25322Execute until exit from the selected stack frame, like the @value{GDBN}
25323@code{finish} command.
25324
25325@item C-c C-r
25326Continue execution of your program, like the @value{GDBN} @code{continue}
25327command.
25328
25329@item C-c <
25330Go up the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument
25331(@pxref{Arguments, , Numeric Arguments, Emacs, The @sc{gnu} Emacs Manual}),
25332like the @value{GDBN} @code{up} command.
25333
25334@item C-c >
25335Go down the number of frames indicated by the numeric argument, like the
25336@value{GDBN} @code{down} command.
25337@end table
25338
25339In any source file, the Emacs command @kbd{C-x @key{SPC}} (@code{gud-break})
25340tells @value{GDBN} to set a breakpoint on the source line point is on.
25341
25342In text command mode, if you type @kbd{M-x speedbar}, Emacs displays a
25343separate frame which shows a backtrace when the GUD buffer is current.
25344Move point to any frame in the stack and type @key{RET} to make it
25345become the current frame and display the associated source in the
25346source buffer. Alternatively, click @kbd{Mouse-2} to make the
25347selected frame become the current one. In graphical mode, the
25348speedbar displays watch expressions.
25349
25350If you accidentally delete the source-display buffer, an easy way to get
25351it back is to type the command @code{f} in the @value{GDBN} buffer, to
25352request a frame display; when you run under Emacs, this recreates
25353the source buffer if necessary to show you the context of the current
25354frame.
25355
25356The source files displayed in Emacs are in ordinary Emacs buffers
25357which are visiting the source files in the usual way. You can edit
25358the files with these buffers if you wish; but keep in mind that @value{GDBN}
25359communicates with Emacs in terms of line numbers. If you add or
25360delete lines from the text, the line numbers that @value{GDBN} knows cease
25361to correspond properly with the code.
25362
25363A more detailed description of Emacs' interaction with @value{GDBN} is
25364given in the Emacs manual (@pxref{Debuggers,,, Emacs, The @sc{gnu}
25365Emacs Manual}).
25366
25367@c The following dropped because Epoch is nonstandard. Reactivate
25368@c if/when v19 does something similar. ---doc@cygnus.com 19dec1990
25369@ignore
25370@kindex Emacs Epoch environment
25371@kindex Epoch
25372@kindex inspect
25373
25374Version 18 of @sc{gnu} Emacs has a built-in window system
25375called the @code{epoch}
25376environment. Users of this environment can use a new command,
25377@code{inspect} which performs identically to @code{print} except that
25378each value is printed in its own window.
25379@end ignore
25380
25381
25382@node GDB/MI
25383@chapter The @sc{gdb/mi} Interface
25384
25385@unnumberedsec Function and Purpose
25386
25387@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, its purpose
25388@sc{gdb/mi} is a line based machine oriented text interface to
25389@value{GDBN} and is activated by specifying using the
25390@option{--interpreter} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}). It
25391is specifically intended to support the development of systems which
25392use the debugger as just one small component of a larger system.
25393
25394This chapter is a specification of the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. It is written
25395in the form of a reference manual.
25396
25397Note that @sc{gdb/mi} is still under construction, so some of the
25398features described below are incomplete and subject to change
25399(@pxref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, , @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends}).
25400
25401@unnumberedsec Notation and Terminology
25402
25403@cindex notational conventions, for @sc{gdb/mi}
25404This chapter uses the following notation:
25405
25406@itemize @bullet
25407@item
25408@code{|} separates two alternatives.
25409
25410@item
25411@code{[ @var{something} ]} indicates that @var{something} is optional:
25412it may or may not be given.
25413
25414@item
25415@code{( @var{group} )*} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
25416may repeat zero or more times.
25417
25418@item
25419@code{( @var{group} )+} means that @var{group} inside the parentheses
25420may repeat one or more times.
25421
25422@item
25423@code{"@var{string}"} means a literal @var{string}.
25424@end itemize
25425
25426@ignore
25427@heading Dependencies
25428@end ignore
25429
25430@menu
25431* GDB/MI General Design::
25432* GDB/MI Command Syntax::
25433* GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI::
25434* GDB/MI Development and Front Ends::
25435* GDB/MI Output Records::
25436* GDB/MI Simple Examples::
25437* GDB/MI Command Description Format::
25438* GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands::
25439* GDB/MI Program Context::
25440* GDB/MI Thread Commands::
25441* GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands::
25442* GDB/MI Program Execution::
25443* GDB/MI Stack Manipulation::
25444* GDB/MI Variable Objects::
25445* GDB/MI Data Manipulation::
25446* GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands::
25447* GDB/MI Symbol Query::
25448* GDB/MI File Commands::
25449@ignore
25450* GDB/MI Kod Commands::
25451* GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands::
25452* GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands::
25453@end ignore
25454* GDB/MI Target Manipulation::
25455* GDB/MI File Transfer Commands::
25456* GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands::
25457@end menu
25458
25459@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25460@node GDB/MI General Design
25461@section @sc{gdb/mi} General Design
25462@cindex GDB/MI General Design
25463
25464Interaction of a @sc{GDB/MI} frontend with @value{GDBN} involves three
25465parts---commands sent to @value{GDBN}, responses to those commands
25466and notifications. Each command results in exactly one response,
25467indicating either successful completion of the command, or an error.
25468For the commands that do not resume the target, the response contains the
25469requested information. For the commands that resume the target, the
25470response only indicates whether the target was successfully resumed.
25471Notifications is the mechanism for reporting changes in the state of the
25472target, or in @value{GDBN} state, that cannot conveniently be associated with
25473a command and reported as part of that command response.
25474
25475The important examples of notifications are:
25476@itemize @bullet
25477
25478@item
25479Exec notifications. These are used to report changes in
25480target state---when a target is resumed, or stopped. It would not
25481be feasible to include this information in response of resuming
25482commands, because one resume commands can result in multiple events in
25483different threads. Also, quite some time may pass before any event
25484happens in the target, while a frontend needs to know whether the resuming
25485command itself was successfully executed.
25486
25487@item
25488Console output, and status notifications. Console output
25489notifications are used to report output of CLI commands, as well as
25490diagnostics for other commands. Status notifications are used to
25491report the progress of a long-running operation. Naturally, including
25492this information in command response would mean no output is produced
25493until the command is finished, which is undesirable.
25494
25495@item
25496General notifications. Commands may have various side effects on
25497the @value{GDBN} or target state beyond their official purpose. For example,
25498a command may change the selected thread. Although such changes can
25499be included in command response, using notification allows for more
25500orthogonal frontend design.
25501
25502@end itemize
25503
25504There's no guarantee that whenever an MI command reports an error,
25505@value{GDBN} or the target are in any specific state, and especially,
25506the state is not reverted to the state before the MI command was
25507processed. Therefore, whenever an MI command results in an error,
25508we recommend that the frontend refreshes all the information shown in
25509the user interface.
25510
25511
25512@menu
25513* Context management::
25514* Asynchronous and non-stop modes::
25515* Thread groups::
25516@end menu
25517
25518@node Context management
25519@subsection Context management
25520
25521In most cases when @value{GDBN} accesses the target, this access is
25522done in context of a specific thread and frame (@pxref{Frames}).
25523Often, even when accessing global data, the target requires that a thread
25524be specified. The CLI interface maintains the selected thread and frame,
25525and supplies them to target on each command. This is convenient,
25526because a command line user would not want to specify that information
25527explicitly on each command, and because user interacts with
25528@value{GDBN} via a single terminal, so no confusion is possible as
25529to what thread and frame are the current ones.
25530
25531In the case of MI, the concept of selected thread and frame is less
25532useful. First, a frontend can easily remember this information
25533itself. Second, a graphical frontend can have more than one window,
25534each one used for debugging a different thread, and the frontend might
25535want to access additional threads for internal purposes. This
25536increases the risk that by relying on implicitly selected thread, the
25537frontend may be operating on a wrong one. Therefore, each MI command
25538should explicitly specify which thread and frame to operate on. To
25539make it possible, each MI command accepts the @samp{--thread} and
25540@samp{--frame} options, the value to each is @value{GDBN} identifier
25541for thread and frame to operate on.
25542
25543Usually, each top-level window in a frontend allows the user to select
25544a thread and a frame, and remembers the user selection for further
25545operations. However, in some cases @value{GDBN} may suggest that the
25546current thread be changed. For example, when stopping on a breakpoint
25547it is reasonable to switch to the thread where breakpoint is hit. For
25548another example, if the user issues the CLI @samp{thread} command via
25549the frontend, it is desirable to change the frontend's selected thread to the
25550one specified by user. @value{GDBN} communicates the suggestion to
25551change current thread using the @samp{=thread-selected} notification.
25552No such notification is available for the selected frame at the moment.
25553
25554Note that historically, MI shares the selected thread with CLI, so
25555frontends used the @code{-thread-select} to execute commands in the
25556right context. However, getting this to work right is cumbersome. The
25557simplest way is for frontend to emit @code{-thread-select} command
25558before every command. This doubles the number of commands that need
25559to be sent. The alternative approach is to suppress @code{-thread-select}
25560if the selected thread in @value{GDBN} is supposed to be identical to the
25561thread the frontend wants to operate on. However, getting this
25562optimization right can be tricky. In particular, if the frontend
25563sends several commands to @value{GDBN}, and one of the commands changes the
25564selected thread, then the behaviour of subsequent commands will
25565change. So, a frontend should either wait for response from such
25566problematic commands, or explicitly add @code{-thread-select} for
25567all subsequent commands. No frontend is known to do this exactly
25568right, so it is suggested to just always pass the @samp{--thread} and
25569@samp{--frame} options.
25570
25571@node Asynchronous and non-stop modes
25572@subsection Asynchronous command execution and non-stop mode
25573
25574On some targets, @value{GDBN} is capable of processing MI commands
25575even while the target is running. This is called @dfn{asynchronous
25576command execution} (@pxref{Background Execution}). The frontend may
25577specify a preferrence for asynchronous execution using the
25578@code{-gdb-set target-async 1} command, which should be emitted before
25579either running the executable or attaching to the target. After the
25580frontend has started the executable or attached to the target, it can
25581find if asynchronous execution is enabled using the
25582@code{-list-target-features} command.
25583
25584Even if @value{GDBN} can accept a command while target is running,
25585many commands that access the target do not work when the target is
25586running. Therefore, asynchronous command execution is most useful
25587when combined with non-stop mode (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}). Then,
25588it is possible to examine the state of one thread, while other threads
25589are running.
25590
25591When a given thread is running, MI commands that try to access the
25592target in the context of that thread may not work, or may work only on
25593some targets. In particular, commands that try to operate on thread's
25594stack will not work, on any target. Commands that read memory, or
25595modify breakpoints, may work or not work, depending on the target. Note
25596that even commands that operate on global state, such as @code{print},
25597@code{set}, and breakpoint commands, still access the target in the
25598context of a specific thread, so frontend should try to find a
25599stopped thread and perform the operation on that thread (using the
25600@samp{--thread} option).
25601
25602Which commands will work in the context of a running thread is
25603highly target dependent. However, the two commands
25604@code{-exec-interrupt}, to stop a thread, and @code{-thread-info},
25605to find the state of a thread, will always work.
25606
25607@node Thread groups
25608@subsection Thread groups
25609@value{GDBN} may be used to debug several processes at the same time.
25610On some platfroms, @value{GDBN} may support debugging of several
25611hardware systems, each one having several cores with several different
25612processes running on each core. This section describes the MI
25613mechanism to support such debugging scenarios.
25614
25615The key observation is that regardless of the structure of the
25616target, MI can have a global list of threads, because most commands that
25617accept the @samp{--thread} option do not need to know what process that
25618thread belongs to. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce
25619neither additional @samp{--process} option, nor an notion of the
25620current process in the MI interface. The only strictly new feature
25621that is required is the ability to find how the threads are grouped
25622into processes.
25623
25624To allow the user to discover such grouping, and to support arbitrary
25625hierarchy of machines/cores/processes, MI introduces the concept of a
25626@dfn{thread group}. Thread group is a collection of threads and other
25627thread groups. A thread group always has a string identifier, a type,
25628and may have additional attributes specific to the type. A new
25629command, @code{-list-thread-groups}, returns the list of top-level
25630thread groups, which correspond to processes that @value{GDBN} is
25631debugging at the moment. By passing an identifier of a thread group
25632to the @code{-list-thread-groups} command, it is possible to obtain
25633the members of specific thread group.
25634
25635To allow the user to easily discover processes, and other objects, he
25636wishes to debug, a concept of @dfn{available thread group} is
25637introduced. Available thread group is an thread group that
25638@value{GDBN} is not debugging, but that can be attached to, using the
25639@code{-target-attach} command. The list of available top-level thread
25640groups can be obtained using @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}.
25641In general, the content of a thread group may be only retrieved only
25642after attaching to that thread group.
25643
25644Thread groups are related to inferiors (@pxref{Inferiors and
25645Programs}). Each inferior corresponds to a thread group of a special
25646type @samp{process}, and some additional operations are permitted on
25647such thread groups.
25648
25649@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25650@node GDB/MI Command Syntax
25651@section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Syntax
25652
25653@menu
25654* GDB/MI Input Syntax::
25655* GDB/MI Output Syntax::
25656@end menu
25657
25658@node GDB/MI Input Syntax
25659@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Input Syntax
25660
25661@cindex input syntax for @sc{gdb/mi}
25662@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, input syntax
25663@table @code
25664@item @var{command} @expansion{}
25665@code{@var{cli-command} | @var{mi-command}}
25666
25667@item @var{cli-command} @expansion{}
25668@code{[ @var{token} ] @var{cli-command} @var{nl}}, where
25669@var{cli-command} is any existing @value{GDBN} CLI command.
25670
25671@item @var{mi-command} @expansion{}
25672@code{[ @var{token} ] "-" @var{operation} ( " " @var{option} )*
25673@code{[} " --" @code{]} ( " " @var{parameter} )* @var{nl}}
25674
25675@item @var{token} @expansion{}
25676"any sequence of digits"
25677
25678@item @var{option} @expansion{}
25679@code{"-" @var{parameter} [ " " @var{parameter} ]}
25680
25681@item @var{parameter} @expansion{}
25682@code{@var{non-blank-sequence} | @var{c-string}}
25683
25684@item @var{operation} @expansion{}
25685@emph{any of the operations described in this chapter}
25686
25687@item @var{non-blank-sequence} @expansion{}
25688@emph{anything, provided it doesn't contain special characters such as
25689"-", @var{nl}, """ and of course " "}
25690
25691@item @var{c-string} @expansion{}
25692@code{""" @var{seven-bit-iso-c-string-content} """}
25693
25694@item @var{nl} @expansion{}
25695@code{CR | CR-LF}
25696@end table
25697
25698@noindent
25699Notes:
25700
25701@itemize @bullet
25702@item
25703The CLI commands are still handled by the @sc{mi} interpreter; their
25704output is described below.
25705
25706@item
25707The @code{@var{token}}, when present, is passed back when the command
25708finishes.
25709
25710@item
25711Some @sc{mi} commands accept optional arguments as part of the parameter
25712list. Each option is identified by a leading @samp{-} (dash) and may be
25713followed by an optional argument parameter. Options occur first in the
25714parameter list and can be delimited from normal parameters using
25715@samp{--} (this is useful when some parameters begin with a dash).
25716@end itemize
25717
25718Pragmatics:
25719
25720@itemize @bullet
25721@item
25722We want easy access to the existing CLI syntax (for debugging).
25723
25724@item
25725We want it to be easy to spot a @sc{mi} operation.
25726@end itemize
25727
25728@node GDB/MI Output Syntax
25729@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax
25730
25731@cindex output syntax of @sc{gdb/mi}
25732@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, output syntax
25733The output from @sc{gdb/mi} consists of zero or more out-of-band records
25734followed, optionally, by a single result record. This result record
25735is for the most recent command. The sequence of output records is
25736terminated by @samp{(gdb)}.
25737
25738If an input command was prefixed with a @code{@var{token}} then the
25739corresponding output for that command will also be prefixed by that same
25740@var{token}.
25741
25742@table @code
25743@item @var{output} @expansion{}
25744@code{( @var{out-of-band-record} )* [ @var{result-record} ] "(gdb)" @var{nl}}
25745
25746@item @var{result-record} @expansion{}
25747@code{ [ @var{token} ] "^" @var{result-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
25748
25749@item @var{out-of-band-record} @expansion{}
25750@code{@var{async-record} | @var{stream-record}}
25751
25752@item @var{async-record} @expansion{}
25753@code{@var{exec-async-output} | @var{status-async-output} | @var{notify-async-output}}
25754
25755@item @var{exec-async-output} @expansion{}
25756@code{[ @var{token} ] "*" @var{async-output}}
25757
25758@item @var{status-async-output} @expansion{}
25759@code{[ @var{token} ] "+" @var{async-output}}
25760
25761@item @var{notify-async-output} @expansion{}
25762@code{[ @var{token} ] "=" @var{async-output}}
25763
25764@item @var{async-output} @expansion{}
25765@code{@var{async-class} ( "," @var{result} )* @var{nl}}
25766
25767@item @var{result-class} @expansion{}
25768@code{"done" | "running" | "connected" | "error" | "exit"}
25769
25770@item @var{async-class} @expansion{}
25771@code{"stopped" | @var{others}} (where @var{others} will be added
25772depending on the needs---this is still in development).
25773
25774@item @var{result} @expansion{}
25775@code{ @var{variable} "=" @var{value}}
25776
25777@item @var{variable} @expansion{}
25778@code{ @var{string} }
25779
25780@item @var{value} @expansion{}
25781@code{ @var{const} | @var{tuple} | @var{list} }
25782
25783@item @var{const} @expansion{}
25784@code{@var{c-string}}
25785
25786@item @var{tuple} @expansion{}
25787@code{ "@{@}" | "@{" @var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "@}" }
25788
25789@item @var{list} @expansion{}
25790@code{ "[]" | "[" @var{value} ( "," @var{value} )* "]" | "["
25791@var{result} ( "," @var{result} )* "]" }
25792
25793@item @var{stream-record} @expansion{}
25794@code{@var{console-stream-output} | @var{target-stream-output} | @var{log-stream-output}}
25795
25796@item @var{console-stream-output} @expansion{}
25797@code{"~" @var{c-string}}
25798
25799@item @var{target-stream-output} @expansion{}
25800@code{"@@" @var{c-string}}
25801
25802@item @var{log-stream-output} @expansion{}
25803@code{"&" @var{c-string}}
25804
25805@item @var{nl} @expansion{}
25806@code{CR | CR-LF}
25807
25808@item @var{token} @expansion{}
25809@emph{any sequence of digits}.
25810@end table
25811
25812@noindent
25813Notes:
25814
25815@itemize @bullet
25816@item
25817All output sequences end in a single line containing a period.
25818
25819@item
25820The @code{@var{token}} is from the corresponding request. Note that
25821for all async output, while the token is allowed by the grammar and
25822may be output by future versions of @value{GDBN} for select async
25823output messages, it is generally omitted. Frontends should treat
25824all async output as reporting general changes in the state of the
25825target and there should be no need to associate async output to any
25826prior command.
25827
25828@item
25829@cindex status output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25830@var{status-async-output} contains on-going status information about the
25831progress of a slow operation. It can be discarded. All status output is
25832prefixed by @samp{+}.
25833
25834@item
25835@cindex async output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25836@var{exec-async-output} contains asynchronous state change on the target
25837(stopped, started, disappeared). All async output is prefixed by
25838@samp{*}.
25839
25840@item
25841@cindex notify output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25842@var{notify-async-output} contains supplementary information that the
25843client should handle (e.g., a new breakpoint information). All notify
25844output is prefixed by @samp{=}.
25845
25846@item
25847@cindex console output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25848@var{console-stream-output} is output that should be displayed as is in the
25849console. It is the textual response to a CLI command. All the console
25850output is prefixed by @samp{~}.
25851
25852@item
25853@cindex target output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25854@var{target-stream-output} is the output produced by the target program.
25855All the target output is prefixed by @samp{@@}.
25856
25857@item
25858@cindex log output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25859@var{log-stream-output} is output text coming from @value{GDBN}'s internals, for
25860instance messages that should be displayed as part of an error log. All
25861the log output is prefixed by @samp{&}.
25862
25863@item
25864@cindex list output in @sc{gdb/mi}
25865New @sc{gdb/mi} commands should only output @var{lists} containing
25866@var{values}.
25867
25868
25869@end itemize
25870
25871@xref{GDB/MI Stream Records, , @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records}, for more
25872details about the various output records.
25873
25874@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25875@node GDB/MI Compatibility with CLI
25876@section @sc{gdb/mi} Compatibility with CLI
25877
25878@cindex compatibility, @sc{gdb/mi} and CLI
25879@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, compatibility with CLI
25880
25881For the developers convenience CLI commands can be entered directly,
25882but there may be some unexpected behaviour. For example, commands
25883that query the user will behave as if the user replied yes, breakpoint
25884command lists are not executed and some CLI commands, such as
25885@code{if}, @code{when} and @code{define}, prompt for further input with
25886@samp{>}, which is not valid MI output.
25887
25888This feature may be removed at some stage in the future and it is
25889recommended that front ends use the @code{-interpreter-exec} command
25890(@pxref{-interpreter-exec}).
25891
25892@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25893@node GDB/MI Development and Front Ends
25894@section @sc{gdb/mi} Development and Front Ends
25895@cindex @sc{gdb/mi} development
25896
25897The application which takes the MI output and presents the state of the
25898program being debugged to the user is called a @dfn{front end}.
25899
25900Although @sc{gdb/mi} is still incomplete, it is currently being used
25901by a variety of front ends to @value{GDBN}. This makes it difficult
25902to introduce new functionality without breaking existing usage. This
25903section tries to minimize the problems by describing how the protocol
25904might change.
25905
25906Some changes in MI need not break a carefully designed front end, and
25907for these the MI version will remain unchanged. The following is a
25908list of changes that may occur within one level, so front ends should
25909parse MI output in a way that can handle them:
25910
25911@itemize @bullet
25912@item
25913New MI commands may be added.
25914
25915@item
25916New fields may be added to the output of any MI command.
25917
25918@item
25919The range of values for fields with specified values, e.g.,
25920@code{in_scope} (@pxref{-var-update}) may be extended.
25921
25922@c The format of field's content e.g type prefix, may change so parse it
25923@c at your own risk. Yes, in general?
25924
25925@c The order of fields may change? Shouldn't really matter but it might
25926@c resolve inconsistencies.
25927@end itemize
25928
25929If the changes are likely to break front ends, the MI version level
25930will be increased by one. This will allow the front end to parse the
25931output according to the MI version. Apart from mi0, new versions of
25932@value{GDBN} will not support old versions of MI and it will be the
25933responsibility of the front end to work with the new one.
25934
25935@c Starting with mi3, add a new command -mi-version that prints the MI
25936@c version?
25937
25938The best way to avoid unexpected changes in MI that might break your front
25939end is to make your project known to @value{GDBN} developers and
25940follow development on @email{gdb@@sourceware.org} and
25941@email{gdb-patches@@sourceware.org}.
25942@cindex mailing lists
25943
25944@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
25945@node GDB/MI Output Records
25946@section @sc{gdb/mi} Output Records
25947
25948@menu
25949* GDB/MI Result Records::
25950* GDB/MI Stream Records::
25951* GDB/MI Async Records::
25952* GDB/MI Frame Information::
25953* GDB/MI Thread Information::
25954* GDB/MI Ada Exception Information::
25955@end menu
25956
25957@node GDB/MI Result Records
25958@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Result Records
25959
25960@cindex result records in @sc{gdb/mi}
25961@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, result records
25962In addition to a number of out-of-band notifications, the response to a
25963@sc{gdb/mi} command includes one of the following result indications:
25964
25965@table @code
25966@findex ^done
25967@item "^done" [ "," @var{results} ]
25968The synchronous operation was successful, @code{@var{results}} are the return
25969values.
25970
25971@item "^running"
25972@findex ^running
25973This result record is equivalent to @samp{^done}. Historically, it
25974was output instead of @samp{^done} if the command has resumed the
25975target. This behaviour is maintained for backward compatibility, but
25976all frontends should treat @samp{^done} and @samp{^running}
25977identically and rely on the @samp{*running} output record to determine
25978which threads are resumed.
25979
25980@item "^connected"
25981@findex ^connected
25982@value{GDBN} has connected to a remote target.
25983
25984@item "^error" "," @var{c-string}
25985@findex ^error
25986The operation failed. The @code{@var{c-string}} contains the corresponding
25987error message.
25988
25989@item "^exit"
25990@findex ^exit
25991@value{GDBN} has terminated.
25992
25993@end table
25994
25995@node GDB/MI Stream Records
25996@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Stream Records
25997
25998@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, stream records
25999@cindex stream records in @sc{gdb/mi}
26000@value{GDBN} internally maintains a number of output streams: the console, the
26001target, and the log. The output intended for each of these streams is
26002funneled through the @sc{gdb/mi} interface using @dfn{stream records}.
26003
26004Each stream record begins with a unique @dfn{prefix character} which
26005identifies its stream (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, , @sc{gdb/mi} Output
26006Syntax}). In addition to the prefix, each stream record contains a
26007@code{@var{string-output}}. This is either raw text (with an implicit new
26008line) or a quoted C string (which does not contain an implicit newline).
26009
26010@table @code
26011@item "~" @var{string-output}
26012The console output stream contains text that should be displayed in the
26013CLI console window. It contains the textual responses to CLI commands.
26014
26015@item "@@" @var{string-output}
26016The target output stream contains any textual output from the running
26017target. This is only present when GDB's event loop is truly
26018asynchronous, which is currently only the case for remote targets.
26019
26020@item "&" @var{string-output}
26021The log stream contains debugging messages being produced by @value{GDBN}'s
26022internals.
26023@end table
26024
26025@node GDB/MI Async Records
26026@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Async Records
26027
26028@cindex async records in @sc{gdb/mi}
26029@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, async records
26030@dfn{Async} records are used to notify the @sc{gdb/mi} client of
26031additional changes that have occurred. Those changes can either be a
26032consequence of @sc{gdb/mi} commands (e.g., a breakpoint modified) or a result of
26033target activity (e.g., target stopped).
26034
26035The following is the list of possible async records:
26036
26037@table @code
26038
26039@item *running,thread-id="@var{thread}"
26040The target is now running. The @var{thread} field tells which
26041specific thread is now running, and can be @samp{all} if all threads
26042are running. The frontend should assume that no interaction with a
26043running thread is possible after this notification is produced.
26044The frontend should not assume that this notification is output
26045only once for any command. @value{GDBN} may emit this notification
26046several times, either for different threads, because it cannot resume
26047all threads together, or even for a single thread, if the thread must
26048be stepped though some code before letting it run freely.
26049
26050@item *stopped,reason="@var{reason}",thread-id="@var{id}",stopped-threads="@var{stopped}",core="@var{core}"
26051The target has stopped. The @var{reason} field can have one of the
26052following values:
26053
26054@table @code
26055@item breakpoint-hit
26056A breakpoint was reached.
26057@item watchpoint-trigger
26058A watchpoint was triggered.
26059@item read-watchpoint-trigger
26060A read watchpoint was triggered.
26061@item access-watchpoint-trigger
26062An access watchpoint was triggered.
26063@item function-finished
26064An -exec-finish or similar CLI command was accomplished.
26065@item location-reached
26066An -exec-until or similar CLI command was accomplished.
26067@item watchpoint-scope
26068A watchpoint has gone out of scope.
26069@item end-stepping-range
26070An -exec-next, -exec-next-instruction, -exec-step, -exec-step-instruction or
26071similar CLI command was accomplished.
26072@item exited-signalled
26073The inferior exited because of a signal.
26074@item exited
26075The inferior exited.
26076@item exited-normally
26077The inferior exited normally.
26078@item signal-received
26079A signal was received by the inferior.
26080@end table
26081
26082The @var{id} field identifies the thread that directly caused the stop
26083-- for example by hitting a breakpoint. Depending on whether all-stop
26084mode is in effect (@pxref{All-Stop Mode}), @value{GDBN} may either
26085stop all threads, or only the thread that directly triggered the stop.
26086If all threads are stopped, the @var{stopped} field will have the
26087value of @code{"all"}. Otherwise, the value of the @var{stopped}
26088field will be a list of thread identifiers. Presently, this list will
26089always include a single thread, but frontend should be prepared to see
26090several threads in the list. The @var{core} field reports the
26091processor core on which the stop event has happened. This field may be absent
26092if such information is not available.
26093
26094@item =thread-group-added,id="@var{id}"
26095@itemx =thread-group-removed,id="@var{id}"
26096A thread group was either added or removed. The @var{id} field
26097contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. When a thread
26098group is added, it generally might not be associated with a running
26099process. When a thread group is removed, its id becomes invalid and
26100cannot be used in any way.
26101
26102@item =thread-group-started,id="@var{id}",pid="@var{pid}"
26103A thread group became associated with a running program,
26104either because the program was just started or the thread group
26105was attached to a program. The @var{id} field contains the
26106@value{GDBN} identifier of the thread group. The @var{pid} field
26107contains process identifier, specific to the operating system.
26108
26109@item =thread-group-exited,id="@var{id}"[,exit-code="@var{code}"]
26110A thread group is no longer associated with a running program,
26111either because the program has exited, or because it was detached
26112from. The @var{id} field contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the
26113thread group. @var{code} is the exit code of the inferior; it exists
26114only when the inferior exited with some code.
26115
26116@item =thread-created,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
26117@itemx =thread-exited,id="@var{id}",group-id="@var{gid}"
26118A thread either was created, or has exited. The @var{id} field
26119contains the @value{GDBN} identifier of the thread. The @var{gid}
26120field identifies the thread group this thread belongs to.
26121
26122@item =thread-selected,id="@var{id}"
26123Informs that the selected thread was changed as result of the last
26124command. This notification is not emitted as result of @code{-thread-select}
26125command but is emitted whenever an MI command that is not documented
26126to change the selected thread actually changes it. In particular,
26127invoking, directly or indirectly (via user-defined command), the CLI
26128@code{thread} command, will generate this notification.
26129
26130We suggest that in response to this notification, front ends
26131highlight the selected thread and cause subsequent commands to apply to
26132that thread.
26133
26134@item =library-loaded,...
26135Reports that a new library file was loaded by the program. This
26136notification has 4 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name},
26137@var{host-name}, and @var{symbols-loaded}. The @var{id} field is an
26138opaque identifier of the library. For remote debugging case,
26139@var{target-name} and @var{host-name} fields give the name of the
26140library file on the target, and on the host respectively. For native
26141debugging, both those fields have the same value. The
26142@var{symbols-loaded} field is emitted only for backward compatibility
26143and should not be relied on to convey any useful information. The
26144@var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the thread
26145group in whose context the library was loaded. If the field is
26146absent, it means the library was loaded in the context of all present
26147thread groups.
26148
26149@item =library-unloaded,...
26150Reports that a library was unloaded by the program. This notification
26151has 3 fields---@var{id}, @var{target-name} and @var{host-name} with
26152the same meaning as for the @code{=library-loaded} notification.
26153The @var{thread-group} field, if present, specifies the id of the
26154thread group in whose context the library was unloaded. If the field is
26155absent, it means the library was unloaded in the context of all present
26156thread groups.
26157
26158@item =breakpoint-created,bkpt=@{...@}
26159@itemx =breakpoint-modified,bkpt=@{...@}
26160@itemx =breakpoint-deleted,bkpt=@{...@}
26161Reports that a breakpoint was created, modified, or deleted,
26162respectively. Only user-visible breakpoints are reported to the MI
26163user.
26164
26165The @var{bkpt} argument is of the same form as returned by the various
26166breakpoint commands; @xref{GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands}.
26167
26168Note that if a breakpoint is emitted in the result record of a
26169command, then it will not also be emitted in an async record.
26170
26171@end table
26172
26173@node GDB/MI Frame Information
26174@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Frame Information
26175
26176Response from many MI commands includes an information about stack
26177frame. This information is a tuple that may have the following
26178fields:
26179
26180@table @code
26181@item level
26182The level of the stack frame. The innermost frame has the level of
26183zero. This field is always present.
26184
26185@item func
26186The name of the function corresponding to the frame. This field may
26187be absent if @value{GDBN} is unable to determine the function name.
26188
26189@item addr
26190The code address for the frame. This field is always present.
26191
26192@item file
26193The name of the source files that correspond to the frame's code
26194address. This field may be absent.
26195
26196@item line
26197The source line corresponding to the frames' code address. This field
26198may be absent.
26199
26200@item from
26201The name of the binary file (either executable or shared library) the
26202corresponds to the frame's code address. This field may be absent.
26203
26204@end table
26205
26206@node GDB/MI Thread Information
26207@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Information
26208
26209Whenever @value{GDBN} has to report an information about a thread, it
26210uses a tuple with the following fields:
26211
26212@table @code
26213@item id
26214The numeric id assigned to the thread by @value{GDBN}. This field is
26215always present.
26216
26217@item target-id
26218Target-specific string identifying the thread. This field is always present.
26219
26220@item details
26221Additional information about the thread provided by the target.
26222It is supposed to be human-readable and not interpreted by the
26223frontend. This field is optional.
26224
26225@item state
26226Either @samp{stopped} or @samp{running}, depending on whether the
26227thread is presently running. This field is always present.
26228
26229@item core
26230The value of this field is an integer number of the processor core the
26231thread was last seen on. This field is optional.
26232@end table
26233
26234@node GDB/MI Ada Exception Information
26235@subsection @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Exception Information
26236
26237Whenever a @code{*stopped} record is emitted because the program
26238stopped after hitting an exception catchpoint (@pxref{Set Catchpoints}),
26239@value{GDBN} provides the name of the exception that was raised via
26240the @code{exception-name} field.
26241
26242@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26243@node GDB/MI Simple Examples
26244@section Simple Examples of @sc{gdb/mi} Interaction
26245@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, simple examples
26246
26247This subsection presents several simple examples of interaction using
26248the @sc{gdb/mi} interface. In these examples, @samp{->} means that the
26249following line is passed to @sc{gdb/mi} as input, while @samp{<-} means
26250the output received from @sc{gdb/mi}.
26251
26252Note the line breaks shown in the examples are here only for
26253readability, they don't appear in the real output.
26254
26255@subheading Setting a Breakpoint
26256
26257Setting a breakpoint generates synchronous output which contains detailed
26258information of the breakpoint.
26259
26260@smallexample
26261-> -break-insert main
26262<- ^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26263 enabled="y",addr="0x08048564",func="main",file="myprog.c",
26264 fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68",times="0"@}
26265<- (gdb)
26266@end smallexample
26267
26268@subheading Program Execution
26269
26270Program execution generates asynchronous records and MI gives the
26271reason that execution stopped.
26272
26273@smallexample
26274-> -exec-run
26275<- ^running
26276<- (gdb)
26277<- *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
26278 frame=@{addr="0x08048564",func="main",
26279 args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},@{name="argv",value="0xbfc4d4d4"@}],
26280 file="myprog.c",fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="68"@}
26281<- (gdb)
26282-> -exec-continue
26283<- ^running
26284<- (gdb)
26285<- *stopped,reason="exited-normally"
26286<- (gdb)
26287@end smallexample
26288
26289@subheading Quitting @value{GDBN}
26290
26291Quitting @value{GDBN} just prints the result class @samp{^exit}.
26292
26293@smallexample
26294-> (gdb)
26295<- -gdb-exit
26296<- ^exit
26297@end smallexample
26298
26299Please note that @samp{^exit} is printed immediately, but it might
26300take some time for @value{GDBN} to actually exit. During that time, @value{GDBN}
26301performs necessary cleanups, including killing programs being debugged
26302or disconnecting from debug hardware, so the frontend should wait till
26303@value{GDBN} exits and should only forcibly kill @value{GDBN} if it
26304fails to exit in reasonable time.
26305
26306@subheading A Bad Command
26307
26308Here's what happens if you pass a non-existent command:
26309
26310@smallexample
26311-> -rubbish
26312<- ^error,msg="Undefined MI command: rubbish"
26313<- (gdb)
26314@end smallexample
26315
26316
26317@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26318@node GDB/MI Command Description Format
26319@section @sc{gdb/mi} Command Description Format
26320
26321The remaining sections describe blocks of commands. Each block of
26322commands is laid out in a fashion similar to this section.
26323
26324@subheading Motivation
26325
26326The motivation for this collection of commands.
26327
26328@subheading Introduction
26329
26330A brief introduction to this collection of commands as a whole.
26331
26332@subheading Commands
26333
26334For each command in the block, the following is described:
26335
26336@subsubheading Synopsis
26337
26338@smallexample
26339 -command @var{args}@dots{}
26340@end smallexample
26341
26342@subsubheading Result
26343
26344@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26345
26346The corresponding @value{GDBN} CLI command(s), if any.
26347
26348@subsubheading Example
26349
26350Example(s) formatted for readability. Some of the described commands have
26351not been implemented yet and these are labeled N.A.@: (not available).
26352
26353
26354@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26355@node GDB/MI Breakpoint Commands
26356@section @sc{gdb/mi} Breakpoint Commands
26357
26358@cindex breakpoint commands for @sc{gdb/mi}
26359@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, breakpoint commands
26360This section documents @sc{gdb/mi} commands for manipulating
26361breakpoints.
26362
26363@subheading The @code{-break-after} Command
26364@findex -break-after
26365
26366@subsubheading Synopsis
26367
26368@smallexample
26369 -break-after @var{number} @var{count}
26370@end smallexample
26371
26372The breakpoint number @var{number} is not in effect until it has been
26373hit @var{count} times. To see how this is reflected in the output of
26374the @samp{-break-list} command, see the description of the
26375@samp{-break-list} command below.
26376
26377@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26378
26379The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ignore}.
26380
26381@subsubheading Example
26382
26383@smallexample
26384(gdb)
26385-break-insert main
26386^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26387enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
26388fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",times="0"@}
26389(gdb)
26390-break-after 1 3
26391~
26392^done
26393(gdb)
26394-break-list
26395^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26396hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26397@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26398@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26399@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26400@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26401@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26402body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26403addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26404line="5",times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
26405(gdb)
26406@end smallexample
26407
26408@ignore
26409@subheading The @code{-break-catch} Command
26410@findex -break-catch
26411@end ignore
26412
26413@subheading The @code{-break-commands} Command
26414@findex -break-commands
26415
26416@subsubheading Synopsis
26417
26418@smallexample
26419 -break-commands @var{number} [ @var{command1} ... @var{commandN} ]
26420@end smallexample
26421
26422Specifies the CLI commands that should be executed when breakpoint
26423@var{number} is hit. The parameters @var{command1} to @var{commandN}
26424are the commands. If no command is specified, any previously-set
26425commands are cleared. @xref{Break Commands}. Typical use of this
26426functionality is tracing a program, that is, printing of values of
26427some variables whenever breakpoint is hit and then continuing.
26428
26429@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26430
26431The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{commands}.
26432
26433@subsubheading Example
26434
26435@smallexample
26436(gdb)
26437-break-insert main
26438^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",
26439enabled="y",addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",
26440fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",line="5",times="0"@}
26441(gdb)
26442-break-commands 1 "print v" "continue"
26443^done
26444(gdb)
26445@end smallexample
26446
26447@subheading The @code{-break-condition} Command
26448@findex -break-condition
26449
26450@subsubheading Synopsis
26451
26452@smallexample
26453 -break-condition @var{number} @var{expr}
26454@end smallexample
26455
26456Breakpoint @var{number} will stop the program only if the condition in
26457@var{expr} is true. The condition becomes part of the
26458@samp{-break-list} output (see the description of the @samp{-break-list}
26459command below).
26460
26461@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26462
26463The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{condition}.
26464
26465@subsubheading Example
26466
26467@smallexample
26468(gdb)
26469-break-condition 1 1
26470^done
26471(gdb)
26472-break-list
26473^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26474hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26475@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26476@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26477@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26478@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26479@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26480body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26481addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26482line="5",cond="1",times="0",ignore="3"@}]@}
26483(gdb)
26484@end smallexample
26485
26486@subheading The @code{-break-delete} Command
26487@findex -break-delete
26488
26489@subsubheading Synopsis
26490
26491@smallexample
26492 -break-delete ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26493@end smallexample
26494
26495Delete the breakpoint(s) whose number(s) are specified in the argument
26496list. This is obviously reflected in the breakpoint list.
26497
26498@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26499
26500The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{delete}.
26501
26502@subsubheading Example
26503
26504@smallexample
26505(gdb)
26506-break-delete 1
26507^done
26508(gdb)
26509-break-list
26510^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
26511hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26512@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26513@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26514@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26515@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26516@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26517body=[]@}
26518(gdb)
26519@end smallexample
26520
26521@subheading The @code{-break-disable} Command
26522@findex -break-disable
26523
26524@subsubheading Synopsis
26525
26526@smallexample
26527 -break-disable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26528@end smallexample
26529
26530Disable the named @var{breakpoint}(s). The field @samp{enabled} in the
26531break list is now set to @samp{n} for the named @var{breakpoint}(s).
26532
26533@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26534
26535The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disable}.
26536
26537@subsubheading Example
26538
26539@smallexample
26540(gdb)
26541-break-disable 2
26542^done
26543(gdb)
26544-break-list
26545^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26546hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26547@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26548@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26549@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26550@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26551@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26552body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="n",
26553addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26554line="5",times="0"@}]@}
26555(gdb)
26556@end smallexample
26557
26558@subheading The @code{-break-enable} Command
26559@findex -break-enable
26560
26561@subsubheading Synopsis
26562
26563@smallexample
26564 -break-enable ( @var{breakpoint} )+
26565@end smallexample
26566
26567Enable (previously disabled) @var{breakpoint}(s).
26568
26569@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26570
26571The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{enable}.
26572
26573@subsubheading Example
26574
26575@smallexample
26576(gdb)
26577-break-enable 2
26578^done
26579(gdb)
26580-break-list
26581^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26582hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26583@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26584@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26585@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26586@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26587@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26588body=[bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26589addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26590line="5",times="0"@}]@}
26591(gdb)
26592@end smallexample
26593
26594@subheading The @code{-break-info} Command
26595@findex -break-info
26596
26597@subsubheading Synopsis
26598
26599@smallexample
26600 -break-info @var{breakpoint}
26601@end smallexample
26602
26603@c REDUNDANT???
26604Get information about a single breakpoint.
26605
26606@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26607
26608The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break @var{breakpoint}}.
26609
26610@subsubheading Example
26611N.A.
26612
26613@subheading The @code{-break-insert} Command
26614@findex -break-insert
26615
26616@subsubheading Synopsis
26617
26618@smallexample
26619 -break-insert [ -t ] [ -h ] [ -f ] [ -d ] [ -a ]
26620 [ -c @var{condition} ] [ -i @var{ignore-count} ]
26621 [ -p @var{thread} ] [ @var{location} ]
26622@end smallexample
26623
26624@noindent
26625If specified, @var{location}, can be one of:
26626
26627@itemize @bullet
26628@item function
26629@c @item +offset
26630@c @item -offset
26631@c @item linenum
26632@item filename:linenum
26633@item filename:function
26634@item *address
26635@end itemize
26636
26637The possible optional parameters of this command are:
26638
26639@table @samp
26640@item -t
26641Insert a temporary breakpoint.
26642@item -h
26643Insert a hardware breakpoint.
26644@item -c @var{condition}
26645Make the breakpoint conditional on @var{condition}.
26646@item -i @var{ignore-count}
26647Initialize the @var{ignore-count}.
26648@item -f
26649If @var{location} cannot be parsed (for example if it
26650refers to unknown files or functions), create a pending
26651breakpoint. Without this flag, @value{GDBN} will report
26652an error, and won't create a breakpoint, if @var{location}
26653cannot be parsed.
26654@item -d
26655Create a disabled breakpoint.
26656@item -a
26657Create a tracepoint. @xref{Tracepoints}. When this parameter
26658is used together with @samp{-h}, a fast tracepoint is created.
26659@end table
26660
26661@subsubheading Result
26662
26663The result is in the form:
26664
26665@smallexample
26666^done,bkpt=@{number="@var{number}",type="@var{type}",disp="del"|"keep",
26667enabled="y"|"n",addr="@var{hex}",func="@var{funcname}",file="@var{filename}",
26668fullname="@var{full_filename}",line="@var{lineno}",[thread="@var{threadno},]
26669times="@var{times}"@}
26670@end smallexample
26671
26672@noindent
26673where @var{number} is the @value{GDBN} number for this breakpoint,
26674@var{funcname} is the name of the function where the breakpoint was
26675inserted, @var{filename} is the name of the source file which contains
26676this function, @var{lineno} is the source line number within that file
26677and @var{times} the number of times that the breakpoint has been hit
26678(always 0 for -break-insert but may be greater for -break-info or -break-list
26679which use the same output).
26680
26681Note: this format is open to change.
26682@c An out-of-band breakpoint instead of part of the result?
26683
26684@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26685
26686The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{break}, @samp{tbreak},
26687@samp{hbreak}, @samp{thbreak}, and @samp{rbreak}.
26688
26689@subsubheading Example
26690
26691@smallexample
26692(gdb)
26693-break-insert main
26694^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",
26695fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="4",times="0"@}
26696(gdb)
26697-break-insert -t foo
26698^done,bkpt=@{number="2",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c",
26699fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,line="11",times="0"@}
26700(gdb)
26701-break-list
26702^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26703hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26704@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26705@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26706@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26707@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26708@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26709body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26710addr="0x0001072c", func="main",file="recursive2.c",
26711fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c,"line="4",times="0"@},
26712bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="del",enabled="y",
26713addr="0x00010774",func="foo",file="recursive2.c",
26714fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",times="0"@}]@}
26715(gdb)
26716-break-insert -r foo.*
26717~int foo(int, int);
26718^done,bkpt=@{number="3",addr="0x00010774",file="recursive2.c,
26719"fullname="/home/foo/recursive2.c",line="11",times="0"@}
26720(gdb)
26721@end smallexample
26722
26723@subheading The @code{-break-list} Command
26724@findex -break-list
26725
26726@subsubheading Synopsis
26727
26728@smallexample
26729 -break-list
26730@end smallexample
26731
26732Displays the list of inserted breakpoints, showing the following fields:
26733
26734@table @samp
26735@item Number
26736number of the breakpoint
26737@item Type
26738type of the breakpoint: @samp{breakpoint} or @samp{watchpoint}
26739@item Disposition
26740should the breakpoint be deleted or disabled when it is hit: @samp{keep}
26741or @samp{nokeep}
26742@item Enabled
26743is the breakpoint enabled or no: @samp{y} or @samp{n}
26744@item Address
26745memory location at which the breakpoint is set
26746@item What
26747logical location of the breakpoint, expressed by function name, file
26748name, line number
26749@item Times
26750number of times the breakpoint has been hit
26751@end table
26752
26753If there are no breakpoints or watchpoints, the @code{BreakpointTable}
26754@code{body} field is an empty list.
26755
26756@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26757
26758The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info break}.
26759
26760@subsubheading Example
26761
26762@smallexample
26763(gdb)
26764-break-list
26765^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26766hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26767@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26768@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26769@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26770@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26771@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26772body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26773addr="0x000100d0",func="main",file="hello.c",line="5",times="0"@},
26774bkpt=@{number="2",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26775addr="0x00010114",func="foo",file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/hello.c",
26776line="13",times="0"@}]@}
26777(gdb)
26778@end smallexample
26779
26780Here's an example of the result when there are no breakpoints:
26781
26782@smallexample
26783(gdb)
26784-break-list
26785^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="0",nr_cols="6",
26786hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26787@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26788@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26789@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26790@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26791@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26792body=[]@}
26793(gdb)
26794@end smallexample
26795
26796@subheading The @code{-break-passcount} Command
26797@findex -break-passcount
26798
26799@subsubheading Synopsis
26800
26801@smallexample
26802 -break-passcount @var{tracepoint-number} @var{passcount}
26803@end smallexample
26804
26805Set the passcount for tracepoint @var{tracepoint-number} to
26806@var{passcount}. If the breakpoint referred to by @var{tracepoint-number}
26807is not a tracepoint, error is emitted. This corresponds to CLI
26808command @samp{passcount}.
26809
26810@subheading The @code{-break-watch} Command
26811@findex -break-watch
26812
26813@subsubheading Synopsis
26814
26815@smallexample
26816 -break-watch [ -a | -r ]
26817@end smallexample
26818
26819Create a watchpoint. With the @samp{-a} option it will create an
26820@dfn{access} watchpoint, i.e., a watchpoint that triggers either on a
26821read from or on a write to the memory location. With the @samp{-r}
26822option, the watchpoint created is a @dfn{read} watchpoint, i.e., it will
26823trigger only when the memory location is accessed for reading. Without
26824either of the options, the watchpoint created is a regular watchpoint,
26825i.e., it will trigger when the memory location is accessed for writing.
26826@xref{Set Watchpoints, , Setting Watchpoints}.
26827
26828Note that @samp{-break-list} will report a single list of watchpoints and
26829breakpoints inserted.
26830
26831@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26832
26833The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{watch}, @samp{awatch}, and
26834@samp{rwatch}.
26835
26836@subsubheading Example
26837
26838Setting a watchpoint on a variable in the @code{main} function:
26839
26840@smallexample
26841(gdb)
26842-break-watch x
26843^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@}
26844(gdb)
26845-exec-continue
26846^running
26847(gdb)
26848*stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="x"@},
26849value=@{old="-268439212",new="55"@},
26850frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
26851fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="5"@}
26852(gdb)
26853@end smallexample
26854
26855Setting a watchpoint on a variable local to a function. @value{GDBN} will stop
26856the program execution twice: first for the variable changing value, then
26857for the watchpoint going out of scope.
26858
26859@smallexample
26860(gdb)
26861-break-watch C
26862^done,wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@}
26863(gdb)
26864-exec-continue
26865^running
26866(gdb)
26867*stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",
26868wpt=@{number="5",exp="C"@},value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
26869frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
26870file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
26871fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
26872(gdb)
26873-exec-continue
26874^running
26875(gdb)
26876*stopped,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="5",
26877frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
26878value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
26879file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
26880fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
26881(gdb)
26882@end smallexample
26883
26884Listing breakpoints and watchpoints, at different points in the program
26885execution. Note that once the watchpoint goes out of scope, it is
26886deleted.
26887
26888@smallexample
26889(gdb)
26890-break-watch C
26891^done,wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@}
26892(gdb)
26893-break-list
26894^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26895hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26896@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26897@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26898@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26899@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26900@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26901body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26902addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
26903file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
26904fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c"line="8",times="1"@},
26905bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
26906enabled="y",addr="",what="C",times="0"@}]@}
26907(gdb)
26908-exec-continue
26909^running
26910(gdb)
26911*stopped,reason="watchpoint-trigger",wpt=@{number="2",exp="C"@},
26912value=@{old="-276895068",new="3"@},
26913frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
26914file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
26915fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="13"@}
26916(gdb)
26917-break-list
26918^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="2",nr_cols="6",
26919hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26920@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26921@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26922@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26923@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26924@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26925body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26926addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
26927file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
26928fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",times="1"@},
26929bkpt=@{number="2",type="watchpoint",disp="keep",
26930enabled="y",addr="",what="C",times="-5"@}]@}
26931(gdb)
26932-exec-continue
26933^running
26934^done,reason="watchpoint-scope",wpnum="2",
26935frame=@{func="callee3",args=[@{name="strarg",
26936value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
26937file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
26938fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
26939(gdb)
26940-break-list
26941^done,BreakpointTable=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="6",
26942hdr=[@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="number",colhdr="Num"@},
26943@{width="14",alignment="-1",col_name="type",colhdr="Type"@},
26944@{width="4",alignment="-1",col_name="disp",colhdr="Disp"@},
26945@{width="3",alignment="-1",col_name="enabled",colhdr="Enb"@},
26946@{width="10",alignment="-1",col_name="addr",colhdr="Address"@},
26947@{width="40",alignment="2",col_name="what",colhdr="What"@}],
26948body=[bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
26949addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
26950file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
26951fullname="/home/foo/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8",
26952times="1"@}]@}
26953(gdb)
26954@end smallexample
26955
26956@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
26957@node GDB/MI Program Context
26958@section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Context
26959
26960@subheading The @code{-exec-arguments} Command
26961@findex -exec-arguments
26962
26963
26964@subsubheading Synopsis
26965
26966@smallexample
26967 -exec-arguments @var{args}
26968@end smallexample
26969
26970Set the inferior program arguments, to be used in the next
26971@samp{-exec-run}.
26972
26973@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
26974
26975The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set args}.
26976
26977@subsubheading Example
26978
26979@smallexample
26980(gdb)
26981-exec-arguments -v word
26982^done
26983(gdb)
26984@end smallexample
26985
26986
26987@ignore
26988@subheading The @code{-exec-show-arguments} Command
26989@findex -exec-show-arguments
26990
26991@subsubheading Synopsis
26992
26993@smallexample
26994 -exec-show-arguments
26995@end smallexample
26996
26997Print the arguments of the program.
26998
26999@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27000
27001The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show args}.
27002
27003@subsubheading Example
27004N.A.
27005@end ignore
27006
27007
27008@subheading The @code{-environment-cd} Command
27009@findex -environment-cd
27010
27011@subsubheading Synopsis
27012
27013@smallexample
27014 -environment-cd @var{pathdir}
27015@end smallexample
27016
27017Set @value{GDBN}'s working directory.
27018
27019@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27020
27021The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{cd}.
27022
27023@subsubheading Example
27024
27025@smallexample
27026(gdb)
27027-environment-cd /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
27028^done
27029(gdb)
27030@end smallexample
27031
27032
27033@subheading The @code{-environment-directory} Command
27034@findex -environment-directory
27035
27036@subsubheading Synopsis
27037
27038@smallexample
27039 -environment-directory [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
27040@end smallexample
27041
27042Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for source files.
27043If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the default
27044search path. If directories @var{pathdir} are supplied in addition to the
27045@samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
27046occurs as normal.
27047Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
27048multiple directories in a single command
27049results in the directories added to the beginning of the
27050search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
27051If blanks are needed as
27052part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
27053the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
27054by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
27055character must not be used
27056in any directory name.
27057If no directories are specified, the current search path is displayed.
27058
27059@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27060
27061The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{dir}.
27062
27063@subsubheading Example
27064
27065@smallexample
27066(gdb)
27067-environment-directory /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb
27068^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
27069(gdb)
27070-environment-directory ""
27071^done,source-path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb:$cdir:$cwd"
27072(gdb)
27073-environment-directory -r /home/jjohnstn/src/gdb /usr/src
27074^done,source-path="/home/jjohnstn/src/gdb:/usr/src:$cdir:$cwd"
27075(gdb)
27076-environment-directory -r
27077^done,source-path="$cdir:$cwd"
27078(gdb)
27079@end smallexample
27080
27081
27082@subheading The @code{-environment-path} Command
27083@findex -environment-path
27084
27085@subsubheading Synopsis
27086
27087@smallexample
27088 -environment-path [ -r ] [ @var{pathdir} ]+
27089@end smallexample
27090
27091Add directories @var{pathdir} to beginning of search path for object files.
27092If the @samp{-r} option is used, the search path is reset to the original
27093search path that existed at gdb start-up. If directories @var{pathdir} are
27094supplied in addition to the
27095@samp{-r} option, the search path is first reset and then addition
27096occurs as normal.
27097Multiple directories may be specified, separated by blanks. Specifying
27098multiple directories in a single command
27099results in the directories added to the beginning of the
27100search path in the same order they were presented in the command.
27101If blanks are needed as
27102part of a directory name, double-quotes should be used around
27103the name. In the command output, the path will show up separated
27104by the system directory-separator character. The directory-separator
27105character must not be used
27106in any directory name.
27107If no directories are specified, the current path is displayed.
27108
27109
27110@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27111
27112The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{path}.
27113
27114@subsubheading Example
27115
27116@smallexample
27117(gdb)
27118-environment-path
27119^done,path="/usr/bin"
27120(gdb)
27121-environment-path /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb /bin
27122^done,path="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/ppc-eabi/gdb:/bin:/usr/bin"
27123(gdb)
27124-environment-path -r /usr/local/bin
27125^done,path="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin"
27126(gdb)
27127@end smallexample
27128
27129
27130@subheading The @code{-environment-pwd} Command
27131@findex -environment-pwd
27132
27133@subsubheading Synopsis
27134
27135@smallexample
27136 -environment-pwd
27137@end smallexample
27138
27139Show the current working directory.
27140
27141@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27142
27143The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{pwd}.
27144
27145@subsubheading Example
27146
27147@smallexample
27148(gdb)
27149-environment-pwd
27150^done,cwd="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb"
27151(gdb)
27152@end smallexample
27153
27154@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27155@node GDB/MI Thread Commands
27156@section @sc{gdb/mi} Thread Commands
27157
27158
27159@subheading The @code{-thread-info} Command
27160@findex -thread-info
27161
27162@subsubheading Synopsis
27163
27164@smallexample
27165 -thread-info [ @var{thread-id} ]
27166@end smallexample
27167
27168Reports information about either a specific thread, if
27169the @var{thread-id} parameter is present, or about all
27170threads. When printing information about all threads,
27171also reports the current thread.
27172
27173@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27174
27175The @samp{info thread} command prints the same information
27176about all threads.
27177
27178@subsubheading Result
27179
27180The result is a list of threads. The following attributes are
27181defined for a given thread:
27182
27183@table @samp
27184@item current
27185This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
27186
27187@item id
27188The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the thread.
27189
27190@item target-id
27191The identifier that the target uses to refer to the thread.
27192
27193@item details
27194Extra information about the thread, in a target-specific format. This
27195field is optional.
27196
27197@item name
27198The name of the thread. If the user specified a name using the
27199@code{thread name} command, then this name is given. Otherwise, if
27200@value{GDBN} can extract the thread name from the target, then that
27201name is given. If @value{GDBN} cannot find the thread name, then this
27202field is omitted.
27203
27204@item frame
27205The stack frame currently executing in the thread.
27206
27207@item state
27208The thread's state. The @samp{state} field may have the following
27209values:
27210
27211@table @code
27212@item stopped
27213The thread is stopped. Frame information is available for stopped
27214threads.
27215
27216@item running
27217The thread is running. There's no frame information for running
27218threads.
27219
27220@end table
27221
27222@item core
27223If @value{GDBN} can find the CPU core on which this thread is running,
27224then this field is the core identifier. This field is optional.
27225
27226@end table
27227
27228@subsubheading Example
27229
27230@smallexample
27231-thread-info
27232^done,threads=[
27233@{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
27234 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",
27235 args=[]@},state="running"@},
27236@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
27237 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",
27238 args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
27239 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},
27240 state="running"@}],
27241current-thread-id="1"
27242(gdb)
27243@end smallexample
27244
27245@subheading The @code{-thread-list-ids} Command
27246@findex -thread-list-ids
27247
27248@subsubheading Synopsis
27249
27250@smallexample
27251 -thread-list-ids
27252@end smallexample
27253
27254Produces a list of the currently known @value{GDBN} thread ids. At the
27255end of the list it also prints the total number of such threads.
27256
27257This command is retained for historical reasons, the
27258@code{-thread-info} command should be used instead.
27259
27260@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27261
27262Part of @samp{info threads} supplies the same information.
27263
27264@subsubheading Example
27265
27266@smallexample
27267(gdb)
27268-thread-list-ids
27269^done,thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
27270current-thread-id="1",number-of-threads="3"
27271(gdb)
27272@end smallexample
27273
27274
27275@subheading The @code{-thread-select} Command
27276@findex -thread-select
27277
27278@subsubheading Synopsis
27279
27280@smallexample
27281 -thread-select @var{threadnum}
27282@end smallexample
27283
27284Make @var{threadnum} the current thread. It prints the number of the new
27285current thread, and the topmost frame for that thread.
27286
27287This command is deprecated in favor of explicitly using the
27288@samp{--thread} option to each command.
27289
27290@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27291
27292The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{thread}.
27293
27294@subsubheading Example
27295
27296@smallexample
27297(gdb)
27298-exec-next
27299^running
27300(gdb)
27301*stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",thread-id="2",line="187",
27302file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.threads/linux-dp.c"
27303(gdb)
27304-thread-list-ids
27305^done,
27306thread-ids=@{thread-id="3",thread-id="2",thread-id="1"@},
27307number-of-threads="3"
27308(gdb)
27309-thread-select 3
27310^done,new-thread-id="3",
27311frame=@{level="0",func="vprintf",
27312args=[@{name="format",value="0x8048e9c \"%*s%c %d %c\\n\""@},
27313@{name="arg",value="0x2"@}],file="vprintf.c",line="31"@}
27314(gdb)
27315@end smallexample
27316
27317@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27318@node GDB/MI Ada Tasking Commands
27319@section @sc{gdb/mi} Ada Tasking Commands
27320
27321@subheading The @code{-ada-task-info} Command
27322@findex -ada-task-info
27323
27324@subsubheading Synopsis
27325
27326@smallexample
27327 -ada-task-info [ @var{task-id} ]
27328@end smallexample
27329
27330Reports information about either a specific Ada task, if the
27331@var{task-id} parameter is present, or about all Ada tasks.
27332
27333@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27334
27335The @samp{info tasks} command prints the same information
27336about all Ada tasks (@pxref{Ada Tasks}).
27337
27338@subsubheading Result
27339
27340The result is a table of Ada tasks. The following columns are
27341defined for each Ada task:
27342
27343@table @samp
27344@item current
27345This field exists only for the current thread. It has the value @samp{*}.
27346
27347@item id
27348The identifier that @value{GDBN} uses to refer to the Ada task.
27349
27350@item task-id
27351The identifier that the target uses to refer to the Ada task.
27352
27353@item thread-id
27354The identifier of the thread corresponding to the Ada task.
27355
27356This field should always exist, as Ada tasks are always implemented
27357on top of a thread. But if @value{GDBN} cannot find this corresponding
27358thread for any reason, the field is omitted.
27359
27360@item parent-id
27361This field exists only when the task was created by another task.
27362In this case, it provides the ID of the parent task.
27363
27364@item priority
27365The base priority of the task.
27366
27367@item state
27368The current state of the task. For a detailed description of the
27369possible states, see @ref{Ada Tasks}.
27370
27371@item name
27372The name of the task.
27373
27374@end table
27375
27376@subsubheading Example
27377
27378@smallexample
27379-ada-task-info
27380^done,tasks=@{nr_rows="3",nr_cols="8",
27381hdr=[@{width="1",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr=""@},
27382@{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="id",colhdr="ID"@},
27383@{width="9",alignment="1",col_name="task-id",colhdr="TID"@},
27384@{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="thread-id",colhdr=""@},
27385@{width="4",alignment="1",col_name="parent-id",colhdr="P-ID"@},
27386@{width="3",alignment="1",col_name="priority",colhdr="Pri"@},
27387@{width="22",alignment="-1",col_name="state",colhdr="State"@},
27388@{width="1",alignment="2",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@}],
27389body=[@{current="*",id="1",task-id=" 644010",thread-id="1",priority="48",
27390state="Child Termination Wait",name="main_task"@}]@}
27391(gdb)
27392@end smallexample
27393
27394@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27395@node GDB/MI Program Execution
27396@section @sc{gdb/mi} Program Execution
27397
27398These are the asynchronous commands which generate the out-of-band
27399record @samp{*stopped}. Currently @value{GDBN} only really executes
27400asynchronously with remote targets and this interaction is mimicked in
27401other cases.
27402
27403@subheading The @code{-exec-continue} Command
27404@findex -exec-continue
27405
27406@subsubheading Synopsis
27407
27408@smallexample
27409 -exec-continue [--reverse] [--all|--thread-group N]
27410@end smallexample
27411
27412Resumes the execution of the inferior program, which will continue
27413to execute until it reaches a debugger stop event. If the
27414@samp{--reverse} option is specified, execution resumes in reverse until
27415it reaches a stop event. Stop events may include
27416@itemize @bullet
27417@item
27418breakpoints or watchpoints
27419@item
27420signals or exceptions
27421@item
27422the end of the process (or its beginning under @samp{--reverse})
27423@item
27424the end or beginning of a replay log if one is being used.
27425@end itemize
27426In all-stop mode (@pxref{All-Stop
27427Mode}), may resume only one thread, or all threads, depending on the
27428value of the @samp{scheduler-locking} variable. If @samp{--all} is
27429specified, all threads (in all inferiors) will be resumed. The @samp{--all} option is
27430ignored in all-stop mode. If the @samp{--thread-group} options is
27431specified, then all threads in that thread group are resumed.
27432
27433@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27434
27435The corresponding @value{GDBN} corresponding is @samp{continue}.
27436
27437@subsubheading Example
27438
27439@smallexample
27440-exec-continue
27441^running
27442(gdb)
27443@@Hello world
27444*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="2",frame=@{
27445func="foo",args=[],file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",
27446line="13"@}
27447(gdb)
27448@end smallexample
27449
27450
27451@subheading The @code{-exec-finish} Command
27452@findex -exec-finish
27453
27454@subsubheading Synopsis
27455
27456@smallexample
27457 -exec-finish [--reverse]
27458@end smallexample
27459
27460Resumes the execution of the inferior program until the current
27461function is exited. Displays the results returned by the function.
27462If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes the reverse
27463execution of the inferior program until the point where current
27464function was called.
27465
27466@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27467
27468The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{finish}.
27469
27470@subsubheading Example
27471
27472Function returning @code{void}.
27473
27474@smallexample
27475-exec-finish
27476^running
27477(gdb)
27478@@hello from foo
27479*stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
27480file="hello.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/hello.c",line="7"@}
27481(gdb)
27482@end smallexample
27483
27484Function returning other than @code{void}. The name of the internal
27485@value{GDBN} variable storing the result is printed, together with the
27486value itself.
27487
27488@smallexample
27489-exec-finish
27490^running
27491(gdb)
27492*stopped,reason="function-finished",frame=@{addr="0x000107b0",func="foo",
27493args=[@{name="a",value="1"],@{name="b",value="9"@}@},
27494file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
27495gdb-result-var="$1",return-value="0"
27496(gdb)
27497@end smallexample
27498
27499
27500@subheading The @code{-exec-interrupt} Command
27501@findex -exec-interrupt
27502
27503@subsubheading Synopsis
27504
27505@smallexample
27506 -exec-interrupt [--all|--thread-group N]
27507@end smallexample
27508
27509Interrupts the background execution of the target. Note how the token
27510associated with the stop message is the one for the execution command
27511that has been interrupted. The token for the interrupt itself only
27512appears in the @samp{^done} output. If the user is trying to
27513interrupt a non-running program, an error message will be printed.
27514
27515Note that when asynchronous execution is enabled, this command is
27516asynchronous just like other execution commands. That is, first the
27517@samp{^done} response will be printed, and the target stop will be
27518reported after that using the @samp{*stopped} notification.
27519
27520In non-stop mode, only the context thread is interrupted by default.
27521All threads (in all inferiors) will be interrupted if the
27522@samp{--all} option is specified. If the @samp{--thread-group}
27523option is specified, all threads in that group will be interrupted.
27524
27525@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27526
27527The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interrupt}.
27528
27529@subsubheading Example
27530
27531@smallexample
27532(gdb)
27533111-exec-continue
27534111^running
27535
27536(gdb)
27537222-exec-interrupt
27538222^done
27539(gdb)
27540111*stopped,signal-name="SIGINT",signal-meaning="Interrupt",
27541frame=@{addr="0x00010140",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
27542fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="13"@}
27543(gdb)
27544
27545(gdb)
27546-exec-interrupt
27547^error,msg="mi_cmd_exec_interrupt: Inferior not executing."
27548(gdb)
27549@end smallexample
27550
27551@subheading The @code{-exec-jump} Command
27552@findex -exec-jump
27553
27554@subsubheading Synopsis
27555
27556@smallexample
27557 -exec-jump @var{location}
27558@end smallexample
27559
27560Resumes execution of the inferior program at the location specified by
27561parameter. @xref{Specify Location}, for a description of the
27562different forms of @var{location}.
27563
27564@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27565
27566The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{jump}.
27567
27568@subsubheading Example
27569
27570@smallexample
27571-exec-jump foo.c:10
27572*running,thread-id="all"
27573^running
27574@end smallexample
27575
27576
27577@subheading The @code{-exec-next} Command
27578@findex -exec-next
27579
27580@subsubheading Synopsis
27581
27582@smallexample
27583 -exec-next [--reverse]
27584@end smallexample
27585
27586Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
27587of the next source line is reached.
27588
27589If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
27590of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the previous
27591source line. If you issue this command on the first line of a
27592function, it will take you back to the caller of that function, to the
27593source line where the function was called.
27594
27595
27596@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27597
27598The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{next}.
27599
27600@subsubheading Example
27601
27602@smallexample
27603-exec-next
27604^running
27605(gdb)
27606*stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="8",file="hello.c"
27607(gdb)
27608@end smallexample
27609
27610
27611@subheading The @code{-exec-next-instruction} Command
27612@findex -exec-next-instruction
27613
27614@subsubheading Synopsis
27615
27616@smallexample
27617 -exec-next-instruction [--reverse]
27618@end smallexample
27619
27620Executes one machine instruction. If the instruction is a function
27621call, continues until the function returns. If the program stops at an
27622instruction in the middle of a source line, the address will be
27623printed as well.
27624
27625If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution
27626of the inferior program, stopping at the previous instruction. If the
27627previously executed instruction was a return from another function,
27628it will continue to execute in reverse until the call to that function
27629(from the current stack frame) is reached.
27630
27631@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27632
27633The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{nexti}.
27634
27635@subsubheading Example
27636
27637@smallexample
27638(gdb)
27639-exec-next-instruction
27640^running
27641
27642(gdb)
27643*stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
27644addr="0x000100d4",line="5",file="hello.c"
27645(gdb)
27646@end smallexample
27647
27648
27649@subheading The @code{-exec-return} Command
27650@findex -exec-return
27651
27652@subsubheading Synopsis
27653
27654@smallexample
27655 -exec-return
27656@end smallexample
27657
27658Makes current function return immediately. Doesn't execute the inferior.
27659Displays the new current frame.
27660
27661@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27662
27663The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{return}.
27664
27665@subsubheading Example
27666
27667@smallexample
27668(gdb)
27669200-break-insert callee4
27670200^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x00010734",
27671file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
27672(gdb)
27673000-exec-run
27674000^running
27675(gdb)
27676000*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
27677frame=@{func="callee4",args=[],
27678file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27679fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@}
27680(gdb)
27681205-break-delete
27682205^done
27683(gdb)
27684111-exec-return
27685111^done,frame=@{level="0",func="callee3",
27686args=[@{name="strarg",
27687value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}],
27688file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27689fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="18"@}
27690(gdb)
27691@end smallexample
27692
27693
27694@subheading The @code{-exec-run} Command
27695@findex -exec-run
27696
27697@subsubheading Synopsis
27698
27699@smallexample
27700 -exec-run [--all | --thread-group N]
27701@end smallexample
27702
27703Starts execution of the inferior from the beginning. The inferior
27704executes until either a breakpoint is encountered or the program
27705exits. In the latter case the output will include an exit code, if
27706the program has exited exceptionally.
27707
27708When no option is specified, the current inferior is started. If the
27709@samp{--thread-group} option is specified, it should refer to a thread
27710group of type @samp{process}, and that thread group will be started.
27711If the @samp{--all} option is specified, then all inferiors will be started.
27712
27713@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27714
27715The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{run}.
27716
27717@subsubheading Examples
27718
27719@smallexample
27720(gdb)
27721-break-insert main
27722^done,bkpt=@{number="1",addr="0x0001072c",file="recursive2.c",line="4"@}
27723(gdb)
27724-exec-run
27725^running
27726(gdb)
27727*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",
27728frame=@{func="main",args=[],file="recursive2.c",
27729fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}
27730(gdb)
27731@end smallexample
27732
27733@noindent
27734Program exited normally:
27735
27736@smallexample
27737(gdb)
27738-exec-run
27739^running
27740(gdb)
27741x = 55
27742*stopped,reason="exited-normally"
27743(gdb)
27744@end smallexample
27745
27746@noindent
27747Program exited exceptionally:
27748
27749@smallexample
27750(gdb)
27751-exec-run
27752^running
27753(gdb)
27754x = 55
27755*stopped,reason="exited",exit-code="01"
27756(gdb)
27757@end smallexample
27758
27759Another way the program can terminate is if it receives a signal such as
27760@code{SIGINT}. In this case, @sc{gdb/mi} displays this:
27761
27762@smallexample
27763(gdb)
27764*stopped,reason="exited-signalled",signal-name="SIGINT",
27765signal-meaning="Interrupt"
27766@end smallexample
27767
27768
27769@c @subheading -exec-signal
27770
27771
27772@subheading The @code{-exec-step} Command
27773@findex -exec-step
27774
27775@subsubheading Synopsis
27776
27777@smallexample
27778 -exec-step [--reverse]
27779@end smallexample
27780
27781Resumes execution of the inferior program, stopping when the beginning
27782of the next source line is reached, if the next source line is not a
27783function call. If it is, stop at the first instruction of the called
27784function. If the @samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse
27785execution of the inferior program, stopping at the beginning of the
27786previously executed source line.
27787
27788@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27789
27790The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{step}.
27791
27792@subsubheading Example
27793
27794Stepping into a function:
27795
27796@smallexample
27797-exec-step
27798^running
27799(gdb)
27800*stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
27801frame=@{func="foo",args=[@{name="a",value="10"@},
27802@{name="b",value="0"@}],file="recursive2.c",
27803fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@}
27804(gdb)
27805@end smallexample
27806
27807Regular stepping:
27808
27809@smallexample
27810-exec-step
27811^running
27812(gdb)
27813*stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",line="14",file="recursive2.c"
27814(gdb)
27815@end smallexample
27816
27817
27818@subheading The @code{-exec-step-instruction} Command
27819@findex -exec-step-instruction
27820
27821@subsubheading Synopsis
27822
27823@smallexample
27824 -exec-step-instruction [--reverse]
27825@end smallexample
27826
27827Resumes the inferior which executes one machine instruction. If the
27828@samp{--reverse} option is specified, resumes reverse execution of the
27829inferior program, stopping at the previously executed instruction.
27830The output, once @value{GDBN} has stopped, will vary depending on
27831whether we have stopped in the middle of a source line or not. In the
27832former case, the address at which the program stopped will be printed
27833as well.
27834
27835@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27836
27837The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{stepi}.
27838
27839@subsubheading Example
27840
27841@smallexample
27842(gdb)
27843-exec-step-instruction
27844^running
27845
27846(gdb)
27847*stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
27848frame=@{func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
27849fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
27850(gdb)
27851-exec-step-instruction
27852^running
27853
27854(gdb)
27855*stopped,reason="end-stepping-range",
27856frame=@{addr="0x000100f4",func="foo",args=[],file="try.c",
27857fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",line="10"@}
27858(gdb)
27859@end smallexample
27860
27861
27862@subheading The @code{-exec-until} Command
27863@findex -exec-until
27864
27865@subsubheading Synopsis
27866
27867@smallexample
27868 -exec-until [ @var{location} ]
27869@end smallexample
27870
27871Executes the inferior until the @var{location} specified in the
27872argument is reached. If there is no argument, the inferior executes
27873until a source line greater than the current one is reached. The
27874reason for stopping in this case will be @samp{location-reached}.
27875
27876@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27877
27878The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{until}.
27879
27880@subsubheading Example
27881
27882@smallexample
27883(gdb)
27884-exec-until recursive2.c:6
27885^running
27886(gdb)
27887x = 55
27888*stopped,reason="location-reached",frame=@{func="main",args=[],
27889file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="6"@}
27890(gdb)
27891@end smallexample
27892
27893@ignore
27894@subheading -file-clear
27895Is this going away????
27896@end ignore
27897
27898@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
27899@node GDB/MI Stack Manipulation
27900@section @sc{gdb/mi} Stack Manipulation Commands
27901
27902
27903@subheading The @code{-stack-info-frame} Command
27904@findex -stack-info-frame
27905
27906@subsubheading Synopsis
27907
27908@smallexample
27909 -stack-info-frame
27910@end smallexample
27911
27912Get info on the selected frame.
27913
27914@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27915
27916The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info frame} or @samp{frame}
27917(without arguments).
27918
27919@subsubheading Example
27920
27921@smallexample
27922(gdb)
27923-stack-info-frame
27924^done,frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
27925file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
27926fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@}
27927(gdb)
27928@end smallexample
27929
27930@subheading The @code{-stack-info-depth} Command
27931@findex -stack-info-depth
27932
27933@subsubheading Synopsis
27934
27935@smallexample
27936 -stack-info-depth [ @var{max-depth} ]
27937@end smallexample
27938
27939Return the depth of the stack. If the integer argument @var{max-depth}
27940is specified, do not count beyond @var{max-depth} frames.
27941
27942@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27943
27944There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
27945
27946@subsubheading Example
27947
27948For a stack with frame levels 0 through 11:
27949
27950@smallexample
27951(gdb)
27952-stack-info-depth
27953^done,depth="12"
27954(gdb)
27955-stack-info-depth 4
27956^done,depth="4"
27957(gdb)
27958-stack-info-depth 12
27959^done,depth="12"
27960(gdb)
27961-stack-info-depth 11
27962^done,depth="11"
27963(gdb)
27964-stack-info-depth 13
27965^done,depth="12"
27966(gdb)
27967@end smallexample
27968
27969@subheading The @code{-stack-list-arguments} Command
27970@findex -stack-list-arguments
27971
27972@subsubheading Synopsis
27973
27974@smallexample
27975 -stack-list-arguments @var{print-values}
27976 [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
27977@end smallexample
27978
27979Display a list of the arguments for the frames between @var{low-frame}
27980and @var{high-frame} (inclusive). If @var{low-frame} and
27981@var{high-frame} are not provided, list the arguments for the whole
27982call stack. If the two arguments are equal, show the single frame
27983at the corresponding level. It is an error if @var{low-frame} is
27984larger than the actual number of frames. On the other hand,
27985@var{high-frame} may be larger than the actual number of frames, in
27986which case only existing frames will be returned.
27987
27988If @var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
27989the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
27990values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
27991type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
27992structures and unions.
27993
27994Use of this command to obtain arguments in a single frame is
27995deprecated in favor of the @samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
27996
27997@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
27998
27999@value{GDBN} does not have an equivalent command. @code{gdbtk} has a
28000@samp{gdb_get_args} command which partially overlaps with the
28001functionality of @samp{-stack-list-arguments}.
28002
28003@subsubheading Example
28004
28005@smallexample
28006(gdb)
28007-stack-list-frames
28008^done,
28009stack=[
28010frame=@{level="0",addr="0x00010734",func="callee4",
28011file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28012fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="8"@},
28013frame=@{level="1",addr="0x0001076c",func="callee3",
28014file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28015fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="17"@},
28016frame=@{level="2",addr="0x0001078c",func="callee2",
28017file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28018fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="22"@},
28019frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107b4",func="callee1",
28020file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28021fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="27"@},
28022frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107e0",func="main",
28023file="../../../devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",
28024fullname="/home/foo/bar/devo/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line="32"@}]
28025(gdb)
28026-stack-list-arguments 0
28027^done,
28028stack-args=[
28029frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
28030frame=@{level="1",args=[name="strarg"]@},
28031frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@},
28032frame=@{level="3",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg",name="fltarg"]@},
28033frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
28034(gdb)
28035-stack-list-arguments 1
28036^done,
28037stack-args=[
28038frame=@{level="0",args=[]@},
28039frame=@{level="1",
28040 args=[@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
28041frame=@{level="2",args=[
28042@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28043@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@},
28044@{frame=@{level="3",args=[
28045@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28046@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@},
28047@{name="fltarg",value="3.5"@}]@},
28048frame=@{level="4",args=[]@}]
28049(gdb)
28050-stack-list-arguments 0 2 2
28051^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",args=[name="intarg",name="strarg"]@}]
28052(gdb)
28053-stack-list-arguments 1 2 2
28054^done,stack-args=[frame=@{level="2",
28055args=[@{name="intarg",value="2"@},
28056@{name="strarg",value="0x11940 \"A string argument.\""@}]@}]
28057(gdb)
28058@end smallexample
28059
28060@c @subheading -stack-list-exception-handlers
28061
28062
28063@subheading The @code{-stack-list-frames} Command
28064@findex -stack-list-frames
28065
28066@subsubheading Synopsis
28067
28068@smallexample
28069 -stack-list-frames [ @var{low-frame} @var{high-frame} ]
28070@end smallexample
28071
28072List the frames currently on the stack. For each frame it displays the
28073following info:
28074
28075@table @samp
28076@item @var{level}
28077The frame number, 0 being the topmost frame, i.e., the innermost function.
28078@item @var{addr}
28079The @code{$pc} value for that frame.
28080@item @var{func}
28081Function name.
28082@item @var{file}
28083File name of the source file where the function lives.
28084@item @var{fullname}
28085The full file name of the source file where the function lives.
28086@item @var{line}
28087Line number corresponding to the @code{$pc}.
28088@item @var{from}
28089The shared library where this function is defined. This is only given
28090if the frame's function is not known.
28091@end table
28092
28093If invoked without arguments, this command prints a backtrace for the
28094whole stack. If given two integer arguments, it shows the frames whose
28095levels are between the two arguments (inclusive). If the two arguments
28096are equal, it shows the single frame at the corresponding level. It is
28097an error if @var{low-frame} is larger than the actual number of
28098frames. On the other hand, @var{high-frame} may be larger than the
28099actual number of frames, in which case only existing frames will be returned.
28100
28101@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28102
28103The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{backtrace} and @samp{where}.
28104
28105@subsubheading Example
28106
28107Full stack backtrace:
28108
28109@smallexample
28110(gdb)
28111-stack-list-frames
28112^done,stack=
28113[frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0001076c",func="foo",
28114 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="11"@},
28115frame=@{level="1",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28116 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28117frame=@{level="2",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28118 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28119frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28120 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28121frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28122 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28123frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28124 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28125frame=@{level="6",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28126 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28127frame=@{level="7",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28128 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28129frame=@{level="8",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28130 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28131frame=@{level="9",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28132 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28133frame=@{level="10",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28134 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28135frame=@{level="11",addr="0x00010738",func="main",
28136 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="4"@}]
28137(gdb)
28138@end smallexample
28139
28140Show frames between @var{low_frame} and @var{high_frame}:
28141
28142@smallexample
28143(gdb)
28144-stack-list-frames 3 5
28145^done,stack=
28146[frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28147 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28148frame=@{level="4",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28149 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@},
28150frame=@{level="5",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28151 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
28152(gdb)
28153@end smallexample
28154
28155Show a single frame:
28156
28157@smallexample
28158(gdb)
28159-stack-list-frames 3 3
28160^done,stack=
28161[frame=@{level="3",addr="0x000107a4",func="foo",
28162 file="recursive2.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/recursive2.c",line="14"@}]
28163(gdb)
28164@end smallexample
28165
28166
28167@subheading The @code{-stack-list-locals} Command
28168@findex -stack-list-locals
28169
28170@subsubheading Synopsis
28171
28172@smallexample
28173 -stack-list-locals @var{print-values}
28174@end smallexample
28175
28176Display the local variable names for the selected frame. If
28177@var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28178the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28179values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28180type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28181structures and unions. In this last case, a frontend can immediately
28182display the value of simple data types and create variable objects for
28183other data types when the user wishes to explore their values in
28184more detail.
28185
28186This command is deprecated in favor of the
28187@samp{-stack-list-variables} command.
28188
28189@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28190
28191@samp{info locals} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_get_locals} in @code{gdbtk}.
28192
28193@subsubheading Example
28194
28195@smallexample
28196(gdb)
28197-stack-list-locals 0
28198^done,locals=[name="A",name="B",name="C"]
28199(gdb)
28200-stack-list-locals --all-values
28201^done,locals=[@{name="A",value="1"@},@{name="B",value="2"@},
28202 @{name="C",value="@{1, 2, 3@}"@}]
28203-stack-list-locals --simple-values
28204^done,locals=[@{name="A",type="int",value="1"@},
28205 @{name="B",type="int",value="2"@},@{name="C",type="int [3]"@}]
28206(gdb)
28207@end smallexample
28208
28209@subheading The @code{-stack-list-variables} Command
28210@findex -stack-list-variables
28211
28212@subsubheading Synopsis
28213
28214@smallexample
28215 -stack-list-variables @var{print-values}
28216@end smallexample
28217
28218Display the names of local variables and function arguments for the selected frame. If
28219@var{print-values} is 0 or @code{--no-values}, print only the names of
28220the variables; if it is 1 or @code{--all-values}, print also their
28221values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values}, print the name,
28222type and value for simple data types, and the name and type for arrays,
28223structures and unions.
28224
28225@subsubheading Example
28226
28227@smallexample
28228(gdb)
28229-stack-list-variables --thread 1 --frame 0 --all-values
28230^done,variables=[@{name="x",value="11"@},@{name="s",value="@{a = 1, b = 2@}"@}]
28231(gdb)
28232@end smallexample
28233
28234
28235@subheading The @code{-stack-select-frame} Command
28236@findex -stack-select-frame
28237
28238@subsubheading Synopsis
28239
28240@smallexample
28241 -stack-select-frame @var{framenum}
28242@end smallexample
28243
28244Change the selected frame. Select a different frame @var{framenum} on
28245the stack.
28246
28247This command in deprecated in favor of passing the @samp{--frame}
28248option to every command.
28249
28250@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
28251
28252The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{frame}, @samp{up},
28253@samp{down}, @samp{select-frame}, @samp{up-silent}, and @samp{down-silent}.
28254
28255@subsubheading Example
28256
28257@smallexample
28258(gdb)
28259-stack-select-frame 2
28260^done
28261(gdb)
28262@end smallexample
28263
28264@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
28265@node GDB/MI Variable Objects
28266@section @sc{gdb/mi} Variable Objects
28267
28268@ignore
28269
28270@subheading Motivation for Variable Objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
28271
28272For the implementation of a variable debugger window (locals, watched
28273expressions, etc.), we are proposing the adaptation of the existing code
28274used by @code{Insight}.
28275
28276The two main reasons for that are:
28277
28278@enumerate 1
28279@item
28280It has been proven in practice (it is already on its second generation).
28281
28282@item
28283It will shorten development time (needless to say how important it is
28284now).
28285@end enumerate
28286
28287The original interface was designed to be used by Tcl code, so it was
28288slightly changed so it could be used through @sc{gdb/mi}. This section
28289describes the @sc{gdb/mi} operations that will be available and gives some
28290hints about their use.
28291
28292@emph{Note}: In addition to the set of operations described here, we
28293expect the @sc{gui} implementation of a variable window to require, at
28294least, the following operations:
28295
28296@itemize @bullet
28297@item @code{-gdb-show} @code{output-radix}
28298@item @code{-stack-list-arguments}
28299@item @code{-stack-list-locals}
28300@item @code{-stack-select-frame}
28301@end itemize
28302
28303@end ignore
28304
28305@subheading Introduction to Variable Objects
28306
28307@cindex variable objects in @sc{gdb/mi}
28308
28309Variable objects are "object-oriented" MI interface for examining and
28310changing values of expressions. Unlike some other MI interfaces that
28311work with expressions, variable objects are specifically designed for
28312simple and efficient presentation in the frontend. A variable object
28313is identified by string name. When a variable object is created, the
28314frontend specifies the expression for that variable object. The
28315expression can be a simple variable, or it can be an arbitrary complex
28316expression, and can even involve CPU registers. After creating a
28317variable object, the frontend can invoke other variable object
28318operations---for example to obtain or change the value of a variable
28319object, or to change display format.
28320
28321Variable objects have hierarchical tree structure. Any variable object
28322that corresponds to a composite type, such as structure in C, has
28323a number of child variable objects, for example corresponding to each
28324element of a structure. A child variable object can itself have
28325children, recursively. Recursion ends when we reach
28326leaf variable objects, which always have built-in types. Child variable
28327objects are created only by explicit request, so if a frontend
28328is not interested in the children of a particular variable object, no
28329child will be created.
28330
28331For a leaf variable object it is possible to obtain its value as a
28332string, or set the value from a string. String value can be also
28333obtained for a non-leaf variable object, but it's generally a string
28334that only indicates the type of the object, and does not list its
28335contents. Assignment to a non-leaf variable object is not allowed.
28336
28337A frontend does not need to read the values of all variable objects each time
28338the program stops. Instead, MI provides an update command that lists all
28339variable objects whose values has changed since the last update
28340operation. This considerably reduces the amount of data that must
28341be transferred to the frontend. As noted above, children variable
28342objects are created on demand, and only leaf variable objects have a
28343real value. As result, gdb will read target memory only for leaf
28344variables that frontend has created.
28345
28346The automatic update is not always desirable. For example, a frontend
28347might want to keep a value of some expression for future reference,
28348and never update it. For another example, fetching memory is
28349relatively slow for embedded targets, so a frontend might want
28350to disable automatic update for the variables that are either not
28351visible on the screen, or ``closed''. This is possible using so
28352called ``frozen variable objects''. Such variable objects are never
28353implicitly updated.
28354
28355Variable objects can be either @dfn{fixed} or @dfn{floating}. For the
28356fixed variable object, the expression is parsed when the variable
28357object is created, including associating identifiers to specific
28358variables. The meaning of expression never changes. For a floating
28359variable object the values of variables whose names appear in the
28360expressions are re-evaluated every time in the context of the current
28361frame. Consider this example:
28362
28363@smallexample
28364void do_work(...)
28365@{
28366 struct work_state state;
28367
28368 if (...)
28369 do_work(...);
28370@}
28371@end smallexample
28372
28373If a fixed variable object for the @code{state} variable is created in
28374this function, and we enter the recursive call, the variable
28375object will report the value of @code{state} in the top-level
28376@code{do_work} invocation. On the other hand, a floating variable
28377object will report the value of @code{state} in the current frame.
28378
28379If an expression specified when creating a fixed variable object
28380refers to a local variable, the variable object becomes bound to the
28381thread and frame in which the variable object is created. When such
28382variable object is updated, @value{GDBN} makes sure that the
28383thread/frame combination the variable object is bound to still exists,
28384and re-evaluates the variable object in context of that thread/frame.
28385
28386The following is the complete set of @sc{gdb/mi} operations defined to
28387access this functionality:
28388
28389@multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
28390@item @strong{Operation}
28391@tab @strong{Description}
28392
28393@item @code{-enable-pretty-printing}
28394@tab enable Python-based pretty-printing
28395@item @code{-var-create}
28396@tab create a variable object
28397@item @code{-var-delete}
28398@tab delete the variable object and/or its children
28399@item @code{-var-set-format}
28400@tab set the display format of this variable
28401@item @code{-var-show-format}
28402@tab show the display format of this variable
28403@item @code{-var-info-num-children}
28404@tab tells how many children this object has
28405@item @code{-var-list-children}
28406@tab return a list of the object's children
28407@item @code{-var-info-type}
28408@tab show the type of this variable object
28409@item @code{-var-info-expression}
28410@tab print parent-relative expression that this variable object represents
28411@item @code{-var-info-path-expression}
28412@tab print full expression that this variable object represents
28413@item @code{-var-show-attributes}
28414@tab is this variable editable? does it exist here?
28415@item @code{-var-evaluate-expression}
28416@tab get the value of this variable
28417@item @code{-var-assign}
28418@tab set the value of this variable
28419@item @code{-var-update}
28420@tab update the variable and its children
28421@item @code{-var-set-frozen}
28422@tab set frozeness attribute
28423@item @code{-var-set-update-range}
28424@tab set range of children to display on update
28425@end multitable
28426
28427In the next subsection we describe each operation in detail and suggest
28428how it can be used.
28429
28430@subheading Description And Use of Operations on Variable Objects
28431
28432@subheading The @code{-enable-pretty-printing} Command
28433@findex -enable-pretty-printing
28434
28435@smallexample
28436-enable-pretty-printing
28437@end smallexample
28438
28439@value{GDBN} allows Python-based visualizers to affect the output of the
28440MI variable object commands. However, because there was no way to
28441implement this in a fully backward-compatible way, a front end must
28442request that this functionality be enabled.
28443
28444Once enabled, this feature cannot be disabled.
28445
28446Note that if Python support has not been compiled into @value{GDBN},
28447this command will still succeed (and do nothing).
28448
28449This feature is currently (as of @value{GDBN} 7.0) experimental, and
28450may work differently in future versions of @value{GDBN}.
28451
28452@subheading The @code{-var-create} Command
28453@findex -var-create
28454
28455@subsubheading Synopsis
28456
28457@smallexample
28458 -var-create @{@var{name} | "-"@}
28459 @{@var{frame-addr} | "*" | "@@"@} @var{expression}
28460@end smallexample
28461
28462This operation creates a variable object, which allows the monitoring of
28463a variable, the result of an expression, a memory cell or a CPU
28464register.
28465
28466The @var{name} parameter is the string by which the object can be
28467referenced. It must be unique. If @samp{-} is specified, the varobj
28468system will generate a string ``varNNNNNN'' automatically. It will be
28469unique provided that one does not specify @var{name} of that format.
28470The command fails if a duplicate name is found.
28471
28472The frame under which the expression should be evaluated can be
28473specified by @var{frame-addr}. A @samp{*} indicates that the current
28474frame should be used. A @samp{@@} indicates that a floating variable
28475object must be created.
28476
28477@var{expression} is any expression valid on the current language set (must not
28478begin with a @samp{*}), or one of the following:
28479
28480@itemize @bullet
28481@item
28482@samp{*@var{addr}}, where @var{addr} is the address of a memory cell
28483
28484@item
28485@samp{*@var{addr}-@var{addr}} --- a memory address range (TBD)
28486
28487@item
28488@samp{$@var{regname}} --- a CPU register name
28489@end itemize
28490
28491@cindex dynamic varobj
28492A varobj's contents may be provided by a Python-based pretty-printer. In this
28493case the varobj is known as a @dfn{dynamic varobj}. Dynamic varobjs
28494have slightly different semantics in some cases. If the
28495@code{-enable-pretty-printing} command is not sent, then @value{GDBN}
28496will never create a dynamic varobj. This ensures backward
28497compatibility for existing clients.
28498
28499@subsubheading Result
28500
28501This operation returns attributes of the newly-created varobj. These
28502are:
28503
28504@table @samp
28505@item name
28506The name of the varobj.
28507
28508@item numchild
28509The number of children of the varobj. This number is not necessarily
28510reliable for a dynamic varobj. Instead, you must examine the
28511@samp{has_more} attribute.
28512
28513@item value
28514The varobj's scalar value. For a varobj whose type is some sort of
28515aggregate (e.g., a @code{struct}), or for a dynamic varobj, this value
28516will not be interesting.
28517
28518@item type
28519The varobj's type. This is a string representation of the type, as
28520would be printed by the @value{GDBN} CLI.
28521
28522@item thread-id
28523If a variable object is bound to a specific thread, then this is the
28524thread's identifier.
28525
28526@item has_more
28527For a dynamic varobj, this indicates whether there appear to be any
28528children available. For a non-dynamic varobj, this will be 0.
28529
28530@item dynamic
28531This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
28532varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
28533then this attribute will not be present.
28534
28535@item displayhint
28536A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
28537value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
28538@code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
28539@end table
28540
28541Typical output will look like this:
28542
28543@smallexample
28544 name="@var{name}",numchild="@var{N}",type="@var{type}",thread-id="@var{M}",
28545 has_more="@var{has_more}"
28546@end smallexample
28547
28548
28549@subheading The @code{-var-delete} Command
28550@findex -var-delete
28551
28552@subsubheading Synopsis
28553
28554@smallexample
28555 -var-delete [ -c ] @var{name}
28556@end smallexample
28557
28558Deletes a previously created variable object and all of its children.
28559With the @samp{-c} option, just deletes the children.
28560
28561Returns an error if the object @var{name} is not found.
28562
28563
28564@subheading The @code{-var-set-format} Command
28565@findex -var-set-format
28566
28567@subsubheading Synopsis
28568
28569@smallexample
28570 -var-set-format @var{name} @var{format-spec}
28571@end smallexample
28572
28573Sets the output format for the value of the object @var{name} to be
28574@var{format-spec}.
28575
28576@anchor{-var-set-format}
28577The syntax for the @var{format-spec} is as follows:
28578
28579@smallexample
28580 @var{format-spec} @expansion{}
28581 @{binary | decimal | hexadecimal | octal | natural@}
28582@end smallexample
28583
28584The natural format is the default format choosen automatically
28585based on the variable type (like decimal for an @code{int}, hex
28586for pointers, etc.).
28587
28588For a variable with children, the format is set only on the
28589variable itself, and the children are not affected.
28590
28591@subheading The @code{-var-show-format} Command
28592@findex -var-show-format
28593
28594@subsubheading Synopsis
28595
28596@smallexample
28597 -var-show-format @var{name}
28598@end smallexample
28599
28600Returns the format used to display the value of the object @var{name}.
28601
28602@smallexample
28603 @var{format} @expansion{}
28604 @var{format-spec}
28605@end smallexample
28606
28607
28608@subheading The @code{-var-info-num-children} Command
28609@findex -var-info-num-children
28610
28611@subsubheading Synopsis
28612
28613@smallexample
28614 -var-info-num-children @var{name}
28615@end smallexample
28616
28617Returns the number of children of a variable object @var{name}:
28618
28619@smallexample
28620 numchild=@var{n}
28621@end smallexample
28622
28623Note that this number is not completely reliable for a dynamic varobj.
28624It will return the current number of children, but more children may
28625be available.
28626
28627
28628@subheading The @code{-var-list-children} Command
28629@findex -var-list-children
28630
28631@subsubheading Synopsis
28632
28633@smallexample
28634 -var-list-children [@var{print-values}] @var{name} [@var{from} @var{to}]
28635@end smallexample
28636@anchor{-var-list-children}
28637
28638Return a list of the children of the specified variable object and
28639create variable objects for them, if they do not already exist. With
28640a single argument or if @var{print-values} has a value of 0 or
28641@code{--no-values}, print only the names of the variables; if
28642@var{print-values} is 1 or @code{--all-values}, also print their
28643values; and if it is 2 or @code{--simple-values} print the name and
28644value for simple data types and just the name for arrays, structures
28645and unions.
28646
28647@var{from} and @var{to}, if specified, indicate the range of children
28648to report. If @var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is
28649reset and all children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting
28650at @var{from} (zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be
28651reported.
28652
28653If a child range is requested, it will only affect the current call to
28654@code{-var-list-children}, but not future calls to @code{-var-update}.
28655For this, you must instead use @code{-var-set-update-range}. The
28656intent of this approach is to enable a front end to implement any
28657update approach it likes; for example, scrolling a view may cause the
28658front end to request more children with @code{-var-list-children}, and
28659then the front end could call @code{-var-set-update-range} with a
28660different range to ensure that future updates are restricted to just
28661the visible items.
28662
28663For each child the following results are returned:
28664
28665@table @var
28666
28667@item name
28668Name of the variable object created for this child.
28669
28670@item exp
28671The expression to be shown to the user by the front end to designate this child.
28672For example this may be the name of a structure member.
28673
28674For a dynamic varobj, this value cannot be used to form an
28675expression. There is no way to do this at all with a dynamic varobj.
28676
28677For C/C@t{++} structures there are several pseudo children returned to
28678designate access qualifiers. For these pseudo children @var{exp} is
28679@samp{public}, @samp{private}, or @samp{protected}. In this case the
28680type and value are not present.
28681
28682A dynamic varobj will not report the access qualifying
28683pseudo-children, regardless of the language. This information is not
28684available at all with a dynamic varobj.
28685
28686@item numchild
28687Number of children this child has. For a dynamic varobj, this will be
286880.
28689
28690@item type
28691The type of the child.
28692
28693@item value
28694If values were requested, this is the value.
28695
28696@item thread-id
28697If this variable object is associated with a thread, this is the thread id.
28698Otherwise this result is not present.
28699
28700@item frozen
28701If the variable object is frozen, this variable will be present with a value of 1.
28702@end table
28703
28704The result may have its own attributes:
28705
28706@table @samp
28707@item displayhint
28708A dynamic varobj can supply a display hint to the front end. The
28709value comes directly from the Python pretty-printer object's
28710@code{display_hint} method. @xref{Pretty Printing API}.
28711
28712@item has_more
28713This is an integer attribute which is nonzero if there are children
28714remaining after the end of the selected range.
28715@end table
28716
28717@subsubheading Example
28718
28719@smallexample
28720(gdb)
28721 -var-list-children n
28722 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
28723 numchild=@var{n},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
28724(gdb)
28725 -var-list-children --all-values n
28726 ^done,numchild=@var{n},children=[child=@{name=@var{name},exp=@var{exp},
28727 numchild=@var{n},value=@var{value},type=@var{type}@},@r{(repeats N times)}]
28728@end smallexample
28729
28730
28731@subheading The @code{-var-info-type} Command
28732@findex -var-info-type
28733
28734@subsubheading Synopsis
28735
28736@smallexample
28737 -var-info-type @var{name}
28738@end smallexample
28739
28740Returns the type of the specified variable @var{name}. The type is
28741returned as a string in the same format as it is output by the
28742@value{GDBN} CLI:
28743
28744@smallexample
28745 type=@var{typename}
28746@end smallexample
28747
28748
28749@subheading The @code{-var-info-expression} Command
28750@findex -var-info-expression
28751
28752@subsubheading Synopsis
28753
28754@smallexample
28755 -var-info-expression @var{name}
28756@end smallexample
28757
28758Returns a string that is suitable for presenting this
28759variable object in user interface. The string is generally
28760not valid expression in the current language, and cannot be evaluated.
28761
28762For example, if @code{a} is an array, and variable object
28763@code{A} was created for @code{a}, then we'll get this output:
28764
28765@smallexample
28766(gdb) -var-info-expression A.1
28767^done,lang="C",exp="1"
28768@end smallexample
28769
28770@noindent
28771Here, the values of @code{lang} can be @code{@{"C" | "C++" | "Java"@}}.
28772
28773Note that the output of the @code{-var-list-children} command also
28774includes those expressions, so the @code{-var-info-expression} command
28775is of limited use.
28776
28777@subheading The @code{-var-info-path-expression} Command
28778@findex -var-info-path-expression
28779
28780@subsubheading Synopsis
28781
28782@smallexample
28783 -var-info-path-expression @var{name}
28784@end smallexample
28785
28786Returns an expression that can be evaluated in the current
28787context and will yield the same value that a variable object has.
28788Compare this with the @code{-var-info-expression} command, which
28789result can be used only for UI presentation. Typical use of
28790the @code{-var-info-path-expression} command is creating a
28791watchpoint from a variable object.
28792
28793This command is currently not valid for children of a dynamic varobj,
28794and will give an error when invoked on one.
28795
28796For example, suppose @code{C} is a C@t{++} class, derived from class
28797@code{Base}, and that the @code{Base} class has a member called
28798@code{m_size}. Assume a variable @code{c} is has the type of
28799@code{C} and a variable object @code{C} was created for variable
28800@code{c}. Then, we'll get this output:
28801@smallexample
28802(gdb) -var-info-path-expression C.Base.public.m_size
28803^done,path_expr=((Base)c).m_size)
28804@end smallexample
28805
28806@subheading The @code{-var-show-attributes} Command
28807@findex -var-show-attributes
28808
28809@subsubheading Synopsis
28810
28811@smallexample
28812 -var-show-attributes @var{name}
28813@end smallexample
28814
28815List attributes of the specified variable object @var{name}:
28816
28817@smallexample
28818 status=@var{attr} [ ( ,@var{attr} )* ]
28819@end smallexample
28820
28821@noindent
28822where @var{attr} is @code{@{ @{ editable | noneditable @} | TBD @}}.
28823
28824@subheading The @code{-var-evaluate-expression} Command
28825@findex -var-evaluate-expression
28826
28827@subsubheading Synopsis
28828
28829@smallexample
28830 -var-evaluate-expression [-f @var{format-spec}] @var{name}
28831@end smallexample
28832
28833Evaluates the expression that is represented by the specified variable
28834object and returns its value as a string. The format of the string
28835can be specified with the @samp{-f} option. The possible values of
28836this option are the same as for @code{-var-set-format}
28837(@pxref{-var-set-format}). If the @samp{-f} option is not specified,
28838the current display format will be used. The current display format
28839can be changed using the @code{-var-set-format} command.
28840
28841@smallexample
28842 value=@var{value}
28843@end smallexample
28844
28845Note that one must invoke @code{-var-list-children} for a variable
28846before the value of a child variable can be evaluated.
28847
28848@subheading The @code{-var-assign} Command
28849@findex -var-assign
28850
28851@subsubheading Synopsis
28852
28853@smallexample
28854 -var-assign @var{name} @var{expression}
28855@end smallexample
28856
28857Assigns the value of @var{expression} to the variable object specified
28858by @var{name}. The object must be @samp{editable}. If the variable's
28859value is altered by the assign, the variable will show up in any
28860subsequent @code{-var-update} list.
28861
28862@subsubheading Example
28863
28864@smallexample
28865(gdb)
28866-var-assign var1 3
28867^done,value="3"
28868(gdb)
28869-var-update *
28870^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",in_scope="true",type_changed="false"@}]
28871(gdb)
28872@end smallexample
28873
28874@subheading The @code{-var-update} Command
28875@findex -var-update
28876
28877@subsubheading Synopsis
28878
28879@smallexample
28880 -var-update [@var{print-values}] @{@var{name} | "*"@}
28881@end smallexample
28882
28883Reevaluate the expressions corresponding to the variable object
28884@var{name} and all its direct and indirect children, and return the
28885list of variable objects whose values have changed; @var{name} must
28886be a root variable object. Here, ``changed'' means that the result of
28887@code{-var-evaluate-expression} before and after the
28888@code{-var-update} is different. If @samp{*} is used as the variable
28889object names, all existing variable objects are updated, except
28890for frozen ones (@pxref{-var-set-frozen}). The option
28891@var{print-values} determines whether both names and values, or just
28892names are printed. The possible values of this option are the same
28893as for @code{-var-list-children} (@pxref{-var-list-children}). It is
28894recommended to use the @samp{--all-values} option, to reduce the
28895number of MI commands needed on each program stop.
28896
28897With the @samp{*} parameter, if a variable object is bound to a
28898currently running thread, it will not be updated, without any
28899diagnostic.
28900
28901If @code{-var-set-update-range} was previously used on a varobj, then
28902only the selected range of children will be reported.
28903
28904@code{-var-update} reports all the changed varobjs in a tuple named
28905@samp{changelist}.
28906
28907Each item in the change list is itself a tuple holding:
28908
28909@table @samp
28910@item name
28911The name of the varobj.
28912
28913@item value
28914If values were requested for this update, then this field will be
28915present and will hold the value of the varobj.
28916
28917@item in_scope
28918@anchor{-var-update}
28919This field is a string which may take one of three values:
28920
28921@table @code
28922@item "true"
28923The variable object's current value is valid.
28924
28925@item "false"
28926The variable object does not currently hold a valid value but it may
28927hold one in the future if its associated expression comes back into
28928scope.
28929
28930@item "invalid"
28931The variable object no longer holds a valid value.
28932This can occur when the executable file being debugged has changed,
28933either through recompilation or by using the @value{GDBN} @code{file}
28934command. The front end should normally choose to delete these variable
28935objects.
28936@end table
28937
28938In the future new values may be added to this list so the front should
28939be prepared for this possibility. @xref{GDB/MI Development and Front Ends, ,@sc{GDB/MI} Development and Front Ends}.
28940
28941@item type_changed
28942This is only present if the varobj is still valid. If the type
28943changed, then this will be the string @samp{true}; otherwise it will
28944be @samp{false}.
28945
28946@item new_type
28947If the varobj's type changed, then this field will be present and will
28948hold the new type.
28949
28950@item new_num_children
28951For a dynamic varobj, if the number of children changed, or if the
28952type changed, this will be the new number of children.
28953
28954The @samp{numchild} field in other varobj responses is generally not
28955valid for a dynamic varobj -- it will show the number of children that
28956@value{GDBN} knows about, but because dynamic varobjs lazily
28957instantiate their children, this will not reflect the number of
28958children which may be available.
28959
28960The @samp{new_num_children} attribute only reports changes to the
28961number of children known by @value{GDBN}. This is the only way to
28962detect whether an update has removed children (which necessarily can
28963only happen at the end of the update range).
28964
28965@item displayhint
28966The display hint, if any.
28967
28968@item has_more
28969This is an integer value, which will be 1 if there are more children
28970available outside the varobj's update range.
28971
28972@item dynamic
28973This attribute will be present and have the value @samp{1} if the
28974varobj is a dynamic varobj. If the varobj is not a dynamic varobj,
28975then this attribute will not be present.
28976
28977@item new_children
28978If new children were added to a dynamic varobj within the selected
28979update range (as set by @code{-var-set-update-range}), then they will
28980be listed in this attribute.
28981@end table
28982
28983@subsubheading Example
28984
28985@smallexample
28986(gdb)
28987-var-assign var1 3
28988^done,value="3"
28989(gdb)
28990-var-update --all-values var1
28991^done,changelist=[@{name="var1",value="3",in_scope="true",
28992type_changed="false"@}]
28993(gdb)
28994@end smallexample
28995
28996@subheading The @code{-var-set-frozen} Command
28997@findex -var-set-frozen
28998@anchor{-var-set-frozen}
28999
29000@subsubheading Synopsis
29001
29002@smallexample
29003 -var-set-frozen @var{name} @var{flag}
29004@end smallexample
29005
29006Set the frozenness flag on the variable object @var{name}. The
29007@var{flag} parameter should be either @samp{1} to make the variable
29008frozen or @samp{0} to make it unfrozen. If a variable object is
29009frozen, then neither itself, nor any of its children, are
29010implicitly updated by @code{-var-update} of
29011a parent variable or by @code{-var-update *}. Only
29012@code{-var-update} of the variable itself will update its value and
29013values of its children. After a variable object is unfrozen, it is
29014implicitly updated by all subsequent @code{-var-update} operations.
29015Unfreezing a variable does not update it, only subsequent
29016@code{-var-update} does.
29017
29018@subsubheading Example
29019
29020@smallexample
29021(gdb)
29022-var-set-frozen V 1
29023^done
29024(gdb)
29025@end smallexample
29026
29027@subheading The @code{-var-set-update-range} command
29028@findex -var-set-update-range
29029@anchor{-var-set-update-range}
29030
29031@subsubheading Synopsis
29032
29033@smallexample
29034 -var-set-update-range @var{name} @var{from} @var{to}
29035@end smallexample
29036
29037Set the range of children to be returned by future invocations of
29038@code{-var-update}.
29039
29040@var{from} and @var{to} indicate the range of children to report. If
29041@var{from} or @var{to} is less than zero, the range is reset and all
29042children will be reported. Otherwise, children starting at @var{from}
29043(zero-based) and up to and excluding @var{to} will be reported.
29044
29045@subsubheading Example
29046
29047@smallexample
29048(gdb)
29049-var-set-update-range V 1 2
29050^done
29051@end smallexample
29052
29053@subheading The @code{-var-set-visualizer} command
29054@findex -var-set-visualizer
29055@anchor{-var-set-visualizer}
29056
29057@subsubheading Synopsis
29058
29059@smallexample
29060 -var-set-visualizer @var{name} @var{visualizer}
29061@end smallexample
29062
29063Set a visualizer for the variable object @var{name}.
29064
29065@var{visualizer} is the visualizer to use. The special value
29066@samp{None} means to disable any visualizer in use.
29067
29068If not @samp{None}, @var{visualizer} must be a Python expression.
29069This expression must evaluate to a callable object which accepts a
29070single argument. @value{GDBN} will call this object with the value of
29071the varobj @var{name} as an argument (this is done so that the same
29072Python pretty-printing code can be used for both the CLI and MI).
29073When called, this object must return an object which conforms to the
29074pretty-printing interface (@pxref{Pretty Printing API}).
29075
29076The pre-defined function @code{gdb.default_visualizer} may be used to
29077select a visualizer by following the built-in process
29078(@pxref{Selecting Pretty-Printers}). This is done automatically when
29079a varobj is created, and so ordinarily is not needed.
29080
29081This feature is only available if Python support is enabled. The MI
29082command @code{-list-features} (@pxref{GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands})
29083can be used to check this.
29084
29085@subsubheading Example
29086
29087Resetting the visualizer:
29088
29089@smallexample
29090(gdb)
29091-var-set-visualizer V None
29092^done
29093@end smallexample
29094
29095Reselecting the default (type-based) visualizer:
29096
29097@smallexample
29098(gdb)
29099-var-set-visualizer V gdb.default_visualizer
29100^done
29101@end smallexample
29102
29103Suppose @code{SomeClass} is a visualizer class. A lambda expression
29104can be used to instantiate this class for a varobj:
29105
29106@smallexample
29107(gdb)
29108-var-set-visualizer V "lambda val: SomeClass()"
29109^done
29110@end smallexample
29111
29112@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29113@node GDB/MI Data Manipulation
29114@section @sc{gdb/mi} Data Manipulation
29115
29116@cindex data manipulation, in @sc{gdb/mi}
29117@cindex @sc{gdb/mi}, data manipulation
29118This section describes the @sc{gdb/mi} commands that manipulate data:
29119examine memory and registers, evaluate expressions, etc.
29120
29121@c REMOVED FROM THE INTERFACE.
29122@c @subheading -data-assign
29123@c Change the value of a program variable. Plenty of side effects.
29124@c @subsubheading GDB Command
29125@c set variable
29126@c @subsubheading Example
29127@c N.A.
29128
29129@subheading The @code{-data-disassemble} Command
29130@findex -data-disassemble
29131
29132@subsubheading Synopsis
29133
29134@smallexample
29135 -data-disassemble
29136 [ -s @var{start-addr} -e @var{end-addr} ]
29137 | [ -f @var{filename} -l @var{linenum} [ -n @var{lines} ] ]
29138 -- @var{mode}
29139@end smallexample
29140
29141@noindent
29142Where:
29143
29144@table @samp
29145@item @var{start-addr}
29146is the beginning address (or @code{$pc})
29147@item @var{end-addr}
29148is the end address
29149@item @var{filename}
29150is the name of the file to disassemble
29151@item @var{linenum}
29152is the line number to disassemble around
29153@item @var{lines}
29154is the number of disassembly lines to be produced. If it is -1,
29155the whole function will be disassembled, in case no @var{end-addr} is
29156specified. If @var{end-addr} is specified as a non-zero value, and
29157@var{lines} is lower than the number of disassembly lines between
29158@var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only @var{lines} lines are
29159displayed; if @var{lines} is higher than the number of lines between
29160@var{start-addr} and @var{end-addr}, only the lines up to @var{end-addr}
29161are displayed.
29162@item @var{mode}
29163is either 0 (meaning only disassembly), 1 (meaning mixed source and
29164disassembly), 2 (meaning disassembly with raw opcodes), or 3 (meaning
29165mixed source and disassembly with raw opcodes).
29166@end table
29167
29168@subsubheading Result
29169
29170The output for each instruction is composed of four fields:
29171
29172@itemize @bullet
29173@item Address
29174@item Func-name
29175@item Offset
29176@item Instruction
29177@end itemize
29178
29179Note that whatever included in the instruction field, is not manipulated
29180directly by @sc{gdb/mi}, i.e., it is not possible to adjust its format.
29181
29182@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29183
29184There's no direct mapping from this command to the CLI.
29185
29186@subsubheading Example
29187
29188Disassemble from the current value of @code{$pc} to @code{$pc + 20}:
29189
29190@smallexample
29191(gdb)
29192-data-disassemble -s $pc -e "$pc + 20" -- 0
29193^done,
29194asm_insns=[
29195@{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29196inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29197@{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29198inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29199@{address="0x000107c8",func-name="main",offset="12",
29200inst="or %o2, 0x140, %o1\t! 0x11940 <_lib_version+8>"@},
29201@{address="0x000107cc",func-name="main",offset="16",
29202inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29203@{address="0x000107d0",func-name="main",offset="20",
29204inst="or %o2, 0x168, %o4\t! 0x11968 <_lib_version+48>"@}]
29205(gdb)
29206@end smallexample
29207
29208Disassemble the whole @code{main} function. Line 32 is part of
29209@code{main}.
29210
29211@smallexample
29212-data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -- 0
29213^done,asm_insns=[
29214@{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29215inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
29216@{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29217inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29218@{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29219inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@},
29220[@dots{}]
29221@{address="0x0001081c",func-name="main",offset="96",inst="ret "@},
29222@{address="0x00010820",func-name="main",offset="100",inst="restore "@}]
29223(gdb)
29224@end smallexample
29225
29226Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main}:
29227
29228@smallexample
29229(gdb)
29230-data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 0
29231^done,asm_insns=[
29232@{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29233inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@},
29234@{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29235inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29236@{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29237inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]
29238(gdb)
29239@end smallexample
29240
29241Disassemble 3 instructions from the start of @code{main} in mixed mode:
29242
29243@smallexample
29244(gdb)
29245-data-disassemble -f basics.c -l 32 -n 3 -- 1
29246^done,asm_insns=[
29247src_and_asm_line=@{line="31",
29248file="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb/ \
29249 testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line_asm_insn=[
29250@{address="0x000107bc",func-name="main",offset="0",
29251inst="save %sp, -112, %sp"@}]@},
29252src_and_asm_line=@{line="32",
29253file="/kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/flathead-dev/devo/gdb/ \
29254 testsuite/gdb.mi/basics.c",line_asm_insn=[
29255@{address="0x000107c0",func-name="main",offset="4",
29256inst="mov 2, %o0"@},
29257@{address="0x000107c4",func-name="main",offset="8",
29258inst="sethi %hi(0x11800), %o2"@}]@}]
29259(gdb)
29260@end smallexample
29261
29262
29263@subheading The @code{-data-evaluate-expression} Command
29264@findex -data-evaluate-expression
29265
29266@subsubheading Synopsis
29267
29268@smallexample
29269 -data-evaluate-expression @var{expr}
29270@end smallexample
29271
29272Evaluate @var{expr} as an expression. The expression could contain an
29273inferior function call. The function call will execute synchronously.
29274If the expression contains spaces, it must be enclosed in double quotes.
29275
29276@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29277
29278The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{print}, @samp{output}, and
29279@samp{call}. In @code{gdbtk} only, there's a corresponding
29280@samp{gdb_eval} command.
29281
29282@subsubheading Example
29283
29284In the following example, the numbers that precede the commands are the
29285@dfn{tokens} described in @ref{GDB/MI Command Syntax, ,@sc{gdb/mi}
29286Command Syntax}. Notice how @sc{gdb/mi} returns the same tokens in its
29287output.
29288
29289@smallexample
29290211-data-evaluate-expression A
29291211^done,value="1"
29292(gdb)
29293311-data-evaluate-expression &A
29294311^done,value="0xefffeb7c"
29295(gdb)
29296411-data-evaluate-expression A+3
29297411^done,value="4"
29298(gdb)
29299511-data-evaluate-expression "A + 3"
29300511^done,value="4"
29301(gdb)
29302@end smallexample
29303
29304
29305@subheading The @code{-data-list-changed-registers} Command
29306@findex -data-list-changed-registers
29307
29308@subsubheading Synopsis
29309
29310@smallexample
29311 -data-list-changed-registers
29312@end smallexample
29313
29314Display a list of the registers that have changed.
29315
29316@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29317
29318@value{GDBN} doesn't have a direct analog for this command; @code{gdbtk}
29319has the corresponding command @samp{gdb_changed_register_list}.
29320
29321@subsubheading Example
29322
29323On a PPC MBX board:
29324
29325@smallexample
29326(gdb)
29327-exec-continue
29328^running
29329
29330(gdb)
29331*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",frame=@{
29332func="main",args=[],file="try.c",fullname="/home/foo/bar/try.c",
29333line="5"@}
29334(gdb)
29335-data-list-changed-registers
29336^done,changed-registers=["0","1","2","4","5","6","7","8","9",
29337"10","11","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23",
29338"24","25","26","27","28","30","31","64","65","66","67","69"]
29339(gdb)
29340@end smallexample
29341
29342
29343@subheading The @code{-data-list-register-names} Command
29344@findex -data-list-register-names
29345
29346@subsubheading Synopsis
29347
29348@smallexample
29349 -data-list-register-names [ ( @var{regno} )+ ]
29350@end smallexample
29351
29352Show a list of register names for the current target. If no arguments
29353are given, it shows a list of the names of all the registers. If
29354integer numbers are given as arguments, it will print a list of the
29355names of the registers corresponding to the arguments. To ensure
29356consistency between a register name and its number, the output list may
29357include empty register names.
29358
29359@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29360
29361@value{GDBN} does not have a command which corresponds to
29362@samp{-data-list-register-names}. In @code{gdbtk} there is a
29363corresponding command @samp{gdb_regnames}.
29364
29365@subsubheading Example
29366
29367For the PPC MBX board:
29368@smallexample
29369(gdb)
29370-data-list-register-names
29371^done,register-names=["r0","r1","r2","r3","r4","r5","r6","r7",
29372"r8","r9","r10","r11","r12","r13","r14","r15","r16","r17","r18",
29373"r19","r20","r21","r22","r23","r24","r25","r26","r27","r28","r29",
29374"r30","r31","f0","f1","f2","f3","f4","f5","f6","f7","f8","f9",
29375"f10","f11","f12","f13","f14","f15","f16","f17","f18","f19","f20",
29376"f21","f22","f23","f24","f25","f26","f27","f28","f29","f30","f31",
29377"", "pc","ps","cr","lr","ctr","xer"]
29378(gdb)
29379-data-list-register-names 1 2 3
29380^done,register-names=["r1","r2","r3"]
29381(gdb)
29382@end smallexample
29383
29384@subheading The @code{-data-list-register-values} Command
29385@findex -data-list-register-values
29386
29387@subsubheading Synopsis
29388
29389@smallexample
29390 -data-list-register-values @var{fmt} [ ( @var{regno} )*]
29391@end smallexample
29392
29393Display the registers' contents. @var{fmt} is the format according to
29394which the registers' contents are to be returned, followed by an optional
29395list of numbers specifying the registers to display. A missing list of
29396numbers indicates that the contents of all the registers must be returned.
29397
29398Allowed formats for @var{fmt} are:
29399
29400@table @code
29401@item x
29402Hexadecimal
29403@item o
29404Octal
29405@item t
29406Binary
29407@item d
29408Decimal
29409@item r
29410Raw
29411@item N
29412Natural
29413@end table
29414
29415@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29416
29417The corresponding @value{GDBN} commands are @samp{info reg}, @samp{info
29418all-reg}, and (in @code{gdbtk}) @samp{gdb_fetch_registers}.
29419
29420@subsubheading Example
29421
29422For a PPC MBX board (note: line breaks are for readability only, they
29423don't appear in the actual output):
29424
29425@smallexample
29426(gdb)
29427-data-list-register-values r 64 65
29428^done,register-values=[@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
29429@{number="65",value="0x00029002"@}]
29430(gdb)
29431-data-list-register-values x
29432^done,register-values=[@{number="0",value="0xfe0043c8"@},
29433@{number="1",value="0x3fff88"@},@{number="2",value="0xfffffffe"@},
29434@{number="3",value="0x0"@},@{number="4",value="0xa"@},
29435@{number="5",value="0x3fff68"@},@{number="6",value="0x3fff58"@},
29436@{number="7",value="0xfe011e98"@},@{number="8",value="0x2"@},
29437@{number="9",value="0xfa202820"@},@{number="10",value="0xfa202808"@},
29438@{number="11",value="0x1"@},@{number="12",value="0x0"@},
29439@{number="13",value="0x4544"@},@{number="14",value="0xffdfffff"@},
29440@{number="15",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="16",value="0xfffffeff"@},
29441@{number="17",value="0xefffffed"@},@{number="18",value="0xfffffffe"@},
29442@{number="19",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="20",value="0xffffffff"@},
29443@{number="21",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="22",value="0xfffffff7"@},
29444@{number="23",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="24",value="0xffffffff"@},
29445@{number="25",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="26",value="0xfffffffb"@},
29446@{number="27",value="0xffffffff"@},@{number="28",value="0xf7bfffff"@},
29447@{number="29",value="0x0"@},@{number="30",value="0xfe010000"@},
29448@{number="31",value="0x0"@},@{number="32",value="0x0"@},
29449@{number="33",value="0x0"@},@{number="34",value="0x0"@},
29450@{number="35",value="0x0"@},@{number="36",value="0x0"@},
29451@{number="37",value="0x0"@},@{number="38",value="0x0"@},
29452@{number="39",value="0x0"@},@{number="40",value="0x0"@},
29453@{number="41",value="0x0"@},@{number="42",value="0x0"@},
29454@{number="43",value="0x0"@},@{number="44",value="0x0"@},
29455@{number="45",value="0x0"@},@{number="46",value="0x0"@},
29456@{number="47",value="0x0"@},@{number="48",value="0x0"@},
29457@{number="49",value="0x0"@},@{number="50",value="0x0"@},
29458@{number="51",value="0x0"@},@{number="52",value="0x0"@},
29459@{number="53",value="0x0"@},@{number="54",value="0x0"@},
29460@{number="55",value="0x0"@},@{number="56",value="0x0"@},
29461@{number="57",value="0x0"@},@{number="58",value="0x0"@},
29462@{number="59",value="0x0"@},@{number="60",value="0x0"@},
29463@{number="61",value="0x0"@},@{number="62",value="0x0"@},
29464@{number="63",value="0x0"@},@{number="64",value="0xfe00a300"@},
29465@{number="65",value="0x29002"@},@{number="66",value="0x202f04b5"@},
29466@{number="67",value="0xfe0043b0"@},@{number="68",value="0xfe00b3e4"@},
29467@{number="69",value="0x20002b03"@}]
29468(gdb)
29469@end smallexample
29470
29471
29472@subheading The @code{-data-read-memory} Command
29473@findex -data-read-memory
29474
29475This command is deprecated, use @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} instead.
29476
29477@subsubheading Synopsis
29478
29479@smallexample
29480 -data-read-memory [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
29481 @var{address} @var{word-format} @var{word-size}
29482 @var{nr-rows} @var{nr-cols} [ @var{aschar} ]
29483@end smallexample
29484
29485@noindent
29486where:
29487
29488@table @samp
29489@item @var{address}
29490An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
29491read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
29492quoted using the C convention.
29493
29494@item @var{word-format}
29495The format to be used to print the memory words. The notation is the
29496same as for @value{GDBN}'s @code{print} command (@pxref{Output Formats,
29497,Output Formats}).
29498
29499@item @var{word-size}
29500The size of each memory word in bytes.
29501
29502@item @var{nr-rows}
29503The number of rows in the output table.
29504
29505@item @var{nr-cols}
29506The number of columns in the output table.
29507
29508@item @var{aschar}
29509If present, indicates that each row should include an @sc{ascii} dump. The
29510value of @var{aschar} is used as a padding character when a byte is not a
29511member of the printable @sc{ascii} character set (printable @sc{ascii}
29512characters are those whose code is between 32 and 126, inclusively).
29513
29514@item @var{byte-offset}
29515An offset to add to the @var{address} before fetching memory.
29516@end table
29517
29518This command displays memory contents as a table of @var{nr-rows} by
29519@var{nr-cols} words, each word being @var{word-size} bytes. In total,
29520@code{@var{nr-rows} * @var{nr-cols} * @var{word-size}} bytes are read
29521(returned as @samp{total-bytes}). Should less than the requested number
29522of bytes be returned by the target, the missing words are identified
29523using @samp{N/A}. The number of bytes read from the target is returned
29524in @samp{nr-bytes} and the starting address used to read memory in
29525@samp{addr}.
29526
29527The address of the next/previous row or page is available in
29528@samp{next-row} and @samp{prev-row}, @samp{next-page} and
29529@samp{prev-page}.
29530
29531@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29532
29533The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}. @code{gdbtk} has
29534@samp{gdb_get_mem} memory read command.
29535
29536@subsubheading Example
29537
29538Read six bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+6} but then offset by
29539@code{-6} bytes. Format as three rows of two columns. One byte per
29540word. Display each word in hex.
29541
29542@smallexample
29543(gdb)
295449-data-read-memory -o -6 -- bytes+6 x 1 3 2
295459^done,addr="0x00001390",nr-bytes="6",total-bytes="6",
29546next-row="0x00001396",prev-row="0x0000138e",next-page="0x00001396",
29547prev-page="0x0000138a",memory=[
29548@{addr="0x00001390",data=["0x00","0x01"]@},
29549@{addr="0x00001392",data=["0x02","0x03"]@},
29550@{addr="0x00001394",data=["0x04","0x05"]@}]
29551(gdb)
29552@end smallexample
29553
29554Read two bytes of memory starting at address @code{shorts + 64} and
29555display as a single word formatted in decimal.
29556
29557@smallexample
29558(gdb)
295595-data-read-memory shorts+64 d 2 1 1
295605^done,addr="0x00001510",nr-bytes="2",total-bytes="2",
29561next-row="0x00001512",prev-row="0x0000150e",
29562next-page="0x00001512",prev-page="0x0000150e",memory=[
29563@{addr="0x00001510",data=["128"]@}]
29564(gdb)
29565@end smallexample
29566
29567Read thirty two bytes of memory starting at @code{bytes+16} and format
29568as eight rows of four columns. Include a string encoding with @samp{x}
29569used as the non-printable character.
29570
29571@smallexample
29572(gdb)
295734-data-read-memory bytes+16 x 1 8 4 x
295744^done,addr="0x000013a0",nr-bytes="32",total-bytes="32",
29575next-row="0x000013c0",prev-row="0x0000139c",
29576next-page="0x000013c0",prev-page="0x00001380",memory=[
29577@{addr="0x000013a0",data=["0x10","0x11","0x12","0x13"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29578@{addr="0x000013a4",data=["0x14","0x15","0x16","0x17"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29579@{addr="0x000013a8",data=["0x18","0x19","0x1a","0x1b"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29580@{addr="0x000013ac",data=["0x1c","0x1d","0x1e","0x1f"],ascii="xxxx"@},
29581@{addr="0x000013b0",data=["0x20","0x21","0x22","0x23"],ascii=" !\"#"@},
29582@{addr="0x000013b4",data=["0x24","0x25","0x26","0x27"],ascii="$%&'"@},
29583@{addr="0x000013b8",data=["0x28","0x29","0x2a","0x2b"],ascii="()*+"@},
29584@{addr="0x000013bc",data=["0x2c","0x2d","0x2e","0x2f"],ascii=",-./"@}]
29585(gdb)
29586@end smallexample
29587
29588@subheading The @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} Command
29589@findex -data-read-memory-bytes
29590
29591@subsubheading Synopsis
29592
29593@smallexample
29594 -data-read-memory-bytes [ -o @var{byte-offset} ]
29595 @var{address} @var{count}
29596@end smallexample
29597
29598@noindent
29599where:
29600
29601@table @samp
29602@item @var{address}
29603An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
29604read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
29605quoted using the C convention.
29606
29607@item @var{count}
29608The number of bytes to read. This should be an integer literal.
29609
29610@item @var{byte-offset}
29611The offsets in bytes relative to @var{address} at which to start
29612reading. This should be an integer literal. This option is provided
29613so that a frontend is not required to first evaluate address and then
29614perform address arithmetics itself.
29615
29616@end table
29617
29618This command attempts to read all accessible memory regions in the
29619specified range. First, all regions marked as unreadable in the memory
29620map (if one is defined) will be skipped. @xref{Memory Region
29621Attributes}. Second, @value{GDBN} will attempt to read the remaining
29622regions. For each one, if reading full region results in an errors,
29623@value{GDBN} will try to read a subset of the region.
29624
29625In general, every single byte in the region may be readable or not,
29626and the only way to read every readable byte is to try a read at
29627every address, which is not practical. Therefore, @value{GDBN} will
29628attempt to read all accessible bytes at either beginning or the end
29629of the region, using a binary division scheme. This heuristic works
29630well for reading accross a memory map boundary. Note that if a region
29631has a readable range that is neither at the beginning or the end,
29632@value{GDBN} will not read it.
29633
29634The result record (@pxref{GDB/MI Result Records}) that is output of
29635the command includes a field named @samp{memory} whose content is a
29636list of tuples. Each tuple represent a successfully read memory block
29637and has the following fields:
29638
29639@table @code
29640@item begin
29641The start address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
29642
29643@item end
29644The end address of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal.
29645
29646@item offset
29647The offset of the memory block, as hexadecimal literal, relative to
29648the start address passed to @code{-data-read-memory-bytes}.
29649
29650@item contents
29651The contents of the memory block, in hex.
29652
29653@end table
29654
29655
29656
29657@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29658
29659The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{x}.
29660
29661@subsubheading Example
29662
29663@smallexample
29664(gdb)
29665-data-read-memory-bytes &a 10
29666^done,memory=[@{begin="0xbffff154",offset="0x00000000",
29667 end="0xbffff15e",
29668 contents="01000000020000000300"@}]
29669(gdb)
29670@end smallexample
29671
29672
29673@subheading The @code{-data-write-memory-bytes} Command
29674@findex -data-write-memory-bytes
29675
29676@subsubheading Synopsis
29677
29678@smallexample
29679 -data-write-memory-bytes @var{address} @var{contents}
29680@end smallexample
29681
29682@noindent
29683where:
29684
29685@table @samp
29686@item @var{address}
29687An expression specifying the address of the first memory word to be
29688read. Complex expressions containing embedded white space should be
29689quoted using the C convention.
29690
29691@item @var{contents}
29692The hex-encoded bytes to write.
29693
29694@end table
29695
29696@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29697
29698There's no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
29699
29700@subsubheading Example
29701
29702@smallexample
29703(gdb)
29704-data-write-memory-bytes &a "aabbccdd"
29705^done
29706(gdb)
29707@end smallexample
29708
29709
29710@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29711@node GDB/MI Tracepoint Commands
29712@section @sc{gdb/mi} Tracepoint Commands
29713
29714The commands defined in this section implement MI support for
29715tracepoints. For detailed introduction, see @ref{Tracepoints}.
29716
29717@subheading The @code{-trace-find} Command
29718@findex -trace-find
29719
29720@subsubheading Synopsis
29721
29722@smallexample
29723 -trace-find @var{mode} [@var{parameters}@dots{}]
29724@end smallexample
29725
29726Find a trace frame using criteria defined by @var{mode} and
29727@var{parameters}. The following table lists permissible
29728modes and their parameters. For details of operation, see @ref{tfind}.
29729
29730@table @samp
29731
29732@item none
29733No parameters are required. Stops examining trace frames.
29734
29735@item frame-number
29736An integer is required as parameter. Selects tracepoint frame with
29737that index.
29738
29739@item tracepoint-number
29740An integer is required as parameter. Finds next
29741trace frame that corresponds to tracepoint with the specified number.
29742
29743@item pc
29744An address is required as parameter. Finds
29745next trace frame that corresponds to any tracepoint at the specified
29746address.
29747
29748@item pc-inside-range
29749Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds next trace
29750frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address inside the
29751specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
29752
29753@item pc-outside-range
29754Two addresses are required as parameters. Finds
29755next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at an address outside
29756the specified range. Both bounds are considered to be inside the range.
29757
29758@item line
29759Line specification is required as parameter. @xref{Specify Location}.
29760Finds next trace frame that corresponds to a tracepoint at
29761the specified location.
29762
29763@end table
29764
29765If @samp{none} was passed as @var{mode}, the response does not
29766have fields. Otherwise, the response may have the following fields:
29767
29768@table @samp
29769@item found
29770This field has either @samp{0} or @samp{1} as the value, depending
29771on whether a matching tracepoint was found.
29772
29773@item traceframe
29774The index of the found traceframe. This field is present iff
29775the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
29776
29777@item tracepoint
29778The index of the found tracepoint. This field is present iff
29779the @samp{found} field has value of @samp{1}.
29780
29781@item frame
29782The information about the frame corresponding to the found trace
29783frame. This field is present only if a trace frame was found.
29784@xref{GDB/MI Frame Information}, for description of this field.
29785
29786@end table
29787
29788@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29789
29790The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tfind}.
29791
29792@subheading -trace-define-variable
29793@findex -trace-define-variable
29794
29795@subsubheading Synopsis
29796
29797@smallexample
29798 -trace-define-variable @var{name} [ @var{value} ]
29799@end smallexample
29800
29801Create trace variable @var{name} if it does not exist. If
29802@var{value} is specified, sets the initial value of the specified
29803trace variable to that value. Note that the @var{name} should start
29804with the @samp{$} character.
29805
29806@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29807
29808The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariable}.
29809
29810@subheading -trace-list-variables
29811@findex -trace-list-variables
29812
29813@subsubheading Synopsis
29814
29815@smallexample
29816 -trace-list-variables
29817@end smallexample
29818
29819Return a table of all defined trace variables. Each element of the
29820table has the following fields:
29821
29822@table @samp
29823@item name
29824The name of the trace variable. This field is always present.
29825
29826@item initial
29827The initial value. This is a 64-bit signed integer. This
29828field is always present.
29829
29830@item current
29831The value the trace variable has at the moment. This is a 64-bit
29832signed integer. This field is absent iff current value is
29833not defined, for example if the trace was never run, or is
29834presently running.
29835
29836@end table
29837
29838@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29839
29840The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tvariables}.
29841
29842@subsubheading Example
29843
29844@smallexample
29845(gdb)
29846-trace-list-variables
29847^done,trace-variables=@{nr_rows="1",nr_cols="3",
29848hdr=[@{width="15",alignment="-1",col_name="name",colhdr="Name"@},
29849 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="initial",colhdr="Initial"@},
29850 @{width="11",alignment="-1",col_name="current",colhdr="Current"@}],
29851body=[variable=@{name="$trace_timestamp",initial="0"@}
29852 variable=@{name="$foo",initial="10",current="15"@}]@}
29853(gdb)
29854@end smallexample
29855
29856@subheading -trace-save
29857@findex -trace-save
29858
29859@subsubheading Synopsis
29860
29861@smallexample
29862 -trace-save [-r ] @var{filename}
29863@end smallexample
29864
29865Saves the collected trace data to @var{filename}. Without the
29866@samp{-r} option, the data is downloaded from the target and saved
29867in a local file. With the @samp{-r} option the target is asked
29868to perform the save.
29869
29870@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29871
29872The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tsave}.
29873
29874
29875@subheading -trace-start
29876@findex -trace-start
29877
29878@subsubheading Synopsis
29879
29880@smallexample
29881 -trace-start
29882@end smallexample
29883
29884Starts a tracing experiments. The result of this command does not
29885have any fields.
29886
29887@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29888
29889The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstart}.
29890
29891@subheading -trace-status
29892@findex -trace-status
29893
29894@subsubheading Synopsis
29895
29896@smallexample
29897 -trace-status
29898@end smallexample
29899
29900Obtains the status of a tracing experiment. The result may include
29901the following fields:
29902
29903@table @samp
29904
29905@item supported
29906May have a value of either @samp{0}, when no tracing operations are
29907supported, @samp{1}, when all tracing operations are supported, or
29908@samp{file} when examining trace file. In the latter case, examining
29909of trace frame is possible but new tracing experiement cannot be
29910started. This field is always present.
29911
29912@item running
29913May have a value of either @samp{0} or @samp{1} depending on whether
29914tracing experiement is in progress on target. This field is present
29915if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
29916
29917@item stop-reason
29918Report the reason why the tracing was stopped last time. This field
29919may be absent iff tracing was never stopped on target yet. The
29920value of @samp{request} means the tracing was stopped as result of
29921the @code{-trace-stop} command. The value of @samp{overflow} means
29922the tracing buffer is full. The value of @samp{disconnection} means
29923tracing was automatically stopped when @value{GDBN} has disconnected.
29924The value of @samp{passcount} means tracing was stopped when a
29925tracepoint was passed a maximal number of times for that tracepoint.
29926This field is present if @samp{supported} field is not @samp{0}.
29927
29928@item stopping-tracepoint
29929The number of tracepoint whose passcount as exceeded. This field is
29930present iff the @samp{stop-reason} field has the value of
29931@samp{passcount}.
29932
29933@item frames
29934@itemx frames-created
29935The @samp{frames} field is a count of the total number of trace frames
29936in the trace buffer, while @samp{frames-created} is the total created
29937during the run, including ones that were discarded, such as when a
29938circular trace buffer filled up. Both fields are optional.
29939
29940@item buffer-size
29941@itemx buffer-free
29942These fields tell the current size of the tracing buffer and the
29943remaining space. These fields are optional.
29944
29945@item circular
29946The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
29947trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
29948necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
29949and may fill up.
29950
29951@item disconnected
29952The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
29953tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
29954that the trace run will stop.
29955
29956@end table
29957
29958@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29959
29960The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstatus}.
29961
29962@subheading -trace-stop
29963@findex -trace-stop
29964
29965@subsubheading Synopsis
29966
29967@smallexample
29968 -trace-stop
29969@end smallexample
29970
29971Stops a tracing experiment. The result of this command has the same
29972fields as @code{-trace-status}, except that the @samp{supported} and
29973@samp{running} fields are not output.
29974
29975@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29976
29977The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{tstop}.
29978
29979
29980@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
29981@node GDB/MI Symbol Query
29982@section @sc{gdb/mi} Symbol Query Commands
29983
29984
29985@ignore
29986@subheading The @code{-symbol-info-address} Command
29987@findex -symbol-info-address
29988
29989@subsubheading Synopsis
29990
29991@smallexample
29992 -symbol-info-address @var{symbol}
29993@end smallexample
29994
29995Describe where @var{symbol} is stored.
29996
29997@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
29998
29999The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info address}.
30000
30001@subsubheading Example
30002N.A.
30003
30004
30005@subheading The @code{-symbol-info-file} Command
30006@findex -symbol-info-file
30007
30008@subsubheading Synopsis
30009
30010@smallexample
30011 -symbol-info-file
30012@end smallexample
30013
30014Show the file for the symbol.
30015
30016@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30017
30018There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command. @code{gdbtk} has
30019@samp{gdb_find_file}.
30020
30021@subsubheading Example
30022N.A.
30023
30024
30025@subheading The @code{-symbol-info-function} Command
30026@findex -symbol-info-function
30027
30028@subsubheading Synopsis
30029
30030@smallexample
30031 -symbol-info-function
30032@end smallexample
30033
30034Show which function the symbol lives in.
30035
30036@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30037
30038@samp{gdb_get_function} in @code{gdbtk}.
30039
30040@subsubheading Example
30041N.A.
30042
30043
30044@subheading The @code{-symbol-info-line} Command
30045@findex -symbol-info-line
30046
30047@subsubheading Synopsis
30048
30049@smallexample
30050 -symbol-info-line
30051@end smallexample
30052
30053Show the core addresses of the code for a source line.
30054
30055@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30056
30057The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info line}.
30058@code{gdbtk} has the @samp{gdb_get_line} and @samp{gdb_get_file} commands.
30059
30060@subsubheading Example
30061N.A.
30062
30063
30064@subheading The @code{-symbol-info-symbol} Command
30065@findex -symbol-info-symbol
30066
30067@subsubheading Synopsis
30068
30069@smallexample
30070 -symbol-info-symbol @var{addr}
30071@end smallexample
30072
30073Describe what symbol is at location @var{addr}.
30074
30075@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30076
30077The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info symbol}.
30078
30079@subsubheading Example
30080N.A.
30081
30082
30083@subheading The @code{-symbol-list-functions} Command
30084@findex -symbol-list-functions
30085
30086@subsubheading Synopsis
30087
30088@smallexample
30089 -symbol-list-functions
30090@end smallexample
30091
30092List the functions in the executable.
30093
30094@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30095
30096@samp{info functions} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_listfunc} and
30097@samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30098
30099@subsubheading Example
30100N.A.
30101@end ignore
30102
30103
30104@subheading The @code{-symbol-list-lines} Command
30105@findex -symbol-list-lines
30106
30107@subsubheading Synopsis
30108
30109@smallexample
30110 -symbol-list-lines @var{filename}
30111@end smallexample
30112
30113Print the list of lines that contain code and their associated program
30114addresses for the given source filename. The entries are sorted in
30115ascending PC order.
30116
30117@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30118
30119There is no corresponding @value{GDBN} command.
30120
30121@subsubheading Example
30122@smallexample
30123(gdb)
30124-symbol-list-lines basics.c
30125^done,lines=[@{pc="0x08048554",line="7"@},@{pc="0x0804855a",line="8"@}]
30126(gdb)
30127@end smallexample
30128
30129
30130@ignore
30131@subheading The @code{-symbol-list-types} Command
30132@findex -symbol-list-types
30133
30134@subsubheading Synopsis
30135
30136@smallexample
30137 -symbol-list-types
30138@end smallexample
30139
30140List all the type names.
30141
30142@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30143
30144The corresponding commands are @samp{info types} in @value{GDBN},
30145@samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30146
30147@subsubheading Example
30148N.A.
30149
30150
30151@subheading The @code{-symbol-list-variables} Command
30152@findex -symbol-list-variables
30153
30154@subsubheading Synopsis
30155
30156@smallexample
30157 -symbol-list-variables
30158@end smallexample
30159
30160List all the global and static variable names.
30161
30162@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30163
30164@samp{info variables} in @value{GDBN}, @samp{gdb_search} in @code{gdbtk}.
30165
30166@subsubheading Example
30167N.A.
30168
30169
30170@subheading The @code{-symbol-locate} Command
30171@findex -symbol-locate
30172
30173@subsubheading Synopsis
30174
30175@smallexample
30176 -symbol-locate
30177@end smallexample
30178
30179@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30180
30181@samp{gdb_loc} in @code{gdbtk}.
30182
30183@subsubheading Example
30184N.A.
30185
30186
30187@subheading The @code{-symbol-type} Command
30188@findex -symbol-type
30189
30190@subsubheading Synopsis
30191
30192@smallexample
30193 -symbol-type @var{variable}
30194@end smallexample
30195
30196Show type of @var{variable}.
30197
30198@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30199
30200The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{ptype}, @code{gdbtk} has
30201@samp{gdb_obj_variable}.
30202
30203@subsubheading Example
30204N.A.
30205@end ignore
30206
30207
30208@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30209@node GDB/MI File Commands
30210@section @sc{gdb/mi} File Commands
30211
30212This section describes the GDB/MI commands to specify executable file names
30213and to read in and obtain symbol table information.
30214
30215@subheading The @code{-file-exec-and-symbols} Command
30216@findex -file-exec-and-symbols
30217
30218@subsubheading Synopsis
30219
30220@smallexample
30221 -file-exec-and-symbols @var{file}
30222@end smallexample
30223
30224Specify the executable file to be debugged. This file is the one from
30225which the symbol table is also read. If no file is specified, the
30226command clears the executable and symbol information. If breakpoints
30227are set when using this command with no arguments, @value{GDBN} will produce
30228error messages. Otherwise, no output is produced, except a completion
30229notification.
30230
30231@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30232
30233The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{file}.
30234
30235@subsubheading Example
30236
30237@smallexample
30238(gdb)
30239-file-exec-and-symbols /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30240^done
30241(gdb)
30242@end smallexample
30243
30244
30245@subheading The @code{-file-exec-file} Command
30246@findex -file-exec-file
30247
30248@subsubheading Synopsis
30249
30250@smallexample
30251 -file-exec-file @var{file}
30252@end smallexample
30253
30254Specify the executable file to be debugged. Unlike
30255@samp{-file-exec-and-symbols}, the symbol table is @emph{not} read
30256from this file. If used without argument, @value{GDBN} clears the information
30257about the executable file. No output is produced, except a completion
30258notification.
30259
30260@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30261
30262The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{exec-file}.
30263
30264@subsubheading Example
30265
30266@smallexample
30267(gdb)
30268-file-exec-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30269^done
30270(gdb)
30271@end smallexample
30272
30273
30274@ignore
30275@subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-sections} Command
30276@findex -file-list-exec-sections
30277
30278@subsubheading Synopsis
30279
30280@smallexample
30281 -file-list-exec-sections
30282@end smallexample
30283
30284List the sections of the current executable file.
30285
30286@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30287
30288The @value{GDBN} command @samp{info file} shows, among the rest, the same
30289information as this command. @code{gdbtk} has a corresponding command
30290@samp{gdb_load_info}.
30291
30292@subsubheading Example
30293N.A.
30294@end ignore
30295
30296
30297@subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-file} Command
30298@findex -file-list-exec-source-file
30299
30300@subsubheading Synopsis
30301
30302@smallexample
30303 -file-list-exec-source-file
30304@end smallexample
30305
30306List the line number, the current source file, and the absolute path
30307to the current source file for the current executable. The macro
30308information field has a value of @samp{1} or @samp{0} depending on
30309whether or not the file includes preprocessor macro information.
30310
30311@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30312
30313The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info source}
30314
30315@subsubheading Example
30316
30317@smallexample
30318(gdb)
30319123-file-list-exec-source-file
30320123^done,line="1",file="foo.c",fullname="/home/bar/foo.c,macro-info="1"
30321(gdb)
30322@end smallexample
30323
30324
30325@subheading The @code{-file-list-exec-source-files} Command
30326@findex -file-list-exec-source-files
30327
30328@subsubheading Synopsis
30329
30330@smallexample
30331 -file-list-exec-source-files
30332@end smallexample
30333
30334List the source files for the current executable.
30335
30336It will always output the filename, but only when @value{GDBN} can find
30337the absolute file name of a source file, will it output the fullname.
30338
30339@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30340
30341The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{info sources}.
30342@code{gdbtk} has an analogous command @samp{gdb_listfiles}.
30343
30344@subsubheading Example
30345@smallexample
30346(gdb)
30347-file-list-exec-source-files
30348^done,files=[
30349@{file=foo.c,fullname=/home/foo.c@},
30350@{file=/home/bar.c,fullname=/home/bar.c@},
30351@{file=gdb_could_not_find_fullpath.c@}]
30352(gdb)
30353@end smallexample
30354
30355@ignore
30356@subheading The @code{-file-list-shared-libraries} Command
30357@findex -file-list-shared-libraries
30358
30359@subsubheading Synopsis
30360
30361@smallexample
30362 -file-list-shared-libraries
30363@end smallexample
30364
30365List the shared libraries in the program.
30366
30367@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30368
30369The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info shared}.
30370
30371@subsubheading Example
30372N.A.
30373
30374
30375@subheading The @code{-file-list-symbol-files} Command
30376@findex -file-list-symbol-files
30377
30378@subsubheading Synopsis
30379
30380@smallexample
30381 -file-list-symbol-files
30382@end smallexample
30383
30384List symbol files.
30385
30386@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30387
30388The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{info file} (part of it).
30389
30390@subsubheading Example
30391N.A.
30392@end ignore
30393
30394
30395@subheading The @code{-file-symbol-file} Command
30396@findex -file-symbol-file
30397
30398@subsubheading Synopsis
30399
30400@smallexample
30401 -file-symbol-file @var{file}
30402@end smallexample
30403
30404Read symbol table info from the specified @var{file} argument. When
30405used without arguments, clears @value{GDBN}'s symbol table info. No output is
30406produced, except for a completion notification.
30407
30408@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30409
30410The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{symbol-file}.
30411
30412@subsubheading Example
30413
30414@smallexample
30415(gdb)
30416-file-symbol-file /kwikemart/marge/ezannoni/TRUNK/mbx/hello.mbx
30417^done
30418(gdb)
30419@end smallexample
30420
30421@ignore
30422@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30423@node GDB/MI Memory Overlay Commands
30424@section @sc{gdb/mi} Memory Overlay Commands
30425
30426The memory overlay commands are not implemented.
30427
30428@c @subheading -overlay-auto
30429
30430@c @subheading -overlay-list-mapping-state
30431
30432@c @subheading -overlay-list-overlays
30433
30434@c @subheading -overlay-map
30435
30436@c @subheading -overlay-off
30437
30438@c @subheading -overlay-on
30439
30440@c @subheading -overlay-unmap
30441
30442@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30443@node GDB/MI Signal Handling Commands
30444@section @sc{gdb/mi} Signal Handling Commands
30445
30446Signal handling commands are not implemented.
30447
30448@c @subheading -signal-handle
30449
30450@c @subheading -signal-list-handle-actions
30451
30452@c @subheading -signal-list-signal-types
30453@end ignore
30454
30455
30456@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30457@node GDB/MI Target Manipulation
30458@section @sc{gdb/mi} Target Manipulation Commands
30459
30460
30461@subheading The @code{-target-attach} Command
30462@findex -target-attach
30463
30464@subsubheading Synopsis
30465
30466@smallexample
30467 -target-attach @var{pid} | @var{gid} | @var{file}
30468@end smallexample
30469
30470Attach to a process @var{pid} or a file @var{file} outside of
30471@value{GDBN}, or a thread group @var{gid}. If attaching to a thread
30472group, the id previously returned by
30473@samp{-list-thread-groups --available} must be used.
30474
30475@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30476
30477The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{attach}.
30478
30479@subsubheading Example
30480@smallexample
30481(gdb)
30482-target-attach 34
30483=thread-created,id="1"
30484*stopped,thread-id="1",frame=@{addr="0xb7f7e410",func="bar",args=[]@}
30485^done
30486(gdb)
30487@end smallexample
30488
30489@ignore
30490@subheading The @code{-target-compare-sections} Command
30491@findex -target-compare-sections
30492
30493@subsubheading Synopsis
30494
30495@smallexample
30496 -target-compare-sections [ @var{section} ]
30497@end smallexample
30498
30499Compare data of section @var{section} on target to the exec file.
30500Without the argument, all sections are compared.
30501
30502@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30503
30504The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{compare-sections}.
30505
30506@subsubheading Example
30507N.A.
30508@end ignore
30509
30510
30511@subheading The @code{-target-detach} Command
30512@findex -target-detach
30513
30514@subsubheading Synopsis
30515
30516@smallexample
30517 -target-detach [ @var{pid} | @var{gid} ]
30518@end smallexample
30519
30520Detach from the remote target which normally resumes its execution.
30521If either @var{pid} or @var{gid} is specified, detaches from either
30522the specified process, or specified thread group. There's no output.
30523
30524@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30525
30526The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{detach}.
30527
30528@subsubheading Example
30529
30530@smallexample
30531(gdb)
30532-target-detach
30533^done
30534(gdb)
30535@end smallexample
30536
30537
30538@subheading The @code{-target-disconnect} Command
30539@findex -target-disconnect
30540
30541@subsubheading Synopsis
30542
30543@smallexample
30544 -target-disconnect
30545@end smallexample
30546
30547Disconnect from the remote target. There's no output and the target is
30548generally not resumed.
30549
30550@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30551
30552The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{disconnect}.
30553
30554@subsubheading Example
30555
30556@smallexample
30557(gdb)
30558-target-disconnect
30559^done
30560(gdb)
30561@end smallexample
30562
30563
30564@subheading The @code{-target-download} Command
30565@findex -target-download
30566
30567@subsubheading Synopsis
30568
30569@smallexample
30570 -target-download
30571@end smallexample
30572
30573Loads the executable onto the remote target.
30574It prints out an update message every half second, which includes the fields:
30575
30576@table @samp
30577@item section
30578The name of the section.
30579@item section-sent
30580The size of what has been sent so far for that section.
30581@item section-size
30582The size of the section.
30583@item total-sent
30584The total size of what was sent so far (the current and the previous sections).
30585@item total-size
30586The size of the overall executable to download.
30587@end table
30588
30589@noindent
30590Each message is sent as status record (@pxref{GDB/MI Output Syntax, ,
30591@sc{gdb/mi} Output Syntax}).
30592
30593In addition, it prints the name and size of the sections, as they are
30594downloaded. These messages include the following fields:
30595
30596@table @samp
30597@item section
30598The name of the section.
30599@item section-size
30600The size of the section.
30601@item total-size
30602The size of the overall executable to download.
30603@end table
30604
30605@noindent
30606At the end, a summary is printed.
30607
30608@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30609
30610The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{load}.
30611
30612@subsubheading Example
30613
30614Note: each status message appears on a single line. Here the messages
30615have been broken down so that they can fit onto a page.
30616
30617@smallexample
30618(gdb)
30619-target-download
30620+download,@{section=".text",section-size="6668",total-size="9880"@}
30621+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="512",section-size="6668",
30622total-sent="512",total-size="9880"@}
30623+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1024",section-size="6668",
30624total-sent="1024",total-size="9880"@}
30625+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="1536",section-size="6668",
30626total-sent="1536",total-size="9880"@}
30627+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2048",section-size="6668",
30628total-sent="2048",total-size="9880"@}
30629+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="2560",section-size="6668",
30630total-sent="2560",total-size="9880"@}
30631+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3072",section-size="6668",
30632total-sent="3072",total-size="9880"@}
30633+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="3584",section-size="6668",
30634total-sent="3584",total-size="9880"@}
30635+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4096",section-size="6668",
30636total-sent="4096",total-size="9880"@}
30637+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="4608",section-size="6668",
30638total-sent="4608",total-size="9880"@}
30639+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5120",section-size="6668",
30640total-sent="5120",total-size="9880"@}
30641+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="5632",section-size="6668",
30642total-sent="5632",total-size="9880"@}
30643+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6144",section-size="6668",
30644total-sent="6144",total-size="9880"@}
30645+download,@{section=".text",section-sent="6656",section-size="6668",
30646total-sent="6656",total-size="9880"@}
30647+download,@{section=".init",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
30648+download,@{section=".fini",section-size="28",total-size="9880"@}
30649+download,@{section=".data",section-size="3156",total-size="9880"@}
30650+download,@{section=".data",section-sent="512",section-size="3156",
30651total-sent="7236",total-size="9880"@}
30652+download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1024",section-size="3156",
30653total-sent="7748",total-size="9880"@}
30654+download,@{section=".data",section-sent="1536",section-size="3156",
30655total-sent="8260",total-size="9880"@}
30656+download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2048",section-size="3156",
30657total-sent="8772",total-size="9880"@}
30658+download,@{section=".data",section-sent="2560",section-size="3156",
30659total-sent="9284",total-size="9880"@}
30660+download,@{section=".data",section-sent="3072",section-size="3156",
30661total-sent="9796",total-size="9880"@}
30662^done,address="0x10004",load-size="9880",transfer-rate="6586",
30663write-rate="429"
30664(gdb)
30665@end smallexample
30666
30667
30668@ignore
30669@subheading The @code{-target-exec-status} Command
30670@findex -target-exec-status
30671
30672@subsubheading Synopsis
30673
30674@smallexample
30675 -target-exec-status
30676@end smallexample
30677
30678Provide information on the state of the target (whether it is running or
30679not, for instance).
30680
30681@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30682
30683There's no equivalent @value{GDBN} command.
30684
30685@subsubheading Example
30686N.A.
30687
30688
30689@subheading The @code{-target-list-available-targets} Command
30690@findex -target-list-available-targets
30691
30692@subsubheading Synopsis
30693
30694@smallexample
30695 -target-list-available-targets
30696@end smallexample
30697
30698List the possible targets to connect to.
30699
30700@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30701
30702The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{help target}.
30703
30704@subsubheading Example
30705N.A.
30706
30707
30708@subheading The @code{-target-list-current-targets} Command
30709@findex -target-list-current-targets
30710
30711@subsubheading Synopsis
30712
30713@smallexample
30714 -target-list-current-targets
30715@end smallexample
30716
30717Describe the current target.
30718
30719@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30720
30721The corresponding information is printed by @samp{info file} (among
30722other things).
30723
30724@subsubheading Example
30725N.A.
30726
30727
30728@subheading The @code{-target-list-parameters} Command
30729@findex -target-list-parameters
30730
30731@subsubheading Synopsis
30732
30733@smallexample
30734 -target-list-parameters
30735@end smallexample
30736
30737@c ????
30738@end ignore
30739
30740@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30741
30742No equivalent.
30743
30744@subsubheading Example
30745N.A.
30746
30747
30748@subheading The @code{-target-select} Command
30749@findex -target-select
30750
30751@subsubheading Synopsis
30752
30753@smallexample
30754 -target-select @var{type} @var{parameters @dots{}}
30755@end smallexample
30756
30757Connect @value{GDBN} to the remote target. This command takes two args:
30758
30759@table @samp
30760@item @var{type}
30761The type of target, for instance @samp{remote}, etc.
30762@item @var{parameters}
30763Device names, host names and the like. @xref{Target Commands, ,
30764Commands for Managing Targets}, for more details.
30765@end table
30766
30767The output is a connection notification, followed by the address at
30768which the target program is, in the following form:
30769
30770@smallexample
30771^connected,addr="@var{address}",func="@var{function name}",
30772 args=[@var{arg list}]
30773@end smallexample
30774
30775@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30776
30777The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{target}.
30778
30779@subsubheading Example
30780
30781@smallexample
30782(gdb)
30783-target-select remote /dev/ttya
30784^connected,addr="0xfe00a300",func="??",args=[]
30785(gdb)
30786@end smallexample
30787
30788@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30789@node GDB/MI File Transfer Commands
30790@section @sc{gdb/mi} File Transfer Commands
30791
30792
30793@subheading The @code{-target-file-put} Command
30794@findex -target-file-put
30795
30796@subsubheading Synopsis
30797
30798@smallexample
30799 -target-file-put @var{hostfile} @var{targetfile}
30800@end smallexample
30801
30802Copy file @var{hostfile} from the host system (the machine running
30803@value{GDBN}) to @var{targetfile} on the target system.
30804
30805@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30806
30807The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote put}.
30808
30809@subsubheading Example
30810
30811@smallexample
30812(gdb)
30813-target-file-put localfile remotefile
30814^done
30815(gdb)
30816@end smallexample
30817
30818
30819@subheading The @code{-target-file-get} Command
30820@findex -target-file-get
30821
30822@subsubheading Synopsis
30823
30824@smallexample
30825 -target-file-get @var{targetfile} @var{hostfile}
30826@end smallexample
30827
30828Copy file @var{targetfile} from the target system to @var{hostfile}
30829on the host system.
30830
30831@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30832
30833The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote get}.
30834
30835@subsubheading Example
30836
30837@smallexample
30838(gdb)
30839-target-file-get remotefile localfile
30840^done
30841(gdb)
30842@end smallexample
30843
30844
30845@subheading The @code{-target-file-delete} Command
30846@findex -target-file-delete
30847
30848@subsubheading Synopsis
30849
30850@smallexample
30851 -target-file-delete @var{targetfile}
30852@end smallexample
30853
30854Delete @var{targetfile} from the target system.
30855
30856@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30857
30858The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{remote delete}.
30859
30860@subsubheading Example
30861
30862@smallexample
30863(gdb)
30864-target-file-delete remotefile
30865^done
30866(gdb)
30867@end smallexample
30868
30869
30870@c %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SECTION %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
30871@node GDB/MI Miscellaneous Commands
30872@section Miscellaneous @sc{gdb/mi} Commands
30873
30874@c @subheading -gdb-complete
30875
30876@subheading The @code{-gdb-exit} Command
30877@findex -gdb-exit
30878
30879@subsubheading Synopsis
30880
30881@smallexample
30882 -gdb-exit
30883@end smallexample
30884
30885Exit @value{GDBN} immediately.
30886
30887@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30888
30889Approximately corresponds to @samp{quit}.
30890
30891@subsubheading Example
30892
30893@smallexample
30894(gdb)
30895-gdb-exit
30896^exit
30897@end smallexample
30898
30899
30900@ignore
30901@subheading The @code{-exec-abort} Command
30902@findex -exec-abort
30903
30904@subsubheading Synopsis
30905
30906@smallexample
30907 -exec-abort
30908@end smallexample
30909
30910Kill the inferior running program.
30911
30912@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30913
30914The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{kill}.
30915
30916@subsubheading Example
30917N.A.
30918@end ignore
30919
30920
30921@subheading The @code{-gdb-set} Command
30922@findex -gdb-set
30923
30924@subsubheading Synopsis
30925
30926@smallexample
30927 -gdb-set
30928@end smallexample
30929
30930Set an internal @value{GDBN} variable.
30931@c IS THIS A DOLLAR VARIABLE? OR SOMETHING LIKE ANNOTATE ?????
30932
30933@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30934
30935The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set}.
30936
30937@subsubheading Example
30938
30939@smallexample
30940(gdb)
30941-gdb-set $foo=3
30942^done
30943(gdb)
30944@end smallexample
30945
30946
30947@subheading The @code{-gdb-show} Command
30948@findex -gdb-show
30949
30950@subsubheading Synopsis
30951
30952@smallexample
30953 -gdb-show
30954@end smallexample
30955
30956Show the current value of a @value{GDBN} variable.
30957
30958@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30959
30960The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show}.
30961
30962@subsubheading Example
30963
30964@smallexample
30965(gdb)
30966-gdb-show annotate
30967^done,value="0"
30968(gdb)
30969@end smallexample
30970
30971@c @subheading -gdb-source
30972
30973
30974@subheading The @code{-gdb-version} Command
30975@findex -gdb-version
30976
30977@subsubheading Synopsis
30978
30979@smallexample
30980 -gdb-version
30981@end smallexample
30982
30983Show version information for @value{GDBN}. Used mostly in testing.
30984
30985@subsubheading @value{GDBN} Command
30986
30987The @value{GDBN} equivalent is @samp{show version}. @value{GDBN} by
30988default shows this information when you start an interactive session.
30989
30990@subsubheading Example
30991
30992@c This example modifies the actual output from GDB to avoid overfull
30993@c box in TeX.
30994@smallexample
30995(gdb)
30996-gdb-version
30997~GNU gdb 5.2.1
30998~Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
30999~GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, and
31000~you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under
31001~ certain conditions.
31002~Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
31003~There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty" for
31004~ details.
31005~This GDB was configured as
31006 "--host=sparc-sun-solaris2.5.1 --target=ppc-eabi".
31007^done
31008(gdb)
31009@end smallexample
31010
31011@subheading The @code{-list-features} Command
31012@findex -list-features
31013
31014Returns a list of particular features of the MI protocol that
31015this version of gdb implements. A feature can be a command,
31016or a new field in an output of some command, or even an
31017important bugfix. While a frontend can sometimes detect presence
31018of a feature at runtime, it is easier to perform detection at debugger
31019startup.
31020
31021The command returns a list of strings, with each string naming an
31022available feature. Each returned string is just a name, it does not
31023have any internal structure. The list of possible feature names
31024is given below.
31025
31026Example output:
31027
31028@smallexample
31029(gdb) -list-features
31030^done,result=["feature1","feature2"]
31031@end smallexample
31032
31033The current list of features is:
31034
31035@table @samp
31036@item frozen-varobjs
31037Indicates support for the @code{-var-set-frozen} command, as well
31038as possible presense of the @code{frozen} field in the output
31039of @code{-varobj-create}.
31040@item pending-breakpoints
31041Indicates support for the @option{-f} option to the @code{-break-insert}
31042command.
31043@item python
31044Indicates Python scripting support, Python-based
31045pretty-printing commands, and possible presence of the
31046@samp{display_hint} field in the output of @code{-var-list-children}
31047@item thread-info
31048Indicates support for the @code{-thread-info} command.
31049@item data-read-memory-bytes
31050Indicates support for the @code{-data-read-memory-bytes} and the
31051@code{-data-write-memory-bytes} commands.
31052@item breakpoint-notifications
31053Indicates that changes to breakpoints and breakpoints created via the
31054CLI will be announced via async records.
31055@item ada-task-info
31056Indicates support for the @code{-ada-task-info} command.
31057@end table
31058
31059@subheading The @code{-list-target-features} Command
31060@findex -list-target-features
31061
31062Returns a list of particular features that are supported by the
31063target. Those features affect the permitted MI commands, but
31064unlike the features reported by the @code{-list-features} command, the
31065features depend on which target GDB is using at the moment. Whenever
31066a target can change, due to commands such as @code{-target-select},
31067@code{-target-attach} or @code{-exec-run}, the list of target features
31068may change, and the frontend should obtain it again.
31069Example output:
31070
31071@smallexample
31072(gdb) -list-features
31073^done,result=["async"]
31074@end smallexample
31075
31076The current list of features is:
31077
31078@table @samp
31079@item async
31080Indicates that the target is capable of asynchronous command
31081execution, which means that @value{GDBN} will accept further commands
31082while the target is running.
31083
31084@item reverse
31085Indicates that the target is capable of reverse execution.
31086@xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
31087
31088@end table
31089
31090@subheading The @code{-list-thread-groups} Command
31091@findex -list-thread-groups
31092
31093@subheading Synopsis
31094
31095@smallexample
31096-list-thread-groups [ --available ] [ --recurse 1 ] [ @var{group} ... ]
31097@end smallexample
31098
31099Lists thread groups (@pxref{Thread groups}). When a single thread
31100group is passed as the argument, lists the children of that group.
31101When several thread group are passed, lists information about those
31102thread groups. Without any parameters, lists information about all
31103top-level thread groups.
31104
31105Normally, thread groups that are being debugged are reported.
31106With the @samp{--available} option, @value{GDBN} reports thread groups
31107available on the target.
31108
31109The output of this command may have either a @samp{threads} result or
31110a @samp{groups} result. The @samp{thread} result has a list of tuples
31111as value, with each tuple describing a thread (@pxref{GDB/MI Thread
31112Information}). The @samp{groups} result has a list of tuples as value,
31113each tuple describing a thread group. If top-level groups are
31114requested (that is, no parameter is passed), or when several groups
31115are passed, the output always has a @samp{groups} result. The format
31116of the @samp{group} result is described below.
31117
31118To reduce the number of roundtrips it's possible to list thread groups
31119together with their children, by passing the @samp{--recurse} option
31120and the recursion depth. Presently, only recursion depth of 1 is
31121permitted. If this option is present, then every reported thread group
31122will also include its children, either as @samp{group} or
31123@samp{threads} field.
31124
31125In general, any combination of option and parameters is permitted, with
31126the following caveats:
31127
31128@itemize @bullet
31129@item
31130When a single thread group is passed, the output will typically
31131be the @samp{threads} result. Because threads may not contain
31132anything, the @samp{recurse} option will be ignored.
31133
31134@item
31135When the @samp{--available} option is passed, limited information may
31136be available. In particular, the list of threads of a process might
31137be inaccessible. Further, specifying specific thread groups might
31138not give any performance advantage over listing all thread groups.
31139The frontend should assume that @samp{-list-thread-groups --available}
31140is always an expensive operation and cache the results.
31141
31142@end itemize
31143
31144The @samp{groups} result is a list of tuples, where each tuple may
31145have the following fields:
31146
31147@table @code
31148@item id
31149Identifier of the thread group. This field is always present.
31150The identifier is an opaque string; frontends should not try to
31151convert it to an integer, even though it might look like one.
31152
31153@item type
31154The type of the thread group. At present, only @samp{process} is a
31155valid type.
31156
31157@item pid
31158The target-specific process identifier. This field is only present
31159for thread groups of type @samp{process} and only if the process exists.
31160
31161@item num_children
31162The number of children this thread group has. This field may be
31163absent for an available thread group.
31164
31165@item threads
31166This field has a list of tuples as value, each tuple describing a
31167thread. It may be present if the @samp{--recurse} option is
31168specified, and it's actually possible to obtain the threads.
31169
31170@item cores
31171This field is a list of integers, each identifying a core that one
31172thread of the group is running on. This field may be absent if
31173such information is not available.
31174
31175@item executable
31176The name of the executable file that corresponds to this thread group.
31177The field is only present for thread groups of type @samp{process},
31178and only if there is a corresponding executable file.
31179
31180@end table
31181
31182@subheading Example
31183
31184@smallexample
31185@value{GDBP}
31186-list-thread-groups
31187^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2"@}]
31188-list-thread-groups 17
31189^done,threads=[@{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90 (LWP 21257)",
31190 frame=@{level="0",addr="0xffffe410",func="__kernel_vsyscall",args=[]@},state="running"@},
31191@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e156b0 (LWP 21254)",
31192 frame=@{level="0",addr="0x0804891f",func="foo",args=[@{name="i",value="10"@}],
31193 file="/tmp/a.c",fullname="/tmp/a.c",line="158"@},state="running"@}]]
31194-list-thread-groups --available
31195^done,groups=[@{id="17",type="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2]@}]
31196-list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1
31197 ^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
31198 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
31199 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},..]
31200-list-thread-groups --available --recurse 1 17 18
31201^done,groups=[@{id="17", types="process",pid="yyy",num_children="2",cores=[1,2],
31202 threads=[@{id="1",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[1]@},
31203 @{id="2",target-id="Thread 0xb7e14b90",cores=[2]@}]@},...]
31204@end smallexample
31205
31206
31207@subheading The @code{-add-inferior} Command
31208@findex -add-inferior
31209
31210@subheading Synopsis
31211
31212@smallexample
31213-add-inferior
31214@end smallexample
31215
31216Creates a new inferior (@pxref{Inferiors and Programs}). The created
31217inferior is not associated with any executable. Such association may
31218be established with the @samp{-file-exec-and-symbols} command
31219(@pxref{GDB/MI File Commands}). The command response has a single
31220field, @samp{thread-group}, whose value is the identifier of the
31221thread group corresponding to the new inferior.
31222
31223@subheading Example
31224
31225@smallexample
31226@value{GDBP}
31227-add-inferior
31228^done,thread-group="i3"
31229@end smallexample
31230
31231@subheading The @code{-interpreter-exec} Command
31232@findex -interpreter-exec
31233
31234@subheading Synopsis
31235
31236@smallexample
31237-interpreter-exec @var{interpreter} @var{command}
31238@end smallexample
31239@anchor{-interpreter-exec}
31240
31241Execute the specified @var{command} in the given @var{interpreter}.
31242
31243@subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31244
31245The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{interpreter-exec}.
31246
31247@subheading Example
31248
31249@smallexample
31250(gdb)
31251-interpreter-exec console "break main"
31252&"During symbol reading, couldn't parse type; debugger out of date?.\n"
31253&"During symbol reading, bad structure-type format.\n"
31254~"Breakpoint 1 at 0x8074fc6: file ../../src/gdb/main.c, line 743.\n"
31255^done
31256(gdb)
31257@end smallexample
31258
31259@subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-set} Command
31260@findex -inferior-tty-set
31261
31262@subheading Synopsis
31263
31264@smallexample
31265-inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
31266@end smallexample
31267
31268Set terminal for future runs of the program being debugged.
31269
31270@subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31271
31272The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{set inferior-tty} /dev/pts/1.
31273
31274@subheading Example
31275
31276@smallexample
31277(gdb)
31278-inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
31279^done
31280(gdb)
31281@end smallexample
31282
31283@subheading The @code{-inferior-tty-show} Command
31284@findex -inferior-tty-show
31285
31286@subheading Synopsis
31287
31288@smallexample
31289-inferior-tty-show
31290@end smallexample
31291
31292Show terminal for future runs of program being debugged.
31293
31294@subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31295
31296The corresponding @value{GDBN} command is @samp{show inferior-tty}.
31297
31298@subheading Example
31299
31300@smallexample
31301(gdb)
31302-inferior-tty-set /dev/pts/1
31303^done
31304(gdb)
31305-inferior-tty-show
31306^done,inferior_tty_terminal="/dev/pts/1"
31307(gdb)
31308@end smallexample
31309
31310@subheading The @code{-enable-timings} Command
31311@findex -enable-timings
31312
31313@subheading Synopsis
31314
31315@smallexample
31316-enable-timings [yes | no]
31317@end smallexample
31318
31319Toggle the printing of the wallclock, user and system times for an MI
31320command as a field in its output. This command is to help frontend
31321developers optimize the performance of their code. No argument is
31322equivalent to @samp{yes}.
31323
31324@subheading @value{GDBN} Command
31325
31326No equivalent.
31327
31328@subheading Example
31329
31330@smallexample
31331(gdb)
31332-enable-timings
31333^done
31334(gdb)
31335-break-insert main
31336^done,bkpt=@{number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",
31337addr="0x080484ed",func="main",file="myprog.c",
31338fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73",times="0"@},
31339time=@{wallclock="0.05185",user="0.00800",system="0.00000"@}
31340(gdb)
31341-enable-timings no
31342^done
31343(gdb)
31344-exec-run
31345^running
31346(gdb)
31347*stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",thread-id="0",
31348frame=@{addr="0x080484ed",func="main",args=[@{name="argc",value="1"@},
31349@{name="argv",value="0xbfb60364"@}],file="myprog.c",
31350fullname="/home/nickrob/myprog.c",line="73"@}
31351(gdb)
31352@end smallexample
31353
31354@node Annotations
31355@chapter @value{GDBN} Annotations
31356
31357This chapter describes annotations in @value{GDBN}. Annotations were
31358designed to interface @value{GDBN} to graphical user interfaces or other
31359similar programs which want to interact with @value{GDBN} at a
31360relatively high level.
31361
31362The annotation mechanism has largely been superseded by @sc{gdb/mi}
31363(@pxref{GDB/MI}).
31364
31365@ignore
31366This is Edition @value{EDITION}, @value{DATE}.
31367@end ignore
31368
31369@menu
31370* Annotations Overview:: What annotations are; the general syntax.
31371* Server Prefix:: Issuing a command without affecting user state.
31372* Prompting:: Annotations marking @value{GDBN}'s need for input.
31373* Errors:: Annotations for error messages.
31374* Invalidation:: Some annotations describe things now invalid.
31375* Annotations for Running::
31376 Whether the program is running, how it stopped, etc.
31377* Source Annotations:: Annotations describing source code.
31378@end menu
31379
31380@node Annotations Overview
31381@section What is an Annotation?
31382@cindex annotations
31383
31384Annotations start with a newline character, two @samp{control-z}
31385characters, and the name of the annotation. If there is no additional
31386information associated with this annotation, the name of the annotation
31387is followed immediately by a newline. If there is additional
31388information, the name of the annotation is followed by a space, the
31389additional information, and a newline. The additional information
31390cannot contain newline characters.
31391
31392Any output not beginning with a newline and two @samp{control-z}
31393characters denotes literal output from @value{GDBN}. Currently there is
31394no need for @value{GDBN} to output a newline followed by two
31395@samp{control-z} characters, but if there was such a need, the
31396annotations could be extended with an @samp{escape} annotation which
31397means those three characters as output.
31398
31399The annotation @var{level}, which is specified using the
31400@option{--annotate} command line option (@pxref{Mode Options}), controls
31401how much information @value{GDBN} prints together with its prompt,
31402values of expressions, source lines, and other types of output. Level 0
31403is for no annotations, level 1 is for use when @value{GDBN} is run as a
31404subprocess of @sc{gnu} Emacs, level 3 is the maximum annotation suitable
31405for programs that control @value{GDBN}, and level 2 annotations have
31406been made obsolete (@pxref{Limitations, , Limitations of the Annotation
31407Interface, annotate, GDB's Obsolete Annotations}).
31408
31409@table @code
31410@kindex set annotate
31411@item set annotate @var{level}
31412The @value{GDBN} command @code{set annotate} sets the level of
31413annotations to the specified @var{level}.
31414
31415@item show annotate
31416@kindex show annotate
31417Show the current annotation level.
31418@end table
31419
31420This chapter describes level 3 annotations.
31421
31422A simple example of starting up @value{GDBN} with annotations is:
31423
31424@smallexample
31425$ @kbd{gdb --annotate=3}
31426GNU gdb 6.0
31427Copyright 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
31428GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License,
31429and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it
31430under certain conditions.
31431Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
31432There is absolutely no warranty for GDB. Type "show warranty"
31433for details.
31434This GDB was configured as "i386-pc-linux-gnu"
31435
31436^Z^Zpre-prompt
31437(@value{GDBP})
31438^Z^Zprompt
31439@kbd{quit}
31440
31441^Z^Zpost-prompt
31442$
31443@end smallexample
31444
31445Here @samp{quit} is input to @value{GDBN}; the rest is output from
31446@value{GDBN}. The three lines beginning @samp{^Z^Z} (where @samp{^Z}
31447denotes a @samp{control-z} character) are annotations; the rest is
31448output from @value{GDBN}.
31449
31450@node Server Prefix
31451@section The Server Prefix
31452@cindex server prefix
31453
31454If you prefix a command with @samp{server } then it will not affect
31455the command history, nor will it affect @value{GDBN}'s notion of which
31456command to repeat if @key{RET} is pressed on a line by itself. This
31457means that commands can be run behind a user's back by a front-end in
31458a transparent manner.
31459
31460The @code{server } prefix does not affect the recording of values into
31461the value history; to print a value without recording it into the
31462value history, use the @code{output} command instead of the
31463@code{print} command.
31464
31465Using this prefix also disables confirmation requests
31466(@pxref{confirmation requests}).
31467
31468@node Prompting
31469@section Annotation for @value{GDBN} Input
31470
31471@cindex annotations for prompts
31472When @value{GDBN} prompts for input, it annotates this fact so it is possible
31473to know when to send output, when the output from a given command is
31474over, etc.
31475
31476Different kinds of input each have a different @dfn{input type}. Each
31477input type has three annotations: a @code{pre-} annotation, which
31478denotes the beginning of any prompt which is being output, a plain
31479annotation, which denotes the end of the prompt, and then a @code{post-}
31480annotation which denotes the end of any echo which may (or may not) be
31481associated with the input. For example, the @code{prompt} input type
31482features the following annotations:
31483
31484@smallexample
31485^Z^Zpre-prompt
31486^Z^Zprompt
31487^Z^Zpost-prompt
31488@end smallexample
31489
31490The input types are
31491
31492@table @code
31493@findex pre-prompt annotation
31494@findex prompt annotation
31495@findex post-prompt annotation
31496@item prompt
31497When @value{GDBN} is prompting for a command (the main @value{GDBN} prompt).
31498
31499@findex pre-commands annotation
31500@findex commands annotation
31501@findex post-commands annotation
31502@item commands
31503When @value{GDBN} prompts for a set of commands, like in the @code{commands}
31504command. The annotations are repeated for each command which is input.
31505
31506@findex pre-overload-choice annotation
31507@findex overload-choice annotation
31508@findex post-overload-choice annotation
31509@item overload-choice
31510When @value{GDBN} wants the user to select between various overloaded functions.
31511
31512@findex pre-query annotation
31513@findex query annotation
31514@findex post-query annotation
31515@item query
31516When @value{GDBN} wants the user to confirm a potentially dangerous operation.
31517
31518@findex pre-prompt-for-continue annotation
31519@findex prompt-for-continue annotation
31520@findex post-prompt-for-continue annotation
31521@item prompt-for-continue
31522When @value{GDBN} is asking the user to press return to continue. Note: Don't
31523expect this to work well; instead use @code{set height 0} to disable
31524prompting. This is because the counting of lines is buggy in the
31525presence of annotations.
31526@end table
31527
31528@node Errors
31529@section Errors
31530@cindex annotations for errors, warnings and interrupts
31531
31532@findex quit annotation
31533@smallexample
31534^Z^Zquit
31535@end smallexample
31536
31537This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an interrupt.
31538
31539@findex error annotation
31540@smallexample
31541^Z^Zerror
31542@end smallexample
31543
31544This annotation occurs right before @value{GDBN} responds to an error.
31545
31546Quit and error annotations indicate that any annotations which @value{GDBN} was
31547in the middle of may end abruptly. For example, if a
31548@code{value-history-begin} annotation is followed by a @code{error}, one
31549cannot expect to receive the matching @code{value-history-end}. One
31550cannot expect not to receive it either, however; an error annotation
31551does not necessarily mean that @value{GDBN} is immediately returning all the way
31552to the top level.
31553
31554@findex error-begin annotation
31555A quit or error annotation may be preceded by
31556
31557@smallexample
31558^Z^Zerror-begin
31559@end smallexample
31560
31561Any output between that and the quit or error annotation is the error
31562message.
31563
31564Warning messages are not yet annotated.
31565@c If we want to change that, need to fix warning(), type_error(),
31566@c range_error(), and possibly other places.
31567
31568@node Invalidation
31569@section Invalidation Notices
31570
31571@cindex annotations for invalidation messages
31572The following annotations say that certain pieces of state may have
31573changed.
31574
31575@table @code
31576@findex frames-invalid annotation
31577@item ^Z^Zframes-invalid
31578
31579The frames (for example, output from the @code{backtrace} command) may
31580have changed.
31581
31582@findex breakpoints-invalid annotation
31583@item ^Z^Zbreakpoints-invalid
31584
31585The breakpoints may have changed. For example, the user just added or
31586deleted a breakpoint.
31587@end table
31588
31589@node Annotations for Running
31590@section Running the Program
31591@cindex annotations for running programs
31592
31593@findex starting annotation
31594@findex stopping annotation
31595When the program starts executing due to a @value{GDBN} command such as
31596@code{step} or @code{continue},
31597
31598@smallexample
31599^Z^Zstarting
31600@end smallexample
31601
31602is output. When the program stops,
31603
31604@smallexample
31605^Z^Zstopped
31606@end smallexample
31607
31608is output. Before the @code{stopped} annotation, a variety of
31609annotations describe how the program stopped.
31610
31611@table @code
31612@findex exited annotation
31613@item ^Z^Zexited @var{exit-status}
31614The program exited, and @var{exit-status} is the exit status (zero for
31615successful exit, otherwise nonzero).
31616
31617@findex signalled annotation
31618@findex signal-name annotation
31619@findex signal-name-end annotation
31620@findex signal-string annotation
31621@findex signal-string-end annotation
31622@item ^Z^Zsignalled
31623The program exited with a signal. After the @code{^Z^Zsignalled}, the
31624annotation continues:
31625
31626@smallexample
31627@var{intro-text}
31628^Z^Zsignal-name
31629@var{name}
31630^Z^Zsignal-name-end
31631@var{middle-text}
31632^Z^Zsignal-string
31633@var{string}
31634^Z^Zsignal-string-end
31635@var{end-text}
31636@end smallexample
31637
31638@noindent
31639where @var{name} is the name of the signal, such as @code{SIGILL} or
31640@code{SIGSEGV}, and @var{string} is the explanation of the signal, such
31641as @code{Illegal Instruction} or @code{Segmentation fault}.
31642@var{intro-text}, @var{middle-text}, and @var{end-text} are for the
31643user's benefit and have no particular format.
31644
31645@findex signal annotation
31646@item ^Z^Zsignal
31647The syntax of this annotation is just like @code{signalled}, but @value{GDBN} is
31648just saying that the program received the signal, not that it was
31649terminated with it.
31650
31651@findex breakpoint annotation
31652@item ^Z^Zbreakpoint @var{number}
31653The program hit breakpoint number @var{number}.
31654
31655@findex watchpoint annotation
31656@item ^Z^Zwatchpoint @var{number}
31657The program hit watchpoint number @var{number}.
31658@end table
31659
31660@node Source Annotations
31661@section Displaying Source
31662@cindex annotations for source display
31663
31664@findex source annotation
31665The following annotation is used instead of displaying source code:
31666
31667@smallexample
31668^Z^Zsource @var{filename}:@var{line}:@var{character}:@var{middle}:@var{addr}
31669@end smallexample
31670
31671where @var{filename} is an absolute file name indicating which source
31672file, @var{line} is the line number within that file (where 1 is the
31673first line in the file), @var{character} is the character position
31674within the file (where 0 is the first character in the file) (for most
31675debug formats this will necessarily point to the beginning of a line),
31676@var{middle} is @samp{middle} if @var{addr} is in the middle of the
31677line, or @samp{beg} if @var{addr} is at the beginning of the line, and
31678@var{addr} is the address in the target program associated with the
31679source which is being displayed. @var{addr} is in the form @samp{0x}
31680followed by one or more lowercase hex digits (note that this does not
31681depend on the language).
31682
31683@node JIT Interface
31684@chapter JIT Compilation Interface
31685@cindex just-in-time compilation
31686@cindex JIT compilation interface
31687
31688This chapter documents @value{GDBN}'s @dfn{just-in-time} (JIT) compilation
31689interface. A JIT compiler is a program or library that generates native
31690executable code at runtime and executes it, usually in order to achieve good
31691performance while maintaining platform independence.
31692
31693Programs that use JIT compilation are normally difficult to debug because
31694portions of their code are generated at runtime, instead of being loaded from
31695object files, which is where @value{GDBN} normally finds the program's symbols
31696and debug information. In order to debug programs that use JIT compilation,
31697@value{GDBN} has an interface that allows the program to register in-memory
31698symbol files with @value{GDBN} at runtime.
31699
31700If you are using @value{GDBN} to debug a program that uses this interface, then
31701it should work transparently so long as you have not stripped the binary. If
31702you are developing a JIT compiler, then the interface is documented in the rest
31703of this chapter. At this time, the only known client of this interface is the
31704LLVM JIT.
31705
31706Broadly speaking, the JIT interface mirrors the dynamic loader interface. The
31707JIT compiler communicates with @value{GDBN} by writing data into a global
31708variable and calling a fuction at a well-known symbol. When @value{GDBN}
31709attaches, it reads a linked list of symbol files from the global variable to
31710find existing code, and puts a breakpoint in the function so that it can find
31711out about additional code.
31712
31713@menu
31714* Declarations:: Relevant C struct declarations
31715* Registering Code:: Steps to register code
31716* Unregistering Code:: Steps to unregister code
31717@end menu
31718
31719@node Declarations
31720@section JIT Declarations
31721
31722These are the relevant struct declarations that a C program should include to
31723implement the interface:
31724
31725@smallexample
31726typedef enum
31727@{
31728 JIT_NOACTION = 0,
31729 JIT_REGISTER_FN,
31730 JIT_UNREGISTER_FN
31731@} jit_actions_t;
31732
31733struct jit_code_entry
31734@{
31735 struct jit_code_entry *next_entry;
31736 struct jit_code_entry *prev_entry;
31737 const char *symfile_addr;
31738 uint64_t symfile_size;
31739@};
31740
31741struct jit_descriptor
31742@{
31743 uint32_t version;
31744 /* This type should be jit_actions_t, but we use uint32_t
31745 to be explicit about the bitwidth. */
31746 uint32_t action_flag;
31747 struct jit_code_entry *relevant_entry;
31748 struct jit_code_entry *first_entry;
31749@};
31750
31751/* GDB puts a breakpoint in this function. */
31752void __attribute__((noinline)) __jit_debug_register_code() @{ @};
31753
31754/* Make sure to specify the version statically, because the
31755 debugger may check the version before we can set it. */
31756struct jit_descriptor __jit_debug_descriptor = @{ 1, 0, 0, 0 @};
31757@end smallexample
31758
31759If the JIT is multi-threaded, then it is important that the JIT synchronize any
31760modifications to this global data properly, which can easily be done by putting
31761a global mutex around modifications to these structures.
31762
31763@node Registering Code
31764@section Registering Code
31765
31766To register code with @value{GDBN}, the JIT should follow this protocol:
31767
31768@itemize @bullet
31769@item
31770Generate an object file in memory with symbols and other desired debug
31771information. The file must include the virtual addresses of the sections.
31772
31773@item
31774Create a code entry for the file, which gives the start and size of the symbol
31775file.
31776
31777@item
31778Add it to the linked list in the JIT descriptor.
31779
31780@item
31781Point the relevant_entry field of the descriptor at the entry.
31782
31783@item
31784Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_REGISTER} and call
31785@code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
31786@end itemize
31787
31788When @value{GDBN} is attached and the breakpoint fires, @value{GDBN} uses the
31789@code{relevant_entry} pointer so it doesn't have to walk the list looking for
31790new code. However, the linked list must still be maintained in order to allow
31791@value{GDBN} to attach to a running process and still find the symbol files.
31792
31793@node Unregistering Code
31794@section Unregistering Code
31795
31796If code is freed, then the JIT should use the following protocol:
31797
31798@itemize @bullet
31799@item
31800Remove the code entry corresponding to the code from the linked list.
31801
31802@item
31803Point the @code{relevant_entry} field of the descriptor at the code entry.
31804
31805@item
31806Set @code{action_flag} to @code{JIT_UNREGISTER} and call
31807@code{__jit_debug_register_code}.
31808@end itemize
31809
31810If the JIT frees or recompiles code without unregistering it, then @value{GDBN}
31811and the JIT will leak the memory used for the associated symbol files.
31812
31813@node GDB Bugs
31814@chapter Reporting Bugs in @value{GDBN}
31815@cindex bugs in @value{GDBN}
31816@cindex reporting bugs in @value{GDBN}
31817
31818Your bug reports play an essential role in making @value{GDBN} reliable.
31819
31820Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it
31821may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help
31822the entire community by making the next version of @value{GDBN} work better. Bug
31823reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @value{GDBN}.
31824
31825In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
31826information that enables us to fix the bug.
31827
31828@menu
31829* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
31830* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
31831@end menu
31832
31833@node Bug Criteria
31834@section Have You Found a Bug?
31835@cindex bug criteria
31836
31837If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
31838
31839@itemize @bullet
31840@cindex fatal signal
31841@cindex debugger crash
31842@cindex crash of debugger
31843@item
31844If the debugger gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
31845@value{GDBN} bug. Reliable debuggers never crash.
31846
31847@cindex error on valid input
31848@item
31849If @value{GDBN} produces an error message for valid input, that is a
31850bug. (Note that if you're cross debugging, the problem may also be
31851somewhere in the connection to the target.)
31852
31853@cindex invalid input
31854@item
31855If @value{GDBN} does not produce an error message for invalid input,
31856that is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of
31857``invalid input'' might be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support
31858for traditional practice''.
31859
31860@item
31861If you are an experienced user of debugging tools, your suggestions
31862for improvement of @value{GDBN} are welcome in any case.
31863@end itemize
31864
31865@node Bug Reporting
31866@section How to Report Bugs
31867@cindex bug reports
31868@cindex @value{GDBN} bugs, reporting
31869
31870A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products.
31871If you obtained @value{GDBN} from a support organization, we recommend you
31872contact that organization first.
31873
31874You can find contact information for many support companies and
31875individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
31876distribution.
31877@c should add a web page ref...
31878
31879@ifset BUGURL
31880@ifset BUGURL_DEFAULT
31881In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
31882@value{GDBN}. The preferred method is to submit them directly using
31883@uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/, @value{GDBN}'s Bugs web
31884page}. Alternatively, the @email{bug-gdb@@gnu.org, e-mail gateway} can
31885be used.
31886
31887@strong{Do not send bug reports to @samp{info-gdb}, or to
31888@samp{help-gdb}, or to any newsgroups.} Most users of @value{GDBN} do
31889not want to receive bug reports. Those that do have arranged to receive
31890@samp{bug-gdb}.
31891
31892The mailing list @samp{bug-gdb} has a newsgroup @samp{gnu.gdb.bug} which
31893serves as a repeater. The mailing list and the newsgroup carry exactly
31894the same messages. Often people think of posting bug reports to the
31895newsgroup instead of mailing them. This appears to work, but it has one
31896problem which can be crucial: a newsgroup posting often lacks a mail
31897path back to the sender. Thus, if we need to ask for more information,
31898we may be unable to reach you. For this reason, it is better to send
31899bug reports to the mailing list.
31900@end ifset
31901@ifclear BUGURL_DEFAULT
31902In any event, we also recommend that you submit bug reports for
31903@value{GDBN} to @value{BUGURL}.
31904@end ifclear
31905@end ifset
31906
31907The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
31908@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
31909fact or leave it out, state it!
31910
31911Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
31912problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
31913assume that the name of the variable you use in an example does not matter.
31914Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a
31915stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where that
31916name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the contents
31917of that location would fool the debugger into doing the right thing despite
31918the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete example. That is the
31919easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
31920
31921Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the
31922bug. It may be that the bug has been reported previously, but neither
31923you nor we can know that unless your bug report is complete and
31924self-contained.
31925
31926Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
31927bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
31928@emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
31929bugs properly.
31930
31931To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
31932
31933@itemize @bullet
31934@item
31935The version of @value{GDBN}. @value{GDBN} announces it if you start
31936with no arguments; you can also print it at any time using @code{show
31937version}.
31938
31939Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
31940the bug in the current version of @value{GDBN}.
31941
31942@item
31943The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
31944version number.
31945
31946@item
31947What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @value{GDBN}---e.g.@:
31948``@value{GCC}--2.8.1''.
31949
31950@item
31951What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the program you are
31952debugging---e.g.@: ``@value{GCC}--2.8.1'', or ``HP92453-01 A.10.32.03 HP
31953C Compiler''. For @value{NGCC}, you can say @kbd{@value{GCC} --version}
31954to get this information; for other compilers, see the documentation for
31955those compilers.
31956
31957@item
31958The command arguments you gave the compiler to compile your example and
31959observe the bug. For example, did you use @samp{-O}? To guarantee
31960you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy of the
31961Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
31962
31963If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
31964and then we might not encounter the bug.
31965
31966@item
31967A complete input script, and all necessary source files, that will
31968reproduce the bug.
31969
31970@item
31971A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
31972incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
31973
31974Of course, if the bug is that @value{GDBN} gets a fatal signal, then we
31975will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
31976not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
31977a chance to make a mistake.
31978
31979Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
31980say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your
31981copy of @value{GDBN} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
31982the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
31983crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
31984ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
31985us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
31986to draw any conclusion from our observations.
31987
31988@pindex script
31989@cindex recording a session script
31990To collect all this information, you can use a session recording program
31991such as @command{script}, which is available on many Unix systems.
31992Just run your @value{GDBN} session inside @command{script} and then
31993include the @file{typescript} file with your bug report.
31994
31995Another way to record a @value{GDBN} session is to run @value{GDBN}
31996inside Emacs and then save the entire buffer to a file.
31997
31998@item
31999If you wish to suggest changes to the @value{GDBN} source, send us context
32000diffs. If you even discuss something in the @value{GDBN} source, refer to
32001it by context, not by line number.
32002
32003The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
32004sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
32005
32006@end itemize
32007
32008Here are some things that are not necessary:
32009
32010@itemize @bullet
32011@item
32012A description of the envelope of the bug.
32013
32014Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
32015which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
32016changes will not affect it.
32017
32018This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
32019will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
32020with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
32021We recommend that you save your time for something else.
32022
32023Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
32024of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
32025output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
32026less time, and so on.
32027
32028However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
32029report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
32030
32031@item
32032A patch for the bug.
32033
32034A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
32035the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
32036a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
32037to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
32038
32039Sometimes with a program as complicated as @value{GDBN} it is very hard to
32040construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
32041through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able
32042to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
32043
32044And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
32045patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
32046help us to understand.
32047
32048@item
32049A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
32050
32051Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
32052things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
32053@end itemize
32054
32055@c The readline documentation is distributed with the readline code
32056@c and consists of the two following files:
32057@c rluser.texi
32058@c hsuser.texi
32059@c Use -I with makeinfo to point to the appropriate directory,
32060@c environment var TEXINPUTS with TeX.
32061@ifclear SYSTEM_READLINE
32062@include rluser.texi
32063@include hsuser.texi
32064@end ifclear
32065
32066@node In Memoriam
32067@appendix In Memoriam
32068
32069The @value{GDBN} project mourns the loss of the following long-time
32070contributors:
32071
32072@table @code
32073@item Fred Fish
32074Fred was a long-standing contributor to @value{GDBN} (1991-2006), and
32075to Free Software in general. Outside of @value{GDBN}, he was known in
32076the Amiga world for his series of Fish Disks, and the GeekGadget project.
32077
32078@item Michael Snyder
32079Michael was one of the Global Maintainers of the @value{GDBN} project,
32080with contributions recorded as early as 1996, until 2011. In addition
32081to his day to day participation, he was a large driving force behind
32082adding Reverse Debugging to @value{GDBN}.
32083@end table
32084
32085Beyond their technical contributions to the project, they were also
32086enjoyable members of the Free Software Community. We will miss them.
32087
32088@node Formatting Documentation
32089@appendix Formatting Documentation
32090
32091@cindex @value{GDBN} reference card
32092@cindex reference card
32093The @value{GDBN} 4 release includes an already-formatted reference card, ready
32094for printing with PostScript or Ghostscript, in the @file{gdb}
32095subdirectory of the main source directory@footnote{In
32096@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/refcard.ps} of the version @value{GDBVN}
32097release.}. If you can use PostScript or Ghostscript with your printer,
32098you can print the reference card immediately with @file{refcard.ps}.
32099
32100The release also includes the source for the reference card. You
32101can format it, using @TeX{}, by typing:
32102
32103@smallexample
32104make refcard.dvi
32105@end smallexample
32106
32107The @value{GDBN} reference card is designed to print in @dfn{landscape}
32108mode on US ``letter'' size paper;
32109that is, on a sheet 11 inches wide by 8.5 inches
32110high. You will need to specify this form of printing as an option to
32111your @sc{dvi} output program.
32112
32113@cindex documentation
32114
32115All the documentation for @value{GDBN} comes as part of the machine-readable
32116distribution. The documentation is written in Texinfo format, which is
32117a documentation system that uses a single source file to produce both
32118on-line information and a printed manual. You can use one of the Info
32119formatting commands to create the on-line version of the documentation
32120and @TeX{} (or @code{texi2roff}) to typeset the printed version.
32121
32122@value{GDBN} includes an already formatted copy of the on-line Info
32123version of this manual in the @file{gdb} subdirectory. The main Info
32124file is @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/gdb.info}, and it refers to
32125subordinate files matching @samp{gdb.info*} in the same directory. If
32126necessary, you can print out these files, or read them with any editor;
32127but they are easier to read using the @code{info} subsystem in @sc{gnu}
32128Emacs or the standalone @code{info} program, available as part of the
32129@sc{gnu} Texinfo distribution.
32130
32131If you want to format these Info files yourself, you need one of the
32132Info formatting programs, such as @code{texinfo-format-buffer} or
32133@code{makeinfo}.
32134
32135If you have @code{makeinfo} installed, and are in the top level
32136@value{GDBN} source directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, in the case of
32137version @value{GDBVN}), you can make the Info file by typing:
32138
32139@smallexample
32140cd gdb
32141make gdb.info
32142@end smallexample
32143
32144If you want to typeset and print copies of this manual, you need @TeX{},
32145a program to print its @sc{dvi} output files, and @file{texinfo.tex}, the
32146Texinfo definitions file.
32147
32148@TeX{} is a typesetting program; it does not print files directly, but
32149produces output files called @sc{dvi} files. To print a typeset
32150document, you need a program to print @sc{dvi} files. If your system
32151has @TeX{} installed, chances are it has such a program. The precise
32152command to use depends on your system; @kbd{lpr -d} is common; another
32153(for PostScript devices) is @kbd{dvips}. The @sc{dvi} print command may
32154require a file name without any extension or a @samp{.dvi} extension.
32155
32156@TeX{} also requires a macro definitions file called
32157@file{texinfo.tex}. This file tells @TeX{} how to typeset a document
32158written in Texinfo format. On its own, @TeX{} cannot either read or
32159typeset a Texinfo file. @file{texinfo.tex} is distributed with GDB
32160and is located in the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}/texinfo}
32161directory.
32162
32163If you have @TeX{} and a @sc{dvi} printer program installed, you can
32164typeset and print this manual. First switch to the @file{gdb}
32165subdirectory of the main source directory (for example, to
32166@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb}) and type:
32167
32168@smallexample
32169make gdb.dvi
32170@end smallexample
32171
32172Then give @file{gdb.dvi} to your @sc{dvi} printing program.
32173
32174@node Installing GDB
32175@appendix Installing @value{GDBN}
32176@cindex installation
32177
32178@menu
32179* Requirements:: Requirements for building @value{GDBN}
32180* Running Configure:: Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} script
32181* Separate Objdir:: Compiling @value{GDBN} in another directory
32182* Config Names:: Specifying names for hosts and targets
32183* Configure Options:: Summary of options for configure
32184* System-wide configuration:: Having a system-wide init file
32185@end menu
32186
32187@node Requirements
32188@section Requirements for Building @value{GDBN}
32189@cindex building @value{GDBN}, requirements for
32190
32191Building @value{GDBN} requires various tools and packages to be available.
32192Other packages will be used only if they are found.
32193
32194@heading Tools/Packages Necessary for Building @value{GDBN}
32195@table @asis
32196@item ISO C90 compiler
32197@value{GDBN} is written in ISO C90. It should be buildable with any
32198working C90 compiler, e.g.@: GCC.
32199
32200@end table
32201
32202@heading Tools/Packages Optional for Building @value{GDBN}
32203@table @asis
32204@item Expat
32205@anchor{Expat}
32206@value{GDBN} can use the Expat XML parsing library. This library may be
32207included with your operating system distribution; if it is not, you
32208can get the latest version from @url{http://expat.sourceforge.net}.
32209The @file{configure} script will search for this library in several
32210standard locations; if it is installed in an unusual path, you can
32211use the @option{--with-libexpat-prefix} option to specify its location.
32212
32213Expat is used for:
32214
32215@itemize @bullet
32216@item
32217Remote protocol memory maps (@pxref{Memory Map Format})
32218@item
32219Target descriptions (@pxref{Target Descriptions})
32220@item
32221Remote shared library lists (@pxref{Library List Format})
32222@item
32223MS-Windows shared libraries (@pxref{Shared Libraries})
32224@item
32225Traceframe info (@pxref{Traceframe Info Format})
32226@end itemize
32227
32228@item zlib
32229@cindex compressed debug sections
32230@value{GDBN} will use the @samp{zlib} library, if available, to read
32231compressed debug sections. Some linkers, such as GNU gold, are capable
32232of producing binaries with compressed debug sections. If @value{GDBN}
32233is compiled with @samp{zlib}, it will be able to read the debug
32234information in such binaries.
32235
32236The @samp{zlib} library is likely included with your operating system
32237distribution; if it is not, you can get the latest version from
32238@url{http://zlib.net}.
32239
32240@item iconv
32241@value{GDBN}'s features related to character sets (@pxref{Character
32242Sets}) require a functioning @code{iconv} implementation. If you are
32243on a GNU system, then this is provided by the GNU C Library. Some
32244other systems also provide a working @code{iconv}.
32245
32246If @value{GDBN} is using the @code{iconv} program which is installed
32247in a non-standard place, you will need to tell @value{GDBN} where to find it.
32248This is done with @option{--with-iconv-bin} which specifies the
32249directory that contains the @code{iconv} program.
32250
32251On systems without @code{iconv}, you can install GNU Libiconv. If you
32252have previously installed Libiconv, you can use the
32253@option{--with-libiconv-prefix} option to configure.
32254
32255@value{GDBN}'s top-level @file{configure} and @file{Makefile} will
32256arrange to build Libiconv if a directory named @file{libiconv} appears
32257in the top-most source directory. If Libiconv is built this way, and
32258if the operating system does not provide a suitable @code{iconv}
32259implementation, then the just-built library will automatically be used
32260by @value{GDBN}. One easy way to set this up is to download GNU
32261Libiconv, unpack it, and then rename the directory holding the
32262Libiconv source code to @samp{libiconv}.
32263@end table
32264
32265@node Running Configure
32266@section Invoking the @value{GDBN} @file{configure} Script
32267@cindex configuring @value{GDBN}
32268@value{GDBN} comes with a @file{configure} script that automates the process
32269of preparing @value{GDBN} for installation; you can then use @code{make} to
32270build the @code{gdb} program.
32271@iftex
32272@c irrelevant in info file; it's as current as the code it lives with.
32273@footnote{If you have a more recent version of @value{GDBN} than @value{GDBVN},
32274look at the @file{README} file in the sources; we may have improved the
32275installation procedures since publishing this manual.}
32276@end iftex
32277
32278The @value{GDBN} distribution includes all the source code you need for
32279@value{GDBN} in a single directory, whose name is usually composed by
32280appending the version number to @samp{gdb}.
32281
32282For example, the @value{GDBN} version @value{GDBVN} distribution is in the
32283@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory. That directory contains:
32284
32285@table @code
32286@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure @r{(and supporting files)}
32287script for configuring @value{GDBN} and all its supporting libraries
32288
32289@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb
32290the source specific to @value{GDBN} itself
32291
32292@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/bfd
32293source for the Binary File Descriptor library
32294
32295@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/include
32296@sc{gnu} include files
32297
32298@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/libiberty
32299source for the @samp{-liberty} free software library
32300
32301@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/opcodes
32302source for the library of opcode tables and disassemblers
32303
32304@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/readline
32305source for the @sc{gnu} command-line interface
32306
32307@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/glob
32308source for the @sc{gnu} filename pattern-matching subroutine
32309
32310@item gdb-@value{GDBVN}/mmalloc
32311source for the @sc{gnu} memory-mapped malloc package
32312@end table
32313
32314The simplest way to configure and build @value{GDBN} is to run @file{configure}
32315from the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory, which in
32316this example is the @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} directory.
32317
32318First switch to the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} source directory
32319if you are not already in it; then run @file{configure}. Pass the
32320identifier for the platform on which @value{GDBN} will run as an
32321argument.
32322
32323For example:
32324
32325@smallexample
32326cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
32327./configure @var{host}
32328make
32329@end smallexample
32330
32331@noindent
32332where @var{host} is an identifier such as @samp{sun4} or
32333@samp{decstation}, that identifies the platform where @value{GDBN} will run.
32334(You can often leave off @var{host}; @file{configure} tries to guess the
32335correct value by examining your system.)
32336
32337Running @samp{configure @var{host}} and then running @code{make} builds the
32338@file{bfd}, @file{readline}, @file{mmalloc}, and @file{libiberty}
32339libraries, then @code{gdb} itself. The configured source files, and the
32340binaries, are left in the corresponding source directories.
32341
32342@need 750
32343@file{configure} is a Bourne-shell (@code{/bin/sh}) script; if your
32344system does not recognize this automatically when you run a different
32345shell, you may need to run @code{sh} on it explicitly:
32346
32347@smallexample
32348sh configure @var{host}
32349@end smallexample
32350
32351If you run @file{configure} from a directory that contains source
32352directories for multiple libraries or programs, such as the
32353@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} source directory for version @value{GDBVN},
32354@file{configure}
32355creates configuration files for every directory level underneath (unless
32356you tell it not to, with the @samp{--norecursion} option).
32357
32358You should run the @file{configure} script from the top directory in the
32359source tree, the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory. If you run
32360@file{configure} from one of the subdirectories, you will configure only
32361that subdirectory. That is usually not what you want. In particular,
32362if you run the first @file{configure} from the @file{gdb} subdirectory
32363of the @file{gdb-@var{version-number}} directory, you will omit the
32364configuration of @file{bfd}, @file{readline}, and other sibling
32365directories of the @file{gdb} subdirectory. This leads to build errors
32366about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
32367
32368You can install @code{@value{GDBP}} anywhere; it has no hardwired paths.
32369However, you should make sure that the shell on your path (named by
32370the @samp{SHELL} environment variable) is publicly readable. Remember
32371that @value{GDBN} uses the shell to start your program---some systems refuse to
32372let @value{GDBN} debug child processes whose programs are not readable.
32373
32374@node Separate Objdir
32375@section Compiling @value{GDBN} in Another Directory
32376
32377If you want to run @value{GDBN} versions for several host or target machines,
32378you need a different @code{gdb} compiled for each combination of
32379host and target. @file{configure} is designed to make this easy by
32380allowing you to generate each configuration in a separate subdirectory,
32381rather than in the source directory. If your @code{make} program
32382handles the @samp{VPATH} feature (@sc{gnu} @code{make} does), running
32383@code{make} in each of these directories builds the @code{gdb}
32384program specified there.
32385
32386To build @code{gdb} in a separate directory, run @file{configure}
32387with the @samp{--srcdir} option to specify where to find the source.
32388(You also need to specify a path to find @file{configure}
32389itself from your working directory. If the path to @file{configure}
32390would be the same as the argument to @samp{--srcdir}, you can leave out
32391the @samp{--srcdir} option; it is assumed.)
32392
32393For example, with version @value{GDBVN}, you can build @value{GDBN} in a
32394separate directory for a Sun 4 like this:
32395
32396@smallexample
32397@group
32398cd gdb-@value{GDBVN}
32399mkdir ../gdb-sun4
32400cd ../gdb-sun4
32401../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/configure sun4
32402make
32403@end group
32404@end smallexample
32405
32406When @file{configure} builds a configuration using a remote source
32407directory, it creates a tree for the binaries with the same structure
32408(and using the same names) as the tree under the source directory. In
32409the example, you'd find the Sun 4 library @file{libiberty.a} in the
32410directory @file{gdb-sun4/libiberty}, and @value{GDBN} itself in
32411@file{gdb-sun4/gdb}.
32412
32413Make sure that your path to the @file{configure} script has just one
32414instance of @file{gdb} in it. If your path to @file{configure} looks
32415like @file{../gdb-@value{GDBVN}/gdb/configure}, you are configuring only
32416one subdirectory of @value{GDBN}, not the whole package. This leads to
32417build errors about missing include files such as @file{bfd/bfd.h}.
32418
32419One popular reason to build several @value{GDBN} configurations in separate
32420directories is to configure @value{GDBN} for cross-compiling (where
32421@value{GDBN} runs on one machine---the @dfn{host}---while debugging
32422programs that run on another machine---the @dfn{target}).
32423You specify a cross-debugging target by
32424giving the @samp{--target=@var{target}} option to @file{configure}.
32425
32426When you run @code{make} to build a program or library, you must run
32427it in a configured directory---whatever directory you were in when you
32428called @file{configure} (or one of its subdirectories).
32429
32430The @code{Makefile} that @file{configure} generates in each source
32431directory also runs recursively. If you type @code{make} in a source
32432directory such as @file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}} (or in a separate configured
32433directory configured with @samp{--srcdir=@var{dirname}/gdb-@value{GDBVN}}), you
32434will build all the required libraries, and then build GDB.
32435
32436When you have multiple hosts or targets configured in separate
32437directories, you can run @code{make} on them in parallel (for example,
32438if they are NFS-mounted on each of the hosts); they will not interfere
32439with each other.
32440
32441@node Config Names
32442@section Specifying Names for Hosts and Targets
32443
32444The specifications used for hosts and targets in the @file{configure}
32445script are based on a three-part naming scheme, but some short predefined
32446aliases are also supported. The full naming scheme encodes three pieces
32447of information in the following pattern:
32448
32449@smallexample
32450@var{architecture}-@var{vendor}-@var{os}
32451@end smallexample
32452
32453For example, you can use the alias @code{sun4} as a @var{host} argument,
32454or as the value for @var{target} in a @code{--target=@var{target}}
32455option. The equivalent full name is @samp{sparc-sun-sunos4}.
32456
32457The @file{configure} script accompanying @value{GDBN} does not provide
32458any query facility to list all supported host and target names or
32459aliases. @file{configure} calls the Bourne shell script
32460@code{config.sub} to map abbreviations to full names; you can read the
32461script, if you wish, or you can use it to test your guesses on
32462abbreviations---for example:
32463
32464@smallexample
32465% sh config.sub i386-linux
32466i386-pc-linux-gnu
32467% sh config.sub alpha-linux
32468alpha-unknown-linux-gnu
32469% sh config.sub hp9k700
32470hppa1.1-hp-hpux
32471% sh config.sub sun4
32472sparc-sun-sunos4.1.1
32473% sh config.sub sun3
32474m68k-sun-sunos4.1.1
32475% sh config.sub i986v
32476Invalid configuration `i986v': machine `i986v' not recognized
32477@end smallexample
32478
32479@noindent
32480@code{config.sub} is also distributed in the @value{GDBN} source
32481directory (@file{gdb-@value{GDBVN}}, for version @value{GDBVN}).
32482
32483@node Configure Options
32484@section @file{configure} Options
32485
32486Here is a summary of the @file{configure} options and arguments that
32487are most often useful for building @value{GDBN}. @file{configure} also has
32488several other options not listed here. @inforef{What Configure
32489Does,,configure.info}, for a full explanation of @file{configure}.
32490
32491@smallexample
32492configure @r{[}--help@r{]}
32493 @r{[}--prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
32494 @r{[}--exec-prefix=@var{dir}@r{]}
32495 @r{[}--srcdir=@var{dirname}@r{]}
32496 @r{[}--norecursion@r{]} @r{[}--rm@r{]}
32497 @r{[}--target=@var{target}@r{]}
32498 @var{host}
32499@end smallexample
32500
32501@noindent
32502You may introduce options with a single @samp{-} rather than
32503@samp{--} if you prefer; but you may abbreviate option names if you use
32504@samp{--}.
32505
32506@table @code
32507@item --help
32508Display a quick summary of how to invoke @file{configure}.
32509
32510@item --prefix=@var{dir}
32511Configure the source to install programs and files under directory
32512@file{@var{dir}}.
32513
32514@item --exec-prefix=@var{dir}
32515Configure the source to install programs under directory
32516@file{@var{dir}}.
32517
32518@c avoid splitting the warning from the explanation:
32519@need 2000
32520@item --srcdir=@var{dirname}
32521@strong{Warning: using this option requires @sc{gnu} @code{make}, or another
32522@code{make} that implements the @code{VPATH} feature.}@*
32523Use this option to make configurations in directories separate from the
32524@value{GDBN} source directories. Among other things, you can use this to
32525build (or maintain) several configurations simultaneously, in separate
32526directories. @file{configure} writes configuration-specific files in
32527the current directory, but arranges for them to use the source in the
32528directory @var{dirname}. @file{configure} creates directories under
32529the working directory in parallel to the source directories below
32530@var{dirname}.
32531
32532@item --norecursion
32533Configure only the directory level where @file{configure} is executed; do not
32534propagate configuration to subdirectories.
32535
32536@item --target=@var{target}
32537Configure @value{GDBN} for cross-debugging programs running on the specified
32538@var{target}. Without this option, @value{GDBN} is configured to debug
32539programs that run on the same machine (@var{host}) as @value{GDBN} itself.
32540
32541There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available targets.
32542
32543@item @var{host} @dots{}
32544Configure @value{GDBN} to run on the specified @var{host}.
32545
32546There is no convenient way to generate a list of all available hosts.
32547@end table
32548
32549There are many other options available as well, but they are generally
32550needed for special purposes only.
32551
32552@node System-wide configuration
32553@section System-wide configuration and settings
32554@cindex system-wide init file
32555
32556@value{GDBN} can be configured to have a system-wide init file;
32557this file will be read and executed at startup (@pxref{Startup, , What
32558@value{GDBN} does during startup}).
32559
32560Here is the corresponding configure option:
32561
32562@table @code
32563@item --with-system-gdbinit=@var{file}
32564Specify that the default location of the system-wide init file is
32565@var{file}.
32566@end table
32567
32568If @value{GDBN} has been configured with the option @option{--prefix=$prefix},
32569it may be subject to relocation. Two possible cases:
32570
32571@itemize @bullet
32572@item
32573If the default location of this init file contains @file{$prefix},
32574it will be subject to relocation. Suppose that the configure options
32575are @option{--prefix=$prefix --with-system-gdbinit=$prefix/etc/gdbinit};
32576if @value{GDBN} is moved from @file{$prefix} to @file{$install}, the system
32577init file is looked for as @file{$install/etc/gdbinit} instead of
32578@file{$prefix/etc/gdbinit}.
32579
32580@item
32581By contrast, if the default location does not contain the prefix,
32582it will not be relocated. E.g.@: if @value{GDBN} has been configured with
32583@option{--prefix=/usr/local --with-system-gdbinit=/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
32584then @value{GDBN} will always look for @file{/usr/share/gdb/gdbinit},
32585wherever @value{GDBN} is installed.
32586@end itemize
32587
32588@node Maintenance Commands
32589@appendix Maintenance Commands
32590@cindex maintenance commands
32591@cindex internal commands
32592
32593In addition to commands intended for @value{GDBN} users, @value{GDBN}
32594includes a number of commands intended for @value{GDBN} developers,
32595that are not documented elsewhere in this manual. These commands are
32596provided here for reference. (For commands that turn on debugging
32597messages, see @ref{Debugging Output}.)
32598
32599@table @code
32600@kindex maint agent
32601@kindex maint agent-eval
32602@item maint agent @var{expression}
32603@itemx maint agent-eval @var{expression}
32604Translate the given @var{expression} into remote agent bytecodes.
32605This command is useful for debugging the Agent Expression mechanism
32606(@pxref{Agent Expressions}). The @samp{agent} version produces an
32607expression useful for data collection, such as by tracepoints, while
32608@samp{maint agent-eval} produces an expression that evaluates directly
32609to a result. For instance, a collection expression for @code{globa +
32610globb} will include bytecodes to record four bytes of memory at each
32611of the addresses of @code{globa} and @code{globb}, while discarding
32612the result of the addition, while an evaluation expression will do the
32613addition and return the sum.
32614
32615@kindex maint info breakpoints
32616@item @anchor{maint info breakpoints}maint info breakpoints
32617Using the same format as @samp{info breakpoints}, display both the
32618breakpoints you've set explicitly, and those @value{GDBN} is using for
32619internal purposes. Internal breakpoints are shown with negative
32620breakpoint numbers. The type column identifies what kind of breakpoint
32621is shown:
32622
32623@table @code
32624@item breakpoint
32625Normal, explicitly set breakpoint.
32626
32627@item watchpoint
32628Normal, explicitly set watchpoint.
32629
32630@item longjmp
32631Internal breakpoint, used to handle correctly stepping through
32632@code{longjmp} calls.
32633
32634@item longjmp resume
32635Internal breakpoint at the target of a @code{longjmp}.
32636
32637@item until
32638Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{until} command.
32639
32640@item finish
32641Temporary internal breakpoint used by the @value{GDBN} @code{finish} command.
32642
32643@item shlib events
32644Shared library events.
32645
32646@end table
32647
32648@kindex set displaced-stepping
32649@kindex show displaced-stepping
32650@cindex displaced stepping support
32651@cindex out-of-line single-stepping
32652@item set displaced-stepping
32653@itemx show displaced-stepping
32654Control whether or not @value{GDBN} will do @dfn{displaced stepping}
32655if the target supports it. Displaced stepping is a way to single-step
32656over breakpoints without removing them from the inferior, by executing
32657an out-of-line copy of the instruction that was originally at the
32658breakpoint location. It is also known as out-of-line single-stepping.
32659
32660@table @code
32661@item set displaced-stepping on
32662If the target architecture supports it, @value{GDBN} will use
32663displaced stepping to step over breakpoints.
32664
32665@item set displaced-stepping off
32666@value{GDBN} will not use displaced stepping to step over breakpoints,
32667even if such is supported by the target architecture.
32668
32669@cindex non-stop mode, and @samp{set displaced-stepping}
32670@item set displaced-stepping auto
32671This is the default mode. @value{GDBN} will use displaced stepping
32672only if non-stop mode is active (@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}) and the target
32673architecture supports displaced stepping.
32674@end table
32675
32676@kindex maint check-symtabs
32677@item maint check-symtabs
32678Check the consistency of psymtabs and symtabs.
32679
32680@kindex maint cplus first_component
32681@item maint cplus first_component @var{name}
32682Print the first C@t{++} class/namespace component of @var{name}.
32683
32684@kindex maint cplus namespace
32685@item maint cplus namespace
32686Print the list of possible C@t{++} namespaces.
32687
32688@kindex maint demangle
32689@item maint demangle @var{name}
32690Demangle a C@t{++} or Objective-C mangled @var{name}.
32691
32692@kindex maint deprecate
32693@kindex maint undeprecate
32694@cindex deprecated commands
32695@item maint deprecate @var{command} @r{[}@var{replacement}@r{]}
32696@itemx maint undeprecate @var{command}
32697Deprecate or undeprecate the named @var{command}. Deprecated commands
32698cause @value{GDBN} to issue a warning when you use them. The optional
32699argument @var{replacement} says which newer command should be used in
32700favor of the deprecated one; if it is given, @value{GDBN} will mention
32701the replacement as part of the warning.
32702
32703@kindex maint dump-me
32704@item maint dump-me
32705@cindex @code{SIGQUIT} signal, dump core of @value{GDBN}
32706Cause a fatal signal in the debugger and force it to dump its core.
32707This is supported only on systems which support aborting a program
32708with the @code{SIGQUIT} signal.
32709
32710@kindex maint internal-error
32711@kindex maint internal-warning
32712@item maint internal-error @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
32713@itemx maint internal-warning @r{[}@var{message-text}@r{]}
32714Cause @value{GDBN} to call the internal function @code{internal_error}
32715or @code{internal_warning} and hence behave as though an internal error
32716or internal warning has been detected. In addition to reporting the
32717internal problem, these functions give the user the opportunity to
32718either quit @value{GDBN} or create a core file of the current
32719@value{GDBN} session.
32720
32721These commands take an optional parameter @var{message-text} that is
32722used as the text of the error or warning message.
32723
32724Here's an example of using @code{internal-error}:
32725
32726@smallexample
32727(@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint internal-error testing, 1, 2}
32728@dots{}/maint.c:121: internal-error: testing, 1, 2
32729A problem internal to GDB has been detected. Further
32730debugging may prove unreliable.
32731Quit this debugging session? (y or n) @kbd{n}
32732Create a core file? (y or n) @kbd{n}
32733(@value{GDBP})
32734@end smallexample
32735
32736@cindex @value{GDBN} internal error
32737@cindex internal errors, control of @value{GDBN} behavior
32738
32739@kindex maint set internal-error
32740@kindex maint show internal-error
32741@kindex maint set internal-warning
32742@kindex maint show internal-warning
32743@item maint set internal-error @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
32744@itemx maint show internal-error @var{action}
32745@itemx maint set internal-warning @var{action} [ask|yes|no]
32746@itemx maint show internal-warning @var{action}
32747When @value{GDBN} reports an internal problem (error or warning) it
32748gives the user the opportunity to both quit @value{GDBN} and create a
32749core file of the current @value{GDBN} session. These commands let you
32750override the default behaviour for each particular @var{action},
32751described in the table below.
32752
32753@table @samp
32754@item quit
32755You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
32756quit. The default is to ask the user what to do.
32757
32758@item corefile
32759You can specify that @value{GDBN} should always (yes) or never (no)
32760create a core file. The default is to ask the user what to do.
32761@end table
32762
32763@kindex maint packet
32764@item maint packet @var{text}
32765If @value{GDBN} is talking to an inferior via the serial protocol,
32766then this command sends the string @var{text} to the inferior, and
32767displays the response packet. @value{GDBN} supplies the initial
32768@samp{$} character, the terminating @samp{#} character, and the
32769checksum.
32770
32771@kindex maint print architecture
32772@item maint print architecture @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
32773Print the entire architecture configuration. The optional argument
32774@var{file} names the file where the output goes.
32775
32776@kindex maint print c-tdesc
32777@item maint print c-tdesc
32778Print the current target description (@pxref{Target Descriptions}) as
32779a C source file. The created source file can be used in @value{GDBN}
32780when an XML parser is not available to parse the description.
32781
32782@kindex maint print dummy-frames
32783@item maint print dummy-frames
32784Prints the contents of @value{GDBN}'s internal dummy-frame stack.
32785
32786@smallexample
32787(@value{GDBP}) @kbd{b add}
32788@dots{}
32789(@value{GDBP}) @kbd{print add(2,3)}
32790Breakpoint 2, add (a=2, b=3) at @dots{}
3279158 return (a + b);
32792The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB.
32793@dots{}
32794(@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print dummy-frames}
327950x1a57c80: pc=0x01014068 fp=0x0200bddc sp=0x0200bdd6
32796 top=0x0200bdd4 id=@{stack=0x200bddc,code=0x101405c@}
32797 call_lo=0x01014000 call_hi=0x01014001
32798(@value{GDBP})
32799@end smallexample
32800
32801Takes an optional file parameter.
32802
32803@kindex maint print registers
32804@kindex maint print raw-registers
32805@kindex maint print cooked-registers
32806@kindex maint print register-groups
32807@kindex maint print remote-registers
32808@item maint print registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
32809@itemx maint print raw-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
32810@itemx maint print cooked-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
32811@itemx maint print register-groups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
32812@itemx maint print remote-registers @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
32813Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register data structures.
32814
32815The command @code{maint print raw-registers} includes the contents of
32816the raw register cache; the command @code{maint print
32817cooked-registers} includes the (cooked) value of all registers,
32818including registers which aren't available on the target nor visible
32819to user; the command @code{maint print register-groups} includes the
32820groups that each register is a member of; and the command @code{maint
32821print remote-registers} includes the remote target's register numbers
32822and offsets in the `G' packets. @xref{Registers,, Registers, gdbint,
32823@value{GDBN} Internals}.
32824
32825These commands take an optional parameter, a file name to which to
32826write the information.
32827
32828@kindex maint print reggroups
32829@item maint print reggroups @r{[}@var{file}@r{]}
32830Print @value{GDBN}'s internal register group data structures. The
32831optional argument @var{file} tells to what file to write the
32832information.
32833
32834The register groups info looks like this:
32835
32836@smallexample
32837(@value{GDBP}) @kbd{maint print reggroups}
32838 Group Type
32839 general user
32840 float user
32841 all user
32842 vector user
32843 system user
32844 save internal
32845 restore internal
32846@end smallexample
32847
32848@kindex flushregs
32849@item flushregs
32850This command forces @value{GDBN} to flush its internal register cache.
32851
32852@kindex maint print objfiles
32853@cindex info for known object files
32854@item maint print objfiles
32855Print a dump of all known object files. For each object file, this
32856command prints its name, address in memory, and all of its psymtabs
32857and symtabs.
32858
32859@kindex maint print section-scripts
32860@cindex info for known .debug_gdb_scripts-loaded scripts
32861@item maint print section-scripts [@var{regexp}]
32862Print a dump of scripts specified in the @code{.debug_gdb_section} section.
32863If @var{regexp} is specified, only print scripts loaded by object files
32864matching @var{regexp}.
32865For each script, this command prints its name as specified in the objfile,
32866and the full path if known.
32867@xref{.debug_gdb_scripts section}.
32868
32869@kindex maint print statistics
32870@cindex bcache statistics
32871@item maint print statistics
32872This command prints, for each object file in the program, various data
32873about that object file followed by the byte cache (@dfn{bcache})
32874statistics for the object file. The objfile data includes the number
32875of minimal, partial, full, and stabs symbols, the number of types
32876defined by the objfile, the number of as yet unexpanded psym tables,
32877the number of line tables and string tables, and the amount of memory
32878used by the various tables. The bcache statistics include the counts,
32879sizes, and counts of duplicates of all and unique objects, max,
32880average, and median entry size, total memory used and its overhead and
32881savings, and various measures of the hash table size and chain
32882lengths.
32883
32884@kindex maint print target-stack
32885@cindex target stack description
32886@item maint print target-stack
32887A @dfn{target} is an interface between the debugger and a particular
32888kind of file or process. Targets can be stacked in @dfn{strata},
32889so that more than one target can potentially respond to a request.
32890In particular, memory accesses will walk down the stack of targets
32891until they find a target that is interested in handling that particular
32892address.
32893
32894This command prints a short description of each layer that was pushed on
32895the @dfn{target stack}, starting from the top layer down to the bottom one.
32896
32897@kindex maint print type
32898@cindex type chain of a data type
32899@item maint print type @var{expr}
32900Print the type chain for a type specified by @var{expr}. The argument
32901can be either a type name or a symbol. If it is a symbol, the type of
32902that symbol is described. The type chain produced by this command is
32903a recursive definition of the data type as stored in @value{GDBN}'s
32904data structures, including its flags and contained types.
32905
32906@kindex maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
32907@kindex maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
32908@item maint set dwarf2 always-disassemble
32909@item maint show dwarf2 always-disassemble
32910Control the behavior of @code{info address} when using DWARF debugging
32911information.
32912
32913The default is @code{off}, which means that @value{GDBN} should try to
32914describe a variable's location in an easily readable format. When
32915@code{on}, @value{GDBN} will instead display the DWARF location
32916expression in an assembly-like format. Note that some locations are
32917too complex for @value{GDBN} to describe simply; in this case you will
32918always see the disassembly form.
32919
32920Here is an example of the resulting disassembly:
32921
32922@smallexample
32923(gdb) info addr argc
32924Symbol "argc" is a complex DWARF expression:
32925 1: DW_OP_fbreg 0
32926@end smallexample
32927
32928For more information on these expressions, see
32929@uref{http://www.dwarfstd.org/, the DWARF standard}.
32930
32931@kindex maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
32932@kindex maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
32933@item maint set dwarf2 max-cache-age
32934@itemx maint show dwarf2 max-cache-age
32935Control the DWARF 2 compilation unit cache.
32936
32937@cindex DWARF 2 compilation units cache
32938In object files with inter-compilation-unit references, such as those
32939produced by the GCC option @samp{-feliminate-dwarf2-dups}, the DWARF 2
32940reader needs to frequently refer to previously read compilation units.
32941This setting controls how long a compilation unit will remain in the
32942cache if it is not referenced. A higher limit means that cached
32943compilation units will be stored in memory longer, and more total
32944memory will be used. Setting it to zero disables caching, which will
32945slow down @value{GDBN} startup, but reduce memory consumption.
32946
32947@kindex maint set profile
32948@kindex maint show profile
32949@cindex profiling GDB
32950@item maint set profile
32951@itemx maint show profile
32952Control profiling of @value{GDBN}.
32953
32954Profiling will be disabled until you use the @samp{maint set profile}
32955command to enable it. When you enable profiling, the system will begin
32956collecting timing and execution count data; when you disable profiling or
32957exit @value{GDBN}, the results will be written to a log file. Remember that
32958if you use profiling, @value{GDBN} will overwrite the profiling log file
32959(often called @file{gmon.out}). If you have a record of important profiling
32960data in a @file{gmon.out} file, be sure to move it to a safe location.
32961
32962Configuring with @samp{--enable-profiling} arranges for @value{GDBN} to be
32963compiled with the @samp{-pg} compiler option.
32964
32965@kindex maint set show-debug-regs
32966@kindex maint show show-debug-regs
32967@cindex hardware debug registers
32968@item maint set show-debug-regs
32969@itemx maint show show-debug-regs
32970Control whether to show variables that mirror the hardware debug
32971registers. Use @code{ON} to enable, @code{OFF} to disable. If
32972enabled, the debug registers values are shown when @value{GDBN} inserts or
32973removes a hardware breakpoint or watchpoint, and when the inferior
32974triggers a hardware-assisted breakpoint or watchpoint.
32975
32976@kindex maint set show-all-tib
32977@kindex maint show show-all-tib
32978@item maint set show-all-tib
32979@itemx maint show show-all-tib
32980Control whether to show all non zero areas within a 1k block starting
32981at thread local base, when using the @samp{info w32 thread-information-block}
32982command.
32983
32984@kindex maint space
32985@cindex memory used by commands
32986@item maint space
32987Control whether to display memory usage for each command. If set to a
32988nonzero value, @value{GDBN} will display how much memory each command
32989took, following the command's own output. This can also be requested
32990by invoking @value{GDBN} with the @option{--statistics} command-line
32991switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
32992
32993@kindex maint time
32994@cindex time of command execution
32995@item maint time
32996Control whether to display the execution time of @value{GDBN} for each command.
32997If set to a nonzero value, @value{GDBN} will display how much time it
32998took to execute each command, following the command's own output.
32999Both CPU time and wallclock time are printed.
33000Printing both is useful when trying to determine whether the cost is
33001CPU or, e.g., disk/network, latency.
33002Note that the CPU time printed is for @value{GDBN} only, it does not include
33003the execution time of the inferior because there's no mechanism currently
33004to compute how much time was spent by @value{GDBN} and how much time was
33005spent by the program been debugged.
33006This can also be requested by invoking @value{GDBN} with the
33007@option{--statistics} command-line switch (@pxref{Mode Options}).
33008
33009@kindex maint translate-address
33010@item maint translate-address @r{[}@var{section}@r{]} @var{addr}
33011Find the symbol stored at the location specified by the address
33012@var{addr} and an optional section name @var{section}. If found,
33013@value{GDBN} prints the name of the closest symbol and an offset from
33014the symbol's location to the specified address. This is similar to
33015the @code{info address} command (@pxref{Symbols}), except that this
33016command also allows to find symbols in other sections.
33017
33018If section was not specified, the section in which the symbol was found
33019is also printed. For dynamically linked executables, the name of
33020executable or shared library containing the symbol is printed as well.
33021
33022@end table
33023
33024The following command is useful for non-interactive invocations of
33025@value{GDBN}, such as in the test suite.
33026
33027@table @code
33028@item set watchdog @var{nsec}
33029@kindex set watchdog
33030@cindex watchdog timer
33031@cindex timeout for commands
33032Set the maximum number of seconds @value{GDBN} will wait for the
33033target operation to finish. If this time expires, @value{GDBN}
33034reports and error and the command is aborted.
33035
33036@item show watchdog
33037Show the current setting of the target wait timeout.
33038@end table
33039
33040@node Remote Protocol
33041@appendix @value{GDBN} Remote Serial Protocol
33042
33043@menu
33044* Overview::
33045* Packets::
33046* Stop Reply Packets::
33047* General Query Packets::
33048* Architecture-Specific Protocol Details::
33049* Tracepoint Packets::
33050* Host I/O Packets::
33051* Interrupts::
33052* Notification Packets::
33053* Remote Non-Stop::
33054* Packet Acknowledgment::
33055* Examples::
33056* File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension::
33057* Library List Format::
33058* Memory Map Format::
33059* Thread List Format::
33060* Traceframe Info Format::
33061@end menu
33062
33063@node Overview
33064@section Overview
33065
33066There may be occasions when you need to know something about the
33067protocol---for example, if there is only one serial port to your target
33068machine, you might want your program to do something special if it
33069recognizes a packet meant for @value{GDBN}.
33070
33071In the examples below, @samp{->} and @samp{<-} are used to indicate
33072transmitted and received data, respectively.
33073
33074@cindex protocol, @value{GDBN} remote serial
33075@cindex serial protocol, @value{GDBN} remote
33076@cindex remote serial protocol
33077All @value{GDBN} commands and responses (other than acknowledgments
33078and notifications, see @ref{Notification Packets}) are sent as a
33079@var{packet}. A @var{packet} is introduced with the character
33080@samp{$}, the actual @var{packet-data}, and the terminating character
33081@samp{#} followed by a two-digit @var{checksum}:
33082
33083@smallexample
33084@code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
33085@end smallexample
33086@noindent
33087
33088@cindex checksum, for @value{GDBN} remote
33089@noindent
33090The two-digit @var{checksum} is computed as the modulo 256 sum of all
33091characters between the leading @samp{$} and the trailing @samp{#} (an
33092eight bit unsigned checksum).
33093
33094Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0 the protocol
33095specification also included an optional two-digit @var{sequence-id}:
33096
33097@smallexample
33098@code{$}@var{sequence-id}@code{:}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
33099@end smallexample
33100
33101@cindex sequence-id, for @value{GDBN} remote
33102@noindent
33103That @var{sequence-id} was appended to the acknowledgment. @value{GDBN}
33104has never output @var{sequence-id}s. Stubs that handle packets added
33105since @value{GDBN} 5.0 must not accept @var{sequence-id}.
33106
33107When either the host or the target machine receives a packet, the first
33108response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
33109the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request
33110retransmission):
33111
33112@smallexample
33113-> @code{$}@var{packet-data}@code{#}@var{checksum}
33114<- @code{+}
33115@end smallexample
33116@noindent
33117
33118The @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments can be disabled
33119once a connection is established.
33120@xref{Packet Acknowledgment}, for details.
33121
33122The host (@value{GDBN}) sends @var{command}s, and the target (the
33123debugging stub incorporated in your program) sends a @var{response}. In
33124the case of step and continue @var{command}s, the response is only sent
33125when the operation has completed, and the target has again stopped all
33126threads in all attached processes. This is the default all-stop mode
33127behavior, but the remote protocol also supports @value{GDBN}'s non-stop
33128execution mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}, for details.
33129
33130@var{packet-data} consists of a sequence of characters with the
33131exception of @samp{#} and @samp{$} (see @samp{X} packet for additional
33132exceptions).
33133
33134@cindex remote protocol, field separator
33135Fields within the packet should be separated using @samp{,} @samp{;} or
33136@samp{:}. Except where otherwise noted all numbers are represented in
33137@sc{hex} with leading zeros suppressed.
33138
33139Implementors should note that prior to @value{GDBN} 5.0, the character
33140@samp{:} could not appear as the third character in a packet (as it
33141would potentially conflict with the @var{sequence-id}).
33142
33143@cindex remote protocol, binary data
33144@anchor{Binary Data}
33145Binary data in most packets is encoded either as two hexadecimal
33146digits per byte of binary data. This allowed the traditional remote
33147protocol to work over connections which were only seven-bit clean.
33148Some packets designed more recently assume an eight-bit clean
33149connection, and use a more efficient encoding to send and receive
33150binary data.
33151
33152The binary data representation uses @code{7d} (@sc{ascii} @samp{@}})
33153as an escape character. Any escaped byte is transmitted as the escape
33154character followed by the original character XORed with @code{0x20}.
33155For example, the byte @code{0x7d} would be transmitted as the two
33156bytes @code{0x7d 0x5d}. The bytes @code{0x23} (@sc{ascii} @samp{#}),
33157@code{0x24} (@sc{ascii} @samp{$}), and @code{0x7d} (@sc{ascii}
33158@samp{@}}) must always be escaped. Responses sent by the stub
33159must also escape @code{0x2a} (@sc{ascii} @samp{*}), so that it
33160is not interpreted as the start of a run-length encoded sequence
33161(described next).
33162
33163Response @var{data} can be run-length encoded to save space.
33164Run-length encoding replaces runs of identical characters with one
33165instance of the repeated character, followed by a @samp{*} and a
33166repeat count. The repeat count is itself sent encoded, to avoid
33167binary characters in @var{data}: a value of @var{n} is sent as
33168@code{@var{n}+29}. For a repeat count greater or equal to 3, this
33169produces a printable @sc{ascii} character, e.g.@: a space (@sc{ascii}
33170code 32) for a repeat count of 3. (This is because run-length
33171encoding starts to win for counts 3 or more.) Thus, for example,
33172@samp{0* } is a run-length encoding of ``0000'': the space character
33173after @samp{*} means repeat the leading @code{0} @w{@code{32 - 29 =
331743}} more times.
33175
33176The printable characters @samp{#} and @samp{$} or with a numeric value
33177greater than 126 must not be used. Runs of six repeats (@samp{#}) or
33178seven repeats (@samp{$}) can be expanded using a repeat count of only
33179five (@samp{"}). For example, @samp{00000000} can be encoded as
33180@samp{0*"00}.
33181
33182The error response returned for some packets includes a two character
33183error number. That number is not well defined.
33184
33185@cindex empty response, for unsupported packets
33186For any @var{command} not supported by the stub, an empty response
33187(@samp{$#00}) should be returned. That way it is possible to extend the
33188protocol. A newer @value{GDBN} can tell if a packet is supported based
33189on that response.
33190
33191At a minimum, a stub is required to support the @samp{g} and @samp{G}
33192commands for register access, and the @samp{m} and @samp{M} commands
33193for memory access. Stubs that only control single-threaded targets
33194can implement run control with the @samp{c} (continue), and @samp{s}
33195(step) commands. Stubs that support multi-threading targets should
33196support the @samp{vCont} command. All other commands are optional.
33197
33198@node Packets
33199@section Packets
33200
33201The following table provides a complete list of all currently defined
33202@var{command}s and their corresponding response @var{data}.
33203@xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for details about the File
33204I/O extension of the remote protocol.
33205
33206Each packet's description has a template showing the packet's overall
33207syntax, followed by an explanation of the packet's meaning. We
33208include spaces in some of the templates for clarity; these are not
33209part of the packet's syntax. No @value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to
33210separate its components. For example, a template like @samp{foo
33211@var{bar} @var{baz}} describes a packet beginning with the three ASCII
33212bytes @samp{foo}, followed by a @var{bar}, followed directly by a
33213@var{baz}. @value{GDBN} does not transmit a space character between the
33214@samp{foo} and the @var{bar}, or between the @var{bar} and the
33215@var{baz}.
33216
33217@cindex @var{thread-id}, in remote protocol
33218@anchor{thread-id syntax}
33219Several packets and replies include a @var{thread-id} field to identify
33220a thread. Normally these are positive numbers with a target-specific
33221interpretation, formatted as big-endian hex strings. A @var{thread-id}
33222can also be a literal @samp{-1} to indicate all threads, or @samp{0} to
33223pick any thread.
33224
33225In addition, the remote protocol supports a multiprocess feature in
33226which the @var{thread-id} syntax is extended to optionally include both
33227process and thread ID fields, as @samp{p@var{pid}.@var{tid}}.
33228The @var{pid} (process) and @var{tid} (thread) components each have the
33229format described above: a positive number with target-specific
33230interpretation formatted as a big-endian hex string, literal @samp{-1}
33231to indicate all processes or threads (respectively), or @samp{0} to
33232indicate an arbitrary process or thread. Specifying just a process, as
33233@samp{p@var{pid}}, is equivalent to @samp{p@var{pid}.-1}. It is an
33234error to specify all processes but a specific thread, such as
33235@samp{p-1.@var{tid}}. Note that the @samp{p} prefix is @emph{not} used
33236for those packets and replies explicitly documented to include a process
33237ID, rather than a @var{thread-id}.
33238
33239The multiprocess @var{thread-id} syntax extensions are only used if both
33240@value{GDBN} and the stub report support for the @samp{multiprocess}
33241feature using @samp{qSupported}. @xref{multiprocess extensions}, for
33242more information.
33243
33244Note that all packet forms beginning with an upper- or lower-case
33245letter, other than those described here, are reserved for future use.
33246
33247Here are the packet descriptions.
33248
33249@table @samp
33250
33251@item !
33252@cindex @samp{!} packet
33253@anchor{extended mode}
33254Enable extended mode. In extended mode, the remote server is made
33255persistent. The @samp{R} packet is used to restart the program being
33256debugged.
33257
33258Reply:
33259@table @samp
33260@item OK
33261The remote target both supports and has enabled extended mode.
33262@end table
33263
33264@item ?
33265@cindex @samp{?} packet
33266Indicate the reason the target halted. The reply is the same as for
33267step and continue. This packet has a special interpretation when the
33268target is in non-stop mode; see @ref{Remote Non-Stop}.
33269
33270Reply:
33271@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33272
33273@item A @var{arglen},@var{argnum},@var{arg},@dots{}
33274@cindex @samp{A} packet
33275Initialized @code{argv[]} array passed into program. @var{arglen}
33276specifies the number of bytes in the hex encoded byte stream
33277@var{arg}. See @code{gdbserver} for more details.
33278
33279Reply:
33280@table @samp
33281@item OK
33282The arguments were set.
33283@item E @var{NN}
33284An error occurred.
33285@end table
33286
33287@item b @var{baud}
33288@cindex @samp{b} packet
33289(Don't use this packet; its behavior is not well-defined.)
33290Change the serial line speed to @var{baud}.
33291
33292JTC: @emph{When does the transport layer state change? When it's
33293received, or after the ACK is transmitted. In either case, there are
33294problems if the command or the acknowledgment packet is dropped.}
33295
33296Stan: @emph{If people really wanted to add something like this, and get
33297it working for the first time, they ought to modify ser-unix.c to send
33298some kind of out-of-band message to a specially-setup stub and have the
33299switch happen "in between" packets, so that from remote protocol's point
33300of view, nothing actually happened.}
33301
33302@item B @var{addr},@var{mode}
33303@cindex @samp{B} packet
33304Set (@var{mode} is @samp{S}) or clear (@var{mode} is @samp{C}) a
33305breakpoint at @var{addr}.
33306
33307Don't use this packet. Use the @samp{Z} and @samp{z} packets instead
33308(@pxref{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}).
33309
33310@cindex @samp{bc} packet
33311@anchor{bc}
33312@item bc
33313Backward continue. Execute the target system in reverse. No parameter.
33314@xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
33315
33316Reply:
33317@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33318
33319@cindex @samp{bs} packet
33320@anchor{bs}
33321@item bs
33322Backward single step. Execute one instruction in reverse. No parameter.
33323@xref{Reverse Execution}, for more information.
33324
33325Reply:
33326@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33327
33328@item c @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
33329@cindex @samp{c} packet
33330Continue. @var{addr} is address to resume. If @var{addr} is omitted,
33331resume at current address.
33332
33333This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33334packet}.
33335
33336Reply:
33337@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33338
33339@item C @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
33340@cindex @samp{C} packet
33341Continue with signal @var{sig} (hex signal number). If
33342@samp{;@var{addr}} is omitted, resume at same address.
33343
33344This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33345packet}.
33346
33347Reply:
33348@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33349
33350@item d
33351@cindex @samp{d} packet
33352Toggle debug flag.
33353
33354Don't use this packet; instead, define a general set packet
33355(@pxref{General Query Packets}).
33356
33357@item D
33358@itemx D;@var{pid}
33359@cindex @samp{D} packet
33360The first form of the packet is used to detach @value{GDBN} from the
33361remote system. It is sent to the remote target
33362before @value{GDBN} disconnects via the @code{detach} command.
33363
33364The second form, including a process ID, is used when multiprocess
33365protocol extensions are enabled (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}), to
33366detach only a specific process. The @var{pid} is specified as a
33367big-endian hex string.
33368
33369Reply:
33370@table @samp
33371@item OK
33372for success
33373@item E @var{NN}
33374for an error
33375@end table
33376
33377@item F @var{RC},@var{EE},@var{CF};@var{XX}
33378@cindex @samp{F} packet
33379A reply from @value{GDBN} to an @samp{F} packet sent by the target.
33380This is part of the File-I/O protocol extension. @xref{File-I/O
33381Remote Protocol Extension}, for the specification.
33382
33383@item g
33384@anchor{read registers packet}
33385@cindex @samp{g} packet
33386Read general registers.
33387
33388Reply:
33389@table @samp
33390@item @var{XX@dots{}}
33391Each byte of register data is described by two hex digits. The bytes
33392with the register are transmitted in target byte order. The size of
33393each register and their position within the @samp{g} packet are
33394determined by the @value{GDBN} internal gdbarch functions
33395@code{DEPRECATED_REGISTER_RAW_SIZE} and @code{gdbarch_register_name}. The
33396specification of several standard @samp{g} packets is specified below.
33397
33398When reading registers from a trace frame (@pxref{Analyze Collected
33399Data,,Using the Collected Data}), the stub may also return a string of
33400literal @samp{x}'s in place of the register data digits, to indicate
33401that the corresponding register has not been collected, thus its value
33402is unavailable. For example, for an architecture with 4 registers of
334034 bytes each, the following reply indicates to @value{GDBN} that
33404registers 0 and 2 have not been collected, while registers 1 and 3
33405have been collected, and both have zero value:
33406
33407@smallexample
33408-> @code{g}
33409<- @code{xxxxxxxx00000000xxxxxxxx00000000}
33410@end smallexample
33411
33412@item E @var{NN}
33413for an error.
33414@end table
33415
33416@item G @var{XX@dots{}}
33417@cindex @samp{G} packet
33418Write general registers. @xref{read registers packet}, for a
33419description of the @var{XX@dots{}} data.
33420
33421Reply:
33422@table @samp
33423@item OK
33424for success
33425@item E @var{NN}
33426for an error
33427@end table
33428
33429@item H @var{op} @var{thread-id}
33430@cindex @samp{H} packet
33431Set thread for subsequent operations (@samp{m}, @samp{M}, @samp{g},
33432@samp{G}, et.al.). @var{op} depends on the operation to be performed:
33433it should be @samp{c} for step and continue operations (note that this
33434is deprecated, supporting the @samp{vCont} command is a better
33435option), @samp{g} for other operations. The thread designator
33436@var{thread-id} has the format and interpretation described in
33437@ref{thread-id syntax}.
33438
33439Reply:
33440@table @samp
33441@item OK
33442for success
33443@item E @var{NN}
33444for an error
33445@end table
33446
33447@c FIXME: JTC:
33448@c 'H': How restrictive (or permissive) is the thread model. If a
33449@c thread is selected and stopped, are other threads allowed
33450@c to continue to execute? As I mentioned above, I think the
33451@c semantics of each command when a thread is selected must be
33452@c described. For example:
33453@c
33454@c 'g': If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
33455@c selected, returns the register block from that thread;
33456@c otherwise returns current registers.
33457@c
33458@c 'G' If the stub supports threads and a specific thread is
33459@c selected, sets the registers of the register block of
33460@c that thread; otherwise sets current registers.
33461
33462@item i @r{[}@var{addr}@r{[},@var{nnn}@r{]]}
33463@anchor{cycle step packet}
33464@cindex @samp{i} packet
33465Step the remote target by a single clock cycle. If @samp{,@var{nnn}} is
33466present, cycle step @var{nnn} cycles. If @var{addr} is present, cycle
33467step starting at that address.
33468
33469@item I
33470@cindex @samp{I} packet
33471Signal, then cycle step. @xref{step with signal packet}. @xref{cycle
33472step packet}.
33473
33474@item k
33475@cindex @samp{k} packet
33476Kill request.
33477
33478FIXME: @emph{There is no description of how to operate when a specific
33479thread context has been selected (i.e.@: does 'k' kill only that
33480thread?)}.
33481
33482@item m @var{addr},@var{length}
33483@cindex @samp{m} packet
33484Read @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
33485Note that @var{addr} may not be aligned to any particular boundary.
33486
33487The stub need not use any particular size or alignment when gathering
33488data from memory for the response; even if @var{addr} is word-aligned
33489and @var{length} is a multiple of the word size, the stub is free to
33490use byte accesses, or not. For this reason, this packet may not be
33491suitable for accessing memory-mapped I/O devices.
33492@cindex alignment of remote memory accesses
33493@cindex size of remote memory accesses
33494@cindex memory, alignment and size of remote accesses
33495
33496Reply:
33497@table @samp
33498@item @var{XX@dots{}}
33499Memory contents; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit hexadecimal
33500number. The reply may contain fewer bytes than requested if the
33501server was able to read only part of the region of memory.
33502@item E @var{NN}
33503@var{NN} is errno
33504@end table
33505
33506@item M @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
33507@cindex @samp{M} packet
33508Write @var{length} bytes of memory starting at address @var{addr}.
33509@var{XX@dots{}} is the data; each byte is transmitted as a two-digit
33510hexadecimal number.
33511
33512Reply:
33513@table @samp
33514@item OK
33515for success
33516@item E @var{NN}
33517for an error (this includes the case where only part of the data was
33518written).
33519@end table
33520
33521@item p @var{n}
33522@cindex @samp{p} packet
33523Read the value of register @var{n}; @var{n} is in hex.
33524@xref{read registers packet}, for a description of how the returned
33525register value is encoded.
33526
33527Reply:
33528@table @samp
33529@item @var{XX@dots{}}
33530the register's value
33531@item E @var{NN}
33532for an error
33533@item
33534Indicating an unrecognized @var{query}.
33535@end table
33536
33537@item P @var{n@dots{}}=@var{r@dots{}}
33538@anchor{write register packet}
33539@cindex @samp{P} packet
33540Write register @var{n@dots{}} with value @var{r@dots{}}. The register
33541number @var{n} is in hexadecimal, and @var{r@dots{}} contains two hex
33542digits for each byte in the register (target byte order).
33543
33544Reply:
33545@table @samp
33546@item OK
33547for success
33548@item E @var{NN}
33549for an error
33550@end table
33551
33552@item q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
33553@itemx Q @var{name} @var{params}@dots{}
33554@cindex @samp{q} packet
33555@cindex @samp{Q} packet
33556General query (@samp{q}) and set (@samp{Q}). These packets are
33557described fully in @ref{General Query Packets}.
33558
33559@item r
33560@cindex @samp{r} packet
33561Reset the entire system.
33562
33563Don't use this packet; use the @samp{R} packet instead.
33564
33565@item R @var{XX}
33566@cindex @samp{R} packet
33567Restart the program being debugged. @var{XX}, while needed, is ignored.
33568This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
33569
33570The @samp{R} packet has no reply.
33571
33572@item s @r{[}@var{addr}@r{]}
33573@cindex @samp{s} packet
33574Single step. @var{addr} is the address at which to resume. If
33575@var{addr} is omitted, resume at same address.
33576
33577This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33578packet}.
33579
33580Reply:
33581@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33582
33583@item S @var{sig}@r{[};@var{addr}@r{]}
33584@anchor{step with signal packet}
33585@cindex @samp{S} packet
33586Step with signal. This is analogous to the @samp{C} packet, but
33587requests a single-step, rather than a normal resumption of execution.
33588
33589This packet is deprecated for multi-threading support. @xref{vCont
33590packet}.
33591
33592Reply:
33593@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33594
33595@item t @var{addr}:@var{PP},@var{MM}
33596@cindex @samp{t} packet
33597Search backwards starting at address @var{addr} for a match with pattern
33598@var{PP} and mask @var{MM}. @var{PP} and @var{MM} are 4 bytes.
33599@var{addr} must be at least 3 digits.
33600
33601@item T @var{thread-id}
33602@cindex @samp{T} packet
33603Find out if the thread @var{thread-id} is alive. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
33604
33605Reply:
33606@table @samp
33607@item OK
33608thread is still alive
33609@item E @var{NN}
33610thread is dead
33611@end table
33612
33613@item v
33614Packets starting with @samp{v} are identified by a multi-letter name,
33615up to the first @samp{;} or @samp{?} (or the end of the packet).
33616
33617@item vAttach;@var{pid}
33618@cindex @samp{vAttach} packet
33619Attach to a new process with the specified process ID @var{pid}.
33620The process ID is a
33621hexadecimal integer identifying the process. In all-stop mode, all
33622threads in the attached process are stopped; in non-stop mode, it may be
33623attached without being stopped if that is supported by the target.
33624
33625@c In non-stop mode, on a successful vAttach, the stub should set the
33626@c current thread to a thread of the newly-attached process. After
33627@c attaching, GDB queries for the attached process's thread ID with qC.
33628@c Also note that, from a user perspective, whether or not the
33629@c target is stopped on attach in non-stop mode depends on whether you
33630@c use the foreground or background version of the attach command, not
33631@c on what vAttach does; GDB does the right thing with respect to either
33632@c stopping or restarting threads.
33633
33634This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
33635
33636Reply:
33637@table @samp
33638@item E @var{nn}
33639for an error
33640@item @r{Any stop packet}
33641for success in all-stop mode (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
33642@item OK
33643for success in non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop})
33644@end table
33645
33646@item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@r{[}:@var{thread-id}@r{]]}@dots{}
33647@cindex @samp{vCont} packet
33648@anchor{vCont packet}
33649Resume the inferior, specifying different actions for each thread.
33650If an action is specified with no @var{thread-id}, then it is applied to any
33651threads that don't have a specific action specified; if no default action is
33652specified then other threads should remain stopped in all-stop mode and
33653in their current state in non-stop mode.
33654Specifying multiple
33655default actions is an error; specifying no actions is also an error.
33656Thread IDs are specified using the syntax described in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
33657
33658Currently supported actions are:
33659
33660@table @samp
33661@item c
33662Continue.
33663@item C @var{sig}
33664Continue with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
33665@item s
33666Step.
33667@item S @var{sig}
33668Step with signal @var{sig}. The signal @var{sig} should be two hex digits.
33669@item t
33670Stop.
33671@end table
33672
33673The optional argument @var{addr} normally associated with the
33674@samp{c}, @samp{C}, @samp{s}, and @samp{S} packets is
33675not supported in @samp{vCont}.
33676
33677The @samp{t} action is only relevant in non-stop mode
33678(@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}) and may be ignored by the stub otherwise.
33679A stop reply should be generated for any affected thread not already stopped.
33680When a thread is stopped by means of a @samp{t} action,
33681the corresponding stop reply should indicate that the thread has stopped with
33682signal @samp{0}, regardless of whether the target uses some other signal
33683as an implementation detail.
33684
33685Reply:
33686@xref{Stop Reply Packets}, for the reply specifications.
33687
33688@item vCont?
33689@cindex @samp{vCont?} packet
33690Request a list of actions supported by the @samp{vCont} packet.
33691
33692Reply:
33693@table @samp
33694@item vCont@r{[};@var{action}@dots{}@r{]}
33695The @samp{vCont} packet is supported. Each @var{action} is a supported
33696command in the @samp{vCont} packet.
33697@item
33698The @samp{vCont} packet is not supported.
33699@end table
33700
33701@item vFile:@var{operation}:@var{parameter}@dots{}
33702@cindex @samp{vFile} packet
33703Perform a file operation on the target system. For details,
33704see @ref{Host I/O Packets}.
33705
33706@item vFlashErase:@var{addr},@var{length}
33707@cindex @samp{vFlashErase} packet
33708Direct the stub to erase @var{length} bytes of flash starting at
33709@var{addr}. The region may enclose any number of flash blocks, but
33710its start and end must fall on block boundaries, as indicated by the
33711flash block size appearing in the memory map (@pxref{Memory Map
33712Format}). @value{GDBN} groups flash memory programming operations
33713together, and sends a @samp{vFlashDone} request after each group; the
33714stub is allowed to delay erase operation until the @samp{vFlashDone}
33715packet is received.
33716
33717The stub must support @samp{vCont} if it reports support for
33718multiprocess extensions (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}). Note that in
33719this case @samp{vCont} actions can be specified to apply to all threads
33720in a process by using the @samp{p@var{pid}.-1} form of the
33721@var{thread-id}.
33722
33723Reply:
33724@table @samp
33725@item OK
33726for success
33727@item E @var{NN}
33728for an error
33729@end table
33730
33731@item vFlashWrite:@var{addr}:@var{XX@dots{}}
33732@cindex @samp{vFlashWrite} packet
33733Direct the stub to write data to flash address @var{addr}. The data
33734is passed in binary form using the same encoding as for the @samp{X}
33735packet (@pxref{Binary Data}). The memory ranges specified by
33736@samp{vFlashWrite} packets preceding a @samp{vFlashDone} packet must
33737not overlap, and must appear in order of increasing addresses
33738(although @samp{vFlashErase} packets for higher addresses may already
33739have been received; the ordering is guaranteed only between
33740@samp{vFlashWrite} packets). If a packet writes to an address that was
33741neither erased by a preceding @samp{vFlashErase} packet nor by some other
33742target-specific method, the results are unpredictable.
33743
33744
33745Reply:
33746@table @samp
33747@item OK
33748for success
33749@item E.memtype
33750for vFlashWrite addressing non-flash memory
33751@item E @var{NN}
33752for an error
33753@end table
33754
33755@item vFlashDone
33756@cindex @samp{vFlashDone} packet
33757Indicate to the stub that flash programming operation is finished.
33758The stub is permitted to delay or batch the effects of a group of
33759@samp{vFlashErase} and @samp{vFlashWrite} packets until a
33760@samp{vFlashDone} packet is received. The contents of the affected
33761regions of flash memory are unpredictable until the @samp{vFlashDone}
33762request is completed.
33763
33764@item vKill;@var{pid}
33765@cindex @samp{vKill} packet
33766Kill the process with the specified process ID. @var{pid} is a
33767hexadecimal integer identifying the process. This packet is used in
33768preference to @samp{k} when multiprocess protocol extensions are
33769supported; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
33770
33771Reply:
33772@table @samp
33773@item E @var{nn}
33774for an error
33775@item OK
33776for success
33777@end table
33778
33779@item vRun;@var{filename}@r{[};@var{argument}@r{]}@dots{}
33780@cindex @samp{vRun} packet
33781Run the program @var{filename}, passing it each @var{argument} on its
33782command line. The file and arguments are hex-encoded strings. If
33783@var{filename} is an empty string, the stub may use a default program
33784(e.g.@: the last program run). The program is created in the stopped
33785state.
33786
33787@c FIXME: What about non-stop mode?
33788
33789This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
33790
33791Reply:
33792@table @samp
33793@item E @var{nn}
33794for an error
33795@item @r{Any stop packet}
33796for success (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
33797@end table
33798
33799@item vStopped
33800@anchor{vStopped packet}
33801@cindex @samp{vStopped} packet
33802
33803In non-stop mode (@pxref{Remote Non-Stop}), acknowledge a previous stop
33804reply and prompt for the stub to report another one.
33805
33806Reply:
33807@table @samp
33808@item @r{Any stop packet}
33809if there is another unreported stop event (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets})
33810@item OK
33811if there are no unreported stop events
33812@end table
33813
33814@item X @var{addr},@var{length}:@var{XX@dots{}}
33815@anchor{X packet}
33816@cindex @samp{X} packet
33817Write data to memory, where the data is transmitted in binary.
33818@var{addr} is address, @var{length} is number of bytes,
33819@samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
33820
33821Reply:
33822@table @samp
33823@item OK
33824for success
33825@item E @var{NN}
33826for an error
33827@end table
33828
33829@item z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
33830@itemx Z @var{type},@var{addr},@var{kind}
33831@anchor{insert breakpoint or watchpoint packet}
33832@cindex @samp{z} packet
33833@cindex @samp{Z} packets
33834Insert (@samp{Z}) or remove (@samp{z}) a @var{type} breakpoint or
33835watchpoint starting at address @var{address} of kind @var{kind}.
33836
33837Each breakpoint and watchpoint packet @var{type} is documented
33838separately.
33839
33840@emph{Implementation notes: A remote target shall return an empty string
33841for an unrecognized breakpoint or watchpoint packet @var{type}. A
33842remote target shall support either both or neither of a given
33843@samp{Z@var{type}@dots{}} and @samp{z@var{type}@dots{}} packet pair. To
33844avoid potential problems with duplicate packets, the operations should
33845be implemented in an idempotent way.}
33846
33847@item z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33848@itemx Z0,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33849@cindex @samp{z0} packet
33850@cindex @samp{Z0} packet
33851Insert (@samp{Z0}) or remove (@samp{z0}) a memory breakpoint at address
33852@var{addr} of type @var{kind}.
33853
33854A memory breakpoint is implemented by replacing the instruction at
33855@var{addr} with a software breakpoint or trap instruction. The
33856@var{kind} is target-specific and typically indicates the size of
33857the breakpoint in bytes that should be inserted. E.g., the @sc{arm}
33858and @sc{mips} can insert either a 2 or 4 byte breakpoint. Some
33859architectures have additional meanings for @var{kind};
33860see @ref{Architecture-Specific Protocol Details}.
33861
33862@emph{Implementation note: It is possible for a target to copy or move
33863code that contains memory breakpoints (e.g., when implementing
33864overlays). The behavior of this packet, in the presence of such a
33865target, is not defined.}
33866
33867Reply:
33868@table @samp
33869@item OK
33870success
33871@item
33872not supported
33873@item E @var{NN}
33874for an error
33875@end table
33876
33877@item z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33878@itemx Z1,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33879@cindex @samp{z1} packet
33880@cindex @samp{Z1} packet
33881Insert (@samp{Z1}) or remove (@samp{z1}) a hardware breakpoint at
33882address @var{addr}.
33883
33884A hardware breakpoint is implemented using a mechanism that is not
33885dependant on being able to modify the target's memory. @var{kind}
33886has the same meaning as in @samp{Z0} packets.
33887
33888@emph{Implementation note: A hardware breakpoint is not affected by code
33889movement.}
33890
33891Reply:
33892@table @samp
33893@item OK
33894success
33895@item
33896not supported
33897@item E @var{NN}
33898for an error
33899@end table
33900
33901@item z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33902@itemx Z2,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33903@cindex @samp{z2} packet
33904@cindex @samp{Z2} packet
33905Insert (@samp{Z2}) or remove (@samp{z2}) a write watchpoint at @var{addr}.
33906@var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
33907
33908Reply:
33909@table @samp
33910@item OK
33911success
33912@item
33913not supported
33914@item E @var{NN}
33915for an error
33916@end table
33917
33918@item z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33919@itemx Z3,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33920@cindex @samp{z3} packet
33921@cindex @samp{Z3} packet
33922Insert (@samp{Z3}) or remove (@samp{z3}) a read watchpoint at @var{addr}.
33923@var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
33924
33925Reply:
33926@table @samp
33927@item OK
33928success
33929@item
33930not supported
33931@item E @var{NN}
33932for an error
33933@end table
33934
33935@item z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33936@itemx Z4,@var{addr},@var{kind}
33937@cindex @samp{z4} packet
33938@cindex @samp{Z4} packet
33939Insert (@samp{Z4}) or remove (@samp{z4}) an access watchpoint at @var{addr}.
33940@var{kind} is interpreted as the number of bytes to watch.
33941
33942Reply:
33943@table @samp
33944@item OK
33945success
33946@item
33947not supported
33948@item E @var{NN}
33949for an error
33950@end table
33951
33952@end table
33953
33954@node Stop Reply Packets
33955@section Stop Reply Packets
33956@cindex stop reply packets
33957
33958The @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}, @samp{s}, @samp{vCont},
33959@samp{vAttach}, @samp{vRun}, @samp{vStopped}, and @samp{?} packets can
33960receive any of the below as a reply. Except for @samp{?}
33961and @samp{vStopped}, that reply is only returned
33962when the target halts. In the below the exact meaning of @dfn{signal
33963number} is defined by the header @file{include/gdb/signals.h} in the
33964@value{GDBN} source code.
33965
33966As in the description of request packets, we include spaces in the
33967reply templates for clarity; these are not part of the reply packet's
33968syntax. No @value{GDBN} stop reply packet uses spaces to separate its
33969components.
33970
33971@table @samp
33972
33973@item S @var{AA}
33974The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
33975number). This is equivalent to a @samp{T} response with no
33976@var{n}:@var{r} pairs.
33977
33978@item T @var{AA} @var{n1}:@var{r1};@var{n2}:@var{r2};@dots{}
33979@cindex @samp{T} packet reply
33980The program received signal number @var{AA} (a two-digit hexadecimal
33981number). This is equivalent to an @samp{S} response, except that the
33982@samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pairs can carry values of important registers
33983and other information directly in the stop reply packet, reducing
33984round-trip latency. Single-step and breakpoint traps are reported
33985this way. Each @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair is interpreted as follows:
33986
33987@itemize @bullet
33988@item
33989If @var{n} is a hexadecimal number, it is a register number, and the
33990corresponding @var{r} gives that register's value. @var{r} is a
33991series of bytes in target byte order, with each byte given by a
33992two-digit hex number.
33993
33994@item
33995If @var{n} is @samp{thread}, then @var{r} is the @var{thread-id} of
33996the stopped thread, as specified in @ref{thread-id syntax}.
33997
33998@item
33999If @var{n} is @samp{core}, then @var{r} is the hexadecimal number of
34000the core on which the stop event was detected.
34001
34002@item
34003If @var{n} is a recognized @dfn{stop reason}, it describes a more
34004specific event that stopped the target. The currently defined stop
34005reasons are listed below. @var{aa} should be @samp{05}, the trap
34006signal. At most one stop reason should be present.
34007
34008@item
34009Otherwise, @value{GDBN} should ignore this @samp{@var{n}:@var{r}} pair
34010and go on to the next; this allows us to extend the protocol in the
34011future.
34012@end itemize
34013
34014The currently defined stop reasons are:
34015
34016@table @samp
34017@item watch
34018@itemx rwatch
34019@itemx awatch
34020The packet indicates a watchpoint hit, and @var{r} is the data address, in
34021hex.
34022
34023@cindex shared library events, remote reply
34024@item library
34025The packet indicates that the loaded libraries have changed.
34026@value{GDBN} should use @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} to fetch a new
34027list of loaded libraries. @var{r} is ignored.
34028
34029@cindex replay log events, remote reply
34030@item replaylog
34031The packet indicates that the target cannot continue replaying
34032logged execution events, because it has reached the end (or the
34033beginning when executing backward) of the log. The value of @var{r}
34034will be either @samp{begin} or @samp{end}. @xref{Reverse Execution},
34035for more information.
34036@end table
34037
34038@item W @var{AA}
34039@itemx W @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
34040The process exited, and @var{AA} is the exit status. This is only
34041applicable to certain targets.
34042
34043The second form of the response, including the process ID of the exited
34044process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported support for
34045multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess extensions}.
34046The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
34047
34048@item X @var{AA}
34049@itemx X @var{AA} ; process:@var{pid}
34050The process terminated with signal @var{AA}.
34051
34052The second form of the response, including the process ID of the
34053terminated process, can be used only when @value{GDBN} has reported
34054support for multiprocess protocol extensions; see @ref{multiprocess
34055extensions}. The @var{pid} is formatted as a big-endian hex string.
34056
34057@item O @var{XX}@dots{}
34058@samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data, to be
34059written as the program's console output. This can happen at any time
34060while the program is running and the debugger should continue to wait
34061for @samp{W}, @samp{T}, etc. This reply is not permitted in non-stop mode.
34062
34063@item F @var{call-id},@var{parameter}@dots{}
34064@var{call-id} is the identifier which says which host system call should
34065be called. This is just the name of the function. Translation into the
34066correct system call is only applicable as it's defined in @value{GDBN}.
34067@xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension}, for a list of implemented
34068system calls.
34069
34070@samp{@var{parameter}@dots{}} is a list of parameters as defined for
34071this very system call.
34072
34073The target replies with this packet when it expects @value{GDBN} to
34074call a host system call on behalf of the target. @value{GDBN} replies
34075with an appropriate @samp{F} packet and keeps up waiting for the next
34076reply packet from the target. The latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
34077or @samp{s} action is expected to be continued. @xref{File-I/O Remote
34078Protocol Extension}, for more details.
34079
34080@end table
34081
34082@node General Query Packets
34083@section General Query Packets
34084@cindex remote query requests
34085
34086Packets starting with @samp{q} are @dfn{general query packets};
34087packets starting with @samp{Q} are @dfn{general set packets}. General
34088query and set packets are a semi-unified form for retrieving and
34089sending information to and from the stub.
34090
34091The initial letter of a query or set packet is followed by a name
34092indicating what sort of thing the packet applies to. For example,
34093@value{GDBN} may use a @samp{qSymbol} packet to exchange symbol
34094definitions with the stub. These packet names follow some
34095conventions:
34096
34097@itemize @bullet
34098@item
34099The name must not contain commas, colons or semicolons.
34100@item
34101Most @value{GDBN} query and set packets have a leading upper case
34102letter.
34103@item
34104The names of custom vendor packets should use a company prefix, in
34105lower case, followed by a period. For example, packets designed at
34106the Acme Corporation might begin with @samp{qacme.foo} (for querying
34107foos) or @samp{Qacme.bar} (for setting bars).
34108@end itemize
34109
34110The name of a query or set packet should be separated from any
34111parameters by a @samp{:}; the parameters themselves should be
34112separated by @samp{,} or @samp{;}. Stubs must be careful to match the
34113full packet name, and check for a separator or the end of the packet,
34114in case two packet names share a common prefix. New packets should not begin
34115with @samp{qC}, @samp{qP}, or @samp{qL}@footnote{The @samp{qP} and @samp{qL}
34116packets predate these conventions, and have arguments without any terminator
34117for the packet name; we suspect they are in widespread use in places that
34118are difficult to upgrade. The @samp{qC} packet has no arguments, but some
34119existing stubs (e.g.@: RedBoot) are known to not check for the end of the
34120packet.}.
34121
34122Like the descriptions of the other packets, each description here
34123has a template showing the packet's overall syntax, followed by an
34124explanation of the packet's meaning. We include spaces in some of the
34125templates for clarity; these are not part of the packet's syntax. No
34126@value{GDBN} packet uses spaces to separate its components.
34127
34128Here are the currently defined query and set packets:
34129
34130@table @samp
34131
34132@item QAllow:@var{op}:@var{val}@dots{}
34133@cindex @samp{QAllow} packet
34134Specify which operations @value{GDBN} expects to request of the
34135target, as a semicolon-separated list of operation name and value
34136pairs. Possible values for @var{op} include @samp{WriteReg},
34137@samp{WriteMem}, @samp{InsertBreak}, @samp{InsertTrace},
34138@samp{InsertFastTrace}, and @samp{Stop}. @var{val} is either 0,
34139indicating that @value{GDBN} will not request the operation, or 1,
34140indicating that it may. (The target can then use this to set up its
34141own internals optimally, for instance if the debugger never expects to
34142insert breakpoints, it may not need to install its own trap handler.)
34143
34144@item qC
34145@cindex current thread, remote request
34146@cindex @samp{qC} packet
34147Return the current thread ID.
34148
34149Reply:
34150@table @samp
34151@item QC @var{thread-id}
34152Where @var{thread-id} is a thread ID as documented in
34153@ref{thread-id syntax}.
34154@item @r{(anything else)}
34155Any other reply implies the old thread ID.
34156@end table
34157
34158@item qCRC:@var{addr},@var{length}
34159@cindex CRC of memory block, remote request
34160@cindex @samp{qCRC} packet
34161Compute the CRC checksum of a block of memory using CRC-32 defined in
34162IEEE 802.3. The CRC is computed byte at a time, taking the most
34163significant bit of each byte first. The initial pattern code
34164@code{0xffffffff} is used to ensure leading zeros affect the CRC.
34165
34166@emph{Note:} This is the same CRC used in validating separate debug
34167files (@pxref{Separate Debug Files, , Debugging Information in Separate
34168Files}). However the algorithm is slightly different. When validating
34169separate debug files, the CRC is computed taking the @emph{least}
34170significant bit of each byte first, and the final result is inverted to
34171detect trailing zeros.
34172
34173Reply:
34174@table @samp
34175@item E @var{NN}
34176An error (such as memory fault)
34177@item C @var{crc32}
34178The specified memory region's checksum is @var{crc32}.
34179@end table
34180
34181@item QDisableRandomization:@var{value}
34182@cindex disable address space randomization, remote request
34183@cindex @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet
34184Some target operating systems will randomize the virtual address space
34185of the inferior process as a security feature, but provide a feature
34186to disable such randomization, e.g.@: to allow for a more deterministic
34187debugging experience. On such systems, this packet with a @var{value}
34188of 1 directs the target to disable address space randomization for
34189processes subsequently started via @samp{vRun} packets, while a packet
34190with a @var{value} of 0 tells the target to enable address space
34191randomization.
34192
34193This packet is only available in extended mode (@pxref{extended mode}).
34194
34195Reply:
34196@table @samp
34197@item OK
34198The request succeeded.
34199
34200@item E @var{nn}
34201An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34202
34203@item
34204An empty reply indicates that @samp{QDisableRandomization} is not supported
34205by the stub.
34206@end table
34207
34208This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34209by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34210This should only be done on targets that actually support disabling
34211address space randomization.
34212
34213@item qfThreadInfo
34214@itemx qsThreadInfo
34215@cindex list active threads, remote request
34216@cindex @samp{qfThreadInfo} packet
34217@cindex @samp{qsThreadInfo} packet
34218Obtain a list of all active thread IDs from the target (OS). Since there
34219may be too many active threads to fit into one reply packet, this query
34220works iteratively: it may require more than one query/reply sequence to
34221obtain the entire list of threads. The first query of the sequence will
34222be the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query; subsequent queries in the
34223sequence will be the @samp{qsThreadInfo} query.
34224
34225NOTE: This packet replaces the @samp{qL} query (see below).
34226
34227Reply:
34228@table @samp
34229@item m @var{thread-id}
34230A single thread ID
34231@item m @var{thread-id},@var{thread-id}@dots{}
34232a comma-separated list of thread IDs
34233@item l
34234(lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
34235@end table
34236
34237In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
34238more thread IDs, separated by commas.
34239@value{GDBN} will respond to each reply with a request for more thread
34240ids (using the @samp{qs} form of the query), until the target responds
34241with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for @dfn{last}).
34242Refer to @ref{thread-id syntax}, for the format of the @var{thread-id}
34243fields.
34244
34245@item qGetTLSAddr:@var{thread-id},@var{offset},@var{lm}
34246@cindex get thread-local storage address, remote request
34247@cindex @samp{qGetTLSAddr} packet
34248Fetch the address associated with thread local storage specified
34249by @var{thread-id}, @var{offset}, and @var{lm}.
34250
34251@var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the
34252thread for which to fetch the TLS address. @xref{thread-id syntax}.
34253
34254@var{offset} is the (big endian, hex encoded) offset associated with the
34255thread local variable. (This offset is obtained from the debug
34256information associated with the variable.)
34257
34258@var{lm} is the (big endian, hex encoded) OS/ABI-specific encoding of the
34259load module associated with the thread local storage. For example,
34260a @sc{gnu}/Linux system will pass the link map address of the shared
34261object associated with the thread local storage under consideration.
34262Other operating environments may choose to represent the load module
34263differently, so the precise meaning of this parameter will vary.
34264
34265Reply:
34266@table @samp
34267@item @var{XX}@dots{}
34268Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the address of the thread
34269local storage requested.
34270
34271@item E @var{nn}
34272An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34273
34274@item
34275An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTLSAddr} is not supported by the stub.
34276@end table
34277
34278@item qGetTIBAddr:@var{thread-id}
34279@cindex get thread information block address
34280@cindex @samp{qGetTIBAddr} packet
34281Fetch address of the Windows OS specific Thread Information Block.
34282
34283@var{thread-id} is the thread ID associated with the thread.
34284
34285Reply:
34286@table @samp
34287@item @var{XX}@dots{}
34288Hex encoded (big endian) bytes representing the linear address of the
34289thread information block.
34290
34291@item E @var{nn}
34292An error occured. This means that either the thread was not found, or the
34293address could not be retrieved.
34294
34295@item
34296An empty reply indicates that @samp{qGetTIBAddr} is not supported by the stub.
34297@end table
34298
34299@item qL @var{startflag} @var{threadcount} @var{nextthread}
34300Obtain thread information from RTOS. Where: @var{startflag} (one hex
34301digit) is one to indicate the first query and zero to indicate a
34302subsequent query; @var{threadcount} (two hex digits) is the maximum
34303number of threads the response packet can contain; and @var{nextthread}
34304(eight hex digits), for subsequent queries (@var{startflag} is zero), is
34305returned in the response as @var{argthread}.
34306
34307Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qfThreadInfo} query instead (see above).
34308
34309Reply:
34310@table @samp
34311@item qM @var{count} @var{done} @var{argthread} @var{thread}@dots{}
34312Where: @var{count} (two hex digits) is the number of threads being
34313returned; @var{done} (one hex digit) is zero to indicate more threads
34314and one indicates no further threads; @var{argthreadid} (eight hex
34315digits) is @var{nextthread} from the request packet; @var{thread}@dots{}
34316is a sequence of thread IDs from the target. @var{threadid} (eight hex
34317digits). See @code{remote.c:parse_threadlist_response()}.
34318@end table
34319
34320@item qOffsets
34321@cindex section offsets, remote request
34322@cindex @samp{qOffsets} packet
34323Get section offsets that the target used when relocating the downloaded
34324image.
34325
34326Reply:
34327@table @samp
34328@item Text=@var{xxx};Data=@var{yyy}@r{[};Bss=@var{zzz}@r{]}
34329Relocate the @code{Text} section by @var{xxx} from its original address.
34330Relocate the @code{Data} section by @var{yyy} from its original address.
34331If the object file format provides segment information (e.g.@: @sc{elf}
34332@samp{PT_LOAD} program headers), @value{GDBN} will relocate entire
34333segments by the supplied offsets.
34334
34335@emph{Note: while a @code{Bss} offset may be included in the response,
34336@value{GDBN} ignores this and instead applies the @code{Data} offset
34337to the @code{Bss} section.}
34338
34339@item TextSeg=@var{xxx}@r{[};DataSeg=@var{yyy}@r{]}
34340Relocate the first segment of the object file, which conventionally
34341contains program code, to a starting address of @var{xxx}. If
34342@samp{DataSeg} is specified, relocate the second segment, which
34343conventionally contains modifiable data, to a starting address of
34344@var{yyy}. @value{GDBN} will report an error if the object file
34345does not contain segment information, or does not contain at least
34346as many segments as mentioned in the reply. Extra segments are
34347kept at fixed offsets relative to the last relocated segment.
34348@end table
34349
34350@item qP @var{mode} @var{thread-id}
34351@cindex thread information, remote request
34352@cindex @samp{qP} packet
34353Returns information on @var{thread-id}. Where: @var{mode} is a hex
34354encoded 32 bit mode; @var{thread-id} is a thread ID
34355(@pxref{thread-id syntax}).
34356
34357Don't use this packet; use the @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} query instead
34358(see below).
34359
34360Reply: see @code{remote.c:remote_unpack_thread_info_response()}.
34361
34362@item QNonStop:1
34363@item QNonStop:0
34364@cindex non-stop mode, remote request
34365@cindex @samp{QNonStop} packet
34366@anchor{QNonStop}
34367Enter non-stop (@samp{QNonStop:1}) or all-stop (@samp{QNonStop:0}) mode.
34368@xref{Remote Non-Stop}, for more information.
34369
34370Reply:
34371@table @samp
34372@item OK
34373The request succeeded.
34374
34375@item E @var{nn}
34376An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34377
34378@item
34379An empty reply indicates that @samp{QNonStop} is not supported by
34380the stub.
34381@end table
34382
34383This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34384by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34385Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set non-stop} command;
34386@pxref{Non-Stop Mode}.
34387
34388@item QPassSignals: @var{signal} @r{[};@var{signal}@r{]}@dots{}
34389@cindex pass signals to inferior, remote request
34390@cindex @samp{QPassSignals} packet
34391@anchor{QPassSignals}
34392Each listed @var{signal} should be passed directly to the inferior process.
34393Signals are numbered identically to continue packets and stop replies
34394(@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}). Each @var{signal} list item should be
34395strictly greater than the previous item. These signals do not need to stop
34396the inferior, or be reported to @value{GDBN}. All other signals should be
34397reported to @value{GDBN}. Multiple @samp{QPassSignals} packets do not
34398combine; any earlier @samp{QPassSignals} list is completely replaced by the
34399new list. This packet improves performance when using @samp{handle
34400@var{signal} nostop noprint pass}.
34401
34402Reply:
34403@table @samp
34404@item OK
34405The request succeeded.
34406
34407@item E @var{nn}
34408An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
34409
34410@item
34411An empty reply indicates that @samp{QPassSignals} is not supported by
34412the stub.
34413@end table
34414
34415Use of this packet is controlled by the @code{set remote pass-signals}
34416command (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set remote pass-signals}).
34417This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34418by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34419
34420@item qRcmd,@var{command}
34421@cindex execute remote command, remote request
34422@cindex @samp{qRcmd} packet
34423@var{command} (hex encoded) is passed to the local interpreter for
34424execution. Invalid commands should be reported using the output
34425string. Before the final result packet, the target may also respond
34426with a number of intermediate @samp{O@var{output}} console output
34427packets. @emph{Implementors should note that providing access to a
34428stubs's interpreter may have security implications}.
34429
34430Reply:
34431@table @samp
34432@item OK
34433A command response with no output.
34434@item @var{OUTPUT}
34435A command response with the hex encoded output string @var{OUTPUT}.
34436@item E @var{NN}
34437Indicate a badly formed request.
34438@item
34439An empty reply indicates that @samp{qRcmd} is not recognized.
34440@end table
34441
34442(Note that the @code{qRcmd} packet's name is separated from the
34443command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
34444conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
34445packets.)
34446
34447@item qSearch:memory:@var{address};@var{length};@var{search-pattern}
34448@cindex searching memory, in remote debugging
34449@cindex @samp{qSearch:memory} packet
34450@anchor{qSearch memory}
34451Search @var{length} bytes at @var{address} for @var{search-pattern}.
34452@var{address} and @var{length} are encoded in hex.
34453@var{search-pattern} is a sequence of bytes, hex encoded.
34454
34455Reply:
34456@table @samp
34457@item 0
34458The pattern was not found.
34459@item 1,address
34460The pattern was found at @var{address}.
34461@item E @var{NN}
34462A badly formed request or an error was encountered while searching memory.
34463@item
34464An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSearch:memory} is not recognized.
34465@end table
34466
34467@item QStartNoAckMode
34468@cindex @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet
34469@anchor{QStartNoAckMode}
34470Request that the remote stub disable the normal @samp{+}/@samp{-}
34471protocol acknowledgments (@pxref{Packet Acknowledgment}).
34472
34473Reply:
34474@table @samp
34475@item OK
34476The stub has switched to no-acknowledgment mode.
34477@value{GDBN} acknowledges this reponse,
34478but neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or expect further
34479@samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments in the current connection.
34480@item
34481An empty reply indicates that the stub does not support no-acknowledgment mode.
34482@end table
34483
34484@item qSupported @r{[}:@var{gdbfeature} @r{[};@var{gdbfeature}@r{]}@dots{} @r{]}
34485@cindex supported packets, remote query
34486@cindex features of the remote protocol
34487@cindex @samp{qSupported} packet
34488@anchor{qSupported}
34489Tell the remote stub about features supported by @value{GDBN}, and
34490query the stub for features it supports. This packet allows
34491@value{GDBN} and the remote stub to take advantage of each others'
34492features. @samp{qSupported} also consolidates multiple feature probes
34493at startup, to improve @value{GDBN} performance---a single larger
34494packet performs better than multiple smaller probe packets on
34495high-latency links. Some features may enable behavior which must not
34496be on by default, e.g.@: because it would confuse older clients or
34497stubs. Other features may describe packets which could be
34498automatically probed for, but are not. These features must be
34499reported before @value{GDBN} will use them. This ``default
34500unsupported'' behavior is not appropriate for all packets, but it
34501helps to keep the initial connection time under control with new
34502versions of @value{GDBN} which support increasing numbers of packets.
34503
34504Reply:
34505@table @samp
34506@item @var{stubfeature} @r{[};@var{stubfeature}@r{]}@dots{}
34507The stub supports or does not support each returned @var{stubfeature},
34508depending on the form of each @var{stubfeature} (see below for the
34509possible forms).
34510@item
34511An empty reply indicates that @samp{qSupported} is not recognized,
34512or that no features needed to be reported to @value{GDBN}.
34513@end table
34514
34515The allowed forms for each feature (either a @var{gdbfeature} in the
34516@samp{qSupported} packet, or a @var{stubfeature} in the response)
34517are:
34518
34519@table @samp
34520@item @var{name}=@var{value}
34521The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and associated
34522with the specified @var{value}. The format of @var{value} depends
34523on the feature, but it must not include a semicolon.
34524@item @var{name}+
34525The remote protocol feature @var{name} is supported, and does not
34526need an associated value.
34527@item @var{name}-
34528The remote protocol feature @var{name} is not supported.
34529@item @var{name}?
34530The remote protocol feature @var{name} may be supported, and
34531@value{GDBN} should auto-detect support in some other way when it is
34532needed. This form will not be used for @var{gdbfeature} notifications,
34533but may be used for @var{stubfeature} responses.
34534@end table
34535
34536Whenever the stub receives a @samp{qSupported} request, the
34537supplied set of @value{GDBN} features should override any previous
34538request. This allows @value{GDBN} to put the stub in a known
34539state, even if the stub had previously been communicating with
34540a different version of @value{GDBN}.
34541
34542The following values of @var{gdbfeature} (for the packet sent by @value{GDBN})
34543are defined:
34544
34545@table @samp
34546@item multiprocess
34547This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports multiprocess
34548extensions to the remote protocol. @value{GDBN} does not use such
34549extensions unless the stub also reports that it supports them by
34550including @samp{multiprocess+} in its @samp{qSupported} reply.
34551@xref{multiprocess extensions}, for details.
34552
34553@item xmlRegisters
34554This feature indicates that @value{GDBN} supports the XML target
34555description. If the stub sees @samp{xmlRegisters=} with target
34556specific strings separated by a comma, it will report register
34557description.
34558
34559@item qRelocInsn
34560This feature indicates whether @value{GDBN} supports the
34561@samp{qRelocInsn} packet (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
34562instruction reply packet}).
34563@end table
34564
34565Stubs should ignore any unknown values for
34566@var{gdbfeature}. Any @value{GDBN} which sends a @samp{qSupported}
34567packet supports receiving packets of unlimited length (earlier
34568versions of @value{GDBN} may reject overly long responses). Additional values
34569for @var{gdbfeature} may be defined in the future to let the stub take
34570advantage of new features in @value{GDBN}, e.g.@: incompatible
34571improvements in the remote protocol---the @samp{multiprocess} feature is
34572an example of such a feature. The stub's reply should be independent
34573of the @var{gdbfeature} entries sent by @value{GDBN}; first @value{GDBN}
34574describes all the features it supports, and then the stub replies with
34575all the features it supports.
34576
34577Similarly, @value{GDBN} will silently ignore unrecognized stub feature
34578responses, as long as each response uses one of the standard forms.
34579
34580Some features are flags. A stub which supports a flag feature
34581should respond with a @samp{+} form response. Other features
34582require values, and the stub should respond with an @samp{=}
34583form response.
34584
34585Each feature has a default value, which @value{GDBN} will use if
34586@samp{qSupported} is not available or if the feature is not mentioned
34587in the @samp{qSupported} response. The default values are fixed; a
34588stub is free to omit any feature responses that match the defaults.
34589
34590Not all features can be probed, but for those which can, the probing
34591mechanism is useful: in some cases, a stub's internal
34592architecture may not allow the protocol layer to know some information
34593about the underlying target in advance. This is especially common in
34594stubs which may be configured for multiple targets.
34595
34596These are the currently defined stub features and their properties:
34597
34598@multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.2 0.12 0.2
34599@c NOTE: The first row should be @headitem, but we do not yet require
34600@c a new enough version of Texinfo (4.7) to use @headitem.
34601@item Feature Name
34602@tab Value Required
34603@tab Default
34604@tab Probe Allowed
34605
34606@item @samp{PacketSize}
34607@tab Yes
34608@tab @samp{-}
34609@tab No
34610
34611@item @samp{qXfer:auxv:read}
34612@tab No
34613@tab @samp{-}
34614@tab Yes
34615
34616@item @samp{qXfer:features:read}
34617@tab No
34618@tab @samp{-}
34619@tab Yes
34620
34621@item @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
34622@tab No
34623@tab @samp{-}
34624@tab Yes
34625
34626@item @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
34627@tab No
34628@tab @samp{-}
34629@tab Yes
34630
34631@item @samp{qXfer:sdata:read}
34632@tab No
34633@tab @samp{-}
34634@tab Yes
34635
34636@item @samp{qXfer:spu:read}
34637@tab No
34638@tab @samp{-}
34639@tab Yes
34640
34641@item @samp{qXfer:spu:write}
34642@tab No
34643@tab @samp{-}
34644@tab Yes
34645
34646@item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read}
34647@tab No
34648@tab @samp{-}
34649@tab Yes
34650
34651@item @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write}
34652@tab No
34653@tab @samp{-}
34654@tab Yes
34655
34656@item @samp{qXfer:threads:read}
34657@tab No
34658@tab @samp{-}
34659@tab Yes
34660
34661@item @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
34662@tab No
34663@tab @samp{-}
34664@tab Yes
34665
34666@item @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
34667@tab No
34668@tab @samp{-}
34669@tab Yes
34670
34671@item @samp{QNonStop}
34672@tab No
34673@tab @samp{-}
34674@tab Yes
34675
34676@item @samp{QPassSignals}
34677@tab No
34678@tab @samp{-}
34679@tab Yes
34680
34681@item @samp{QStartNoAckMode}
34682@tab No
34683@tab @samp{-}
34684@tab Yes
34685
34686@item @samp{multiprocess}
34687@tab No
34688@tab @samp{-}
34689@tab No
34690
34691@item @samp{ConditionalTracepoints}
34692@tab No
34693@tab @samp{-}
34694@tab No
34695
34696@item @samp{ReverseContinue}
34697@tab No
34698@tab @samp{-}
34699@tab No
34700
34701@item @samp{ReverseStep}
34702@tab No
34703@tab @samp{-}
34704@tab No
34705
34706@item @samp{TracepointSource}
34707@tab No
34708@tab @samp{-}
34709@tab No
34710
34711@item @samp{QAllow}
34712@tab No
34713@tab @samp{-}
34714@tab No
34715
34716@item @samp{QDisableRandomization}
34717@tab No
34718@tab @samp{-}
34719@tab No
34720
34721@item @samp{EnableDisableTracepoints}
34722@tab No
34723@tab @samp{-}
34724@tab No
34725
34726@item @samp{tracenz}
34727@tab No
34728@tab @samp{-}
34729@tab No
34730
34731@end multitable
34732
34733These are the currently defined stub features, in more detail:
34734
34735@table @samp
34736@cindex packet size, remote protocol
34737@item PacketSize=@var{bytes}
34738The remote stub can accept packets up to at least @var{bytes} in
34739length. @value{GDBN} will send packets up to this size for bulk
34740transfers, and will never send larger packets. This is a limit on the
34741data characters in the packet, including the frame and checksum.
34742There is no trailing NUL byte in a remote protocol packet; if the stub
34743stores packets in a NUL-terminated format, it should allow an extra
34744byte in its buffer for the NUL. If this stub feature is not supported,
34745@value{GDBN} guesses based on the size of the @samp{g} packet response.
34746
34747@item qXfer:auxv:read
34748The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:auxv:read} packet
34749(@pxref{qXfer auxiliary vector read}).
34750
34751@item qXfer:features:read
34752The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:features:read} packet
34753(@pxref{qXfer target description read}).
34754
34755@item qXfer:libraries:read
34756The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet
34757(@pxref{qXfer library list read}).
34758
34759@item qXfer:memory-map:read
34760The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read} packet
34761(@pxref{qXfer memory map read}).
34762
34763@item qXfer:sdata:read
34764The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:sdata:read} packet
34765(@pxref{qXfer sdata read}).
34766
34767@item qXfer:spu:read
34768The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:read} packet
34769(@pxref{qXfer spu read}).
34770
34771@item qXfer:spu:write
34772The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:spu:write} packet
34773(@pxref{qXfer spu write}).
34774
34775@item qXfer:siginfo:read
34776The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:read} packet
34777(@pxref{qXfer siginfo read}).
34778
34779@item qXfer:siginfo:write
34780The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:siginfo:write} packet
34781(@pxref{qXfer siginfo write}).
34782
34783@item qXfer:threads:read
34784The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
34785(@pxref{qXfer threads read}).
34786
34787@item qXfer:traceframe-info:read
34788The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
34789packet (@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}).
34790
34791@item qXfer:fdpic:read
34792The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:fdpic:read}
34793packet (@pxref{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}).
34794
34795@item QNonStop
34796The remote stub understands the @samp{QNonStop} packet
34797(@pxref{QNonStop}).
34798
34799@item QPassSignals
34800The remote stub understands the @samp{QPassSignals} packet
34801(@pxref{QPassSignals}).
34802
34803@item QStartNoAckMode
34804The remote stub understands the @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet and
34805prefers to operate in no-acknowledgment mode. @xref{Packet Acknowledgment}.
34806
34807@item multiprocess
34808@anchor{multiprocess extensions}
34809@cindex multiprocess extensions, in remote protocol
34810The remote stub understands the multiprocess extensions to the remote
34811protocol syntax. The multiprocess extensions affect the syntax of
34812thread IDs in both packets and replies (@pxref{thread-id syntax}), and
34813add process IDs to the @samp{D} packet and @samp{W} and @samp{X}
34814replies. Note that reporting this feature indicates support for the
34815syntactic extensions only, not that the stub necessarily supports
34816debugging of more than one process at a time. The stub must not use
34817multiprocess extensions in packet replies unless @value{GDBN} has also
34818indicated it supports them in its @samp{qSupported} request.
34819
34820@item qXfer:osdata:read
34821The remote stub understands the @samp{qXfer:osdata:read} packet
34822((@pxref{qXfer osdata read}).
34823
34824@item ConditionalTracepoints
34825The remote stub accepts and implements conditional expressions defined
34826for tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoint Conditions}).
34827
34828@item ReverseContinue
34829The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse continue packet
34830(@pxref{bc}).
34831
34832@item ReverseStep
34833The remote stub accepts and implements the reverse step packet
34834(@pxref{bs}).
34835
34836@item TracepointSource
34837The remote stub understands the @samp{QTDPsrc} packet that supplies
34838the source form of tracepoint definitions.
34839
34840@item QAllow
34841The remote stub understands the @samp{QAllow} packet.
34842
34843@item QDisableRandomization
34844The remote stub understands the @samp{QDisableRandomization} packet.
34845
34846@item StaticTracepoint
34847@cindex static tracepoints, in remote protocol
34848The remote stub supports static tracepoints.
34849
34850@item EnableDisableTracepoints
34851The remote stub supports the @samp{QTEnable} (@pxref{QTEnable}) and
34852@samp{QTDisable} (@pxref{QTDisable}) packets that allow tracepoints
34853to be enabled and disabled while a trace experiment is running.
34854
34855@item tracenz
34856@cindex string tracing, in remote protocol
34857The remote stub supports the @samp{tracenz} bytecode for collecting strings.
34858See @ref{Bytecode Descriptions} for details about the bytecode.
34859
34860@end table
34861
34862@item qSymbol::
34863@cindex symbol lookup, remote request
34864@cindex @samp{qSymbol} packet
34865Notify the target that @value{GDBN} is prepared to serve symbol lookup
34866requests. Accept requests from the target for the values of symbols.
34867
34868Reply:
34869@table @samp
34870@item OK
34871The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
34872@item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
34873The target requests the value of symbol @var{sym_name} (hex encoded).
34874@value{GDBN} may provide the value by using the
34875@samp{qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}} message, described
34876below.
34877@end table
34878
34879@item qSymbol:@var{sym_value}:@var{sym_name}
34880Set the value of @var{sym_name} to @var{sym_value}.
34881
34882@var{sym_name} (hex encoded) is the name of a symbol whose value the
34883target has previously requested.
34884
34885@var{sym_value} (hex) is the value for symbol @var{sym_name}. If
34886@value{GDBN} cannot supply a value for @var{sym_name}, then this field
34887will be empty.
34888
34889Reply:
34890@table @samp
34891@item OK
34892The target does not need to look up any (more) symbols.
34893@item qSymbol:@var{sym_name}
34894The target requests the value of a new symbol @var{sym_name} (hex
34895encoded). @value{GDBN} will continue to supply the values of symbols
34896(if available), until the target ceases to request them.
34897@end table
34898
34899@item qTBuffer
34900@item QTBuffer
34901@item QTDisconnected
34902@itemx QTDP
34903@itemx QTDPsrc
34904@itemx QTDV
34905@itemx qTfP
34906@itemx qTfV
34907@itemx QTFrame
34908@xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
34909
34910@item qThreadExtraInfo,@var{thread-id}
34911@cindex thread attributes info, remote request
34912@cindex @samp{qThreadExtraInfo} packet
34913Obtain a printable string description of a thread's attributes from
34914the target OS. @var{thread-id} is a thread ID;
34915see @ref{thread-id syntax}. This
34916string may contain anything that the target OS thinks is interesting
34917for @value{GDBN} to tell the user about the thread. The string is
34918displayed in @value{GDBN}'s @code{info threads} display. Some
34919examples of possible thread extra info strings are @samp{Runnable}, or
34920@samp{Blocked on Mutex}.
34921
34922Reply:
34923@table @samp
34924@item @var{XX}@dots{}
34925Where @samp{@var{XX}@dots{}} is a hex encoding of @sc{ascii} data,
34926comprising the printable string containing the extra information about
34927the thread's attributes.
34928@end table
34929
34930(Note that the @code{qThreadExtraInfo} packet's name is separated from
34931the command by a @samp{,}, not a @samp{:}, contrary to the naming
34932conventions above. Please don't use this packet as a model for new
34933packets.)
34934
34935@item QTSave
34936@item qTsP
34937@item qTsV
34938@itemx QTStart
34939@itemx QTStop
34940@itemx QTEnable
34941@itemx QTDisable
34942@itemx QTinit
34943@itemx QTro
34944@itemx qTStatus
34945@itemx qTV
34946@itemx qTfSTM
34947@itemx qTsSTM
34948@itemx qTSTMat
34949@xref{Tracepoint Packets}.
34950
34951@item qXfer:@var{object}:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
34952@cindex read special object, remote request
34953@cindex @samp{qXfer} packet
34954@anchor{qXfer read}
34955Read uninterpreted bytes from the target's special data area
34956identified by the keyword @var{object}. Request @var{length} bytes
34957starting at @var{offset} bytes into the data. The content and
34958encoding of @var{annex} is specific to @var{object}; it can supply
34959additional details about what data to access.
34960
34961Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
34962@samp{qXfer:@var{object}:read:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
34963formats, listed below.
34964
34965@table @samp
34966@item qXfer:auxv:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
34967@anchor{qXfer auxiliary vector read}
34968Access the target's @dfn{auxiliary vector}. @xref{OS Information,
34969auxiliary vector}. Note @var{annex} must be empty.
34970
34971This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34972by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34973
34974@item qXfer:features:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
34975@anchor{qXfer target description read}
34976Access the @dfn{target description}. @xref{Target Descriptions}. The
34977annex specifies which XML document to access. The main description is
34978always loaded from the @samp{target.xml} annex.
34979
34980This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34981by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34982
34983@item qXfer:libraries:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
34984@anchor{qXfer library list read}
34985Access the target's list of loaded libraries. @xref{Library List Format}.
34986The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
34987(@pxref{qXfer read}).
34988
34989Targets which maintain a list of libraries in the program's memory do
34990not need to implement this packet; it is designed for platforms where
34991the operating system manages the list of loaded libraries.
34992
34993This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
34994by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
34995
34996@item qXfer:memory-map:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
34997@anchor{qXfer memory map read}
34998Access the target's @dfn{memory-map}. @xref{Memory Map Format}. The
34999annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
35000(@pxref{qXfer read}).
35001
35002This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35003by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35004
35005@item qXfer:sdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35006@anchor{qXfer sdata read}
35007
35008Read contents of the extra collected static tracepoint marker
35009information. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must
35010be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}). @xref{Tracepoint Actions,,Tracepoint
35011Action Lists}.
35012
35013This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35014by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35015(@pxref{qSupported}).
35016
35017@item qXfer:siginfo:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35018@anchor{qXfer siginfo read}
35019Read contents of the extra signal information on the target
35020system. The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
35021empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35022
35023This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35024by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35025(@pxref{qSupported}).
35026
35027@item qXfer:spu:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35028@anchor{qXfer spu read}
35029Read contents of an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
35030annex specifies which file to read; it must be of the form
35031@file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
35032in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
35033in that context to be accessed.
35034
35035This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35036by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35037(@pxref{qSupported}).
35038
35039@item qXfer:threads:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35040@anchor{qXfer threads read}
35041Access the list of threads on target. @xref{Thread List Format}. The
35042annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be empty
35043(@pxref{qXfer read}).
35044
35045This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35046by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35047
35048@item qXfer:traceframe-info:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35049@anchor{qXfer traceframe info read}
35050
35051Return a description of the current traceframe's contents.
35052@xref{Traceframe Info Format}. The annex part of the generic
35053@samp{qXfer} packet must be empty (@pxref{qXfer read}).
35054
35055This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35056by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35057
35058@item qXfer:fdpic:read:@var{annex}:@var{offset},@var{length}
35059@anchor{qXfer fdpic loadmap read}
35060Read contents of @code{loadmap}s on the target system. The
35061annex, either @samp{exec} or @samp{interp}, specifies which @code{loadmap},
35062executable @code{loadmap} or interpreter @code{loadmap} to read.
35063
35064This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35065by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35066
35067@item qXfer:osdata:read::@var{offset},@var{length}
35068@anchor{qXfer osdata read}
35069Access the target's @dfn{operating system information}.
35070@xref{Operating System Information}.
35071
35072@end table
35073
35074Reply:
35075@table @samp
35076@item m @var{data}
35077Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the
35078target. There may be more data at a higher address (although
35079it is permitted to return @samp{m} even for the last valid
35080block of data, as long as at least one byte of data was read).
35081@var{data} may have fewer bytes than the @var{length} in the
35082request.
35083
35084@item l @var{data}
35085Data @var{data} (@pxref{Binary Data}) has been read from the target.
35086There is no more data to be read. @var{data} may have fewer bytes
35087than the @var{length} in the request.
35088
35089@item l
35090The @var{offset} in the request is at the end of the data.
35091There is no more data to be read.
35092
35093@item E00
35094The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
35095
35096@item E @var{nn}
35097The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered reading the data.
35098@var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
35099
35100@item
35101An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not recognized by
35102the stub, or that the object does not support reading.
35103@end table
35104
35105@item qXfer:@var{object}:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
35106@cindex write data into object, remote request
35107@anchor{qXfer write}
35108Write uninterpreted bytes into the target's special data area
35109identified by the keyword @var{object}, starting at @var{offset} bytes
35110into the data. @var{data}@dots{} is the binary-encoded data
35111(@pxref{Binary Data}) to be written. The content and encoding of @var{annex}
35112is specific to @var{object}; it can supply additional details about what data
35113to access.
35114
35115Here are the specific requests of this form defined so far. All
35116@samp{qXfer:@var{object}:write:@dots{}} requests use the same reply
35117formats, listed below.
35118
35119@table @samp
35120@item qXfer:siginfo:write::@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
35121@anchor{qXfer siginfo write}
35122Write @var{data} to the extra signal information on the target system.
35123The annex part of the generic @samp{qXfer} packet must be
35124empty (@pxref{qXfer write}).
35125
35126This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35127by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response
35128(@pxref{qSupported}).
35129
35130@item qXfer:spu:write:@var{annex}:@var{offset}:@var{data}@dots{}
35131@anchor{qXfer spu write}
35132Write @var{data} to an @code{spufs} file on the target system. The
35133annex specifies which file to write; it must be of the form
35134@file{@var{id}/@var{name}}, where @var{id} specifies an SPU context ID
35135in the target process, and @var{name} identifes the @code{spufs} file
35136in that context to be accessed.
35137
35138This packet is not probed by default; the remote stub must request it,
35139by supplying an appropriate @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35140@end table
35141
35142Reply:
35143@table @samp
35144@item @var{nn}
35145@var{nn} (hex encoded) is the number of bytes written.
35146This may be fewer bytes than supplied in the request.
35147
35148@item E00
35149The request was malformed, or @var{annex} was invalid.
35150
35151@item E @var{nn}
35152The offset was invalid, or there was an error encountered writing the data.
35153@var{nn} is a hex-encoded @code{errno} value.
35154
35155@item
35156An empty reply indicates the @var{object} string was not
35157recognized by the stub, or that the object does not support writing.
35158@end table
35159
35160@item qXfer:@var{object}:@var{operation}:@dots{}
35161Requests of this form may be added in the future. When a stub does
35162not recognize the @var{object} keyword, or its support for
35163@var{object} does not recognize the @var{operation} keyword, the stub
35164must respond with an empty packet.
35165
35166@item qAttached:@var{pid}
35167@cindex query attached, remote request
35168@cindex @samp{qAttached} packet
35169Return an indication of whether the remote server attached to an
35170existing process or created a new process. When the multiprocess
35171protocol extensions are supported (@pxref{multiprocess extensions}),
35172@var{pid} is an integer in hexadecimal format identifying the target
35173process. Otherwise, @value{GDBN} will omit the @var{pid} field and
35174the query packet will be simplified as @samp{qAttached}.
35175
35176This query is used, for example, to know whether the remote process
35177should be detached or killed when a @value{GDBN} session is ended with
35178the @code{quit} command.
35179
35180Reply:
35181@table @samp
35182@item 1
35183The remote server attached to an existing process.
35184@item 0
35185The remote server created a new process.
35186@item E @var{NN}
35187A badly formed request or an error was encountered.
35188@end table
35189
35190@end table
35191
35192@node Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
35193@section Architecture-Specific Protocol Details
35194
35195This section describes how the remote protocol is applied to specific
35196target architectures. Also see @ref{Standard Target Features}, for
35197details of XML target descriptions for each architecture.
35198
35199@subsection ARM
35200
35201@subsubsection Breakpoint Kinds
35202
35203These breakpoint kinds are defined for the @samp{Z0} and @samp{Z1} packets.
35204
35205@table @r
35206
35207@item 2
3520816-bit Thumb mode breakpoint.
35209
35210@item 3
3521132-bit Thumb mode (Thumb-2) breakpoint.
35212
35213@item 4
3521432-bit ARM mode breakpoint.
35215
35216@end table
35217
35218@subsection MIPS
35219
35220@subsubsection Register Packet Format
35221
35222The following @code{g}/@code{G} packets have previously been defined.
35223In the below, some thirty-two bit registers are transferred as
35224sixty-four bits. Those registers should be zero/sign extended (which?)
35225to fill the space allocated. Register bytes are transferred in target
35226byte order. The two nibbles within a register byte are transferred
35227most-significant - least-significant.
35228
35229@table @r
35230
35231@item MIPS32
35232
35233All registers are transferred as thirty-two bit quantities in the order:
3523432 general-purpose; sr; lo; hi; bad; cause; pc; 32 floating-point
35235registers; fsr; fir; fp.
35236
35237@item MIPS64
35238
35239All registers are transferred as sixty-four bit quantities (including
35240thirty-two bit registers such as @code{sr}). The ordering is the same
35241as @code{MIPS32}.
35242
35243@end table
35244
35245@node Tracepoint Packets
35246@section Tracepoint Packets
35247@cindex tracepoint packets
35248@cindex packets, tracepoint
35249
35250Here we describe the packets @value{GDBN} uses to implement
35251tracepoints (@pxref{Tracepoints}).
35252
35253@table @samp
35254
35255@item QTDP:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{ena}:@var{step}:@var{pass}[:F@var{flen}][:X@var{len},@var{bytes}]@r{[}-@r{]}
35256Create a new tracepoint, number @var{n}, at @var{addr}. If @var{ena}
35257is @samp{E}, then the tracepoint is enabled; if it is @samp{D}, then
35258the tracepoint is disabled. @var{step} is the tracepoint's step
35259count, and @var{pass} is its pass count. If an @samp{F} is present,
35260then the tracepoint is to be a fast tracepoint, and the @var{flen} is
35261the number of bytes that the target should copy elsewhere to make room
35262for the tracepoint. If an @samp{X} is present, it introduces a
35263tracepoint condition, which consists of a hexadecimal length, followed
35264by a comma and hex-encoded bytes, in a manner similar to action
35265encodings as described below. If the trailing @samp{-} is present,
35266further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow to specify this tracepoint's
35267actions.
35268
35269Replies:
35270@table @samp
35271@item OK
35272The packet was understood and carried out.
35273@item qRelocInsn
35274@xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
35275@item
35276The packet was not recognized.
35277@end table
35278
35279@item QTDP:-@var{n}:@var{addr}:@r{[}S@r{]}@var{action}@dots{}@r{[}-@r{]}
35280Define actions to be taken when a tracepoint is hit. @var{n} and
35281@var{addr} must be the same as in the initial @samp{QTDP} packet for
35282this tracepoint. This packet may only be sent immediately after
35283another @samp{QTDP} packet that ended with a @samp{-}. If the
35284trailing @samp{-} is present, further @samp{QTDP} packets will follow,
35285specifying more actions for this tracepoint.
35286
35287In the series of action packets for a given tracepoint, at most one
35288can have an @samp{S} before its first @var{action}. If such a packet
35289is sent, it and the following packets define ``while-stepping''
35290actions. Any prior packets define ordinary actions --- that is, those
35291taken when the tracepoint is first hit. If no action packet has an
35292@samp{S}, then all the packets in the series specify ordinary
35293tracepoint actions.
35294
35295The @samp{@var{action}@dots{}} portion of the packet is a series of
35296actions, concatenated without separators. Each action has one of the
35297following forms:
35298
35299@table @samp
35300
35301@item R @var{mask}
35302Collect the registers whose bits are set in @var{mask}. @var{mask} is
35303a hexadecimal number whose @var{i}'th bit is set if register number
35304@var{i} should be collected. (The least significant bit is numbered
35305zero.) Note that @var{mask} may be any number of digits long; it may
35306not fit in a 32-bit word.
35307
35308@item M @var{basereg},@var{offset},@var{len}
35309Collect @var{len} bytes of memory starting at the address in register
35310number @var{basereg}, plus @var{offset}. If @var{basereg} is
35311@samp{-1}, then the range has a fixed address: @var{offset} is the
35312address of the lowest byte to collect. The @var{basereg},
35313@var{offset}, and @var{len} parameters are all unsigned hexadecimal
35314values (the @samp{-1} value for @var{basereg} is a special case).
35315
35316@item X @var{len},@var{expr}
35317Evaluate @var{expr}, whose length is @var{len}, and collect memory as
35318it directs. @var{expr} is an agent expression, as described in
35319@ref{Agent Expressions}. Each byte of the expression is encoded as a
35320two-digit hex number in the packet; @var{len} is the number of bytes
35321in the expression (and thus one-half the number of hex digits in the
35322packet).
35323
35324@end table
35325
35326Any number of actions may be packed together in a single @samp{QTDP}
35327packet, as long as the packet does not exceed the maximum packet
35328length (400 bytes, for many stubs). There may be only one @samp{R}
35329action per tracepoint, and it must precede any @samp{M} or @samp{X}
35330actions. Any registers referred to by @samp{M} and @samp{X} actions
35331must be collected by a preceding @samp{R} action. (The
35332``while-stepping'' actions are treated as if they were attached to a
35333separate tracepoint, as far as these restrictions are concerned.)
35334
35335Replies:
35336@table @samp
35337@item OK
35338The packet was understood and carried out.
35339@item qRelocInsn
35340@xref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate instruction reply packet}.
35341@item
35342The packet was not recognized.
35343@end table
35344
35345@item QTDPsrc:@var{n}:@var{addr}:@var{type}:@var{start}:@var{slen}:@var{bytes}
35346@cindex @samp{QTDPsrc} packet
35347Specify a source string of tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr}.
35348This is useful to get accurate reproduction of the tracepoints
35349originally downloaded at the beginning of the trace run. @var{type}
35350is the name of the tracepoint part, such as @samp{cond} for the
35351tracepoint's conditional expression (see below for a list of types), while
35352@var{bytes} is the string, encoded in hexadecimal.
35353
35354@var{start} is the offset of the @var{bytes} within the overall source
35355string, while @var{slen} is the total length of the source string.
35356This is intended for handling source strings that are longer than will
35357fit in a single packet.
35358@c Add detailed example when this info is moved into a dedicated
35359@c tracepoint descriptions section.
35360
35361The available string types are @samp{at} for the location,
35362@samp{cond} for the conditional, and @samp{cmd} for an action command.
35363@value{GDBN} sends a separate packet for each command in the action
35364list, in the same order in which the commands are stored in the list.
35365
35366The target does not need to do anything with source strings except
35367report them back as part of the replies to the @samp{qTfP}/@samp{qTsP}
35368query packets.
35369
35370Although this packet is optional, and @value{GDBN} will only send it
35371if the target replies with @samp{TracepointSource} @xref{General
35372Query Packets}, it makes both disconnected tracing and trace files
35373much easier to use. Otherwise the user must be careful that the
35374tracepoints in effect while looking at trace frames are identical to
35375the ones in effect during the trace run; even a small discrepancy
35376could cause @samp{tdump} not to work, or a particular trace frame not
35377be found.
35378
35379@item QTDV:@var{n}:@var{value}
35380@cindex define trace state variable, remote request
35381@cindex @samp{QTDV} packet
35382Create a new trace state variable, number @var{n}, with an initial
35383value of @var{value}, which is a 64-bit signed integer. Both @var{n}
35384and @var{value} are encoded as hexadecimal values. @value{GDBN} has
35385the option of not using this packet for initial values of zero; the
35386target should simply create the trace state variables as they are
35387mentioned in expressions.
35388
35389@item QTFrame:@var{n}
35390Select the @var{n}'th tracepoint frame from the buffer, and use the
35391register and memory contents recorded there to answer subsequent
35392request packets from @value{GDBN}.
35393
35394A successful reply from the stub indicates that the stub has found the
35395requested frame. The response is a series of parts, concatenated
35396without separators, describing the frame we selected. Each part has
35397one of the following forms:
35398
35399@table @samp
35400@item F @var{f}
35401The selected frame is number @var{n} in the trace frame buffer;
35402@var{f} is a hexadecimal number. If @var{f} is @samp{-1}, then there
35403was no frame matching the criteria in the request packet.
35404
35405@item T @var{t}
35406The selected trace frame records a hit of tracepoint number @var{t};
35407@var{t} is a hexadecimal number.
35408
35409@end table
35410
35411@item QTFrame:pc:@var{addr}
35412Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
35413currently selected frame whose PC is @var{addr};
35414@var{addr} is a hexadecimal number.
35415
35416@item QTFrame:tdp:@var{t}
35417Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
35418currently selected frame that is a hit of tracepoint @var{t}; @var{t}
35419is a hexadecimal number.
35420
35421@item QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}
35422Like @samp{QTFrame:@var{n}}, but select the first tracepoint frame after the
35423currently selected frame whose PC is between @var{start} (inclusive)
35424and @var{end} (inclusive); @var{start} and @var{end} are hexadecimal
35425numbers.
35426
35427@item QTFrame:outside:@var{start}:@var{end}
35428Like @samp{QTFrame:range:@var{start}:@var{end}}, but select the first
35429frame @emph{outside} the given range of addresses (exclusive).
35430
35431@item QTStart
35432Begin the tracepoint experiment. Begin collecting data from
35433tracepoint hits in the trace frame buffer. This packet supports the
35434@samp{qRelocInsn} reply (@pxref{Tracepoint Packets,,Relocate
35435instruction reply packet}).
35436
35437@item QTStop
35438End the tracepoint experiment. Stop collecting trace frames.
35439
35440@item QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
35441@anchor{QTEnable}
35442Enable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
35443experiment. If the tracepoint was previously disabled, then collection
35444of data from it will resume.
35445
35446@item QTDisable:@var{n}:@var{addr}
35447@anchor{QTDisable}
35448Disable tracepoint @var{n} at address @var{addr} in a started tracepoint
35449experiment. No more data will be collected from the tracepoint unless
35450@samp{QTEnable:@var{n}:@var{addr}} is subsequently issued.
35451
35452@item QTinit
35453Clear the table of tracepoints, and empty the trace frame buffer.
35454
35455@item QTro:@var{start1},@var{end1}:@var{start2},@var{end2}:@dots{}
35456Establish the given ranges of memory as ``transparent''. The stub
35457will answer requests for these ranges from memory's current contents,
35458if they were not collected as part of the tracepoint hit.
35459
35460@value{GDBN} uses this to mark read-only regions of memory, like those
35461containing program code. Since these areas never change, they should
35462still have the same contents they did when the tracepoint was hit, so
35463there's no reason for the stub to refuse to provide their contents.
35464
35465@item QTDisconnected:@var{value}
35466Set the choice to what to do with the tracing run when @value{GDBN}
35467disconnects from the target. A @var{value} of 1 directs the target to
35468continue the tracing run, while 0 tells the target to stop tracing if
35469@value{GDBN} is no longer in the picture.
35470
35471@item qTStatus
35472Ask the stub if there is a trace experiment running right now.
35473
35474The reply has the form:
35475
35476@table @samp
35477
35478@item T@var{running}@r{[};@var{field}@r{]}@dots{}
35479@var{running} is a single digit @code{1} if the trace is presently
35480running, or @code{0} if not. It is followed by semicolon-separated
35481optional fields that an agent may use to report additional status.
35482
35483@end table
35484
35485If the trace is not running, the agent may report any of several
35486explanations as one of the optional fields:
35487
35488@table @samp
35489
35490@item tnotrun:0
35491No trace has been run yet.
35492
35493@item tstop:0
35494The trace was stopped by a user-originated stop command.
35495
35496@item tfull:0
35497The trace stopped because the trace buffer filled up.
35498
35499@item tdisconnected:0
35500The trace stopped because @value{GDBN} disconnected from the target.
35501
35502@item tpasscount:@var{tpnum}
35503The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} exceeded its pass count.
35504
35505@item terror:@var{text}:@var{tpnum}
35506The trace stopped because tracepoint @var{tpnum} had an error. The
35507string @var{text} is available to describe the nature of the error
35508(for instance, a divide by zero in the condition expression).
35509@var{text} is hex encoded.
35510
35511@item tunknown:0
35512The trace stopped for some other reason.
35513
35514@end table
35515
35516Additional optional fields supply statistical and other information.
35517Although not required, they are extremely useful for users monitoring
35518the progress of a trace run. If a trace has stopped, and these
35519numbers are reported, they must reflect the state of the just-stopped
35520trace.
35521
35522@table @samp
35523
35524@item tframes:@var{n}
35525The number of trace frames in the buffer.
35526
35527@item tcreated:@var{n}
35528The total number of trace frames created during the run. This may
35529be larger than the trace frame count, if the buffer is circular.
35530
35531@item tsize:@var{n}
35532The total size of the trace buffer, in bytes.
35533
35534@item tfree:@var{n}
35535The number of bytes still unused in the buffer.
35536
35537@item circular:@var{n}
35538The value of the circular trace buffer flag. @code{1} means that the
35539trace buffer is circular and old trace frames will be discarded if
35540necessary to make room, @code{0} means that the trace buffer is linear
35541and may fill up.
35542
35543@item disconn:@var{n}
35544The value of the disconnected tracing flag. @code{1} means that
35545tracing will continue after @value{GDBN} disconnects, @code{0} means
35546that the trace run will stop.
35547
35548@end table
35549
35550@item qTV:@var{var}
35551@cindex trace state variable value, remote request
35552@cindex @samp{qTV} packet
35553Ask the stub for the value of the trace state variable number @var{var}.
35554
35555Replies:
35556@table @samp
35557@item V@var{value}
35558The value of the variable is @var{value}. This will be the current
35559value of the variable if the user is examining a running target, or a
35560saved value if the variable was collected in the trace frame that the
35561user is looking at. Note that multiple requests may result in
35562different reply values, such as when requesting values while the
35563program is running.
35564
35565@item U
35566The value of the variable is unknown. This would occur, for example,
35567if the user is examining a trace frame in which the requested variable
35568was not collected.
35569@end table
35570
35571@item qTfP
35572@itemx qTsP
35573These packets request data about tracepoints that are being used by
35574the target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfP} to get the first piece
35575of data, and multiple @code{qTsP} to get additional pieces. Replies
35576to these packets generally take the form of the @code{QTDP} packets
35577that define tracepoints. (FIXME add detailed syntax)
35578
35579@item qTfV
35580@itemx qTsV
35581These packets request data about trace state variables that are on the
35582target. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfV} to get the first vari of data,
35583and multiple @code{qTsV} to get additional variables. Replies to
35584these packets follow the syntax of the @code{QTDV} packets that define
35585trace state variables.
35586
35587@item qTfSTM
35588@itemx qTsSTM
35589These packets request data about static tracepoint markers that exist
35590in the target program. @value{GDBN} sends @code{qTfSTM} to get the
35591first piece of data, and multiple @code{qTsSTM} to get additional
35592pieces. Replies to these packets take the following form:
35593
35594Reply:
35595@table @samp
35596@item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}
35597A single marker
35598@item m @var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra},@var{address}:@var{id}:@var{extra}@dots{}
35599a comma-separated list of markers
35600@item l
35601(lower case letter @samp{L}) denotes end of list.
35602@item E @var{nn}
35603An error occurred. @var{nn} are hex digits.
35604@item
35605An empty reply indicates that the request is not supported by the
35606stub.
35607@end table
35608
35609@var{address} is encoded in hex.
35610@var{id} and @var{extra} are strings encoded in hex.
35611
35612In response to each query, the target will reply with a list of one or
35613more markers, separated by commas. @value{GDBN} will respond to each
35614reply with a request for more markers (using the @samp{qs} form of the
35615query), until the target responds with @samp{l} (lower-case ell, for
35616@dfn{last}).
35617
35618@item qTSTMat:@var{address}
35619This packets requests data about static tracepoint markers in the
35620target program at @var{address}. Replies to this packet follow the
35621syntax of the @samp{qTfSTM} and @code{qTsSTM} packets that list static
35622tracepoint markers.
35623
35624@item QTSave:@var{filename}
35625This packet directs the target to save trace data to the file name
35626@var{filename} in the target's filesystem. @var{filename} is encoded
35627as a hex string; the interpretation of the file name (relative vs
35628absolute, wild cards, etc) is up to the target.
35629
35630@item qTBuffer:@var{offset},@var{len}
35631Return up to @var{len} bytes of the current contents of trace buffer,
35632starting at @var{offset}. The trace buffer is treated as if it were
35633a contiguous collection of traceframes, as per the trace file format.
35634The reply consists as many hex-encoded bytes as the target can deliver
35635in a packet; it is not an error to return fewer than were asked for.
35636A reply consisting of just @code{l} indicates that no bytes are
35637available.
35638
35639@item QTBuffer:circular:@var{value}
35640This packet directs the target to use a circular trace buffer if
35641@var{value} is 1, or a linear buffer if the value is 0.
35642
35643@end table
35644
35645@subsection Relocate instruction reply packet
35646When installing fast tracepoints in memory, the target may need to
35647relocate the instruction currently at the tracepoint address to a
35648different address in memory. For most instructions, a simple copy is
35649enough, but, for example, call instructions that implicitly push the
35650return address on the stack, and relative branches or other
35651PC-relative instructions require offset adjustment, so that the effect
35652of executing the instruction at a different address is the same as if
35653it had executed in the original location.
35654
35655In response to several of the tracepoint packets, the target may also
35656respond with a number of intermediate @samp{qRelocInsn} request
35657packets before the final result packet, to have @value{GDBN} handle
35658this relocation operation. If a packet supports this mechanism, its
35659documentation will explicitly say so. See for example the above
35660descriptions for the @samp{QTStart} and @samp{QTDP} packets. The
35661format of the request is:
35662
35663@table @samp
35664@item qRelocInsn:@var{from};@var{to}
35665
35666This requests @value{GDBN} to copy instruction at address @var{from}
35667to address @var{to}, possibly adjusted so that executing the
35668instruction at @var{to} has the same effect as executing it at
35669@var{from}. @value{GDBN} writes the adjusted instruction to target
35670memory starting at @var{to}.
35671@end table
35672
35673Replies:
35674@table @samp
35675@item qRelocInsn:@var{adjusted_size}
35676Informs the stub the relocation is complete. @var{adjusted_size} is
35677the length in bytes of resulting relocated instruction sequence.
35678@item E @var{NN}
35679A badly formed request was detected, or an error was encountered while
35680relocating the instruction.
35681@end table
35682
35683@node Host I/O Packets
35684@section Host I/O Packets
35685@cindex Host I/O, remote protocol
35686@cindex file transfer, remote protocol
35687
35688The @dfn{Host I/O} packets allow @value{GDBN} to perform I/O
35689operations on the far side of a remote link. For example, Host I/O is
35690used to upload and download files to a remote target with its own
35691filesystem. Host I/O uses the same constant values and data structure
35692layout as the target-initiated File-I/O protocol. However, the
35693Host I/O packets are structured differently. The target-initiated
35694protocol relies on target memory to store parameters and buffers.
35695Host I/O requests are initiated by @value{GDBN}, and the
35696target's memory is not involved. @xref{File-I/O Remote Protocol
35697Extension}, for more details on the target-initiated protocol.
35698
35699The Host I/O request packets all encode a single operation along with
35700its arguments. They have this format:
35701
35702@table @samp
35703
35704@item vFile:@var{operation}: @var{parameter}@dots{}
35705@var{operation} is the name of the particular request; the target
35706should compare the entire packet name up to the second colon when checking
35707for a supported operation. The format of @var{parameter} depends on
35708the operation. Numbers are always passed in hexadecimal. Negative
35709numbers have an explicit minus sign (i.e.@: two's complement is not
35710used). Strings (e.g.@: filenames) are encoded as a series of
35711hexadecimal bytes. The last argument to a system call may be a
35712buffer of escaped binary data (@pxref{Binary Data}).
35713
35714@end table
35715
35716The valid responses to Host I/O packets are:
35717
35718@table @samp
35719
35720@item F @var{result} [, @var{errno}] [; @var{attachment}]
35721@var{result} is the integer value returned by this operation, usually
35722non-negative for success and -1 for errors. If an error has occured,
35723@var{errno} will be included in the result. @var{errno} will have a
35724value defined by the File-I/O protocol (@pxref{Errno Values}). For
35725operations which return data, @var{attachment} supplies the data as a
35726binary buffer. Binary buffers in response packets are escaped in the
35727normal way (@pxref{Binary Data}). See the individual packet
35728documentation for the interpretation of @var{result} and
35729@var{attachment}.
35730
35731@item
35732An empty response indicates that this operation is not recognized.
35733
35734@end table
35735
35736These are the supported Host I/O operations:
35737
35738@table @samp
35739@item vFile:open: @var{pathname}, @var{flags}, @var{mode}
35740Open a file at @var{pathname} and return a file descriptor for it, or
35741return -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string,
35742@var{flags} is an integer indicating a mask of open flags
35743(@pxref{Open Flags}), and @var{mode} is an integer indicating a mask
35744of mode bits to use if the file is created (@pxref{mode_t Values}).
35745@xref{open}, for details of the open flags and mode values.
35746
35747@item vFile:close: @var{fd}
35748Close the open file corresponding to @var{fd} and return 0, or
35749-1 if an error occurs.
35750
35751@item vFile:pread: @var{fd}, @var{count}, @var{offset}
35752Read data from the open file corresponding to @var{fd}. Up to
35753@var{count} bytes will be read from the file, starting at @var{offset}
35754relative to the start of the file. The target may read fewer bytes;
35755common reasons include packet size limits and an end-of-file
35756condition. The number of bytes read is returned. Zero should only be
35757returned for a successful read at the end of the file, or if
35758@var{count} was zero.
35759
35760The data read should be returned as a binary attachment on success.
35761If zero bytes were read, the response should include an empty binary
35762attachment (i.e.@: a trailing semicolon). The return value is the
35763number of target bytes read; the binary attachment may be longer if
35764some characters were escaped.
35765
35766@item vFile:pwrite: @var{fd}, @var{offset}, @var{data}
35767Write @var{data} (a binary buffer) to the open file corresponding
35768to @var{fd}. Start the write at @var{offset} from the start of the
35769file. Unlike many @code{write} system calls, there is no
35770separate @var{count} argument; the length of @var{data} in the
35771packet is used. @samp{vFile:write} returns the number of bytes written,
35772which may be shorter than the length of @var{data}, or -1 if an
35773error occurred.
35774
35775@item vFile:unlink: @var{pathname}
35776Delete the file at @var{pathname} on the target. Return 0,
35777or -1 if an error occurs. @var{pathname} is a string.
35778
35779@end table
35780
35781@node Interrupts
35782@section Interrupts
35783@cindex interrupts (remote protocol)
35784
35785When a program on the remote target is running, @value{GDBN} may
35786attempt to interrupt it by sending a @samp{Ctrl-C}, @code{BREAK} or
35787a @code{BREAK} followed by @code{g},
35788control of which is specified via @value{GDBN}'s @samp{interrupt-sequence}.
35789
35790The precise meaning of @code{BREAK} is defined by the transport
35791mechanism and may, in fact, be undefined. @value{GDBN} does not
35792currently define a @code{BREAK} mechanism for any of the network
35793interfaces except for TCP, in which case @value{GDBN} sends the
35794@code{telnet} BREAK sequence.
35795
35796@samp{Ctrl-C}, on the other hand, is defined and implemented for all
35797transport mechanisms. It is represented by sending the single byte
35798@code{0x03} without any of the usual packet overhead described in
35799the Overview section (@pxref{Overview}). When a @code{0x03} byte is
35800transmitted as part of a packet, it is considered to be packet data
35801and does @emph{not} represent an interrupt. E.g., an @samp{X} packet
35802(@pxref{X packet}), used for binary downloads, may include an unescaped
35803@code{0x03} as part of its packet.
35804
35805@code{BREAK} followed by @code{g} is also known as Magic SysRq g.
35806When Linux kernel receives this sequence from serial port,
35807it stops execution and connects to gdb.
35808
35809Stubs are not required to recognize these interrupt mechanisms and the
35810precise meaning associated with receipt of the interrupt is
35811implementation defined. If the target supports debugging of multiple
35812threads and/or processes, it should attempt to interrupt all
35813currently-executing threads and processes.
35814If the stub is successful at interrupting the
35815running program, it should send one of the stop
35816reply packets (@pxref{Stop Reply Packets}) to @value{GDBN} as a result
35817of successfully stopping the program in all-stop mode, and a stop reply
35818for each stopped thread in non-stop mode.
35819Interrupts received while the
35820program is stopped are discarded.
35821
35822@node Notification Packets
35823@section Notification Packets
35824@cindex notification packets
35825@cindex packets, notification
35826
35827The @value{GDBN} remote serial protocol includes @dfn{notifications},
35828packets that require no acknowledgment. Both the GDB and the stub
35829may send notifications (although the only notifications defined at
35830present are sent by the stub). Notifications carry information
35831without incurring the round-trip latency of an acknowledgment, and so
35832are useful for low-impact communications where occasional packet loss
35833is not a problem.
35834
35835A notification packet has the form @samp{% @var{data} #
35836@var{checksum}}, where @var{data} is the content of the notification,
35837and @var{checksum} is a checksum of @var{data}, computed and formatted
35838as for ordinary @value{GDBN} packets. A notification's @var{data}
35839never contains @samp{$}, @samp{%} or @samp{#} characters. Upon
35840receiving a notification, the recipient sends no @samp{+} or @samp{-}
35841to acknowledge the notification's receipt or to report its corruption.
35842
35843Every notification's @var{data} begins with a name, which contains no
35844colon characters, followed by a colon character.
35845
35846Recipients should silently ignore corrupted notifications and
35847notifications they do not understand. Recipients should restart
35848timeout periods on receipt of a well-formed notification, whether or
35849not they understand it.
35850
35851Senders should only send the notifications described here when this
35852protocol description specifies that they are permitted. In the
35853future, we may extend the protocol to permit existing notifications in
35854new contexts; this rule helps older senders avoid confusing newer
35855recipients.
35856
35857(Older versions of @value{GDBN} ignore bytes received until they see
35858the @samp{$} byte that begins an ordinary packet, so new stubs may
35859transmit notifications without fear of confusing older clients. There
35860are no notifications defined for @value{GDBN} to send at the moment, but we
35861assume that most older stubs would ignore them, as well.)
35862
35863The following notification packets from the stub to @value{GDBN} are
35864defined:
35865
35866@table @samp
35867@item Stop: @var{reply}
35868Report an asynchronous stop event in non-stop mode.
35869The @var{reply} has the form of a stop reply, as
35870described in @ref{Stop Reply Packets}. Refer to @ref{Remote Non-Stop},
35871for information on how these notifications are acknowledged by
35872@value{GDBN}.
35873@end table
35874
35875@node Remote Non-Stop
35876@section Remote Protocol Support for Non-Stop Mode
35877
35878@value{GDBN}'s remote protocol supports non-stop debugging of
35879multi-threaded programs, as described in @ref{Non-Stop Mode}. If the stub
35880supports non-stop mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN} by including
35881@samp{QNonStop+} in its @samp{qSupported} response (@pxref{qSupported}).
35882
35883@value{GDBN} typically sends a @samp{QNonStop} packet only when
35884establishing a new connection with the stub. Entering non-stop mode
35885does not alter the state of any currently-running threads, but targets
35886must stop all threads in any already-attached processes when entering
35887all-stop mode. @value{GDBN} uses the @samp{?} packet as necessary to
35888probe the target state after a mode change.
35889
35890In non-stop mode, when an attached process encounters an event that
35891would otherwise be reported with a stop reply, it uses the
35892asynchronous notification mechanism (@pxref{Notification Packets}) to
35893inform @value{GDBN}. In contrast to all-stop mode, where all threads
35894in all processes are stopped when a stop reply is sent, in non-stop
35895mode only the thread reporting the stop event is stopped. That is,
35896when reporting a @samp{S} or @samp{T} response to indicate completion
35897of a step operation, hitting a breakpoint, or a fault, only the
35898affected thread is stopped; any other still-running threads continue
35899to run. When reporting a @samp{W} or @samp{X} response, all running
35900threads belonging to other attached processes continue to run.
35901
35902Only one stop reply notification at a time may be pending; if
35903additional stop events occur before @value{GDBN} has acknowledged the
35904previous notification, they must be queued by the stub for later
35905synchronous transmission in response to @samp{vStopped} packets from
35906@value{GDBN}. Because the notification mechanism is unreliable,
35907the stub is permitted to resend a stop reply notification
35908if it believes @value{GDBN} may not have received it. @value{GDBN}
35909ignores additional stop reply notifications received before it has
35910finished processing a previous notification and the stub has completed
35911sending any queued stop events.
35912
35913Otherwise, @value{GDBN} must be prepared to receive a stop reply
35914notification at any time. Specifically, they may appear when
35915@value{GDBN} is not otherwise reading input from the stub, or when
35916@value{GDBN} is expecting to read a normal synchronous response or a
35917@samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgment to a packet it has sent.
35918Notification packets are distinct from any other communication from
35919the stub so there is no ambiguity.
35920
35921After receiving a stop reply notification, @value{GDBN} shall
35922acknowledge it by sending a @samp{vStopped} packet (@pxref{vStopped packet})
35923as a regular, synchronous request to the stub. Such acknowledgment
35924is not required to happen immediately, as @value{GDBN} is permitted to
35925send other, unrelated packets to the stub first, which the stub should
35926process normally.
35927
35928Upon receiving a @samp{vStopped} packet, if the stub has other queued
35929stop events to report to @value{GDBN}, it shall respond by sending a
35930normal stop reply response. @value{GDBN} shall then send another
35931@samp{vStopped} packet to solicit further responses; again, it is
35932permitted to send other, unrelated packets as well which the stub
35933should process normally.
35934
35935If the stub receives a @samp{vStopped} packet and there are no
35936additional stop events to report, the stub shall return an @samp{OK}
35937response. At this point, if further stop events occur, the stub shall
35938send a new stop reply notification, @value{GDBN} shall accept the
35939notification, and the process shall be repeated.
35940
35941In non-stop mode, the target shall respond to the @samp{?} packet as
35942follows. First, any incomplete stop reply notification/@samp{vStopped}
35943sequence in progress is abandoned. The target must begin a new
35944sequence reporting stop events for all stopped threads, whether or not
35945it has previously reported those events to @value{GDBN}. The first
35946stop reply is sent as a synchronous reply to the @samp{?} packet, and
35947subsequent stop replies are sent as responses to @samp{vStopped} packets
35948using the mechanism described above. The target must not send
35949asynchronous stop reply notifications until the sequence is complete.
35950If all threads are running when the target receives the @samp{?} packet,
35951or if the target is not attached to any process, it shall respond
35952@samp{OK}.
35953
35954@node Packet Acknowledgment
35955@section Packet Acknowledgment
35956
35957@cindex acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
35958@cindex packet acknowledgment, for @value{GDBN} remote
35959By default, when either the host or the target machine receives a packet,
35960the first response expected is an acknowledgment: either @samp{+} (to indicate
35961the package was received correctly) or @samp{-} (to request retransmission).
35962This mechanism allows the @value{GDBN} remote protocol to operate over
35963unreliable transport mechanisms, such as a serial line.
35964
35965In cases where the transport mechanism is itself reliable (such as a pipe or
35966TCP connection), the @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are redundant.
35967It may be desirable to disable them in that case to reduce communication
35968overhead, or for other reasons. This can be accomplished by means of the
35969@samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet; @pxref{QStartNoAckMode}.
35970
35971When in no-acknowledgment mode, neither the stub nor @value{GDBN} shall send or
35972expect @samp{+}/@samp{-} protocol acknowledgments. The packet
35973and response format still includes the normal checksum, as described in
35974@ref{Overview}, but the checksum may be ignored by the receiver.
35975
35976If the stub supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and prefers to operate in
35977no-acknowledgment mode, it should report that to @value{GDBN}
35978by including @samp{QStartNoAckMode+} in its response to @samp{qSupported};
35979@pxref{qSupported}.
35980If @value{GDBN} also supports @samp{QStartNoAckMode} and it has not been
35981disabled via the @code{set remote noack-packet off} command
35982(@pxref{Remote Configuration}),
35983@value{GDBN} may then send a @samp{QStartNoAckMode} packet to the stub.
35984Only then may the stub actually turn off packet acknowledgments.
35985@value{GDBN} sends a final @samp{+} acknowledgment of the stub's @samp{OK}
35986response, which can be safely ignored by the stub.
35987
35988Note that @code{set remote noack-packet} command only affects negotiation
35989between @value{GDBN} and the stub when subsequent connections are made;
35990it does not affect the protocol acknowledgment state for any current
35991connection.
35992Since @samp{+}/@samp{-} acknowledgments are enabled by default when a
35993new connection is established,
35994there is also no protocol request to re-enable the acknowledgments
35995for the current connection, once disabled.
35996
35997@node Examples
35998@section Examples
35999
36000Example sequence of a target being re-started. Notice how the restart
36001does not get any direct output:
36002
36003@smallexample
36004-> @code{R00}
36005<- @code{+}
36006@emph{target restarts}
36007-> @code{?}
36008<- @code{+}
36009<- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
36010-> @code{+}
36011@end smallexample
36012
36013Example sequence of a target being stepped by a single instruction:
36014
36015@smallexample
36016-> @code{G1445@dots{}}
36017<- @code{+}
36018-> @code{s}
36019<- @code{+}
36020@emph{time passes}
36021<- @code{T001:1234123412341234}
36022-> @code{+}
36023-> @code{g}
36024<- @code{+}
36025<- @code{1455@dots{}}
36026-> @code{+}
36027@end smallexample
36028
36029@node File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
36030@section File-I/O Remote Protocol Extension
36031@cindex File-I/O remote protocol extension
36032
36033@menu
36034* File-I/O Overview::
36035* Protocol Basics::
36036* The F Request Packet::
36037* The F Reply Packet::
36038* The Ctrl-C Message::
36039* Console I/O::
36040* List of Supported Calls::
36041* Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes::
36042* Constants::
36043* File-I/O Examples::
36044@end menu
36045
36046@node File-I/O Overview
36047@subsection File-I/O Overview
36048@cindex file-i/o overview
36049
36050The @dfn{File I/O remote protocol extension} (short: File-I/O) allows the
36051target to use the host's file system and console I/O to perform various
36052system calls. System calls on the target system are translated into a
36053remote protocol packet to the host system, which then performs the needed
36054actions and returns a response packet to the target system.
36055This simulates file system operations even on targets that lack file systems.
36056
36057The protocol is defined to be independent of both the host and target systems.
36058It uses its own internal representation of datatypes and values. Both
36059@value{GDBN} and the target's @value{GDBN} stub are responsible for
36060translating the system-dependent value representations into the internal
36061protocol representations when data is transmitted.
36062
36063The communication is synchronous. A system call is possible only when
36064@value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S}
36065or @samp{s} packets. While @value{GDBN} handles the request for a system call,
36066the target is stopped to allow deterministic access to the target's
36067memory. Therefore File-I/O is not interruptible by target signals. On
36068the other hand, it is possible to interrupt File-I/O by a user interrupt
36069(@samp{Ctrl-C}) within @value{GDBN}.
36070
36071The target's request to perform a host system call does not finish
36072the latest @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} action. That means,
36073after finishing the system call, the target returns to continuing the
36074previous activity (continue, step). No additional continue or step
36075request from @value{GDBN} is required.
36076
36077@smallexample
36078(@value{GDBP}) continue
36079 <- target requests 'system call X'
36080 target is stopped, @value{GDBN} executes system call
36081 -> @value{GDBN} returns result
36082 ... target continues, @value{GDBN} returns to wait for the target
36083 <- target hits breakpoint and sends a Txx packet
36084@end smallexample
36085
36086The protocol only supports I/O on the console and to regular files on
36087the host file system. Character or block special devices, pipes,
36088named pipes, sockets or any other communication method on the host
36089system are not supported by this protocol.
36090
36091File I/O is not supported in non-stop mode.
36092
36093@node Protocol Basics
36094@subsection Protocol Basics
36095@cindex protocol basics, file-i/o
36096
36097The File-I/O protocol uses the @code{F} packet as the request as well
36098as reply packet. Since a File-I/O system call can only occur when
36099@value{GDBN} is waiting for a response from the continuing or stepping target,
36100the File-I/O request is a reply that @value{GDBN} has to expect as a result
36101of a previous @samp{C}, @samp{c}, @samp{S} or @samp{s} packet.
36102This @code{F} packet contains all information needed to allow @value{GDBN}
36103to call the appropriate host system call:
36104
36105@itemize @bullet
36106@item
36107A unique identifier for the requested system call.
36108
36109@item
36110All parameters to the system call. Pointers are given as addresses
36111in the target memory address space. Pointers to strings are given as
36112pointer/length pair. Numerical values are given as they are.
36113Numerical control flags are given in a protocol-specific representation.
36114
36115@end itemize
36116
36117At this point, @value{GDBN} has to perform the following actions.
36118
36119@itemize @bullet
36120@item
36121If the parameters include pointer values to data needed as input to a
36122system call, @value{GDBN} requests this data from the target with a
36123standard @code{m} packet request. This additional communication has to be
36124expected by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{m}
36125packet.
36126
36127@item
36128@value{GDBN} translates all value from protocol representation to host
36129representation as needed. Datatypes are coerced into the host types.
36130
36131@item
36132@value{GDBN} calls the system call.
36133
36134@item
36135It then coerces datatypes back to protocol representation.
36136
36137@item
36138If the system call is expected to return data in buffer space specified
36139by pointer parameters to the call, the data is transmitted to the
36140target using a @code{M} or @code{X} packet. This packet has to be expected
36141by the target implementation and is handled as any other @code{M} or @code{X}
36142packet.
36143
36144@end itemize
36145
36146Eventually @value{GDBN} replies with another @code{F} packet which contains all
36147necessary information for the target to continue. This at least contains
36148
36149@itemize @bullet
36150@item
36151Return value.
36152
36153@item
36154@code{errno}, if has been changed by the system call.
36155
36156@item
36157``Ctrl-C'' flag.
36158
36159@end itemize
36160
36161After having done the needed type and value coercion, the target continues
36162the latest continue or step action.
36163
36164@node The F Request Packet
36165@subsection The @code{F} Request Packet
36166@cindex file-i/o request packet
36167@cindex @code{F} request packet
36168
36169The @code{F} request packet has the following format:
36170
36171@table @samp
36172@item F@var{call-id},@var{parameter@dots{}}
36173
36174@var{call-id} is the identifier to indicate the host system call to be called.
36175This is just the name of the function.
36176
36177@var{parameter@dots{}} are the parameters to the system call.
36178Parameters are hexadecimal integer values, either the actual values in case
36179of scalar datatypes, pointers to target buffer space in case of compound
36180datatypes and unspecified memory areas, or pointer/length pairs in case
36181of string parameters. These are appended to the @var{call-id} as a
36182comma-delimited list. All values are transmitted in ASCII
36183string representation, pointer/length pairs separated by a slash.
36184
36185@end table
36186
36187
36188
36189@node The F Reply Packet
36190@subsection The @code{F} Reply Packet
36191@cindex file-i/o reply packet
36192@cindex @code{F} reply packet
36193
36194The @code{F} reply packet has the following format:
36195
36196@table @samp
36197
36198@item F@var{retcode},@var{errno},@var{Ctrl-C flag};@var{call-specific attachment}
36199
36200@var{retcode} is the return code of the system call as hexadecimal value.
36201
36202@var{errno} is the @code{errno} set by the call, in protocol-specific
36203representation.
36204This parameter can be omitted if the call was successful.
36205
36206@var{Ctrl-C flag} is only sent if the user requested a break. In this
36207case, @var{errno} must be sent as well, even if the call was successful.
36208The @var{Ctrl-C flag} itself consists of the character @samp{C}:
36209
36210@smallexample
36211F0,0,C
36212@end smallexample
36213
36214@noindent
36215or, if the call was interrupted before the host call has been performed:
36216
36217@smallexample
36218F-1,4,C
36219@end smallexample
36220
36221@noindent
36222assuming 4 is the protocol-specific representation of @code{EINTR}.
36223
36224@end table
36225
36226
36227@node The Ctrl-C Message
36228@subsection The @samp{Ctrl-C} Message
36229@cindex ctrl-c message, in file-i/o protocol
36230
36231If the @samp{Ctrl-C} flag is set in the @value{GDBN}
36232reply packet (@pxref{The F Reply Packet}),
36233the target should behave as if it had
36234gotten a break message. The meaning for the target is ``system call
36235interrupted by @code{SIGINT}''. Consequentially, the target should actually stop
36236(as with a break message) and return to @value{GDBN} with a @code{T02}
36237packet.
36238
36239It's important for the target to know in which
36240state the system call was interrupted. There are two possible cases:
36241
36242@itemize @bullet
36243@item
36244The system call hasn't been performed on the host yet.
36245
36246@item
36247The system call on the host has been finished.
36248
36249@end itemize
36250
36251These two states can be distinguished by the target by the value of the
36252returned @code{errno}. If it's the protocol representation of @code{EINTR}, the system
36253call hasn't been performed. This is equivalent to the @code{EINTR} handling
36254on POSIX systems. In any other case, the target may presume that the
36255system call has been finished --- successfully or not --- and should behave
36256as if the break message arrived right after the system call.
36257
36258@value{GDBN} must behave reliably. If the system call has not been called
36259yet, @value{GDBN} may send the @code{F} reply immediately, setting @code{EINTR} as
36260@code{errno} in the packet. If the system call on the host has been finished
36261before the user requests a break, the full action must be finished by
36262@value{GDBN}. This requires sending @code{M} or @code{X} packets as necessary.
36263The @code{F} packet may only be sent when either nothing has happened
36264or the full action has been completed.
36265
36266@node Console I/O
36267@subsection Console I/O
36268@cindex console i/o as part of file-i/o
36269
36270By default and if not explicitly closed by the target system, the file
36271descriptors 0, 1 and 2 are connected to the @value{GDBN} console. Output
36272on the @value{GDBN} console is handled as any other file output operation
36273(@code{write(1, @dots{})} or @code{write(2, @dots{})}). Console input is handled
36274by @value{GDBN} so that after the target read request from file descriptor
362750 all following typing is buffered until either one of the following
36276conditions is met:
36277
36278@itemize @bullet
36279@item
36280The user types @kbd{Ctrl-c}. The behaviour is as explained above, and the
36281@code{read}
36282system call is treated as finished.
36283
36284@item
36285The user presses @key{RET}. This is treated as end of input with a trailing
36286newline.
36287
36288@item
36289The user types @kbd{Ctrl-d}. This is treated as end of input. No trailing
36290character (neither newline nor @samp{Ctrl-D}) is appended to the input.
36291
36292@end itemize
36293
36294If the user has typed more characters than fit in the buffer given to
36295the @code{read} call, the trailing characters are buffered in @value{GDBN} until
36296either another @code{read(0, @dots{})} is requested by the target, or debugging
36297is stopped at the user's request.
36298
36299
36300@node List of Supported Calls
36301@subsection List of Supported Calls
36302@cindex list of supported file-i/o calls
36303
36304@menu
36305* open::
36306* close::
36307* read::
36308* write::
36309* lseek::
36310* rename::
36311* unlink::
36312* stat/fstat::
36313* gettimeofday::
36314* isatty::
36315* system::
36316@end menu
36317
36318@node open
36319@unnumberedsubsubsec open
36320@cindex open, file-i/o system call
36321
36322@table @asis
36323@item Synopsis:
36324@smallexample
36325int open(const char *pathname, int flags);
36326int open(const char *pathname, int flags, mode_t mode);
36327@end smallexample
36328
36329@item Request:
36330@samp{Fopen,@var{pathptr}/@var{len},@var{flags},@var{mode}}
36331
36332@noindent
36333@var{flags} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
36334
36335@table @code
36336@item O_CREAT
36337If the file does not exist it will be created. The host
36338rules apply as far as file ownership and time stamps
36339are concerned.
36340
36341@item O_EXCL
36342When used with @code{O_CREAT}, if the file already exists it is
36343an error and open() fails.
36344
36345@item O_TRUNC
36346If the file already exists and the open mode allows
36347writing (@code{O_RDWR} or @code{O_WRONLY} is given) it will be
36348truncated to zero length.
36349
36350@item O_APPEND
36351The file is opened in append mode.
36352
36353@item O_RDONLY
36354The file is opened for reading only.
36355
36356@item O_WRONLY
36357The file is opened for writing only.
36358
36359@item O_RDWR
36360The file is opened for reading and writing.
36361@end table
36362
36363@noindent
36364Other bits are silently ignored.
36365
36366
36367@noindent
36368@var{mode} is the bitwise @code{OR} of the following values:
36369
36370@table @code
36371@item S_IRUSR
36372User has read permission.
36373
36374@item S_IWUSR
36375User has write permission.
36376
36377@item S_IRGRP
36378Group has read permission.
36379
36380@item S_IWGRP
36381Group has write permission.
36382
36383@item S_IROTH
36384Others have read permission.
36385
36386@item S_IWOTH
36387Others have write permission.
36388@end table
36389
36390@noindent
36391Other bits are silently ignored.
36392
36393
36394@item Return value:
36395@code{open} returns the new file descriptor or -1 if an error
36396occurred.
36397
36398@item Errors:
36399
36400@table @code
36401@item EEXIST
36402@var{pathname} already exists and @code{O_CREAT} and @code{O_EXCL} were used.
36403
36404@item EISDIR
36405@var{pathname} refers to a directory.
36406
36407@item EACCES
36408The requested access is not allowed.
36409
36410@item ENAMETOOLONG
36411@var{pathname} was too long.
36412
36413@item ENOENT
36414A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
36415
36416@item ENODEV
36417@var{pathname} refers to a device, pipe, named pipe or socket.
36418
36419@item EROFS
36420@var{pathname} refers to a file on a read-only filesystem and
36421write access was requested.
36422
36423@item EFAULT
36424@var{pathname} is an invalid pointer value.
36425
36426@item ENOSPC
36427No space on device to create the file.
36428
36429@item EMFILE
36430The process already has the maximum number of files open.
36431
36432@item ENFILE
36433The limit on the total number of files open on the system
36434has been reached.
36435
36436@item EINTR
36437The call was interrupted by the user.
36438@end table
36439
36440@end table
36441
36442@node close
36443@unnumberedsubsubsec close
36444@cindex close, file-i/o system call
36445
36446@table @asis
36447@item Synopsis:
36448@smallexample
36449int close(int fd);
36450@end smallexample
36451
36452@item Request:
36453@samp{Fclose,@var{fd}}
36454
36455@item Return value:
36456@code{close} returns zero on success, or -1 if an error occurred.
36457
36458@item Errors:
36459
36460@table @code
36461@item EBADF
36462@var{fd} isn't a valid open file descriptor.
36463
36464@item EINTR
36465The call was interrupted by the user.
36466@end table
36467
36468@end table
36469
36470@node read
36471@unnumberedsubsubsec read
36472@cindex read, file-i/o system call
36473
36474@table @asis
36475@item Synopsis:
36476@smallexample
36477int read(int fd, void *buf, unsigned int count);
36478@end smallexample
36479
36480@item Request:
36481@samp{Fread,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
36482
36483@item Return value:
36484On success, the number of bytes read is returned.
36485Zero indicates end of file. If count is zero, read
36486returns zero as well. On error, -1 is returned.
36487
36488@item Errors:
36489
36490@table @code
36491@item EBADF
36492@var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
36493reading.
36494
36495@item EFAULT
36496@var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
36497
36498@item EINTR
36499The call was interrupted by the user.
36500@end table
36501
36502@end table
36503
36504@node write
36505@unnumberedsubsubsec write
36506@cindex write, file-i/o system call
36507
36508@table @asis
36509@item Synopsis:
36510@smallexample
36511int write(int fd, const void *buf, unsigned int count);
36512@end smallexample
36513
36514@item Request:
36515@samp{Fwrite,@var{fd},@var{bufptr},@var{count}}
36516
36517@item Return value:
36518On success, the number of bytes written are returned.
36519Zero indicates nothing was written. On error, -1
36520is returned.
36521
36522@item Errors:
36523
36524@table @code
36525@item EBADF
36526@var{fd} is not a valid file descriptor or is not open for
36527writing.
36528
36529@item EFAULT
36530@var{bufptr} is an invalid pointer value.
36531
36532@item EFBIG
36533An attempt was made to write a file that exceeds the
36534host-specific maximum file size allowed.
36535
36536@item ENOSPC
36537No space on device to write the data.
36538
36539@item EINTR
36540The call was interrupted by the user.
36541@end table
36542
36543@end table
36544
36545@node lseek
36546@unnumberedsubsubsec lseek
36547@cindex lseek, file-i/o system call
36548
36549@table @asis
36550@item Synopsis:
36551@smallexample
36552long lseek (int fd, long offset, int flag);
36553@end smallexample
36554
36555@item Request:
36556@samp{Flseek,@var{fd},@var{offset},@var{flag}}
36557
36558@var{flag} is one of:
36559
36560@table @code
36561@item SEEK_SET
36562The offset is set to @var{offset} bytes.
36563
36564@item SEEK_CUR
36565The offset is set to its current location plus @var{offset}
36566bytes.
36567
36568@item SEEK_END
36569The offset is set to the size of the file plus @var{offset}
36570bytes.
36571@end table
36572
36573@item Return value:
36574On success, the resulting unsigned offset in bytes from
36575the beginning of the file is returned. Otherwise, a
36576value of -1 is returned.
36577
36578@item Errors:
36579
36580@table @code
36581@item EBADF
36582@var{fd} is not a valid open file descriptor.
36583
36584@item ESPIPE
36585@var{fd} is associated with the @value{GDBN} console.
36586
36587@item EINVAL
36588@var{flag} is not a proper value.
36589
36590@item EINTR
36591The call was interrupted by the user.
36592@end table
36593
36594@end table
36595
36596@node rename
36597@unnumberedsubsubsec rename
36598@cindex rename, file-i/o system call
36599
36600@table @asis
36601@item Synopsis:
36602@smallexample
36603int rename(const char *oldpath, const char *newpath);
36604@end smallexample
36605
36606@item Request:
36607@samp{Frename,@var{oldpathptr}/@var{len},@var{newpathptr}/@var{len}}
36608
36609@item Return value:
36610On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
36611
36612@item Errors:
36613
36614@table @code
36615@item EISDIR
36616@var{newpath} is an existing directory, but @var{oldpath} is not a
36617directory.
36618
36619@item EEXIST
36620@var{newpath} is a non-empty directory.
36621
36622@item EBUSY
36623@var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} is a directory that is in use by some
36624process.
36625
36626@item EINVAL
36627An attempt was made to make a directory a subdirectory
36628of itself.
36629
36630@item ENOTDIR
36631A component used as a directory in @var{oldpath} or new
36632path is not a directory. Or @var{oldpath} is a directory
36633and @var{newpath} exists but is not a directory.
36634
36635@item EFAULT
36636@var{oldpathptr} or @var{newpathptr} are invalid pointer values.
36637
36638@item EACCES
36639No access to the file or the path of the file.
36640
36641@item ENAMETOOLONG
36642
36643@var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} was too long.
36644
36645@item ENOENT
36646A directory component in @var{oldpath} or @var{newpath} does not exist.
36647
36648@item EROFS
36649The file is on a read-only filesystem.
36650
36651@item ENOSPC
36652The device containing the file has no room for the new
36653directory entry.
36654
36655@item EINTR
36656The call was interrupted by the user.
36657@end table
36658
36659@end table
36660
36661@node unlink
36662@unnumberedsubsubsec unlink
36663@cindex unlink, file-i/o system call
36664
36665@table @asis
36666@item Synopsis:
36667@smallexample
36668int unlink(const char *pathname);
36669@end smallexample
36670
36671@item Request:
36672@samp{Funlink,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len}}
36673
36674@item Return value:
36675On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
36676
36677@item Errors:
36678
36679@table @code
36680@item EACCES
36681No access to the file or the path of the file.
36682
36683@item EPERM
36684The system does not allow unlinking of directories.
36685
36686@item EBUSY
36687The file @var{pathname} cannot be unlinked because it's
36688being used by another process.
36689
36690@item EFAULT
36691@var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
36692
36693@item ENAMETOOLONG
36694@var{pathname} was too long.
36695
36696@item ENOENT
36697A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist.
36698
36699@item ENOTDIR
36700A component of the path is not a directory.
36701
36702@item EROFS
36703The file is on a read-only filesystem.
36704
36705@item EINTR
36706The call was interrupted by the user.
36707@end table
36708
36709@end table
36710
36711@node stat/fstat
36712@unnumberedsubsubsec stat/fstat
36713@cindex fstat, file-i/o system call
36714@cindex stat, file-i/o system call
36715
36716@table @asis
36717@item Synopsis:
36718@smallexample
36719int stat(const char *pathname, struct stat *buf);
36720int fstat(int fd, struct stat *buf);
36721@end smallexample
36722
36723@item Request:
36724@samp{Fstat,@var{pathnameptr}/@var{len},@var{bufptr}}@*
36725@samp{Ffstat,@var{fd},@var{bufptr}}
36726
36727@item Return value:
36728On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned.
36729
36730@item Errors:
36731
36732@table @code
36733@item EBADF
36734@var{fd} is not a valid open file.
36735
36736@item ENOENT
36737A directory component in @var{pathname} does not exist or the
36738path is an empty string.
36739
36740@item ENOTDIR
36741A component of the path is not a directory.
36742
36743@item EFAULT
36744@var{pathnameptr} is an invalid pointer value.
36745
36746@item EACCES
36747No access to the file or the path of the file.
36748
36749@item ENAMETOOLONG
36750@var{pathname} was too long.
36751
36752@item EINTR
36753The call was interrupted by the user.
36754@end table
36755
36756@end table
36757
36758@node gettimeofday
36759@unnumberedsubsubsec gettimeofday
36760@cindex gettimeofday, file-i/o system call
36761
36762@table @asis
36763@item Synopsis:
36764@smallexample
36765int gettimeofday(struct timeval *tv, void *tz);
36766@end smallexample
36767
36768@item Request:
36769@samp{Fgettimeofday,@var{tvptr},@var{tzptr}}
36770
36771@item Return value:
36772On success, 0 is returned, -1 otherwise.
36773
36774@item Errors:
36775
36776@table @code
36777@item EINVAL
36778@var{tz} is a non-NULL pointer.
36779
36780@item EFAULT
36781@var{tvptr} and/or @var{tzptr} is an invalid pointer value.
36782@end table
36783
36784@end table
36785
36786@node isatty
36787@unnumberedsubsubsec isatty
36788@cindex isatty, file-i/o system call
36789
36790@table @asis
36791@item Synopsis:
36792@smallexample
36793int isatty(int fd);
36794@end smallexample
36795
36796@item Request:
36797@samp{Fisatty,@var{fd}}
36798
36799@item Return value:
36800Returns 1 if @var{fd} refers to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise.
36801
36802@item Errors:
36803
36804@table @code
36805@item EINTR
36806The call was interrupted by the user.
36807@end table
36808
36809@end table
36810
36811Note that the @code{isatty} call is treated as a special case: it returns
368121 to the target if the file descriptor is attached
36813to the @value{GDBN} console, 0 otherwise. Implementing through system calls
36814would require implementing @code{ioctl} and would be more complex than
36815needed.
36816
36817
36818@node system
36819@unnumberedsubsubsec system
36820@cindex system, file-i/o system call
36821
36822@table @asis
36823@item Synopsis:
36824@smallexample
36825int system(const char *command);
36826@end smallexample
36827
36828@item Request:
36829@samp{Fsystem,@var{commandptr}/@var{len}}
36830
36831@item Return value:
36832If @var{len} is zero, the return value indicates whether a shell is
36833available. A zero return value indicates a shell is not available.
36834For non-zero @var{len}, the value returned is -1 on error and the
36835return status of the command otherwise. Only the exit status of the
36836command is returned, which is extracted from the host's @code{system}
36837return value by calling @code{WEXITSTATUS(retval)}. In case
36838@file{/bin/sh} could not be executed, 127 is returned.
36839
36840@item Errors:
36841
36842@table @code
36843@item EINTR
36844The call was interrupted by the user.
36845@end table
36846
36847@end table
36848
36849@value{GDBN} takes over the full task of calling the necessary host calls
36850to perform the @code{system} call. The return value of @code{system} on
36851the host is simplified before it's returned
36852to the target. Any termination signal information from the child process
36853is discarded, and the return value consists
36854entirely of the exit status of the called command.
36855
36856Due to security concerns, the @code{system} call is by default refused
36857by @value{GDBN}. The user has to allow this call explicitly with the
36858@code{set remote system-call-allowed 1} command.
36859
36860@table @code
36861@item set remote system-call-allowed
36862@kindex set remote system-call-allowed
36863Control whether to allow the @code{system} calls in the File I/O
36864protocol for the remote target. The default is zero (disabled).
36865
36866@item show remote system-call-allowed
36867@kindex show remote system-call-allowed
36868Show whether the @code{system} calls are allowed in the File I/O
36869protocol.
36870@end table
36871
36872@node Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
36873@subsection Protocol-specific Representation of Datatypes
36874@cindex protocol-specific representation of datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
36875
36876@menu
36877* Integral Datatypes::
36878* Pointer Values::
36879* Memory Transfer::
36880* struct stat::
36881* struct timeval::
36882@end menu
36883
36884@node Integral Datatypes
36885@unnumberedsubsubsec Integral Datatypes
36886@cindex integral datatypes, in file-i/o protocol
36887
36888The integral datatypes used in the system calls are @code{int},
36889@code{unsigned int}, @code{long}, @code{unsigned long},
36890@code{mode_t}, and @code{time_t}.
36891
36892@code{int}, @code{unsigned int}, @code{mode_t} and @code{time_t} are
36893implemented as 32 bit values in this protocol.
36894
36895@code{long} and @code{unsigned long} are implemented as 64 bit types.
36896
36897@xref{Limits}, for corresponding MIN and MAX values (similar to those
36898in @file{limits.h}) to allow range checking on host and target.
36899
36900@code{time_t} datatypes are defined as seconds since the Epoch.
36901
36902All integral datatypes transferred as part of a memory read or write of a
36903structured datatype e.g.@: a @code{struct stat} have to be given in big endian
36904byte order.
36905
36906@node Pointer Values
36907@unnumberedsubsubsec Pointer Values
36908@cindex pointer values, in file-i/o protocol
36909
36910Pointers to target data are transmitted as they are. An exception
36911is made for pointers to buffers for which the length isn't
36912transmitted as part of the function call, namely strings. Strings
36913are transmitted as a pointer/length pair, both as hex values, e.g.@:
36914
36915@smallexample
36916@code{1aaf/12}
36917@end smallexample
36918
36919@noindent
36920which is a pointer to data of length 18 bytes at position 0x1aaf.
36921The length is defined as the full string length in bytes, including
36922the trailing null byte. For example, the string @code{"hello world"}
36923at address 0x123456 is transmitted as
36924
36925@smallexample
36926@code{123456/d}
36927@end smallexample
36928
36929@node Memory Transfer
36930@unnumberedsubsubsec Memory Transfer
36931@cindex memory transfer, in file-i/o protocol
36932
36933Structured data which is transferred using a memory read or write (for
36934example, a @code{struct stat}) is expected to be in a protocol-specific format
36935with all scalar multibyte datatypes being big endian. Translation to
36936this representation needs to be done both by the target before the @code{F}
36937packet is sent, and by @value{GDBN} before
36938it transfers memory to the target. Transferred pointers to structured
36939data should point to the already-coerced data at any time.
36940
36941
36942@node struct stat
36943@unnumberedsubsubsec struct stat
36944@cindex struct stat, in file-i/o protocol
36945
36946The buffer of type @code{struct stat} used by the target and @value{GDBN}
36947is defined as follows:
36948
36949@smallexample
36950struct stat @{
36951 unsigned int st_dev; /* device */
36952 unsigned int st_ino; /* inode */
36953 mode_t st_mode; /* protection */
36954 unsigned int st_nlink; /* number of hard links */
36955 unsigned int st_uid; /* user ID of owner */
36956 unsigned int st_gid; /* group ID of owner */
36957 unsigned int st_rdev; /* device type (if inode device) */
36958 unsigned long st_size; /* total size, in bytes */
36959 unsigned long st_blksize; /* blocksize for filesystem I/O */
36960 unsigned long st_blocks; /* number of blocks allocated */
36961 time_t st_atime; /* time of last access */
36962 time_t st_mtime; /* time of last modification */
36963 time_t st_ctime; /* time of last change */
36964@};
36965@end smallexample
36966
36967The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
36968appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
36969structure is of size 64 bytes.
36970
36971The values of several fields have a restricted meaning and/or
36972range of values.
36973
36974@table @code
36975
36976@item st_dev
36977A value of 0 represents a file, 1 the console.
36978
36979@item st_ino
36980No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
36981
36982@item st_mode
36983Valid mode bits are described in @ref{Constants}. Any other
36984bits have currently no meaning for the target.
36985
36986@item st_uid
36987@itemx st_gid
36988@itemx st_rdev
36989No valid meaning for the target. Transmitted unchanged.
36990
36991@item st_atime
36992@itemx st_mtime
36993@itemx st_ctime
36994These values have a host and file system dependent
36995accuracy. Especially on Windows hosts, the file system may not
36996support exact timing values.
36997@end table
36998
36999The target gets a @code{struct stat} of the above representation and is
37000responsible for coercing it to the target representation before
37001continuing.
37002
37003Note that due to size differences between the host, target, and protocol
37004representations of @code{struct stat} members, these members could eventually
37005get truncated on the target.
37006
37007@node struct timeval
37008@unnumberedsubsubsec struct timeval
37009@cindex struct timeval, in file-i/o protocol
37010
37011The buffer of type @code{struct timeval} used by the File-I/O protocol
37012is defined as follows:
37013
37014@smallexample
37015struct timeval @{
37016 time_t tv_sec; /* second */
37017 long tv_usec; /* microsecond */
37018@};
37019@end smallexample
37020
37021The integral datatypes conform to the definitions given in the
37022appropriate section (see @ref{Integral Datatypes}, for details) so this
37023structure is of size 8 bytes.
37024
37025@node Constants
37026@subsection Constants
37027@cindex constants, in file-i/o protocol
37028
37029The following values are used for the constants inside of the
37030protocol. @value{GDBN} and target are responsible for translating these
37031values before and after the call as needed.
37032
37033@menu
37034* Open Flags::
37035* mode_t Values::
37036* Errno Values::
37037* Lseek Flags::
37038* Limits::
37039@end menu
37040
37041@node Open Flags
37042@unnumberedsubsubsec Open Flags
37043@cindex open flags, in file-i/o protocol
37044
37045All values are given in hexadecimal representation.
37046
37047@smallexample
37048 O_RDONLY 0x0
37049 O_WRONLY 0x1
37050 O_RDWR 0x2
37051 O_APPEND 0x8
37052 O_CREAT 0x200
37053 O_TRUNC 0x400
37054 O_EXCL 0x800
37055@end smallexample
37056
37057@node mode_t Values
37058@unnumberedsubsubsec mode_t Values
37059@cindex mode_t values, in file-i/o protocol
37060
37061All values are given in octal representation.
37062
37063@smallexample
37064 S_IFREG 0100000
37065 S_IFDIR 040000
37066 S_IRUSR 0400
37067 S_IWUSR 0200
37068 S_IXUSR 0100
37069 S_IRGRP 040
37070 S_IWGRP 020
37071 S_IXGRP 010
37072 S_IROTH 04
37073 S_IWOTH 02
37074 S_IXOTH 01
37075@end smallexample
37076
37077@node Errno Values
37078@unnumberedsubsubsec Errno Values
37079@cindex errno values, in file-i/o protocol
37080
37081All values are given in decimal representation.
37082
37083@smallexample
37084 EPERM 1
37085 ENOENT 2
37086 EINTR 4
37087 EBADF 9
37088 EACCES 13
37089 EFAULT 14
37090 EBUSY 16
37091 EEXIST 17
37092 ENODEV 19
37093 ENOTDIR 20
37094 EISDIR 21
37095 EINVAL 22
37096 ENFILE 23
37097 EMFILE 24
37098 EFBIG 27
37099 ENOSPC 28
37100 ESPIPE 29
37101 EROFS 30
37102 ENAMETOOLONG 91
37103 EUNKNOWN 9999
37104@end smallexample
37105
37106 @code{EUNKNOWN} is used as a fallback error value if a host system returns
37107 any error value not in the list of supported error numbers.
37108
37109@node Lseek Flags
37110@unnumberedsubsubsec Lseek Flags
37111@cindex lseek flags, in file-i/o protocol
37112
37113@smallexample
37114 SEEK_SET 0
37115 SEEK_CUR 1
37116 SEEK_END 2
37117@end smallexample
37118
37119@node Limits
37120@unnumberedsubsubsec Limits
37121@cindex limits, in file-i/o protocol
37122
37123All values are given in decimal representation.
37124
37125@smallexample
37126 INT_MIN -2147483648
37127 INT_MAX 2147483647
37128 UINT_MAX 4294967295
37129 LONG_MIN -9223372036854775808
37130 LONG_MAX 9223372036854775807
37131 ULONG_MAX 18446744073709551615
37132@end smallexample
37133
37134@node File-I/O Examples
37135@subsection File-I/O Examples
37136@cindex file-i/o examples
37137
37138Example sequence of a write call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
37139address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be written:
37140
37141@smallexample
37142<- @code{Fwrite,3,1234,6}
37143@emph{request memory read from target}
37144-> @code{m1234,6}
37145<- XXXXXX
37146@emph{return "6 bytes written"}
37147-> @code{F6}
37148@end smallexample
37149
37150Example sequence of a read call, file descriptor 3, buffer is at target
37151address 0x1234, 6 bytes should be read:
37152
37153@smallexample
37154<- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37155@emph{request memory write to target}
37156-> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
37157@emph{return "6 bytes read"}
37158-> @code{F6}
37159@end smallexample
37160
37161Example sequence of a read call, call fails on the host due to invalid
37162file descriptor (@code{EBADF}):
37163
37164@smallexample
37165<- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37166-> @code{F-1,9}
37167@end smallexample
37168
37169Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} before syscall on
37170host is called:
37171
37172@smallexample
37173<- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37174-> @code{F-1,4,C}
37175<- @code{T02}
37176@end smallexample
37177
37178Example sequence of a read call, user presses @kbd{Ctrl-c} after syscall on
37179host is called:
37180
37181@smallexample
37182<- @code{Fread,3,1234,6}
37183-> @code{X1234,6:XXXXXX}
37184<- @code{T02}
37185@end smallexample
37186
37187@node Library List Format
37188@section Library List Format
37189@cindex library list format, remote protocol
37190
37191On some platforms, a dynamic loader (e.g.@: @file{ld.so}) runs in the
37192same process as your application to manage libraries. In this case,
37193@value{GDBN} can use the loader's symbol table and normal memory
37194operations to maintain a list of shared libraries. On other
37195platforms, the operating system manages loaded libraries.
37196@value{GDBN} can not retrieve the list of currently loaded libraries
37197through memory operations, so it uses the @samp{qXfer:libraries:read}
37198packet (@pxref{qXfer library list read}) instead. The remote stub
37199queries the target's operating system and reports which libraries
37200are loaded.
37201
37202The @samp{qXfer:libraries:read} packet returns an XML document which
37203lists loaded libraries and their offsets. Each library has an
37204associated name and one or more segment or section base addresses,
37205which report where the library was loaded in memory.
37206
37207For the common case of libraries that are fully linked binaries, the
37208library should have a list of segments. If the target supports
37209dynamic linking of a relocatable object file, its library XML element
37210should instead include a list of allocated sections. The segment or
37211section bases are start addresses, not relocation offsets; they do not
37212depend on the library's link-time base addresses.
37213
37214@value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37215library lists. @xref{Expat}.
37216
37217A simple memory map, with one loaded library relocated by a single
37218offset, looks like this:
37219
37220@smallexample
37221<library-list>
37222 <library name="/lib/libc.so.6">
37223 <segment address="0x10000000"/>
37224 </library>
37225</library-list>
37226@end smallexample
37227
37228Another simple memory map, with one loaded library with three
37229allocated sections (.text, .data, .bss), looks like this:
37230
37231@smallexample
37232<library-list>
37233 <library name="sharedlib.o">
37234 <section address="0x10000000"/>
37235 <section address="0x20000000"/>
37236 <section address="0x30000000"/>
37237 </library>
37238</library-list>
37239@end smallexample
37240
37241The format of a library list is described by this DTD:
37242
37243@smallexample
37244<!-- library-list: Root element with versioning -->
37245<!ELEMENT library-list (library)*>
37246<!ATTLIST library-list version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
37247<!ELEMENT library (segment*, section*)>
37248<!ATTLIST library name CDATA #REQUIRED>
37249<!ELEMENT segment EMPTY>
37250<!ATTLIST segment address CDATA #REQUIRED>
37251<!ELEMENT section EMPTY>
37252<!ATTLIST section address CDATA #REQUIRED>
37253@end smallexample
37254
37255In addition, segments and section descriptors cannot be mixed within a
37256single library element, and you must supply at least one segment or
37257section for each library.
37258
37259@node Memory Map Format
37260@section Memory Map Format
37261@cindex memory map format
37262
37263To be able to write into flash memory, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain a
37264memory map from the target. This section describes the format of the
37265memory map.
37266
37267The memory map is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:memory-map:read}
37268(@pxref{qXfer memory map read}) packet and is an XML document that
37269lists memory regions.
37270
37271@value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37272memory maps. @xref{Expat}.
37273
37274The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
37275
37276@smallexample
37277<?xml version="1.0"?>
37278<!DOCTYPE memory-map
37279 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
37280 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-memory-map.dtd">
37281<memory-map>
37282 region...
37283</memory-map>
37284@end smallexample
37285
37286Each region can be either:
37287
37288@itemize
37289
37290@item
37291A region of RAM starting at @var{addr} and extending for @var{length}
37292bytes from there:
37293
37294@smallexample
37295<memory type="ram" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
37296@end smallexample
37297
37298
37299@item
37300A region of read-only memory:
37301
37302@smallexample
37303<memory type="rom" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
37304@end smallexample
37305
37306
37307@item
37308A region of flash memory, with erasure blocks @var{blocksize}
37309bytes in length:
37310
37311@smallexample
37312<memory type="flash" start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}">
37313 <property name="blocksize">@var{blocksize}</property>
37314</memory>
37315@end smallexample
37316
37317@end itemize
37318
37319Regions must not overlap. @value{GDBN} assumes that areas of memory not covered
37320by the memory map are RAM, and uses the ordinary @samp{M} and @samp{X}
37321packets to write to addresses in such ranges.
37322
37323The formal DTD for memory map format is given below:
37324
37325@smallexample
37326<!-- ................................................... -->
37327<!-- Memory Map XML DTD ................................ -->
37328<!-- File: memory-map.dtd .............................. -->
37329<!-- .................................... .............. -->
37330<!-- memory-map.dtd -->
37331<!-- memory-map: Root element with versioning -->
37332<!ELEMENT memory-map (memory | property)>
37333<!ATTLIST memory-map version CDATA #FIXED "1.0.0">
37334<!ELEMENT memory (property)>
37335<!-- memory: Specifies a memory region,
37336 and its type, or device. -->
37337<!ATTLIST memory type CDATA #REQUIRED
37338 start CDATA #REQUIRED
37339 length CDATA #REQUIRED
37340 device CDATA #IMPLIED>
37341<!-- property: Generic attribute tag -->
37342<!ELEMENT property (#PCDATA | property)*>
37343<!ATTLIST property name CDATA #REQUIRED>
37344@end smallexample
37345
37346@node Thread List Format
37347@section Thread List Format
37348@cindex thread list format
37349
37350To efficiently update the list of threads and their attributes,
37351@value{GDBN} issues the @samp{qXfer:threads:read} packet
37352(@pxref{qXfer threads read}) and obtains the XML document with
37353the following structure:
37354
37355@smallexample
37356<?xml version="1.0"?>
37357<threads>
37358 <thread id="id" core="0">
37359 ... description ...
37360 </thread>
37361</threads>
37362@end smallexample
37363
37364Each @samp{thread} element must have the @samp{id} attribute that
37365identifies the thread (@pxref{thread-id syntax}). The
37366@samp{core} attribute, if present, specifies which processor core
37367the thread was last executing on. The content of the of @samp{thread}
37368element is interpreted as human-readable auxilliary information.
37369
37370@node Traceframe Info Format
37371@section Traceframe Info Format
37372@cindex traceframe info format
37373
37374To be able to know which objects in the inferior can be examined when
37375inspecting a tracepoint hit, @value{GDBN} needs to obtain the list of
37376memory ranges, registers and trace state variables that have been
37377collected in a traceframe.
37378
37379This list is obtained using the @samp{qXfer:traceframe-info:read}
37380(@pxref{qXfer traceframe info read}) packet and is an XML document.
37381
37382@value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37383traceframe info discovery. @xref{Expat}.
37384
37385The top-level structure of the document is shown below:
37386
37387@smallexample
37388<?xml version="1.0"?>
37389<!DOCTYPE traceframe-info
37390 PUBLIC "+//IDN gnu.org//DTD GDB Memory Map V1.0//EN"
37391 "http://sourceware.org/gdb/gdb-traceframe-info.dtd">
37392<traceframe-info>
37393 block...
37394</traceframe-info>
37395@end smallexample
37396
37397Each traceframe block can be either:
37398
37399@itemize
37400
37401@item
37402A region of collected memory starting at @var{addr} and extending for
37403@var{length} bytes from there:
37404
37405@smallexample
37406<memory start="@var{addr}" length="@var{length}"/>
37407@end smallexample
37408
37409@end itemize
37410
37411The formal DTD for the traceframe info format is given below:
37412
37413@smallexample
37414<!ELEMENT traceframe-info (memory)* >
37415<!ATTLIST traceframe-info version CDATA #FIXED "1.0">
37416
37417<!ELEMENT memory EMPTY>
37418<!ATTLIST memory start CDATA #REQUIRED
37419 length CDATA #REQUIRED>
37420@end smallexample
37421
37422@include agentexpr.texi
37423
37424@node Target Descriptions
37425@appendix Target Descriptions
37426@cindex target descriptions
37427
37428One of the challenges of using @value{GDBN} to debug embedded systems
37429is that there are so many minor variants of each processor
37430architecture in use. It is common practice for vendors to start with
37431a standard processor core --- ARM, PowerPC, or MIPS, for example ---
37432and then make changes to adapt it to a particular market niche. Some
37433architectures have hundreds of variants, available from dozens of
37434vendors. This leads to a number of problems:
37435
37436@itemize @bullet
37437@item
37438With so many different customized processors, it is difficult for
37439the @value{GDBN} maintainers to keep up with the changes.
37440@item
37441Since individual variants may have short lifetimes or limited
37442audiences, it may not be worthwhile to carry information about every
37443variant in the @value{GDBN} source tree.
37444@item
37445When @value{GDBN} does support the architecture of the embedded system
37446at hand, the task of finding the correct architecture name to give the
37447@command{set architecture} command can be error-prone.
37448@end itemize
37449
37450To address these problems, the @value{GDBN} remote protocol allows a
37451target system to not only identify itself to @value{GDBN}, but to
37452actually describe its own features. This lets @value{GDBN} support
37453processor variants it has never seen before --- to the extent that the
37454descriptions are accurate, and that @value{GDBN} understands them.
37455
37456@value{GDBN} must be linked with the Expat library to support XML
37457target descriptions. @xref{Expat}.
37458
37459@menu
37460* Retrieving Descriptions:: How descriptions are fetched from a target.
37461* Target Description Format:: The contents of a target description.
37462* Predefined Target Types:: Standard types available for target
37463 descriptions.
37464* Standard Target Features:: Features @value{GDBN} knows about.
37465@end menu
37466
37467@node Retrieving Descriptions
37468@section Retrieving Descriptions
37469
37470Target descriptions can be read from the target automatically, or
37471specified by the user manually. The default behavior is to read the
37472description from the target. @value{GDBN} retrieves it via the remote
37473protocol using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{General Query Packets,
37474qXfer}). The @var{annex} in the @samp{qXfer} packet will be
37475@samp{target.xml}. The contents of the @samp{target.xml} annex are an
37476XML document, of the form described in @ref{Target Description
37477Format}.
37478
37479Alternatively, you can specify a file to read for the target description.
37480If a file is set, the target will not be queried. The commands to
37481specify a file are:
37482
37483@table @code
37484@cindex set tdesc filename
37485@item set tdesc filename @var{path}
37486Read the target description from @var{path}.
37487
37488@cindex unset tdesc filename
37489@item unset tdesc filename
37490Do not read the XML target description from a file. @value{GDBN}
37491will use the description supplied by the current target.
37492
37493@cindex show tdesc filename
37494@item show tdesc filename
37495Show the filename to read for a target description, if any.
37496@end table
37497
37498
37499@node Target Description Format
37500@section Target Description Format
37501@cindex target descriptions, XML format
37502
37503A target description annex is an @uref{http://www.w3.org/XML/, XML}
37504document which complies with the Document Type Definition provided in
37505the @value{GDBN} sources in @file{gdb/features/gdb-target.dtd}. This
37506means you can use generally available tools like @command{xmllint} to
37507check that your feature descriptions are well-formed and valid.
37508However, to help people unfamiliar with XML write descriptions for
37509their targets, we also describe the grammar here.
37510
37511Target descriptions can identify the architecture of the remote target
37512and (for some architectures) provide information about custom register
37513sets. They can also identify the OS ABI of the remote target.
37514@value{GDBN} can use this information to autoconfigure for your
37515target, or to warn you if you connect to an unsupported target.
37516
37517Here is a simple target description:
37518
37519@smallexample
37520<target version="1.0">
37521 <architecture>i386:x86-64</architecture>
37522</target>
37523@end smallexample
37524
37525@noindent
37526This minimal description only says that the target uses
37527the x86-64 architecture.
37528
37529A target description has the following overall form, with [ ] marking
37530optional elements and @dots{} marking repeatable elements. The elements
37531are explained further below.
37532
37533@smallexample
37534<?xml version="1.0"?>
37535<!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "gdb-target.dtd">
37536<target version="1.0">
37537 @r{[}@var{architecture}@r{]}
37538 @r{[}@var{osabi}@r{]}
37539 @r{[}@var{compatible}@r{]}
37540 @r{[}@var{feature}@dots{}@r{]}
37541</target>
37542@end smallexample
37543
37544@noindent
37545The description is generally insensitive to whitespace and line
37546breaks, under the usual common-sense rules. The XML version
37547declaration and document type declaration can generally be omitted
37548(@value{GDBN} does not require them), but specifying them may be
37549useful for XML validation tools. The @samp{version} attribute for
37550@samp{<target>} may also be omitted, but we recommend
37551including it; if future versions of @value{GDBN} use an incompatible
37552revision of @file{gdb-target.dtd}, they will detect and report
37553the version mismatch.
37554
37555@subsection Inclusion
37556@cindex target descriptions, inclusion
37557@cindex XInclude
37558@ifnotinfo
37559@cindex <xi:include>
37560@end ifnotinfo
37561
37562It can sometimes be valuable to split a target description up into
37563several different annexes, either for organizational purposes, or to
37564share files between different possible target descriptions. You can
37565divide a description into multiple files by replacing any element of
37566the target description with an inclusion directive of the form:
37567
37568@smallexample
37569<xi:include href="@var{document}"/>
37570@end smallexample
37571
37572@noindent
37573When @value{GDBN} encounters an element of this form, it will retrieve
37574the named XML @var{document}, and replace the inclusion directive with
37575the contents of that document. If the current description was read
37576using @samp{qXfer}, then so will be the included document;
37577@var{document} will be interpreted as the name of an annex. If the
37578current description was read from a file, @value{GDBN} will look for
37579@var{document} as a file in the same directory where it found the
37580original description.
37581
37582@subsection Architecture
37583@cindex <architecture>
37584
37585An @samp{<architecture>} element has this form:
37586
37587@smallexample
37588 <architecture>@var{arch}</architecture>
37589@end smallexample
37590
37591@var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
37592@code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
37593
37594@subsection OS ABI
37595@cindex @code{<osabi>}
37596
37597This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
37598Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
37599
37600An @samp{<osabi>} element has this form:
37601
37602@smallexample
37603 <osabi>@var{abi-name}</osabi>
37604@end smallexample
37605
37606@var{abi-name} is an OS ABI name from the same selection accepted by
37607@w{@code{set osabi}} (@pxref{ABI, ,Configuring the Current ABI}).
37608
37609@subsection Compatible Architecture
37610@cindex @code{<compatible>}
37611
37612This optional field was introduced in @value{GDBN} version 7.0.
37613Previous versions of @value{GDBN} ignore it.
37614
37615A @samp{<compatible>} element has this form:
37616
37617@smallexample
37618 <compatible>@var{arch}</compatible>
37619@end smallexample
37620
37621@var{arch} is one of the architectures from the set accepted by
37622@code{set architecture} (@pxref{Targets, ,Specifying a Debugging Target}).
37623
37624A @samp{<compatible>} element is used to specify that the target
37625is able to run binaries in some other than the main target architecture
37626given by the @samp{<architecture>} element. For example, on the
37627Cell Broadband Engine, the main architecture is @code{powerpc:common}
37628or @code{powerpc:common64}, but the system is able to run binaries
37629in the @code{spu} architecture as well. The way to describe this
37630capability with @samp{<compatible>} is as follows:
37631
37632@smallexample
37633 <architecture>powerpc:common</architecture>
37634 <compatible>spu</compatible>
37635@end smallexample
37636
37637@subsection Features
37638@cindex <feature>
37639
37640Each @samp{<feature>} describes some logical portion of the target
37641system. Features are currently used to describe available CPU
37642registers and the types of their contents. A @samp{<feature>} element
37643has this form:
37644
37645@smallexample
37646<feature name="@var{name}">
37647 @r{[}@var{type}@dots{}@r{]}
37648 @var{reg}@dots{}
37649</feature>
37650@end smallexample
37651
37652@noindent
37653Each feature's name should be unique within the description. The name
37654of a feature does not matter unless @value{GDBN} has some special
37655knowledge of the contents of that feature; if it does, the feature
37656should have its standard name. @xref{Standard Target Features}.
37657
37658@subsection Types
37659
37660Any register's value is a collection of bits which @value{GDBN} must
37661interpret. The default interpretation is a two's complement integer,
37662but other types can be requested by name in the register description.
37663Some predefined types are provided by @value{GDBN} (@pxref{Predefined
37664Target Types}), and the description can define additional composite types.
37665
37666Each type element must have an @samp{id} attribute, which gives
37667a unique (within the containing @samp{<feature>}) name to the type.
37668Types must be defined before they are used.
37669
37670@cindex <vector>
37671Some targets offer vector registers, which can be treated as arrays
37672of scalar elements. These types are written as @samp{<vector>} elements,
37673specifying the array element type, @var{type}, and the number of elements,
37674@var{count}:
37675
37676@smallexample
37677<vector id="@var{id}" type="@var{type}" count="@var{count}"/>
37678@end smallexample
37679
37680@cindex <union>
37681If a register's value is usefully viewed in multiple ways, define it
37682with a union type containing the useful representations. The
37683@samp{<union>} element contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements,
37684each of which has a @var{name} and a @var{type}:
37685
37686@smallexample
37687<union id="@var{id}">
37688 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
37689 @dots{}
37690</union>
37691@end smallexample
37692
37693@cindex <struct>
37694If a register's value is composed from several separate values, define
37695it with a structure type. There are two forms of the @samp{<struct>}
37696element; a @samp{<struct>} element must either contain only bitfields
37697or contain no bitfields. If the structure contains only bitfields,
37698its total size in bytes must be specified, each bitfield must have an
37699explicit start and end, and bitfields are automatically assigned an
37700integer type. The field's @var{start} should be less than or
37701equal to its @var{end}, and zero represents the least significant bit.
37702
37703@smallexample
37704<struct id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
37705 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
37706 @dots{}
37707</struct>
37708@end smallexample
37709
37710If the structure contains no bitfields, then each field has an
37711explicit type, and no implicit padding is added.
37712
37713@smallexample
37714<struct id="@var{id}">
37715 <field name="@var{name}" type="@var{type}"/>
37716 @dots{}
37717</struct>
37718@end smallexample
37719
37720@cindex <flags>
37721If a register's value is a series of single-bit flags, define it with
37722a flags type. The @samp{<flags>} element has an explicit @var{size}
37723and contains one or more @samp{<field>} elements. Each field has a
37724@var{name}, a @var{start}, and an @var{end}. Only single-bit flags
37725are supported.
37726
37727@smallexample
37728<flags id="@var{id}" size="@var{size}">
37729 <field name="@var{name}" start="@var{start}" end="@var{end}"/>
37730 @dots{}
37731</flags>
37732@end smallexample
37733
37734@subsection Registers
37735@cindex <reg>
37736
37737Each register is represented as an element with this form:
37738
37739@smallexample
37740<reg name="@var{name}"
37741 bitsize="@var{size}"
37742 @r{[}regnum="@var{num}"@r{]}
37743 @r{[}save-restore="@var{save-restore}"@r{]}
37744 @r{[}type="@var{type}"@r{]}
37745 @r{[}group="@var{group}"@r{]}/>
37746@end smallexample
37747
37748@noindent
37749The components are as follows:
37750
37751@table @var
37752
37753@item name
37754The register's name; it must be unique within the target description.
37755
37756@item bitsize
37757The register's size, in bits.
37758
37759@item regnum
37760The register's number. If omitted, a register's number is one greater
37761than that of the previous register (either in the current feature or in
37762a preceding feature); the first register in the target description
37763defaults to zero. This register number is used to read or write
37764the register; e.g.@: it is used in the remote @code{p} and @code{P}
37765packets, and registers appear in the @code{g} and @code{G} packets
37766in order of increasing register number.
37767
37768@item save-restore
37769Whether the register should be preserved across inferior function
37770calls; this must be either @code{yes} or @code{no}. The default is
37771@code{yes}, which is appropriate for most registers except for
37772some system control registers; this is not related to the target's
37773ABI.
37774
37775@item type
37776The type of the register. @var{type} may be a predefined type, a type
37777defined in the current feature, or one of the special types @code{int}
37778and @code{float}. @code{int} is an integer type of the correct size
37779for @var{bitsize}, and @code{float} is a floating point type (in the
37780architecture's normal floating point format) of the correct size for
37781@var{bitsize}. The default is @code{int}.
37782
37783@item group
37784The register group to which this register belongs. @var{group} must
37785be either @code{general}, @code{float}, or @code{vector}. If no
37786@var{group} is specified, @value{GDBN} will not display the register
37787in @code{info registers}.
37788
37789@end table
37790
37791@node Predefined Target Types
37792@section Predefined Target Types
37793@cindex target descriptions, predefined types
37794
37795Type definitions in the self-description can build up composite types
37796from basic building blocks, but can not define fundamental types. Instead,
37797standard identifiers are provided by @value{GDBN} for the fundamental
37798types. The currently supported types are:
37799
37800@table @code
37801
37802@item int8
37803@itemx int16
37804@itemx int32
37805@itemx int64
37806@itemx int128
37807Signed integer types holding the specified number of bits.
37808
37809@item uint8
37810@itemx uint16
37811@itemx uint32
37812@itemx uint64
37813@itemx uint128
37814Unsigned integer types holding the specified number of bits.
37815
37816@item code_ptr
37817@itemx data_ptr
37818Pointers to unspecified code and data. The program counter and
37819any dedicated return address register may be marked as code
37820pointers; printing a code pointer converts it into a symbolic
37821address. The stack pointer and any dedicated address registers
37822may be marked as data pointers.
37823
37824@item ieee_single
37825Single precision IEEE floating point.
37826
37827@item ieee_double
37828Double precision IEEE floating point.
37829
37830@item arm_fpa_ext
37831The 12-byte extended precision format used by ARM FPA registers.
37832
37833@item i387_ext
37834The 10-byte extended precision format used by x87 registers.
37835
37836@item i386_eflags
3783732bit @sc{eflags} register used by x86.
37838
37839@item i386_mxcsr
3784032bit @sc{mxcsr} register used by x86.
37841
37842@end table
37843
37844@node Standard Target Features
37845@section Standard Target Features
37846@cindex target descriptions, standard features
37847
37848A target description must contain either no registers or all the
37849target's registers. If the description contains no registers, then
37850@value{GDBN} will assume a default register layout, selected based on
37851the architecture. If the description contains any registers, the
37852default layout will not be used; the standard registers must be
37853described in the target description, in such a way that @value{GDBN}
37854can recognize them.
37855
37856This is accomplished by giving specific names to feature elements
37857which contain standard registers. @value{GDBN} will look for features
37858with those names and verify that they contain the expected registers;
37859if any known feature is missing required registers, or if any required
37860feature is missing, @value{GDBN} will reject the target
37861description. You can add additional registers to any of the
37862standard features --- @value{GDBN} will display them just as if
37863they were added to an unrecognized feature.
37864
37865This section lists the known features and their expected contents.
37866Sample XML documents for these features are included in the
37867@value{GDBN} source tree, in the directory @file{gdb/features}.
37868
37869Names recognized by @value{GDBN} should include the name of the
37870company or organization which selected the name, and the overall
37871architecture to which the feature applies; so e.g.@: the feature
37872containing ARM core registers is named @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}.
37873
37874The names of registers are not case sensitive for the purpose
37875of recognizing standard features, but @value{GDBN} will only display
37876registers using the capitalization used in the description.
37877
37878@menu
37879* ARM Features::
37880* i386 Features::
37881* MIPS Features::
37882* M68K Features::
37883* PowerPC Features::
37884* TIC6x Features::
37885@end menu
37886
37887
37888@node ARM Features
37889@subsection ARM Features
37890@cindex target descriptions, ARM features
37891
37892The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core} feature is required for non-M-profile
37893ARM targets.
37894It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp},
37895@samp{lr}, @samp{pc}, and @samp{cpsr}.
37896
37897For M-profile targets (e.g. Cortex-M3), the @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.core}
37898feature is replaced by @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.m-profile}. It should contain
37899registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r13}, @samp{sp}, @samp{lr}, @samp{pc},
37900and @samp{xpsr}.
37901
37902The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.fpa} feature is optional. If present, it
37903should contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f7} and @samp{fps}.
37904
37905The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.xscale.iwmmxt} feature is optional. If present,
37906it should contain at least registers @samp{wR0} through @samp{wR15} and
37907@samp{wCGR0} through @samp{wCGR3}. The @samp{wCID}, @samp{wCon},
37908@samp{wCSSF}, and @samp{wCASF} registers are optional.
37909
37910The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} feature is optional. If present, it
37911should contain at least registers @samp{d0} through @samp{d15}. If
37912they are present, @samp{d16} through @samp{d31} should also be included.
37913@value{GDBN} will synthesize the single-precision registers from
37914halves of the double-precision registers.
37915
37916The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.neon} feature is optional. It does not
37917need to contain registers; it instructs @value{GDBN} to display the
37918VFP double-precision registers as vectors and to synthesize the
37919quad-precision registers from pairs of double-precision registers.
37920If this feature is present, @samp{org.gnu.gdb.arm.vfp} must also
37921be present and include 32 double-precision registers.
37922
37923@node i386 Features
37924@subsection i386 Features
37925@cindex target descriptions, i386 features
37926
37927The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.core} feature is required for i386/amd64
37928targets. It should describe the following registers:
37929
37930@itemize @minus
37931@item
37932@samp{eax} through @samp{edi} plus @samp{eip} for i386
37933@item
37934@samp{rax} through @samp{r15} plus @samp{rip} for amd64
37935@item
37936@samp{eflags}, @samp{cs}, @samp{ss}, @samp{ds}, @samp{es},
37937@samp{fs}, @samp{gs}
37938@item
37939@samp{st0} through @samp{st7}
37940@item
37941@samp{fctrl}, @samp{fstat}, @samp{ftag}, @samp{fiseg}, @samp{fioff},
37942@samp{foseg}, @samp{fooff} and @samp{fop}
37943@end itemize
37944
37945The register sets may be different, depending on the target.
37946
37947The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature is optional. It should
37948describe registers:
37949
37950@itemize @minus
37951@item
37952@samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm7} for i386
37953@item
37954@samp{xmm0} through @samp{xmm15} for amd64
37955@item
37956@samp{mxcsr}
37957@end itemize
37958
37959The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.avx} feature is optional and requires the
37960@samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.sse} feature. It should
37961describe the upper 128 bits of @sc{ymm} registers:
37962
37963@itemize @minus
37964@item
37965@samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm7h} for i386
37966@item
37967@samp{ymm0h} through @samp{ymm15h} for amd64
37968@end itemize
37969
37970The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.i386.linux} feature is optional. It should
37971describe a single register, @samp{orig_eax}.
37972
37973@node MIPS Features
37974@subsection MIPS Features
37975@cindex target descriptions, MIPS features
37976
37977The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cpu} feature is required for MIPS targets.
37978It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31}, @samp{lo},
37979@samp{hi}, and @samp{pc}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending
37980on the target.
37981
37982The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.cp0} feature is also required. It should
37983contain at least the @samp{status}, @samp{badvaddr}, and @samp{cause}
37984registers. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
37985
37986The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.fpu} feature is currently required, though
37987it may be optional in a future version of @value{GDBN}. It should
37988contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31}, @samp{fcsr}, and
37989@samp{fir}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
37990
37991The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.mips.linux} feature is optional. It should
37992contain a single register, @samp{restart}, which is used by the
37993Linux kernel to control restartable syscalls.
37994
37995@node M68K Features
37996@subsection M68K Features
37997@cindex target descriptions, M68K features
37998
37999@table @code
38000@item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.m68k.core}
38001@itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.core}
38002@itemx @samp{org.gnu.gdb.fido.core}
38003One of those features must be always present.
38004The feature that is present determines which flavor of m68k is
38005used. The feature that is present should contain registers
38006@samp{d0} through @samp{d7}, @samp{a0} through @samp{a5}, @samp{fp},
38007@samp{sp}, @samp{ps} and @samp{pc}.
38008
38009@item @samp{org.gnu.gdb.coldfire.fp}
38010This feature is optional. If present, it should contain registers
38011@samp{fp0} through @samp{fp7}, @samp{fpcontrol}, @samp{fpstatus} and
38012@samp{fpiaddr}.
38013@end table
38014
38015@node PowerPC Features
38016@subsection PowerPC Features
38017@cindex target descriptions, PowerPC features
38018
38019The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} feature is required for PowerPC
38020targets. It should contain registers @samp{r0} through @samp{r31},
38021@samp{pc}, @samp{msr}, @samp{cr}, @samp{lr}, @samp{ctr}, and
38022@samp{xer}. They may be 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the target.
38023
38024The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.fpu} feature is optional. It should
38025contain registers @samp{f0} through @samp{f31} and @samp{fpscr}.
38026
38027The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.altivec} feature is optional. It should
38028contain registers @samp{vr0} through @samp{vr31}, @samp{vscr},
38029and @samp{vrsave}.
38030
38031The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.vsx} feature is optional. It should
38032contain registers @samp{vs0h} through @samp{vs31h}. @value{GDBN}
38033will combine these registers with the floating point registers
38034(@samp{f0} through @samp{f31}) and the altivec registers (@samp{vr0}
38035through @samp{vr31}) to present the 128-bit wide registers @samp{vs0}
38036through @samp{vs63}, the set of vector registers for POWER7.
38037
38038The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.spe} feature is optional. It should
38039contain registers @samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}, @samp{acc}, and
38040@samp{spefscr}. SPE targets should provide 32-bit registers in
38041@samp{org.gnu.gdb.power.core} and provide the upper halves in
38042@samp{ev0h} through @samp{ev31h}. @value{GDBN} will combine
38043these to present registers @samp{ev0} through @samp{ev31} to the
38044user.
38045
38046@node TIC6x Features
38047@subsection TMS320C6x Features
38048@cindex target descriptions, TIC6x features
38049@cindex target descriptions, TMS320C6x features
38050The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.core} feature is required for TMS320C6x
38051targets. It should contain registers @samp{A0} through @samp{A15},
38052registers @samp{B0} through @samp{B15}, @samp{CSR} and @samp{PC}.
38053
38054The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.gp} feature is optional. It should
38055contain registers @samp{A16} through @samp{A31} and @samp{B16}
38056through @samp{B31}.
38057
38058The @samp{org.gnu.gdb.tic6x.c6xp} feature is optional. It should
38059contain registers @samp{TSR}, @samp{ILC} and @samp{RILC}.
38060
38061@node Operating System Information
38062@appendix Operating System Information
38063@cindex operating system information
38064
38065@menu
38066* Process list::
38067@end menu
38068
38069Users of @value{GDBN} often wish to obtain information about the state of
38070the operating system running on the target---for example the list of
38071processes, or the list of open files. This section describes the
38072mechanism that makes it possible. This mechanism is similar to the
38073target features mechanism (@pxref{Target Descriptions}), but focuses
38074on a different aspect of target.
38075
38076Operating system information is retrived from the target via the
38077remote protocol, using @samp{qXfer} requests (@pxref{qXfer osdata
38078read}). The object name in the request should be @samp{osdata}, and
38079the @var{annex} identifies the data to be fetched.
38080
38081@node Process list
38082@appendixsection Process list
38083@cindex operating system information, process list
38084
38085When requesting the process list, the @var{annex} field in the
38086@samp{qXfer} request should be @samp{processes}. The returned data is
38087an XML document. The formal syntax of this document is defined in
38088@file{gdb/features/osdata.dtd}.
38089
38090An example document is:
38091
38092@smallexample
38093<?xml version="1.0"?>
38094<!DOCTYPE target SYSTEM "osdata.dtd">
38095<osdata type="processes">
38096 <item>
38097 <column name="pid">1</column>
38098 <column name="user">root</column>
38099 <column name="command">/sbin/init</column>
38100 <column name="cores">1,2,3</column>
38101 </item>
38102</osdata>
38103@end smallexample
38104
38105Each item should include a column whose name is @samp{pid}. The value
38106of that column should identify the process on the target. The
38107@samp{user} and @samp{command} columns are optional, and will be
38108displayed by @value{GDBN}. The @samp{cores} column, if present,
38109should contain a comma-separated list of cores that this process
38110is running on. Target may provide additional columns,
38111which @value{GDBN} currently ignores.
38112
38113@node Trace File Format
38114@appendix Trace File Format
38115@cindex trace file format
38116
38117The trace file comes in three parts: a header, a textual description
38118section, and a trace frame section with binary data.
38119
38120The header has the form @code{\x7fTRACE0\n}. The first byte is
38121@code{0x7f} so as to indicate that the file contains binary data,
38122while the @code{0} is a version number that may have different values
38123in the future.
38124
38125The description section consists of multiple lines of @sc{ascii} text
38126separated by newline characters (@code{0xa}). The lines may include a
38127variety of optional descriptive or context-setting information, such
38128as tracepoint definitions or register set size. @value{GDBN} will
38129ignore any line that it does not recognize. An empty line marks the end
38130of this section.
38131
38132@c FIXME add some specific types of data
38133
38134The trace frame section consists of a number of consecutive frames.
38135Each frame begins with a two-byte tracepoint number, followed by a
38136four-byte size giving the amount of data in the frame. The data in
38137the frame consists of a number of blocks, each introduced by a
38138character indicating its type (at least register, memory, and trace
38139state variable). The data in this section is raw binary, not a
38140hexadecimal or other encoding; its endianness matches the target's
38141endianness.
38142
38143@c FIXME bi-arch may require endianness/arch info in description section
38144
38145@table @code
38146@item R @var{bytes}
38147Register block. The number and ordering of bytes matches that of a
38148@code{g} packet in the remote protocol. Note that these are the
38149actual bytes, in target order and @value{GDBN} register order, not a
38150hexadecimal encoding.
38151
38152@item M @var{address} @var{length} @var{bytes}...
38153Memory block. This is a contiguous block of memory, at the 8-byte
38154address @var{address}, with a 2-byte length @var{length}, followed by
38155@var{length} bytes.
38156
38157@item V @var{number} @var{value}
38158Trace state variable block. This records the 8-byte signed value
38159@var{value} of trace state variable numbered @var{number}.
38160
38161@end table
38162
38163Future enhancements of the trace file format may include additional types
38164of blocks.
38165
38166@node Index Section Format
38167@appendix @code{.gdb_index} section format
38168@cindex .gdb_index section format
38169@cindex index section format
38170
38171This section documents the index section that is created by @code{save
38172gdb-index} (@pxref{Index Files}). The index section is
38173DWARF-specific; some knowledge of DWARF is assumed in this
38174description.
38175
38176The mapped index file format is designed to be directly
38177@code{mmap}able on any architecture. In most cases, a datum is
38178represented using a little-endian 32-bit integer value, called an
38179@code{offset_type}. Big endian machines must byte-swap the values
38180before using them. Exceptions to this rule are noted. The data is
38181laid out such that alignment is always respected.
38182
38183A mapped index consists of several areas, laid out in order.
38184
38185@enumerate
38186@item
38187The file header. This is a sequence of values, of @code{offset_type}
38188unless otherwise noted:
38189
38190@enumerate
38191@item
38192The version number, currently 5. Versions 1, 2 and 3 are obsolete.
38193Version 4 differs by its hashing function.
38194
38195@item
38196The offset, from the start of the file, of the CU list.
38197
38198@item
38199The offset, from the start of the file, of the types CU list. Note
38200that this area can be empty, in which case this offset will be equal
38201to the next offset.
38202
38203@item
38204The offset, from the start of the file, of the address area.
38205
38206@item
38207The offset, from the start of the file, of the symbol table.
38208
38209@item
38210The offset, from the start of the file, of the constant pool.
38211@end enumerate
38212
38213@item
38214The CU list. This is a sequence of pairs of 64-bit little-endian
38215values, sorted by the CU offset. The first element in each pair is
38216the offset of a CU in the @code{.debug_info} section. The second
38217element in each pair is the length of that CU. References to a CU
38218elsewhere in the map are done using a CU index, which is just the
382190-based index into this table. Note that if there are type CUs, then
38220conceptually CUs and type CUs form a single list for the purposes of
38221CU indices.
38222
38223@item
38224The types CU list. This is a sequence of triplets of 64-bit
38225little-endian values. In a triplet, the first value is the CU offset,
38226the second value is the type offset in the CU, and the third value is
38227the type signature. The types CU list is not sorted.
38228
38229@item
38230The address area. The address area consists of a sequence of address
38231entries. Each address entry has three elements:
38232
38233@enumerate
38234@item
38235The low address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value.
38236
38237@item
38238The high address. This is a 64-bit little-endian value. Like
38239@code{DW_AT_high_pc}, the value is one byte beyond the end.
38240
38241@item
38242The CU index. This is an @code{offset_type} value.
38243@end enumerate
38244
38245@item
38246The symbol table. This is an open-addressed hash table. The size of
38247the hash table is always a power of 2.
38248
38249Each slot in the hash table consists of a pair of @code{offset_type}
38250values. The first value is the offset of the symbol's name in the
38251constant pool. The second value is the offset of the CU vector in the
38252constant pool.
38253
38254If both values are 0, then this slot in the hash table is empty. This
38255is ok because while 0 is a valid constant pool index, it cannot be a
38256valid index for both a string and a CU vector.
38257
38258The hash value for a table entry is computed by applying an
38259iterative hash function to the symbol's name. Starting with an
38260initial value of @code{r = 0}, each (unsigned) character @samp{c} in
38261the string is incorporated into the hash using the formula depending on the
38262index version:
38263
38264@table @asis
38265@item Version 4
38266The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + c - 113}.
38267
38268@item Version 5
38269The formula is @code{r = r * 67 + tolower (c) - 113}.
38270@end table
38271
38272The terminating @samp{\0} is not incorporated into the hash.
38273
38274The step size used in the hash table is computed via
38275@code{((hash * 17) & (size - 1)) | 1}, where @samp{hash} is the hash
38276value, and @samp{size} is the size of the hash table. The step size
38277is used to find the next candidate slot when handling a hash
38278collision.
38279
38280The names of C@t{++} symbols in the hash table are canonicalized. We
38281don't currently have a simple description of the canonicalization
38282algorithm; if you intend to create new index sections, you must read
38283the code.
38284
38285@item
38286The constant pool. This is simply a bunch of bytes. It is organized
38287so that alignment is correct: CU vectors are stored first, followed by
38288strings.
38289
38290A CU vector in the constant pool is a sequence of @code{offset_type}
38291values. The first value is the number of CU indices in the vector.
38292Each subsequent value is the index of a CU in the CU list. This
38293element in the hash table is used to indicate which CUs define the
38294symbol.
38295
38296A string in the constant pool is zero-terminated.
38297@end enumerate
38298
38299@include gpl.texi
38300
38301@node GNU Free Documentation License
38302@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
38303@include fdl.texi
38304
38305@node Index
38306@unnumbered Index
38307
38308@printindex cp
38309
38310@tex
38311% I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
38312% meantime:
38313\long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
38314\centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
38315\centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
38316\centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
38317\centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
38318\centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/},}
38319\centerline{{\bf\fontname\tenbf}, and}
38320\centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
38321\centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
38322\page\colophon
38323% Blame: doc@cygnus.com, 1991.
38324@end tex
38325
38326@bye
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